For as long as I can remember I have always been active in some type of sport - tennis, volleyball, running, martial arts, etc. Between my mid-20s and mid-30s I run several half marathons under the two hours, one when I was pregnant with my first child. I am 5’11” and I I've always been fairly slim; I eat well and I have always controlled my weight with my exercise. Five years and two kids fast forward…priorities changed, my “me” time disappeared and exercising became a much more difficult task.
After I had a bikini emergency in October last year, something clicked - I wanted to feel comfortable in my own skin again without worrying about my "baby weight". "muffin tops", "bingo wings", "turkey wattle", "belly pouch", etc!
I signed up for CykleJab 8 Week Body Transformation Challenge because I felt it was my last hope. NOTHING was working and I seriously thought that my only option was to live the rest of my life with those 10 extra pounds that took up residence on my torso.
WHAT EXACTLY IS CYKLEJAB'S BODY TRANSFORMATION CHALLENGE
CykleJab 8 week challenge enables participants to dedicate themselves to achieve the results they are after, as well as to understand and develop healthier eating habits and increase your fitness levels. Open to all levels, it combines a 50 minute fun and smart workout (cykling + boxing) that snaps everybody out of their routine and shocks their muscles, alongside an 8 week nutritional guideline. Ralph, CykleJab co-owner and coach, provided me with weekly meal plan, which is just what I needed. We discussed what to eat every day - a lot of unprocessed foods, no grains, added sugar, additives, preservatives, unhealthy fats and large amounts of salt. Cutting back on wine consumption and the little special treat at night after the kids have gone to bed - I was afraid, very afraid. However, the fact that I knew this would have last only 8 weeks helped me stay focused on my goal. After a week or so, my nutrition became part of my lifestyle and stopped carving that special treat or glass of wine.
HOW I GOT ON
I won’t pretend the transformation challenge is all sunshine and rainbows. (At the end of the day, without a little bit of sacrifice, it wouldn’t be a challenge, right?)
I trained 4 times a week and cut out sugar, carbs, alcohol and dairy (with a very few exceptions). After the first two classes my muscles were so sore that my kids couldn’t even sit in my lap, I went to bed hungry and I woke up hungry. However, I soon felt better, somehow healthier and more energetic. After only two weeks I was 4.5 pounds lighter, I was sleeping better, and I had a better posture, meaning my neck was not bothering me that much anymore. By the time I reached the halfway point for my body transformation challenge, I learned to stay off the scale and that transformation is so much more than just a number on a scale! Instead, I looked at my progress pictures and felt amazed and super motivated! Week #6 was the toughest for me. I was expecting that once I reached this point I would have been over the hump and ready to enjoy the bright side of fitness only. In reality, having reached this point, I realized that the the journey still has its fair share of bumps in the road and that these 2 remaining weeks wouldn’t have been a walk in the park just because I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Luckily Ralph helped me get over those bumps and enjoy the rest of my challenge.
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PRE AND POST CHALLENGE
Before the Challenge began, Ralph asked me to hop onto their scale and take some measurements to see what the state of my health was like. I also had to take some before pictures. I can distinctly remember taking the before photos and thinking, “I’m out of shape, but it’s not that bad…” But with the comparison photos, it really shows how out of shape I let myself get over the years.
Here's what it looked like when I started:
Weight: 154 pounds
Body Fat: 36%
When it came time to step on the scale for my end of challenge weigh in, I nearly cried tears of joy when I saw my final scan:
Weight: 143 pounds
Body Fat: 26% = -10% !!!!!!
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MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Was it hard? Absolutely. Were there times I wanted to give up? Of course. Am I glad I stuck with it? HELL YES!
This has been an incredible, eye opening and amazingly satisfying fitness experience. This challenge is exactly what I was looking for to go back to me! No, I don't have a six pack but I've trimmed down, toned and achieved countless NSVs (non scale victories)! I feel happier, more energized and confident with my body again.
The coaches, the workouts, the support of CykleJab team and members - all amazing. The trainers are super friendly and make working out fun. They genuinely care about you and want to make sure that you're doing the best for your body. They don't just treat you like a client. Here you're family. And most important, the program works!
Of course, there are some annoying elements of the challenge. I had to cut out bread, pasta and refined grains from my nutrition plan. The most difficult part was to replace my peanut butter bread for breakfast. I tried eggs, fruit, salmon but I was not satisfied or it was too time consuming for my morning routine. Then I googled “Paleo Breakfast Ideas” and found tons of recipes. My favorites now are the gluten/dairy free banana bread and the paleo chocolate muffins, but there are still some many recipes that i want to try!
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I am so excited to be done but also to look forward! I will be starting my 2nd challenge soon - that's how much I love and believe in this program - and recommend it to anyone wanting to get results!
Want to learn more about CykleJab? Visit their website here.
Missed the first 7 weeks of my “Eight Weeks Back to Me" Series? Find them here:
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