I wanted to be present, to be a participant in this one life that I've been given. I didn't want to miss out on the giggles as my daughter made up a new game and I didn't want her to grow up believing that daddy played while mommy watched. I wanted to be all in.
I'd found my "why" - now I needed a "how."
I knew what I loved to do - Zumba, PiYo and Pound were on constant rotation at my local studio and I'd been going to some combination of the three of them for a few years. Running makes me want to cry, and I knew I would need the accountability that comes with a group fitness class - but with a major change.
I knew I could workout. But the food I was putting in my body? I was living to eat, rather than eating to live, and I denied myself nothing. If I had a craving for ice cream for dinner, out we went. If pizza and cupcakes were easy and convenient? That's what we did. At this stage of our daughter's life where she is learning and absorbing by watching what we do, I knew we had to make a change.
It's never been about losing weight, getting swimsuit ready, or impressing anyone. It's always been about becoming life ready - and I was finally ready to commit. With my family on board, I started my first round of 21 Day Fix, with an amazing group of like-hearted women in one of the most encouraging Facebook groups I've ever found.
I immediately loved the workouts and struggled with the nutrition. It felt like math to me, trying to get all of my meals to add up to those little containers. While I was training my body I was retraining my brain, and everything felt sore. But I knew I could do anything for 21 days - even while traveling for work and celebrating holidays.
Has it been easy? No. Completely changing how you think about food and how you prioritize taking care of yourself is hard. But as challenging as some days were at the beginning, I can confidently say it is worth it. When you have a community of women who won't let you quit, who cheer for your victories and encourage you when you struggle, you can do more than you ever realized.
The Non-Scale Victories
- More energy
- A healthier way of eating for my entire family (toddler included!)
- Pride in knowing I can do hard things
- A new belt...followed shortly by new jeans!
- Increased stamina and flexibility in my other workouts
- Looking at myself in the mirror and loving the woman who looks back at me
As for the actual results? After finishing round 2 of the 21 Day Fix, I'm down nearly 10 lbs and 12 inches - results I never expected. This program? It works. Because it's not a diet, a quick fix, or a short term solution. What started as 'I can do anything for 21 days" has turned into a way of life - not only for me, but for my husband (a foodie who now loves to find healthy ways to make our favorite meals) and our three year old.
We're all in. Want to join us?
We're kicking off another round of 21 Day Fix on June 1st with two awesome Facebook groups, and I would love for you to join us in one (or both!). Come hang out in "The Summer of Good Habits" as we read through Joyce Meyer's "Making Good Habits; Breaking Bad Habits" together. Or if moving & grooving is your style, we're also kicking off "Funky Fit Foodies" with some weekly wiggles (fun dance workouts) and giggles (bring on the funny!).
Grab your 21 Day Fix challenge pack today and email me { crystal dot stine at gmail dot com} which group you'd like to join!
