Update

No real conclusive news on my brother...he is home and still uncomfortable (and by uncomfortable, honestly, I don't know the extent of the "pain" involved in that "discomfort").  They didn't make anything super clear about his heart or the pain...the ekg's came back clear, and an x-ray showed reason for him to be checked by a pulmonary specialist...which, of course, takes time. We're still praying. I'll keep you posted. Thanks, friends...for your current and continued prayers and for checking in with me here and there...I appreciate you.

My brother...

...is in the hospital.  He's 35, and in the middle of the night last night, went to the hospital with chest pains. Chest Pains, folks. Did I mention he's 35?  After two EKG's, blood work, and x-rays...there were no conclusions...and morphine isn't touching the pain. There is now a specialist working on him...and they're talking about a possible infection around his heart or an embolism...guess who is using her google search skills??

If you pray, I'd so appreciate your prayers. He's kind of one of the most important people in my life. And I'm sure his four kids and amazing wife feel kind of the same way.

Thanks, friends...

365 Days

One year ago today, I started my Beachbody journey. 

One Year.

We ordered P90X for Seth...thinking it would finally be the program he could commit to.  If you've watched the infomercials, you know how motivating they are: real people, real results. I think we both had a bit of "if it seems too good to be true, it usually is" going through our minds, but looking at their results, it really seemed worth a shot. It came in the mail.  It sat on the kitchen table. After a good week, I finally said, "OK. You're not going to do it? For $120, I am." I started the program on a Wednesday, not realizing how the schedule would actually work out...and loved it from the first day I did it (and Yoga on Saturdays...might be perfect).  But Oh. My. Gosh. was I sore. I popped onto the teambeachbody.com website at the recommendation of a friend, and found out all about recovery drinks and the nutrition plan and adding protein and not freaking out when you actually GAIN weight your first month (which I so did).  Before I knew it, I had reached day 90. The end of my first round. I headed right back into it again, adding occasional doubles the 2nd round, and watched my body literally shrink.  By the end of round 2, I'd lost 4.5 inches from my chest, 4 inches from my waist, and 4 inches from my hips.  Inches, folks.  And honestly, I started the program in that "I look fine" category of people...comfortable, acceptable, just barely in the "normal" weight/height range, but "fine." To lose inches like that when you think you're "fine"... it's crazy. After that, a 2-month round of Insanity, a month of turbo fire, another 2-month round of Insanity, and 3 weeks ago, I started my hybrid: Insanity/P90X.   There has never been a question as to what I would do next...definitely another beachbody program.  There has never been a question as to whether I would continue after I finished something...of course I would.  I have watched not just my body change, but my entire outlook on fitness and nutrition as well.  Is every day perfect? No. I still sometimes struggle with my favorite awful foods.  I still hate to set my alarm for earlier in the morning than I would have to wake up were I not doing these workouts.  I still have days where the thought of working out and fitting everything else in is overwhelming...but I have logged something like 340 workouts in WOWY in the past year (and I didn't start logging them in until well into my first round of P90X), and I have no intentions of not logging a workout every day it's humanly possible to do so.

I feel strong. I feel like I've accomplished something I wasn't sure I could do.  I feel like I've done something not many other people can say they've done.  And I've done it more than once.  I feel like I conquered a giant in my life--working out and eating well and thinking about my long-term health before what makes me temporarily happy (namely sweets and too much junk food and inactivity). I even convinced myself to try tomatoes, and have found that I actually like them. That may sound small...trust me, it's not. :)  Every day is still a decision...but it's a decision that is quickly made.  I will work out.  I will work hard.  I will push further every day. 

Is Beachbody and the workouts the company offers some sort of Magic Plan? No. Definitely not. But the programs work. They give me accountability. They give me a community in which to communicate and relate and find support. They are TOUGH. They have a plan to which I could commit. There are clear goals, clear plans, simple steps. Push play. Eat right. Get fit. Do it again. I have tried other programs, other methods, other ideas.  P90X was something I could do. It HURT! But then...it rocked.

And every time I think about it, I want to talk about it, and I hope to drag a few people along with me in the process.  :) 

Wanna jump in?