I got my P90X package a few days ago. I used the end of the week to try some of the workouts, and I’m officially counting today as Day 1 because it’s the beginning of the week, and that makes me happy. c-: I did the Core Synergistics workout today. My core thanked me–in a “I’m going to be sooooo sore tomorrow” kinda way. I like how laid back the host is and that I’ll do a different DVD each day. I’m a fan so far!  And I think my time as a Mamavation Mom prepared me for the challenge of the workouts.

I am using the Team Beachbody Web site, because it schedules all my P90X workouts for the week. All I have to do is click on the date, and it tells me what DVD I’m supposed to do and how long it will take. Love it.

I imagine it will be hard to do it every single day because it’s a long, intense, very structured workout. I’ll be starting a 6-week nursing residency that is going to make it extra challenging. But hopefully that will fly by–especially considering I actually get paid for it now that I’m grad-ee-ated. Yee haw! So I’m just going to do my best and keep reporting back to y’all. And my Fit Friend Myra at My Blessed Life.

Keep ya posted!

The Health O Meter says:

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If you check out the little box at the top of the page, you will see I have just 4 days until NCLEX. I have been hitting the books, y’all! While I did not exercise as long as I wanted to each day this week, I did exercise. And I lost 0.8 pounds for it. I snuck in some caffeine yesterday while I was studying, but I mostly stuck with water. I am so anxious for my P90X shipment to get here so I can see what kind of pain I’m in for!

I am super-duper proud of my Fit Friend, Myra from My Blessed Life, because she lost a whopping 2 pounds this week. Everyone clap for her and make her feel welcome ’round these parts, mmmkkk?

Toes on the Scale!

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Leah asked the Mamavation Mom graduates {Alyssa, Stacie, Lisa, me, Rachel, and Kim} to post pictures each Monday with our toes on the scale. Yep, we are that brave! And I’ll just tell you that the time it took me to lose weight during my Mamavation boot camp is the time it took me to gain it back! I sat on my behind for the last 2 months of nursing school and did nothing but study. While I’m not happy about it, I’m also not embarrassed to tell you. I know I did the absolute best I could in my situation. And I know many of you know where I’m coming from. I told Leah I’d just represent the Jareds of Mamavation. You with me?! c-:

Since I graduated, I have been running on the treadmill to build my endurance back up. I have been planning healthy menus and getting back into Dr. Renna’s nutrition plan. Myra from My Blessed Life asked if we could be accountability partners, so we are checking in with each other each day. And we just got the P90X program that is all the rage right now so we can give it a try. I can’t wait for it to get here!

While I have some work to do, I feel like I have less of a learning curve this time, I have the tools I need, and I have successes behind me that prove I can do it again. Glad to have y’all on this journey with me. So…Let’s get to it.

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After I finished my Mamavation boot camp, I got hit hard in the face with my last 2 months of nursing school. My school is known for its 100% pass rate on the NCLEX, and that’s because they push you very hard. So once Mamavation boot camp finished, I focused on other things. I knew I had the tools to get back on track as soon as school finished, and that’s what I’ve been working on.

It’s discouraging to have to face sore muscles and re-climb some of the mountains I had already gotten over during boot camp. But when I hopped on the treadmill Monday and did a Tracey Mallett DVD, I told myself, “All I can do is get back on each day and keep at it.” While I don’t have the accountability I did during boot camp, I’m not starting from scratch either. This time I’m carrying my successes from boot camp with me. I know I did the work, and I got results. I can do it again.Taking it a day at a time, just like Amy.

This week, I’m focusing on running on the treadmill and doing a Tracey Mallett DVD each day. I’m getting plenty of water in and filling my body with foods that give me energy. I’m thinking about where I want to be a month from now, 5 months from now, 9 months from now, and outlining some goals. I’ll keep you posted. (-:

I do know that when I woke up this morning, I felt good. Sore muscles and all.

P.S. Today is my kiddo’s 3rd birthday, AND I just got word that I’m taking the NCLEX June 10th. It’s a good day. Wish me luck! (-:

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It has been a while since I have written a Mamavation Monday post. They weren’t kidding when they told us we needed to put our kids in foster care for the last semester of nursing school. That is pretty much what I did. My dad watched Bradley a LOT! And working midnights? Let’s just say I abused the caffeine during my practicum. But I made it through to graduation {I’m still in shock!}, and now I’m ready to get back on the Mamavation bandwagon. I guess y’all have noticed that I’ve been around quite a bit more since finals ended. So what’s my plan for my first week back? Well, I need to stick to the basics, because they work!

• Plan a healthy menu.
• Try out my new Tracey Mallett DVD.
• Use my HydraCoach to get at least 8 servings of water a day.
• Keep following my friend, Alyssa, because she rocks!

I have rested up {sort of}, and I’m getting back into the groove this week. Hope you’ll join me!

Doing the same gets you the same. ~ Heather Frey, SmashFit

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I didn’t think about it when I first applied, but my spring break happened to come at the exact time the Mamavation Mom campaign ended. I think Lisa and I were ready for a little breather after our boot camp! I greatly enjoyed my vacay, but now I’m ready to get back in the groove so I can show off my awesomeness like Alyssa.

I had to give the Wii back to my sister, so I’m not going to be able to do my custom workout from EA SPORTS Active until I get one of my own. I will miss it, but I do still have my Tracey Mallett and cardio interval workouts. And my nutrition plan from Dr. Renna and three whole pairs of Earth Footwear that I still wear every day. Even though I’m officially done with the campaign, I think I’m still going to stick pretty closely to the plan because I know it gets results!

If you enjoyed following along with my Mamavation journey, you can still apply to be one of the next Mamavation Moms yourself! I’m happy to support you and maybe even be your mentor!

Campaign #4 Applications Accepted March 22nd to April 1st
Voting April 5th to 12th
Twitter Launch Party April 12th
Mamavation Campaign #4 April 13th to May 28th

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If you’ve been following along with my Mamavation journey, you know that tonight was my final show on Mingle Media TV Network as an official Mamavation Mom. I am so thankful you took the time to vote every day so I could change my life! But it doesn’t end tonight. I’ll still be super involved with Mamavation as a mentor for the next campaign. Not to mention that I have a little work ahead to get to my goal weight!

So what’s the plan?

Well, this week is spring break (and my birthday!), so I’m taking a breather and reflecting on the past couple of months. Then I’ll be back at it so I can run a 5k at BlogHer in August–if I can find a sponsor–and get those last pesky pounds off. If I inspire you, well know that Lisa, Tracey, and Alyssa totally inspire me! {Have you seen Alyssa’s before and after pics? WOWZA!} I’m so proud to be included in the Mamavation family with them.

I will be giddy over the next couple of weeks as I watch you all get your application videos ready and know that I get to help a new Mamavation Mom reach her goals and find out how hard she can push herself. You can start applying March 22nd, 2010, so get to work! And check out Mamavation. We’d love to have you as part of the Sistahood!

Campaign #4 – Applications Accepted March 22nd to April 1st
Voting – April 5th to 12th
Twitter Launch Party – April 12th
Mamavation Campaign #4 – April 13th to May 28th

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photo by RBlake1026

So I stepped on the scale Monday morning for my weekly weigh-in, and I was down 0.2 pounds. Yikes, really?! Not exactly the number I was hoping for. Of course, I’m glad I lost something for the week {and 7.6 pounds total}, but I only have so much time as one of the Mamavation Moms, and I want to make every second count! So I’m choosing to use that 0.2 as inspiration to refocus and hit my workouts that much harder. And get my calories in each day to keep my metabolism up. As Leah says, it’s much better to work out crazy hard for a short period of time than to be Miss Lazy on the treadmill for an hour. The more you have to think when you’re working out, the more you’re going to get out of it.

So later Monday morning, I told my Sistas I needed some cheerleading so I would really work those cardio intervals. I felt like I got a lot more out of my workout that way, and I’m going to do my best to do it again tomorrow. Thank you soooo much for being there for me!

When I first started meeting with Pete Cohen, I told him I was afraid I would do the 6-week program, and then I’d quit when it was over. He told me I couldn’t think that far ahead. That I had to take one day at a time and build new habits little by little so that by the end of the program, it’s not even a question of whether or not I will continue. It’s just a natural part of what I do each day.

I don’t fear quitting anymore. I posted on the Frugal Femina Facebook page that we had 4 weeks left of this program, and I felt like I had made some healthy habits. I see more of the big picture now. I see that this is a long-term lifestyle change and not just a routine I do for 6 weeks and then pass on to the next Mamavation Mom. I have been given some incredible tools, and as I keep using them, those pounds are going to keep melting off each week until I’m at my goal. So yes, I want to lose as much as I can during these last few weeks, but there’s more to it than that.

I get it.

Thank you to my sponsors for sticking by me: Earth Footwear, EA SPORTS Active, Smooth Fitness, and Gaiam. And thank you to my coaching team: Tracey Mallett, Pete Cohen, Dr. Renna, and my Fit Friend Andrea at Mommy Snacks!

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Some of the Mamavation applicants are participating in Pete Cohen’s 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge. Pete is completely genuine and has been working with us day and night to motivate us on our fitness journey. He literally stays up into the wee hours of the morning to chat with all of us! He has a great relaxation mp3 and recipes in the resources section of the program, and y’all know I’m a sucker for a good recipe!

You can check out some of the free resources at Weight Loss Guru–including a free trial of the program we are going through right now! If you decide to take part in the program, be sure to use the code MAMAVATION to get the discounted rate of $59.95. {You know I had to include a coupon, right?!}

Here are some tips from Pete that have really struck a cord with me during the first part of the program:

• Give your body what it needs and not what it thinks it wants.
  

You’ve probably heard me mention this one a lot, because it’s my favorite! {Check out my story about lunch in the hospital cafeteria if you haven’t already.} I have always loved fruits and vegetables. That’s what my mom fixed growing up, and there’s nothing better than fresh garden veggies. So the nutrition plan Dr. Renna put together for me was not too terribly shocking as far as the actual foods. But, I have had to focus on portion sizes and eating small amounts throughout the day. And believe me, she has me eating all throughout the day.

I also love some notsohealthy foods in addition to my veggies. Like chocolate, for example. I would have some sort of chocolate pretty much every day before I started Mamavation. And then I went cold turkey except for my free meal once a week where I have a little something sweet. I have also cut out some cheese, sauce, butter, and just a lot of the “extras” that I was piling on top of my nice veggies. I’m amazed at how much I don’t miss them and how much easier it is to plan/fix meals! I crave cucumbers now instead of chocolate chips. Literally!

• Positive people stand out as being different. Being different can be a little bit uncomfortable at first, but you have to stop battling yourself if you want to succeed!

As I get older and more confident in who I am, I get more comfortable with standing out, but I generally like to go with the crowd. It’s so easy to complain about whatever situation we may be in. Having to stay late after class, being stuck in traffic, something we don’t like about our family, whatever. But positive people draw people in. You want to be around them because they’re different! How great would it be to be that person? {And I LOVED how Pete said he’s not talking about bouncing-off-the-walls positive but just being good to yourself and those around you.}

• Most people don’t overeat when they’re feeling relaxed.

Huh! Never thought about it like that. If you’re not worrying about where you’re supposed to be in 5 minutes or what your toddler is getting into or stressed about losing weight RIGHT NOW, you’re more likely to eat slowly and enjoy it more.

• Tell yourself 21 times, “I can! I will succeed!”

Our words definitely effect how we feel. I kept a journal for a little while in college. Every time I said something negative about myself, whether in my head or out loud, I wrote down 3 positive things about myself in the journal. It actually did not take very long for that lesson to start clicking! Of course, a refresher course never hurts, so QUICK! Tell yourself you can do this!

• When you mess up, learn from it!

If you don’t learn something from your mistakes, then what was the point of going through them? You may as well get something out of it.

• Focus on your destination!

It’s so easy to lose sight of why you are working so hard at something. I made a list of things I’m looking forward to at the end of this challenge, and I sent it to my Fit Friend, Andrea at Mommy Snacks, so she can remind me. Someone told me when I first became a Mamavation Mom to always remember how thankful I was for the opportunity when they announced me as one of the final 2, and that would make me keep working at it. Why do I want to do this? Do I have good reasons? Are they worth working toward? YES!

So do you know what you want? How are you going to get it? How will you know you achieved your goal? I can’t wait to see you there!

Thank you to my wonderful sponsors: Earth Footwear, EA SPORTS Active, Smooth Fitness, and Gaiam. And thank you to my coaching team: Tracey Mallett, Pete Cohen, Dr. Renna, and my Fit Friend Andrea at Mommy Snacks!

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photo by Diddy723

Week 1 has come and gone. Can you believe it? I had never heard of Mamavation just a couple of months ago. Then I saw a tweet about it, and everything changed. I was drawn into this whole community of women who genuinely support each other on a daily {hourly!} basis. What a chance of a lifetime! I told everyone when I first applied to be a Mamavation Mom that if someone could just give me a plan, I would follow it! And boy, did Leah follow through. From day 1, she has surrounded us with a network of support and positive feedback. Just like taking control of your finances and paying down debt, Mamavation is life-changing. And I’m already reaping the benefits!

WHAT HAS CHANGED

• It’s easier to run up a flight of steps. I do this often when I’m on the way to class.
• I’m noticing more muscle definition in my calves. Sweet!
• I have MORE ENERGY!
• I feel empowered to do things that are hard! Yes, it’s true!
• The numbers are going down! I started 1/22/10 at 159.8 pounds, and I’m now at 154.6!

Yesterday at clinicals, I sat in the cafeteria with my fellow nursing students and watched as people ate French fries covered in cheese and bacon and ranch dressing as the main dish. When I first walked by and caught a whiff, I’ll admit that I thought briefly about tossing my grilled chicken salad and digging in! But I literally said in my head, “I’m filling my body with what it needs and not what it wants.” And I enjoyed every bite of that salad because I knew it was going to give me energy throughout the day. Thank you, Pete Cohen!

Although we worked hard last week, it was more about orientation and getting our plan ready to go. So I’m excited to have all that in place and really get focused on meeting my goals. I want to make the most of the next few weeks when I have some major accountability, and I’m glad you’re along for the ride! My birthday on March 15th is going to be the best one yet!

I am so grateful for these companies and individuals rallying behind me. My wonderful sponsors: Earth Footwear, EA SPORTS Active, Smooth Fitness, and Gaiam. And my coaching team: Tracey Mallett, Pete Cohen, Dr. Renna, and my Fit Friend Andrea at Mommy Snacks!

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