Getting Healthy (TurboFire Days 1-11)

I am addicted to my workout routine. I, Amber Brown, never thought I would say that in a million years! I have tried, unsuccessfully, for many many years to learn to like working out. Early last year I was in the gym twice a day KILLING myself on the elliptical, rocking out to a little LCD Sound System (The only thing that kept me going) and drooling over the cooking shows they had on the TV's at the gym (just plain mean if you ask me). I was spending hours at the gym, eating super clean and playing on a kickball team on the weekends. Over the course of 4 months I lost about 40 lbs. 40 POUNDS!!!!!! But I was miserable!

Fast forward to this year...I have gained about 20 of the 40 lbs back. Sad face:( There is no one to blame but myself. After trying on a favorite pair of jeans, or should I say attempting to try on my favorite jeans, I realized enough was enough. Thanks to a little cash saved up from Christmas and my Birthday I was able to purchase the set of Turbo Fire dvd's and a bag of chocolate Shakeology powder. My friend from high school Lindsey is a Beachbody coach and recommended this specific workout based on my need for musical inspiration. Man was she ever spot on! 

Day 1 Fire Starter: I kept moving through the entire 38 minutes. There were times when I was very confused as to the movements. I have never taken a dance class and was only a Pop Warner cheerleader for one season in the 8th grade. Choreography is now my strong suit. I stuck with it through the entire dvd and LOVED IT!!! SHAKEOLOGY IS AWESOME!!!!

Day 2 Low HIIT 20: Love love! Hard to keep up, felt like I was going to die. BUT IT WAS FUNNNNNNN! Shakeology is still awesome!

Day 3 Rest: Shakeology is delish. I am eating clean and am starting to feel really good!

Day 4 Fire Starter: Just as fun as I remembered. Chalene is so positive! I am so motivated by her. I am picking up on the movements. 

Day 5 Fire 45 EZ: Anything labeled as EZ isn't easy but still really fun! Stretch 10 is a must! Don't skip it, you'll be cheating yourself.

Day 6 Fire Starter: This was a rough morning. I was up until late last night prepping food because I am going on a retreat with church. I know that all the food there will be extra delish and not so good for me. I didn't get much sleep (total no-no, GET YOUR zzz's!)

Day 7 Core 20 + Stretch 40: I am in Running Springs, CA sharing a 7 bedroom cabin with 30 of my closest friends from church (praise the Lord for bunkbeds) Our schedule today was crazy and I wasn't able to get my workout in until 11pm. I was able to convince a few of the girls to come try it out with me. Unfortunately, I forgot my stretch band so we popped in Low HIIT 20 instead. It was nice to have company as I hid out in the basement praying the guys wouldn't come downstairs and see me hopping around like a maniac. BTW...I am surrounded by super delicious yummy food but I haven't broken yet! Still enjoying Shakeology!

Day 8 55 EZ: Oh my word! Today was crazy! We played Capture the Flag on snow. It was so fun! I haven't played that game in about 20 years. I was beat! I fell asleep at the table tonight while talking with friends. I thought I was too tired to complete the work until a friend told me to go to bed that I was too tired to complete the workout. So there I went at 11:59pm to do what I committed to myself. My friend Megan did it with me and we were about 15 minutes into the workout when the guys decided to go to bed and booted us from the basement. We set up in my room with very little room so some of the moves were modified  Little did we know that we were jumping around on the floor directly above the guys heads. I guess they had a good time trying to figure out what in the heck we were doing.

Day 9 Low HIIT 25: Holy Smokes! This was a fun dvd however I do not recommend doing it after very little sleep and a long car ride. I knew I needed to do it but I was draggin my wagon. I worked out then went to bed immediately... at 8am. Yikes. Shakeology is still super delish and I really look forward to it each day. I am eating well, never hungry and each time I am tempted to eat junk food and resist I give myself a mental hi-five. Let's just say I am hi-fiving myself more than the  most super obnoxius drunk guy you've ever met has in his lifetime, you know that guy. 

Day 10 Rest: HALLELUJAH!!!!!!

Day 11 HIIT 15 + Sculpt 30: Ummmm, yeah today was the very first day I have ever sassed Chalene. I was super tired and needed to get my workout in before my pre-work dental appointment. This was rough and I think it was mainly due to my rotten attitude. Shakeology was delish and I ate well today. Sprouts was having a killer sale and I stocked up on lots of delish fruits and veggies. I have my meals planned for the week and realized that even though I am full I am not eating enough. I am going to have to force a few snacks in each day. I want to keep my metabolism going throughout the day!

I have been taking advantage of my Netflix account lately and I started watching The Andy Griffith Show from episode 1. I have always loved this show and have a soft spot in my heart for Barney Fife. 

Welp, that is all for now. I will post my week 1 and 2 weigh in's on my 14th day of the plan. I am waiting to post photos until day 30 (that is if I am not chicken)

I AM a champion!!!!

My focus for this year is to become healthy. I work in preventative care where I encourage people to be proactive in their approach to their health care. My focus is mainly the 3 big cancers; Breast, Cervical and Colorectal. I have questioned myself, "How can I urge these people to take care of themselves when I am carrying around a good 60+ pounds of unhealthy weight?" 

A year ago December, I was at my highest weight ever. 2-7-1. Such an ugly number to me. I had been slowly gaining weight since high school but the pounds really came on after my Aunt Kitty passed away unexpectedly 2 1/2 years ago. She was like a second mom to me and I handled her death in a very self destructive way. About a year after that I got into a relationship that was not healthy and my boyfriend and I basically ate our way through Southern California. I piled on 40 lbs while I was with him. We broke up in early December 2011 and since then I have shed those 40 lbs and then gained a few back. I am not prepared to share my whole story, or post any pictures just yet but I wanted to share a little bit about my roller coaster quest for health and happiness over the last few years. 

In December 2010, I participated in a photo shoot for Kaiser Permanente. I got to spend the day on the set and had my hair and  makeup fussed over by professionals. It was such a fun day. Little did I know when I signed on that I would have to act as if I worked out, knew yoga, etc. All of the photos taken are on a site for Kaiser to use at their discretion  I will never know when my face will pop up on a flyer or a poster. I prayed that I would never end up on a flyer for VD....makes me think of Joey on FRIENDS, "I was the Aramis guy! Aramis, Aramis, Aramis" So anyhoo, I logged in on Facebook this morning and I was tagged in my friends' photo. They were at Kaiser LA and look who they saw.....

So here is what I need to remember... I AM a champion! I do need to respect myself. Thank you Kaiser Permanente for reminding me of that, and to Dano and Rob for spotting this!