Can't Touch This...Cheesecake

Because I can’t find my motivation! Getting back into the right state of mind to work out is always difficult, but no one can do it for you. Sometimes, you have to create your own motivation and excitement! Today, I begin the second 3-month cycle of Turbo Fire! I did have some good results the first time around, but this time around, my coordination is better and I am a new and improved me. If I started even heavier and out of shape, I can’t wait to see where I’m at 3 months from now :)
Wish me luck!

It’s been a crazy 3 weeks! I know, it’s inexcusable, but I have a sprain in my right foot and therefore have taken some time off from working out. I was quite bummed about taking time off from working out because I have come so far. I am stubborn. I know that I am prone to developing sprains & stress fractures so I know that I have to be extremely careful to not go too high impact when I’m working out, yet I got carried away at times and went more high-impact than I ever should have because the fact of the matter is that I am overweight and until I have lost a bit more weight, I can’t go high impact. It’s a bit of a catch 22 because in order for me to lose weight, I have to do a high intensity workout and although high intensity doesn’t mean high impact, the low impact stuff is usually still a bit high impact. Because I’m overweight, the high intensity stuff ends up catching up with me and I develop a sprain or stress fracture in the process and then I’m out if commission for anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months or longer.
Basically, I have to eat extremely clean and healthy and watch the calories I take in under a microscope. Well, here I am, at the tail end of the 12th week of my challenge group for Turbo Fire, and I can’t finish without risking being set back another month. Although I will continue to move forward by eating clean and I will do a substitution workout, I plan on starting this 12-week process over again soon and look forward to doing so!
Tonight will be my first workout in 3 weeks and I’m excited, but I have to monitor my pain level and make sure not to overdue it :)

I am a generally happy person. I love my family, I have a very wonderful relationship, I have great friends, and am lucky enough to have a full-time job that I like. I try not to worry about politics or let whatever negative goings-on in the world affect me. If anyone has a problem with this and tries to disrupt the peace, of course I’ll bite back. Don’t back me into a corner by bullying me and expect me to just sit quietly and take it. Just saying. Don’t ever let someone bully you into a corner. Speak up and stand up for yourself. Nothing changes without an effort made.

Ok, so here’s the thing: there is no such thing as a miracle pill, miracle diet, or anything of the sort. I have tried several so called “miracle” remedies to lose weight but in the midst of all of it, I’ve found that the only effective way to get fit is to simply exercise and eat healthy. A big tool in reaching a fitness goal (and probably the most important part of the equation) is to have patience! There is no magical diet or pill that will get you to your goal in a healthy manner. Of course, there are supplements that will aid you in reaching your goals, but the only way to get fit and be healthy is to get up and burn calories and to monitor your caloric consumption!
I have tried quite a few fad diets, and none of them helped me to get healthy. Sure, I lost weight, but it wasn’t without putting myself in danger.
I have found that I have a harder time losing pounds but a much easier time turning fat into muscle. In fact, if I’m not careful, I become bulkier than leaner. Basically, I try to do a good mix of cardio and muscle toning exercise to prevent becoming too bulky. Over the past 8 weeks of my Turbo Fire challenge group, I’ve slowly started to shrink proportionally but didn’t really see any “weight-loss” until the past few days. I’ve been told over and over to base my results more so on the way my clothes are fitting than what the scale says, and it took me 8 weeks to train my brain to do so.
Basically, it’s taken me 2 months to start to really see any results. It’s difficult not to give up and call it quits when you don’t have the PATIENCE to stay motivated and keep pushing forward.
Give your body time to change. It won’t happen overnight, and I guarantee that if you just stick with it, you’ll be so glad you did in the long run! Be patient and stay strong! If you want to get in shape and be healthy, there really aren’t any shortcuts. Anything worth having takes time and effort and you’ll get there.

So, no video tonight because I was out for date night with Jared, however, you get a blog entry!
I had a conversation with my doctor a few weeks ago about depression because I had been having really frequent mood swings at the time and he made a very good point. I asked him if depression was normal every now and again. “Depression is an illness and no illness is normal. Is it normal to get sad or stressed out from time to time? Of course. Depression is an illness diagnosed by a psychiatrist. So, no. Depression is not normal.”
I do have mood swings more frequent than that of a normal person, however it’s nothing I’ve ever seen a specialist about. I try to find better, healthier ways to cope with moodiness.
Today I had an epiphany. Ever since I’ve started working out and cut crap out of my eating habits, specifically fast food, and started drinking Shakeology every day and working out, I have felt emotionally stable for the first time in quite a while. I remember watching “Supersize Me” and Morgan Spurlock noticed his sex drive had over time become non-existent and he just felt unhappy. Not sick, just not…good.
I’ve come to the realization that I’m not only becoming healthier physically, but I think even more so mentally.
Of course, there are several factors to consider to live an overall happy and healthy lifestyle, but a big way you can help yourself not only feel better physically, but mentally, is by eating healthy. It took me about a month to get to the point where fast food just didn’t sound appetizing anymore. I got into the habit of cooking my own food and eating at work (we have an employee dining room and there are always healthy options) more frequently and I very rarely go out to eat. I try to plan my meals out for the most part.
So, in closing, try to take baby steps toward changing your eating habits. If you’re out and about, choose wisely and before you pick up a Big Mac on the way home, consider that those calories are just going to set you further back from your fitness goals and it will be easier to go home and cook a healthier alternative than it will be to work the unnecessary calories from that burger off later on.
Think before you eat!

Stay Fit!
-Jill

So, a friend of mine was telling me today that some psychic had predicted that Lady Gaga would die this year and although I usually don’t buy into that crap, I did the math and realized that if somehow mother monster passed away after her birthday in March, she’d become another victim of the 27 Club. It was weird because today was the anniversary of Heath Ledger’s passing and he also died at the age of 27 and my friend who told me about the Lady Gaga prediction didn’t know that. Very strange. I guess the psychic who predicted this also predicted Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston’s deaths correctly. Pretty morbid and ironic. Just my thoughts. Again, I usually don’t buy into this crap and I love Lady Gaga. I just thought the timing was so ironic to have had this conversation.