To Those Who Quit

One of the hardest things I’ve been faced with here at Live In Fitness is watching people leave. We are a close-knit community and after spending day in and day out with someone for two or more weeks, it’s tough to see them go.

What’s even harder is waking up one day and someone being gone. This has happened to me twice so far and unfortunately it’ll probably happen again.

This program is difficult. The classes are hard and there is a sense of camaraderie formed by making it through each and every day. The other clients here quickly become your brothers, your sisters, and your team. We are all in the same boat and all make the decision to show up each morning.

There are some mornings I wake up and wish I was at home where I could lay in bed and have no one hold me accountable. But each and every one of those mornings I drag myself out of bed and over to the studio. It breaks my heart when I get there and find out someone else didn't make that same choice. When someone makes up his or her mind that it’s too much, not worth it, and decides to go home.

When my friend left, she didn't even tell me. I guess it’s embarrassing to quit, but in the back of mind I wish I could have done something or encouraged her to stay. That Monday morning, she’d had a bad weigh in, and gained a pound. I can’t imagine how frustrating that would be, especially after all the work that we do here. At the same time, I wish I could have said something, anything, to comfort her in that time. It still haunts me weeks later. 

The second guy that left, really, really, really, needed to be here. If he had taken advantage of this program and performed to his full potential, his life would have been changed. The people that are hardest to see go, are the ones that need it the most.

I wish it wasn't true, but quitting is not a foreign idea to me. People used to tell me that I was really good at starting things, but awful at finishing them. I quit tennis, I quit lacrosse, I quit school at one point, and I’ve definitely quit weightloss.

Whether it’s quitting a weightloss program, a sports team, or something else in your life, I know there will be regret and second guessing.

If I can leave you with anything, it’s that it’s not too late. I’ve decided that this program is MY last resort, but it doesn't have to be yours. Find a program and stick to it. You WILL see results. You don't have to wait for the New Year or even a Monday. The beauty of changing your life, is you get to decide when, what, and how.

“It only takes one person to change your life. YOU.”

5 Weightloss Tips From ME!

Hey everyone!

I have been so encouraged by the amount of support I’ve gotten from each and every one of you. The Weigh has reached a whole new level during this journey and has gained an entire new audience. I love it! I hope y’all have been inspired by my story. I have felt your comfort during my lows and your celebrations during my highs! But the journey has only begun.

Over the last few weeks I have gotten emails from some of you on your own journey. I’m so proud of those of you who have taken time in their lives to better yourselves and become a healthier you! Y’all have asked for “tips and secrets” and I’ve put a lot of thought into how I want to answer you all.

Firstly, I am nowhere near an expert on all of this. In fact, I’m in the same boat (or worse) as most of you! But I am taking in as much info as I can and I will try to help in every way possible! I’m also going to try to get one of my coaches to do a guest post with some workout tips. No promises, but I’ll see what I can do!

However, when you work out 6 days a week, 6 hours a day, with some of the best coaches around, you pick up a few things! So this is what I’ll leave you with:

#1 – STRETCH.

Here at Live In Fitness, we start every day and end every day with a 20-30min stretch. Honestly, I don't know where I’d be without it. The importance in stretching is really to prevent injury, but no matter where you are in your fitness journey, being mobile is so important! As a competitive weightlifter, stretching has always been a part of my routine, but some days I neglected to do it. Learn it’s importance and put it to practice!

#2 – Don't do it alone!

OK, I know what you’re thinking. “How do I find people to workout with? My friends are already in shape. I don’t know anyone at my gym.” Or even worse, “I’m too embarrassed to go to the gym!”

I get that. I get all of that. After highschool when I gained so much of my weight, I was embarrassed to try new things. But I knew I had to change, so I just jumped in. You all know the rest… CrossFit. There are things I love about it and areas I don't agree with, but the community is undeniably the best out there. If you need a support system, it’s there waiting for you. If you don't want to try CrossFit, find a trainer. My coaches here believe in me on the days I don't even believe in myself. Sure, you can try it alone, but you don't need to!

#3 – Switch it up!

So you like to run? That’s cool… But what else do you do? I’m a firm believer in constantly changing up my routine. When I arrived at Live In Fitness, I used the elliptical every single day, and it kicked my ass! 5 weeks later, I’m kind of a pro! So I switched over to the stair master and even sometimes the treadmill. If you are a member at a gym that has classes, try something new! Water aerobics? Zumba? They’re all great!

#4 - Working out doesn't matter if you're not eating right.

I feel like I'll devote an entire post to nutrition and what we do here at Live In Fitness. But I want to throw it out there that the way you eat is so flipping important. Yes, you heard that right. Me, the girl that used to eat fast food every single day is starting to believe it. I know finding the "right diet" can be overwhelming, but if I can pass on one tip that I've learned, it's to just eat clean. Eliminate cokes and pops from your day, don't buy any fast food, and don't eat anything that comes out of a box. I can hear you all now... "It's easier said than done." Believe me, I know. Which brings me to my next tip....

#5 - Find out WHY you eat.

Most people don't only eat when they're hungry. They eat when they are bored, sad, socializing, etc. If its something you can control on your own, make a mental note and when you go for that bag of chips, ask yourself if you're truly hungry. For me it was much more emotional than that. For me fast food was my boyfriend. It comforted me when I was sad and made me happy every other day. It was about my self image, and self care. If you have a food addiction or are emotionally attached to food, talk to someone about it. Journal about it. Get help! It's not embarrassing, it's moving forward. 

Bonus - THERE IS NO MAGIC SECRET.

You get what you put into it. 

"Success isn't owned. It's leased. And rent is due every day."

- E

1 Month Progress Photos!

These are my 1 month progress pictures!! I'll be honest, most of the day I was disappointed about them. I didn't feel like I could see much progress outside of a good bit of sun! But taking into consideration that 23lbs is only 15% of what I need to lose, it may take more time to see changes! I can definitely see the difference in the way my clothes fit and how I overall feel. So I'm happy with that! 

As promised, here they are!

Will have more to share in another month! Thank you for the support and you can always keep track of my journey here at The Weigh!

Strive for progress, not perfection.
-E

An Uphill Battle

Last time I posted I felt like I was on top of the world. The days were long and hard but everything was going right. I was doing new things, I was experiencing every little piece the program had to offer, and I was losing the weight.

It wasn't until the middle of week 3 that it hit me. This will ALWAYS be hard. Weight will always be an issue for me. And I will be here at least three more months.

Day in and day out we work out. Our coaches tell us when to be at meals and when to go to classes. And to be 100% honest, it is frustrating and it is exhausting.

I found it upsetting that I couldn't keep the momentum I had in the first two weeks. It's like my mind wants to keep moving, but my body can't always keep up.

A few days ago, I decided enough is enough. I HAVE to give this everything I have. Right now, this is my job. It's my job to show up and be an athlete. I look back on my days at CrossFit and think about the fun I found in working out and made a promise to myself that I would try to find that passion again.

I want to be here more than anything. I want to be healthy. I want to lose weight. I want to fit on roller coasters. Go on dates with cute guys. Ride on airplanes without seatbelt extenders. Go up the stairs without being out of breath. These are the things I've begun to remind myself of every. single. day.

So I had to come up with a game plan. How to get to my goals and still keep a piece of mind. Today I spoke with Coach AJ, who I trust 100% to tell me how I'm doing along the way. I just needed to express how much I want to be here and figure out how to optimize each week and stay healthy.

He was so encouraging and really helped me realize that I can get so much out of this program. He recommended me really pushing hard Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while taking it a little easier on Tuesday and Thursday. So that is what I HAVE to do to stay in this for the long haul. The thing I appreciated the most out of our conversation was him telling me that he'd let me know when I'm not working to my full potential, because that is the kind of accountability I need! Some days it's easy to go through the motions and not be mentally present.

The last week and a half have made me realize this is an uphill battle, each day is going to be hard, and I need to constantly remind myself what I want out of this experience.

I'm surrounded by a huge support system here at Live In Fitness and I know I can do this. I'm sure of one thing, I'm in it to win it!!! (Or lose it)

Thanks for sticking with me through thick and thin. Over 100 posts and you're still with me! When everything seems like an uphill battle, think of the view from the top!!!
- E

My Days at Live In Fitness!

Hey y'all!

Everyone has been texting and emailing, asking what this place is all about. So after almost three weeks here at Live In Fitness in Hilton Head, I figure it's time to give you the low down!

Here's a typical day:

I wake up around 7:30AM, crawl out of bed, and head out the door on my trusty steed. AKA my bike.

The Live In Fitness studio is about a mile away, so it's not too bad. As long as it's not too cold!

We get there, and eat a yummy breakfast. I'll post about the nutrition plan later!

Around 9AM we meet with our teams' coach. My coach is Nick, he's late 20s, and a CrossFit beast! He actually just made one of the minor Grid League teams, the Charleston Marauders! 

After that we have a stretching class and then head out for a day.

I usually do a sports class once a day. So that's two hours of either water polo or basketball. Word on the street is we get to play flag football soon! The sports classes are fun and a great workout.

I try to do two big cardio, calorie burners, every day. My favorite ones are "Know your zones" and "Burpee Nation." We wear heart rate monitors, so in Know Your Zones, we work out until we get our heart rate in zones 2 and 3. We do lots of interval work on the machines. The elliptical is my nemesis, but it is great on my knees! Burpee nation is fun because it brings out my love for CrossFit!

For my last hour of workouts, I like to do something casual. Like yoga, a stability class, or a bike ride on the beach.

I think the key to spending four months here, injury free, is to pace myself. So that means working hard, but also working smart!

As for the food, it is AMAZING. Everyday we have breakfast (8AM), lunch (11:30AM), snack (3PM), dinner (5:30PM), and snack (8:30PM). My entire day of food equals about 1600 calories! Chef is awesome and he makes amazing meals for us. 

I bike home after dinner and work on my school work. It's a handful but I always find time to relax by the fire! 

In bed by 11PM and then do it all over again!
Thankfully Saturday is a rest day!!!! :)

Thanks for reading. 
Keep on keeping on!

I RODE A BIKE

Hey everyone!

First and foremost I just want to thank all of you for the overwhelming support of my last post about my decision to come to Hilton Head. Yall's messages were seriously heartwarming and help me get through each day!

I decided to write today because I did something on my "Live In Fitness - bucket list." I RODE A BIKE! Well, actually I've been riding it in short for about a week now. But TODAY, I went on a group bike ride on the beach. This is something I haven't done in about 6 years, since before I gained all my weight.

I was SOOO nervous! First because pedaling that long is HARD! Much less on the sand! But despite my worries, the sand, and the freezing cold, I got it done. The first thing my friends asked me was, How did it feel?!
And besides the feeling of my butt falling asleep, I FELT FREE.
Free to live life and get places fast. Free to rely on my own body. Free to live without a car! (At least for a little while!)

This experience also gave me a glimmer of hope. Hope that in the future I can do even more on my list!

Live free everyone! Thanks for sharing my journey :)

The Day I Decided To Change My Life... Again.

They say once you hit rock bottom, the only way you can go is up. This is true, but only you can decide when rock bottom hits.

When it comes to my health, I have hit MY rock bottom. Weighing in at my heaviest ever, I have been at a loss for words. In the last month, several things have happened that completely wrecked my heart. But one topped it all off….

I constantly lessen the issue of my weight by persuading myself that my weight does not affect my lifting. It makes me feel better about it… But then I was checking out the rankings in my weight class on the USAW website & I was faced with the harsh truth.

 I am the fattest girl that has competed in the past year. And the third since 1999. That is NOT a record I want.

I broke down. I cried. And I decided that I had to make a change. A BIG ONE.

A few weeks ago I was presented with an opportunity, an opportunity to go away to a weightloss program and completely change my life.

After 7 days of draining research, I decided to go.

A couple days later we traded in my car and I packed my life up into boxes.

Now I sit here, writing to you from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

I have been here a little over a week and have enjoyed almost every second! The workouts are long and hard, the food is amazing, and the people are slowly becoming some of my closest friends.

I can’t wait to share with you my stories and success along this journey. You’ve come with me this far, so hang on, this will be a bumpy ride!