I realized that even though the challenge was over my journey will continue.           

Being a school teacher, I tend to put off my “to do” list until June, July and August.  Unfortunately, a lot of times my fitness goals are included on this list.  I always think I will be more motivated during the summer months but the past few summers I’ve been disappointed with my results.  I found my weeks too busy to make it to the gym and my eating was inconsistent.  I didn’t feel good about myself but I wasn’t dedicated enough to make a change. I decided accepting the challenge might give me the will power I needed to really try to reach my goals and start to feel better about my appearance.

When I started the challenge, I had only been attending Fit Mania for about a month.  I was already starting to feel stronger and more confident during the workouts but I still doubted myself on what I could do.  I always wanted to hide in the back of the class so people wouldn’t see what I wasn’t able to accomplish. The challenge pushed me to work harder during the workouts and record my results which was proof I was getting stronger!  After a couple months, I found myself moving to the front of the class knowing that I was going to push myself to work hard.  I wanted people to see how strong I was getting.

The biggest obstacle for me during the challenge was becoming more knowledgeable about nutrition and making sure I was meal planning so I wouldn’t revert to eating whatever was quick and easy.  I knew the food part of the challenge would make the biggest impact when it came to reaching my goals.   I made sure I packed healthy snacks when on vacation or out on the golf course to help keep me on track.  It is now part of my routine to make sure there are plenty of healthy options at my fingertips.

As the challenge was coming to an end I started to get nervous about my results.  I knew I had made huge strides in class and my eating habits had become just that, a habit.  People had started commenting on my appearance and how fit I looked, even complete strangers!  I was feeling really good about myself but I still wanted the numbers to prove it.  The day finally came. I went in for measurements and pictures which confirmed that I had made progress!  I had been so focused and committed for the three months I thought I would want to go out and celebrate with a cheat dinner.  Instead, I found myself wanting to eat a healthy meal and I was excited for the next workout. I realized that even though the challenge was over my journey will continue.

 

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After: