San Diego Hot Chocolate 15K March 20

I have amazing news. For those of you who don't know, I have type 2 diabetes. I have to be careful to make sure my sugar levels don't drop too low when I exercise but I have to exercise to maintain a good A1C. The struggle is real and I'm constantly hyper vigilant about how I feel in case I need a sugar boost. Well I'm proud to say that my latest lab results are in and my A1C is at an all time low of 6.4! It's incredible how far I have come. When I was first diagnosed, my A1C was somewhere around 13. To celebrate, I just registered for the Hot Chocolate 15K taking place in San Diego on March 20. I've done the 5K a couple of times already (remember these awesome shirts Tuan made?) and the race is well organized and you get a really nice jacket. Below is a link to the race page. Register before January 10 to take advantage of the early bird rate. Hope to see you at the start line in March!

http://www.hotchocolate15k.com/sandiego/

I'm Obsessed with my Fitbit Charge HR

I'm obsessed. I admit it. I'm obsessed. Tuan gave me a Fitbit Charge HR for Mother's Day and I have since become a slave to counting my steps and checking my heart rate. Every morning I wake up and think about all the steps I will take during my day. I try to think of more ways to sneak in additional steps. I strategize about how I can beat my friends' step counts so I can win the work week hustle. I think of the joy I will feel when I hit my goal of 15,000 steps and my Fitbit congratulates me by vibrating and flashing on my wrist. I can't stop checking my stats. The struggle is real. In the (almost) three weeks I have worn my Fitbit, I have walk/run 117 miles. That's over half of the 200 mile goal I set for the whole of 2015.

I understand this sounds crazy but as long as it's keeping me motivated to move I am a fan! Do you have a Fitbit? Have you had the same experience?

Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide - Week 6 Progress Pictures

Over the weekend I finished week 6 of Kayla Itsines' Bikini Body Guide. Week 6 was challenging and I can guarantee that nothing makes you look as crazy as doing broad jump burpees in the middle of the day in a rain storm. Nothing. It's becoming increasingly difficult to find the right benches and steps at the park to accomplish some of the exercises (feet raised tricep dips, split squats) but I've been doing what I can and modifying some of the exercises as needed. Isn't it incredible how many squat variations there are? On days I don't feel like working out, I turn to the #kaylaarmy on Instagram and find motivation in the encouraging words and photos of others who are also working their way through the guide. 

Now for the big news! For those that don't know, I have type 2 diabetes and my goal with following this program, more so than weight loss and looking good in a bikini, has been to get my A1C to under 7.  In February I vowed to get healthy after finding out my A1C was 13. Yesterday I met with my endocrinologist and my A1C is 6.5! I'm over the moon excited about my latest lab results. Cheers to being healthy and taking control of my diabetes.    

I'm half way there! Six more weeks to go.

[You can see a little change in my thighs and a definite change around my waist]

[My legs and arms are feeling really strong. All those burpees and push ups are paying off.]

[Side by side of weeks 1, 4 and 6. Chipping away at that abdominal fat slowly.]