Happy Friday my friends!
If you’ve been following EBF for a little while you probably know that I’m part of the Tone It Up team and I participated in the Bikini Challenge that just ended in June. I get a lot of emails from people asking me about the TIU nutrition plan so I thought I would share on here my experience and how this year in particular, Tone It Up has really helped me.
The 2012 Bikini Challenge came at the absolute perfect time for me. I was in a workout rut, unhappy with the fact that I had put on extra pounds over the past year, and feeling self conscious about my body. <– I even wrote a post about it! As a health coach and healthy living blogger I have a good foundation and know all the things I should be doing to keep myself healthy and happy, but those things were starting to take the back burner. I think other fitness/wellness professionals can probably relate to this because often times our own health is scarified when we’re trying so hard to help others, which is a shame. You have to step back and remember to take the time to care for yourself and keep your body healthy and mind happy!
The Bikini Challenge was just the motivation I needed to get back on track. When the challenge started I was ready to fully embrace the TIU lifestyle – I began following the plan and checking in with my meals and workouts. I even teamed up with another TIU team member, Brittany, for accountability – we logged our meals and workouts in a spreadsheet, tweeted each other encouraging words and did the five day slim down together. Through following the plan and checking in I was able to lose the extra pounds I had gained, my stomach is flatter and I feel amazing!
Without the Bikini Challenge, I know I wouldn’t have pushed myself in the same way and I wouldn’t be seeing the results that I’m seeing. And when I say results, my results aren’t all about the few pounds I lost – I’m overall happier with my body and more self confident, which is way more important to me than a number on the scale. We went to the beach last weekend with my family and I felt so much better in my bathing suit than I have in the past – it was a great feeling!
Through the challenge, I also gained a ton of supportive friends – all the women that are part of the TIU team (including Katrina and Karena) are inspiring, motivational, friendly and helpful. And I think I’ve found my TIU soul sis – not only do Brittany and I share the same name, but we’re getting married the same weekend next May!
If you’re interested, here’s the video I made as my entry into the Bikini Challenge contest.
Overall, Tone It Up is a group of women striving for their goals and helping others along the way. It’s something I absolutely LOVE being a part of it! Thank you Katrina and Karena and all the Tone It Up team members for motivating and inspiring me every day, especially during this year’s Bikini Challenge. I also have to give a special shout-out to Kate Bear and Sarah of Sarah Fit, who convinced me to buy the plan in the first place!
While I didn’t win the Bikini Challenge grand prize trip to California (bummer!), I can honestly say that I feel like a winner just from the results that I have seen. Congrats to the all the winners – you all are amazing and such an inspiration.
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