I posted something on Facebook this last week that took me almost 20 minutes to push the post button.  The reason it was so hard is because it was so real – so personal and yet one my biggest joys is sharing with my readers when I find something that works – a recipe, a new kitchen gadget or food product.  I had a “talk to myself moment” because I knew I was having success in an area that I haven’t in a long time – I mean years. Well, the Facebook post went live (see below for content) and what I discovered is there are quite a few of us out there that want to be healthy, want to have an exercise program but we just haven’t found the right fit.

So what I want to share with you is that post because today I finished my 63rd day of consistent exercise and am nourishing my body with clean eating (Because I enjoy cooking and have a wide knowledge of ingredients and styles, my meals have been nutritious and delicious).  In fact I’m probably eating more now than I was.   Slow and steady changes are happening and I’m excited.

Facebook Post from 4/14/15

Frustrated, clothes not fitting, skin breaking out was where I was the end of January.  I was going to the gym, eating healthy food and doing what I knew to do but my weight seemed to be climbing.   My family has a history of carrying weight and I wondered if this is just what my mid-50’s were going to look like for me.  I also have a few chronic health issues – permanent nerve pain from a case of shingles and interstitial cystitis (IC).  But in February I took a chance on a at-home, portion-controlled clean eating nutrition/fitness program which included support from others that were also working on their own goals.  All I needed to do was commit to doing my best with a 30-minute daily workout and eat nutritious food for 21 days.  I decided my definition of success would be to complete the 21 days and not focus on the scale.   That meant I needed to be intentional with my time and priorities.  There were times I didn’t use weights at all, there were times I needed to stop in between exercises but I didn’t quit.  I can’t tell you how proud I was to complete the first 21 days and the feeling of inner and outer strength I gained is priceless.  After another round of the program I was down 5 lbs and had said goodbye to 12.5 inches.  I am so thankful for the tools this program provides – being able to workout from home on my schedule, modifications that don’t require any jumping, an easy to apply nutrition plan that teaches how much we need of certain foods and the group encouragement and accountability has been a huge gift.  So I’m taking a big breathe and doing something out of my comfort zone because taking pictures of myself hasn’t been high on my list and posting some Feb before pictures and end of March after pictures because I believe there may be others who are looking for a program that can move them from where they are today.  If my story has inspired you, I want to invite you to be a part of Challenge Group that will be starting on May 4th with me.   Let’s learn to together to be advocates for our health so we can live this life to the best of our ability.

 For more information on whether the program I’m using might be a good fit for you, please comment below or email me at debra.hallock@gmail.com.