Part 3: Week Three (Celebrations)
As I write this, I am mentally preparing myself for my upcoming BIRTHDAY. Every year is a MILESTONE in its own right, whether it's your 16th birthday or your 61st. I always become a little more introspective at this time of year. I start thinking back on what I've accomplished, as well as what I want to accomplish in the next year. Some years this ritual is exciting, while other years it causes more anxiety than anything else.
Tomorrow I officially go from 30 to "in my 30's." Yes, I turn 31 tomorrow. To be honest, I haven't really been too excited about my birthday this year. Not because I have any issues with getting older, but because it falls on an already busy weekend. The CELEBRATION part just isn't a priority this year. I have always been into birthdays, ever since I was a kid. My mom and I would put our heads together every summer, and plan big pool parties. However, over the last month I have just not been feeling it for some reason.
This morning I woke up early, had my morning coffee as I spent some quiet time in my Bible, and then did my workout (Pilates Fix). I cannot explain it, but my ATTITUDE completely changed after that. Instead of approaching my birthday with dread, I am now filled with excitement and GRATITUDE.
Tomorrow I officially go from 30 to "in my 30's." Yes, I turn 31 tomorrow. To be honest, I haven't really been too excited about my birthday this year. Not because I have any issues with getting older, but because it falls on an already busy weekend. The CELEBRATION part just isn't a priority this year. I have always been into birthdays, ever since I was a kid. My mom and I would put our heads together every summer, and plan big pool parties. However, over the last month I have just not been feeling it for some reason.
This morning I woke up early, had my morning coffee as I spent some quiet time in my Bible, and then did my workout (Pilates Fix). I cannot explain it, but my ATTITUDE completely changed after that. Instead of approaching my birthday with dread, I am now filled with excitement and GRATITUDE.
I am so blessed and grateful for all that I have!
This is my year! I am married to my best friend. We have a beautiful home, and an adorable dog. We are SURROUNDED by family and friends who love and support us. I have just begun an exciting adventure, making a commitment to myself and God to live a HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. I am using my story and my struggle with food to help others in theirs. As soon as I started to redirect my thoughts toward all the AMAZING things going on and people in my life, I began to approach this birthday with gratitude.
Staying on Track in the Midst of Celebration
As I mentioned earlier, we have a packed weekend. Not only is it my birthday, but we are also attending a WEDDING to celebrate the union of two great friends! If you are thinking what I'm thinking right now, your heart is probably starting to beat a little faster. I am definitely afraid of screwing up this weekend. I've already plateaued this week, and even gained a little back from last week. However, when I consider what I've lost over the past couple weeks it's only natural. This 21 Day Challenge is not over yet, which means I have to put together my SUCCESS STRATEGY. I'm not perfect. But I WILL do my best to make SMART CHOICES for myself in the long run. Not because I'm dieting (I'll never go on another "diet" again), but because I want to fill my body with foods that will make me feel GOOD!
I'm going to share my plan with you today, and then on Monday I'll update this post by sharing what I did to stick with my plan. I will also share my final results with you from my 21 Day Fix Challenge.
Here's my plan:
I'm going to share my plan with you today, and then on Monday I'll update this post by sharing what I did to stick with my plan. I will also share my final results with you from my 21 Day Fix Challenge.
Here's my plan:
- Drink LOTS of water
- Continue daily workouts
- Be aware of and control food portions
- Eat clean when possible
- Enjoy a SMALL piece of birthday cake :)
Post-Birthday Update & Final Results (updated 8/3/15)
If you've come back to read about my finish, you may be wondering whether I stuck with the plan 100% or just gave up and decided to start over again after the weekend. How do you think I did? Did I gain weight, lose more weight?
Friday
Friday was my actual birthday. This was my chance to really blow it. But instead, I woke up at 5am for my morning quiet time and workout. I packed my husband's lunch, made our breakfast, and followed my usual MORNING ROUTINE. Because we planned to go out to dinner that night, I swapped out my Turkey Taco lunch for a Turkey Taco Salad. My husband took me to dinner at Sushi Pop in Oviedo, FL (our favorite sushi place, and THE BEST restaurant in the greater Orlando area in my humble opinion). I ordered a salad to start, and our shared meal was a COMBINATION of sushi rolls (with rice) and sashimi (plain raw fish). By ordering a combination of the two, I was able to limit my carbohydrates and eat more protein. My indulgences were a couple beverages (one cocktail, one glass of white wine), and had a few bites of dessert. I left feeling SATISFIED, not stuffed!
Saturday
This was a CRAZY day! I'll start from the beginning. My family owns the Planet Smoothie store in Lake Mary/Heathrow here in Florida. For the past few years, I have helped out with sampling events in the area. We partnered with the OAKMONTE VILLAGE 5K RUN/WALK when they started three years ago, and I have always attended as a vendor. This year I decided to PARTICIPATE AS A RUNNER, while my parents took over the sampling. I wanted to run for two reasons: (1) to honor my grandma who passed away last year due to dimentia/alzheimer's (the cause which this run benefits), and (2) to challenge myself both mentally and physically. I've been telling myself for years that I cannot do certain things. I'm not going to do that anymore. I want to LIVE OUTSIDE OF MY LIMITS, because that's where the real adventure begins!
I also have to mention that Saturday was my brother's birthday. He and my sister-in-law ran with me in Grandma's honor. My sister-in-law beat us both (of course), but my brother and I got to cross the finish line together. We finished in 36 MINUTES for his 36th birthday! This may seem slow to some, but that was by far my fastest time yet (including my treadmill runs). We PUSHED & ENCOURAGED each other up until the end. It was a great way to start off my 31st year!
Later that evening, my husband and I attended a friend's wedding at Disney/Epcot. There was food galore of course, and the drinks were flowing! I ate CLEAN during the day and stayed hydrated after my run, because I knew I would not be able to control the menu that evening. One thing I could control though was the QUANTITY of food I ate. Everything was delicious, so of course it was difficult. I limited myself at the appetizer station, and enjoyed a couple bites of each plate from the action stations they had set up around the main room. I did not have seconds of anything, but I got to try pretty much everything that was offered. When the desserts came out, I responded in the same way. I wanted to try a few different desserts, so I did. However, I only had a BITE or two of each.
I also have to mention that Saturday was my brother's birthday. He and my sister-in-law ran with me in Grandma's honor. My sister-in-law beat us both (of course), but my brother and I got to cross the finish line together. We finished in 36 MINUTES for his 36th birthday! This may seem slow to some, but that was by far my fastest time yet (including my treadmill runs). We PUSHED & ENCOURAGED each other up until the end. It was a great way to start off my 31st year!
Later that evening, my husband and I attended a friend's wedding at Disney/Epcot. There was food galore of course, and the drinks were flowing! I ate CLEAN during the day and stayed hydrated after my run, because I knew I would not be able to control the menu that evening. One thing I could control though was the QUANTITY of food I ate. Everything was delicious, so of course it was difficult. I limited myself at the appetizer station, and enjoyed a couple bites of each plate from the action stations they had set up around the main room. I did not have seconds of anything, but I got to try pretty much everything that was offered. When the desserts came out, I responded in the same way. I wanted to try a few different desserts, so I did. However, I only had a BITE or two of each.
Sunday
Yesterday we hosted a birthday part for my brother and myself. I was completely exhausted from Saturday, so I did not complete any "formal workout." My exercise for the day included carpet spot removal, vacuuming and mopping the entire house, and PLAYING OUTSIDE with my niece and nephew. Exercise does not have to be boring, and it does not have to be done inside of a gym. It's always more enjoyable when you're spending QUALITY TIME with your friends and family!
Since I had a bit more control over the menu, I did make sure there were plenty of healthy food choices. Appetizers included a cheese platter, crackers, and a veggie tray. We are huge fans of Ranch Dip packets, so we SWAP OUT the sour cream for Plain Greek Yogurt and it's always a hit! My husband smoked chicken and ribs for an early dinner, and we served that with a veggie-loaded pasta salad and "cowboy beans." I enjoyed a LITTLE BIT of everything again. That strategy works for me, because I like variety and I don't like feeling deprived. I also had a small slice of DQ Ice Cream Cake, and I'm not even sorry about it! It's our birthday tradition, ever since my brother and I were kids. As long as Mom's willing to pick one up for us, I'll gladly indulge in a slice.
Since I had a bit more control over the menu, I did make sure there were plenty of healthy food choices. Appetizers included a cheese platter, crackers, and a veggie tray. We are huge fans of Ranch Dip packets, so we SWAP OUT the sour cream for Plain Greek Yogurt and it's always a hit! My husband smoked chicken and ribs for an early dinner, and we served that with a veggie-loaded pasta salad and "cowboy beans." I enjoyed a LITTLE BIT of everything again. That strategy works for me, because I like variety and I don't like feeling deprived. I also had a small slice of DQ Ice Cream Cake, and I'm not even sorry about it! It's our birthday tradition, ever since my brother and I were kids. As long as Mom's willing to pick one up for us, I'll gladly indulge in a slice.
Conclusion
MODERATION was the key to my success this weekend! Although I didn't stick with the 21 Day Fix Eating Plan 100% of the time, I was still able to practice portion control and remain mindful of the types of foods I was consuming. I made sure to eat my protein and my veggies, and limit my carbohydrates and fats.
This was definitely not the ideal way to finish my 21 Day Challenge, but THAT'S LIFE! You can choose to hide from it and be miserable, or you can learn how to enjoy yourself while still taking care of your health. I choose to live a JOYFUL life!
I'm proud to report that I DID NOT GIVE UP! I enjoyed myself this weekend, and was able to make some great memories with family and friends. I did not lose any additional weight, but I was able to maintain my loss through the weekend.
Here are my RESULTS FROM ONE ROUND of 21 Day Fix:
Total POUNDS Lost - 8.9
Total INCHES Lost - 6.5
My journey is not yet over. If you would like to see results like this, and are willing to put in the work to make these positive changes, then leave a comment below or fill out the contact form so we can connect. I'd love to work with you and help you reach YOUR GOALS!
Living with purpose,
Danielle
This was definitely not the ideal way to finish my 21 Day Challenge, but THAT'S LIFE! You can choose to hide from it and be miserable, or you can learn how to enjoy yourself while still taking care of your health. I choose to live a JOYFUL life!
I'm proud to report that I DID NOT GIVE UP! I enjoyed myself this weekend, and was able to make some great memories with family and friends. I did not lose any additional weight, but I was able to maintain my loss through the weekend.
Here are my RESULTS FROM ONE ROUND of 21 Day Fix:
Total POUNDS Lost - 8.9
Total INCHES Lost - 6.5
- Chest - 1.5"
- Waist - 2.25"
- Hips - 1.75"
- Thighs - 1"
My journey is not yet over. If you would like to see results like this, and are willing to put in the work to make these positive changes, then leave a comment below or fill out the contact form so we can connect. I'd love to work with you and help you reach YOUR GOALS!
Living with purpose,
Danielle