Pre-Revelation

Okay, so cruise was over, cold weather was in full swing. I figured there was no point in working out, ever, unless I had to be seen in anything less than a sweater and jeans. New Years 2011 came and went, and as usual, I made a resolution to get in shape and lose weight. I decided to try this other Beachbody program called Chalean Extreme. The trainer is this super spirited woman named Chalene Johnson. They advertised that up to 50% of your body fat could be lost because "muscle burns fat!" Since I HATED anything cardio-related, I figured this would be the perfect program for me. It focuses on lifting slow and heavy to increase muscle mass, therefore increasing metabolism. Needless to say, after a couple weeks, I either got sick or went on vacation or lost motivation and gave up. Months went by...

Next, summer came around (and with it, tank tops and shorts).Warmer weather leaves me antsy and gives me the motivation to be productive, and I found myself restless with any extra time on my hands. I figured this was the perfect time to try Chalean Extreme again, and this time, I would do it right and would see it through the scheduled 12 weeks. I invested in some heavier weights and giggled when the middle aged woman at the local Meijer seemed SHOCKED that I was buying 25lb dumbbells because they looked "so heavy!" There were a couple cardio DVDs weekly, which I didn't really enjoy because me + cardio = no, so I would sometimes trade those out for an hour on the elliptical at the gym (Yes, I joined a new gym. And yes, it was a short lived phase, again).  However, I actually FINISHED the 3 months! I loved listening to Chalene's words of wisdom and motivation.  I ended up losing a few pounds (granted, not the 50% body fat reduction I was hoping for), but it was nice to start seeing some definition in the mirror. I could feel my old gymnast body returning (very very slowly). As per usual, I didn't really focus on my diet as much as I should have, so my results weren't as drastic as they could have been. I have a hard time following meal plans, and it is SUPER hard making meals for one person (especially because I only have 1-2 ingredients per recipe at any given time, and I don't really see the point in buying a whole container/bag/etc of something if I only need a small portion of it).

Needless to say, my confidence was increasing, my body was improving, and I didn't yet know that this experience would lead me to a fantastic new adventure and business opportunity... ;)