8 week challenger

Erin Taylor:

Well the eight week challenge has come to an end, and now is the time for accountability. I have to say that I didn't reach my goal of losing 15 lbs, but I did lose 5 lbs and I have improved on my overall fitness. I used to speak to youth groups a lot, and one of my favorite topics was setting goals and reaching high. An analogy I always liked to use still applies. If you decide you want to win a race, and you train every day and work hard to achieve your goal, even if you don't win the race, you are still a better runner then before you started. Sometimes we become discouraged if we don't meet our goals after working hard to achieve them. It is often a temptation to just give up and quit. We wonder, what is the point? The point is, as we work to achieve our goals, we become better and better, we move farther along the path. As I look at my before and after pictures, I see that I am more toned and look better then 8 weeks ago. We must all pretty much agree, that starting an 8 week challenge 4 weeks before the Christmas Holidays is a challenge in and of itself. I determined right up front that I wasn't going to deny myself all yummy goodies that come with. (That may be why I only lost 5 lbs). But I must say that because the festivities came in the middle of my eight week challenge, I was more aware of what I was putting into my body. I listened to my body more, and I didn't overdo as is usually case around this time of year. At one point, I put a candy cane in my mouth, and I realized that it really didn't taste that good to me. I really didn't want it that much. After a few licks, I just tossed it into the trash. I was able to take smaller portions and learn to recognize when I really felt satisfied and not just stuffed. I pretty much kept up with my workout schedule which was weight training three times a week, and cardio three times a week. I stepped up my weight training from what I had been doing before, and I noticed that I actually put on pounds before they started coming back off. That is common since muscle weighs more then fat. I did lose 4 inches around my rib cage, and 5 inches around my waist and 2 inches around my hips. I lost about 1/2 and inch around my thighs. It feels great. It was helpful to also keep a weekly journal to record my progress. I did 6 days of the master cleanse and loved it. I would have done the whole 10 days, but we ended up getting invited to spend a few days with friends in Utah right at the 6 day mark, and I didn't want to be a pain about not being able to eat normal. For me I felt better during that 6 days then I have felt in months. I didn't have any of the problems with my digestive system that normally seem to plague me. I had energy and was able to work out every day. The other great thing is that my digestive problems have seemed to be minimized since then, even though I am back to eating real food. I think that if you try the cleanse and it makes you feel sick, or you just can't stomach it, it probably isn't what you need. Your body will tell you what you need. I am glad that I participated in this 8 week challenge. I have seen improvements and feel more energy. I hope to use it as a springboard to continue to improve my health and fitness. I have had a lot of discussion lately about being prepared. I am working on my food storage and working on my spiritual growth. I believe that it is important to be prepared physically as well. Who knows what kinds of things we will be called upon to endure in the future. What if we need to leave our homes for some reason and need to walk long distances for safety. Can we handle that if the time comes? My goal is to continue to work on fitness. I would love to lose that extra 10 lbs, but most importantly I just want to be fit.