Because

...life sometimes throws you challenges.

Because...it cannot always run as planned.

Because...at the end of the day it is what you will do with what is given to you.

The Point?

I was up training and going strong and now I'm ill again with imposed bed rest. I do not get discouraged. I refuse to let my spirits down. Instead I remind myself about all of the good in my life. Family, Friends and Co-workers who are supportive; most of which provide love, understanding and empowerment.
I remind myself that this too shall pass because part of loosing weight is being able to improve my health. Instead I am grateful. I am grateful for every opportunity I am granted and look forward to feeling much better soon.

Because...life provides me with all I need when I need it.

Shop Talk - Workouts

In line with keeping others focused and reminding myself of the importance of empowerment. I share a past work-out. I accepted the burpee challenge this month and while I have been good with the other workouts I fell behind on the challenge calendar. I did not want to fall into the old guilt pattern or spend days stressing over make-up sessions. Instead I figured a great way to do it: circuit style!

Prep: I figured out how many I had to do of each and then broke it out by sets. Then I added some cardio drills including exercises I have a hard time with like jumping jacks and jump rope. I also planned on doing the modified version of the burpee. Then I just did it!

I questioned my madness 10 minutes in, hated life 30 minutes in but was energized an hour in. By the time I was done I felt proud, invincible and motivated.


Soon I will train again. Today I focus on cleansing my body and resting for future play hard moments.

Be

New Era

Pepe's Journey

I told Jose the only gift I wanted for my birthday was for him to work out with me on my birthday.  While I hoped he would enjoy it...I did not go into the situation expecting him to join. After two sessions he decided to join accelerate sycle studio with me. I'm elated.

He was the missing piece of my journey.  I am proud of his current choices and will do my best to encourage his journey.

Here's to keeping it going.

October check

I am working. I am in "all in" mode. 

Work-outs

I have my workout calendar up on my mirror and back to yoga, almost daily. 

I'm back in my ROAR groove and loving my PiYo and Yoga combo mornings.  There has been days I oversleep so I've missed Yoga but I still do PiYo in the afternoons. 

Routine

Yoga: 5- 6 days a week. 

PiYo: 3-4 days of double PiYo

ROAR: 3 days a week. 

Walking: I tend to do activities that require a lot of walking. 

What I am missing is an intense cardio burn so I tried a spinning class. I wanted to get that feel everyone talks about but I just was not enjoying it. I will have to look for a boxing class or something else I may enjoy.  I want to make sure the activities I do are something I look forward to. Who knows I may try spinning again on a future date but it's not what I'm into now.

Food

I am counting points and tracking meticulously.  I also make sure i don't fall into any guilt patterns and just keep on moving forward. If I slack of on food I get back on track by the next meal, minus my biddy weekend, or remain super active to compensate. 

Example I knew I was going to have taquitos on my birthday along with cake, so I made sure I worked out that morning. I was excited to do it because it is my favorite routine: ROAR, Walking up hill and yoga. It was perfect active morning and it allowed me to splurge at dinner without fear of gaining weight. Now the goal is to get healthy and loose weight so the days following the splurge I counted my points to the "t". I am in a great place and I check myself before I put something in my mouth. I ask myself - 

"is it worth it?" - and most of the time 

it is not. So I don't go for it.

I won't say it's easy but I won't say it's hard. It is all about my mindset and how bad I really want to to be healthy.  So yes I'm in a game face kind of mood and plan on staying here for awhile. The current plan is simple; take it, meal by meal, step by step, day by day, and pound by pound. Good choices, persistence,  accountability,  determination,  discipline,  acceptance and self-love will get me there.

Here's to good choices. 

1. Complete.

100 pounds and 14 sizes smaller.

Today is the day I was supposed to be at goal...

but I weight the same as when I started this count down. I'm not disappointed,  dissatisfied or discouraged.  Instead I am optimistic,  relieved and renewed. For I understand  this is a non-linear process which requires a lifestyle change and a whole lot of persistence.

I've made peace with the process.

I'm no longer angry about food; what I cannot and should not eat. I went through days of beating myself up over unhealthy choices but a new mindset allowed forgiveness. I am human and I will have bad days. I make mistakes and will fall back sometimes.  The point is not to stray far from the optimal goal: live a long healthy life and adapt to the lifestyle that will allow me to get there. This means smiling when I order a salad. Being proud of myself for choosing the fruit instead of a chocolate bar and if I don't make a healthy choice I don't make the "old me" type of scandal. These days, if I make an unhealthy choice and I make sure the next one is a healthy one. I seek balance.

Yes, I am still not at goal and while reflecting over my journey I realized: I'm healthier than I was 1 -2 - 3 - 4- 5 - ... 12 years ago!! I am thinner, stronger and leaner. I am at the perfect spot and self-love makes me want to go the extra mile. Self-love makes me want to loose the next 84 pounds!  I feel complete in knowing I give each and every day my best - whatever that may look like. I truly forgive myself for not being perfect. I am living the best way I know how and I am in the process of positive changes in my life.

The mindset that helped me get where I am today.

1. Forgive myself.  For not being perfect,  for slipping sometimes, for being so hard on myself.  

2. Love myself.  Honor my mind, body and soul. Treat my body with honor and respect. Instead of being critical over what I am not doing I must remind myself to simply say, I love you, to myself.

3. One step at a time. I make grand goals and there have been set-backs. There will be days when I push hard and others when all I can do is apply a small change to stay on target. This is when I remind myself that I just need to take it day by day, moment by moment. 

4. Play hard. Stating I'll take it day by day does not mean I'm not playing hard. When I'm healthy - no vertigo, no pain - I play real hard because I love waking up knowing I gave each moment the best I could. This may also apply when the emotional part tries to take over. I just have to get up and rise above it all and play hard in every area of my life i.e. work, home etc.  

5. Share yourself with others. Some people appreciate my story and they will be inspired to make changes in their own life. If I can help another individual through their journey then I'm satisfied knowing I made a contribution and difference in someone elses life. 

6. What others think of me is none of my business.  Life is too short to worry or to live concerned about what someone else thinks about me. For example, I give each work out and each class my best. I may look foolish to some but I'm having fun and simply taking care of me. 

7. Be grateful.  I have been given the opportunity to embrace this new way of living and thinking.  I am grateful for every moment. 

8. Be happy. It is a state of mind and happiness will get me much further than fear, doubt, anger, depression etc. A smile truly goes a long way. 

9. Be mindful. Being mindful is a daily practice. Yoga helps me reach true consciousness. I am successful when I practice mindful eating and mindful living. 

10. Enjoy the process because there is no finish line. It is truly a journey.

I thank you for reading about my journey. May you live a healthy and inspired life.

Here's to sharing.

18. Vamonos.

I'm in action mode. I tell myself, Don't wait another minute and give up the struggle. Why? Because at the end of the day I feel a whole lot better when I workout (even if its just 20 minutes). The PiYo / Yoga work out schedule has been been good. Double work-outs are no longer a must. Instead I stick to the schedule and add activity when I can.

This allows me to take care of me and takes the stress out of it. It makes me feel good when I do more activity
; instead of feeling bad or guilty because I did not do it all.

Now I have to apply the same thought pattern to food. The mindful eating training helped and I must keep it present.

To keeping it positive.

33. Be Present.

Day 9

I will appreciate the people with whom I am eating and try hard to be present and truly listen to what they are saying rather than just planning my response. If I am eating alone, I'll notice my thoughts and let them flow without judgment or necessarily action.

32. Mindful Eating Closure.

Day 10

I will pay attention to the food I have eaten and notice how it affected my mood and my energy. If I don't like the way I feel, I will not berate myself with negative self-talk, but will rather note the feeling and remind myself before eating that food again in the future. If I feel good, I will note that, too, and be grateful for that experience.

Today I Shine.