SPRING FITNESS CHALLENGE: Week 5 Update
Happy Friday & Happy Week 5, my dear Fitness Challengers! So sorry to have abandoned you this week. I’ve been having some “camera” difficulties, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve veered off course! To make it up to you and explain, I’ve made a Week 5 video update. Check it out!
(Click here if you can’t see the video.)
From Power Walking to Power Hiking
From January through April, I’d been staying in my hometown while Matthew took care of renovations and a few other tasks at our house on the mountain. Staying in my hometown was nice because it allowed me to start my ritual morning power walks, which have been so great for me. However, now that I am back on the mountain, there’s no good (flat) place to walk. I’ve gone from suburbia to the forest. But that hasn’t stopped me. My morning power walk has turned into a morning power hike! I am loving it and so is Bella (our dog). 😉
Morning power hiking has been amazing so far. I am up in the early morning moving through the forest with all of the birds and the little animals. I keep a quick pace. Just a week in and I am feeling positive change throughout my body. My leg muscles feel great and my cardio endurance is pushed & improved by the day.
From Intermittent Daily Fasting to Whole, Raw, Vegetarian Foods
As a result of my morning hikes, I have not been able to keep up the Intermittent Daily Fasting (IDF). After hiking, my body is craving nutrition and I don’t like to deprive my body. So for now, I’ve given up IDF; however I really did enjoy it while it lasted and I would recommend trying it out to anybody who is interested. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll go back to it.
For now though I am sticking with positive diet change. I have moved to just about 100% whole foods—i.e. no processed crap! In addition, my diet is primarily vegetarian and dairy-free. The only exceptions being cage-free organic eggs for breakfast and fish for dinner once/twice per week. I’ve also added a lot more raw food to my daily intake—raw pumpkin seeds, pepitas, Brazil nuts, vegetables, and fruits. It feels INCREDIBLE. I can not explain how much better I feel as result of these changes. WHOLE – RAW – VEGETARIAN = + + + !
Accountability Pictures—Halfway There!
And now for my big, exciting news: As of this morning, I am officially halfway to meeting my goal! Yes! My morning weigh-in read 153 pounds. I am so excited. I was having a hard time with the scale lately, but since these recent dietary changes and the start of my power hikes—my weight loss total has shot up to 4 pounds. YAY! 🙂 I am so energized by this and I really feel like I can hit the mark by the end of the challenge if I keep up the good work.
Here are my Accountability Pictures for Week 5. (Forgive the poor quality, hope to have my regular camera working again by next week.)
Call to Action
Discipline is an exercise of repetition. Not once or twice but until. Until completed.
We are more than halfway through this challenge, guys! We have three weeks left to bring it. I am so excited right now about the possibilities that the next three weeks hold. No matter where we are now, no matter what has happened in this challenge so far—we have three weeks left to prove ourselves. Let’s get healthy & happy!
Please leave a comment and let me know how you are doing and what I can do to help make the last three weeks of your challenge the best they can be!
In love & light,
Dena
Awesome week, the early daily walk is a great way to get the body and the mind enthusiastic about the day. I knew you would want to get off the IDF once you started the early walk regimen, it’s just too much to not give your body the nutrition it needs. Good Going!
I love your food choices, more fruit, veggies, some fish…great stuff. You can eat lots of nuts as well, just don’t go crazy with the really fattening ones, though. I stick to almonds, peanuts and some mixed nuts (low salt) and have about a couple or 3 handfuls a day.
By the way, the photos are looking really great, very easy to see the difference…big Congrats!
@ Lou – Yes, you’re totally right. The amount of calories that my body needs is directly in proportion to the energy I am expending. I am definitely craving that healthy a.m. breakfast after my morning hikes. Just posted this week’s set. Looks like more progress. Slow & steady wins the race. 😉
OK, I gotta know what the tattoo says!
Wish I could make my self eat better. Very inspiring.