Starting My Next Adventure

On Saturday morning I woke up right at sunrise and was able to get this picture out my window.  I loved all the colors in the sky and how they represented a fresh start to a new day.  I don't know about you, but I love a fresh start.  It can be something big like a season changing or even something small, like starting out the week on a Monday with a clean slate.  And that's how I started things this morning when I woke up.  I knew that today was the beginning of the next phase of my weight loss journey.  

This morning I started a 60-day program called Hammer and Chisel by Beachbody.  It's been out for a couple of months, but I was still going through 21 Day Fix when it came out and wasn't ready to take the next step.  The nice thing about 21  Day Fix is that it can be used by beginners, so when I first started I was able to modify it enough to still get a good workout without overdoing it.  Hammer and Chisel, however, is meant for people with intermediate to advanced fitness levels, so I knew it would be a challenge from the very beginning.

Honestly, I think the reason it took me so long to order Hammer and Chisel was because it intimidated me.  After 3 rounds of 21 Day Fix I was very comfortable doing the workouts and knew exactly what to expect each day.  And with Hammer and Chisel I'd be going back to the beginning.  I was also unsure if I'd be able to keep up with the program.  Even though I've come a long way in the past five months, I'm still not in great shape yet.  I'd like to improve my cardiovascular endurance and also continue to increase my weights for more muscle tone. 

But, while staying with 21 Day Fix was the easy option, I decided to step outside my comfort zone and start fresh with Hammer and Chisel.  I bit the bullet last week and ordered the program and it arrived on Saturday.  One of the really nice things about being a Beachbody coach is that you get a 25% discount on all products and programs, so I got a great deal and I know it's an investment in my future.

This morning was my first workout, which was called Chisel Balance.  As you can probably tell, it's all about balance and most of the moves are done on one leg at a time.  The nice thing about the workout was that it has the same trainer as 21 Day Fix, Autumn Calabrese, so that part felt familiar at least.  The moves were completely new and they were definitely challenging.  Let's just say that I think I'm going to have a hard time walking for the next few days!

But...I did it!  I made it all the way through without quitting or giving up.  And that was an amazing feeling to know that I made it through 40 minutes of intense exercise and was still standing.  I'm hoping I can take the confidence I felt today and take that with me into each workout, letting it grow with each completed workout until I realize that I really can do anything I set my mind to!

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So that's it for tonight!  I'll be posting my Hammer and Chisel progress every week on Monday, including my insights and lessons learned, plus any pounds or inches lost from the week before.

If you have any questions about Hammer and Chisel, please leave them in the comments below or email me at besidebeth@gmail.com.  I'd be happy to walk you through the program if you're possibly interested in signing up.