Weekday Fitness Challenge: Waging War with my Inner Fatty

I have never been one of those people who can eat whatever they want and just be skinny. *COUGH* Dane *COUGH*
All our bodies have a genetic blueprint, and mine just wants to be...well, bigger!
 I was a chunky 9-11 year old, and my weight fluctuated up and down a lot throughout my teen years. When I got to college, it was easier to lose weight due to the free gym access, great hiking trails (ahh, Covenant, I miss you), and always-safe salad bar option in the face of culinary ambiguity.
 I never gained the "freshman 15", and actually had lost about that much by my Junior year, which was great with me.

My senior year  was so spread out and  busy that I practicially lived off the salad bar and  protein shakes. I lost about 20 pounds that year, and was actually really worried that there was something wrong with me. Looking back, I think it was just the stress, the love-sickness (long distance relationship), and the fact that I guess I really didn't want to eat much.   I wasn't really trying starve myself, but  now I realize that I definitely was not eating enough. Still, I actually had reached a size that made me feel really confident about myself.

Since then, I've managed to keep a lot of that weight off. Like I said, it's not easy for me. It probably helps that it never has been, so I don't let myself go on oreo binges or anything.

 However, even though I eat very healthily (and in sensible portions) there are about 10 Ibs of that weight that are constantly sneaking up on me again. I don't think I'm alone in saying that this usually happens during the holidays.

I am actually okay with my body right now, I mean, I don't feel "fat" or anything. It's funny how when you tell people you need to get in better shape, they're always like, "But don't worry about it! You're not fat!"
Well, maybe not, not right now. Also, it's only about 10 Ibs back to my best shape (below) right now. 


 



I would much rather get back to there before it's more difficult than 10 Ibs.

SO

I am challenging myself to a kick-start fitness week, during which I will detoxify my diet and get in the habit of consistent gym-going. Why a week? I believe that most people do better with realistic goals. If I go every day for a week, it's likely that I'll get hooked. Maybe I'll set the same goal again next week. Who knows? A week sets me up for success. Success nourishes hope for more success.

During this week, I will eat a diet of : fruit, vegatables (salads, home-made vegetable soup, ect) , Shaklee Cinch and Meal Shakes ( safe and vitamin/protein-rich meal replacements), fresh juices, tea, (and how could I go without coffee???). Maybe a glass of red wine. I will be drinking a lot of water.

Also, I commit to going to the gym every night this week. And the sauna of course. ;-)

I will update briefly about whether I followed these rules everyday this week, and I will keep you posted about any results seen on the scale, energy-wise, mood-wise, ect.

I already completed day one:

So far, easy pea-sy.

Breakfast: Large glass of water, coffee, vitamins, Shaklee Cinch Vanilla shake with Almond Milk

Lunch: Shaklee Vanilla Shake, Water, hot tea

Snack: 12 oz.  "Green Juice" with pears, apples, kale, lemon, ginger

Evening Workout: 1 hour of Zumba, followed by 45 minutes (Heather, if you are reading this, I made sure I made it to 45 minutes!) of sauna time.

Dinner: Salad with tomatoes, corn, and ginger dressing.  Shaklee Meal Shake. Coffee. Water.

So hold me accountable this week, folks, on getting my act together and start  getting back into my best shape.