Tag: fitness challenge

Strong to the Finish Challenge – Week 11

by Jen Standing, posted in fitness, working out

Hey hi hello there!

I came to the realization today that this challenge is so appropriately named. It really is about being strong to the end, and I am nearing it.

Week 11 was the hardest, in part because my diet has become increasingly difficult, and in part because I know only a tougher road lies ahead. But, I’m also feeling accomplished. I’m all like ‘dang girl, you said you was gonna do it and you are!’, and that’s how I encourage myself when I am hungry and tired and in dire need of cookies.

If you read my last post then you know I had my last treat meal over the weekend – it was EPIC. I was worried I would wake up the next day feeling bloated, but it’s like my body absorbed it all and used it in every nook and cranny I needed it.

Now I know it’s just mind over matter for the next week!


While on vacation I managed to eat perfectly fine, aside from my treat meal, and we also even managed to squeeze in a workout! Thank you GoodLife Kelowna!


I know this next week is gonna be hella challenging, so I feel like I will probably check in at some point just to bring myself back to Centre.

Dieting is hard. In some ways it goes against what I believe. But in other ways it embodies it. Dieting is all about willpower; it’s about accepting a challenge and rising to the occasion, despite any obstacles or temptations.

On a broader scope, I guess that describes transformation itself: it’s work. A lot of people don’t want to believe that. They want to believe that change happens to you . No – change happens because of you. 


I don’t want to be too repetitive with the food pics so here is one I didn’t include in my vacation post – arugula salad with tomatoes and prosciutto! I’m dairy free and gluten sensitive and this is how I survived in a pizza joint haha!

This next week is all about staying present, mindful, and positive.

Thanks for reading and supporting me as always. You are all wonderful.

Strong to the Finish Challenge – Week 10 

by Jen Standing, posted in fitness, working out

Hey beautiful babes, I hope everyone’s week is off to a great start!

At the moment I’m a bit swamped with work, and it can be easy to get to be feeling overwhelmed. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel! My boyfriend and I have the weekend off and are going on a little getaway! Neither of us can wait. We could both use a little time to unwind! The details of that will be included in next weeks post.

Week 10 : I’ll remember this as the week that I broke 125 lbs on the scale and finally made it for a morning (usually when check) weigh in of 123!

When you are trying to hard and seriously giving it your all, it feels SO GOOD to finally be making some progress in the right direction. Last week it was my goal to up the cardio and see if that helped, which I absolutely followed through on and I’m glad I did. I have been following my diet almost perfectly, and I really have to thank my boyfriend in part for that as he hooked me up with some amazing low carb home cooked meals last week.

It made me realize that support is paramount when embarking on a challenge like this. That doesn’t mean that others need to do the challenge with you, but having people support you and cheer you on is so motivating.

Matthew and I post-workout and HUNGRY!


Only 2 weeks left to go. Staying on track this weekend is going to be so important! We are planning on packing food for the road and I know for me that really goes a long way.

One thing I think a lot of people who are dieting worry about this losing their gains, and I am getting to that point. Like, I worked so hard all winter! I really don’t want to see any of that go to waste! I started using this product by Muscletech called “Clear Muscle”, and that’s exactly what it’s supposed to help with. Dear Muscletech, please help me preserve my gains! I want to show off all the hard work I put in all winter long!


If the goal of this challenge is to beat our previous “best”, I am already there. I have moments where I feel like I’m not making progress at all, and then I look back to pictures of 10 weeks ago and I’m like woah!

I’m feeling motivated just talking about it, I can’t wait to make it to the gym later!!


Little snack at work: Nuts, pickles, and tuna. Protein, healthy fats, and well – I guess I just wanted something salty and the pickles help to quench that craving!


Smoothie bowls are life, am I right? They have seriously become my “go-to” for any time of day. So many dieters would stay away from a smoothie bowl because a banana is a “high carb” fruit. Lucky me – my body loves fruit and practically just absorbs it’s magical awesomeness without the carb value holding me back in any way. It’s a banana guys! Not a double grilled cheese sandwhich. A banana. This is what works for me. It may not work for everyone and that’s okay! End rant.

Last night for dinner I made tofu – normally I would eat it with rice but it was actually pretty amazing on a bed of lettuce with some peppers. Kept it simple.

My goal for this week is to not fall off the wagon, but to still enjoy myself over the weekend. I am looking forward to having one meal with some kind of complex carb while on vacation, and that is almost a treat enough for me! Overall I am feeling really focused right now, and excited about things to come.

2 more weeks – gotta keep getting shredded!!

Strong to the Finish Challenge – Week 6

by Jen Standing, posted in personal, Strong to the Finish Challenge

Hello to all you wonderful people, it’s time for another update on my fitness challenge… I am TWO WEEKS away from the end – isn’t that crazy?

It seems like just yesterday I was searching for that new adventure, that new challenge, that spark of passion and this challenge so graciously crossed my path. I think that’s how good things happen; they find you, but they don’t pursue you. They make themselves present, but it’s up to you to grab it.


The lighting this morning was terrible, which you are about to realize when you see the comparable ones that I took in my bathroom (hah!). But this one is a better overall view of me.

I made it through the challenges of week 5 only to meet week 6 with a renewed enthusiasm. I promised to not let anything going on in my personal life keep me from my goals, and I have kept that promise to myself.

I envision myself as a hunter, and my prey are my weaknesses. I find them, I face them, I destroy them. The insecurity, the doubt, the anxiety… obliterated in the gym. I don’t want to be held back anymore. I don’t want to be seen as someone who is struggling or sick. That’s why I continue to find the things that keep me from being my best, and I beat them to death. I am strong.

Back to the challenge: I stopped counting calories this week. I felt like I learned all I could from that process, and I’ve moved on. It gave me a much greater idea of what I actually need to be putting in my body and I can tell I’ve had a lot of improvements.

I see it mostly in my face. I have lost almost 15 lbs since I started this challenge. But sometimes when it’s you, and you look at yourself in the mirror every day, you just don’t notice the changes. The unveiling of my abs is a good indicator too! As they slowly peek out a little more, week after week.

Abs were the first thing I ever set a goal for when I got into fitness. I worked them almost every single day! I think I had them looking pretty good last summer! Being able to see them a little bit once again brings me back to that time – when I was fresh-eyed and excited at the prospect of where I could go with my body! And although I am no “newbie” anymore, it is great to be brought back in my mind to that time, to know that I have and will continue to keep accomplishing my goals.

I guess you could say I’m feeling positive today!

With only two weeks left to go, if I can keep up this mentality then I’ve got this in the bag!

 

Thanks for following along this journey with me!