Tuesday, January 3, 2012

20 seconds of insane courage



Happy New Year!

     It is now 2012, my wedding is still more than a year away.....17 months and 12 days to be exact (Thanks Jay, my hunky human calculator!) The resolution I made last year was the same as every other year: lose weight. I joined a gym but slowly stopped going (as usual) and kind of gave up (as usual). Then I joined Punch Gym in May...not because of a resolution, but because I finally became so disgusted with myself I needed to take drastic measures. I am an excellent procrastinator and an even better excuse maker.  Finding Punch Gym in Norwalk, CT was the best discovery I have ever made. Punch Gym has really given me the support I need to make the changes I desperately needed to make in my life. The trainers are the most amazing people I've ever met. They should hate me for all the whining and complaining I do in class, but instead they push me hard, and stay positive 24/7... I am so lucky and blessed to have found them. 

     Since joining (May, 2010) I became a "Rockstar" of the month in October, competed in a Strongwomen competition later that month, won the gym's Body Balance Challenge in November, and an essay contest about what Art of Strength (the type and theory of exercises we do at Punch) over Thanksgiving. I feel overwhelmed looking back at it all. I don't know what I thought was going to happen....but I did not for-see any events of the last few months.  My latest discovery is that since May I have lost 50 pounds. Here is my very first "before and after" picture.


     I can't talk about my success without mentioning my new Primal lifestyle. The key to my success has been nutritional counseling from Stef Tropea and following the "Primal Blueprint". It's not a diet, it's eating in a nutritious and natural way that your body craves. By eating more meat, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats and cutting out processed foods, grains, starchy foods and sugar I have seen HUGE results compared to just exercising. When I do eat  processed foods (like I did over the holidays) I feel sluggish and crappy. The past week I've gone back to purely primal and I feel amazing. I have enough energy to work 10 hours and throw in a 45 minute workout at Punch before heading home to cook dinner, take care of the dog and  finish writing reports (and updating this blog LOL). When I'm not eating primal I simply can't do it. When you stuff yourself full of chemicals and fake processed food your body naturally rebels and shuts down. Optimally fueling your body turns losing 10-20 pounds into 50 pounds.

     So it's a new year, meaning new resolutions correct? I never made a goal of how much weight I wanted to lose because in the past when I've reached that certain I think "Yeah! I can cheat now!" and I don't want to give myself that temptation. I think the most important resolution for me is to keep showing up for workouts. If I show up I have all the faith in the world that my trainers will push me for results...there is no slacking off at my gym, you show up and you are guaranteed an intense workout. You just have to take a deep breath and walk through the doors. I just saw "We Bought a Zoo" and my new favorite quote is...


" Yου know, sometimes аll уου need іѕ twenty seconds οf insane courage. Jυѕt literally twenty seconds οf јυѕt embarrassing bravery. And I promise уου, something grеаt wіll come οf іt."


Enough said.