60 Day Push Results

Pictures say a thousand words.....so true. The last time I took pictures, I felt the same way as I did this time around, that there would be no noticeable changes. The last time I was wrong, and this time....I was wrong again!! I'm so GLAD that I took the time to take my 1st day pictures, no matter how bad I thought they were. I'm not going to lie, I felt like I wasn't making progress during the Burn phase, and when I took those after pictures I was surprised to see the results. Once I did my measurements, I was even more pleased. I went on to focus on the Push phase for the next 30 days. I tweaked my eating habits a bit, and I added 2-4 miles of running 3-5 times a week. My 30 days of the Push phase is over, and I've lost another 4 inches off my body, making the total inches lost 10.75. I've also lost almost 3 pounds, but honestly, I'm not really that interested in the pounds.  Pounds really don't mean a thing because when I weighed this exact weight last year, I still couldn't get into some of my summer clothes. This year, I weigh the same, and fit nicely into all of my summer clothes, although I haven't been able to wear any of them due to our "summer" so far here in Oregon.

I put the measurements in the "My Progress" section, and will add a few pictures there, but I will also put those pictures here as well. Just a little note......that IS NOT my hip bone "sticking" out on the side views. It's a weird angle and shadow that the Iphone camera picked up. This has been confirmed by a fellow co-worker who was very concerned when I showed her my 60 day pictures. 

My thoughts on the Push phase. The Push Circuits were hard, the object was to lift as heavy as you could up to 8 reps, and failing at 6, 7 or 8 was good. You worked out your legs and upper body separately, the Burn and Lean phase you go to 12 reps and work out both upper and lower together. The first 2 weeks I didn't really feel any changes in my body, but after that I noticed amazing results in strength and looking more lean. I upped my protein a bit and once again, tried to watch what I ate. My eating habits were a little better than last months, but honestly......not a whole lot better. No fast food, some drinking with my girls when the occasion called, a small bite of candy bars here and there, pasta a few times, I drank my Shakeology for either my breakfast or lunch, so mostly I ate pretty good. 

Now on to the final 30 days of ChaLEAN Extreme.....the LEAN PHASE!!

Chocolate Vegan Shakeology

Today Beachbody put out their new Chocolate Vegan Shakeology formula and I heard it's amazing!! So I ordered it and will be giving it a try! I love the non-vegan formula, but I heard the vegan one has more of a dark chocolate flavor.

I've tried the Strawberry Vegan Shakeology, and at first I wasn't so sure. The taste was amazing, just like a strawberry milkshake but not as thick......the only problem was the slight gritty texture it has due to the strawberry seeds, and I'm guessing the sprouted brown rice. I quickly got over it once I added a few tablespoons of Greek yogurt, the yogurt smoothed the texture out and I LOVE IT!! So when I placed my order I did the Chocolate, Strawberry alternate, so this month I'll get to try the chocolate first and then next month I'll get my bag of strawberry!


It's so weird how just a few months ago I would never have imagined spending money on a drink like this, how I would stalk the Shakeology sight and then exit out. Until one day I just pushed that order button. Now I can't believe I didn't do it sooner!! I recently sat down and wrote out how much I spent a month at GNC for multi-vitamins, protein, meal replacement bars, supplements ect ect, and it was WAY more than I spend on Shakeology a month, so that's actually money I've been saving these past few months!!


On another note, today is day 57 of ChaLEAN Extreme, so that means new 60 day measurements and pictures are coming soon. I can't wait to share my 30 day Push Circuit experience, the ups and downs, how I've been doing on my diet eating healthier and my whole 60 days as a whole.  I've also ordered extra DVD's from Chalene, called the Extreme Deluxe DVD's.   I should have went ahead and bought the ChaLEAN Extreme Deluxe to begin with ;-).  Thank goodness Beachbody gives you the option to buy the extra set separately!


I've also picked up on my running a bit, I still have that 700 goal to meet on December 31st!!


Have you been wanting to try Shakeology?  If so, I do offer individual serving packets for $5 and that includes shipping.  The flavors I have available are Chocolate, Greenberry, and the Strawberry Vegan.  I can offer the Chocolate Vegan, BUT it won't be in individual serving packets, just a scoop in a plastic bag until they come out with the serving packets.  If you do decide on the Chocolate Vegan, just order the Strawberry Vegan, and write in the notes that you'd rather do the Chocolate.

Day 45 means........

I'm half way to 90 days!!  I can't believe how fast 45 days went by, and so far I'm really happy with the way things are coming along.  I feel stronger, my arms look awesome, my belly is shrinking and my upper thighs are slowly starting to firm up.  I did some measurements today and it looks like I've gone down half an inch in most areas since my last measurement 15 days ago.  I've been eating pretty healthy, egg whites with a ton of veggies for breakfast, Shakeology for either lunch or a snack after my work out.  BUT it's the dinner that's getting me at times.....I'm trying but we all know how life can be!  I'll just have to try a bit harder.  I've got the 30% gym part down, now time for the 70%.  I'd say for the week my diet is about a 60-65% healthy not 100%, I'm aiming for at least 80% or more.  So that'll be one of my goals starting TODAY!!  Sigh.....now on to goals. 

I have a lot of goals I want to hit before Devin comes home.  One of them being to complete ChaLEAN Extreme, which is obviously an easier goal for me.  My two main ones are to sign up two motivated coaches under me, I want to be Emerald so bad I can taste it.  I'm trying to go slow with this business, because slow and steady wins the race.........but it's so fun, and rewarding plus the possibilities and opportunities are AHHHMAZING once you get the ball rolling and I'm one of those people that feel the need to get that ball rolling NOW.  My second goal is to start a fun Challenge Group on July 16th.  I want to combine a group of 5 individuals for 60 days, put them in a group and let them motivate each other, share recipes, share their goals, anxieties and just mingle with other people going through the same 60 days. 


These are pretty big goals for me, but I feel they are do-able right now.  So in the next 45 days I have some big goals to accomplish, since I wrote them down for all my friends to see, I am now accountable!! 


Do you all set goals?  If so, SHARE with us some of your bigger goals for the coming months!

Forgot how much.....

I totally forgot how much I LOVE TO RUN, or jog, as in my case today.  I was getting ready for my ChaLEAN Extreme workout and saw the cutest sweaty picture of a good friend of mine (who I really need to get together with again....name a time and place in Portland and let's do a sleep over GNO Katie!!)  Anyways.....she looked sooo super cute, and I was thinking, I need to get my ass back on my treadmill!  It had been since May 12th!!  I can't believe it!!  So I did my 30 minutes of heavy Chalene lifting (heavy to me) and then went for my 20 minute jog.  I took it pretty easy on the speed, due to the many, many squats I had done during my workout, but I pushed the incline to 3 the whole time.  KILLER!!  Then I thought, why not, why not take a picture???  So I did......and I was sweaty!

So this picture is dedicated to Katie, who got my ass back on my treadmill and hopefully I'll be on it a lot more!!  Thank you Katie....and see, that's what this is all about, motivating people!!  I've got a few races that I'm hoping to run this year into next year.  I've signed up for the Kiss Me Deadly 5K Mud Run in September with my awesome, amazing friend Jill and her daughter might join in as well.....AND I'm crossing my fingers that my other amazing, and awesome friend Becca joins in, and if anyone else wants to join us, let me know!!  The race is more of a fun run, it's not timed, but I figured it would be a blast.  Then the Great Columbia Crossing is coming up at the end of September.  It's a 10K from Washington across this huge bridge back into Astoria Oregon.  I've been wanting to do this race since I moved here, but the last two years things came up, so it was impossible.  This year IS A GO!!!  Also, moving into next year, I'm doing the Shamrock 15K again and hopefully will beat my time from this year.  Okay, not hopefully....I WILL beat my time from this year, how 'bout that??  And finally and most likely my last run in Oregon, the Rock n Roll Half Marathon.  I wanted to do it this year, I wanted to so bad, I was actually going to ask for donations.  The later you wait to sign up, the more expensive it was.  I didn't look into it until it was almost $190!!  So this year, I'm signing up on the 6th of this month, and it'll only be $60!  So there you have it, the run down of my future races.  I've put it on my blog, and now I have to follow through, hold myself accountable.  Maybe I'll add more races through the summer.  We shall see!

I just want to say WOW!!  Thank you all that have shown me support by e-mailing, sending me messages and reaching out to me via FB, letting me know that you're there and watching my progress!!  People ask me, "how do you stay so motivated?"  The answer is ALL OF YOU!!  You all keep me motivated, because if I don't stay motivated I'm not only letting myself down and going backwards, but I'm letting all of you down.  So find a friend or two, or three to keep you motivated, don't be shy to post your workouts, because little do you know that people are watching and thinking....hey, I think I'll work out today as well!!  It only takes 21 days to make something a habit.  Now of course you'll have those few people that get sick of your posts, but hey, it's NOT their health is it?........let them be haters!  It's your FB for crying out loud!!


 Honestly, I'm loving the new workout I'm doing, well, I guess it's not really new anymore, since I've been at it for more than 30 days.  It's easy when you like what you're doing!   


So today I went grocery shopping, I can't believe how expensive it is to eat healthy.  How did this happen?  I never really thought about it until today when I went through and bought all healthy stuff, and not even organic, just healthy and my bill was MORE than when I shop for Devin and I for two weeks of food!!!  Now, hopefully this food last me the whole month at least, than I'd be a little more happy about the price.  I guess you can't put a price on being healthy really.....sigh........


So question, what is your favorite healthy meal, snack, or food?  And please post recipes if you have one!  I love new ideas, and I'm sure everyone would like some new healthy options as well!