Meal Plan Complete & the Next Challenge

You know what I've been thinking about this week?  Most of the time, I want to eat healthy!

Yes, I like a little indulgence - especially red wine & dark chocolate - but most days I'm perfectly happy with my healthy food choices and don't feel deprived by eating healthy.  I eat what I like, I avoid what I don't like, and I especially focus on eating foods that make me FEEL good.  Having energy, never getting sick, and having a body that will perform when called upon is worth so much more than just the temporary satisfaction of indulgence.  I've been focused on eating healthy ever since my Hashimoto's diagnosis and slowly but surely I've found recipes that really satisfy without any negative health consequences.  It takes Time.  It takes Effort.  You will make Mistakes.  All of that is okay because you are making progress towards a better you!!  Your well-being is worth it!

Looking fit and trim is a really nice bonus that comes with actually being fit.  As noted in my previous post, Ryan obviously made amazing progress during the meal plan and lost a significant amount of body weight. My body fat loss wasn't quite as dramatic (for various reasons) but there have definitely been some improvements to my shape in the last four weeks.  Here's a little before & after shot:

I definitely think I look curvier because my waist got smaller.  I look less rectangular.  Winning!

Now that I've finished the meal plan challenge, I'm ready to push myself in new ways!!  I will continue to eat clean but I need a good exercise challenge!  Cardio/HIIT is always a challenge for me during the summer because hot sticky grossness is no way to live...but I can't allow myself to slack off on cardio just because it's 100 degrees outside!  This summer I have so much more available to me than just outdoor tracks and parks - I have a GYM membership as well as a stationary bike and treadmill INSIDE MY APARTMENTS.  No excuses!!  So, for my next challenge, I plan to complete 30 miles of cardio in 30 days!!  I will either run outside, run on a treadmill, or use the elliptical to complete all 30 of those miles!  (Although I really enjoy biking, I find that biking miles are much easier for me than walking, running or the elliptical so I won't count biking miles during this particular challenge.) I will begin my exercise challenge tomorrow!!