Day 15 check in...

 

Hello Everyone!! I'm sooooo SORRY that it's taken me so long to write a post...well, actually I made a post last week and as soon as I was about click publish EVERYTHING erased -____- lol!!
So let me update you on everything!!

So if you've been reading, or following..esp on instagram...You'll see that I'm counting my days until I hit 90.  I started this 90 day challenge for myself 15 days ago because I wanted to motivate myself all over again with something new...I started my weight loss recordings all over and even started my food diary over with a day 1.  Since I've started my 90 day challenge I've been eating healthy and working out every single day...except one day in the week I have a rest day, so all together I work out 6 days a week.

Recently I've been working out with my friend who's been putting together these insane workouts where we workout for about 3hours and lately we've been burning up to 1,000+ calories in every workout. lol. They're so intense & challenging BUT they're so fun because we literally push ourselves and each other.  When I say intense I MEAN BEYOND INTENSE. Like death type workouts LOL!! but I LOVE THEM!! I love seeing how far I can push my body.. it's beyond amazing to me that your body is stronger than your mind. 
The fact that your physical body can show people how hard you've worked and what kind of diet you eat is beyond mind boggling to me. 

 

 Those are just a couple of gym pictures I take of how much I burn and what type of workouts I invent for myself. lol. I push myself so hard in the gym I love how much stronger I've gotten.

I looked in the mirror one day and honestly couldn't believe how far I've come.  My squats and leg days have DEF worked out for the best of me!! I remember I had NO back side before this transformation process! lol!

My meals have seem to gotten much smaller, I can't eat nearly as much as I used to be able to.  I eat 3 meals a day with a snack in between breakfast and lunch and one in between lunch and dinner.  My snacks are usually any type of fruit or nuts (peanuts mostly).  Here are a couple of my meals that I've taken pictures of...[I post a lot of my meals on instagram on the daily @xxxtinemarie is my name]

 

Here are a couple pics of how breakfast usually looks:

 

This was amazing!! It was banana slices with peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla toasted on a skillet. =peanut butter & banana quesadilla :)

 

So for breakfast I usually have a boiled egg, fruit (I tend to eat a lot of berry type fruits) and some type of carb (I switch between a slice of toast, cup of cereal or 1/2 cup of oatmeal).

 

Here are some pictures of my lunch meals::

 

For lunch I always try to have some type of protein whether it's a boiled egg (I limit myself to 2 boiled eggs a day) or some baked chicken with a side of veggies. 

 

Here are some pictures of dinner: (dinner usually consists of some type of protein and veggies also...if I ever want dessert, its usually a cup of some fruit)

 

 

SNACKS::

 

 

Changing my diet was the number one thing that changed everything!! Also keeping a food diary kept me accountable for myself.  Being able to visually see what I ate on paper kept myself in check and allowed me to see an estimation of how many calories I was eating a day. (I try to keep my intake around 1200-1600)

 

I remember my logic used to be....if I burn enough calories, I can eat whatever I want and maintain my weight....SIKE, I ended up gaining over 30lbs!

 

 

 

 

These are 2 before and after pictures that are so surreal to me every time I look at them... The before picture in both are taken in August of last year and the after pictures are taken during this past week on my way to workout....

At one point other people were my motivation to change my lifestyle, work out and fix my diet.... NOW, I AM my own motivation. I look at myself in the mirror every morning and it keeps me going.  It pushes me to get to the gym EVERY SINGLE DAY.  I've lost about 45lbs+ and I'm nowhere near finish....I JUST STARTED!!

 

A lot of people have been asking me different types of questions, but the top question I get is..."What keeps you motivated?"

Honestly...what kept me motivated was myself! I had to honestly believe that I was gonna transform my body.  I would look at before and after pictures for a month straight...sometimes until 4 in the morning.  I researched and read fitness articles every single night before bed.  I planned out what I would eat for the next day every night.  I was so determined that I was tired of starting over and saying "Ok, tomorrow I'll start." I said that for over a year and gained 20lbs. So I made my mind up and decided that I would stick to it this time!

 

I honestly believe if YOU want it, then YOU WILL do anything to get it.  You can't be inconsistent. You can't be lazy. You can't do it for 2 weeks and think you're gonna change overnight...It's a process and you HAVE to fall in love with it!

I did this all by MYSELF, NO shakes, NO corsets, NO quick/crash diets, and NO gym in the first 3 months....It was ALL will power and DEDICATION.

I usually go to bootcamp every Sunday but today I took a well needed rest day and I KNOW tomorrow is gonna be another CRAZY, INSANE, DEATH workout so I'm resting up for it.

 

 

I hope this post gives you guys some insight on how I've been keeping up with my goals, fitness and lifestyle changes.  I don't consider myself on a diet, I just eat according to my goals and what I honestly want to eat.  I'm beyond happy with the results I have gotten throughout this process and I fall in love with the process more and more EVERY SINGLE DAY!! :)

 

 

 



 









Day 4 of 90....

Hello Everyone!!!

Sorry It's taken so long to write a post... So let me update you on what's new....

 So On Sunday, March 16, 2014 I started a 90 day challenge... [I should have wrote a post on my first day, I'm so sorry I've been so busy trying to get school and work situated.] But the week before that I went on this binge where I was eating everything in sight until I got so full I couldn't breathe lol!

 I even have my days...where I lose it but before I'm too far gone, I catch myself! That's why I started another 90 day challenge for myself and I even asked anyone and everyone to join me on my journey just to show you guys what 90 days can do!  

For these next 90 days all I’m asking is for DEDICATION, DISCIPLINE, PATIENCE, build some WORK ETHICS, show me PASSION and to just try as hard as you can!! No cheating yourself, research when you’re lost about something and CONSISTENCY! You can do so much in 90 Days…. The end date of my 90 days is June 14, 2014. Here is what my Day 1 looks like…

I also started my food diary all over starting at Day 1 for a fresh new start…

Here are some pictures of my meals I’ve ate so far starting at Day 2:

(Breakfast: green pepper, onion & spinach omelette with multigrain toast)

(Also had 1/2 cup of strawberries & grapes with breakfast)

Day 3:

(Breakfast: boiled egg, multigrain toast w/ one tablespoon of peanut butter, cup of grapes, green tea with lemon. Book; The Power of Your Subconscious Mind)

(Postworkout lunch: baked chicken, boiled egg, 2 tablespoons of hummus with 1 carrot stalk)

Day 4 (today) March 19, 2014:

(Breakfast: cup of Cheerios with sliced bananas, 1/2 cup of light vanilla soy milk, boiled egg, green tea with honey & lemon)

(Snack: one celery stalk with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, topped with dried cranberries & a small tangerine)

(Lunch: 1/2 chicken & spinach sandwhich with hummus & mustard, 1/2 grapefruit, carrots & hummus to dip)

(Dinner: cabbage & cannellini bean soup with baked chicken on the side. And I had a cup of grapes for dessert)

On Day 1 I went to bootcamp and did 2 sessions because I was eating so bad the previous day…

I’ve also changed up my workouts a little… last month I was doing 30mins of cardio and about 30-45mins of circuit training with weight lifting with a specific muscle group every day (arms, shoulders, legs, back etc.) 

This month I’ve been doing a lot of interval, HIIT (high intensity interval training), calisthenics, body weight type of exercising. I’m also training for a half marathon (13.1 miles) so I’ve been trying to strengthen my muscles. I’m so happy that the weather is finally breaking in Michigan.  I finally did my first run outside instead of the treadmill and my pace/timing is so off…I was a little disappointed but I’m just gonna work on it.

The main reason I did this 90 days is because I saw myself picking up bad habits again… I basically ate what I wanted for 3 consistent days (I had my reasons) but I knew I couldn’t keep going or else I’d lose myself.  For those 3 days of eating BS I could honestly feel the impact… I got lazy, my mood was shitty, I was angry and I didn’t feel good.  Day 4 (today) I feel so much better! I have more energy and I’m happier! Lol! This 90 day challenge for myself is just another nice way I can motivate myself.  I’m so excited to see what I’ll look like on day 30… (I decided to take pictures every 30 days for progress)

My one year mark of changing my lifestyle is coming up in August and I can’t believe it…. Here’s another progress picture of me from back in August to this month….

 

The difference is amazing and I still can’t believe how much I accomplished! I literally still look at my before pictures every night before I go to bed. I love the fact that once upon a time other people’s before &  after pictures was my motivation but now I AM my own motivation and it feels so good.

I really cant wait to see what my body will look like 85 days from now!! So I’m asking anyone and everyone to join me! Just watch what hard work can do! You wont regret it, you’ll only regret that you didn’t do it!

Vampire status...

Good Morning Everyone! :)

So.... I actually have not been to sleep yet.... I got in the bed at about 1:30am and read a couple articles on my phone and attempted to go to sleep at about 2 but I literally was tossing and turning from 2-4am. OMG!!! I don't have any idea on why I was so restless either!

So guess what I did...

YUP!! I got dressed and went to the gym at 4am... lol!!! and honestly... it felt amazing! I ran 2miles and I kinda did some meditation while running, and did some self awareness exercises so it was pretty refreshing. I also did some lunges with a 30lb straight bar, some arm exercises and in between my circuit training I added a lot of HIIT exercises (high intense interval training). I intended to go light and easy since I haven't been to sleep yet but I ended up going extra hard. lol

I ended up burning 862 calories!! I couldn't believe it! lol. I've honestly been pushing and challenging myself in my workouts.  I try to maintain a heart rate over 150 throughout my workout, and on the last set of each exercise I go until I cant go anymore.  "If it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you!"

Well after my workout, of course I had my protein shake. I then took a shower and an hour later I made breakfast which was one boiled egg, a slice of multigrain toast with about half a tablespoon of peanut butter and about 5 sliced up strawberries. Soooooo YUMMY! :)

So I came across this quote and it made me think of the growth I've gone through throughout this lifestyle change I've made...

Before I really became serious about my lifestyle changes, I had so much doubt about myself and I could never stick to my goals, my diets or my workouts.  I would constantly be in and out of it.  I'd eat a slice of pizza and instead of having a "cheat meal", I would have a "cheat day" which turned into "cheat weeks" and then before I knew it, I was back to my old habits.  I would buy all the healthy foods and as soon as a slice of dessert was in my face I had no will power.  Months would pass and suddenly I looked at the scale and I gained over 20lbs.  I would get dressed to go out and couldn't fit any of my clothes and if I did, I didn't feel comfortable in them and was insecure about how I looked the whole night and couldn't even enjoy myself or the moment. 

I always felt like a failure and that it would take me forever to lose all the weight but in the back of my mind I always knew I would do it! Then one day I literally stayed up until 4am looking at people's before and after pictures of their healthy lifestyle transformations and read what they had to say, and they all had one thing in common....they became happier, positive  people.  Them losing weight was just a plus to them growing internally as a person!

I can't stress enough how much this lifestyle change has taught me.  This journey has been eye-opening, spiritually, mentally, internally and externally.  I encourage you to fully embrace this process and realize how strong of a person it is making you. Not everyone can do it!  And of course it's gonna be hard, if it was easy...EVERYBODY would do it! Don't be part of the 70% that gives up!! You got this!!!

Okk... I think I MIGHT be getting sleepy now, Hope you guys have a good day!
Remember to keep your thoughts positive!!

"Every experience begins with a thought and our experience changes when we change the thought."

You ARE what YOU think!!! Be positive. Have faith. Think God loving thoughts and all the miracles that you are supposed to receive will fall into your lap!

.....one more before & after picture for some inspiration ;)

Goodnight! or Goodmorning! lol