Video :: 12 Week Weight Loss Journey Recap

So I promised I would do a video about the 12 weeks (since I stopped at week 4).. but it's a really short video - but to those that requested it - Thank you and enjoy!

You can view the post with my final pictures :: CLICK HERE

If you have any requests (i've had a few fitness video requests) please let me know by commenting here, or my youtube channel or on our facebook page! :) 
Thank you all for your support throughout the 12 week challenge - Although I did not win, I'm not going to stop here! So please continue to follow my journey!

My 3 Month Weight loss Progress Update!

I'm Terribly sorry that I haven't been posting as frequently as I had hoped.. But For those that follow me on twitter/instagram know how busy I am with school, family and life.. 


I wanted to update you all on the END of my 12 week body transformation.. 

just in case you are new to my blog. 
Here are links:
- WEEK 1 :: HERE
- WEEK 2 :: HERE 
- WEEK 3 :: HERE 
- WEEK 4 :: HERE
- WEEK 5-8 :: HERE

I didn't do weeks 9-12 because my workouts, I was already posting them daily and it would be too redundant.. but I am planning on doing a final video - just to have it so people can refer to it later (and for those that are not subbed to my blog and only my Youtube will find it useful).


But I originally started out (after I had my 3rd baby) at a whopping 154lbs.. I was breastfeeding so this also probably had quite a bit to do with my weight lol.

My Final Weight on July 22, 2012! :) Total of 22.2lbs Lost

Previous pregnancies:
- 1st pregnancy (a lot of medical complications): Gained nearly 65lbs and had to have a c-section with my first baby because her heart was not strong enough to survive a natural delivery and the doctors did not want to chance it. After I had my first daughter - I Did NOT work out at all.. it wasn't until she was 1 years old that I started to lose weight (naturally, because I never worked out - but I still had a terrible c-section gut) but of course I got knocked up as soon as I slimmed down (My First Baby & 2nd Baby are about 19 Months apart)


- 2nd pregnancy - Gained about 50lbs had her naturally - VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section):: I literally had no medication for her because she came so fast.


After my 2nd pregnancy, It wasn't until She was about almost two years old that I started working out.. I also lost over 20lbs and was at my pre-pregnancy weight.. (i was so happy to be wearing size 3 again) and then I got knocked up again LOL! 


- 3rd pregnancy: Gained 35-40lbs and was exercising throughout my whole pregnancy (very proud of myself for that) Which enabled me to bounce back faster. I started working out exactly at 6 weeks post partum and that is when I entered the Elite Ambition Challenge on Bodybuilding.com (See WEEK 1 blog post)


And Here are my pictures (Both Before & After.. Side by side for comparison!)

Back -- Before & After

Side -- Before and After

Front -- Before And After

Here is my Final Essay on the Elite Ambition Challenge

- The Question Was How did you accomplish your goal, and what was your diet and training like.

I am so proud to say that I have completed my first (definitely not last!) 12 week weight loss challenge!  I never thought in a million years, I would have been able to finish this challenge, especially since I just had my 3rd baby.  I will admit to having some doubts in the beginning because I didn't believe in myself.  But from the support of my family, friends and Dymatize Bodygroup - I was able to rise up and finish, with vitality. Seeing others make tremendous progress was extremely empowering and just knowing I was not alone in this challenge was what I needed for motivation.

I have always been self concious about how I looked, but really never did anything to change it. I had many excuses, some of which were that I was too busy, too tired and just no time for myself because I was busy taking care of everyone else.

So after having my 3rd baby, I found the Dymatize Elite Ambition challenge and decided that's just what I needed. I needed a fresh start, something to push me along the way to not only find myself - but give me a jump start into a healthier me.  I learned that it's okay to put myself first sometimes! In order for me to love others, I needed to learn to love myself. I decided that now was a better time then ever to lose weight and get back into shape, not only for myself, but for my children.  If I wanted to lead by example, I knew I had to start now. 

How I accomplished My Goal?

Discipline and Consistency throughout the whole 12 weeks.  I knew what I wanted and it was just a matter of putting in the hard work to get it. I have been consistent with my diet and training and loved seeing results every week. Knowing that my hard work was definitely showing, this pushed me to work harder especially because I had just delivered my 3rd baby.  

My Diet:

Because I was breastfeeding, I couldn't take any supplements, so I really relied on just hard work and my diet to push me through.  

I used a combination of intense training, caloric deficit and consistency to lose 22lbs in 12 weeks.  This was my first time ever trying to lose a large amount of weight in such short amount of time. For me to lose 1-2lbs a week, with a little trial and error, found my caloric intake range to be about 1500.

Breakdown of an average day:

8:00AM:

- Wheat Bread (1 serving = 2 slices): 150 cal, 30g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein

- Hazelnut Spread: 100 cal, 11g carbs, 6g fat, 2g protein

OR

- Oatmeal - Apples & Cinnamon: 130 cal, 27g carbs, 2g fat, 3g protein

10:00AM:

- Wheat Bread (1 serving = 2 slices): 150 cal, 30g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein

- Oven-Roasted Turkey Breast (1 serving = 2 oz): 50 cal, 2g carbs, 1g fat, 4g protein 

12:00PM:

- Turkey Beef & Egg Omelet:

- 4oz ground turkey: 150 cal, 0g carbs, 7g fat, 22g protein

- 2 Large Eggs: 160 cal, 0g carbs, 9g fat, 15g protein

- 2 cups bistro salad: 20 cal, 4g carbs, 0g fat, 1g protein

OR

- Pastrami Sandwhich:

- White Bread(1 serving = 2 slices): 150 cal, 30g carbs, 2g fat, 4g protein

- Pastrami (1 serving = 7 slices): 60 cal, 0 carbs, 1g fat, 4g protein +

2:00PM:

- Protein Powder (1 Scoop): 130cal, 15g carbs, 16g fat, 24g protein

- Organic Baby Carrots (3oz): 35 cal, 9g carb, 0g fat, 1g protein

4:00PM:

- 6oz Salmon: 340 cal, 0g carb, 22g fat, 37g protein

6:00PM:

- 1/2 cup cottage cheese + 8 oz mixed fruit: 119 cal, 12g carbs, 2g fat , 14g protein

- Protein Powder (1 Scoop): 130cal, 15g carbs, 16g fat, 24g protein

Approximate:

- Calories: 1499

- Carbs: 128

- Fat: 83

- Protein: 152

My Workout Routine:

The days I go to the gym vary, as I juggle my schedule based on child care, school, and family time.

Day 1: Chest/Back 

Day 2: Legs/Arms

Day 3: Back/shoulders

Day 4: REST

Day 5: Legs/Arms

Day 6: Back/Chest

Day 7: REST

I have shown great perserverance and dedication throughout the whole challenge even through the stressors of being a nursing student, wife and mother.  I have inspired my family, friends and even strangers that now follow my blog, twitter and facebook pages to live a healthier lifestyle.  This challenge has given me the confidence I needed to propel myself into greater things. This is only the beginning and I'm only looking forward to see how much more my body can transform.  

Thank you Team Dymatize for your support and life changing experience! I want to thank my husband, for his motivation and support, as well as our children for giving me a reason to push through to the end even when I wanted to give up, and also my friends and family for the encouragement.  

I definitely plan to keep this momentum rolling because this is only the beginning!

I am going to keep my eyes peeled on bodybuilding.com in hopes they'll have another transformation challenge soon.. I think another 3 months and I'll be golden! :) 

Thank you to everyone who has followed my journey.. like I said - this is only the beginning and you'll be seeing more from me!

Gym Session :: 07/11/2012

Been super busy with the festivities lately (my daughter's 6th birthday, my 12 year anniversary -not wedding- with hubby, school projects and tests).. I have been going to the gym but just haven't been able to log it here! 

Gym Session :: 07/03/2012

- One-Arm Dumbbell Row

10lbs x 15 (per arm)

10lbs x 15 (per arm)

10lbs x 15 (per arm)

** Instead of resting I did Mountain Climbers

3 sets of 20 reps

- Standing Rows (with resistance Band)

3 sets of 15

** After each set I did Crunches

3 sets of 15 reps

- Bent Over Barbell Row

45lbs x 15

45lbs x 15

45lbs x 15

** Instead of resting I did Mountain Climbers

3 sets of 20 reps

- Bent Over Barbell Row

45lbs x 15

45lbs x 15

45lbs x 15

** Instead of resting I did Mountain Climbers

3 sets of 20 reps

** Super Set

- Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

10lbs x 20

10lbs x 20

10lbs x 20

- Bench Dips

BW x 12

BW x 12

BW x 12

- Triceps Pushdown - Resistance Bands

3 sets of 12 reps

** Instead of resting I did Mountain Climbers

3 sets of 20 reps

- Resistance Band - Overhead Triceps Extension

3 sets of 12 reps

** Instead of resting I did Air Bike Crunches

3 sets of 25 reps

And for my cardio I did my cardio complex which can be found here

http://youtu.be/C5Olyp0T9aw

Gym Session :: 07/04/2012

Can't believe there are 18 days left in this challenge! I haven't met my goal, but this challenge has gotten me so close to it.. I mean, I would've never thought that RIGHT after giving birth to my 3rd baby would I even be near what I was! so I'm proud of myself for getting where I am.. and being in the right mindset! 

Anywho, today was another leg day.. 

** Super Set

- Seated Leg Curl

40lbs x 15 

40lbs x 15

40lbs x 15

- Barbell Lunge

30lbs x 15, per side

30lbs x 15, per side

30lbs x 15, per side

** Super Set

- Stiff-Legged Barbell Deadlift

30lbs x 15

30lbs x 15

30lbs x 15

- Double Bounce-Squat

3 sets of 15 reps

**Super Set

- Bulgarian Lunges (with barbell)

20lbs x 15, per side

20lbs x 15, per side

20lbs x 15, per side

- Bench Glute Bridge

30lbs x 12 (My tooth was on FIRE!)

30lbs x 12

30lbs x 12

- Lying Leg Curls

10lbs x 20, one leg at a time (talk about feel the burn)

10lbs x 20, one leg at a time

10lbs x 20, one leg at a time

** Instead of resting, I did 3 sets of 20 reps of Mountain Climbers and started right back over..

** Triple Set:

- Standing Calf Raises

15lb dumbbells each hand x 20

15lb dumbbells each hand x 20

15lb dumbbells each hand x 20

- Seated Calf Raises

25lbs x 20

25lbs x 20

25lbs x 20

-- Jump Rope

3 Sets of 1 minute

3 Sets of 1 minute

3 Sets of 1 minute

Extras:

- Leg Raises on Roman Chair

3 sets of 25

- Cardio on Treadmill

30 seconds sprinting, 30 seconds walking (the people around me were looking at me like I was crazy, but I didn't care!) lol

And that summed up today's workout.. Till tomorrow! :D

Gym Session :: 07/01/2012

Went to the gym with Hubby again.. he ended up doing legs while I worked out shoulders, triceps and calves..

Gym Session :: 06/29/2012

Here is what I worked out Yesterday.. went to the gym with Hubby.. did my own thang since it was his off day, but decided to go in for cardio.. :) we ended up doing our cardio complex together at the end..

Gym Session :: 06/28/2012

So I took yesterday off from the gym since I had so much school work and had to study for my test (today wahhh!).. so I made sure to work my tail off today! Cannot believe that I have 24 days left in the Elite Ambition Challenge!! 

Gym Session :: 06/26/2012

I've been swamped with homework so I couldn't post this yesterday after I finished working out.. Had so much laundry to do on top of that.. so I was able to hit the gym and this is my workout for Tuesday (yesterday)

**Super Set

- Wide-Grip lat Pull down

50lbs x 15

40lbs x 30 

30lbs x 30 

- Underhand Cable Pulldowns

(omg my forearms and back were BURNING)

50lbs x 15

40lbs x 30 

30lbs x 30 

__________

- One-Arm Dumbbell Row

20lbs x 15 (per arm)

15lbs x 15 (per arm)

15lbs x 15 (per arm)

** Instead of resting I did Exercise Ball Pull-in

3 sets of 15 reps

- Seated Cable Rows

40lbs x 15

40lbs x 15

40lbs x 15

** After each set I did Crunches on the bench

3 sets of 15 reps

- Bent Over Barbell Row

45lbs x 15

45lbs x 15

45lbs x 15

** After each set I did Mountain Climbers

3 sets of 20 reps

- Dumbbell Alternate Bicep Curl

15lbs x 12

12.5lbs x 12

10lbs x 12

(my arms we're literally dead at this point lol, kept pushing on)

** After each set I did Tricep Bench Dips

3 sets of 12 reps

- Tricep Push Down (with the rope attachment)

20lbs x 12

20lbs x 12

20lbs x 12

** After each set I did Mountain Climbers

3 sets of 20 reps

My freaking body is Extremely sore from Monday nights 5.27 Mile run (and Sunday's leg day).. No wonder people we're looking at me funny when I decided to use the stairs.. cause I was walking all funky cause my legs and buttcheeks were sore to the max LOL

I had a bad case of DOMs so I couldn't do my 30 mins of running on the treadmill as I wanted.. but I guess it should be okay since I did two running sessions On Monday night… will just have to run extra harder for this afternoons workout! 

Weeks 5-8 weight loss update! :: Progress Pix

So unfortunately, there's no video.. but if you follow me on twitter/instagram, you probably have already seen these pictures and it's nothing new.. 


but i've pretty much been doing the same things as previous videos/blogs (Weeks 1-4) - so nothing really has changed except the weight! :) Sooo, for those that don't know - I started off a whopping 154lbs.. and just last week I weighed in at 141.4lbs.. and if you'll notice on my blog on the top right, my handy dandy MyFitnessPal counter.. will show you how many pounds I've lost thus far! 

about 2 weeks ago (when I had 6 more weeks to go lol)

I'll update this when I take better pictures, but for those

that have asked me... this will do for now!

Now there is less than 30 days until the competition/challenge that I entered on bodybuilding.com ends.. There are so many amazing transformations on there as is.. but I feel that i've worked my tail off.. And I do hope that the people from Team Dymatize see how hard I've worked.. and how much dedication and consistency I've put into my body... I really do hope I win the grand prize.. My family needs it more then ever right now... :) so keep your fingers crossed! 


I am going to take better pictures of how I look now (instead of the pic above on the right taken with my iPhone lol).. 


so I'll definitely update you all as much as I can! I want to thank you ALL so much for the support! and thank you all for following my journey so far! It's definitely not the end!

Gym Session :: 06/24/2012

So Friday & Saturday I actually did give my body a rest lol.. working out non-stop for a month really did take a toll on my body lol.. but it was good to give myself not one, but two days off from lifting weights… I did however get my cardio in both mornings.. Friday before school of course.. which was really nice I got out of class early because My Daughter was graduating from pre-school, so I didn't miss it! 

Saturday was a day of cleaning the house.. so I was doing some active rest at home (plus my morning run).. So you bet your booty I worked my tail off at the gym Today (Sunday).. I totally made up for the past two days.. I went to the gym with my husband..

Gym Session :: 06/21/2012

Sorry this post is late.. but I got out of school late last night and was super tired - After school, I literally just went home, kissed my kiddies and my hubby good night and called it a night because I had to wake up after a few hours because baby sophia was going to wake up for her first of 3 feedings that night lol.. and plus still had my morning jog to do..


but this is what I did for Thursday...


I went for a morning run for 25 minutes instead of 30 because Sophia was so cranky she wouldn't let me leave (maybe she knew it was my first day back at school lol)

If you want it bad enough - You'll MAKE time to workout :) 

Gym Session :: 06/20/2012 - 3-a-Days

For the first workout, I decided to go for a jog after I was finished feeding my newborn baby :) (which I woke up at 5AM and she took another 1.5 hrs to go back to sleep).. So I ran from 6:30AM until I had to wake up My husband to get ready for work - which was at 7:30AM, but I was sort of 'cooling down' for the last 10 minutes of my run…

The Proof is in the Sweat! lol it looks like a scary face to me :O

Gym Session :: 06/19/2012

I know it's been awhile since my last post.. but i've been going to the gym/exercising every day and my blog was starting to look redundant with the same exercises etc.. soo wanted to change it up a bit.. i think i'm done building muscle (was lifting super heavy).. and now to lean out.. so dropping the weight and upping the reps.. we'll see how this goes!  

So For today's workout... 

Week 4 :: Requested :: How to Cook Ground Turkey Omelette - My Staple/HG Food

So this weeks video is a little different - because it's so long - I didn't want to add anymore of my rambling to it lol.. so I will just recap everything here .. for the things that were not covered in the video..

So for end of week 1, I weighed 154lbs, weeks 2 & 3 I stayed at 146.6lbs.. and then end of week 4 I weighed in at 145lbs. So a total loss of 9 lbs.  Slowly but surely coming off. This video is about a week behind because of week 3 being behind..

So I'm going to try to get weeks 5 & 6 out as soon as I can, but it'll be tough since i'm going back to school next week (wahhh!) 

So this video is just basically MY version of the filipino torta. Filipino torta you usually could use ground beef, all sorts of other things (soy sauce/patice etc etc) but this is my healthy version since i'm on a mission to lose weight lol..

I use Ground Turkey, a pot (to boil the ground turkey), onions, tomatoes, and your choice of veggies.. this time around I used celery and broccoli. I also use russet potatoes as you could see :) i also use pam cooking spray (i used to use extra virgin olive oil until hubby and i discovered that it was loaded with calories!) so we used this alternative.. and eggs (well in the video i use one egg, but you can use as many as you'd like)

and then after all the cooking of the meat this is what i used to measure my food:

- bowl

- food scale

- serving spoon

- the cooked meat

and then as you could see in the video, i cook it just like you would an omelette or a pancake :)

This Torta is one of my staple foods during my weight loss journey. I will make another post about other types of food I eat but it's really all the same things! :) (chicken and salad or turkey burger, salmon, veggies…) 

but I do hope this was helpful for those that requested this via e-mail/twitter/facebook and/or instagram! :) 

thank you for the continued support! this challenge is going by way too fast..

Week 3 :: Weight Loss Update - Cardio/HIIT

Hi Everyone! I know week 3 is a little late, but I still wanted to put this up for those that were interested! 
This week I concentrated on adding Cardio into my routine and I go on to talk about the type of cardio that I like to do (HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training)



High Intensity Interval Training is definitely more effective than just running on a treadmill or jogging at a steady pace because your body goes into whats called a steady state. Meaning your body is used to the same pace you're going.. thus trying to conserve the fat/calories so you typically don't lose much calories nor fat..but it is good for your heart.  HIIT is great because of the short periods of high intensity and alternating with low intensity, it tricks the body, making your heart lungs and entire body work harder.. burning more calories, thus burning more fat.


When you do too much cardio though, it tends to burn away the muscle that you've worked so hard to build.. and my main goal is lose the fat and gain lean muscle! so I definitely don't want to do that! 


The exercises you'll see are featured in my one post:
http://www.beautyandthebrute.com/2012/05/gym-session-05092012.html


And the exercises mention in ONE set are:
Bodyweight Squats - 12 reps
Spiderman Pushups - 12 reps
Jumping Lunges - 12 reps
Plank to Pushups - 12 reps
Mountain Climbers - 12 reps
--- rest 90 seconds


all of those are considered ONE set! I started doing just 3 sets.. but have worked my way to doing 4 or 5.. and the thing I love most about doing this cardio complex is that it's so much more fun than just running on a treadmill for 30-45 minutes.  This literally only takes me 15-20 minutes and really gets my heart pumping and gets me sweating tons!


Thank you all for the support during my challenge! Next week I am hoping to do an updated progression shot.. to help keep me motivated and work harder then the past few weeks.. I'm definitely still not where I want to be, and remember results to happen over night.. so I definitely am not discouraged but rather.. more motivated!


If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! Until my next video/Blog Post! :)

Week 2 Weight Loss Update!

Hi Everyone! So yes! it's end of week 2 of my 12 week weight loss challenge.  For those that are just tuning in - you can find the reason why i'm trying to lose weight and what this 12 week challenge is in the post HERE

In 2 weeks, I've lost a total of 7 pounds! Very proud of myself for still eating well and exercising.  I have not went over my caloric goal at all these past two weeks, and for that I'm very proud. I'm also proud that despite the caloric deficit - I'm still able to breast feed my Daughter (who is now 2 months old!)






In the video I talk about supplements that I take, since I've been messaged a few times and asked on YT and MFP if I'm currently taking any stimulants/fat burners etc while I'm trying to lose weight. If you watched my first video - I mentioned that already that I am breastfeeding.


So that means I cannot take any caffeine or any stimulants/pre-workout supplements/fat burners or else it will effect my daughter and of course I do not want that.. so I want to clear the air - I Am NOT taking any fat burners or stimulants (ie. pre-workout supplements etc).. The only products I am taking are Pictured here:

Combat Powder Protein :: How I take this:

16 oz water

1 Scoop (1 serving size)

mixed in a shaker bottle

I will take this only when I have not met my calories for the day (my goal is 1500 calories per day)  and if I'm still hungry at the end of the day. I try not to eat after 8PM, but if I do 'eat' anything, it's going to be a protein shake.  

Or I will take this protein shake if I've had a really monstrous workout (typically leg days cause I'll squat and deadliest super heavy).. then I will take this post workout.

Armor-V = MultiVitamin I take daily

Fish Oil = So many benefits (i.e.: aids in lowering high cholesterol, treating heart disease, treating anxiety/depression and it can also help with weight loss naturally) 

Iron = Need it because I'm anemic. Was anemic during pregnancy and doctor says I need to take it for a few months after pregnancy. I probably will stop taking it soon though (after next check up)

Fenugreek Seed And Blessed Thistle = For Breastfeeding to increase my milk supply. 

So those are the only things that i'm taking.. This past week I've been mainly working out in my husband and my home gym.  You'll hear him in some of the video while I'm working out because he is so supportive of me - that he trains me! 

For Week 3, My goal is to incorporate more cardio into my routine. Right now I sort of go to the gym every other day.. and my "rest" days - I want to really use those to my advantage and put in some hard work doing cardio complexes (which I will discuss in week 3!)  

Thank you to everyone who's been so supportive of my journey! And thank you to all the new subbies on our YT channel - I'm so thankful! I'm hoping this inspires you other ladies and mommies out there! If I can do this while I have a newborn and 2 other tots :) you can too! Don't forget to visit my Mommy website as well! (www.WorldForMoms.com) 

If you have any questions that you'd like me to address in my next weekly weight loss update - please leave a comment here, on YT, e-mail me or message me on twitter or YT! :) 

Till Next time!

My Week 1 Weight Loss Update!

So for those of you who didn't know - I had my 3rd baby the Middle of March, and was cleared to start exercising again at 6 weeks post pregnancy.  So to kickstart my weight loss journey, I entered in a body transformation.


It's the Elite Ambition Transformation sponsored by Dymatize Nutrition

It's a 12 Week Competition (84 days to be exact) and pretty much whoever has the best transformation by judging before and after pics by the bodybuilding.com judges - wins! 

The prizes are as follows:

There is a Male and Female Grand Prize winner which will be:

And the runners up will receive:

• Second Place (one entrant) — $2000 Cash, $400 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)
• Third Place (one entrant) — $1000 Cash, $300 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)
• Fourth Place — $250 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)
• Fifth - Tenth Place — $100 of Dymatize Products (Bodybuilding.com retail value)

So yes, I had to post quite embarrassing 'before' photos of me. I was kind of grossed out at how big I had gotten after having Sophia, but I really had to remind myself that I just had a baby and of course My Body was not the same as it was before.. but that motivated me to want to get in the best shape of my life, not only for me.. but for my kids! I want to be a good role model for them because I think it's important they know they need to take care of themselves and be healthy... to live a long and healthy life.

So! with that being said.. I started this competitions at  153.6 (body building.com rounded it to 154lbs -  *merrp* lol).  After week one I weighed in at 148.0lbs! I know that healthy weight loss is 1-2lbs per week, but remember since I'm just starting out, I have a lot of water weight to lose.. hence why it was more than 1-2lbs. 

Here is a quick video on some of the exercises I did (and that i've blogged about in my 'Gym Session' Posts!) to help me lose weight for week 1.  

Keep in mind that I ate clean - meaning NO fast food! I tracked everything I ate on myfitnesspal (which if you have it - you can add me 'MyFitBeauty') 

For my diet, I just did a basic caloric deficit.  Before I signed up for the contest, for 2 weeks I tracked everything I ate to gauge how many calories I was eating that caused me to maintain my weight.

From there, I decided to cut 300 calories from my diet.. this has been working for me so far.. I can't cut my calories too much because I am breastfeeding Sophia which also makes it a little harder for me to have a drastic transformation because I cannot take any pre-workout supplements etc.  So yes i'm doing this with NO stimulants (no caffeine, no pre workout supps/drinks) and yes sleepless nights, lack of sleep does take it's toll on me.. where days I have huge migraines from lack of sleep.. but it's not an excuse for me! 

I'm very motivated! and will continue to stay motivated for myself, my kids & my friends and blog/twitter friends that supporting me to the finish line of this challenge! so until next week's video and blog post.. :)