Too Much Passion?

If you're reading this you're either subscribed or you saw me post the link on my personal Facebook page. 

I want to start by addressing something that I'm sure many of you have thought or mentioned to your friends. 

You're annoyed at all the fitness related posts on my personal facebook page, right? My check-ins at the gym, motivational/inspiring pictures found off Pinterest, my progress pictures, talking about how much I love my new workout routine, or tagging all my friends about a FREE boxing class here in town.

I totally get it. When fitness/healthy eating was the last thing on my mind, it annoyed the crap out of me too. I hated it. But guess what? Every person I knew in that journey and who posted about it, inspired me in one way or another. They gave me ideas of different workouts, possiblibities, and their positivity was this "thing" I wanted to be a part of. I was just too lazy and not ready to start my own journey. 

I really have tried to downsize the amount of fitness related posts I post on Facebook. I try to stick to my Instagram (there's no way I'll ever downsize that, so get to stepping if you don't like that!). I enjoy facebook because a lot of friends and family from all over the world is on there and that's how we all know what's going on in one another lives.

While I will continue to not post as many fitness related posts, you have to understand one thing: I'm passionate. It's my life now. This isn't just a month or two where I want to "lose 5 pounds and tone up". This way of life is MY LIFE. I thrive and my happiness comes from my workouts, my clean eating, and making friends with the same common goals and interest. My support group here in Missoula, my friends who go to boxing classes with me or to the gym, they are a large part of my life. They are supporting me in my efforts to see what I really can do with my life. We support one another. So, I really don't want to say "if you don't like it, unfriend me", but the reality is...I will post about my life, and my life is different than it was a year ago. I would hope that my true friends and family would like to see me evolve and morph into this better version of myself. 

Those of you who tell me how great it is to see me posting about it and inspiring you, thank you for reminding me that sometimes when you better yourself, there's a chain reaction for those around you. I appreciate you & love you for that. 

Now, moving on to th fun/challenging week that I had.

If you haven't noticed by my facebook or Instagram posts, I FREAKING LOVE BOXING!!! I go to Title Boxing Club in Missoula & have been lucky to attend the past couple of weeks on a free 2 free week voucher I got for running in the Diva Dash a few months back. I'm not competing to hopefully get a 3 free month membership by donating a lot of canned food items. 

The workout is called "Power Hour" and it's exactly a hour with 15 minute "warm up" which makes you want to slightly dry heave or die. Then there are 8 rounds of 3 minute sessions on the bag focusing on combos, speed, power, etc. Then the last 15 minutes is your ab/core workout. My first time was intimidating but positive, and now I'm addicted. I love the full body workout you get, the staff, and the results! I burn over 700 calories per hour at the classes, which is unbelievable! 

Here is a picture of just 10 days between each side. I did my fasted cardio 3 times a week and then adding more boxing into the mix. 

November 1-November 11.

I'm hoping to continue to take advantage of free classes or hopefully win a free 3 month membership! :) It's a little out of my budget right now, but if I am able to buy a few months down after the new year, I definately will. 

The ladies I go to boxing with our some of my favorites. Having met new friends through this sport, I'm so thankful! 

This week I did take 2 rest days, back to back which isn't like me but I took my normal rest day on Tuesday and then Wednesday I came home and had a mental/emotional breakdown. I just feel like I've focused so much on work, my workouts, and meal prepping that I am completely scattered at home. So, I stayed home and got things in order and plan on finishing some house cleaning and organizing today. 

On Thursday, I went to the Women's Club here in Missoula with Alesha, just to try it out as her guest for a week. It was a great workout and again, meeting a new friend, Rachel was great! I'm so excited to continue to workout with these ladies and motivate one another. I've used Instagram for so long and the Facebook group made by Amber and I, that I forgot that if you look hard enough, you can find some awesome people right where you are!

I hope you have a great weekend, and stay active! This week and weekend I'm going HARD because my best friend, Chelsea is coming to town & I want to go out and have a good time! I'm already excited about staying motivated during my break for Thanksgiving and going home. Already have some workout buddies planned back home! 

XOXO

My Body Responding to Change

I hurt. My back, shoulders, shoulder blades, calves, hands, obliques, quads, ankles, abs, and forearms hurt like hell. I feel like I was in a car accident. 

My goal this month is to challenge myself physically and see results by staying dedicated and consistent. I chose fasted cardio because of my trouble areas. My plan is to do fasted cardio 4 consecutive days. I chose to start on Friday and go until Monday. I would also do an additional workout on those days, so it would be considered "2 a days" for four days out of the week. 

Last week (November 1-4), I did Friday-Sunday and Monday morning had a really stiff knee and chose to let it rest and decide on how hard I would push it that night. Luckily, it popped a second time (this happens from time to time) and it felt like normal. That night I decided to push myself with my workout and did intervals of sprinting and light jogging after my initial 30 minute elliptical and circuit full body training.  I definitely made up for my lack of fasted cardio and experienced my first "runners high". I got it from short distance sprints on the university indoor track. 

I chose to take Tuesday as my rest day where I did absolutely NOTHING and loved every second of it. My eating has been on point. I honestly feel like a mental switch has occurred again, I don't struggle with having to remind myself to eat healthy, it just happens. I of course want to pay attention since I am working out a bit harder and may have to up my calories on certain days, but so far, I've felt wonderful. 

Wednesday, I finally met Krystal and her friend Sasha at Title Boxing Club in Missoula. (You may remember a previous post about it and how it kicked my butt?). We received 2 free weeks when we ran the Diva Dash 5k in town. Having had participated in a "Power Hour" class before I felt a little more mentally prepared than my first time. The instructor was great and we had a lot of fun while our bodies were screaming from new challenges and techniques. 

Thursday, I was a bit sore in my arms and shoulder blades than I expected. Krystal, Sasha, Alesha, and I decided to head off to kickboxing again. It was Alesha's first class! We were pretty sore and stiff, but the staff was right by coming and getting the kinks out the next day. Our instructor was definitely more fast paced and intense then our Wednesday instructor which was awesome...although my body doesn't agree. 

Today (Friday) I'm feeling very sore and it is taking me everything I have to go to the gym in a hour. I'm excited to just do cardio and SWEAT, but I know my body seems a bit stiff so I think some stretching will have to be in the plan. 

This 3 day weekend is full of fun new workouts, and I'm so excited to share with you all! 

XOXO

NOVEMBER! New Month, New Goals!

November 1st? Where has the last year gone? It's amazing how much can change and how much a person can improve themselves in such a short amount of time! I don't even miss the person I was last year! Anyway, lets focus on THIS MONTH! The last 7-10 days were tough for me. I was in a funk mentally, and I think a part of it was being homesick. For some reason, seeing November on the calendars made me realize that I will see my family on Thanksgiving, and it will come soon! I decided to start this month NEW, REFRESHED, & READY to kick some butt. 

A couple days before the end of October, I got some exciting, motivating, and incredible news. I got some blood work done a couple weeks ago for a Wellness Check through my job. I requested to have pretty much a full panel done, especially on my glucose and A1C numbers. The past 6 years, my A1C number has been a 7.5-7.8 on a scale of 4.0-6.0. When I recieved my lab work back, my results for my A1C was 5.0!! This was the push and affirmation I needed that what I am doing is working for MY BODY! 

I have some November goals in mind and I'm so excited to reach them! Here are my November Goals. (If this is the first time you're seeing goals like these, I encourage you to make some for yourself! Every month focus on these 3-7 things you want to accomplish! They can be as little or as big as you choose).

Let me break them down a little. Especially the first one. "2 a days" or 2 workouts in one day. The first workout is fasted cardio; I will wake up and immidately change into workout gear and head to the gym (the cold air and soon to be snow on the ground isn't appealing to me at 6:30 in the morning). Check out the link for info on fasted cardio. After I get off work, I will go home, eat dinner and head back to the gym for weights and and more cardio! I did my first day of fasted cardio this morning and it was a great success so far! I'm excited to go home "carb up" and head to the gym for an intense workout session! My fasted cardio was 30 minutes on the eliptical and I burned over 300 calories (for those of you who love to count).

My plan this month to really challenge myself is to do this 4 consecutive days in a row. Monday-Tuesday! One the other 3 days, I will do one workout, on my rest day I will most likely do yoga or a light walk. I feel like my eating is on point a lot of the time and my workouts have been the same since about August so I'm trying to shock my body a little and try something new.

Meal prepping has become something the last few weeks that I enjoy and look forward to (WHO KNEW!) See...what we learn when we try new things, come on people! 
 

Did you know that Jillian  Michaels (MY FITSPO) has PCOS?

I also have taken full body progress pictures from all angles so I can compare how this month of a higher intensity of workouts do for my body. I can't wait to take a picture with my family and compare it against last year's thanksgiving photo! 

Yesterday, my office dressed up as duck dynasty/duck commanders. It was fun to see the kids come to the office and get toys and for people to look at us with our gross looking beards! 

 The best part is documenting this journey. I'm so shocked at the smallest changes, and how much better I feel after a long day by looking at a comparison picture. For me, it isn't because I look skinny or fit. My confidence and my smile is real! I look and gleam HEALTH! Where before, I was empty. 

Here's a little comparison picture of halloween 2011 vs 2013. 2011 wasn't even my heaviest weight!


I hope each one of you embrace a new month and work hard for the progress YOU WANT! I'm so motivated and excited to see where I'll be by the end of 2013. This year has been the greatest year of my life, even with my struggles, loss, heartache, and disappointment. I am more motivated to make my future all that it can be!