Three Day Refresh - Results Are In!

I mentioned last time that I was going to do the 3 Day Refresh that just came out. A few different things came up that caused me to push it back, but I completed it two weeks ago and LOVED it! Seriously. It was so easy to follow, I was never hungry, and it really helped curb my cravings for sweets and chips. I really struggle trying to keep my sweet tooth in check sometimes (although Shakeology helps, especially the chocolate!), but I completed this program a week ago and have only had one cupcake in the time since it ended. When all was said and done, I lost 4 pounds and 5 inches and have been able to keep that weight off, and then some, in the two weeks since.

More importantly, I am regaining the confidence I had when I was vegan and at my lowest weight since (probably) high school. I can honestly say that I am genuinely happy and for multiple different reasons.

Another big aspect of my health journey is my willingness to push myself and strive for change. I still constantly struggle with planning meals, balancing meals, and motivating myself to work out and I don't think I will ever be the person to look forward to working out; it will always seem like a chore to me. But, I can see the changes in my physical appearance and more importantly my attitude towards life since I became a coach, especially during the past month. It has kept me motivated to stick with exercising and making sure I eat decently. I've been getting up at 6:30 if I know I won't have time to work out in the evenings and some days I've even worked out twice! There have been many times over the past few months where I thought about quitting coaching because "it cost too much money" but then I realize I am investing in my health. I live a pretty frugal lifestyle (so much so that my father has yelled at me to start spending money) and spending the $4/day is worth it to me to continue drinking Shakeology, sharing my journey, and hopefully motivating others to join me.

Here is my workout calendar for the month of July. As you can see, I focused heavily on Les Mills Pump since most of my workouts were either early in the morning or late at night. However, towards the end I started adding in some T25.

Tuesday I went for a walk with a friend from RWU along the Newport Cliff Walk. It is a beautiful path that is exactly as it sounds - along the cliffs of Newport. There are extravagant houses along the way since it runs behind many of the mansions and some unique buildings like the one below. It was a gorgeous night for a walk with good company.

Not a bad view, at all!

The Hardest Part About Going to the Gym is Going to the Gym...

We are all busy people. Work and life get in the way and it is hard to maintain a structured schedule. 

That is why I love working out at home!

I've never really been one to enjoy going to the gym; I've always felt like I would be judged by people who are in better shape than I am. But, as I've grown "wiser," I don't think that is the case. In fact, it is pretty self-centered to even think that! Regardless, I've never enjoyed that atmosphere and it really made the phrase "the hardest part about going to the gym is going to the gym" ring true to me! 

I don't love working out and it always feels like a chore, even when I am doing a program I enjoy, so cutting out the time it takes to get to and from a gym helps motivate me to get it over with. Plus, I am not spending as much time getting stuff together to drive to and from the gym. I frequently hear coworkers talk about how by the time they get home and have dinner on the table, it is 6:30 or 7:00 pm. By that time, I've already worked out, showered, and, in some cases, eaten! It takes zero minutes to get to my living room, so it leaves me with no excuse not to work out when I am home in the evenings! Plus, I can still get a great variety of cardio and strength training in in a very small space and time frame!

Do you feel like the hardest part about going to the gym is going to the gym? If so, what do you do for exercise? If not, do you take classes or workout on your own?

Story of My Life!

There is a Aldi's that was just built in Middletown, about 20 minutes away from me. I've been wanting to go for a while, but hadn't made it yet. But, this morning I had to get a ton of food since I haven't been in 3 weeks, so I decided to check it out. When I did a generic search for "Aldi" on my iPhone's map app, nothing came up in Middletown, so I checked the store website, put in the address, and was thrilled to learn it was closer than expected! I grabbed a quarter for my shopping cart, checked my cash, and brought my reusable bags and couldn't wait to see if the savings was worth the trip. However, as I approached the area where the store was supposedly located, there was nothing but trees.

Story. Of. My. Life.

It is not uncommon for me to look for eclectic restaurants only to drive out of the way to find out they are no longer in existence; it's happened so many times it has become a joke!

I ended up back in Bristol at the overpriced Stop & Shop that makes me hate life in Rhode Island (really, the only thing that makes me hate it out here!) and vowed to figure out where the heck this Aldi was so I could go after my appointment on Thursday. Common sense kicked in and I decided to put in the address with "Middletown" after to see if it sent me to the same address in a different city, and sure enough, that was the case! Freaking Rhode Island! This state is so freaking small but they have the same address in two cities that are directly next to each other! At least I know for the next time.

One of my goals over the next few weeks is to find recipes that diversify my vegetable intake and I am starting with a one pot pasta with zucchini and leeks in white wine lemon sauce (http://yupitsvegan.com/2014/06/11/one-pot-pasta-zucchini-leeks-white-wine-sauce/). I haven't eaten much zucchini over the past few years because I ate so much when I first went vegan that I couldn't stand to even think about it anymore. But, I am forcing myself to try these things so I can continue working towards a balanced diet.

I am also looking forward to starting my Refresh next week! I love that these programs provide meal plans to follow that really help take the guesswork out of how much to eat each day. If you are interested in details about this program, let me know!

I Can't Believe It Is July...

One of the things I am working on this week is a nightly "to do" list to keep me on track and help me remember to post twice a week. I've actually started going to a therapist to help me cope with my stress/anxiety and, even though my first visit was yesterday, I can already tell a difference. I know I can emotionally remove myself from situations because I can't control my tears (seriously, have a passionate conversation with me about health of the food system and I will tear up!), so I am trying to be more present and deliberate in my actions. It will be a journey, like everything, but I am looking forward to it. That being said, making a list will help to reduce my anxiety!

A lot has happened over the last two weeks, some of which I will discuss and some of which I will not. First, let me say, I am SO happy it has been cooling down at night! I can open my windows and let the heat out of my living room, which is always killer in the summer because of the western facing windows. The rest of my apartment seems to get fairly cool from the window ac unit in my bedroom, but the living room NEVER does. Because of it, I never want to do a cardio workout in the evening because I would be miserable. But, I've been sticking to Pump and occasionally throwing in some TurboFire Core on the weekends.

Last week I flew home to spend the 4th of July with my parents, which was a much needed break from the monotony of my life. I was (and still am) so overwhelmed with the love I felt while home! I had friends visit every single day, and some overlap of friends each day! It was a welcome surprise and really made me miss home. For as much as I love New England, it has been REALLY hard meeting people out here since I live in a small town and being around the people I know and love really made me miss home more than ever. So much so, that my poor parents have to end up dealing with me crying before we even leave the house for the airport!

Now that I am back, I am getting back into the groove of things and trying to find things to occupy my weekends, the first of which will be the RI Brew Fest next Saturday!

Also, next Monday I will be starting a 3 Day Refresh with my team, which I am VERY excited about! I've seen some amazing results since they've returned from Summit and can't wait to share my own with you next week!

In the meantime, enjoy these photos!

People are always amazed when I say I have a bird back home and, even though things aren't as easy as they used to be, I know Rudy still loves me! It takes some time for him to warm back up since I've been gone almost 10 years (where does the time go?!?), but I can always hold him without him biting me, which I take as a plus!

 This is the view of the lake my parents camp/ski at during the summer from their camp site. I took it as we were getting ready to walk to the park for fireworks - a 180 from the rainout the night before! While I disliked spending EVERY weekend here growing up (it took me away from my friends and all of the good weekend festivities!), I can't get enough of it now! Essentially, it is our summer home!

After Granville's fireworks (they're amazing!), I couldn't help but wonder what fireworks would look like from a plane. I actually considered booking a flight for the 3rd next year, just so I could see! But, flying into Philadelphia, I saw numerous shows! Some were the standard backyard fireworks, but some were longer, including what is shown in the picture below. I never imagined towns having their fireworks on a Sunday, but some must do and I am very appreciative of them. Also, a huge thanks to Granville for rescheduling their fireworks for the first (and only) time in 50 years! Seriously, it is one of the reasons I wanted to fly home over the holiday since Bristol's were disappointing last year. I will be making a donation to the Granville Foundation in support of the wonderful memories and our tradition!

 What can I say? I am obsessed with clouds. Just like I would like to live in the ocean, I would also like to live in the sky. I am sensing a problem...

 Last but not least, my workout calendar from June. The first two weeks were rough because of traveling to Texas then feeling sick after alumni weekend, but the later half was great! 

What types of stories would you like to see? If you have suggestions, let me know in the comments!