Countdowns... Countdowns everywhere... Lets start from the top (but apparently, not really in correct order, but whatevs):
1. My 30th Birthday, 79 Days away! I am still on a mission to lose my 30 lbs by my 30th birthday! I think I have about 25 lbs to go!
2. Here in lies another countdown in itself... I wanted to lose 30... 5 down, 25 to go! Let's keep counting....
3. The UG Series - UG Madness competition at Downsview Park. September 20th... 67 days away! I am going to be part of an Amateur Team, but I still have ass loads of work to do. If there is a run in the event, I am screwed! (Check it out here)
4. My NYC Trip! I have never been... And since we leave the day AFTER my 30th birthday for 5 nights, it's 80 days away! So extremely excited to go to NYC with my wonderful boyfriend. Our flight it booked. BEAUTIFUL hotel is booked. It's going to be amazing!
5. Amber's Bachelorette Party - Las Vegas Pool Party Style! 332 Days! I want to try to lose at least 70 lbs by this time... which is 332 days away. 47 weeks at 1.5-2 lbs per week, this is a highly do-able goal! I just need to learn to not love food so much. Sugar detox? Yes. Paleo? Let's do it! I got two amazing high waist (cuz I am not a fan of my belly) 2 piece bathing suits that I want to wear... I'd hate to not be able to wear them because I was a lazy ass.
6. Amber's Actual Wedding!!! 425 days! At this point, if I have achieved the goal above, the mission here will be stability and maintenance... Make sure I keep everything off that I have lost at this point. It apparently takes 18 months of stable weigh maintenance in order for your body to adapt to its new size, so the wedding will happen during this process! I will, however, likely need to get my dress altered, but that's ok! I sure do love the dress... I bought it a little early, but I think it will be ok... It's an easily adjustable dress. Eeek, so excited.
7. Now, I have to commit myself! Not really a count down, but really, it's something I need to do every day, so technically, it's a daily goal that I am working toward and every successful day is a step in the right direction! How do I do this?? Well, I work out every day (rest days aren't really rest days because I still take the dog on long walks or clean my house or do something)... Lots of water, daily.... A diet of clean, fresh, non-processed food... Sleep, I NEED my sleep or I just don't work at all... Minimal sugars and bad carbs.... And most importantly, a positive attitude and consistency! Why is that part the hardest? At least with Crossfit, I have people expecting me to be there... So it's harder to avoid if you have to be accountable to someone. Having 2 active gym memberships (the other that is a 24 hour super gym) will really take the possibility of "missing a class" or a "schedule conflict" out of the mix, which is good!
So is this all achievable?? Well, honestly, I have no clue... but here goes nothing. I have some amazing girlfriends whom I work out with regularly that keep me committed, so hopefully we can all rely on one another to get this done.
Wish me luck, folks. I will be checking in regularly. Weight loss sucks... It's hard... But it needs to be done for some of us... And today is day one!
How are you going to achieve your goals?
Ashley - Challenge
Monday, July 14, 2014
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Moderation! Motivation! Dedication! Determination!
It's often hard to see your own progress! It's easy to feel like you are starting from the bottom and your goals, ESPECIALLY fitness and weight loss goals, are next to impossible to reach. We often forget that we didn't become overweight and out of shape over night and, sadly but truly, it takes even longer to undo what you have done to yourself than it was to do it in the first place.
I am on a journey! Yes, I know, totally cliché, but it is true. I have been battling my weight for YEARS and, honestly, I have fallen off the path several times. If you look back through my blog posts, you will see that I was totally go go go just a year ago, but lost the momentum when things changed, I didn't adapt to the change in lifestyle, but my body sure did. It got used to lack of healthy food and exercise. Since I wasn't moving, neither was my metabolism. Even my blog posts vanished, after becoming very negative and angry at myself publicly, sadly.
You see, I like things to be social! I like being surrounded by like minded individuals and, contrary to the current size of my ass, I really like being active. Last year, when I was all go go go as I mentioned, you will see a common thread... I had a person, I had a one-on-one trainer to answer to, I had a group of people that I met us with regularly that had like minded goals and we all worked together. Well, things changed and even though I still had a gym membership, I never went. I didn't know anyone, I was bored, I didn't have anyone to help plan out my work outs and I didn't have the social aspect of fitness to keep me going! I think, if in highschool, I was good enough to be on sports teams, I would have done very well, because I like being part of a team.
Although some people will argue with me until they are blue in the face about it, I have found that again, through Crossfit. My adventure started out in the owner's basement... He had an awesome set up, and, although small, it served its purpose and we all did pretty well. But as interest grew (and taller people joined us), he decided to open an actual gym in a proper unit and it is amazing. I am totally hooked! Soon as I walk out of the gym now, I am looking forward to and planning out my next work out. I feel a sense of accomplishment, even if I am the last to finish a work out or I am unable to lift a certain weight and have to drop it, I am ok with that, very ok! I am competitive, by nature, but I am really only interested in beating my own records and, for the most part, that goes for everyone there as well!
As for the people, they are all amazing. The coaches are super friendly, know their stuff and are extremely helpful and encouraging. Outside the gym, I may not have as much in common with them, but inside, we are all striving to kick ass, break our personal records, beat our previous times and, most importantly, cheer each other on as we do so. For the most part, we are all following a similar diet (some paleo, some just clean eating)... I follow Weight Watchers (as I mentioned before, I'm all about accountability) and eat as clean and naturally as possible! Each one of us is striving to be the best version of ourselves and I truly find that having that energy is what is going to help me achieve my fitness goals! (Like "The Cabin Crossfit" on Facebook if you are interested in more information).
I have two current goals! My weight loss goal is to lose 8 lbs per month. I would like to lose 40 lbs by my 30th birthday (October 1st) and, so far, I am right on target. Last week's Weight Watchers weigh in had be down 6 lbs, so still two weeks remaining of the month and more than half way to my monthly goal! My second goal, as silly as this may sound, is to stop wearing giant bagging sweaters at the gym! These people I am working out with are not blind, they are already aware that I am chunky, THAT IS WHY I AM THERE! But restricting myself under heavy clothes and hiding any potential results because I am not comfortable is the silliest part of all! Besides, we are going into the summer months with no AC at the gym, icky! I guess it's just important that I don't make the same mistake I did before by trying to set giant scary goals... I am going to keep them light, short term and achievable in order to actually have the opportunity to feel accomplished and rejuvenate my motivation and energy each month in order to push further!
I am an extremely lucky person. I have an amazing home life, a great boyfriend and, now, an amazing group of people to work out with daily and I am thankful for it all!
Finally, I have posted the words: "Moderation! Motivation! Dedication! Determination!" all over the place... At work, at home, on my cell phone, in my car... I read these words daily to remind myself that I need to stay focused, patient and encouraged to reach my goals! Further, I have the picture below on my fridge, it is me now and me 10 years ago, to remind myself that this is and always will be an ongoing journey for me! I used to say "struggle", but that is negative! Where I am now is positive and I want to continue in a positive manner!
Follow me on Instragram for updates:
I am on a journey! Yes, I know, totally cliché, but it is true. I have been battling my weight for YEARS and, honestly, I have fallen off the path several times. If you look back through my blog posts, you will see that I was totally go go go just a year ago, but lost the momentum when things changed, I didn't adapt to the change in lifestyle, but my body sure did. It got used to lack of healthy food and exercise. Since I wasn't moving, neither was my metabolism. Even my blog posts vanished, after becoming very negative and angry at myself publicly, sadly.
You see, I like things to be social! I like being surrounded by like minded individuals and, contrary to the current size of my ass, I really like being active. Last year, when I was all go go go as I mentioned, you will see a common thread... I had a person, I had a one-on-one trainer to answer to, I had a group of people that I met us with regularly that had like minded goals and we all worked together. Well, things changed and even though I still had a gym membership, I never went. I didn't know anyone, I was bored, I didn't have anyone to help plan out my work outs and I didn't have the social aspect of fitness to keep me going! I think, if in highschool, I was good enough to be on sports teams, I would have done very well, because I like being part of a team.
Although some people will argue with me until they are blue in the face about it, I have found that again, through Crossfit. My adventure started out in the owner's basement... He had an awesome set up, and, although small, it served its purpose and we all did pretty well. But as interest grew (and taller people joined us), he decided to open an actual gym in a proper unit and it is amazing. I am totally hooked! Soon as I walk out of the gym now, I am looking forward to and planning out my next work out. I feel a sense of accomplishment, even if I am the last to finish a work out or I am unable to lift a certain weight and have to drop it, I am ok with that, very ok! I am competitive, by nature, but I am really only interested in beating my own records and, for the most part, that goes for everyone there as well!
As for the people, they are all amazing. The coaches are super friendly, know their stuff and are extremely helpful and encouraging. Outside the gym, I may not have as much in common with them, but inside, we are all striving to kick ass, break our personal records, beat our previous times and, most importantly, cheer each other on as we do so. For the most part, we are all following a similar diet (some paleo, some just clean eating)... I follow Weight Watchers (as I mentioned before, I'm all about accountability) and eat as clean and naturally as possible! Each one of us is striving to be the best version of ourselves and I truly find that having that energy is what is going to help me achieve my fitness goals! (Like "The Cabin Crossfit" on Facebook if you are interested in more information).
I have two current goals! My weight loss goal is to lose 8 lbs per month. I would like to lose 40 lbs by my 30th birthday (October 1st) and, so far, I am right on target. Last week's Weight Watchers weigh in had be down 6 lbs, so still two weeks remaining of the month and more than half way to my monthly goal! My second goal, as silly as this may sound, is to stop wearing giant bagging sweaters at the gym! These people I am working out with are not blind, they are already aware that I am chunky, THAT IS WHY I AM THERE! But restricting myself under heavy clothes and hiding any potential results because I am not comfortable is the silliest part of all! Besides, we are going into the summer months with no AC at the gym, icky! I guess it's just important that I don't make the same mistake I did before by trying to set giant scary goals... I am going to keep them light, short term and achievable in order to actually have the opportunity to feel accomplished and rejuvenate my motivation and energy each month in order to push further!
I am an extremely lucky person. I have an amazing home life, a great boyfriend and, now, an amazing group of people to work out with daily and I am thankful for it all!
Finally, I have posted the words: "Moderation! Motivation! Dedication! Determination!" all over the place... At work, at home, on my cell phone, in my car... I read these words daily to remind myself that I need to stay focused, patient and encouraged to reach my goals! Further, I have the picture below on my fridge, it is me now and me 10 years ago, to remind myself that this is and always will be an ongoing journey for me! I used to say "struggle", but that is negative! Where I am now is positive and I want to continue in a positive manner!
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