New program review - Focus T25

I started Shaun T's new fitness program, Focus T25, this past Monday. I think I may have found my soul-mate program! I still love Insanity and P90X, but T25 is perfect for me right now. I have a lot going on with work, being a single mommy, and some hobbies I am working on. Plus I need to start running more. I went and signed up for a couple half-marathons in November and December. I could just do the running, but I really enjoy a complete workout. Plus this is new and I love Shaun T, so I had to check it out.

So why do I love it? It is only 25 minutes. Tack on a few more for the cool down stretch. The structured plan calls for five days a week. On Fridays, you do a double or you could split it and do the second workout on Saturday or Sunday. Each 25 minute workout targets a specific area of the body or fitness function (cardio, speed, lower body, total body, abs). There are no breaks, but there are modified moves for everything and the person doing them is highlighted. You don't have to keep up with Shaun T. He clearly tells you what to focus on so that you are doing it right with good form.

The meal plan is great, too. Simple recipes and an overall list of 25 foods to keep on hand in your house.

I'm part of a Challenge Group of about ten people doing this program together over the next ten weeks. We are keeping each other motivated to get the workouts in and be mindful of our nutrition choices. I'm excited to see where we are all at in a couple months.

 I'm going to start a second group toward the end of August/early September. So if you are searching for a way to jump-start your healthy lifestyle, contact me to get started with T25.

I wish I could stop!

Have you ever said that to yourself about a habit?  We all have ‘bad’ habits.  It’s part of being human.  Some habits may not have that much of a negative effect on our lives.  Others are things that we desperately want to change.  I am not just talking about fitness or nutrition here.  We have habits in the way we react within our relationships, how we spend our money, our driving, and our time management.  Changing habits is one of the hardest things in life.  Change is something that many of us loathe.  It starts when we are babies.  Most advice on parenting talks about establishing routines to make the child feel comfortable.  This minimizes stress and probably lessens the crying and other disruptions, especially in toddlers.

I bought into that theory as a new mother.  Worked pretty well.  However, there are things in my family’s life that force change on my daughter and I am thankful for that.  It is the same lifestyle that I lived being the child of a military family.  Not a day goes by that I am not thankful for moving around so much, changing schools, making new friends, etc.  I feel that I am a fairly resilient person, better able to handle major change without completely losing it.  That is probably why after about 18 months, I am ready to move to a new place and have a new job within the military.  My daughter is six now and she has moved twice.  She is a typical child, resistant to change.  However, she is incredibly adaptable to new people, sleeping anywhere, and going with the flow.

So how does change and resiliency relate to changing habits?  If we aren’t comfortable with change in a larger sense, we will be resistant to changing small things in our lives that can lead to greater and greater success and happiness.  I am going to tie this back to health because over the last two years, my personal goal was to change some habits to become a healthier person.  It hasn’t been easy and there are days that I easily slip back into comfortable routines.  I am reading a personal development book right now, ‘The Compound Effect’ by Darren Hardy.  Last night I read a chapter that talked about six techniques for installing good habits.  I discovered that I have been doing these six things all along.  So I wanted to share them with all of you.

1. Set Yourself Up to Succeed – Don’t choose a plan of action that is unrealistic.  You also need to create an environment that won’t tempt you to fall back into the old routine.  An example of this in my life is limiting certain foods in my house.  I discovered that if the ice cream is here, I will eat it.  I won’t eat it in moderation.  I will literally eat the whole damn thing. 

2. Think Addition, Not Subtraction – This one has been the toughest for me.  The idea is that you don’t want to think about what you can’t have any more.  You need to focus on what you can do instead.  The book tells Montel Williams’ story about a strict diet he maintains to help combat the effects of multiple sclerosis.  His mindset isn’t that he can’t eat a hamburger or chocolate.  He thinks about what he can eat each day – fresh steamed vegetables.  He puts all of his energy toward those positive thoughts.  It doesn’t have to be about food.  If you spend too much time playing Candy Crush and don’t think you would be happy without it, try replacing it with another hobby.  It could be something like playing board games with your kids or learning a new skill.  Before you know it, you won’t miss Candy Crush because you are thinking about the excitement your children have in spending more time with you or now being able to speak a new language or play an instrument.

3. Public Displays of Accountability – This is probably the number one thing that helped me, but it might be tied with the next tip.  Sharing publicly what your goal is helps hold you accountable.  None of us like to fail at things and we really hate for others to see us fail.  We are more likely to succeed if we publicly state that we want to lose weight, get promoted, or stop smoking.  The vast majority of people in your life will be your biggest cheerleaders.  That only fuels your desire to keep succeeding and never look back.

4. Find a Success Buddy – Having someone watching out for you and keeping you accountable is huge.  This is why I love Team Beachbody and why I share their programs and try to put together Challenge Groups.  One of the core foundations of their programs is being a part of a team.  A group serves as your success buddy.  Every day we check in with each other.  With social media, this is easy.  We don’t have to live in the same area at all.  Some of my friends get annoyed and probably even block my posts.  I don’t share to brag or make anyone feel bad because they aren’t exercising regularly or eating healthy.  I share to encourage because I know that every single person in the world could benefit from moving more and eating better.  I thought that was a load of crap for a long time, but once I started, I soon realized that it wasn’t.  So find success buddy, don’t do it alone!

5. Competition is Camaraderie – Not everyone likes to compete.  I do have that natural instinct, but I think we all do to some extent.  So find out what makes you tick.  What do you want to beat someone at?  I used to hate running.  One of the things that finally got me going was to sign up for a race.  I knew I wouldn’t win anything, but running with a group of people can help push you along when you want to quit.  By doing this for fun and committing to it by paying for a race, I ran more and more.  Eventually I got to a point where I didn’t hate it, I looked forward to it.  If you aren’t naturally competitive with others, compete with yourself.  Track your progress and beat your self every day.

6. Celebrate – You can’t work all the time and you must reward yourself for small victories.  Find little rewards to give yourself monthly, weekly, daily to acknowledge that you are sticking with a new behavior.  Then find a bigger reward for a major milestone.  I know people that have rewarded themselves with vacations for going a year without smoking.  Do you realize how much money we spend on unhealthy habits, preventing us from enjoying the world?  If you smoke just one pack of cigarettes a week in Texas, you are spending nearly $400/year.  That's round-trip airfare to most places in the U.S.

I hope some of these tips can help lead others to positive change.  I’m going to do one last public display of accountability.  For over 30 years, I have struggled with a bad habit.  I bite my nails.  Even though I have stopped occasionally, I always go back to it.  At the end of May, I decided to stop for good.  Initially the only person that really knew I was doing this was my husband.  Now everyone knows and I can’t go back.  I used to say I couldn’t do this.  I was adamant about it.  What changed?  I found an emotional reason to stop.  It bothers my husband, but it’s bothered him for the ten years we have been together and I haven’t stopped.  I have to thank his deployment to Afghanistan.  He was three weeks out from leaving and I decided I wanted to do something to make him happy when he gets home.  So far, so good.  Here’s my before and after photos.  

 End of May

 Nails painted for high school reunion

Today (recently trimmed)

What a rollercoaster life can be!

I started 2013 with new goals and looking to get back into a good routine after moving from Germany to Texas.  I was getting my workouts in, but eating healthy was not happening consistently.  In March, I decided to commit to completing the full two months of the Insanity program.  I am happy to say that today I finished....70 days later...just one week behind.  What an incredibly interesting two months this has been though and it wasn't because of Insanity.  I learned a lot about myself though and hope those lessons help me in the future.

So what happened?  The first week of the program went well.  I knew the second week would be tough because my family was going on vacation, a Caribbean cruise.  The great thing about the trip was that I got my workouts in.  I took my computer and Insanity discs into the ship's gym almost every morning and got my sweat on.  I enjoyed the food and some spirits, but really didn't completely overdo it.  Then week 3, March 17 to be exact.  My mom was admitted to the hospital the day that we got off the ship in Puerto Rico.  She was critically ill and the physicians were very concerned that she would not survive.  Our trip back home was delayed by weather.  I immediately made arrangements to fly to Florida.  I had to take my daughter out of school to go with me because my husband had to attend some training in Colorado (more on that later).  I spent about a week in Florida with my step-dad and aunt.  My mom pulled through the emergency, but was going to need a lot of follow up.

So weeks 3 &4 were some combination of travel between Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida.  I did get most of my workouts in, but I stress ate a lot.  A whole lot!  All I can say is thank goodness for the intense workouts.  Week 5 was an attempt to get back on track, but I was worried about my mom and of course returned to a lot of work back at the office.  Again, I managed to get the workouts in, but my nutrition was all over the place.  I also took the plunge and decided to become a Certified Insanity Instructor.  Beachbody was holding a class on April 6th in San Antonio.  Best decision I ever made!  I learned a lot about proper form and ways to protect myself and my clients from injury.  I haven't taught any classes yet, but I hope to find a way to do so in the not too distant future.

Week 6 is the beginning of the really intense part of Insanity so it's only fitting that it would be an intense time personally as well.  My mom was back in the hospital and the physicians decided that she needed a fairly major surgery.  My step-dad was feeling quite weary after nearly a month of days and some nights in the hospital with her, constantly worrying.  He asked me to come back before her surgery.  Luckily I had enough leave accrued and things were somewhat light at work.  I flew back out to Florida at the beginning of week 7, alone this time and spent another week there.  I didn't workout at all and I pretty much ate whatever.  I'm not going to lie.  I enjoyed every bite of ice cream, pizza, beer, and whatever else I consumed that week.  But when I flew home on April 21st, I felt TERRIBLE!!!  And worse, I was craving sugar big time.

So I decided to repeat week 7 and try to finish on a high note.  The good news is that my mom's surgery went very well.  She has some major recovery ahead of her after two months in the hospital, but she's a strong lady and I know she can do it.  Week 7 went well and I even got some great news at work...I was selected for promotion.  That was a huge boost of motivation.  Part of my why in being a healthier me is to set a good example for my Soldiers.  That's even more important as I move into the next phase of my military career.

Onto week 8 and my daughter's sixth birthday.  Have I mentioned I have a sweet tooth?  Wish I could say that I succeeded in not over-indulging, but I can't.  I know I ate a lot of cupcakes on May 1st and a good bit of candy that was extra after the party goodie bags were filled.  And finally, week 9 arrived...the last week of the program.  I can honestly say that I kicked butt this week.  I ate well and really pushed myself during the workouts.

70 days later...this is what I learned/achieved.  I really am an emotional eater.  I cannot control myself when it comes to sweets, especially chocolate and ice cream.  That's the bad news.  The good news is that exercise is a permanent part of my life.  A week without exercise and I was craving it just as much as those Reece's Peanut Butter Cups!  My physical fitness level improved.  I came within 14 seconds of a perfect score on my Army Physical Fitness Test in April and my numbers on the Insanity Fit Test vastly improved.  I stuck with this program in spite of some major challenges.  I did not lose weight, but my clothes are a bit looser so I know I gained some muscle. 

So what's next?  I'm doing this again starting tomorrow!  This time I have some friends doing it with me.  We are going to push each other through to the end.  My focus will be on my nutrition.  I am going to follow the nutrition guide that comes with the program instead of trying to wing it!  Duh!  It's not a restrictive diet.  Lots of healthy clean recipes that are not difficult to prepare.  I know my triggers and for two months, I will avoid them.  I want to get to a point where they aren't triggers, but for now, I believe avoidance is best. 

I won't be doing this in a vacuum.  Life is still a rollercoaster.  Hopefully my mom and aunt's health will move in a positive direction (my aunt just finished chemotherapy...a success according to her physician).  But, there's a new challenge coming in June.  Remember that training my husband attended back in March...well, that was pre-deployment training.  Instead of riding out the last couple years of his 30+ year military career, he has volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan.  I am extremely proud of him.  Regardless of your views about what our country is doing with our military forces, when a Soldier dons the uniform, we do it to protect the Soldier to our left and right.  As a member of the Army Medical Department, we serve to protect the health of those Soldiers who have no choice in where they are called upon to serve.  My husband could have sat behind a desk, occasionally getting up in front of a classroom of students.  Or he can put his 30+ years of experience in action and help the Medical Brigade deploying do its best job caring for our deployed troops.  Like I said, I'm very proud!

So this will be a challenge, but I also have some great things happening in the next couple months.  I'm attending my first Beachbody Coaches Summit in Las Vegas.  Can't wait to see some friends and make some new ones!  In July, Amelia and I are heading to Indiana for a big family reunion on my father's side.  I haven't seen most of those people in many years.  And my 20-year high school reunion is in July.  Super psyched to see all those Bethel Bruins!  Finally, it's summer at the Army Medical Department Center & School.  That means baby Veterinary Corps Officers!!  I was one of them 12 years ago and I love being able to be a part of the start of their careers.  That is why I sought out this job!

Thanks for reading and I hope this motivates you to get up and get moving, but more importantly think about what you eat.  It is still amazing to me how much better I feel when I eat well and move my body.

A fresh start

Today is the last day of 2012.  I am sitting in a Holiday Inn in one of my favorite Texas cities, Austin.  Tonight I will ring in 2013 with my husband and daughter.  We have been in Texas for five months now.  Since getting here, I have been struggling with maintaining my healthy lifestyle.  I really have no one to blame, but myself.  I wish I could blame it on all the yummy Tex Mex and barbecue that I hadn't been able to enjoy for the last six years...but I can't.  I wish I could blame it on drinking too much Shiner Bock beer...but I can't.  I wish I could blame it on not having enough time to exercise...but I can't.  The cold, hard truth is that I let myself slip into some really horrendous eating habits when it comes to sweets.

I did well when we first arrived.  I gained a few pounds during the move, but nothing a good week of healthy eating and regular exercise couldn't take care of.  I was working out regularly with Insanity and running to prepare for a half-marathon in November.  The problem was that I wasn't eating healthy.  I thought I could allow myself a bite of candy or a cupcake with my daughter here and there.  Boy, was I wrong!  I can't just have a bite...I eat the whole bag...literally.  It's painful for me to admit publicly.  But I have to. 

After I ran the race in November, I gave myself a two week break from exercise.  Biggest mistake ever!!  Especially since it was right in the middle of Thanksgiving and then the Christmas holidays.  I avoided the scale, but knew I was in trouble when I had a had time getting my jeans on.  Plus, I just felt horrible.  No energy which of course made it harder to get myself moving again.  I finally got on the scale and there it was...a number I hadn't seen since the summer of 2011.  Ugh! 

So on December 19th I got my head straight and made a plan.  I didn't want to wait until 2013 to start.  I went back to a program that I really enjoyed the first time, P90X, but this time I am mixing in some Insanity workouts because they are too much fun!  I have gotten the workouts in daily.  However, my daily nutrition hasn't been where it needs to be.  That is the part that has become my New Year's Resolution.  I will get back on track and limit the sugar and processed junk! 

During this entire time, I've had people in my life that inspire me.  Some of them have been friends that have told me that my own weight loss journey has inspired them to get moving and get healthier.  Every day I see posts from my Team Beachbody coaches and some other friends that post regularly about nutrition and fitness.  I'm so thankful to have all of these inspirations in my life.  I haven't been doing what I know I need to do for the last several months.  However, every day is a new day and I know I can get back to where I want to be. 

Healthy Living Goals for 2013:

1. Eat healthy.  Don't allow things that will tempt me into the house.  My husband is my watchdog on this one.  :-)  Start cooking cleaner recipes.  Print out and save the neat ideas you see every day on Facebook and MyFitnessPal!!!

2. Keep moving.  Finish 90 days of P90X/Insanity hybrid.  Run at least one half-marathon and at least five 5k or 10k races.  Score a 300 on the April Army PT test.

3. Blog more to keep myself accountable and encourage others.  Post more on my Facebook fitness page. 

4.  Enjoy time with my family and friends.  Cherish every moment because life is shorter than we think.

5.  Work hard and do my best to encourage future leaders in the Army Veterinary Corps.

Happy New Year!  I wish everyone a happy and health 2013!!

A YEAR AGO......

I was twenty pounds heavier and considered overweight with 32% body fat.

I wore size 10 or 12 clothing.

I wouldn’t be caught dead in a bikini.

I was frustrated with myself for being overweight.

I wanted to improve and sustain a higher level of fitness.

I was sick of ‘dieting’.

I was tired and never felt like I got enough sleep.

I had nagging lower back pain.

I hated running and push-ups only did both because the Army made me.

I ate a lot of processed foods that claimed to be healthy.

I rarely cooked.

I WANTED TO CHANGE.

TODAY......

I am not overweight at 25% body fat.

I wear size 6 clothing.

I bought a bikini, wore it on a cruise, and look forward to wearing it more in Texas this summer.

I am proud of myself for finally not being overweight.

I earned the Army’s Physical Fitness Badge twice and ran a half-marathon in less than two hours.

I don’t ‘diet’.  I am a conscious eater.

I feel energized most of the time even on days when I wake up at 0400 to exercise.

I still have periodic lower back pain, but much less frequently.

I love running and all forms of exercise and would continue to do them frequently even if I left the Army today.

I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and very few things out of a box any more.

I cook several times a week.

I AM HEALTHY!

This journey isn’t over though.  Life is full of change and challenges.  I learned a lot about my eating habits, my time management issues, and my body over the last year.  Learning to make exercise a regular part of life was the easy part thanks to Team Beachbody programs.  At-home fitness with a Coach and accountability groups was exactly what I needed to keep me motivated to exercise almost every day, even when traveling.  My Fitness Pal and Spark People are two websites that helped me keep food journals and also connect me to a wealth of great healthy living resources and other people with similar goals.  Most importantly though, my friends and family were supportive and shared their own experiences and challenges with me.

I am still a work in progress.  I have issues with overeating.  My husband has been known to say, “Stephanie is a good eater”.  That isn’t exactly a compliment.  Put a gallon of my favorite ice cream, a delicious pizza, cakes, cookies, candies, a juicy hamburger, plate of enchiladas…I could go on….bottom line is that I can eat it all and without much moderation.  I know that I still have those triggers.  I don’t believe in depriving myself and obviously we all need food to live.  However, I have found that I do better if I just avoid certain things.  Once I have a bite, I want more and before I know it, I’ve consumed a zillion calories that no amount of exercise will reverse.

So how will I keep the weight off and continue to live a healthy life?

1.    Daily exercise with variety every few months.  I just started a new program, Insanity.  Loving it so far and I will blog about it soon!

2.    Running and other physical challenges.  Signed up for the Rock & Roll Half Marathon in San Antonio on 11 November 2012.  Thinking about signing up for a Tough Mudder in Austin in October 2012!

3.    Finding new activities to be a part of with Cesar and Amelia.  We love softball and Amelia is interested in dance, swimming, and I think she would enjoy gymnastics.  Biking and hiking are on my list as well.

4.    Continue my food journaling.  Try new recipes and search for those that my husband and daughter will eat, too.

5.    Stay active as an Independent Team Beachbody Coach.  The support I have found through this company has been phenomenal.  There are a lot of different ways to exercise and eat right.  What I love about Beachbody is the genuine support that Coaches offer.  I obviously have a full-time job as an Army officer, but I have time to help other people on their healthy life journey.  Support really is the key!  That’s why I was never successful before.

6.    Blog more often.  It helps to make goals public.  Even though no one reading this probably cares if I don’t do all these things, I have always had a strong competitive nature and desire to keep my word.  So now that it’s out there for the world to see, I have to honor this commitment.

Thanks for reading!  Below are some photos of my progress over the last year.

June 2011: Before I started the Ten Minute Trainer program

July 2012: Post Ten Minute Trainer, Slim in Six, P90X, lots of running, and one week of Insanity

 My Beachbody progression from June 2011 through 1 July 2012

 June 2011: Having fun on Abbey Road in London.  Those clothes fall off me now!

June 2012: Happy and healthy with my wonderful husband and little girl

Reflecting on my fitness goals

April was a big month for me fitness wise. Twice a year, I have to take the Army Physical Fitness Test. This generally occurs in April and October. Last October I succeeded in one goal which was to earn the Army PT Badge. Now the challenge to myself in April was to keep that badge and shave more time off my run...maybe even enough to get a perfect score. Back in December, I also decided that I wanted to run a half-marathon. There's an annual one about 45 minutes from where I live in Germany. It takes place every April and the course goes through the German wine country.

On April 20th, I took the PT test and on the 22nd, I ran the half-marathon. My running goals were to finish the two-mile run in less than 15:54 and the half-marathon (13.1 miles) in less than 2 hours, 10 minutes. End result: I missed the 15:54 by 7 seconds, but I killed the half-marathon goal and finished in 1 hour, 56 minutes!!!

I was disappointed that I didn't get that perfect score on the PT test. I even thought about taking it again within the next week, but after the 13.1 miles, I was a bit worn out. :-)

What's amazing to me is that I had fun both days. Yes, I said fun! This from a person that less than a year ago, hated running. I ran because I have to in the Army, but I never really enjoyed it. I know that losing weight helped me tremendously with my running. I never thought I would enjoy it though. But with every mile I logged while training, I discovered that I felt so invigorated after a run. My energy levels on the days I ran soared.

So I guess I can call myself a runner now. Unfortunately since running the half-marathon, I have noticed a few aches in my feet that I didn't have before. I have run a few miles here and there over the last couple weeks and I keep feeling the same mild pain in my right foot. The last thing I want to do is create a chronic injury. I've read so much about runners overdoing it and causing themselves issues that prevent their ability to run. So I'm going to back off a bit over the next month or so.

There are plenty of other exercise routines that I enjoy. So thankful that I found Team Beachbody. I'm on my last week of the P90X program. For the most part, I have enjoyed it. The yoga and kenpo routines aren't my favorites, but the strength and plyometric routines are awesome. I know the program helped me grow stronger and assisted with my running as well. This program will definitely be one that I continue. Just wish I had done a better job following the nutritional guidance. I know my results would have been much better if I had. The good news is that I am fitter and stronger, even if my weight and body fat percentage held steady.

I have also realized something else about myself. I have to keep challenging myself and I do get bored with the same routine over and over again. One great thing about being a Team Beachbody Coach is the great discounts on their workout and nutritional programs. And there are so many to choose from. There's a new nutritional program that I am starting on May 21st. It's called Ultimate Reset. It's not about calorie restriction. It's about overhauling my diet and cutting out processed foods. If I am able to stick with the plan, I hope to be on my way to better control over my sweet tooth. That is still my biggest struggle. I can seriously down a pint of ice cream and not blink. Easter candy...wish I could just eat one piece, but I can't. Sugar is definitely my weakness. I did very well last summer when I was focused on getting to a healthy weight. But then I let myself overdo it again and again. I made exercise a habit so I was able to do that and not regain any weight, but I really need to get it under control. So 21 days of clean eating will be my jump start to achieving that goal. I think this will be a bigger challenge than the PT test, half-marathon, or P90X. Wish me luck!

Day 70 - P90X Phase II and other thoughts on fitness

For the last several weeks I have been telling myself that I need to update my blog. Can't believe I let a month go by without documenting my P90X/half-marathon training journey.

I started Phase II one week before going on a two-week trip to the United States. I am happy to report that for the most part I stuck with my workouts during the trip. One thing I love about the Beachbody workouts is that they are highly portable. I packed my DVDs and resistance bands and was able to continue the strength training workouts with little problem. I like using my free weights at home better, but these are a great substitute. One thing I discovered on this trip is that I am at a point that I don't need the videos any more. I know the moves well enough that I can do the workouts alone. I like that because I take shorter breaks and finish up a little faster while still working out hard.

Phase II introduced two new workouts with different moves for the chest, back, shoulders, and arms. Plyometrics, Yoga X, Legs & Back, and Kenpo X were still part of the routine. I found myself less and less enamoured with the Yoga and Kenpo workouts. Because I am also preparing for an Army Physical Fitness Test and a half-marathon, I decided to do more running on those days. I know I am not getting all the benefits of improved flexibility by modifying, but had to find time for the running.

Phase III began two weeks ago. It's a combination of the first two phases. At this point, I am really focused on running so I have only been doing the strength workouts. Even skipping Plyometrics to run more. I take my PT test this Friday and then run the half-marathon on Sunday. I am aiming to get a perfect score on the PT test which means that I need to run two miles in under 15:54. I have been able to do that on the treadmill so I am hoping the weather conditions will cooperate and allow me to reach this goal on Friday. Forecast is calling for rain and the temperature will probably be around 45 or 50 degrees F that morning. Ugh! Half-marathon on Sunday and the weather is looking crummy that day as well. Oh well! I know there will be plenty of good...probably too warm...weather in Texas for me to run more races!

My biggest challenge the last couple months has been staying focused with my diet. At this point, I haven't been as concerned about counting calories. With the amount of exercise I do, I can eat more. My problem is keeping those food choices healthy. I know I am not seeing the results with my body fat percentage that I would like to see because I still give in a bit too much to my cravings for sweets. I love healthy food now. But when I see chocolate or ice cream or cookies, etc, I cave. I wish I could enjoy these treats in moderation, but I rarely can. I can easily inhale a pint of ice cream or a whole chocolate Easter bunny...yes, I did!

Part of me thinks that this isn't a big deal. I am maintaining a healthy weight and body fat percentage. My fitness level is better than ever. So who cares if I occasionally go crazy with those sweets? The problem is that I know that it is this type of eating behavior that led me to struggle previously. What if I get injured or sick and cannot exercise as much? What if my work and family schedule get crazier in Texas (which it will)? When I first joined the Army, an excuse I often made for not exercising was that I had too much work to do. Or what about another pregnancy? I gained over 60 pounds when I was pregnant with Amelia. We aren't sure if another baby is in our future, but if it happens, I must reign in my cravings before the hormones take over. :-)

P90X has a great nutrition guide. I haven't followed it as closely as I could have. For these last 20 days of the program, I will follow it more closely. I plan on taking a break from intense exercise when I am done with this program (one or two weeks). So this will be a chance for me to really focus on eating well. I plan to limit processed foods, avoid the sweets, eat lots of vegetables, lean proteins, fruits, and whole grains.

Beachbody also just came out with a 21-day cleanse program. I plan on trying that with the goal of truly cleaning up my diet.

Next week's blog: A report on whether I meet my PT test goals and how my first half-marathon goes!