Wait… is it seriously mid-February already? No biggie, I’ve totally kept my 2014 resolutions. You have too, right?

Oh. Noooo? You haven’t? Oh. My. Gosh. That’s bad. You’re definitely the only person not at the gym, eating poorly, and not saving like you said you would. The year is a TOTAL fail now. Don’t worry, you always 2015 to keep those goals. #2015ismyyear

Ooookaaaaay, maybe you’re not the ONLY person…Whoopsies. I had great intentions of sticking to a healthier, more financially smart year. But, you know there was the super bowl, Abraham’s Birthday (that’s Abraham Lincoln), that over-sized cadigam sweater that I needed, Valentines day, that “time of the month”= dark chocolate… you know, those excuses priorities. Don’t get me wrong, I had a few good weeks– going to the gym, cutting sugar out, putting money into my savings. I mean it isn’t all bad.

I have a secret to let you in on… shh don’t tell anyone, just between us, ok? New year’s resolutions…don’t actually determine the type of year you will have. YOU do. Crazy, I know! And, honestly, it doesn’t matter when you start enforcing your goals… the big picture is: JUST DO IT {Nike plug} So what, you didn’t start the year as strong as you said you would, it’s still the first quarter! Make some new goals now and put them into action. Wrap your head around it. And follow through. Because once you do, you’ll realize how everything else seems to fall into place. We have to be stronger than our excuses.

THE CHALLENGE
I’m really excited to share, NorCal Strength & Conditioning, only the best gym in the world, (literally though— they are ranked one of the Men’s Health “top 30 gyms in America”), is putting on a 10 week “Lean Out” and “Fitness” challenge, and starting a new On Ramp class 2/24 (if you’re in the Chico area). Although I’d like to participate in both challenges, our bodies just don’t work like that. It’s either performance or health. So for now, I choose health. I’m the type of person that must have accountability when getting started in a new health regimen. It’s such a mental barrier for me, I will make every excuse in the book. This is probably why Weight Watchers  worked well for me in the beginning of my journey. See more of my story here. This challenge is JUST what I need to get my head in game and follow through with a few of my goals. By no means, do I think I’m fat, and I say that in the most non-conceided way. But, I do know that I feel amazing when I’m “strict paleo” aka eating foods with one ingredient, and I have been indulging more than I should this year. PLUS, hello bathing-suit season is on its way. Due to my lack of consistent gym trips, I’m losing some of the muscle I built before the holidays and that’s just not okay. For me, feeling strong and getting my body toxin-free is most important.

Over these next 10 weeks, I want to share with you my progress, meal plans, and work outs. My hope is that you either 1) Join me! Because having a buddy, even a virtual buddy, is the best form of support and accountability, or 2) You are encouraged to reflect on your personal habits, set some long term goals for becoming a healthier, better you!
* If you’d like to join me, please e-mail me at Jamie@jamiedanno.com. I’m more than happy to provide further details on getting started. Please know, I am not a certified dietitian, trainer or doctor, but this information is my personal experience and opinion.

For the most part, my diet is pretty on point and really the only consistent thing in my health regimen. My biggest challenge will be staying away from making “Paleo Sweets”. This means cutting out honey and maple. Also, because I want to lean out, I will also be cutting back (but not eliminating) on my nut-flour intake and good carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, squash, plantains, yams, etc.

The Big Picture
Everyone’s bodies are different, our activity, metabolism, hormones, you name it. There is no “diet” perfect for everyone. A lot of it is trial and error. The point here is to focus on what is fuel for our body and what hurts it. Just like there recipes I make, I will continue to avoid grains, gluten, legumes, added REAL sugar or artificial, artificial trans-fats, seed oils and pasteurized dairy. And, for this challenge, alcohol. My personal goals are to increase my activity, because I sit all day long. This means crossfit 3x a week, in addition to other forms of activity such as yoga, spin, runs with the pup-pup, lots of mobility. And, to reduce stress, because yes, stress causes weight-gain, have at least 8 hours of sleep, in a dark room, undisturbed, per night.

Just so we are honest here, you can also hold me accountable, here are my stats per the NorCal Challenge:

February 20, 2014
weight: 146.2 lbs.
chest: 35
belly: 32.5
hips: 36.5
*Completed 19 push ups from knees
*Completed 500m row in 2:07.1 mins.

Can’t wait to get started and hope you enjoy following along!
On your mark, get set, go!