A big' step for me

Posting this picture is a big step for me. I was so hesitant to do it although i took it weeks ago, my body has transformed some since i took this. 

In this pic i weigh 155lbs, i only want to lose those last 5 lbs.

I needed a before picture and have been meaning to take one forever but never did it.

We are our own worst critics is what i keep telling myself.

This is right after a workout at the gym....yes a gym selfie.

I decided to share this picture with everyone because as of Saturday i am starting the weightloss challenge again (i did it last year). This go around i am not doing it to lose the weight. If I am honest i still have struggled with those last 5 lbs, they just don't want to go away. But i am doing it because i need to keep myself on track. I have been so lazy about my diet. I stick to it for about a week and then get busy lazy. So I joined the challenge. Jason's mom is doing it again and i wasn't going to do it cause i have managed to keep all last years weight off. After lots of consideration and having a bad day on the scale i called her up and asked to be on her team. 

So tomorrow evening i am going to go weigh in and then it all begins. An 8 week journey to help me form better eating habits. I will try to work out 6 days a week with Friday being my only day off. I am going to go to the gym 4 days a week, do Zumba 1 day and cardio only one other day. I am very determined. 

I know my body won't lose much more weight but i am looking for more transformation. I want to have greater muscle definition. 

I was given some great advise from a personal trainer friend and i have been doing lots of research about lifting weights vs doing cardio.

The best result i have found is to do an equal amount of both. So i generally get about 30 minutes of cardio a day and it takes me a little longer to do my weight lifting routine but its about the same ratio.

A post I read that made perfect sense to me (it was a DUH moment) said in order to receive maximum results you need to lift weights as heavy as possible and do between 8-12 reps per set. If you aren't tired or struggling towards the end of each set then your weights aren't heavy enough. I totally agree with this. Its not about quantity of reps its about pushing your body to its limit to achieve the results you want. If you don't push your limits how are you ever going to get to where you want to be?

So these next 8 weeks for me are going to be about pushing my limits. My team is counting on me and i am going to prove to myself that i can do it and focus on my goal and finally reach it.

Happy Thursday Friends!