So I've spent the past few days getting this Blog together - adding pics was not easy - I thought I could just a slideshow to Flickr - hopefully I'll get better.
At any rate - I've been eating really clean since I returned from PGH after the holiday - getting in 5-6 meals a day - its tough, but it is just as important as exercising. Taking in lean protein, complex carbs is critical. The only supplemants I take are:
Glutamine, BCAA's and Creatine EE. Everything I've learned on supplements is from teambix.com - you should really check out that site. Search through the forus - my screen name is Metamorphosis ( get it?) At any rate, the guys there are extremely nice and helpful - AND non-judgemental. If you are like me, you are embarassed to let anone know how much you weigh, what you eat on a regular basis, and how little exercise you actually do on a daily basis. Hey, you have to start somewhere !
So, I celebrated my 1 year anniversayr to health and fitness yesterday - I joined a new GYM - Retro Fitness - a franchise tyPe establishment - but really nice - clean, and great machines, cables, cardio, free weights - its beautiful - I fugure I can gO there a few times a week when I'm not training with my trainer ! Check it out online - the best part...its only 20 bucks a month - a real value !
Tomorrow starts my StrongWoman training. I will be woking with my trainer and his brother on the basics of Westside Barbell Training, and playing with some of the Stong Woman aparatus' - Log Press, Atlas Stones... I'll be sure to take some pics and vid and post.
Glad you are with me on this journey !
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Christmas 2008 - Down 35 lbs feeling great with my girls
Finally got into the "little black dress" !
April 2008 - My last day at work. Pictured here with my trainer...down20 lbs
I could never have come this far without THIS wonderful guy ! He is my rock ! Constant motivation and support through my journey, and training me for strongwoman !
Me and Jaimie - June, 2008 - Down 25
Great night with my daughter at a concert....I was the only 42 yearld in themosh pit with my kid ! A real teaching moment ! Again...nothing I wont do !
May, 2008- Down 25...
hard pic to look at, but there is a reason I posted it. Prior to my journey, I became so introverted, I would not do fun things like go horse back riding. I was so self conscious. Now, there is NOTHING I won't do !
LBI, NJ August 2008
If you loook at my photo albumbs over the past 15 years, the only pics of me are hiding behind my kids...well not anymore. I'm still 35 lbs away from my goal - but I have increaed self confidence!
My first EVER Spinning class
Pictured here with my best friend - my sister! She is the Spinning instructor. I also took one of her yoga classes over Christmas break !
Conference in Florida
still holdin at 35...I worked out 3 of the 5 days I was at the conference ! Always keep the momentum going! This is a LIFE change,not a diet !
Amy and Sarah St Pat's Parade 2008 ( down 20lbs)
what a great day ! Walked for 4 solid hours that day...enough cardio?????
Monday, December 29, 2008
This blog is being used to track my progress as I train for my first Strongwoman competition. I plan on entering weekly updates, and include pictures and videos. I want to inspire other women or men who have had issues with their weight, self-esteem or depression. I hope that my story and my activities can help to inspire you. To begin, I want to tell you a little it about me and the journey of my transformation. I am in no way near my goal, but I am stronger every day, and know I will one day get there!
My name is Amy. I'm a 43 year old mother of two teenage daughters. I have had an issue with weight since 1992. Growing up, I was chubby and "solid". Taunted by my siblings and neighborhood kids, I grew up with negative self-esteem. Looking back over pictures of me as a child, teenager and young adult, I don’t understand why I felt the way I did about myself. I was pretty average in size. But the constant teasing as a child really hurt me. And stayed with me for a life time.
Over the years, I tried so many "diets', but always gained my weight back. I would feel good about myself for a few weeks or a month or so, but then the scale just kept on going up My clothes closet housed closes from size 8P to 22W. The constant yo-yo was so difficult to live with. In fact, every time I gained my weight back after a diet I got bigger ! It was so frustrating.
In the summer of 2007, I was in a size 20W. I had constant issues with my back. There would be weeks that I was in constant pain. I was taking anti-inflamatory, muscle relaxers, pain killers, anti depressants and anti anxiety meds - all at the same time. I would go to work, come home and go straight to my bed. I would not even make dinner half of the time for the kids. Near the peak of my depression, I stopped going to the kid's sporting and school events. That was rock bottom for me. I was always an involved parent...an executive member of he Home and School Association, CCD teacher, volunteer at my church...had the kids involved in every sport and activity under the sun. All of this went into a downward spiral - until one night I fell down the stairs and broke 7 ribs in 15 places, punctured my lung, dislocated my shoulder and banged up my head. My husband thought I was dead. After spending 5 days in the hospital, and six weeks out of work, I grew in size to a 22W.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when I dressed up as Glenda the Good Witch for my nieces birthday. My rotund body could not fit into the already enormous costume. The seamstress had to tear out the seams, and add panels into the gown. The most humiliating part was standing for what felt like hours in an open dressing room in my undergarments while this process was under way. I died inside that day. Once the pictures from the party were developed, I died a little bit more. That was the day that changed my life forever. I have attached that photo for you to see where I was.
January 2, 2008 was the turning point for me. With the help of a very good friend who is my trainer ( he also used to work for me), he slowly got me in shape. It was not easy. The first day in the gym was awful. Not only was I surrounded by physically fit people, they were all under the age of 22 - since the gym was at the college where I used to work. We started with walking on the treadmill, and doing simple sit-ups ad lifting light weights. He put me on a 5 day split routine, where he and I worked together 2-3 days a week, and I worked on my own 2-3 days a week.. There were many weeks when I went to the gym 7 days a week. Every day was like reaching a goal for me. Just going to the gym was a success. I cried when I couldn’t endure the pain or stress anymore, and my trainer encouraged me every step of the way. By April of 2008, I had lost 20 pounds and was down from a 22W to an 18W.
At one year into my metamorphosis I have lost 35 pounds and have dropped 5 dress sizes, currently sporting a 14P. Currently, I can leg press 500 pounds, dead lift 165 pounds, and bench press 135 pounds. I need to increase my numbers across the board in order to be ready for the competition. Feeling very proud of myself for my efforts, and hearing the constant praises from my coworkers, family and friends, I continued on my quest for health and fitness. I joined an online strength and fitness forum called teambix.com. Here I learned about nutrition and additional fitness routines from all of the other members on the discussion board. It is the best support system in the world for me.
By November 2008 I was down 35 pounds and into a size 14P. I am addicted to this new life style, and have decided to train for my first Strong Woman Competition, which will take place in April 2009. This competition is a North American Strongman sanctioned event, and is being sponsored by Teambix. It will be held in Bethlehem, PA on April 4th. I want to use this blog site to track my weekly progress. Please feel free to post comments and questions on this site.
Thank you for joining me in my journey!
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