Our transformation was NOT an overnight success. It took time, commitment & a ton of hard work. Read about why and how we got into the best shape of our lives.
Fitness has always been a major part of our lives, so much so we can't even remember when it started, probably before we could walk! It was always jumping from one thing to the next. Playdates had always consisted of running around outside, and always had some sort of sports equipment... "the good old days," right? In high school and college, we never had to worry too much about weight gain. No matter what we ate, we would be running it off at the next athletic event. Derek and I were both multiple sport athletes, and in college he played soccer, while I played volleyball and taught Zumba weekly. We had even trained for 5Ks, 10Ks, Philly's Broad St. Run for Derek, and even a few Half marathons for me! We had access to the free gym on campus, and if we got in a "slump" or got hurt, our amazing athletic trainer, Nan, would develop customized workouts for us to get us back on track. It was a great experience and we wouldn't change a thing.
In high school and college, we never had to worry too much about weight gain. No matter what we ate, we would be running it off at the next athletic event.
One thing we really did not focus on was nutrition and fueling our bodies the right way. Portion control was unheard of, especially in the Italian culture I grew up in. MANGIA! "What do you mean you're only having one bowl of spaghetti?" Sound familiar to anyone?
We all have seen the food pyramid; it's been imprinted into our brains since we could read. But do we follow it? Some of those serving sizes have always seemed like a daunting, impossible task.
Healthy eating is a MAJOR part of your success
Man, I wish I knew more about healthy eating sooner!! ...especially after our high intensity fit levels had trailed off.
Our "fur baby," Charlie dog, had gotten hurt with an ACL injury, just prior to our wedding. We were still somewhat "fit" leading up to our big, special day -- we would look forward to walking, running or even hiking with our Charlie every single day. He was our accountability, our workout buddy. We really lost that last bit of motivation.
So, Derek and I got married on June 27, 2015. It was the hands down best day ever!
The party never seemed to end. We went on our honeymoon, Sandals, St. Lucia, and YES, it is, quite frankly, everything you ever dreamed of. We were eating maybe four gourmet meals a day, and hello, multiple sugary cocktails throughout the day. Well, let me tell you, that really adds up. It makes me cringe to think about the thousands upon thousands of calories we ingested over that week. Then, let's cue the backyard summer barbecues and get-togethers over greasy foods and more drinks. We had no regard to what we were putting into our bodies.
You only live once right! EXACTLY. So that's why we have to take care of our bodies NOW!
So the unhealthy eating finally caught up to us.
We were both at our peak heaviest & unhealthiest. Something had to give!
I heard about Beachbody's "21 day fix" from a post-partum mom who was back in better shape than ever. She looked better than me in a bikini, and literally just popped out a kid. I obviously was intrigued. I saw some more posts about it on my friend from high school's Facebook. She was always a fit little chick like me, a former teammate of mine, and I saw she was a Beachbody coach. So I messaged her!
Derek and I ordered the 21 day fix extreme with Shakeology in August.
21 days of commitment to clean, lean eating, one delicious shake a day, and just 30 minutes a day of exercise. That's it?! No 3 hour long practices needed to get back in shape. No 1 hour fitness class that we had to drive to the gym. What?? No gym membership-- it's all from the luxury of your own home. No more incessant calorie counting, no starvation, no harmful stimulants. Being a physician assistant and having dealt with "fad diets" gone bad in the Emergency department, I was all about this program, because it makes you do things the right way!
It comes with genius, simple, fool-proof portion control containers, an eating plan, recipe ideas, Shakeology recipe ideas & container, 2 workout DVDs (30 minutes each with most intervals being 30 seconds to one minute).
We started seeing changes even after the first week. We were already more toned. Now, imagine 3 weeks! Derek lost 20 lbs / 6 inches (where was he hiding that? Amazing), and I lost 5 lbs, 6 inches. I am so proud of that; with my petite frame, it does really make a difference to be +/- 5 lbs! Not only did we improve the numbers on the scale, but screening lipid panel and glucose improved drastically!
We visibly looked better, and we FELT better. We had more energy, motivation, and confidence. Those qualities translate into other aspects of life. I won a clinical case presentation at a State critical care conference, and Derek is getting the opportunity to practice with an indoor professional soccer team. Follow your dreams, people!
The best part is we decided to continue with this program. It is sustainable, and longterm. We love this lifestyle so much, and are so passionate about it, that we decided to COACH! It is something we always wanted to do! Derek already is a high school Varsity soccer coach (Go Scouts!) but this provides an opportunity to help friends, family, even strangers with getting back on track, and building a happier, healthier YOU!
ANYONE can do this. Not just quasi-fit people like us. There are people who started from rock bottom and are dropping 2-3x more weight than us, and it is truly inspiring to see! We get to network in this community with all different types of people, and share each other's stories, ideas, and dreams. We finally feel like we are back on a team again, and couldn't be more EXCITED !
If you want to see what the hype is all about, we run accountability "Challenge" groups every single month. We only ask for 21 days. Psychology experts say it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Let us help you reach your goals and more!
Decide. Commit. Succeed.
Always,
Cait