The Results of My 6 Week Challenge

So I finished my first six week challenge! As you may remember, it consisted of :

Clean Eating

Okay, to clarify: those little tree things are cauliflower.

Working out five days a week

Drinking lots of water

A gallon a day. This part was the hardest for me. I don't know, it just feels like I'm drinking an entire river. 

and a few days of intermittent fasting. That's a twenty hour fast, from the last time you ate the night before.


So, my results: I lost 19.2 pounds, 3.9% body fat, dropped two pants sizes, and went from a large to a medium in tops and bottoms. I have way more energy, way more confidence and I feel like a much more positive person. 

Negativity drags you down like extra weight/being out of shape does, and it seems like the two of those things are often linked. Maybe because it's easier to sit back and criticize, complain, and make excuses  than it is to get up off your butt, off the bench and get in the game.

For me at this stage,  "getting in the game" means taking care of myself and challenging myself to be healthy. There's lots of ways that people can sit on the bench, but being overly critical and negative is usually a strong marker.

Mean people suck.

Anyhow, now that I'm in the game, I'm a far happier person. I complain a lot less and am less interested in engaging in negative conversation.

You'll still hear me complain sometimes, though, don't worry. We still have to have our fun.

Dan took me out for a really nice sushi dinner at a great restaurant after my weigh in. Before we went, I bought a cute dress and I felt beautiful in it.

I guess I was in kind of a hurry when I drew my hands. FYI, I still have all my fingers.

 For a really long time, I haven't been able to wear what I really want to, because being overweight meant I'd have to wear what looked flattering on my figure. So this new chapter is just really exciting, because I'm  finally getting to wear what I WANT to wear! I can wear stuff I actually LIKE! Also, I'm more interested in getting out, doing things and seeing people.

I really feel like a new person, but that new person isn't just someone who is thinner. That new person is someone who has learned she is stronger than she thought, quite capable of committing to a difficult physical challenge, and is learning further discipline in a number of areas.

The new me can do push ups! The new me can lift 20 lbs with one arm! The new me gets up in the morning and does mini workouts, even when I have a regular workout scheduled for later! The new me tries to walk 2 miles with her kids each day!

The new me knows that I CAN DO THIS.

When you succeed at something you've always failed at - and failed badly, I might add - you can't help but feel like a new person, because you are a new person.

The old days.

And the thing is, I'm not even finished yet! I signed up for the next six week challenge, which officially starts next week, but I'm beginning a week early.

Miraculously, I can't stay away from working out. It's something I look forward to now, and I drove out in the pouring rain the other day - even when I didn't have to - so that I could continue on with my special little journey.

To close, I'll just share this song with you. It's been a favorite of mine for years and it really puts into words how I feel about this whole experience I'm going through. It's called  "Just Showed Up For My Own Life" and you know what? That's exactly what I did, and exactly what I plan to keep on doing.