I'd like to discuss my routine and how I managed to stay consistent throughout this challenge. I began the P.H.A.T. program as designed by Dr. Layne Norton in September 2012. My 5 day split looked like:

So there I was on a Sunday morning, January 29, 2012 beginning day two of my transformation journey. On a typical day I would have just eaten breakfast and sat on my lazy butt. Instead something clicked. There was a feeling I had never experienced before. "I think I'll go for a run..." I thought to myself and was quite amused at the mere idea of me, lazy Brittany, going for a run? Ha! I proceeded to do 2 miles and although I couldn't run for a long time I still found it in myself to push until the end. Then a new feeling of accomplishment overwhelmed me. Never had I thought I would have the motivation to actually get out and do something active. I could get used to this new feeling...

I've been overweight pretty much my whole life. I was never viewed as the pretty girl and definitely not the fit girl by all means. I was that fat kid that got picked last for dodgeball just because people knew I was out of shape. Just when I thought I was content being unhealthy and obese my boyfriend told me about a program called "Naturally Slim." The program was designed to help sedentary people, much like myself a couple years ago, learn to portion meals and eliminate the unecessary intake of sugar that aided in weight gain. Notice I mentioned sedentary. Besides the weekly push-ups, sit-ups, and running involved with JROTC I had never been voluntarily active. Even then by my senior year I was at 34% bodyfat and still not at my heaviest. So the Naturally Slim program was a 10 week deal but much of the information I'd learned from it I kept with me. After a year I lost 50 pounds just by making the lifestyle change to make smarter food and meal choices. I still ate my favorite foods like pizza, burgers, enchiladas, you name it but I learned how to portion those meals. After my weight loss I was stuck being skinny fat and not too long after is when I got the bodybuilding.com e-mail for this challenge. What a lifesaver!

The picture below on the left side is when I was around 190 lbs and the picture to the right is current, 134 lbs.

It's now day 85 since the start of my transformation journey and it's been one mentally, physically, and emotionally challenging experience. I've loved every minute of it! I'm so thankful to have been a part of this challenge and to have met the incredibly inspiring and motivational people in the 100k bodygroup. I've lost 2 1/2 inches from my waist and down 5% bodyfat. My starting weight was at 140 lbs and my ending weight is at 134 lbs. The scale number wasn't an issue for me considering I've lost bodyfat and gained muscle. It was all about redistributing the weight and not necessarily losing it. I calculated my maintenance calories at about 2,000 so to lose fat I was at a caloric deficit of 415 eating around 1,585 calories per day. It wasn't until about week 6 that I realized how crucial it was to record my calories and that's when I started using MyFitnessPal to help me keep track of my macros. My training routine was a 4-day split:

Sunday- rest

Monday- Shoulders and Chest

Tuesday- Legs

Wednesday- Biceps and Triceps

Thursday- rest

Friday- Back

Saturday- Cardio

My journey to a better me has not ended here. I plan on becoming a registered dietician and nutritionist so I can help others become healthier! Thank you to Alan Aragon for being such an amazing, respectable, and knowledgable person. I wouldn't know which direction to go if it weren't for him giving me the necessary resources to be successful. I know now that with a little boost of motivation and a desire to achieve a goal I can do anything and everything I set my mind to. I have also learned to be patient and not get discouraged. My plan is to continue inspiring others as I've been inspired and help anyone I can! This is the happiest I've ever been and I just want to keep learning and getting better, striving for new personal records and never doubting myself. I cannot thank Optimum Nutrition and bodybuilding.com enough for offering this challenge. It is definitely what I needed at this point in my life to finally be completely happy with who I am.

I seriously never thought I would reach this point. I've overcome so much in my life (social anxiety, bullying, depression) but breaking down because of training? What's really going on. Today I made it to the gym but on the way up there everything pretty much hit me all at once. I've been so committed to this challenge and so committed to living the lifestyle and making a positive change in my life for once that I've truly lost who I am. My whole week is dedicated to the gym. I've stopped making time for my family and I haven't seen my friends one time since starting this challenge. Really trying to figure out what happened to the old Brittany. Sure I am proud of myself for giving up drinking and giving up eating fast food everyday but to give up being social is not cool.

Where do you find balance? Why is it that I just flat out don't have time for the little things I used to enjoy. My job is super stressful (call center rep) and I get paid to get griped at and hung up on all day. I'm not even hired on yet but the hiring is taking place this week and guess what? Out of over 60 people applying only about 10 are getting hired on permanently. Yeah, I'm a temp. From what I was told from my scores I fall at number 11 on the list. Not very reassuring. Who the heck sits in their car for 30 minutes outside the gym crying? This girl apparently. Much needed cry by the way. When I ran out of Subway napkins to blow my nose with I decided it was probably best to just go home. Didn't want to beat myself up but I pretty much felt like a failure. I'm just wondering if the best of the best have hit these plateaus and maybe I'm stupid for admitting it but I fail at finding balance. Tired of eating just the right amount of calories. Tired of fitting everything in my macros. Tired of not losing body fat. Finally, just tired in general. My body needs rest but with only 4 weeks left to go my mind keeps telling me to do differently. Yes, long rant here but getting this off my chest makes me feel a heck of a lot better. I've been busting my ass 6 days a week and my final pics better show it! It's not even about the prize or money. I just want to know that my dedication has led me to somewhere greater than I coud have every imagined. I just know that all the tears, bruises, and emotions will pay off in the end. I will not give up on myself or the people I love.

For those who actually spent time out of their day to read this I'm almost wondering what's wrong with you (not serious) but on a serious note my main goal in life is just to became that person who is an inspiration to many and that go to person for advice. I'm young and still have hope that my dreams will come true. Just a matter of how much I'm willing to put into it. Thanks for reading