Fitness and the 17 week challenge!!

That's right! Its Spring and officially training season for summer! I do admit that I've picked up some pounds this winter...20 lbs to be exact. Fortunately for me I'm turning over a new leaf and pulling myself out of this slump. I want to share with you guys a book I've read. Its titled Never Say Diet by Chantel Hobbs. Great book! Motivational all the way through! Inside Chantel describes the 5 brain changes one has to commit to to achieve lasting weight loss. I'm so motivated by her book that I'm following suit and doing my own 17 week challenge. The challenge starts with making fitness a habit by doing cardio 5 days a week for 4 weeks straight. The book suggests 30 min but I usually do 45 minutes . I weighed in at 138lbs, my target weight is 120lbs. Even though the book doesn't want us to concentrate on nutrition just yet, I've been feeling guilty and have started finding healthier things to eat for lunch and dinner.

I just completed  my first week and I'm uber excited about that! It was definetily a challenge! I've been out of the gym for close to 6 months. I renewed my membership and started out on the elliptical machine. Yesterday I actually attempted the treadmill and ran for 1 mile. My running goal is to get to 5 miles. My mini goal is to make it to 2 miles straight, no walking. Baby Steps. Baby Steps.

My body inspiration is Mel B. I love her abs! Her work out regimen is pretty intense. Next month I plan to hit my diet pretty hard.

So to sum things up:

Challenge starts: Monday 3/19/12
Challenge ends: Monday 7/16/12
Total of: 17 weeks

Starting Weight: 138lbs
Target Weight: 120 lbs
Weigh ins every 3 weeks

Thats my challenge! Comment if you'd like join! State your starting weight and cardio exercise of choice and we can do this journey together!

Keeping Faith and Hope

This is my first blog post! I'm excited about my journey! This blog is a testament to the many trials and tribulations and spiritual growth I'll experience just living. Keeping hope and faith is about one woman's journey; a bildungsroman. The destination is healthy, happy and successful. So here's a little about me, my goals and dreams:

To be honest with you all, I'm building Charese up from scratch.  After two years of ongoing sickness I'm currently 24 years old and still working on finishing my bachelors in Biology.  I'm sort of a super,super senior (as some may say). However my dream in life is to become a Physician Assistant. I work as a phlebotomist now gaining patient care experience. I've never learned to drive. I'm working on attaining my permit as we speak. I'm out of school until June due to my latest hospitilazation so its just work, work and more work for me.

“You will be wounded many times in your life. You’ll make mistakes. Some people will call them failures but I have learned that failure is really God’s way of saying, “Excuse me, you’re moving in the wrong direction.” It’s just an experience, just an experience.” - Oprah Winfrey

I used to believe that by my 25th birthday everything in my life would be set in stone. I'd have the job, the car, the apartment, dog, you name it. With only 6 months away from 25, I'm a bit disappointed that I haven't reached that milestone. I made some major financial mistakes; mistakes I'm still paying for. Yet one thing is for sure, once you've had a major fall, you don't fall again. I've learned alot of about how to handle money, how to deal with love and how to work towards achieving a goal. So out of the darkness there was indeed daybreak. It's called keeping hope and faith, even in your darkest hours.

“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.” - Marian Wright Edelman

Outside of work I like to work out, read blogs, organize my room and read books about living well and general happiness. Right now my life looks really bleak, but I take great pride in knowing that tomorrow always holds something greater. That's what this blog is about. My journey toward acheiving my dreams. Everyday won't be sunshine and rainbows but I vow to always keep it real with myself and my readers and keep God close by.