Our workouts keep getting longer!
What started out as 10 minutes has gone to 20...to 30 in the course of just a few weeks.
The other day, including yoga and hand weights, we did a full hour of working out!
On the days when it doesn’t feel like enough, we go a little bit longer and push that much harder.
My future fit self is going to thank me for this!
💪🏻
This is my first real workout sweat!
Why would I take a selfie of myself all sweaty? Because this is actually a huge milestone for me.
I’ve always done the bare minimum while working out, just enough to have my body moving to where I don’t sweat because it’s always seemed so icky to me.
NOT ANYMORE!
This time, I am giving this 110% and I am sweating my butt off to lose 50 pounds by the end of the year!
I saw somewhere that sweat is fat crying and I am all for that.
This is me, sweaty and proud of myself for completing a 45 minute HIIT workout, unfiltered and determined to prove to myself and everyone else that I am capable of doing whatever I put my stubborn mind to...
🏃♀️💦
You don’t have to survive on nothing but quinoa and kale in order to lose weight!
This was our dinner last night: tostadas. Delicious tostadas piled with crunchy lettuce and yummy tomatoes.
For 345 calories, I was able to have two. A little bit of refried beans spread on the shell, a sprinkle of cheese and topped with olives.
If you portions things out and don’t go crazy, you can eat all the same foods you love.
Keeping your meals in moderation is the key to making changes that you can sustain the rest of your life.
Almost two weeks ago, I began my first day of a 30 day yoga challenge. I'm doing standing yoga for now, to gradually ease myself into the practice, and because all those cat/cow poses are murder on my wrists.
In the past, I've completed a month of riding the stationary bike and 30 days of marching in place/indoor walking videos, so I'm not a complete newbie to the challenge concept.
Yoga is something I hope to continue doing long after the thirty days is done because I know it would be a healthy habit to integrate into my daily routine.
What I’m liking best about yoga is how I’m reminded to BREATHE.
So often during the day I find myself holding my breath and it’s nice to take a few moments out of my day to focus on inhaling and exhaling.
I’m enjoying standing yoga videos from @yogawithbird and @ashleymfreeman.
I’m so proud of my hubby!
He’s started working out with me EVERY SINGLE DAY and has embraced my meal plan like a boss!
It’s so nice to have him doing this with me and pushing me to keep going and do better.
This second vaccine shot sure kicked me in the ass!
Yesterday I was exhausted and achy all over and went between hot and sweaty to freezing with chills and spent most of the day in bed.
This morning I’m feeling a tiny bit better, so we’ll see if we can manage to get a light workout in or at least some stretching.
On the bright side, I’ve lost my appetite and can barely make it over 1200 calories. I’m forcing myself to eat in order to keep my strength up.
I look forward to feeling like myself again and like the strong warrior I did last week...
🤒
My level of dedication to this workout plan is phenomenal, if I do say so myself!
Yesterday, we made sure we got our yoga and workout in before we went to get our second vaccine, so that there wouldn’t be any excuses not to get it done. (Hubby’s started working out with me now and that makes me so proud of him!)
This morning we felt like crap, but we marched in place anyway because our arms were so sore from the injection.
I’m through making excuses for not working out, so that’s pushing me to keep going and not slack off, no matter what’s going on in our life.
With hubby by my side, we’re in this together and everything is possible...
👩❤️👨
I’m feeling particularly brave today.
I mentioned before how I didn’t want to post “before” photos of myself because I was embarrassed and ashamed.
Well, hubby convinced me to take some just to be able to see the progress I’m going to be making.
Now I’m choosing to post them for the world to see because I’m tired of being ashamed. This is me. I’m over 40, overweight and I have six months of gray quarantine hair.
I’ve never posted an unflattering pic of myself before on my author page (@rachellevaughnauthor) because I wanted to portray myself as a fabulous romance author.
In a few months, after working out and changing how I eat, I AM going to be the fabulous woman I picture in my head.
I’m posting these photos to inspire myself and others to crash down the confining walls of their comfort zone and start living the life that your body, mind and soul deserves.
I’m patting myself on the back today!
Last night hubby wanted pizza while we watched The Masked Singer and I talked him out of it.
Yes, it would have tasted good, but it was late and I’d already hit my calorie goal for the day and I didn’t want to have to come on here today and post that I’d eaten a whole day’s worth of calories at 8 o’clock at night.
I created this side account for accountability and it totally worked!
There will be other/better opportunities for pizza and I’m glad I put my foot down and put my goals ahead of my taste buds.
When I went to bed last night I was able to feel good about the choices I made and that’s one of the best feelings in the world!
👉🍕
I started this account to have somewhere to hold myself accountable for my weight loss every single day.
My goal is simple: to not miss a post and to be honest about my progress. I won't slack off if I know I have an audience (even if it's just my sweet hubby!).
During this first week of working out and keeping my calories down, it feels like I've been killing it and I'm in the mindset that nothing can stop me.
I know it's going to get harder as I go on, but I'm not going to give up because I want to be an inspiration to myself and others.
If I know I’m going to post about my progress the next day, then maybe I’ll think twice about shoving those extra calories into my gob the night before!
That’s what I’m hoping anyway!
Today I conquered the day instead of letting it conquer me!
I put my workout clothes on right away and vowed to make the most of the next 16 hours.
After coming in under my calories yesterday, I am feeling strong (mentally and physically) and ready to do the same today, no matter what obstacles jump into my path.
Let’s do this!
💪🏻
I’m happy to report that I was successful at a mini-challenge I made to myself...
Last night, hubby and I watched a movie and I didn’t eat during the whole movie! 👏 Usually, there’d be popcorn, candy, SOMETHING, but I had the willpower of a superhero and didn’t give in. 💪🏻
I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and it felt so good when I did!
There are always going to be wins and losses when it comes to food, but I just hope I can continue to make the right choices, the choices that make me feel good about myself well into the next day...
I’ve decided not to take “before” photos of myself. I’ve taken plenty of them in the past and I don’t think it’s helped to motivate me.
I don’t need to post photos of my bulges to know that they are there. I live with them every day and see them in the mirror whenever I take the time to look.
I’m holding out for the “after” portion of the program because that seems a lot less shameful and humiliating.
After completing my second day of yoga, I’m feeling pretty good about it.
I’m starting with standing yoga for now because my wrists aren’t ready for the real thing yet. Maybe after losing some weight I’ll be more agile getting up and down from the floor.
The standing yoga flow is no joke! There’s a lot of stretching and some balance work and my legs were shaking while holding a deep lunge.
I look forward to getting stronger and being able to rock a workout without faltering...
I’m so proud of myself right now!
Instead of having pancakes, loaded with butter and slathered in syrup, I took the time to make myself a healthy, low-calorie lunch, complete with steamed vegetables.
It didn’t take any longer to prepare and I made enough to meal prep for tomorrow.
Now I know I have something nutritious to eat tomorrow without even having to think about it. 😄
Doing this one little thing has already helped me out in the future! 👏
I know these little steps of progress are going to add up in the long run...
🚫🥞
👍🥦
Looking forward to filling these pages with my goals, progress and accomplishments.
Soon I’ll be climbing mountains again and writing about how much the journey inspired me...
After years of starting and stopping, leading with good intentions and ending up with disappointments, I'm starting over again in the middle, and putting my health, wellness and mental well-being first.
Yes, there will be ups and downs and days where I'm not stronger than yesterday, but at least I'm trying to do better. And making an effort is all it takes to start noticing changes in this crazy thing called life.
Here's to putting your best foot forward and living up to your full potential...every single day.
Every day is a new beginning and I’m determined to make today count...