I'm really proud of myself for the way I've handled my health, diet, and fitness, especially since I got here to Germany. I've managed to keep everything on track, and in fact, I've improved since leaving the states.
When I left America in January, I weighed in at 165 pounds, which was quite the accomplishment for myself. That put me over 50 pounds lost at that point. But it also did something else for me. It let me see the light at the end of the tunnel... to know where I could actually be, instead of just where I was at. I now saw the potential to get even better. So I quickly became, well, not unsatisfied, but ready to accomplish more.
I actually lost another 7 pounds almost immediately when I came to Germany, but I equate that to my initial jetlag, and the fact that I stopped alot of the snacking I was doing. I started doing my Insanity workouts in January too and came to realize that I love them! I saw instant results in my strength and muscle development.
Unfortunately, when I started school and was looking for work (as near to a full time job in itself :-), my diet and workout routine took a dip. I stopped doing the Insanity workouts for all of February and most of March. I did do some exercise, I didn't quit entirely... mostly jogging with my dog sometimes, definitely lots of walks with him, and a couple of trips to my sister-in-law's gym she works at. I also wasn't paying much attention to my diet either. I saw my weight go back up to 163 pounds. Now, while that's still a bit lower than my last weigh-in in America, that was still an upward trend I wasn't happy about.
So, since the end of March, I've been doing very good! I started the Insanity workouts again, and this time, I made the promise to myself that I'm going to finish the course and not stop before it's done (though I'm not going to accomplish this in the 60 days the course is supposed to take. I've done some other workout routines during this time as well... jogging, some Matt Furey exercises, a time or 2 to the gym, and I've taken an extra day off or 2 here and there). But, my guess is that I'll finish the 60 day course in 70+ days, which really isn't that bad. I'm DEFINITELY feeling the results... strong legs, bigger biceps and chest (I can do 2.5 pullups now, which is exactly 2.5 more than I could ever do before!), and a hard butt :-).
I also made the effort to pay better attention to my diet. I was slipping and not paying attention to what I was eating... eating more candy, especially when Kathi was in Switzerland and I was eating because I missed her, eating more McDonalds... and just not paying attention. So, I've turned it around by using my iWatcher iPod program (for my WW people out there, this program IS WW. It does everything that the site does, calculates all the points, favorites, daily and weekly point, all of it. It's so worth the money, especially if you aren't going to meetings anymore), making sure I take my vitamins, and getting more veggies back into my diet.
I'm happy to report that I'm back down to 159 pounds, with the eventual goal of 155 pounds. I think that I actually might have had more weight loss, but I've been adding some muscle mass with all my workouts, and I can't say I'm perfect with my diet (this is Germany, we drink LOTS of beer and eat LOTS of giant pretzels!!!), but the weight I'm losing seems to be in good comparison (right word?) to the muscle I'm putting on and actual fat coming off.
I've put myself back down to 28 points a day right now as well, in the hopes that I can lose a pound or 2 more before my wedding on the 20th. Sure doesn't hurt to look as good as possible for my girl and our wedding pictures ;-).
Each day is challenging, and each day, I have to think about what I'm going to do. Like today, I'm going drinking with the guys tonight, so despite the fact that I'm sore from 2 hard days of working out, I need one more so that I can have those extra points to rely on tonight... and I need to watch what I eat all day so that again I can have points for tonight (veggies for lunch!). But I have to admit, I enjoy these day to day challenges. I have to think, plan, and come up with new ways and ideas to keep myself on the downward trend with my weight, keep myself motivated to workout (I'm my own workout partner :-), and to continue to WANT to get into better shape.
Your health and your fitness are 100% your own. Nobody else can motivate you, make you do it, or more importantly, make you want it. YOU have to do this, you HAVE TO WANT IT. If you don't, you'll never succeed. But when you want it, and I mean really want it, you'll do whatever it takes to get there. You'll tell yourself over and over again, I want it, I can do it, and I WILL HAVE IT. Now get your asses out there and do it!!! :-)
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