Digging Out of a Hole and the quest to live forever

In slightly less then 2 months, I have managed to lose 15 lbs and over 17 inches from my chest, waist, hips, thigh and biceps.  My BMI is finally in the normal range and my waist circumference no longer has me in the danger zone for heart disease.  My risk for diabetes had drastically decreased.  I have more energy than before I had Ellie and you all know that I need a lot of energy to stay on top of The Chunky Chicken's antics.  My anxiety is at an all time low which says a lot given the fact that I often blog about my battle with depression and generalized anxiety disorder.  Most shockingly, I need less coffee to get through the day!

Forever keeping me on my toes.

Why am I telling you all of this?

1.  The fact is, I need to live forever. I am not going to lie. I must outlive my daughter.  Don't get me wrong, the idea of watching my Ellie pass away before me does not give me great pleasure and it does keep me awake at night.  Having a child special needs is a different kind of parenting worry.  As Ellie ages into older adulthood, she will require more care and possibly supervision.  I need to take care of her for as long as possible before my health deteriorates as I do not want her to end up in a state-run nursing home with no one watching over her.  Additionally, living forever also entails being healthy!  It does no good to outlive your daughter if she is stuck having to care for you!

2. I am a quitter.  At least when it comes to healthy living.  I ate horribly.  I indulged in Ritter Sport chocolate bars.  Bad days and pain = chocolate Amy's ice cream.  I was in grad school and didn't make working out a priority.  I started Zumba a few years ago.  Got rear ended and was incapacitated for 4 months.  Took me even more months to restart.  That lasted a few weeks before I got rear ended again.  No working out for several more months because I "just didn't feel like it'.  Then I started Insanity which I loved and lost 2 lb a week just working out twice a week, but then the holiday's hit and that was that.  Quitting is easy, but I was tired of starting over.  Each time I quit, I would gain the weight back.  I am done with that!  Done!  Over!  Finished!


3. I have been able to do this through the support and encouragement of friends who want to adopt a life style modification for themselves and I want to pay it forward.

http://www.teambeachbody.com/annatheurer

Two months ago, a friend of mine said she signed up to do the 21 Day Fix Challenge.  Peer pressure got the best of me and I thought "why not? I can do anything for 3 weeks!".  Three weeks is what it takes to change most bad habits and establish newer, healthier ones.  The 21 Day Fix is a part of the Beachbody fitness programs.  Think of Insanity, P90X, and Turbo Fire.  I had 7 different 30 minute workouts and an eating guide.  Oh and Shakeology.  Chocolate shakeology.  Yum!  I have trouble sticking to things (remember Zumba?) and getting to the gym was becoming impossible due to the class schedule and Ellie's schedule conflicting.  That and those classes are 60 minutes!  In the safety of my own home, I was able to work out with Ellie sitting on my chest or imitating downward dog.  Girlfriend has me beat on flexibility!

I was/am a member of a FB group with people also in the challenge.  We would post when we worked out and recipes.  I would sign on and see that so-and-so did Dirty 30 after working a 12 hour shift.  Peer pressure!  So of course I had to do Dirty 30.

I have completed 2 rounds of the 21 Day Fix Challenge and I actually lost more weight and inches the 2nd round.   I am now a Beachbody Coach that helps manage a closed Facebook Accountability group called Forward Motion Fitness.  There are people who are looking to lose weight, eat better, get new recipes, run, walk, or use Beachbody workouts such as T25, Les Mills Body Pump, or the 21 Day Fix.

Let's all just take a moment that I am mortified and
am in shock that I actually posted this!  I didn't even put
this on my Facebook page :-/
note: that is my swimsuit bottom and not underwear!

4. Arthritis is a literal pain in the butt or hip or back or knees and physical activity, core strengthening, and stretching can alleviate this crunching, burning pain.

Remember my herniated discs and arthritic back?  I was able to modify my workouts to be low-impact.  Think marching instead of high-knees.  Sadly, the last 3 weeks I have only been able to work on arms and chest due to my back issues.  I am able to walk in short burst throughout the day as too much walking, sitting more than 20 minutes, and prolonged standing increase my pain.  Now that the epidural steroid shots are slowly working their way along my nerves, I hope to start up with the newly released PiYo.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/annatheurer

I have been waiting months for this work out program.  It is a combination of pilates and yoga which builds strength and increases flexibility without burpees!  I loathe burpees and mountain climbers.  Low impact, high intensity, no weights, 8 different workouts.  I am so excited to get back into working out!  This mama bear is striving to be a MILF :-P

5. Finally, a not so thinly veiled ulterior motive: I am now an independent beachbody coach.  Remember how I mentioned Shakeology earlier in this post?  I am addicted.  Before my lifestyle modification, I was gorging on Ritter Sport candy bars and Amy's double chocolate ice cream.  No brownie could go uneaten.  I crave chocolate.  Right now I drink chocolate Shakeology which came as part of my 21 Day Fix Challenge package, but you can buy it individually and in different flavors.  It is not a weight loss drink, but it can be used as a meal replacement.  I drink mine for breakfast because I tend to feel queasy in the morning and not eat which leads to overeating later.  It has high protein, tons of fiber, pre/pro-biotics, and digestive enzymes.  Mostly I like the flavor and sneak in spinach and fruit too.  So, addicted.  By being a Beachbody Coach, I get a discount on all beach body products such as PiYo and most importantly, shakeology.

http://www.beachbodycoach.com/annatheurer

Additionally, I am hoping that my story will maybe help encourage people to adopt a health lifestyle. Even if it is just changing one thing such as drinking more water or cutting out soda.  Because, you know, you want to live forever and a healthy forever!





If any of you would like more information on fitness programs or shakeology or are interested in doing a Challenge (and added to the FB group), you may visit www.beachbodycoach.com/annatheurer or email me at annatheuerfitness (at) gmail (dot) com.  Or you can visit my Facebook page www.facebook.com/annatheurerfitness