Day 1

Today is the official start to my personal challenge. I have exactly 6 months from today that I will be marrying Randall... and I want to look good! Besides getting married, there are a few other reasons I am wanting to lose these 30 pounds within the 150 days before my wedding.

Number 1, which really related to 2,3,and, 4. LUPUS. I was assumed to have lupus as an infant because of all the immune deficiencies I struggled with, and at the age of seven I was officially diagnosed with the disease. Not until my late teenage years did I start to feel the struggle and affects of this disease. To give you a brief synopsis of lupus, it is an immune disease that cannot differentiate between the real parts of your body and the intruding bacterias and sicknesses. So your immune system is wearing itself down fighting off and trying to destroy things that are good and belong in your body and is too weak to fight what does not.

When I began feeling the struggle, I was put on a lot of different medicines to try to help, but because of those "helping drugs" I gained 25 pounds in 1 month! College didnt help much either, I was working 50+ hours at a job, then classes and school work... lets just say I lost my moxie for keeping myself in shape and working out. I also was eating restuarant food everyday and lots of it... wow, looking back I sure wish I had made some different choices.

So back to the list of reasons to lose this weight. #2: I want to be athletic again. Lupus has put such a wear on my joints, and I am constantly exhausted and tired from it... but when I work out, my joints are so much better and I have so much more energy and I feel like an athlete again. I also coach lacrosse and I want to be a good example to my team and other players by being athletic again.

Number 3: The little black dress, or the yellow polka-dot bikini... I want to wear it and look good! I want to go shopping for the clothes that look good on the rack and will look good on me.

and Number 4: As a Christian I need to be a good steward of the body I have been given and use it for the work of Christ and not myself. I know I can do better representing Christ when I am not eating the things that slow me down or are bad for me...

I dont know who may be reading this blog.. maybe no one.. maybe I am the only one who will see it. But at least I am accountable to writing it down. I will be keeping track of my journey... the hard parts and the joyous parts on this blog... And if you're out there reading this, Here's how you can help: Encourage, motivate, and share with me your story of weight loss, lupus or other diseases; tell me about what you need prayer for or what your giant is in your life. I would love to hear your story as well.

Here's how I am starting:
Today I signed up at Gold's Gym for 2 things. The first is for body bootcamp... and yes I think it is as scary as it sounds! My mom and I are going to be going to bootcamp, with Mike the trainer 2 times a week (mondays and thursdays) for an hour each session. This is a high-intensive workout designed to lose weight and build strength. The second is for the Body Success Challenge... 12 weeks to lose as much weight as you can and look as good as you can. I am hoping my dad will join me in this challenge.

And since I am going to be sharing the whole journey with you... I am going to end this blog by telling you the starting weight and body fat percentage: 167pounds and 31% body fat... Wow... it is harder to type out and realize it in front of me...

I look forward to hearing your thoughts!
MissAlyss!!!