Transformation Challenge - Week Ten

I had an amazing week. With only three weeks of the Transformation Challenge left I knew that it was time to pick it up, and really work hard. And I did! I set a goal for myself to workout ten hours this week. I think ten hours is more then I would have worked out in an entire year before, but I did it, and it wasn’t that hard. I felt sore every day, and every day I pushed myself to go back to the gym.

Also some amazing news…we did our two month measurements this week and I am happy to report that I have lost 9 pounds and 11.5 inches! 11.5 half inches is practically a foot that is gone from my body, never to return again. I would have never imagined that I would lose that much. And at that moment I felt like it was all worth it, every healthy food option, every push up, every inch lower on squats. ALL worth it. I think I would have really been satisfied with any number though. I am a different person then I was ten weeks ago.

I thought I would try something a little different in this blog. I asked some of my Transformation Challenge teammates to answer some questions. I think we all have different motivations for doing what we’re doing, and challenges and I wanted you, blog-reader, to know that no matter what the obstacles are, that you can do it! I hope their answers and stories will inspire you as much as they have inspired me.

Here are some of their answers:

1. What motivated you to join the Transformation Challenge?

- I am getting married this year and really wanted to look and feel amazing.

2. What have you found the most challenging part of the challenge? (Yes, sorry it says "challenging part of the challenge")

-There have been lots of challenging parts at different times in the challenge. In the beginning it was food, then as food got easier it was motivation to go to the gym. It’s a really big time commitment, but totally worth it.

3. What kind of lifestyle changes have you made from 10 weeks ago?

-I eat completely different then I used to. I knew NOTHING about nutrition before, and now I am always checking the nutrition facts on everything. You would be surprised how bad things are for you. I workout five days a week now, before I didn’t do anything. I always had an excuse why I couldn’t do it.

4. How do you feel about the challenge almost being over?

-It’s bittersweet. Part of me is SO excited that I have come this far, but I will miss working out with all the wonderful women in the challenge. Hopefully I will be able to work out with them even after the challenge is over.

5. What do you think has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

-My team! Honestly, support has been my number 1 problem my whole life. I was always telling myself that I couldn’t do it, and so were other people. My team has shown me that I can totally do it. The other part of it is how much I have learned about myself and nutrition.

6. Have your views on food and exercising changed since you started this challenge?

-My views on life are so much different. It’s weird, because I now feel weird when I don’t go to the gym. It’s just become part of my daily routine like waking up or showering. As far as food goes, I don’t really eat anything I used to. I used to be a really bad stress eater and soda drinker, but I was able to overcome it!

7. What do you think will be the hardest part about continuing this lifestyle on your own (if any)?

-I think accountability is HUGE. One of the girls from the challenge told me that most successful weight loss stories include journaling. I have to admit that even though I don’t enjoy writing down everything I eat, it makes me really think about everything I stick in my mouth.

8. What goals did you set for yourself before the challenge, and have those goals changed?

-I didn’t have any specific goals. I just knew that I wanted to feel and look better. I am constantly surprised when I step on the scale each week. I try to set small goals for myself. Even daily goals. This keeps me motivated.

1. What motivated you to join the Transformation Challenge?

- I had just joined EQ when they started promoting the challenge. I heard about it and thought, this is what I need. I need something to force me to be accountable for making these changes in my life. I need something or someone to make me focus on myself for a change, not on everyone else around me.

2. What have you found the most challenging part of the challenge? (Yes, sorry it says "challenging part of the challenge")

-The time commitment; being gone when the kids wake up and getting home just in time to rush them through bath and bedtime. They miss me and I miss them, but I want to be around for them long term so being gone a bit extra now will pay off.

3. What kind of lifestyle changes have you made from 10 weeks ago?

-I think more about what and when and why I am eating. Packing my gym bag and going to gym is just a habit now; not something I just squeeze in when I think of it and when I can. It has become a priority. I'm not snacking on the couch at night any more. I'm sure there are lots more, I just can't think of them right now.

4. How do you feel about the challenge almost being over?

- I am a bit sad. I don't want it to end. First, and most importantly, because it has been an amazing and seriously life-changing experience. Second, I'm not ready. I'm not ready for it to be over...I'm not where I wanted to be, I feel like I have so much further to go. I feel like one of those contestants on the Biggest Loser who say they're not ready to go home yet. I'm not ready to leave the comfort of the "nest," to leave the Transformation Challenge.

But....

I also know that it will never be over for me. My Transformation Challenge might have started 10 weeks ago, but my transformation will continue for the rest of my life. Each day, I will be striving to be better than I was the day before. One day at a time. Just one day better at a time. That's all we can ever ask of ourselves. It will probably take me over a year to get to my goal. It's not a short-term commitment and not for the faint of heart. But you can bet that I will keep the faith. I have made huge changes to my eating habits, my workout habits, my LIFE and I will never go back to those old ways again. I have made friends in my teammates, friends in the other women on the other teams, friends in my trainers. And those relationships and those friendships will keep me going long after the challenge is officially over. I will see them at the gym, I will train with them still, we will email and call and facebook and still connect. And still support and encourage each other and cheer each other on. I will see the trainers and take their classes and maybe even schedule some training sessions with them as well. And I know that they will be watching me, encouraging me, happy to see my face around the gym, happy to watch me succeed, happy to help me succeed.

5. What do you think has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

- I've learned a lot about myself as well. I've learned that I can do new things, try new things on my own or with friends and no one is going to laugh at me.

I've learned that even though my life has a lot of challenges right now with work, the kids, going to school, etc, so does everyone else's. We all struggle in different ways. It's about making tough choices and prioritizing. Making the priorities in your head match the priorities in your life. If you say your health is important to you, then don't go home and eat ice cream on the couch every night after dinner. Don't say that family is important to you if you aren't taking care of yourself enough to be there for them in 10 years.

6. Have your views on food and exercising changed since you started this challenge?

- I have realized that if I work out as hard as I want to, eating like I used to is not going to work. When I've had a "bad" day and not eaten well during the challenge, I can so feel it in my following workouts. My body needs the proper fuel to be an athlete. And I want to be an athlete, so I have to fuel it well. If I don't, then just like a car, it's going to run like crap, break down frequently, become expensive to maintain, etc. I enjoy exercise more every day and I enjoy eating healthy more every day.

7. What do you think will be the hardest part about continuing this lifestyle on your own (if any)?

- Not having the accountability to the trainers and the team to be there for boot three times a week and for cardio five times a week. But I know that most of the trainers know me now and if I don't show up for a week, I'll get a rash of grief from them, so that will help. :) But in the end, I'm accountable to one person and one person only and that's myself. I have to be able to look myself in the mirror each day and I know that I am doing everything I can to live a happy, healthy and long life. For me, for my kids, for my husband. They deserve to have me around for a long time and I think I'm finally realizing that I deserve to BE around for a long time.

8. What goals did you set for yourself before the challenge, and have those goals changed?

- I really and truly tried not to set scale-based goals. Yes, I wanted to lose 100 pounds in 12 weeks. Kidding. I did hope to lose 25 lbs and I might still get there. Really, my initial goals were to come out of this challenge with better eating habits and better workout habits. The key word being HABIT. I need to make some permanent changes to my life that will make eating right and exercising every day not even a choice anymore, but just a habit. I think I'm pretty much there.

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1. What motivated you to join the Transformation Challenge?

- I was tired of looking in the mirror and hating what I saw.

2. What have you found the most challenging part of the challenge? (Yes, sorry it says "challenging part of the challenge")

-The most challenging has been the waking up so early. I am so far from a morning person.

3. What kind of lifestyle changes have you made from 10 weeks ago?

-I make more time for myself. I am not eating out as much.

4. How do you feel about the challenge almost being over?

-I am really sad that it’s almost over. I have not lost anywhere near what I wanted to. And I have not gained the strength in my upper body I wanted either. I need more time.

5. What do you think has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

-The people I have met. I LOVE my team; I think they are 5 of the most motivating women out there.

6. Have your views on food and exercising changed since you started this challenge?

-I have always known what I needed to do, I just always had excuses as to why I wasn’t doing them.

7. What do you think will be the hardest part about continuing this lifestyle on your own (if any)?

-I don’t think it will be hard at all to continue, I already have a routine going, although I will not miss having to get up before dawn to make it to boot camp.

8. What goals did you set for yourself before the challenge, and have those goals changed?

-I wanted to eat better, lay off the fast food and lose 20 pounds before the end of the challenge. I am eating better, not eating fast food as much but I didn’t lose as much weight. I have tried to focus on inches lost but its hard when the scales don’t change.

10 weeks down, only 2 weeks to go! Ladies keep up the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G job that you are doing. I also wanted to say thank you so much for supporting and reading this blog! :)