91Ô­´´

Here we are the end of my 12 week TC Happy/Health Challenge.Ìý I can tell you this – when I started this journey 12 weeks ago I completely underestimated where it was going to take me.Ìý I can’t say I always enjoyed the ride and there was more than one occasion where I wanted to get off at the next stop but I am happy I stuck with it and know that I am on a better path.Ìý A path I wouldn’t have been on without the Times 91Ô­´´, my trainer Dana at Westshore Rec, my awesome husband and kids and my super supportive friends and co-workers.Ìý I am forever grateful to them all for dragging me kicking and screaming toward a happier and healthier life.Ìý As well, a HUGE thank you to New Balance and Frontrunners for the new kicks and gift card so by some new clothes!!

Ok – enough with that!Ìý Here are some more numbers that my accountant self would like to share.Ìý The final count on my weight and inch loss is – 12lbs and 19 inches lost over the last 12 weeks!Ìý I am happy about those numbers and am glad I didn’t set a specific goal as I would hate to be sitting here now upset that I didn’t reach my goal vs. happy I succeeded in losing anything.Ìý I would give myself a solid C+ or maybe even a B on my overall performance throughout the last 12 weeks.Ìý Could I have done better?Ìý Of course I could have – but right now I am just going to be happy that I have started to make some positive changes and try to keep up with it for the rest of my life.

What are the most important lessons I learned over the 12 weeks of the TC Happy/Health Challenge:

1. It’s really all up to me!Ìý As much as it is awesome to have family, trainers, friends and co-workers support you – if I don’t get my lazy a$$ off the couch and do it it’s not going to happen – they can’t work out for me (as much as I would like them too sometimes!)

2. I can actually control what food I put in my mouth!Ìý This is depressing to realize that I can’t blame Wendy’s or McDonalds for forcing me to eat bad food.Ìý It’s all me!

3. I can accomplish way more than I thought!Ìý I may not have done the best at balancing work, family, school and workouts but I am hopeful that I did ok and that I will get better at the balancing act over time.

4. This should really be #1 – My husband is amazing!! – Anyone that knows Walter knows that he is a very private person – so me going thru this journey so publically was hard for him but never once did he tell me I shouldn’t do it.Ìý He just said I should do what I need to do to be successful in getting happier and healthier!Ìý He talked me off the ledge countless times over the last 12 weeks and I am so grateful!Ìý I am a very lucky lady!!Ìý He has seen me at my worst and I am excited that he will get to see me at my best soon!

5. And finally – there is so much more to being healthy than just trying to lose weight!Ìý If you are not happy then no matter what you are trying to do to get healthier, I think you will ultimately fail because you either sabotaged yourself or just quit because it was too hard.Ìý Getting healthy is hard period end of story but it’s about way more than losing weight.Ìý You need to make whatever changes are necessary to let you be happy in every area of your life. ÌýJust trying to lose weight and hoping it will solve your other problems won’t work.Ìý It’s a package deal – being healthier and happier go hand in hand.Ìý PS-NEVER get on a scale!Ìý Be happy with how you look not what you weigh.

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So now that the 12 weeks is over what’s next?Ìý Well my next short term goals are:

1. TC10K end of April (I want to run more than I walk),
2. Hike Mt. Finlayson (my co-worker Theresa has offered to hike it with me in May),
3. Wall squat competition with Erik (I am making it harder on him by delaying it till after his new baby is born and he will have to strap the new baby onto his chest and it will be on a day after he has been up all night with a crying baby – yeah that should work in my favour (hopefully!!))
4. Figure out with my co-worker Julie what we are going to do for lunch time workouts after our Studio 4 groupon runs out,
5. Figure out who runs the Lentil Lovers Society, that has been giving me grief about my dislike of lentils, and somehow bring them down from the inside,
6. Before my birthday in August, transform into beast mode and try to redouble my efforts on the work out front so I can get as close as possible to my vision of what I want to look like.

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Yes, yes – I am officially out of the closet – I am a complete dork, nerd whatever you want to call it.Ìý I realize in my blogs I have referenced Game of Thrones (which is awesome by the way!!), Star Trek and now Beast Wars – Transformers.Ìý There is no going back now - my daughter will be so proud of me.

And not to taint your view of me but as my family and soccer teammates know I like to swear so in conclusion I would like to say – “F*#kin’ rights bitches – I survived!! “

Off to celebrate all my hard work 50 Shades style!!

Laters baby!!