It’s been a blast hanging out with my family grabbing some much needed connection, sunshine, and sleep…. All of which fed my body and soul more than any food could ever do.
So on this 30-day quest to clean up the diet and put more energy into your health, remember that it’s not just about the foods you’re eating or that yummy morning detox cocktail you’re drinking.
Chill Out
Stress plays a bigger role than you might realize. And believe it or not… but stressing out over your food choices and exercise regime just adds insult to injury. While you are in this 30-day period of detoxification, make sure it includes people that bring you joy, activities that help you relax, and enough sleep to allows your body to take it all in and heal.
Nap anyone? Nothing compares to a little R&R to get your head on straight, and gain endless energy.
Hanging with the fam on one of my favorite beaches on earth...
Exercise.
I always have the best intentions to do a regular exercise regime while away, but it rarely happens. But I think what ends up happening is better than any perfectly timed and calculated scenario…. I enjoy my vacation and make sure to be active.
Case in point…
My first day included naps. Lots of them. : ) There was no exercise in sight and it was exactly what I needed.
Day Two: Out at the beach while my brother hung out with his very cool (and insanely huge) dog Dale, I decided to take off for a fast walk that turned into a jog, that turned into a nice run, that ended with a round of Tabata sprints. It was awesome.
Hitting the beach for a little jog followed by Tabata Sprints
Day three was all about (attempting) to hit the waves. I’m still a novice surfer, but just the mere effort required to paddle out past the breakers, attempting to catch a wave, crashing, and then doing it all over again is out-of-this-world fun and yes…EXHAUSTING!
Paddling out past the breakers... I wish I had a great surfing pic... but I pretty much bailed everytime before a picture could be snapped. : ) You at least can't say I'm not determined!
Too bad the pic wasn't snapped a short second later... then you could have seen me *CRASH*!!! (which was pretty much the common theme to my day)
Knowing I’ll be sitting on a plane for a long time tonight, I’ll be hitting a few yoga poses and hopefully (if I can convince my mom) one more fun beach run with a few Tabata drills.
Food
I had a blast videotaping and snapping shots of all the amazing life giving foods we shared together as a family. My sister in law, Lyn has been following my blog for a while and both she and my brother enjoy healthy, simple,and delicious foods. She’ll be the first to tell you that finding peace and happiness in her life put her on a path to discovering a more life-giving way to eat, easily shedding unwanted weight. My mom is in the same boat choosing a healthy lifestyle filled with real food and consistent exercise. She’s been a member of one of my favorite boot camps run by Brad and Cynthia Linder in my hometown, Coppell TX. I think she’s healthier now in her late 50′s than she was in her 30′s! Go Mom!
So what I’m trying to say here was that being surrounded by like-minded people made it real easy to make great food choices.
This was seriously THE BEST chicken soup I've ever had... Organic Chicken PACKED with tons of veggies, even kale!
Lunch at my new favorite deli, Lovey's: sauteed organic veggies topped with organic turkey burger patty. And I never would have thought I'd find Kombucha in Wilmington NC!
Lyn made this fabulous egg and veggie scramble mixed with leftover gyro meat and asparagus. Such a great way to start off the morning!
Hanging with my mom and bro at one of my favorite beach restaurants. I ordered the Vegeta-Bowl... a huge salad with tons of veggies, topped with seared tuna... So delicious!
Boat loads of fresh veggies with seared tuna, dressing on the side.
Today I stepped on the scale and I have lost twenty pounds! I have not weighed this little for ten years! I am down 16 inches and two pant sizes! I feel amazing. My energy has not been this good in a long time! I am able to handle stress better than ever even though the amount of stress I have is the highest it has ever been. I cannot imagine not sticking with the adjustments; it has simply become a part of my life. -Lindsay
In 3 months, I took off 17 lbs and in a total of 5 months I am down 22 lbs and 14 inches, and continuing to lose. I have dropped 2 pant sizes and a ton of inches, my body has muscle and tone where I have never seen it before. I could not have done any of this without the help of Audra and her team. -Sondra
When I learned about the Be Fit Boot Camps, I knew this was my summer to reshape my body. I carved out a slice of "me time" in the 6am hour and got busy. At the first dunking I weighed 144 lbs and was over 34% body fat. 11 weeks later at the second dunking, I weighed 132 lbs and had lost 8.8% of my body fat. I also put on 3 lbs of muscle during those 11 weeks. -Susan
I have lost over 25 lbs! My life has truly changed. People say this all the time, but I am serious! I will never go back to the poor food choices I was making, or the lack of exercise, and I have changed my lifestyle in the ways I now I was eating, and what I was doing to myself. Boot camp has really been a great new focus in my life. It's just been amazing! -Anna
Finishing up the 12 week fitness challenge with my trainer Audra Baker! I have lost a ton of weight (15 pounds!), and 11 inches off my body, and I feel like a million bucks! Whooohooooo!!!"
-Mat
Something new and different was exactly what I needed. I feel like this new form of exercise was the catalyst to break through my lack of motivation and weight loss plateau. I have added years to my life. I also have an overall sense of well being that I never experienced when I was heavier, as well as much more energy, focus and confidence. -Steve
At boot camp I feel encouraged and motivated. I love the boot camp atmosphere. I have lost 8 lbs and 2 inches on my abs. Even though my weight loss has been relatively small, the energy level and the feeling I get after a good workout cannot be denied. It is awesome. Also, it is amazing how much I have learned about nutrition - how easy it is to eat healthy and truly "feed" your body. Learning about nutrition has been a huge part of my change. -Luis
I was fat, angry and in denial of what I really looked like. I knew I wasn't happy with how I looked but could not get motivated to change it. Going to boot camp was really hard, but I made a decision to stick with it, eat healthier and more often, and really just focus on me. Now I am a new me and I love myself. I was really wrapped in in the taking care of the family and now I know that I can do that and work out too. -Patricia
In seven weeks I've lost 6lbs, and for the first time in a long time, I can see the result. Ifeel accountable for my actions. I think before I eat, drink, or grocery shop. I love having the switch clicked ON in my brain to put my health first. I hold my head up higher and have a confidence about myself. I'm so glad I joined your boot camp and can't wait to continue to see results!!! It's all due to you and your team! Thank you! -Jamie