I have been a huge fan of Shaun T since I started doing the insanity programs in early 2014. One of the reasons I started doing insanity was because I was having a very difficult time with my job. I was constantly stressed, I was constantly losing sleep, it was negatively affecting my relationship with my then-boyfriend/now-husband Jason, and overall I felt unhappy most of the time, which is highly usual for me. I thought that if I took on insanity, it would be a totally different kind of challenge that might help me climb out of the vortex of stress that I felt like I was trapped in due to my job. This would be a challenge that I was in complete control of, and I hoped that the strength and confidence that I gained from doing insanity would help me tackle my work struggles as well.
I have always been a very active person, but insanity was on another level! After the initial shock of starting insanity (I think I could barely walk for a week after my first attempt at "cardio power and resistance"), I became very dedicated to the program, and I could feel myself getting stronger and fitter as I progressed, but I wasn't seeing the changes in my body that I was hoping for. That spring I ran in a mile-long race with my dog Daisy and my time was around 9.5 minutes, which wasn't terrible considering I hadn't practiced for it at all, but I knew I could've done better if I had prepared properly. But the fact that I was able to finish it in under ten minutes is because of insanity.
In May of 2014 I turned 30, and after my birthday I decided to start making some changes to my diet. Ever since I was a teenager, I always hoped that just being really active would give me a good body and counterbalance the pizza and pasta that I loved (and still love!) to eat. I had heard that cutting carbs was a good way to lose weight, but I didn't think I would have the willpower to do something like that to myself. I also just couldn't believe that steak, eggs, and cheese were healthier for me than a piece of bread. But I slowly but surely gained weight throughout my 20's, despite the exercising that I always did. I was used to eating until I felt pretty full, which I now realize was probably one of the problems. But after I turned 30, I decided it was time to take action. Part of my motivation was learning that my dad's blood sugar levels were in the pre-diabetic range, even though he too is a very active person. That really scared me because if he could be active and still be at risk for diabetes, then I could too. So I started gradually cutting down on the carbs, and attempting to eat healthier meals in general. It was very difficult at first, but I gradually started to embrace the feeling of eating higher-protein and lower-carb meals. My weight dropped to 140 (I am 5’4”) by November of 2014, and I was very happy in the changes in saw in my body. I gained some weight back over the holidays that year though (as always seems to happen!), so I started 2015 at 148. I doubled-down on my efforts to eat well, and started cutting back on carbs even more. I also paid more attention to portion sizes, and forced myself to get in the habit of eating smaller amounts for dinner (when I'm at my hungriest). I just had to get used to the feeling of never really being full throughout the work week. On weekends I would still eat my "treat" meals though. I was also doing "insanity: the asylum" and mixing in runs with my dog Daisy as well. I shaved a minute off of my mile time that spring in the race, which I was very happy about. Late in the summer of 2015, Daisy and I ran in a 5k and we completed it in under 30 minutes, which was my goal. By then, I was down to 135 and had really seen some transformations in my body. My arms and upper chest/shoulder muscles were more defined, my stomach was much flatter, and all of my clothes fit better. I even had to stop wearing one pair of jeans because they were way too big! I loved being at that weight and having that body, even though I still felt that I could've done better. But then life happened: Jason and I got married last fall, had a long honeymoon, and then it was the holidays.
I let myself go a little too much over the holidays in 2015 (I still got some workouts in, but I just couldn't resist all the delicious holiday food), and I could see my weight increasing even though I didn't step on the scale til early in 2016, when I was at around 141. So still 7 pounds less than when 2015 began, but not great. So far in 2016 I have started a new exercise schedule where I do insanity workouts 3-4 days a week, I run with Daisy 2 days a week, and I walk with Daisy for several hours per week. (Having an energetic dog sure helps!). I love this exercise schedule, and now I am working on getting my diet back on track. That's one of the reasons I wanted to do this DietBet challenge. I'm eager to get my body back to where it was in the summer of 2015, and then improve upon that. I'm not built for being "skinny", but I really want to be as strong, fit, and toned as possible. Jason and I want kids someday, and I know that after I have kids it will be nearly impossible to have the same kind of body again, so part of me feels like these next couple of years are my last chance to have a really great body before the kid- and age-related transformations that will happen later. I truly regret not having this same kind of motivation in my 20's, but I am grateful that I have found the inspiration for getting myself fitter as I have entered my 30’s. I'm excited for this DietBet challenge, and I'm ready to start 2016 off right!