Thats my story and Im sticking to it.
This last February I was the heaviest I have ever been, 185lbs (picture with the pink shirt). I decided at that point that is was time to make a change. Most of you know that I am pretty active but I needed some incentive. I decided to set a goal to do Scott Tinley’s Extreme Adventure triathlon at the end of the summer. This would be a good reason to start training. I got out the bicycles, started running and lifting weights pretty regularly. Over 2 months went by and I was running 15-20 miles a week and lifting weights at least 3-4 days and I had barely lost 10 lbs. (picture next to pink shirt pic is after 10lb loss) THEN I found Orange Coast Crossfit (see previous posts about the gym and stuff). I have written a lot about how awesome Crossfit is and my gym is so I won’t go way into that. After my first couple weeks of crossfit the owner Justin Flynn asked me about my diet and talked to me about the Zone Diet. Of course he had already shown me so much and I really trusted him so I had no problem giving it a shot. Not to mention it kinda seemed like a challenge and I am all about the challenge, “Bring it on” (insert spirit fingers here).
I followed the diet exactly and the first week I felt great, a little hungry but good for the most part. But then the second week I thought I should have been committed to the mental ward! I was totally emotional and a space cadet! I went into the gym and told Justin that I was losing it. He told me about this other Crossfit girl who had the same issues and told me to push through it. I did make some minor adjustments that made life easier and the next week I was fine and living the Zone! I won’t go into details about the diet there is lots of info out there about it but I will tell you the biggest change for me was the carbohydrates. I originally decided to do the diet as much as I could Paleo Style (has a face, comes out of the ground or off a tree basically). I traded ALL my carbs for fruits and vegetables. AND I don’t eat Gluten (well barely). No Pasta, no rice 
, no bread :(. I don’t buy anything that comes in a box. I eat fruit 4-5 times a day, I eat cashews (because I hate almonds) 4-5 times a day (for my fat source), and I don’t have a cheat day. I found that when the cheat day came I didn’t want to cheat and/or I would crave my zone meal.
Did it work?? Minus the original 10 lbs I lost I have lost 20 lbs in 10 weeks for a total loss of 30 lbs since February. I am in great shape and feel amazing! I don’t have any clothes that fit me anymore but I don’t want to buy any because I continue to lose weight. My goal weight is 145 and I am 10 lbs away. Losing weight and getting in shape is not easy but once you realize that being healthy isn’t “this short time of diet and training to get to your goal weight so you can return to your normal life” and start making it your lifestyle, you will see that its not that hard.
I look at these pictures and I feel really proud of myself and really excited because I know how much fun I am having and how seeing the results only motivates me more. So just to leave you with some things:
- so you know Im not a total health freak there are some things that I still eat to make myself happy-chocolate covered soy beans (have a couple a day), beer once and a while is good, I still eat sushi, and never feel guilty if I fall off the wagon, life is too short.
- my gym is the happiest place on earth because of the PEOPLE. All the people I work out with I know by name and I can tell you something special about all of them. AND they all care about my success as well as their own. In the 10 years I was a member at 24hour fitness I NEVER knew any ones name and had to practically beg people to even do so much as give me a spot!
- Two people that are very dear to me play a big role in my success, my trainers. Justin who is my crossfit “rock”- he puts his heart and soul in that gym and constantly teaches us more and more stuff. He takes pride in making each one of us better crossfitters. And somehow he finds time to improve himself so he is a great role model for those who are around him. Zac-who never lets me fail, and then when I am so disappointed in myself cause I could have done better he picks me up, brushes the dust off and tells me how awesome I did and how proud he is of me. Even when he is not there I hear his voice cheering me on. I couldn’t ask for a better support system.
So that’s my story and I am sticking to it!
-Sheryl Condon
Not this
