Goals In Motion

I just completed my first week of Goals In Motion 9-week Challenge. And it's hard work - just like it should be. When you sign-up you get a 30-page manual about the workout program and a nutrition guide. I would say there are 4 main components:

1. Nutrition
2. Kick-boxing
3. Resistance Training
4. Teams and Coaches

The nutrition has been the hardest for me (although the workouts are killer). I'm just not used to eating anything until about 1:30p. I just get "too busy" to eat in the morning and I like to enjoy my lunch in the peace and quiet while the boys are sleeping. I think I've been selfish about that and I'm working on it. I've been eating more than I have in a long time, just different foods at different times of the day:

6:15a - breakfast
9:00a - snack
11:30a - lunch
2:30p - snack
5:30p - dinner

There are three components to this new way of eating: 100oz water per day, a protein at every meal, and no carbohydrates after 3pm. They keep it simple yet challenging. The manual gives you some recipes and lists of veggies, fruits, carbs, fats, proteins that you can choose from. It actually gave me a lot of hope.

Kick-boxing is our cardio workout which we do 3 times a week. And it's hard. work. And I mean hard. work. I finished my mile run on 7/24 in 13 minutes 54 seconds. With all the cardio we're doing I'm hoping I can beat that time at the final review. And I can't wait until I'm strong enough to really beat that bag. It will be fun when I'm punching and kicking with strength instead of just trying not to quit.

Resistance training is also really hard work. The instructor constantly reminds you to be working toward your "10" - your hardest level. I even went up on weight today from last week and plan on increasing some of the weight on Wednesday. My lower body is stronger and therefore I require more weight there. Kind of fun.

Now for the teams and coaches. This is a great part of the Goals In Motion challenge. The coaches workout with you and help you with your form, check if you need heavier or lighter weights, and for the first 2 weeks you email them everything you eat. That's right, everything. They go over what you've eaten and encourage you where you made good choices and instruct you where you went wrong. It's a really nice system and it really keeps me accountable.

The program is only as hard as you make it. You set goals with your coaches and work to achieve them. They can be strength goals, cardio goals, weight goals, fun goals, whatever. Personally, I'd like to lose some weight with this program but I need to keep in mind that my thyroid will be taking this working-out-thing personally so I need to keep tabs on that. And also, I hope my family helps support me instead of telling me that I should just eat what I want - so you better be supportive. ;)

So far, it's been a good week. I need to get to bed on time but that's never been easy for me. I think Goals In Motion is a great motivator and I'll let you know how I'm doing as we go along.

Goals In Motion has three locations in Central Iowa.