Let The Challenge Begin

So today begins a new challenge. A Trim Healthy Mama challenge that is. I am truly excited and ready to go. The first time I lost a substantial amount of weight and realized that this 50 something mom and grandma could actually lose weight, was through a THM challenge. Of course when life got tough, I quit putting the work in and I quit feeling that I deserved the benefits of a healthy life and before I knew it, I was once again hitting the bottle (the diet mt. dew bottle that is), carbs and fats were freely mixing and I was stress eating over everything from what was happening on the Young and the Restless, to what was going on in real life.

Now, here I am again with the keys to the kingdom of health and this time....I hope to prove to myself once again, that I can do this and that I am worth it. This time, I have a little more understanding about myself and I am a lot more motivated than I have been in the past. My health has become a huge motivator ever since my blood pressure started to rise and I had to be put on medication for it. I promised myself that it was going to be a short term fix, as I vowed to myself to lose the weight so I could lose the medication.

I also have been dealing for years with GERD or acid reflux disease. Again, I am on medication for this ailment and if I don't take it religiously, I suffer horribly. Even sometimes taking it faithfully doesn't help if I eat too late or eat the wrong foods. I will find myself awakened from a sound sleep about 2 a.m., gagging and choking with my throat and esophagus feeling as if they are literally on fire. My doctor told me that if I lose the weight I could  cut these issues down to almost nothing. I am also anxious to cut down on the medication for this disease too, as it is being proclaimed to cause dementia. Not something I want to have to deal with down the road.

So this particular challenge will run from today through January 31st. It is a short challenge in that it is only 19 days long, but there is a certain beauty in that. Most anyone can do anything for 19 days and it is a great way to dip my toes back into the full on THM program and remind myself just how good I feel on this plan.

This challenge is run by Chrissy Benoit through The (THM) Challenge Group page. In this particular challenge, we have to eat 100% on plan with few or no crossovers. We must exercise at least 15 minutes/day at least four days per week and we must eat at the table without the distraction of computer, phone or tv. OH....and there is one more thing which I think is so cool and I have never done before. We have to make a vision board. 

I have always loved the idea of a vision board, but I have just never done one. So....I decided if I was going to be all in on this challenge....that I was going to be....all in. I made my vision board yesterday It is the picture that is at the top of this blog post. I had no idea how to make a vision board, so I decided to go to my favorite internet spot (YouTube) and I found a video that showed me exactly how to do it. Not only did I make it, but I also went to Walgreens and printed it off and found a frame for it. It will be the first thing I see each day and hopefully the motivation I need to help me see my way through this challenge.

Going into this, I have no big numbers in mind and no outlandish goals. I have the guidelines set for the challenge and my only hope is to take it one day at a time and stick as closely to the rules as possible. Then we will see where I am and how I feel on the 31st.

If you too want to get back on the wagon and start not only looking better but feeling better, head on over to The Challenge Group and get on board. It's not too late and just think, 19 days from now you are going to be so glad you did.

Until next time........