Hammer and Chisel Progress Report

In the last 6 weeks I have made some huge changes in me. It started with opening my copy of Hammer and Chisel and then making a commitment with my daughter Kaitlyn to bust our butts and complete this workout before I go on my cruise in March.

So, I decided the best thing for me to do was to change everything up. That meant getting up 3 hours before I had to go to work each morning so that I could get my workout in. I have NEVER been the early morning workout gal. Let's be honest, I said that there was NO WAY in hell I would ever get up early just to work out! There have definitely been plenty of nights when I have been working out at 11 PM.

BUT...and I seriously can't believe I am saying this...I have found that working out in the morning is so much better for me! I have more energy for my workouts AND it starts my day in such a great way. I go to work energized and ready to take on the world. Who knew!!!! ;)

Change number two for me was making sure that my eating was on point. I am not saying I was ever 100% perfect. Because I wasn't. I had special days with my family at wrestling meets or birthdays, Super Bowl etc where I ate what I wanted. Yeah I know...(slap on the wrist!, BAD DARLENE!) But for the most part I followed my containers and the eating plan that came with my workout. It was pretty easy to follow!

Change number three....I did EVERY workout! No excuses. I planned my workouts each week and made sure that I pushed play. My natural butt lift is the proof! lol !

I have many times said that the scale is NOT my friend, to take photos, to take measurements and to figure out your body fat %. Well there is definitely a reason why and here it is....

THE SCALE SHOWED THAT I ONLY LOST....dut da da da....4.6 lbs! I could easily think, what not even 5 lbs in 6 weeks?!?! BUT...I took my measurements and they show a whole different story!

I lost 9% of my body fat! I lost 17.91 lbs of fat!!!! Hell yeah! ;)

I gained 13.31 lbs of muscle!!! Don't believe me, well remember that natural butt lift I mentioned? ;)

I lost 4.5 inches around my waist! My total inches lost is 27.25 inches!

Now do you see why I say don't just go by the scale?

I just started my new group yesterday and I am excited to see what the next 21 days bring! Then it will be cruise time! Are you ready to join me in March for an exciting NEW group? 6 weeks with a prize at the end! Are you ready?

Message me for some deets! <3

Time To QUIT Hammer and Chisel AND BEACHBODY!

This has been such a frustrating and emotional week.  It seems like no matter what I have done I have been swimming against the current.

Today was the final straw.  My morning started off on the wrong foot because I was not able to do my workout first thing.  I had to go to work super early so I figured I would do it when I got home. 

I came home and decided it was time to try on some of my clothes for my cruise.  I figured with all of the fat weight that I have lost and the inches lost that I would fit into my cruise clothes and look amazing.  Wrong!  :(  My ass is now too big, thank you Hammer and Chisel for the amazing butt lift!  My pants don't want to come up past my hips.  What the heck?   

Do you think I really wanted to work out then?  Ummm...NO!  I decided to eat supper very early and I ate a lot of it.  It was healthy but my portions were not what they should be.

I spoke to my coach Amanda and figured out some things that I wanted to try.  I figured the first thing I would do is some cardio.  I put on Shaun T and busted a move with Cize.  I decided that I was going to do a video to share but was having a few issues with my family.

I was told that Beachbody is just a lie, that it is a complete waste of my time.  That I am pretty much a nobody who works at a dead end job that only teenagers would work at.  I will admit that this hurt and my old self came out and oh my gosh it was horrible!  After I threw a temper tantrum and trashed my den, yes doggie bones went a flying, I told my husband that's it.  I am tired of fighting to be a fit mom and wife.  I am tired of being put down for trying so hard to make a difference in my life, in the lives of my family members and in the lives of others.  I QUIT!!!!

I, of course, broke down and started crying like a lunatic.   I was a failure AGAIN!  Then my husband came up to me and said if it makes you happy then don't listen to anyone else and just do it.  Then he walked away.

At first I was still upset and said screw it.  I made myself a cup of tea and then went into my bedroom to read a romance book.  Yup a fluff book.  Nothing to help me develop as a person!  Yup a complete and utter waste of time!  :(

After an hour I realized that I was letting something that I could completely control ruin my progress with Hammer and Chisel. I have gone 38 days of working out every day that I was scheduled, and even though I had already done Cize for the night, I had not done Hammer Power and I felt like this was a huge turning point for me.  I had to get up and go work out, NO MATTER HOW I FELT OR HOW TIRED I WAS!

I went upstairs and did Hammer Power.  I lowered my weights tonight and did extra reps.  I felt great after!  Although I was still hurt by what had been said to me.

It dawned on me as I was working out that I had two choices...be a quitter or be a doer.  I didn't want to be the quitter anymore.   

I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE THE POWER OF MY FUTURE, MY SUCCESS OR FAILURE TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T BELIEVE IN ME!

I could quit being a coach and not work out or I could continue on.  I CHOSE to continue on!  I AM taking back the power.  I AM done being a people pleaser.  I AM not going to give up something that I love because of the negativity that is around me! 

I will NO longer allow the negative in my life to spoil all the good things I have.  I CHOOSE to be Happy!  I CHOOSE to continue on!  It's MY life, it's MY choice!

Sink, Survive or THRIVE...it's ALL MY CHOICE!!

   

Hypothyroidism and Losing Weight with Beachbody

They say that if you have hypothyroidism that you CAN'T lose weight!  For so many years I would use that as my excuse of why I was gaining weight.  My thyroid is bad, my metabolism is so low that I have no control over it.   Some doctors have told me that it is almost impossible to lose weight if you have hypothyroidism and you are not taking your meds every morning on an empty stomach.  I have found that I CAN lose weight and NO, I am not taking meds anymore.

Am I losing weight?  You betcha!  Has it been easy?  No, but I am doing it!

For a while I was like a yo yo.  I would lose weight, then I would gain it back, then I would lose again.  Now I am actually losing and keeping it off.  Why?  Let me back up a bit.

In October, I really slacked with working out and my eating habits.  I spent quite a bit of my time at the hospital with a loved one.  It was a very stressful time and I ate my emotions.  I did not workout for the entire month, I did a bit of walking here and there but nothing major.  I gained almost 15 lbs in one month.  Nothing that I am super proud of! :(

I decided to start a round of PiYo in November. I struggled with getting my eating back on track.  I felt like I was hungry all of the time and I was so depressed.  I had no energy and was tired ALL of the time.  I was losing my hair.  I honestly felt like it might be time to start taking my levothyroxine again to help with the depression.  Instead of taking the meds, I put as much energy as I could spare into my workouts.  Pushing play was so hard each and every day but I did it, for the most part.

As you can see by the photo I did see some results with PiYo.  This was a battle between my thyroid and me.  I fought hard for every inch AND every ounce of fat lost. :)

I finished PiYo on December 28th.   As you can see by this chart my body fat and weight was up and down through out this program.

I started the Master's Hammer and Chisel on January 4th.  I couldn't believe that from Dec 28th to Jan 4th with zero working out and really not watching what I am eating, I had gained most of what I had lost back.  :(

I truly wanted to give up at that point but I had promised my daughter that I would do Hammer and Chisel with her.   I mean I had gained back 6.8 lbs in a week!   I had also gained 3.75 inches around my waist.  Seriously???

I really wasn't drinking my Shakeology either.  I was lucky if I was having 3-4 shakes a week.  I knew they were good for me but if I got busy, whatever, I went without.  Wrong answer!

I realized on January 4th that I would always be in a battle with my weight.  I would never get to the point where I could just sit back and not worry about gaining it back.  I couldn't think of this as a diet, or a short term program.  This was going to be a lifestyle change.  I was going to have to workout and eat healthy for the long term.

With that in mind. I started drinking my Shakeology EVERY morning.  I have not gone a day with out it since the 4th of January.  It IS the healthiest meal of my day, every day!  I have NOT missed one Hammer and Chisel work out.  I have made a habit of getting up every morning between 5 and 6 to work out.   I have been making sure that I eat 85% clean each day.

I truly believe that drinking Shakeology every morning, watching what I eat, using the 21 Day Fix containers/meal plan AND lifting weights and doing cardio with the Master's Hammer and Chisel program has made a huge difference with losing the weight and keeping it off.

 Looking at my chart now the numbers are going down, the scale may show some up and down but the fat loss and muscle gained is going in the right direction each week.  I am still medication free!

Twenty eight days into Hammer and Chisel and I am finally back to where I was at the end of PiYo.  I am actually doing better.  I am the same weight now as when I finished PiYo but my body fat % is 2% lower, and I am 2.95 inches smaller!  So it is working!

I believe that for ME to lose weight and tone up that I need that balance of cardio and strength training.  Hammer and Chisel has been the best thing to happen to me and I am so thankful to Carl Daikeler, Autumn Calabrese and Sagi Kalev for this program.  Is there a Hammer and Chisel II in the making?  Please tell me it is so!

Thank you so much for the support and your interest in this blog!  If you haven't already, please make sure to check out my DarLeanFitness Page where you can find more recipes, fitness tips, motivation and information on upcoming Health and Wellness Accountability/Challenge Groups that I offer.