The week leading up to mid point was very stressful and I was really anxious and nervous. I was continuously thinking about the other competitors and obsessively wanting to know what weight they were at and where I would be compared to them, had I done enough cardio, I could have done more cardio and on and on and every morning I would step on my scale and that week I did not lose one single pound. I had set a goal of where I wanted to be at midpoint and had not reached it. I was beyond frustrated and beyond unhappy, for the amount of work I was doing; it was just not coming off fast enough. So on the morning of midpoint I came in 3rd place, the lady in 2nd had lost 21lbs and the machine in 1st had lost 27lbs! It was strange though, that morning, I felt better and I actually felt proud of myself and really motivated to “bring it on” for the last half of the competition. Meeting the other women eased my obsessive negative fantasizing about them, we were able to talk and share our journeys and I realized that no matter what, even at midpoint we are all winners and we were all working our butts off….literally!

So after midpoint Paul and I decided that I would not focus on anything but myself and take it one day at a time….one fit, perfect eating, 2.5 hour cardio, bangin’ day at a time. I packed away my scale and decide to only weigh myself once per week; we kicked up my nutrition and increased my cardio. I made a commitment to myself that I would focus on each day and being the most healthiest, strongest, disciplined and courageous I could be. As a result, I let the numbers go and decided to be “Unlimited”. Stressing and compulsively weigh myself had created a block, so I let it go. Taking away the “numbers” I am free and open to losing 10, 20, 30, 50 more pounds because with expectations comes limits and I am not limiting myself!

Tip of the Week: Stress response, whether it is “fight-or flight”, juggling too many responsibilities, or coping with financial pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go into survival mode. Our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out chemicals {cortisol, lepton, and other hormones} which are more likely to cause….obesity in the abdominal region. -Michelle May

Dream Body Jam (DBJ) for the Week

“I Can Transform Ya” Chris Brown feat. Lil’ Wayne & Swizz Beatz