100 Day Challenge Complete!

I am so happy to say I have made it through the 100 days! I have a new life now. I didn't cheat on the meal plan ONCE! I have never been able to stick with something more than two weeks, but this time I did it!

As I reflect on the past 100 days, I think of all of the challenges I had to overcome. I learned how to work through tough decisions and I am a better person for it. It is worth going without ice cream cake, or chips, or chocolate bars. The food will always be there. It is not going anywhere. If I ever REALLY needed it...it would be there. I finally realized, I don't really need it. It was not fueling my body and it never made me feel better if I was stressed. Food makes you feel worse in the long run. It may taste wonderful and the sugar may give you a high but it only lasts about a minute and then it is gone forever. This is why we overeat because we continuously look for that satisfaction. I have now found satisfaction in healthy foods. I can not believe how much my taste buds have changed. My favourite candy now, is cherries. I never realized how naturally sweet they were. I love so many different foods now and I am searching for new ideas and recipes all of the time.

On my final weigh in my trainer made me hold up 35 pounds. I could not believe I was carrying that around on me. He definitely put it in perspective for me. Andrew pushed me to do things I never knew my body could do. I feel strong and I know I can really do anything I put my mind to. Thanks to Andrew I was able to start running and I do my first 5k in a couple of weeks. Me.. a runner...I just can't get over that.

I also have to thank my amazing husband, who has also lost 30 pounds during the 100 days. He put up with my crazy headaches and mood swings in the beginning, and he always told me I could do it when I thought I couldn't. He helped me so much with making healthy dishes and was always ready to go for a run with me. We are such a great team in this!

I wish there were more 100 Day Challenges out there. There needs to be more programs to kick start people in to healthy living. It takes 90 days to break a habit, and in 90 days you can make a whole new way of life. I thought after the challenge I might fall off the wagon and go back to eating white flour and refined sugar etc. Well, it has been a week and I am going stronger than ever. I have no urge for those foods anymore. I feel amazing without them. I have more energy and think more clearly. Food was holding me back in life and making me ill. I think proper nutrition and exercise can cure a lot of ailments effecting a lot of the population in the world today. I can see the changes on the outside but I look forward to visiting my doctor to see how much I have changed on the inside. I will be going for blood tests to see how much my numbers have changed from 100 days ago. I know I have almost completely eliminated my risk of type 2 diabetes!

I hope everyone else out there has overcome some challenges in the past 100 days. I will keep you updated as I go. Good luck and keep your head up!

Day 48

Well, I have to apologize for being away for so long. BUT I"M BACK! Life got pretty busy there but I am happy to say I have stayed on track. I am on day 48 today and feeling amazing. I have now gone 48 days without refined sugar, caffeine, bad carbs, and everything else that does not fall into the clean eating category, including alcohol! I really can not get over that I have stuck with my clean eating for this long. I am improving everyday. I have great support around me which helps a lot and I am forever preparing food a day ahead.

The headaches are gone and I want to make sure they stay away forever. I have no back pain anymore. The two discs that are bulging will always be there but I am strengthening my core to prevent them for getting worse and it is helping with the pain. I am now a runner. I train 4-5 times a week outside or on a treadmill. I really never thought I would be able to do it and I am even going to register for a 5k race in September. I am still working out with a trainer once per week and then 4 days on my own with weight, alternating upper body and lower body.

My first assessment after one month went well. i was down 14 pounds and 14 inches. I am not down 21 pounds and the body fat is decreasing just as fast. It is such a great feeling to start seeing results. I even had to buy smaller underwear. TMI! I am trying to hold out on the clothes until I absolutely have to.

I am trying new recipes all of the time. I have a lot of clean eating books now. The feeling of being healthy and energized is what's keeping me going. I feel like I could take on anything now. I love waking up and feeling good. I love not yawning all day.

I am still trying to limit my social life. It is still very hard for me to be around so many good food and have people trying to tempt you wherever you look. I don't know why people think that when I say no I can't it means shove it in my face more. Over time it will get better I'm sure.

My husband has lost 15 pounds himself and keeps me motivated. He has even come for some runs with me, even though I am very slow compared to him. He is great at pushing me a little further so I can reach my full potential. I really wouldn't have stuck with it so long if it wasn't for his help. Our new favourite meal is mushroom cap pizzas. MMMM

Soon I will be ready to post pictures.

I hope everyone else out there is doing well and if you had a not so good day..just forget about it. Tomorrow is another chance to make healthy choices! Good luck to you.

This is my favourite new treat! I bring it with me whenever we go to an event so I don't get tempted.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-easons-livefit-recipes-pumpkin-protein-bars.html

Day 18

Well, it is about time I get back on here and update you on my progress. I have hit the three week mark and I am down 10 pounds. The long weekend was definitely a struggle but I pulled through without any cheats. I did not indulge in the usually pizza or barbecued hot dogs that we used to eat on long weekends. I stayed strong. I did try out some new foods though. The first picture I posted is a quinoa salad I had on Friday at a local new restaurant. I have dreaded going out to eat because I never know if there will be food for me to eat. Research is key! Check the menu ahead of time and have a game plan. I was lucky to find a beautiful quinoa salad on the menu with shrimps, my favourite. Also, the day before I went out for lunch I saw a nutritionist who is helping eat right with Polysistic Ovary Syndrome (I hope to have children before I am 30). She recommended trying quinoa instead of having yams all of the time. She thought I might burnout eating the same thing all of the time. So, I tried it and I was pleasantly surprised. When quinoa is cooked and seasoned the right way it is AMAZING. I was so impressed I went grocery shopping and the next day I made it for my husband for lunch. The second picture is my spin on it. I prefer spinach instead of arugula. He was hooked too. Quinoa will now be part of our meal plan. I had to cut down on the serving size though, for 1/4 cup there is 170 calories. It may be high is calories just like rice but it is definitely a healthier choice. This moderation thing is starting to work for me. Spacing out my meals is making me less hungry.

I just got back from a great workout at the gym. Working with a trainer once per week is helping to push myself a little bit harder. I never hurt the same way after I work out alone. I like feeling the burn when I leave the gym and especially the next day. I don't have so much pain anymore that I can not move the next day. The first week was the hardest. I am just a bit sore the next day but in a good way. Now that I am seeing results and feeling great I have even more drive to keep going. I really want to know how other people are doing in the challenge. I see some posts on Fb. It would be good if we all knew each other to motivate each other while we do this.

I am just finishing up my protein shake and then I am off to see Jillian Michaels! I am hoping she pumps me up even more to continue this weight loss journey.

Keep fighting out there. It is a daily battle to conquer all the food that is pushed in our faces. It is everywhere.

Day 9

Well, it has been a few days since I have posted. I have been so busy with fitting in the gym and I went away for the weekend. I have officially made it over a week without any cheats. No sugar, no caffeine, only clean eating here. I feel fabulous, aside from some soreness because of the weight training. I have so much energy and I feel like I can do anything. I am also excited to say that I have lost 8 pounds from strictly eating healthy and exercising. I made sure to get in 3 weight training sessions and I did cardio on the days in between. I even tried a little bit of running. I still can not believe I have not stopped at a drive thru or grabbed a chocolate bar. To be honest I am afraid of having sugar or greasy foods because of what they may do to me now; and there is no way I am going through the withdrawal again. I feel free and I am excited to keep going. I am starting to see some slight changes in my body and I am loving it. Bring on some summer dresses!

This weekend was a true test for me. I went away with my husband to a banquet dinner my friend was putting on. I went with the salmon option which was healthy, and when dessert came I went for the fruit plate (I even scrapped off most of the whip cream). It was so difficult to see everyone eating prime rib and pad thai. Not to mention the fact that I was not drinking. No wine for me. I struggled through though. Then we all went back to my friends house for a sleepover because we were 2 hours from home. Everyone wanted to order pizza, and of course they started talking about my favourite perogy pizza from Boston Pizza. Delicious yes, but not worth messing up the hard work of the last week. I finally told everyone about the 100 Day Challenge I am doing and they were very supportive. I am so sooo happy I packed my cooler bag of healthy snacks. I made my husband and I greek yogurt with half of an apple. I am so happy my hubby helps me stick to this. I'm sure I would have cheated already if he was eating ice cream or burgers in front of me.

I am looking forward to my week ahead. My food is ready in the fridge for tomorrow and I will be doing some cardio. Hope you will be doing some moving too!

Day 4

Well, I really can not even believe I have made it this far. These past four days have been the hardest days of my life. I still have a few withdrawal symptoms, headache and nausea. However, it is not nearly as bad now and I think I am over the worst of it. I think this is why it is so hard to stick with healthy eating, it is so hard to fight through the detoxification from all the chemicals that have been put in our bodies. So, we go back to it to ease the pain. I am really starting to feel better overall now. I can feel it through my whole body. The energy difference is incredible. I used to come home eat dinner, that my husband would make most of the time and then lay on the couch for the rest of the night with a headache. Now, I workout after work, I come home and make dinner with my husband and I make our lunches for the next day while tidying up.

I had my first session with my trainer tonight. I trained with Andrew who is the owner of the gym. I was hoping I could train with him because he is the creator of the program and actually lost 57 pounds in 100 days. It is so nice to have someone who has worked so hard himself to be able to train you and give you tips. It was a good hour and I felt pumped up afterwards. I was also happy I had no pain in my back after. My L4 and L5 discs in my lower back are protruding and press on my nerves every now and then. 2 years ago I fell off a chair in a yoga class and I have had back problems ever since. An MRI determined that it was more serious than I thought. I am always on edge when working out because my back has gone out at random times. I like that Andrew takes injuries in to account and adapts a program to suit your needs and abilities. I am still feeling good but my muscles are starting to feel sore. We will see how tomorrow goes. I will be back at the gym doing some cardio. I think I might try running intervals. I hope to meet some more people tomorrow. I met a nice lady tonight. I can't believe how comfortable I feel there. We are all just average Joe's, all shapes and sizes. I think joining this challenge was the best decision I could have ever made. 4 days in and I am already feeling better. I can't wait to see more!

I was able to stick to my meal plan today with no extras. I had a lunch meeting and you won't believe it but they served cake, cookies, coffee and tea. THAT'S IT! Good thing I packed my cooler with all of my food for the day. I really didn't want to pull out my big salad while everyone was munching out on cake. So, I sipped on my water (I am going without caffeine too) and when it was over I ate my Greek yogurt in the car while driving back to my work. Temptation is everywhere and it is so accessible. It definitely does feel weird driving around and not stopping for a bagel or a junior bacon cheeseburger. Now I travel with my healthy foods and nothing is going to get in my way!

Keep fighting out there.

Day 3

Today was interesting to say the least. I woke up with another headache from the withdrawal. Luckily it was gone by the afternoon. I am starting to notice more energy and already have a healthy feeling. It was a long day at work but I managed to eat most of the things I pack in my cooler bag. I had a protein shake for breakfast before I left. I didn't get a chance to have my morning snack. I had my salad with tuna and lots of vegetables for lunch. For my afternoon snack I had 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 2/3 cup of peaches. For dinner my very helpful husband cooked up some Sole and I had my 4oz of yams on the side with half of my plate filled with mixed vegetables.

I decided to do just dance for my cardio tonight. I LOVE to dance! I had a good sweat going for 45 minutes. I added some weight lifting and some lunges after that. I wanted to be ready to go for tomorrow night. I have my first appointment with my trainer at 6pm. I am hoping to get comfortable enough to do the group classes. They are doing them outside now in a giant sand box.

It is truly amazing how I can change my whole lifestyle so drastically when a competition is added to the mix. I am not going to be the one who transforms the least. I want to be the best transformation yet! I definitely have a competitive side, which must have come from all my years of ringette, hockey, soccer, swimming, and basketball. I hope to get back to the point when I can play sports with my husband and enjoy myself.

Here's to all the overweight people out there who try and try again. Every try truly counts. We can do it! It may mean missing out on your husbands birthday ice cream cake on Wednesday, but it will be worth it. To be honest, now I am a little afraid of having sugar. I don't want to go through the withdrawal symptoms again. Hopefully, they will all be gone soon. Keep your heads up!

Day 2

Yesterday, I started a 100 day challenge at a local gym here. I have a strict clean eating meal plan of 1,500 calories and an intense workout routine to follow. I will be seeing a trainer once per week for 6 weeks. My first appointment is Tuesday evening. I am always nervous of the unknown. It has been around 8 months since I have worked out. I made it through yesterday and went for a 45min walk.

Today was a hard day to get through. I have started to feel the effects of caffeine and sugar withdrawl. The clean eating is definitely making me feel better but I am feeling fatigue from all of the drastic changes. Some days, I am positive I ate 1,500 calories in one meal. Now, I have to space that amount of calories through the whole day. I have created my meal plan for the week and I have my fridge stocked up with healthy foods. I started my day off with a protein shake (protein powder, skim milk and frozen berried). My first snack was coconut greek yogurt and 10 almonds. It definitely feels different counting out and measuring my portions. For lunch I made a salad with tuna and low fat cheese. My next snack was cottage cheese and fruit. I like canned peaches or pears, in water of course! For dinner I had a barbequed salmon steak with 1/2 cup brown rice and mixed vegetables. My favorite veggies are brussel sprouts. I never had them growing up but now I can not get enough. For my dessert tonight I had 1 cup of watermelon. My desserts used to consist of chocolate bars, chips and ice cream. Oh how I miss them already. I hve to remind myself of my health and why I am doing this challenge. I have a lot of people in my family with Diabetes and I am trying hard to change my lifestyle to avoid it. I also got married to my amazing husband 8 months ago and we would like to start a family one day. I want to be healthy to have a healthy pregnancy and also be a role model to my children.

I am heading to bed now. I hope tomorrow is a little bit easier. It is sure going to be tough not having a tea before work and the bagel I usually pick up.