Brittany's Shape Up Showdown

1/28/11

  Yesterday, day three of training with Donald, was probably the hardest day for me.  I woke up to go to school and every muscle in my body hurt.  I felt exhausted.  I know the first few weeks are the hardest so I went to the gym for training and pushed through it. 

To warm up I started with ten minutes on the elliptical which had my legs burning after one minute.  Then I moved on to walking lunges, high knees, and crunches.  We jogged and power walked for about three laps around the track.

Prior to this week I had not worked out in a while so it has been a little difficult to get back into a routine.  It will become easier for me the more I go and push myself. 

The most rewarding part of working out is the feeling afterward.  It is a great stress reliever and I am usually so proud of myself for working hard and not giving up.  I guess anything is possible if you set your mind to it. 

First Two Days of Training

I have successfully accomplished my first two workouts with my trainer Donald today and yesterday.  I completed a variety of exercises.  Donald mixes up the workouts often so I do not get bored which makes it fun because I never know what to expect when I go into the gym.

Yesterday, I begin by working out on a bike then moved on to squats and lunges.  I made several laps around the indoor track by power walking and jogging in intervals.

Today I worked out on the treadmill and I worked with different weight machines.  My legs are already really sore but it is the good kind of soreness because I know I am building muscle and burning calories.

Donald is encouraging and is patient when I do not understand his instructions the first time or when I do the exercise wrong. 

I am ready for tomorrow.   I have been assigned a workout on the treadmill for forty five minutes and I will train with Donald again on Thursday. 

I am looking forward to the next six months and the experiences and knowledge I will gain.

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow.
Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros

Obstacles

I was excited to meet the other Shape Up Showdown participants last night at our first group meeting.  It was nice to see each person face to face and hear a little bit about how their journey has gone so far.  Each person talked about the changes they have made and some of their challenges. 

Everyone has given up certain foods or drinks they like to consume.  I have given up eating out, with the exception of Subway, and I have given up a few sweets.  Monday is free cookie day at the Subway I go to and the first time I went it was difficult to not eat my free chocolate chip cookie, but it gets easier each time I go.

I have received a few recipes for healthier desserts from friends of mine such as making chocolate muffins out of a cake mix, a can of pumpkin, and a few other ingredients.  There are ways to have healthy desserts and they are not expensive or difficult to make. 

To overcome eating out, I bring leftovers to work for lunch or if I am out running errands on the weekend, I will stop and get a smoothie.  I did well this week not skipping lunch while I was at school.  I brought a protein shake with me and I carry a bag of apples or a serving of Goldfish crackers.

Everyone has challenges but I believe any obstacle can be overcome, especially if you have the right people supporting you.

Getting Started

Hi everyone! My name is Brittany and I am in my third year at Southeastern Louisiana University working toward obtaining a degree in Business Management.   I am very grateful to have the opportunity to be on the Shape Up Showdown.  High Blood Pressure and Diabetes run in my family so by developing healthier eating habits and a workout routine I hope to lower my chances of getting either of these serious conditions.

On January 3, I began changing my eating habits and after meeting with the nutritionist on January 6, I changed them even more.  I began counting my calorie intake and keeping a log of all the food I eat.  I am not much of a vegetable eater, but I have been trying different ones and increasing the number of servings I eat.  We have changed how we cook in our household to include healthier options than in the past.  One challenge for me as a full time college student is being in class most of the day, two days a week without lunch breaks.  I was eating breakfast at 6 o’clock in the morning and not eating again until 3 o’clock in the afternoon.  Now I make sure I carry something healthy to eat during the fifteen minutes between classes.

I am excited to meet my trainer soon and begin working out at the gym.  I am looking forward to the next six months.  I know it will be a challenge, but I have great support from my family, friends, and co-workers.  I want to wish the other participants good luck on their journey.