*Editor’s Note: We’ve been silently cheering on our contributor this week for a while now waiting for the big reveal. We think you’ll find lots of fitness inspiration here to get up and get your butt in gear. We’ve invited Cherie-Lynn back in July to share her results mid-summer.
January 5th is the day that I decided to make a big change in my life. It’s the day I started working on becoming healthier. It’s something that I’d wanted to do for a while but was always lacking the motivation.
What was so different this time then? I had lost my brother in an accident on the 21st of December. It’s no understatement to say it changed everything for me and the way I look at life.
On January 5th, I was having a hard day. I was still reeling from the loss of my brother but life still kept going on. My kids went back to school and Andy, my husband, went back to work. Up until that day I hadn’t been alone for more than an hour and suddenly on the 5th I was all alone with my thoughts. All I could do was cry. Even though there were phone calls to check in on me, it wasn’t the same as having people beside me. I knew the way I was feeling wasn’t good and wouldn’t get better if I stayed at home alone all day. It was time to make a drastic change.
I remembered seeing a friend post about group bootcamp classes that she was going to start attending, so I reached out to her. Around the same time, another friend started a Facebook group about getting back on track for 2015 so I asked to be added to that as well. I had now committed myself fully to my health both online and offline.
My first bootcamp session was the very next day. I can’t lie, I felt so sorry for our trainer Eric that day because I cried during the whole class. I cried because it was hard, I cried because I thought non-stop about my brother and I cried to let go of a mountain’s worth of grief. A funny thing happened after that initial release though. When I got home I didn’t cry as much. I became emotionally and physically invested in feeling better.
I started to go online and look up healthy recipes and snack ideas. After all if I was going to work this hard I wasn’t going to eat crap either. As January moved along things got better and I could get through a whole bootcamp without any tears. This was a big accomplishment. I also up my water intake to 3-4 litres a day; yes, I peed a lot!
By the time February came along I knew I wanted to do more. I was feeling good health wise and I could feel a difference in my clothes already. My head was also in a better place and I was committed to seeing it through. It was time to find a personal trainer.
I thought bootcamp was hard, but it had nothing on the ass kicking my personal trainer Eric laid on me! I thank my lucky stars for the support from my Facebook groups, as well as my friends and family. They truly understood how much I needed this and have cheered me along. I’m not sure when, but at some point along this journey I fell in love with exercise and healthy eating. On the days I’m not with my personal trainer, I work hard to either get in 30 minute workout at home or get 10,000 steps on my Fitbit. One or the other – no excuses!
By the time March came along, I was ready to add in a challenge. Two of my bootcamp buddies where talking about doing the Whole30 Program. I had already changed my eating so much, I thought why not? At the very least it would be interesting.
Whole30 means no sugar, no dairy, no grains, no beans and no alcohol for 30 days. I admit, I had a couple days where I slipped but for the most part I stayed the course for the 30 days and truly loved eating this way. I ate so much great food it was crazy and to be honest, I ate all the time. So on top of doing this, I am now working out four to five days a week which includes two bootcamps, one personal training session and my workouts at home.
I also have an auto-immune disease that I need to keep under control. Since I started my fitness journey, I have been feeling great and found out this week that I can decrease my Remicade medication because of my weight loss.
Now that April is here, I’ve decided that I’m going to continue my Whole30 journey as I don’t feel like I’m done with that yet. My exercise routine is also staying the same. Emotionally I’m doing better but I still have hard days and I think I still have many more hard days ahead of me, but I’m trying really hard to keep going. I also think that my brother would be really proud of me for making the changes that I have. He was always a great athlete but he was also one hell of a cheerleader as well. He loved seeing people succeed but more than that he liked to see people happy. I still think of him often each day but now there aren’t nearly the amount of tears that there once were, in fact there are even some smiles that are creeping in now and again.
And because everybody likes pictures here I am January 5th and March 31st. 25lbs and 24 inches gone. See you in July!
A Bunny Worthy Easter Brunch
Oh my goodness! This is so awesome, Cherie-Lynn! Bravo!
Your hard work is paying off. Big time!
I feel very inspired right now!
Wow. Great story, obviously you write as well as you shoot!
AMAZING. You are an inspiration.
Wow! Bravo, CL. Sending you big hugs and high fives. oxo
Wow. I remember the day you lost your brother very clearly. Still, I can’t imagine the loss, but you didn’t let it keep you down, you took something so good from a tragic reality. Good for you, C-L. I’m so proud of you.
Woohoo Cherie-Lynn!! You look amazing! Way to go!
You’ve always been such an upbeat, supportive, positive person. I really admire that about you. And this? THIS?! What you’ve done here makes me admire you even more. Way to go CL! Really proud of and excited for you. xoxo
So proud of you sister!!
Amazing work you have done here! You look fabulous.
thanks Peady. The hardest was the first week to be honest. It helps to have a great bunch to work out with as well.
Thanks Alison. I think it’s a lot easier to tell a story with photos that words to be honest.
Thank you Jennifer. xoxo
Thank you Pam. Both of those are happily accepted anytime.
Natalie you have always offered me so much encouragement and i will always be grateful to you for that. I just feel so fortunate to have you in my life. xoxo
Thanks Kelli, with an i like ice cream 😉 xoxo
ah Lisa you rock, thank you for your kind words! maybe we can plan a workout date one of these days. xoxo
You are beautiful inside and out, an inspiration, a motivator, and a personal champion. Holy strength! And SUCH good news about your Remicade!!! Can’t wait to see what July brings! A million hugs. XO
thanks Krista. I’ll also have you know that i’m looking into women’s lacrosse here in Hamilton. I’ve always wanted to learn how to play 🙂
thanks Julia.
Ah Kat, thank you for that. xoxo I’m really excited about the Remicade part. Having my Crohn’s under control and having more energy has been a huge factor for me. I’m looking forward to July too. I can’t wait to see what I accomplish next.
Ah-mazing results!!! So proud of you!!
Extremely proud of you, not only for the healthy living but the mental toughness that helps you push through your goals. It isn’t about the weight that comes off that is the visible thing everyone gets to see. It is the mental strength, pushing through your comfort zone, doing thing you don’t want to do because you have a goal in mind that is the IMPRESSIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
Keep pushing your limits, we are all very proud of you.
Way to go! You look amazing. I did the Whole 30 last year in November and started another one today!
CL- this is an amazing story. Exercise and taking care of yourself does wonders for the mental health– and is a great way to work through your grief. Well done!
An amazing transformation! Way to go, Cherie-Lynn!
Wow CL! I’m so proud of you for the changes that you’ve made.
Congratulations Cherie-Lynn! You are an inspiration! I feel like I’ve been paralyzed by grief since my dad died (April 16 is three years) and I can’t get motivated. I am going to keep re-reading this and start to push myself!
Amazing job! Love reading about positive life changing experiences!
Wow! You’ve done an amazing job CL! I am super proud of you! xo
CL – you are certainly an inspiration! I was so shocked and saddened to hear of your brother’s death and to see how you’ve taken his spirit and joined it with yours to be a happier and healthier you is just amazing. I know you must have worked hard to get these results, and I want to tell you frankly: YOU LOOK FABULOUS.
CL you rock! You look amazing and it sounds like you found your way through grief which is an incredible accomplishment. So happy for you 🙂
Good for you Cherie-Lynn! You look like you are glowing in the second set of pictures. What great news about your meds too! Exercise can be such a stress release and it is, as you’ve learned, such a fantastic way to get rid of all kinds of pent up emotions. I’m so glad to hear that you are loving it. Here’s to strong and healthy and amazing (not that you weren’t that before, of course). 😉
So proud of you!! It’s all about how you feel..and that smile says it all XO
Way to Go It is a hard battle but you look amazing
Amazing! You should be so proud!
thanks lovely. you’re a hard one to catch on those fitbit challenges 🙂
The smile on your face says everything. XOXO
I’m so proud of you in so many ways and to have you say this about me just makes me a big puddle. I love you Bradley xoxo
Oh Stacie i will follow along your whole30 journey with you. I’ve found the inspiration i get from Instagram and Pintrest really help me push through and I love the recipe ideas.
thank you. it really is amazing what you can do when you’re as mad as hell.
thank you. still a ways to go but I’m thrilled with how far I’ve come already. i also love feeling better!
Thanks Annie. it’s weird where the motivation comes from sometimes. I know that James would be thrilled that I’m taking care of myself and feeling better. I’m blessed with an amazing family and good friends. xoxo
Jennifer anytime you want to get together to walk please let me know I’d be happy to go with you. When my mom died I dealt with it the same way as you with your dad – it’s really frigin hard. Hang in there you are worth it xoxo
thank you. I really didn’t intend for it to morph into this, it just seemed to happen. I’m lucky to have the trainer that I do.
thanks lady. xoxo
thank you so much Julie. I love feeling better and I know he’d be happy about that as well.
thanks Sara. I still have along way to go with so many things but I’m better than I was on the 5th of January and as long as I keep moving in the right direction I’ll take it. 🙂
I feel so much better about so many things. I remember years ago when I use to run I would work through all my problems then and sometimes forget that I was even running. It’s amazing what benefits you get from physical exercise. 🙂
xoxoxo I think people are getting tired of my silly ass grin to be honest. who knows maybe at some point I’ll even be able to do one of those runs with you 🙂
thanks Judy. some days are harder than others but I’m still trying to move forwards on all days.
thanks Karen. I am proud of myself that i’ve accomplished this much and i can’t wait to see where the next three months lead to!
XOXO
Those first steps are always the trickiest. You are doing amazingly well.
I am not kidding about the inspiration. You have sparked a new quest!
Thank you!
So proud of you CL!
Wow! Amazing! Good for you.
You go, girl!!! So happy for you. XO
Just fabulous! You are an inspiration.