💪 Six Weeks to Transformation 🌞

ReignFromAshes

My name is Allie. I’m trying to get back into my health and fitness journey after a long hiatus (thanks, COVID 🫤). I used to be active and eat fairly healthy, but life got turned upside down, and it’s been hard finding my rhythm again especially now that my body responds differently to everything! (Hello  40's). The diets and workouts that used to work for me, no longer do. I keep starting only to last a day or two and then I give up. I've gained so much weight around my stomach and I feel like I have a fat suit on 😞

I've been on MFP since 2011 but lately (and by lately, I mean years), I've just been adding food to my journal that I had planned on eating for the day but I have NEVER stuck to it. Then I got to the point that I was feeling so down that I was like what is the point to plan anything if I'm not going to stick to it. I would never add the foods that I actually ate because that would make it hard to copy meals over to the next day because the actual food I was eating wasn't the food I was supposed to eat.

I just created a brand new MFP account to make a fresh start. I didn't like my user name and MFP wouldn't let me change it so I thought why not just start everything over. MFP has changed over the years as well. I miss our home page where we only saw our friends daily updates and we could all check in together. It was nice. Now I'm trying to navigate around the community forums trying to find my place. I know I was most successful when I had group support and accountability so I'm hoping to find some new like minded friends. I’m starting a 6-week challenge focused on small daily wins, realistic workouts (at home), and mindset shifts, not perfection. I'm going to try this six weeks at a time. Six weeks seems like enough time for me to create new habits, break some old ones and see some progress without it it seeming so long. It seems more attainable to me. I will probably have to do a few rounds of it before I get to where I want to be.

So the point to my rambling here is that I was hoping to find a few new friends that would like to start this six week commitment with me. I keep starting only to just give up after a few days. 

You can use the 6 week planner that I made too if you want. I can either email it to you (it's a PDF) or if that doesn't work, I can try to upload it to Google Docs and share a link to it. It's not necessary but just something to help us stay on track together. I plan on starting tomorrow. Even if you don't have everything nailed down, you can just commit to small changes/plans for the week. My goal is to start tracking all food that I have eaten not just planned, lol!  My goal is to also work out a minimum of three days this week.

If you’re navigating similar challenges, and looking for some support, encouragement, and a little structure, drop a comment or message me. Let’s do this together 💕💪

ReignFromAshes

Day Two: Staying on Track & Learning to Adjust

Today felt like a small win. I stayed much closer to my planned meals, which honestly feels like a big deal. I'm still adjusting dinner plans here and there, but just tracking everything I eat is a huge step in the right direction for me. It's helping me become more aware and accountable, without aiming for perfection.

I also hit my step goal yesterday! 🙌 Right now, I'm still figuring out my baseline, so I’m aiming for 5,000 steps per day this week. That might not seem like much, but with a desk job that keeps me seated most of the day, it’s definitely a challenge.

Today didn’t include a formal workout. One of my goals for Week One is to build the habit of 30 minutes of intentional movement each day, on top of the three strength workouts I’ve planned each week. Walking is my favorite go-to, but Florida’s summer heat (we’re talkin’ 100° 🥵) makes it tough to get outside during the day. Evening walks are possible, but then I’m fighting off mosquitoes and yellow flies 🦟.

I’ve started looking into getting a walking treadmill, maybe something I can use during work hours but truthfully, I love being outside. Still figuring it out, but I’m showing up and learning as I go. That’s what this journey is all about. 💪

Jigmon1

Hi,

I’m a newbie and I’ve been struggling with my eating lately. I’ve hit a plateau, and I find that while I’m fasting, I end up eating too much in between and snacking on things I know I shouldn’t. I really need to get back on track.

My walking is good—I usually get 10,000+ steps a day while I’m working, but I get fewer on my days off. I also have a Bowflex that I was using regularly, but I’ve recently fallen off with that as well.

I’m interested in joining your challenge to help me track my intake and stick to a workout schedule.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

ReignFromAshes

Day Three: A Hard Look & A Deeper Motivation

Yesterday marked Day Three, and I really started to focus on mindful eating. I hadn’t realized how often I was snacking throughout the day until I paid closer attention. I updated my food diary in MyFitnessPal to list snacks as their own meal so I can better plan them out.

I'm still working on the habit of journaling everything I eat, no skipping the little things.

I also spent time revisiting my weekly workout plan. What I originally mapped out didn’t feel like enough, and it’s honestly tough trying to balance workouts with work and life.

I briefly looked into the pill form of GLP-1 and filled out part of a form online. They asked for before photos, so I took some… and stopped there. Seeing those pictures hit me harder than I expected. It was discouraging. I didn’t realize how much weight I’d gained, and it put me in a low mood for the rest of the day. But weirdly enough, that same feeling pushed me to get up and exercise, so I’m taking that as a win.

I’m still working up the courage to add photos to both MFP and my Instagram page. I need a little more time to reconcile how I actually look now versus how I imagine myself in my head. It’s hard. I worked so hard years ago to get in shape, and just as I was getting close to where I wanted to be, Covid hit and everything unraveled.

Now, when I look at pre-Covid photos, I can’t believe how fit I actually was. But at the time, I couldn’t see it. I only saw the flaws. And now I’m back at the start, trying to climb that mountain again. It’s overwhelming, but also I know it’s possible. I’ve seen so many stories here on MFP that remind me: this is doable. And right now, it feels like the one thing I truly have control over. So I’m choosing to show up again, one day at a time.

SafariGalNYC

awesome dedication! 💪

ReignFromAshes

7/7 – Day 1: Starting Fresh
Today marks the official start of my 6-week transformation challenge. Although I began last week, I spent that time dialing in my food and workout plan, adjusting macros, and reflecting on my goals which initially felt a bit scattered. Over the weekend, I took the time to revise and clarify those goals, and now I feel mentally ready to truly begin.

So today, 7/7, is Day One.

Over the next six weeks, my goal is to become both mentally and physically stronger. I want to build a healthier relationship with food and learn to fully love and care for my body. I know this is just the beginning, and I’m already planning to complete multiple rounds of this challenge, with a short break between each.

This week’s focus:

• Track everything I eat
• Stay within my planned daily calories
• Be mindful of mindless or emotional snacking
• Complete at least 4 workouts

One day at a time. 💪✨

ReignFromAshes

7/8 - Day 2: Navigating the Journey

Today was a bit of a mixed bag, especially when it came to strength training. I tried to get into my usual heavy 5x5 routine in the garage, but my energy just wasn't there. It's tough not being able to push past warm-up weights, and I'm not sure if it's age catching up or just being out of practice. Either way, it's a reminder that this is a journey of figuring things out until they click.

I've been taking beef organ supplements for almost two weeks now. I think they might be helping with my energy, but it's hard to say for sure yet. I'll definitely keep taking them to see if they make a noticeable difference over time.

Movement & Steps

Yesterday was a win for steps! I managed to hit my goal, largely thanks to cutting the grass. That Florida heat makes it a serious workout on its own! Since lawn work isn't a daily thing, I need to find consistent ways to boost my steps. With a desk job, hitting even 5,000 steps is a challenge (my average is closer to 2,500), so that's my current daily target. It just means being more mindful about moving throughout the day.

Workout Adjustments & Discoveries

This morning, I managed about 25 minutes of strength training in the garage. The heat was no joke, and I just wasn't feeling it, so I decided to call it. I'm considering looking into pre-workouts again, as I used to take them when I was training more consistently.

On a brighter note, I discovered a game-changer yesterday, Oath's clear protein powder in Frosted Lemonade! Seriously, it tastes exactly like the Dell's Lemonade ice cups from up north, the best protein drink I've ever had! It mixes awesome in Greek yogurt too. I'm definitely ordering more flavors, and I am interested in their new pre-workout but it is already sold out. I just discovered this brand as I was searching for something similar to 1UP Nutrition but at a more affordable price.

My plan for today is to re-evaluate my workout schedule. I'm thinking of incorporating Les Mills On Demand and the Iron Series to gradually build my strength back up before I tackle the heavier weights in the garage again. This feels like a more sustainable approach for now. I'm also planning to get in Day 4 of the Iron Series this afternoon.

Nutrition & Mindset

My food plan is solid, filled with things I actually enjoy, which makes sticking to it much easier. The main challenge will be staying mindful and avoiding extra snacking. Here's to Day 2 and continuing to learn and adapt!

ReignFromAshes

7/14 - Day 8

Missed logging the past couple of days but have been very mindful of what I am eating. I still have some cleaning up to do with my food and exercises but I am just making sure that I keep going. Being consistent and not giving up is my main focus for this 6 week plan. I am down 4 pounds already and that is helping me keep motivated to keep going. Even though I didn't track my food this past weekend, I was mindful of what I was eating. Today is Monday, a new beginning to a new week and I usually workout only Monday through Friday and take the weekends off. I have a desk job during the week so for me, it's really important to make sure I get in my strength training workouts and aim to do an extra 30 minutes of movement, of any kind, each day. I am watching my steps and try really hard to get to 5,000, but it's been really hard unless I go for a walk. I live in Florida and it's hotter then hell here and even if I wait until the evening, it's still just so hot. I have been thinking about getting a walking pad to take 10 minute breaks and use it for walking, but I am afraid it will be just like the 9 million other exercise items that I have that is still waiting for me to use, lol!

Right now, I am struggling to find energy. It seems like no matter how much I sleep, it's never enough and I am just so fatigued during the day that it's hard to get the energy to workout. I am going to look into some sort of B12 supplement to see if that helps.

Off to go do a round of Body Pump… I am still praying for energy, lol!

betsyjaney

hello. I would love to to join this challenge. I keep a daily log of my exercise, nutrition and weight. I’ve been using MFP for a year or so, but never the forums. I’d like to connect with others for a challenge and get motivation from others in the same journey.

This morning is 178.6

My goal is about 10 lbs now to get back to the 160s. Clean up my eating and focus on nutrition.
ReignfromAshes I enjoy your posts and tips and totally understand about being consistent.

I’m off to the gym this morning for weight training.
Looking forward to an active weekend.

Will check in tomorrow as well.