What a Year Can Do?

My Motivation

Just like the frog who didn’t jump out of the ever so gradually increasing hot water…….

Last July I wasn’t motivated enough to do what I thought I had to do at the time and that was give up some of the delicious foods I ate once and awhile or really press in on exercise. Actually I didn’t know what I needed to do because it seemed like I was eating and exercising pretty much the same way I had for years.

But those long long time extra inches around my abs and waist were either increasing or my clothes were shrinking little by little (ever so gradually.) Yikes, I didn’t like it, but didn’t dislike it enough to do anything about it. Probably I was just imagining it any way and besides I was about to turn 71 and probably once one is 70, it is inevitable. Good excuse anyway.

But then My Dress

John and I were going to a big formal dinner dance at the end of August of 2013. This was the first one we had been to in so many years. I had a beautiful dress that I had gotten in the year 2000 (I know, a long time ago) for a big trip we had earned. It would look perfect (and besides I really had not budgeted for a new dress.) Alas, it didn’t fit.

So…….

The Decision was Made

I made a Decision. (Yes, I still had to alter the dress a bit, but I did wear it.) Actually I had thought about this decision for several months ever since I heard from my hairdresser, Nora, about Crossfit and Paleo. But I only thought about it and then would quickly reassure myself  it wasn’t necessary to go that far.

My decision was two fold as they came as a pair with Crossfit:

1. Training four days a week and

2. Eating the Paleo Eating style 95% of everything I ate. I reserved the other 5% as I wanted to test out Protein Bars and Shakes which although not Paleo 100%, I felt peaceful about testing them to see if my results would still be good.

This was a strong decision and I knew it might be really really hard to do. But I had some strong goals to achieve. How would I know if I succeeded or failed if I didn’t give it my all and all. I held to my decision.

Facing Fears

Facing Fears of embarrassment, failure and getting hurt were very very real. What if my hands slipped off of the bar as I did pullups? What if I passed out having to row on that rowing machine. What if I couldn’t do anything the others could do. What if I hurt my shoulder? After all, I had had two frozen shoulders in years past. What if I came in last on the board each time I went to a workout? Almost all of these things happened. Thankfully, I didn’t slip off the bar because I couldn’t do the pullups at all for such a long time. I didn’t hurt myself, although there were days I could barely walk up my stairs at home and I did have to go in for a back adjustment with my chiropractor, Dr. Okons, a couple of times. I never passed out on the rowing machine, but there were  times it seemed a possibility. I couldn’t do what the others were doing; and yes, I did come in last on the board most every workout.  However, I didn’t quit. I had made a decision I was sticking with it.

AND THEN, I began to see results. I made a decision years ago to give up the scales, so I have no idea whether I lost pounds or gained pounds, and I really didn’t care and still don’t. I knew muscle weighs more than fat and my goal was to loose fat and gain muscle. I used the tape measure to measure my results. Sadly, for my first three weeks or so, I didn’t measure. So my goodness who knows what my waist and abs really measured at the beginning of this journey for me. Between week three and week nine, my tape measure showed I had lost over 4 1/2 inches in the waist and abdomen area. This was over the top thrilling to me. In Fabufit, I have my ladies use a sheet for measuring in about 18 areas. I only used 4 areas to measure because these were my target: hips, abdomen, waist and thighs.

18waystomeasurechart

These results totally motivated me to begin looking forward to going to Crossfit. At eight weeks, my losses totaled 13 rebellious inches gone in those four stubborn areas. I was amazed and joy filled as now my habits of eating and exercising were headed toward autopilot (where the miracle occurs). As I write this, it has been  one year since I began Crossfit Training and Fabufit Paleo Eating.

Today, one year after beginning, I have lost several more inches than the reported 13. Very slowly I have tested out incorporating different foods wanting to be sure my “Set Point” (more on this soon) was established at my new inch loss before making any other change. With just a couple more inches off of my abdomen, I will have reached my goal and far more than I ever dreamed possible. I don’t see any resemblance of a six pack yet in my abs, but I sure see definition in my arms, back, and legs more than I have ever in my entire life seen. With reaching my goal, will I end Crossfit Training and Paleo Eating? Absolutely not. It has become a way of life. I really really like it. How can I put this into words?

For the first time ever, ever, ever I can eat totally delicious healthy meals and continue loosing inches. I don’t worry one drop about how much I eat as long as I stick to my Fabufit Paleo guidelines.

Consistency has been my key to the breakthrough. Exercise is on autopilot in my life. (For me, the miracle has occurred. It is no longer hard.) There is not a week that passes without four days of specific planned exercise. There is just something about completing a workout first thing in the morning that activates those “feel good neurotransmitters”and creates a happy home based thought to bounce back to throughout the day. 

John, my husband) joined me (ever so reluctantly) in Crossfit about six months in. It is now such a joy going to Crossfit with my best friend. My gratefulness overflows to Erin (Owner of Crossfit Ammo) for the special coaching and special class she has given to us, to Shea – our niece – who was courageous enough to begin Crossfit in the spring before and to keep encouraging me, and to Nora Perez, who told me about it in the beginning.

Erin and Santee Hathaway with Shea

At this point in our journey, John and I go to the Crossfit Gym only two days a week. This takes the most time because of travel, new skills time, visiting with friends and a more intense warmup. Erin has given us a list of Travel Workouts (TWODS) which we have adapted to give us a good rotating system of workouts at home. Even with the stretching, warmup, 12-15 minute TWOD and cool down, it seldom takes more than 30 minutes to complete the workout at home. Since most Crossfit workouts consist of using your own body weight as the machine, we can easily do a home workout composed of Squats, Pushups, Situps and Lunges.

Erin says that 75% of our results come from our Nutrition and 25% from exercise. With my background as a Certified Nutrition Consultant, I did know the limits to put around Paleo eating; and yes, I did have to allow some new thinking.

Eating Paleo has been so much fun for John and I  over this past year. I began experimenting with Paleo recipes when Shea lived with us. I soon realized, it was s surprisingly delicious way to eat. Admittedly, as I began trying new recipes, I made far more mistakes than I liked or had time to waste on and tried a great number of recipes that were total flops. However, with a year of Paleo researching and cooking under my belt now, I have some top-notch winners in our weekly menus. More About Eating Paleo

Should you be interested, I have some great Paleo recipes organized and posted on my website at FabulouslyFit.com. Many of you have even gotten the set of Recipe Cards I created to make meal planning easier. (You can click on the cards and learn more.)

I will also begin a 4 week course (Fabufit Paleo Eating for Inch Loss) via Webcast Conference Call, in September. I am offering a complimentary Introductory Class to give you an overview of what this will be about on Monday night, August 25, at 8:30PM Central. This course is for women of all ages. All of my courses are taught from a Christian perspective. Love for you to join in with us. Just click here to register, so I can send you the call in info as well as the PDF PowerPoint file.

Let me end this very long post with a beautiful quote by Helen Keller.