This Is It

Day 42

Here we are. The end. Sometimes I felt like this day would never come, others I felt like time was moving too fast.

I set out on this project looking for an answer and I found one. Is it possible to get a six pack in six weeks? No. Not for me anyways. But that doesn't mean it can't happen for other people and it also doesn't mean it can never happen for me.

I refuse to give up on the elusive six pack. I still believe I will have one some day. For now though, I am happy with what I have accomplished. I feel so much better about my body and so much healthier.

I have also learned alot! I don't think I can keep up the intense pace of the past six weeks but my workouts have become much more effective and I have mastered the art of eating healthy foods. Over the past 42 days I have been collecting little bits of knowledge and now I'm ready to put them all together.

As a final thought I'd like to share what this experience has taught me.

TOP 5 THINGS I LEARNED FROM PROJECT SIX PACK

1. Don't believe everything you read. And if you're skeptical, find out for yourself if it's true! I wondered for years if everything the health magazines promised was possible. And while it was a bit sad to find out they are not a source of complete truth, I still love them all the same! After all, I'm alot better off than I would be if they had told me it was extremely unlikely that I would be able to achieve my goal.

2. Tuesdays are soccer days. If my motivation levels are not where I need them be, running around the track while the soccer team practices on the fields in the centre is the easiest way to make sure I get a good workout. All I have to do is pretend the coach is talking to me when he screams, "You call that a sprint?! Run! Run! Run!"

3. Fat is very good at hiding. When I started the project, I went through my grocery list and picked the low-fat alternative of nearly everything I buy. Surprisingly, I barely noticed a difference. Cheese made with skim milk for instance, or light peanut butter - it all tastes the same to me! My favourite trick: substitute fat free plain yogurt for sour cream. It sounds disgusting I know, but trust me as long as there are enough other flavours going on, you get the exact same effect. For instance, layer salsa on top and dip your nacho chips in it!

4. Matter over mind. Exercising nearly every day gets your body into some very good habits! Even when I was dreading going to the gym and all I could think about was getting home and taking a nap, as soon as my feet hit the stairmaster, they knew exactly what to do. My brain was saying "No, you do not want to be doing this right now!" But my muscles happily worked together and kept right on going.

5. It takes a village. Embarking on this challenge helped me realize that I have the most encouraging friends and family on this planet, not to mention the single most supportive boyfriend that ever lived. When I made excuses for not going to the gym, you shot them down and talked me into it. When I reached for the chocolate, you slapped my hand. When I wanted to give up, I knew you would never let me.

So thank you! I truly could not have done it without every single person who read my blog, commented on my posts, gave me advice and took an interest. It has been so amazing!

Project Six Pack is over, but my quest has just begun. Look for me in the summer. I'll be the girl walking down the beach with the gorgeous abs. That's a promise.