Along with 20 other ladies, I made it through the first week of the Strength Center Re-Invent Yourself Challenge.

My biggest reminder this week? You are what you eat.

I have always considered myself a pretty healthy eater. Only buying organic, all-natural products, steering some-what clear of dairy and trying not to eat too much meat. I have my faults: coffee, red wine and chocolate, but everything in moderation right? Wrong. Let me tell you. So wrong.

1. The Measurements– I knew I was a tad overweight. I mean, I had twins 18 months ago. Before they were conceived, I was in pretty decent shape. My previous employer had, “Attend fitness classes 4-5 times a week,” in the job description, and I was surrounded by vegetarians and vegans who inspired me to be a healthier me. I didn’t realize how far off the track I had gotten with having the babies. I’m also not one to step on a scale. I judge my appearance by how I feel on the inside, how my clothes fit, and how many layers of Spanx I have to use. Granted, lately the layers had worked itself up to around 3 in certain spots, but I was in disbelief when I stepped on the scale last week. 141 lbs. And, not only that, but 27% body fat. Whoa. That really floored me. I had a lot of work ahead of me.

2. The Diet- Afterwards, I headed over to a health food store and cafe right next to the Strength Center called Pure Health. Ron, the owner, was the same guy who introduced my sister and I to a whole new world of diet regimen 10 years ago-before kids, before husbands. In we walked, hearts a little heavy, but spirits lifted knowing Ron would whip us back into a new state of nutritional health. The first thing he made us do was take an alkaline test. The more yellow, the more alkaline, which is bad. The more blue, the less alkaline, which is good. Guess what color mine was? Off the charts orange! Again, I just could not believe it. I truly thought I was conscience of my diet, and here I was being slapped with a reality stick. Ron loaded me up with all kinds of good stuff to help get my body balanced again. I forgot that they were actually some of my favorite supplements, and guess what? They are all natural, organic and gluten free, and he even carries Vegan protein for smoothies. Love this place!

Everyone knows Ron! He's got a great selection of vitamins at his Pure Health store located at 1450 West Horizon Ridge Pkwy in Henderson.

3. The Accountability– My friends have always sworn by some sort of diet system, like Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig. And, I have always sworn never to diet again. My motto is to learn how to eat so you can eat well- portion control, types of food, times of day you eat, etc. I refused to be a slave to the Points or the Food Scale, insisting that I knew how to eat and what I was doing. Adam Gentz, owner of Strength Center Las Vegas, suggested kindly that maybe I should try out this app called, My Fitness Pal. After those two strikes with the measurements and the diet, I thought, well, maybe he is on to something. He is a professional with lots of years of experience under his belt. Plus, I love apps, so why not give it a try. Let me tell you…this app is my new BFF! I am addicted to entering my daily diet choices and the amount of exercise for the day, and seeing where I land in my Daily Goals. I input my current stats, and my 8-week goals, and it calculated a caloric intake daily average. Add in the type of workout done that day, and it figures out how many calories can be added back into your diet. It’s amazing. And, you can add your friends so you can share and support and be accountable to each other. It’s an awesome tool and totally made my day!

At the end of last week, I definitely felt better. I had more energy, and I noticed my craving for coffee has waned a bit. Though I was literally fatigued in my muscles, I also noticed I had a much better quality of sleep. Yes, this is an individual challenge to re-invent myself, but I have to say, the energy of the women in the group, the excitement of the instructors and the classes they teach and the way they train has got me pumped to start my week all over again. That first week flew by! It’s a great reminder for me to stop, take time for myself, and block out an hour of fitness. Just this one week has made a world of difference for me.

Learn more about Strength Center Las Vegas and Adam Gentz’s rocking team of instructors on FaceBook and Twitter! Anyone can join in the fun! Drop in group classes are only $10 a class.

Keep up with my Fitness Journey with more photos on Google+!

I have been compensated from the Strength Center to participate in the Re-Invent Yourself Challenge for free. All words, thoughts and opinions, however, are my own.