So here we are ... Week 6 is halfway over, I've only got one weigh-in to go, and I'm thinking back to where I began.
For those of you who haven't been following me, here's a little back history. Seven weeks ago I reached out to Aimee Marshall of Berkshire Fitness and Wellness Center, frazzled and emotions all over the place, with a plea to help me get back on track with my health and wellness goals. For the past year, I had gained back most of the 20 pounds I had lost two years before, my knees were aching, I was bloated all the time again and mentally I was all over the place. I was having a lot of anxiety and was having a lot of difficulty focusing and getting my head and life organized.
Aimee came up with a game plan.
- First Diet: I would begin her six-week Transformational Program, which was a whole-foods based diet aimed at eating foods that would decrease bloat and inflammation in the body, increase energy and mental focus, and a whole lot of other benefits. The goal was to change the way I viewed and consumed food and make this diet change for good. What I loved most about this program gave me everything I needed (except a personal shopper and chef), to eat healthily. Aimee provided me with 6 weeks worth of meal plans (I knew what I was eating every day!), the recipes, and a shopping list. *score* I didn't follow it to a "T," but I have lost weight and inches, I have more mental focus and less anxiety, and my knees and ankle feel fantastic (my elbow still bothers me here and there, but it's the nature of my job and being on the computer all the time.
- Workout Plan: Aimee and I sat down and derived a workout plan for me. I knew that if I tried to work out seven or even five days a week at the gym, I would fail. So we made a plan that included 3 days of classes (MWF) and then a 30-minute personal training session after that two days a week, or a 45-minute Pilates Reformer class on the third day. This has worked wonders for me. It's a plan I knew I could stick to, and I don't feel guilty on the days I'm not at the gym. If I have time, I can snowshoe or walk with a friend on off days, or do a home video, but thus far I haven't. It's our busy season here at Berkshires Macaroni Kid and I'm working a lot. And I'm OK with that.
The results:
So I have one more article to write next week after the weigh-in, but according to my scale at home, I have lost a total of 7 or 8 pounds depending on the day. Aimee's scale says more, but I think we read something wrong last week. But more importantly, My close fit comfortably again, and that's a major win! Next week I do my final official weigh-in and Aimee takes my measurements again. That will tell me the inches I have lost as well as the percentage of body fat I am down, which to me are two of the most important aspects of this journey. I want to be athletic and healthy, and by the look and feel of everything thus far, that is where I am headed.
So talk to you next week — here's to a few more days of this six-week journey back to me, and a lifetime of changes.
And to follow my journey from the beginning you can click on any of the links below:
