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Sunday, March 13, 2016

28 day jumpstart update (and maybe other lil stuff)

*there will be photos I'll add those in at the end of this * I figured an update was in order in case there was anyone wondering (and also I am excited to share so...) and in case anyone else might be considering the Fitgirls Guide ...any of them. The 28 day jump start, the fitkini challenge, the cook book, the detox, the boot camp... DO IT. I would say it is 110 percent worth it! It is NOT a diet. It is a lifestyle change. Fit Girls Guide If you are a guy and thinking it isn't for you because it has girls in the title... Good News... you can be a Fit Guy. They have alternative calorie counts etc for it. There are husbands, boyfriends, and guy friends doing it too. These are ebooks (though some girls print them off to have hard copies) you don't have to have them all at once. 28 day jumpstart is a good start and you can repeat the challenge in it as many times as you like. the others allow you to add in more recipes and like the detox is for the week in between challenges (I'll explain more in a bit) and fitkini is a step up from the jump start. As for me I lost 11 lbs during the first challenge. that is dietary changes ONLY. I didn't do the exercises that round because I wanted to focus on the dietary changes first. Now if you know me I'd been struggling for awhile with some success here and there but I am a stress eater. I would get depressed and break down and give in or I wouldn't see changes of any kind and would give up. I even requested help from the dr. the first one said they didn't deal in that. The 2nd tried to get me in with a dietitian and I wasn't able to get in. Then I found this. I don't feel stuck anymore. I don't feel hopeless. (Egads I sound like a damned ad and I swore I'd never sound like that about anything but I can't say enough good things about this. I've never been so happy and honestly so impressed with anything as I am this.) Basically you know that there are serving sizes, that you should eat more veggies, that salt isn't the greatest thing, pop isn't either. I know that but even though I tried it still couldn't seem to hit that quite right. They walk you through it and change your mindset in a way. They are extremely versatile in that if you don't like something in a recipe they offer alternatives and for the most part extremely interchangeable. They have vegetarian and gluten free versions. (Which helped me as I have to have gluten free and that combined with just figuring out the calories and serving sizes was a bit overwhelming I think on my own) you do cut out pop which was hard as I was the biggest pop addict ever but you do eventually start to get used to not drinking it. You can have coffee though and tea. There are ways to make water taste better too. (don't let this part cause you to tune out it almost did me and I'm glad I didn't) you still get chocolate daily (dark chocolate) there are also desserts and snacks that can be sweet just healthier and I will also add that the recipes are very good. (you'll feel like a chef with some of them though at the same time they are very easy) you do meal prepping that I know for me helped with that need to have things handy. I get pretty busy a lot and having things at hand and ready really kept me from grabbing whatever. Like there are a lot of breakfast options but I got hooked on their fridge oats recipes because I barely function in the morning anyway and I can grab it and eat that. I don't miss take out either shockingly. The meals are also a decent size and filling as well as just yummy. You don't use salt often at all but you learn to use other spices (the mixtures they had were surprising and very good) Things that will have you trying new things. New combos of veggies too. (some of these surprised me in a good way) anyway enough about the food though seriously it is awesome. Also something important if you'd like to see more on them they are on Instagram which is a big part of it too. Fit girls are very supportive of each other and support is another big factor in keeping you going. We hold each other accountable and pep talk when needed and just share the experience as a whole together. It is also about self love. Teaching you to feel good about yourself and forgive yourself when you slip up and don't have a good meal day etc and to keep right on going with the program. (they actually have an anything you want meal that is allowed on occasion to get your cravings out of your system and special drink days explained in the ebooks) The exercises work their way up in level. If you are physically disabled ...another issue I have some what as I also was diagnosed this year with Tietze which is a rare disorder in which the tendons and all in my rib cage swell and become inflamed making it hard to breathe etc as well as I have Lupus and RA and several other health issues...anyway.  There are plenty of modifications or they even suggest walking if you can and even if not that then the dietary changes alone are enough to warrant doing it. I feel like now that I've lost some it will be easier for me to attempt the exercises (and also that I've gotten into the dietary pattern enough to feel comfortable with it) so I hope to tone up and lose more. Anyway they have the 28 day challenges. (our next one starts tomorrow March 8 and lasts til April 11) in between that they have a week off or use it for the detox program. There are exercise challenges during that week too. During the 28 day challenges there are photo challenges that they release a calendar for about 2 days prior for you to enter as often as you can. (is fun and keeps people engaged) as well as a phrase that you put in your before photos for that challenge. You can then enter that with your after photos at the end of the challenge for entry to a contest type thing. Some of the girls also have mini challenges amongst themselves. 
The first one is before the 2nd is after. I will say too that I took note of things I needed to change for my before and after pics. such as distance etc. I chose a shirt for the first challenge and this one that showed as much detail as I could without doing a pic showing my tummy. I am using the same shirt this challenge too though next challenge I plan to change it up and prolly give in and do a half shirt or something. Now while the changes may be small (or they appeared to be to me ...though I got a LOT of questions by people of what I was doing and comments and compliments from people who were noticing... I don't expect anything over night but this was enough of a difference to convince me. Plus besides the 11 lbs I am down from the challenge I lost another lb during my week off.  (I continued eating as if I were in the challenge) 

 These are actually in reverse order. My phone switched them. The first one with the paper is actually my after pic in this one. This was my first 28 day challenge before/after pics.  
 excuse the no makeup. This is my before pic for this 2nd challenge that starts tomorrow. (was taken after the week off thing too) 
 These are actually in order. before and after 28 day challenge
(yeah I plan on fixing the distance issue this round) 
 one week later and my before pic this round. 



 oddly this one is the one I could tell the most difference in. The funny thing is I didn't color my hair either and it looks redder LOL (just a pointless fact but hey) 
I hope to see more of a significant difference by mid to end of summer and I really don't doubt that I will. For now I am truly happy. This is a change I intend to keep. I may update further at the end of this challenge even. :D I can't quit raving about it.  For my cardio days I want to use my belly dancing when I can. I am hoping for a good summer. I have two more grandbabies on the way which is super exciting. (Both my older daughters are expecting) another wedding (my oldest) While we may be having some financial difficulties right now for the most part things look bright. I plan on working my schedule around to fit my crafts/art in more and I have some portraits lined up to do as well as some experimental stuff I've not tried before that one of my daughters requested an I am excited to do for them. Maybe I can branch out from this. Anyway I was excited to share my beginnings in a new journey and the progress I've made thus far. Check out their website if interested or look them up on Instagram. :D