Mondays with Coach Kourtney: We all slip-up...but make sure you GET UP!

                As I am sitting here, I’m celebrating my success. In the two years since I’ve started my weight loss journey, with that first turbo kick class (and throwing out all my bread and pop), I’ve lost 110 pounds. Yes, I started at around 320 pounds. I am now weighing in between 204-206, in between a size 12 and a size 14. And while I should be happy, all I am thinking about is those last 15 pounds.

                I’ve been here before. Right before my birthday, I was 199. And then alcohol and cake consumed my life for the next couple of weeks. Before I knew it, I was at 220. WHAT??? Yes. So, while my goal is to fit comfortably in a size 12, maybe a 10, and weigh between 185-190, I had to basically start over. I had to get myself back in gear. I had to work out again. I was struggling through my classes, my energy had gone way down, and my skin had broken out. Um, no…

                So I cried. Pulled out my calendar, wrote down some workouts, and created an accountability group on Facebook. How can I preach fitness and nutrition if I don’t practice it? I started the group on 11/11/11. I started my workouts 11/09/11. Less than three months later, I am back down 15 pounds, but it sure was a lot harder to work it off this time. What did I do? I cleaned up my eating. I kicked the alcohol. I kicked the sweets. I ate a lot of vegetables and protein shakes for a week. I did intense workouts and two-a-day workouts 2-3 times a week. I kicked up my weight training. I calculated my BMR to understand how much I needed to eat to burn my food, not keep it from eating too little. I was not going to be fat again!!!

                We all fall off the wagon. We all get frustrated in our progress. We all see plateaus. All it takes is that small tweak or that "in your face moment" to change your resolve. Now, get back on the horse!!! I’m gonna say it again: write down your goals, post them, take pictures of every bite that goes into your mouth, log it, and use a PEN to schedule your workouts in your planner, and check off your goals and workouts daily as you complete them. How much do you have to lose in three months?

TRY THIS...

                Try some weights this week. Do some bicep curls with squats, 3 rounds of 12-15 repetitions. Try some standing rows, 3 rounds of 12-15 repetitions on your left and right sides, and try some plies with shoulder raises, hands straight down, plié position, lift arms straight up to shoulder and then back down as you plié. Make sure you are controlling the weight, counting to 3 as you raise and as you lower, and if your muscles aren’t tired after twelve reps, you need heavier weights. If they are tired after a few reps, you need to lighten up. Try this routine, 3 rounds, 12-15 times each, with some pushups and ab/core work, twice this week. Tell me how it feels.

Happy Monday!