So here we are …week 7 is over, I've only got one weigh-in to go, and I'm thinking back to where I began.
For those of you who haven't been following me, here's a little back history. In October last year I was giving up with the idea of getting my bikini body back and this made me incredibly sad. A couple of weeks later, whilst walking down NE 2nd Avenue during Miami Shores’s Green Day, I met Ralph, a boxing trainer who caters to professional athletes and co-owns CykleJab, the brand new fitness studio in the Shores. I tried a couple of classes before Christmas, then the Winter Holidays started and the rest is history. Back in January, after years of procrastination, I finally decided to find support to achieve my fitness goal - to become the best I can. I contacted Ralph at CykleJab, and within a week we met and came up with a plan for the next eight weeks, for my Body Transformation Challenge.
This is the game plan he came up with:
- Nutrition Plan: He provided me with weekly meal plan, which is just what I need. It tells me what to eat every day - a lot of unprocessed foods, no grains, added sugar, additives, preservatives, unhealthy fats and large amounts of salt. My whole family is eating what I eat, with some little adjustments for the kids. Initially I thought that cutting back on wine consumption and the little special treat at night after the kids have gone to bed were going to be the most challenging part of the plan. Actually they were not. At all! I am fully motivated to eat cleaner and to push through. I was hungry the first couple of days but then my nutrition plan became a fundamental part of my new lifestyle program and I don’t feel then need for any extras.*
- Workout Plan: Ralph and I sat down and derived a workout plan for me. I took CykleJab’s cykling + boxing class three to four times with the objective to reduce my body fat percentage, get leaned and toned. As a working mom, sometimes it seems like I can't even have five minutes of free time for myself but I looked at my schedule, spoke with my husband and actually found out that I have more time than I realized to go to the gym. Cyklejab is open 7 days a week, 7am-7.30pm Monday and Wednesday, 9am-7.30pm Tuesday and Thursday, 9am-6.30pm Friday, 9.45am-12pm on Saturday and 11am-12pm Sunday. Plus, their high-intensity class are super efficient for those of us who want results but are strapped for time. We can get in, work out for 50 minutes - #theultimate50minutes - , and go back to our kids, work, chores, etc in less than one hour. This has worked wonders for me.
The results:
So I have one more article to write next week after the weigh-in, but according to my scale at home, I have lost a total of 7 or 8 pounds depending on the day. Those pair of jeans that sat in my closet for 4 years (before I got pregnant with my second child) now fit comfortably again. But more importantly, my bloating has basically gone, my neck is not hurting that much anymore (hello core!), I feel slimmer and more toned all over, and that's a major win! Next week I do my final official weigh-in and Ralph takes my measurements again. That will tell me the percentage of body fat I am down, which to me is the most important aspect of this journey. I want to be athletic and healthy, and by the look and feel of everything thus far, that is where I am headed.
So talk to you next week — here's to a few more days of this eight-week journey back to me, and a lifetime of changes.
*Since I started, CykleJab teamed up with Dan from The Dan Plan Diet, a lifestyle program that teaches members how to make simple, healthy choices and easy to prepare meals. Members are provided an individualized plan of food choices and portion sizes based on your weight goals and body needs. Each 4-phase plan is personalized and adjusted to help everyone reach attainable goals. Dan will personally guide every client through the 4- phases, answering all questions and providing feedback for every meal choice. As an added benefit, The Dan Plan Diet community will support every member with their shared commitment to health and success with the Plan.
It’s not too late to get into the shape! Join CykleJab’s Body Transformation Challenge and you’ll receive 32 classes in 60 days, one HR Monitor/Calorie Counter, one pair of boxing gloves, one pair of boxing wraps, 8 week of nutritional guideline, one on one initial assessment with certified personal trainer, access to food delivery service at a discount. I can’t wait to do this with you!!
Want to learn more about CykleJab? Visit their website here.
Missed the first 5 weeks of my “Eight Weeks Back to Me" Series? Find them here:
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