Looking Forward and Setting New Goals

As I sit down to write this I can see how far I've come and yet the next part of this journey may prove to be even more challenging. I come to you today to share my success and my failures. On March 6, 2014 I started Isagenix. Around the same time I joined what's called the IsaBody Challenge. This is a 16 week challenge to inspire achieving your goals and a chance to win prizes. I completed this challenge as of last night. In four months, I lost 35 lbs and a total of 23 inches. I planned on adding exercise, but never did quite manage it. So, this release of weight was done without adding fitness.

I dutifully had my husband take my "after" pictures and naturally needed to compare them to the before pictures from March. I'm nervous to post these because there's so much of me in them, but I'm the queen of the over-share so why stop now?

Before and After Photos from March 2014 and June 2014

There you have it. My successes! I am quite proud of myself for sticking it out, but this next leg of the journey I want to make even more changes. Lately, I've done a lot of self-reflecting and I have more willpower and determination that I ever imagined. However, I can see where I really need to put in some serious effort to make lasting changes. My issues with food are far from over. I'm sure my weight loss would have been even more astounding had I managed to better deal with my emotional eating.

I started a new IsaBody Challenge last night. This time I am focusing more on energy and performance than weight loss. Obviously, my ultimate goal is still weight loss, but I need to change my overall focus. This challenge will run until October 18, 2014 and over the next four months I plan to work on my emotional eating as well as getting fit. I've already started a fitness class that I will be doing twice a week for 11 weeks (possibly longer). As for the emotional eating I will be working on awareness and finding new ways to work with my emotions. It took years to develop my emotional eating and it's going to take time to replace bad habits with good ones. I believe support, awareness, and creating a new reward system will be the keys to success in this next part of my journey.

The biggest help to achieving any goal is having a great support system! I'd love to hear about your weight loss journey or struggles with emotional eating. Feel free to contact me anytime! 

Weekend Happiness

Happy Friday!

So, last night we had a visit from our new pastor and his wife. I admit I was a little nervous. I haven't had much of a chance to get to know them. I was a little worried we wouldn't have anything to talk about.

Well, I worried needlessly of course. The conversation flowed easily and they're both quite funny and easy to talk to. My non-Christian husband stayed for most of the visit and chatted easily as well. I really do have the most amazing husband!

I'm really looking forward to this weekend. I have four days off! The kids are done school today. I really pray that we have good weather for the weekend. I am in need of some time outdoors to just relax and get some much needed thinking done. I'm hoping we can get to the beach for a day. I just love being at the water. Maybe I will even manage to read a whole book!

I hope you all have a fun and safe weekend!

A New Adventure

So, I recently mentioned that I was starting a new fitness regime. Here is a video of some of what I'll be doing with Primal Strength Systems.

Last night was my first class with Primal Strength Systems. As with any new thing you try I was nervous upon arriving. I parked where I thought I should park but later discovered a parking lot right next to the training area. As I got closer to the training area (which is on a school football field) I realized all of the other participants were men, except for the instructor's girlfriend. I was quite relieved that she was there! It turns out she was only there this one time.

We started by running from one line to the next and back. We were to do this 10 times. My first lap I kept up, but as each lap continued I fell further and further behind. Everyone waited for me to finish before continuing on which was really nice.

We did some stretches and then push ups and body squats. I managed to do 6 real pushups and 4 knee pushups. I rock the squats! So, at least I've got that!

We did lunge walks which are simple and seem easy until you have to do a few laps of them. Then we did bear crawls. This was horrendous but completely effective! I was practically crawling to the finish line. We followed this with a crab crawl but all I could manage was a scuttle on my rearend. I did another bear crawl instead. After all the bear crawls I was feeling quite nauseous but I persevered.

We did a series of front squats of varying levels. I managed to front squat with the 50 lbs bag and also with a rock that's heavier than it looks. There were heavier front squat options that some of the others did. After the front squats we moved onto pulling the sled. The sled is this weight rack of sorts with a rope tied to one end. I had to take both ends of the rope over my shoulder and pull the sled from one line to the next. Again this seems super easy but it's not. Although once you get your momentum it gets better.

We also did inverted rows on three types of ropes. I did okay with the rings but it's definitely a challenge. Do you remember gym class and having to try to climb the rope? Yup, that's one of the ropes. I could barely pull myself up with my feet on the ground. Then I tried with a smaller rope that you take an an end in both hands and this was a little better.

I impressed myself with the shoulder presses. Again we had different options of varying difficulty. I started with the rock. Then I wanted to try the "log" and the keg. I managed to do 4 presses on each. I got a little cocky with the keg until the water inside of it shifted and made the whole exercise a lot more challenging.

We finished with loaded walks. I did two of the three variations. I started with the 75 lbs bag and immediately fell on my duff. It was funny. I tried again and the instructor helped me get it on my shoulder so I could move it to the front of my arms and then walk with it from one line to the next and back. I also carried a keg that was heavier than the one I used for the shoulder press.

I may have missed a few things, but you get the general idea. So, first off I am proud to say I didn't throw up even though I really thought I would. Second I stuck it through to the end and believe me there were moments I wanted to give up. Everyone was really great at encouraging each other not to give up. I'll finish by saying that you should see a whole new me in 11 weeks because this is kick your ass kind of exercise! I'm also starting to wonder if I enjoy torturing myself because I'm going to be doing this twice a week...

A Renewed Love Affair

My mom recently reminded me that I used to love the rain. Anytime it would rain heavy in the summer I would go outside and just turn my face to the torrential downpour. I remember running in the rain and jumping in puddles. Somewhere along the way I'd forgotten this pure joy.

Yesterday, it rained most of the day. I still didn't think much of it, but I worked all day. I don't have a window so I don't really get to see the weather much. But last night I could hear the rain coming down hard and I went outside. I stood on my front step, turned my face up to the sky and smiled. My daughter thought it was quite funny to see her momma outside getting soaked. I remember the pure bliss of being in a nice warm rain. I remember why I've never owned an umbrella.

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Where's Waldo?

I've come to realize that I've been over thinking this whole blog thing again. I find when my mind is in chaos I avoid writing. I guess I'm tired of telling the world that I'm a complete mess. I want a happy, positive, exciting blog where people will read it and talk about it. In reality, I want people to talk about me and say good things about me. Ah, the ego is such a fickle thing.

The truth is this, I enjoy writing. I first started this blog for myself and if it helped someone else that would be a great bonus.

The past couple of years have been a time of self discovery. I wish I could say that I have all the answers or even some answers for myself. I truly don't have any answers. In some ways I wish I could go back to when I thought I knew what I wanted out of life. I really thought all I wanted was a stable job, decent hours, stat holidays off. I thought that would be enough for me. What I'm discovering in this journey is that I need more. This is causing me some guilt. Why can't what I have now just be enough? I am truly blessed with an amazing husband and three healthy unique children whom I love dearly. But even this isn't enough. And that makes me feel like a horrible person. If I'm really honest I'd also admit that my spiritual life is in dire straights. At my core I know what I believe, however, I have a nonexistent spiritual discipline. I come up with plans and ideas but have no follow through. I crave a relationship with God and yet I do nothing about it. Again, with the guilt.

So, there you have it. The whole ugly truth. I started this blog to vent my crazies and somewhere along the line I decided people wouldn't want to read about all my mad ramblings. I've become hidden in this bubble of trying to please others and worrying about someone taking offence. Well, I will still try not to be blatantly offensive. I wouldn't want to hurt someone on purpose, but this blog is called Being Elle. It's time to find her again.

Wish me luck!



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I Once Was Blind....

As you know I've been following the Isagenix program and I've lost some weight. I've lost 35 lbs to be exact! The thing is I haven't felt like I've really lost that much. That is until I came across some pictures from my birthday last November.

I guess being so big for so long I still see myself as 35 lbs heavier even though I know I've lost this weight. And a big part of that is also because I've struggled along the way. I have to constantly remind myself that I didn't gain an extra 100 lbs overnight by creating good habits. It's going to take time for me to develop better habits. I made it this far and haven't included regular exercise (although it's always on my to do list).

I've decided to show you what I can finally see. Although, I admit that this is really difficult for me to put out to the vast interweb. I feel like I need to. I need to show you the progress I've made. If only to record this moment in time for myself.

I've still got a long way to go, but I'm going to give myself this moment in time to just be proud of myself for getting this far.

Way to go me! 

Birthday pictures from November 2013 compared to Progress pictures June 2014

This is what I've accomplished in 3 months. My next three months my focus will be more on getting fit. I've signed up for some super intense training. I'm really excited and completely terrified, but I'll share more about my new fitness regime soon!