Day 21

The good thing about making a commitment is the guilt that comes with it. The bad thing about commitment is the guilt that comes with it. And yes, its the war of the guilt that brings hope to each day, a goal for each sunrise.
So, i pledged today that i will redeem myself. I know i am talking a big game here. But i am proud of the fact that i ran 3 miles today at my very best time of 33.33 minutes, which is not great i know. But the background to this story is that i am a bad runner, or was a bad runner. i hate running, at least i used to. Its the friend i could not make, its the enemy i could not defeat. But today i embraced running. I enjoyed it. And that brings me to the realization that the war, the struggle, the challenges are just so unneeded most times. If only embracing came to us as the first instinct....

And yes i had my green juice today... spinach, carrots, celery, strawberry, banana, apple....yum!

Victory against resistance....Yeehaw. 

Day 11-20

so it goes....guilty as charged. Yes i have taken a detour, i flew off the radar. It didn't help that the last two weeks have been the busiest i have been professionally in recent times. But i am not giving excuses, just that my head was very clouded...and exercising and regimen is the first to go out of the window. Which is a bad thing. But tell you what, i have tried to be committed as much as i can. I have tried to work out most days, not necessarily with Jillian Michaels but have tried running, Pilates, yoga, i have tried to do something. I have also tried to have a green juice on most days. I know, i know, 'most days' doesn't cut it! so i am doing what i think good people will do when they are down and out...get back on the treadmill again. So...I am starting afresh. and this time with higher resolve. And i am going to post regularly as well...sorry homies! yes, i have missed you too.

In other news, i am resolving to try a half marathon this June on my 30th birthday:)...and the hubby is  more than supportive, so i am pumped!!!

Day 9, Day 10 and Day 11

The sinning continues... well a little bit.
I started working for a new client last week and for the first time, i feel things getting crazy. The new work patterns have left me a little flustered and I have to confess, i am struggling. Its coming at a weird point and its almost like life's throwing me these curve balls, right when i am in the middle of this challenge. Although, that was an excuse, I am trying not to create excuses. Life is a potpourri of excuses, you just have to ask.

Day 9: I did weigh myself in the morning and I am 114.7lb today! I lost almost 3lb...not bad for 10 days. Did not work out today, but did my green juice and meditation. Monday's are my meditation classes, so it was an extended period of time that i was there. Its so calming though, i feel very much at home at the center of my head now.

Day 10: Crazy day but got home and without having any mental dialogue with myself, i started my circuit training. The problem is that the prospect of the training is not a pleasant one. Its a very very effective workout routine,  just not enjoyable. And I struggle with that.

Day 11: Lame day because i had to get back in the evening and work. So, I gave up onmy exercise   today...bad, bad, bad. This is two days this week. I just cannot afford to have another such day....Its hard, its hard to keep up a schedule that is good for you, very strange. I am a little surprised that i have to work so hard at it.

Day 7 and Day 8

ok so i have been a bad girl...to say the least. I will cut to the chase first.

Day 7 was very indulgent where much of the time was spent eating at a friends place. Not a good thing when you are in a 30 day challenge. I ate quite a lot and thats common when you are with friends. But these are moments when we need to muster some courage. Its hard. Hope i do better next time. I did come back and spend 45 minutes doing a power yoga - pilates combo with ellen barrett from Crunch. If you havent tried it already, its a bomb. I had single handedly lost close to 10lb in 2 months with her Crumch Super Slimdown DVD. Its a great great workout. And yeah i did sneak in a quick meditation in the morning. So, not a bad day afterall but I could have declined on that brownie!

Day 8 was relaxing. I took it easy since it was a Sunday. I cheated because i should have worked out today. I did get my green juice today but didnt workout today. I am not sure i am handling this to the best of my abilities. I think and analyze about it so much that i could just workout in that time. I hope to get it going. I also need to measure up tomorrow - weigh in and check my fat percentage.

What did i learn: Eating a brownie is real easy, its the guilt that comes after thats hard to live with!

Wish me luck for a better week next week...

Day 6

Its a great feeling when you continue a good habit! its like the victory of the vulnerable self against more powerful enemies aka sleep, laziness, fatigue, blah, blah.

I did get up at 6am again today...yahooooo! did all of my three circuits. Guess i never really talked about the circuits. Its the 3-2-1 system - 3 mins of Strength, 2 mins of hard core cardio and 1 min abs. There is no rest, absolutely none, between the circuits. So you just have to keep going. I do sneak in some water, otherwise i feel like i am going to die. But it does get done and once its done, it feels good baby! i did meditate for a little while. it was a little hard to concentrate today but meditation also means a no judgement state. Its ok to think, its more important to let go of it.

Did not get the green juice today, instead i opted for a hot cuppa chai with the hubby while staring out the window at the lake...ahha...these moments are to die for, or to live for!

What did i learn today: i will go with something that Jillian Michaels says in the DVD. Transformation is not a future event. Its a present activity. And all you have to do is to bring the best of yourself in any activity, give it all that you can.

Will just leave it at that....see you guys tomorrow.

Day 5

wow its already Day 5! much better i say and what great learnings from the day as well. I got up half hour early and that made all the difference. its crazy how very small changes can have profound effect on the overall quality of life. i got up at 6 and worked out my 3 circuits of HIIT and then made my green juice for the day.

The day was super crazy and stressful in a weird way but it helped me to know that i had worked out already. otherwise i would stress myself out more by reminding myself. the way my days are going, i think its best for me to finish up working out early in the morning, before the crazy world hits you. you also have a stream of fresh energy in the morning that pushes us to whatever it is we want to...something that severely lacks in the evening, especially during the cruel winters.

Do i see any changes? I don't know what it is but i see my acne receding. which is great because i had started feeling pretty awful about it. i think its the green juice. it could also be the good hormones from the work out. Whatever it is, its good!

Anything i learnt today? Yeah, the significance of small changes. We all can exercise. All of us. But we complain about time. If we can just resolve to sleep half hour early and get up the same way, we can include an effective workout in that time. And imagine what goodness it can bring. But we don't do that. We complain. its always easier to complain than get up half hour early from slumber. its easier when we can push the accountability for our failures to take care of our healths to someone or something else like time or work. It feels good when its not us. But it is us. Everything is us. The buck stops here. Lets own up now!

Day 3 and 4

ok...it seems like the Gods are trying me!! its tough to stick to a challenge people...its tough. 

Day 3 was actually not bad. started my day out with a green juice. What do i put in juice you ask...there is Kale, celery and carrot sticks, blueberries and bananna. i usually put half a banana, because its packed with high fat and although its good for you, i try to cut it into halves. the husband has started getting a glass of my green juice goodness as well! thats what so good about cleansing programs, it rubs off everyone in the family.  I visited the St. Peter's church on the way to work and meditated there for about 10 minutes. I love that place, the silence there is so addictive that i keep going back. 
i am supposed to start working for a new client and thus i wanted to get a few things in order, so rushed back home in the evening, got the stuff done which included a manicure. Worked on only two circuits of the three from the JM program but something is good than nothing. in addition, i managed to grill some salmon too. 
All in all, day 3 was productive but it felt like i had to try too hard. You know what i mean, it was like there was no rhythm to it. 

Day 4 was a shitshow. Started consulting work for a very high profile client and thus needed to commit the whole day and parts of the evening to work. I did start out the day with 10 minutes of some quite meditation. And i was very eager to insert my work out that time as well, but convinced myself that evening is a better time! Of course I got back home at about 7 and all i needed was a cup of hot tea and some comfort snacks(these just kill my programs!) but my body needed it, well it was almost that my soul needed it and i did give in. I didnt want to not work out. So, it was almost 8 and my got myself out of the couch. I did 30 sit ups, a 60 seconds plank hold, 30 squats and 30 tricep rolls. Did i feel like i did enough....No but it was something.

life does get in your way when you resolve to do something but its only when you challenge life and show em that you are serious, it starts to step out of the way...
This week has not been very encouraging, with my periods making me overall pretty tired, the new client and the frigid weather outside. There is just no respite. But i have to keep going, keep going i will do. 

Day 2

Day 2 was a wash out! Yes, its the classical resistance phenomenon that happens when you resolve to do something. I got my periods and hence ensued the cramps that left me debilitated. There was definitely an eagerness to still do some exercise but i just couldn't. After a day full of remorse and guilt,  i finally accepted the situation during my meditation. I also went to my spiritual awareness class to continue my kindergarten in spiritual studies and yes I still got my green juice for today:)...so I am proud of that!

That's life you know...you take what you get and you accept when things don't go your way. We don't give ourselves enough credit for so many things. For example, today was focused on my misfortune and not the two other commitments that i did keep. But now there is awareness, so I am pardoned:)

How do i feel today: I definitely feel better than I felt in the last month. There is a feeling of cleanse inside and a sort of a chutzpah that comes from good input of fuel into the system. Its like the body and soul is smiling back at me and saying...you are doing good. I am feeling good.

That's a good feeling!

Here's to the next 29 days...

Peace. 

Day 1

There are two things I am extremely passionate about - writing and holistic living..well, there are three actually...spending time with my husband, but that's for some other time!

Why am I here: I wanted to present myself with a challenge of pursuing my loves for 30 days. You know how we know whats the right thing to do - exercise regularly, eat more greens, cut down on sugar, meditate, smile more, let go...but there is something thrilling about not doing the right thing. The thrilling part is laziness. Its always easier not to exercise, and the other blah blahs.
I have been no different. I have blamed everything from travelling for work, to moving two apartments, to busy lifestyles, to watching Hose of Cards to not living my best life. And although I am firm believer in living in the NOW, which comes with the disclaimer of acceptance of whatever you are doing at that moment, I am not falling for it. For far too long, I have dreamt of a ripped body. Yes, I love my body and I am extremely grateful that I have been gifted a healthy, functional instrument. But I believe that I sometimes just let it go and this time, I need to prove it to myself.

What am I going to do: For the next thirty days, I am going to exercise everyday, cut down on processed sugar to one tsp a day(for my chai!), meditate for at least 15 minutes, and have one green juice a day. Too much? We'll see. More importantly, I am going to write about it. Not only the changes in my body, my skin and hair but changes mentally. Because what is success but mental peace. This is not for others, as it is for my own monologue.

What results am I looking for: I am looking for definition...in my abs, thighs and most importantly, my arms. My arms have been the one thing that I want to see ripped. at least once in my life. And my skin. I believe my skin is a direct reflection of the imbalance in my life. Its angry and its showing.

What tools am I using: I am starting off today with Jillians Michaels, 30 day shred. Its a 30 minute high intensity interval training program. Yes, I feel like dying when i do it but i feel great when its done. And I have found it effective in the past...just that I never stuck to it.
 My new training shoes. I just spent a bomb on my shoes that I believe(or I would like to) will energize my workouts.
Nutribullet: A Nutribullet a day, keeps the blues away!! It has bought a revolution in our lives and I would like to use it as an aid in my transformation.

My starting out stats: Here's how i look right now
Weight: 117.7lb
Fat%: 23%

So there I go...hope you join in my journey!