Challenge - End of Week 6

Exercise:
Walk 2 1/2 miles

(I need  to go up to the track later to time my 1600m/1 mile run.  Hopefully I can also get in my xfit WOD this evening, although I am suppose to go somewhere at 7pm so we will see how the the day plays out.)

FOOD:
Breakfast - strawberry Greek yogurt
Snack - (2) chocolate covered banana slices
Lunch - Quesadilla with leftover ground hamburger & a piece of my strawberry shortcake birthday cake
Snack - slice of homemade wheat bread
Dinner - hamburger (no bun), handful of homemade fries, handful of Doritos, dill pickle and blueberry smoothie.

Today marks the OFFICIAL end of the 6 week challenge, although I was texted and told it ended on Saturday, I decided to go with today since we started it on a Monday.  Regardless, I have realized something through this 6 week journey.  I realized this wasn't JUST a 6 week challenge, but a challenge I am hoping to embrace from here on out.  The changes that I have seen in myself in the short amount of time were eye opening for me.  The measurements, the weight loss, changes in my clothes, comments from others, not feeling so bloated, the improvements in my times, the list goes on and on.  I saw this on Pinterest, and even though it mentions 12 weeks, this was a 6 week challenge and I saw these kinds of changes within that time frame...

I have to say, I am so proud of myself for doing this challenge and seeing it through to the end.  I haven't looked this way since my sophomore year of college or even high school.  When I first started Crossfit, I considered myself an active person.  I was a runner only then, doing a few races here and there, but when the school year started it was harder for me to stay committed to the running, especially in the colder months.  I saw Crossfit as an opportunity to become more active and to enjoy working out with friends, some I didn't even know yet.  I was 130 lbs. and a size 8 in jeans and with 4 kids, I was thrilled by that.  However, within a few weeks of joining Crossfit, I had lost 5 pounds and a pant size without trying.  For me, I think it was drinking a lot more water that helped with that aspect.  It's funny because when this challenge came about I knew I wanted to try it because I had felt myself slipping back towards those size 8 jeans.  Again not bad, but I knew what I had.  At that point, I was starting to eat crappy and making excuses, saying that I worked out hard so I earned that bowl of ice cream, candy bar, piece of cake, etc.  I knew I had an addiction...to sugar, and it was bad!  I wanted to see in this challenge if I could do just that; challenge myself!  My biggest challenge...sugar!  Throughout the 6 weeks, I wasn't 100% perfect 100% of the time, but I was conscience and tried to make better choices throughout.  My favorite go-to sweet were the Dole Banana Dippers.  I was able to eat my chocolate in a way without feeling guilty.  They are delicious...if you like bananas and dark chocolate!  (I got a large box at Costco, but I am sure you can fin them at about any grocery aisle...in the frozen section.)

Something that was brought to my attention during the challenge was the way I felt.  It wasn't just about the physical change, although that was nice too.  For the past 10 years or more, my body has been sensitive to food.  Fried foods and dairy tend to upset my stomach the most.  I try to watch my intake in those food areas, but I'm only human and I do like french fries and ice cream!  Last night as I enjoyed a taco salad for dinner I decided I would finish the meal off by eating the shell, which had been deep fried.  Since I have avoided fried foods for the past month and a half, eating the taco shell reminded me of how my stomach used to hurt by those kinds of foods.  It's funny how your body has to remind your brain what foods are bad for you.  Like I mentioned, I am only human so I don't plan on giving up fried foods or unhealthy junk food forever, but I definitely hope from here on out I am more aware of what I am eating!

Okay so here are the final results....drum roll please... :)

END OF WEEK 6:

Measurement Updates (As of 06/17/13):

Thigh - 19 1/4" (down 2  1/4")

Calf - 13" (down 3/4")

Chest - 29 1/2" (down 3")

Hips - 31" (down 2 1/2")

Waist - 25" (down 3 3/4")

Bicep - 9 3/4" (down 3/4")

Total inches lost:  13"

Weight - 120 lbs.

Total weight lost:  10 lbs.

Comparison Run (1600m/1 mile)

Beginning of the challenge - 8:37
End of the challenge - 7:57 (40 seconds faster than my initial time!!)