Amber - The first week...

It's amazing what a doctor's visit, a drive to lose weight, and a 30th birthday approaching can do to a person. A Biggest Loser Challenge at work helped a bit too! I am a pretty competitive person and I always have been.

For some reason, at the ripe age of 18 I thought it was a good idea to take Depo-Provera. Depo, for short, is a birth control that is injected every 3 months. Well, I suffered some severe side effects. At 18 years old I weighed under 120 lbs and was in the prime of my life. After my second injection, I gained 40 lbs in that 3 months. I couldn't control it. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't quit taking a pill because it was in my system. Now, I am a pretty vain person to say the least, so a 40 lb weight gain was a bit depressing. So depressing that I continued to gain until I doubled my weight over the last 11 years.

So about two months ago, I had made the decision to lose 30 lbs by my 30th birthday which falls on June 30th. Made sense to me and it is an achievable goal. I just couldn't get motivated until we decided at work to team up and race for the weight loss! This was great! So I started on a low-carb diet which I knew so well after doing Atkins several years ago. I modified it a bit to add in more veggies and cut fat. I wanted to make this as healthy as possible and successful. Well, I can say that 3 weeks later I'm still going strong on it and I don't even miss the stuff I gave up. I also gave up beer and soda for Lent. So that left me with martini's and iced tea to drink - or so I thought.

Last Tuesday, I went to the doctor and discovered I have a fatty liver. After some research, I learned there are two main causes for a fatty liver - drinking and obesity. Well, I was a drinker and at 241 lbs (before I started) I am obese. So - gone is the drinking!

I had also started taking Chantix about 3 weeks ago - so gone is the smoking!

The doctor said I needed to start being more active. After hearing about Bikram Yoga for several years from my little brother's ex-girlfriend Ashley. Then hearing about it again from my friend Molly. Then hearing what the doc had to say - it was time to research Bikram. Everyone needs to research Bikram... I'll help - start here. Then go here to learn about each position and where it targets.

Now, you've hopefully read a bit about it and you are probably saying - well, the benefits look great but you have to be insane to be in a room that is heated to 105 degrees at 40% humidity for 90 minutes. What kind of workout is that? It can't be cardiovascular - you are just stretching. Well, to those of you who think it isn't cardiovascular - I challenge you to take one class and tell me about your heart rate.

I signed up for my first class last Wednesday. One week ago today. The first class was eye-opening. I didn't quite know what to expect. I also couldn't imagine what 105 degrees felt like. Thank GOD I had a great instructor. She went around to each new student and asked our names. She never forgot them - impressive because there were about 8 newbies that night. Then she said we had one goal for that class - to stay in the room for all 90 minutes. That was quite the relief, because if I was expected to get into half the stuff those people were doing - well - it wasn't going to happen. I tried everything. That's all I could do was try. Some postures I couldn't even grab my foot to start the posture. So she would tell us what to do as a modification to eventually get it right. Karen and I got through the whole class and we were drenched! Karen turned to me and said - this was harder than spinning! I was scared to death of spinning but I did this! I felt great! I felt like I had just got the gold medal or made a sale or well... let's just say amazing. I don't know that I will ever be able to explain the feeling of accomplishment when you get through that class. But, I was hooked and committed, which is good because I had signed up for a month!

I took the next day off because I was having a whole bunch of blood drawn for lab tests. I was scared I may pass out in class. I returned promptly on Friday. Rima was my instructor again. She noticed I could grab my foot this time. It was just my second class and I was already doing better. I got through that class and well - I felt even more accomplished because I could already to more! That room was still HOT!

The third class I took was Saturday morning. They recommend that you go every day at the beginning to consistently improve your flexibility and strength. Well, I realized at the end of class that I was so focused on balance, and posture, and determination - that the heat became secondary. I still sweat. I still looked like I jumped in a pool. I just was more focused than I was before and because of that - I improved yet again!

Sunday, I didn't feel like it. I really really didn't feel like it. So I went. I went to the noon class. I am so glad I did. I probably would have laid around ALL day if I hadn't. Well, this instructor saw me struggle with a position that she knew I had so she assisted me into it. WOW - it was awesome! I did two things that day that I couldn't get before. So in addition to the workout, and the sweating, and how I was already feeling - now I could actually see real progression and it had only been FOUR classes!

Monday morning, I said - what the hell - it's time to weigh myself! So after 3 weeks of dieting and 4 classes of insane yoga, I've lost 13 lbs. I am nearly half way to my 6 month goal. I think I've got this one in the bag! Not to mention... our little contest. Do you know what else I've noticed... As a singer, my breath control is drastically improving! Do you know what else I've noticed? My hips are getting smaller and I can feel that bone around your neck... you know the one, right? I call it the thin bone. It's how I know I'm losing weight!

Well, Monday night came around. I couldn't make the 6 pm class like I was taking so I went to the 8. Working out past my bedtime is no fun. I won't lie, I was mentally in a bad place and getting frustrated. I wanted to cry. I wanted to leave. I didn't do either - but I felt like I went backward. I was so discouraged... I made this commitment though to me and a team of people so this couldn't be the end. I sucked it up and went back last night. It was hotter in there than ever before because of the amount of people that were there. I felt like my body was a water fountain. I had to wipe off my face and arms about 35 times. You know what though... I got through it.

This morning, while I sit here and start this blog for everyone and me, I feel great. I feel energized. For the first time, I'm not sore - I've worked through that. I've signed up for my classes through Sunday. I can't wait to share my story because I don't know where it's going to go... Only time can tell, but I want to look back on this in 6 months and know how hard I worked to get to where I will be and to know that I did it.