Christin Joyful

Hello and Happy Monday!

Today I am reflecting back on an incredible experience that concluded on Friday…

Oh, what was it you ask? You didn’t ask? Ah…

Well too bad i’m gonna tell you anyway!

 

 

dah Dah DAH!!!

 

That’s right, I participated in a very cool, very gnarly and very awesome 8 weeks of  Christin shaping.

And it was everything I ‘d hoped it would be!

It was an incredible journey with a nice long story of how I won a spot and cut away the bad calories, and did lots of burpees…lots of burpees. OMG so many freaking burpees.

 

But let me start from the beginning.

 

Back in December I was looking for a way to start off the new year. I know. An amazing and unique concept, right? And while I absolutely LOVE Tina’s Best Body Bootcamp, and had signed up for it, I saw a contest on Fitmixer’s website for a chance to win a spot in their January Bootcamp through Pinterest, and couldn’t resist. It included a meal plan and lots of supplies to help get my body in gear. Who wouldn’t want to join, right?!

So I read the rules, logged onto Pinterest, created a Fitmixer Bootcamp pinboard, and started pinning. I honestly didn’t think I would win the spot. I knew a lot of people would be interested in winning a spot because it is valued at over $150, and because of  the exercise plan and meal plans and protein powders and aminos and blender bottle, and so forth…so I decided to just pray and put it in the Lord’s hands.

But guess what…I DID WIN!! Haha! woot woot!

Party hats and protein drinks!!

So I gave up my spot in Tina’s amazing bootcamp to let someone else have a try (promising Tina that I would be back for the next round, of course!!) and bit my lower lip and furrowed my almost nonexistent blonde brows in determination and anticipation.

I knew I was going to need to commit to exercise. Lots of exercise. And a diet plan. And by diet plan, I mean healthy eating habits in a lower calorie range. In other words, cut out the junk and put in the whole foods!

I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and no idea how much it would change the way I view my body, food, exercise, and my very sense of self in general!!

So lets break it down then shall we? Let’s review how Fitmixer Bootcamp changed each one:

1) My body

2) My view of food

3) My view of exercise

4) My sense of self

 

1) MY BODY

When I say Fitmixer Bootcamp changed my body, I mean that it changed in the way it looks, but also in the way it acts and reacts. It was a much needed makeover from the inside out, as opposed to the outside in which is a very important distinction to make. Why? Because in order to create a permanent change, you need to create new habits. Changing habits  implies a lasting commitment from deep down inside somewhere in order to create a lasting, or long term effect.

Yes, all those workouts and meal plans helped change the way my body looks on the outside. My muscles are more defined, I lost body fat, as well a a few pounds. I lost inches, and gained muscle mass. heck, I even went down a clothing size! Those things are valuable to me in that I look better on the outside, but in reality the important thing for me is that when I look in the mirror, it is a visual reminder of what has changed on the inside.

So what are these inside benefits I gained through changing my habits?

To put it as plainly as possible, my body just works better now!

Think about it this way…when you give a plant sunlight, nutrient rich soil, and plenty of water, what does it do? How does it look? How does it feel to the touch?

Well your body is the same way. Makeup can only go so far. Deep conditioners can only go so far.  Nail polish, perfume, hair dye, and plastic surgery can only go so far.

Just like plants will wither up and look unhealthy when you don’t give them nutrients and sunlight and water, your body will too! You are a living organism! You need vitamins and exercise and water to be healthy!

You’re not getting these things from soda and chips and cookies. They are empty calories. your body gets these things and doesn’t even know what to do with them. Your insides seriously scratch their little cell heads and think; “Really? What am I supposed to do with this stuff? how am I supposed to run a body on this? Maybe I can use…nope. Nevermind. Nothing here to work with. Just send it on through to the dump.”

 

You can see where i’m going with this. You’re not an idiot. (I know this because you are reading my blog…hehe)

It makes sense that if you give your body what it needs to function well and feel well…it will do just that. And your appearance will reflect that! The hard part is getting into the habit of drinking plenty of water and cutting out soda. Eating whole foods and cutting out the processed junk. Eating regularly throughout the day. Exercising regularly. Pooping regularly. (Yes. I said poop. Pooping regularly was a very big thing and another benefit. It’s not to be taken lightly. Poop is a serious thing in the blog world. you need to know that.)

Fitmixer’s plan provided a way to develop these healthy habits. Fitmixer gave me the tools, and all I had to do was use them!

So there you have it. My body is changed for the better. Poop and all.

 

This is already a long post, so I will continue on tomorrow with Part 2!!

 

Cheers,

 

Christinjoyful