Out of the Box

OK I'm not really sure where to begin with this.  A few things you should know about me if you already don't.  I typically like to stay within my comfort zone.  My brother is who you should look to for venturing into wild and crazy and spontaneity.  I have always made it a point to have some kind of exercise/ workout routine.  As a matter of fact in August I shook things up a bit bought a pair of boxing gloves and with the girls in my hood started taking a cardio kickboxing class except come to find out it was a lot more of punching and boxing on a bag than actually kickboxing.  We love it!!! I love food- all kinds of food french fries, cheese sticks, any vegetable, pizza, you name it and I eat it.  So for a few months a have been boxing 3-4 times a week and lifting weights 3 times a week and guess what- the scale hasn't budged!  Not that I really wanted it to but I was shocked to see that it didn't.  I am almost 100% sure that it is because of my diet.  Basically I was eating whatever I wanted and able to off set it with my exercise.  Not really a big deal at least I didn't think so.  Steve had a doctors appt. in November and come to find out in a year he has put on some weight ( Not to call him out on it I won't say the exact number but it was enough for the doctor to make note of it.) The girls lately are turning up their noses at the strawberries and bananas I have in the fridge and are instead asking for gummy snacks and cookies.  Where eating out use to be a once in awhile privilege it was almost expected at least 2 sometimes 3 nights of the week.  Carsyn is at the point where if we go by Zaxbys or Chick-fil-a she ask to stop and get bawk bawk ( this is what she calls chicken).   So one of my workout partners, Amy, tells me that she has decided to sign up and train for a bodybuilding competition.  Before you start thinking no way is Cara going to do this don't worry I am not planning n doing the competition.  I am however going to train with her.  For once I want to challenge myself with something that is WAY out of my box and maybe with this I can get my family back on track.  Basically I will be working out the same amount as before.  Weights on M, W, F and cardio T, Th, and maybe Saturdays.  This is actually less than before because on most Mondays and Wed. i was doing both weights and cardio.  The biggest change will be my diet.  It is a lot of food but it is good for you food.  Oatmeal, turkey, chicken, fish, and pork, vegetables, cottage cheese, and some fruit.    So really a lot of lean protein and fresh vegetables. So it isn't a starve yourself , shoot yourself up with drugs and supplements type training.  It is a eat the right things in the right amounts and combination to allow natural muscle to show through.  Steve has agreed to do a modified version with me to help shed some of his pounds.  I know we will save some money as we cut back on eating out and I hope by offering better options to the girls they will go back to making a better choice at least some of the time.  Yes they will still have gummy snacks and candy and french fries but my goal is to make these items not the first choice every time.  Carsyn has already taken to the cottage cheese and the eggs.  Mainly this is about making me a healthier me and seeing if I can do something that I wouldn't normally do.  For Amy I a super pumped about her competing.  I think it is awesome and I will be there to cheer her on.  For me it really makes me nauseous to think of getting on stage so I'll hang back and continue to join her in the gym for the training.  Maybe if I'm brave enough I'll post some starting pictures and then pictures along the way.  The training officially starts on the 19th.  Wish me luck!