The Challenge Unlocked

The Facebook Group I lead


So here it is - I'm starting to shop for the prizes for the winners.  Yeah, I know I said winners because I hate not having more than one.  I haven't had a man challenge the group yet, sorry to say... but I'm happy to eat men alive! HA!


Basically what my challenge boils down to is this:


Scripture a day, thankful for something a day, or motivational quote for a day. Do this with me for thirty days - as well as my personal trainers challenge and I will enter you into a prize drawing! It will be worth it! You must tag me every day! (if you cannot run, and I mean cannot, and you want in, message me....) We are here to change lives! I want some positive energy on Facebook and in this world! Let's do this! You in?! Starting August 1st!


This is my trainer - Ahmad Baari - he's fantastic - I'm taking on the intermediate challenge.  Yep.  I'm in overdrive here folks!  And school starts for me in the middle of the challenge but how else am I going to ring in my birthday in September by feeling great and looking great without some sort of amazing effort put in. Habits start and continue in 30 days!

Since only LADIES took me up so far - one of the gifts is a set of makeup that can be used as eyeshadow or a bronzer... YEP!  PIXI makeup!  $27.00 set!  I'd love to skype with you and show you how to use it!  I bought one for myself and won't use it unless I complete the challenge! :)  I am going to get a Target or Amazon giftcard too because with the body you'll gain with this challenge who wants to wear old workout wear?  Right?  This is coming from my own pocket, nothing was donated.  Yep.  For real.

So with that being said.  I'm with you on this, you with me?

All the best, Amy

Been busy moving

I moved one of my best friends in with me this last week. It was cardio and weights at it's finest! Stairs, boxes, cleaning, sweat... Yes a workout! I came across an old picture that reminded me of what is important. My face is changing. Not just the thinning of my face but my face glows. Do you know when you are grateful, when you share your gifts, talents, joy with others it comes back to you? Truly? In spite of everything in my life, I am pretty contented and happy. First time I can say that. Here is a picture odd my face change. PS. Challenge details starting August first will post later. This post is coming straight from my phone! XO Amy.

Do we need Ghostbusters?

Well, probably not, but, this is a great way to not let those nutrient rich foods go to waste and keep your body clean and healthy at the same time.  I used my fantastic Oster blender I got at Costco a few years back, a Brita self filtering water bottle, and some Sterilite BPA free ice cube trays from Wal-Mart to do this little ditty with the Organic Baby Kale I purchased from Costco a few days ago.  I hate waste, so I had to find a way to save my kale!  Perhaps I won't be saving every nutrient, but I am saving most I would imagine.  And this stuff is good for me.  I'm enjoying it!  I hope this gives you hope or options when it comes to going green with your drinking smoothies and protein shakes.  It's possible to eat clean and live well!  Yours in health and on this journey - Amy

Slimer is laid to rest

Video blog to come soon! editing XO

Well...

Working out has between kicking up intensity lately. Higher inclines, including running, pushing myself because I am so dang determined to see changes. I guess it will come the more I push.  Staying with the plan gets hard when you don't see the scale move because you feel like a failure, and when I told Ahmad this he told me to put my scale away for the next six days. So I did... It's in time out.

I know inches lost is more important than the scale numbers so... Onward I go.

Quick update

Bought lots of organic produce and foods today at Costco. Good eating ahead. Tomorrow morning workout is planned. I am relieved... Happy. Ready. Keep moving forward!

Posting from my phone!

Minor success today! Realizing that even though changes may be slow, they come. Here's my measurement logs and what yesterdays gym intervals looked like. I am working hard. I found i am battling medication. But it's possible to continue to put the effort in to make yourself better! Hang in there! You can do it!

Day 8 recap and VLOG - (LOST VLOG)

Maybe this will post whatever I do have stored on my computer... 

**This is a "lost" vlog - and isn't as complete as my other videos**

Sometimes the best blogs are the little bit longer ones that explain more of the process to you instead of you having to read it!

**VLOG recorded on the 11th of July**

So sorry

Technical difficulties plague me yet!  BAH!  If I can recover or post old vlogs, I will.  I hope that you are sticking with me, and with this process.  It's worth it.  I am doing work on myself for my PTSD the same time as workouts and changing my body, and I think that it's helping the process along.  As I get stronger, so does my mind and my confidence in my ability to overcome.  I hope you enjoy!  *Warning - I was chewing a pumpkin seed! lol*

Yours in this journey,

Amy

GO HARD OR GO HOME! - Gray Maynard

Day Seven - Skyscraper - Cover by @KarminMusic

"Go on and try to tear me down, I will be rising from the ground, like a sky scraper."

This version, this band, her styling... it's so me.  I love Karmin anyway. Maybe it's the fact her name is Amy too, or the fact she's so very retro and pin up looking too... and down to Earth.

But the triumph over life and our trials is true.  We can accomplish anything.

This morning when I took my week one progress shots, I noticed that my body is changing.  When I stepped on the scale, my weight was up a half a pound from one week ago.  The eating disorder in me was screaming.  SCREAMING.  The logic in me was hollering right back to shut up.  Thankfully I had a text from Ahmad that was streaming real time in my head too: "That half pound up is burning calories.  It's muscle."

I look over the progress pictures, which I am still too chicken to post, and I do see the changes.  It's a fight in me.  It's still a real battle I fight.  But I fight it with you.  Don't listen to the scale.  Listen to the change your clothes, to your body changing shape.  You are rising from the ashes of your former self.  Give your body time.  Throw the scale away if you have to.  It's a process and a journey.  Not a destination.  Keep plugging along with me!  You can do it!

Tonight I go to Spin Class - What are you doing?

Yours in this journey - Amy

Day Six - Wow... Sunburns and All - Video Blog

Feeling failure to get even ten push-ups out was horrifying for me.  I laid down and cried for the first time.  When your body says enough is enough, you sometimes have to listen and just do what you can... and that's okay.  So yesterday was an easier cardio day.  I have had to take it in stride and learn to listen to my body.  Ahmad is teaching me things I have  been too stubborn in my past to listen to and caused injury to myself before.  Even when your body is sore... you can do something, just an easier version.  Get your heart working and the sweat dripping, now that is good.  Ahmad and I worked on our plan yesterday and that's what it was.  Building this cardio beast. 


(And the Boise Music Festival where I got a wicked sunburn which SUCKS when wearing a sports bra!!!  OUCH!)  

Day six... that's been fun - here's my video blog for the update.  You can work through it... it can be done.  I'm living proof!  I believe in you - because someone believes in me. :)  PS - today I did push-ups - and burpees - because I rested yesterday - no tears dripping down these cheeks... :)

Yours On This Journey,

Amy XO

Day Four! Video Included!

When you think you can't do it anymore... when there's no gas left in your tank...  Think of everyone who told you that you couldn't.  That you'd never amount to anything.  Use that as fuel for your fire to finish, because if you lay down and die, they win.  And we cannot let that happen.

For those that came before and have lost their lives, we honor them when we keep moving forward.

For those that tried to hold us down and tell us we couldn't, we show them otherwise.  One foot in front of the other is all it takes.  That's all it takes my friends.

Day Three - Recap! Video!!

Diet was clean yesterday.  I had to pull from my bowels to get myself out of bed to go workout.  This double medicine stuff was hard.  The weaning off of it ends today 7-6-2012 and I should notice a difference here soon!  I've posted a video to recap my feelings and some motivation to the masses.  I love you!  Keep moving forward!

To follow the workouts I'm doing - Simply go to INSTAGRAM and follow my friend Ahmad Baari - @damhas - #femalefullbodyworkout - he's got photos demonstrating how to do the whole workout too!

Day One - Let's Do This

There has been a long road in my life - getting me to where I am now with my health - both mentally and physically.  A lot of it I have to say comes from the mental aspect of your willingness to let go and allow the process to change you.  As the blog carries on and things get moving ahead - day after day, I will add into the mix more and more about my life and what brought me to the breaking point.  For now, I will begin blogging my journey back to healthy so as to share with you what I am able to accomplish because I truly believe with your heart and mind in the right spot there is nothing you can't tackle.

There is this great book I was introduced to called "The Power" by Rhonda Byrne.  Fantastic book to read - or listen to and read along.  I listen to it on my iPod when I need to recharge my brain power now and change my thinking again because I forgot - I am in control of the things in my life I let slip.  Once I learned how to use my thoughts and feelings to control things in my life, truly miraculous things happened.  Down to specific details.

I have been on a mission to reclaim my health, my sanity, my joy.  Fitness is a huge aspect in that for me.  I always felt like watching The Biggest Loser I was cheated because I deserved an opportunity like that - for someone to say I was worth the investment of time and energy of a personal trainer to change my body and my mind, but I wasn't fat enough to make the show.

About four days ago I sat in my car and started to mentally put together what I would need to be able to accomplish my goals I had written out.  He would need to be about thirty something.  Maybe like Dolvett.  Live far away so I don't feel intimidated but could keep me accountable.  Know something about fitness for women.  Have videos where he shows me what to do.  Be positive and kind.  SEE ME THROUGH.

Enter INSTAGRAM.  On the popular page - here's a fitness multi-square photo... hmm... interesting.  "Burn fat...."  I read - looked at the other photos... This is what I'm looking for - went to the personal page - "Yes!" I exclaimed!  Then went to the YouTube - and started to cry.  I think I found the person!  Simply responded to an Instagram that I would endeavor to make my mile faster to drop the body fat like he said it would.  He responded. And that's how it started.

Ahmad Baari is incredible.  He's my personal trainer across the distance.  I trust this man to help me get to my goals, even though I can't meet him face to face.  He takes me on, all my baggage, and day one is done.  My workout was based on a YouTube video today.

Four times folks.  Workout In The Maximum Heart Rate Zone
You can also download his workouts to your smart phone.

I have been doing spin class  on my own for about 12 weeks now - so my legs are built like tree stumps - but my cardio overall is lacking.  We are building that now - and for that I am grateful.  I suggest you download his book for just $10 or grab a workout for less than that.  :)  He's a good guy.

Proof that his workouts work...

Yours in fitness - and on this journey...

Amy