An Honest Open Letter About 21 Day Fix Results

I can already tell you as I type out the first line of this post that this is going to be my all-time favorite blog and my very best for sure! My inspiration this morning is someone near and dear to my heart. She is someone who knows me well and has watched me grow from birth to this moment. She is someone who has seen me fail and succeed and who I have watched do the same. Through it all, we have become better, stronger, wiser and closer. Our mistakes and our pasts have formed us but surly do not define us.

She is my sister.

A Little Backstory

Only a handful of my readers and followers will know enough about my sister to really appreciate the power in this transformation. Though you don’t know Angela, you will quickly see yourself in her story.

My sister and I are 22 years apart.

I have been 29 years old for 6 and a half years now. Oh my goodness- I just counted that on my fingers 5 times to make sure that is right. That totally does not seem possible! But yep, 29 😀

You can imagine with a gap in age like that, we grew up in two totally different lifestyles. She was the first born, I was the last of 5 and YES, we have the same parents. My sister was the one that took me to do all the fun things like riding horses, water parks and camping. I am forever grateful for those experiences.

I have recently had the opportunity and honor to give back to my sister. You see, we are quite different. I don’t think she will disagree or mind me sharing a few of our differences.

I am the eternal optimist. I see the good in most situations.

My sister? Well, let’s just say that my over optimism is confusing at times. I mean, are you watching the news little sister?

I am the fitness enthusiast. I had my sister cosign for me when I was 15 years old so I could join a gym.

My sister pretty much has never worked out a day in her life though she is very active with outdoor activities.

My sister is a smoker, drinks diet soda, skips meals and enjoys her empty carbs. Again, this is not a jab at my sister. I want you to see this connection that many of you have with her. It is going to make you see just how amazing this transformation really is. It is going to give you encouragement for your own journey.

Anyways, this blog isn’t intended to point out our differences.

This blog is to give some high praise and recognition because I am watching an incredible transformation before my very eyes.

It is not so much a transformation of her body (though that is happening too) but a transformation of her mind and her heart.

At the beginning of this year, my sister came to me expressing an interest in starting a fitness program. Of course I responded positive but I have to admit, I wasn’t 100% confident she would stick with it. I think most coaches and trainers will agree that family is the hardest to get on board.

Who knows why? Maybe there is a fear of failing and disappointing someone close to you. Maybe it is just annoying to have someone that close to you involved in something so personal. Perhaps there is a fear of judgment? Probably a little of all of the above.

After talking things out with Angela, we decided that 21 Day Fix (Read more about it here) would be a good place for her to start.

Why the 21 Day Fix?

The workouts are just 30 minutes and she had a great modifier to follow for the more difficult moves. She also had the option to work on her nutrition with the portion controlled containers.

We decided, so as not to overwhelm the process, we would simply start the program and incorporate Shakeology. That way we knew she would be getting a boost of nutrition but we weren’t overloading her with a complete lifestyle change.

I was amazed on day one when she tagged me on Facebook with her first workout complete! She isn’t one to share much on facebook so this was really putting herself out there. She was taking a huge step in accountability. Not only with me, but with all of Facebook. It was GAME ON!

I was even more amazed when day 7 of 21 rolled around and she was still tagging me daily letting me know she was getting her workouts done and sharing how it was making her feel.

Someone call the police! My sister has been kidnapped and her facebook has been hacked!

I mentioned above some of my sister’s not so great habits. But I also pointed out that our past is part of who we are. It does not define who we are nor does it determine who we can and will be. Our future is determined by the decisions we make TODAY!

My sister is one of the most generous and women you will meet. I have watched her give to those in need when she had little herself. She has sacrificed a lot of her own needs for the needs of others.

Day 10: Day 14: Day 19: Day 21:

The posts kept coming.

The results kept coming! The woman who stayed up until 2 and 3 in the morning and slept in late was now getting up early and getting a workout done first thing!

Nothing has ever made me more proud! I can close my business tomorrow and be completely satisfied. Watching someone make such huge decisions to change and then seeing it through- well it is the proudest thing a coach can experience. It is for sure a proud moment for a little sister. My sister was transforming on the inside and the out and her energy was incredible!

One thing I feel needs to be pointed out for the one reading this and thinking “That’s me, I am Angela, but I could never get to where she has.”

I didn’t do this.

This was 100% my sister’s decision. I never pushed her. I just did my thing and lived the best example I could. It all came down to something that happened inside of her. And when the excuses came, she had to dig deep and shut the negative voices up and push through. There goes the power of accountability and putting it all out there on Facebook 😀

You have this in you my friend! It is there. Stop saying “I just don’t have the motivation”. Stop saying you are too tired or too sad or too sick or too busy. It’s simply not true and until you turn your thinking around, you won’t see success. You will just keep feeling sick, tired and run down. It doesn’t just go away. It gets worse until you decide that you and your health come first.

Thank you so much for reading this all the way through! I know it was long. If this touched you, share it with a friend who could use the encouragement and comment in the comments below. Cheer Angela on as she continues to make this a way of life!

Your ultimate encourager,

Rebekah

Below are the copied and pasted posts my sister made on Facebook throughout her 21 days. Enjoy!

A 21 Day Fix Open Dialogue – The Good, The Tough, and the Ugly

1 Jan 2015

So Rebekah if I drink rum + eat cherry cheese cake while watching you work out to beach body video …will it still work for me ???? Grin… Happy New Year sister you are Awesome!!!!!!

2 Jan 2015 (Rebekah’s post)

Whoo Hooo! Only took me 4 years as a coach to get my sister on board and committed to a program! Can I get a what what? I tell you what, Ain’t NOBODY harder to work with than family!

Cheer her on as she takes on 21 Day Fix!

Angela’s Post: Ok who knew 60 seconds could be sooooooooooo long, I am not dead but I am pretty sure I should be Rebekah, omg… are you serious…………….Day 1 done!

1. PS. My poor deaf Catahoula Leopard (that uses sign language) kept trying to bite me cause she thought I had gone insane LOL

5 Jan 2015 (Rebekah’s Post)

My sister is making me so darn proud!!! She is getting her butt handed to her but NOT QUITTING! Her story is gonna blow you away she she gets through this program. Her check ins are cracking me up and making me so proud!

“So here is the deal, I climb 3 flights of stairs and climb a hill to get to work, It normally takes me about 2-21/2 min.. arriving without even breathing hard… last night when I got up there I could barely breath.. The pain in every ounce of my body is throwing everything off… taking longer to do everything, so if you are trying to kill me off because you want both sets of china from mom just say so I don’t care you can have both sets………”

Score! I get the China and a healthier sister 😉

Angela’s Post: Day 4–Climb 3 flights of stairs & hill -ck- 12 hours of work-ck- 3 flights of stairs & hill again -ck- barn chores-ck- pool skimmed-ck-DIRTY 30 DONE CHECK CHECK.(Only had to follow Kat on one exercise)pics taken ck & video, never to be released LOL Shower & shakeology CK CK …omg Rebekah Valisa Bain so nap time!!!!! 4 down 17 to go

7 Jan 2015

Day 6 – The argument! me.. I don’t have time today and my jeans already button easier.*..me 21 day fix…. that’s BS ..*..me missing one day won’t hurt…*.. me 21……yes it will.*..me WHY I can pick it back up tomorrow..*.. me 21 just an excuse you won’t have time tomorrow either….* me ok let’s just get it over with.*..me 21 Cardio Fix DONE! and just for arguing with me 10 min fix for abs Done as well….*me 21 day fix Now argue with me again …so nap time… all the arguing wore me out!

8 Jan 2015

Day 7 –  Climb 3 flights of stairs & hill -ck- 8 hours of work-ck- 3 flights of stairs & hill again -ck- barn chores-ck-DIRTY 30 -ck shower & Shakeology ck… However a note …it is a good thing she is on the TV cause when she says don’t lie there get up keep going I just want to smack her. Instead I obey …what the heck is wrong with me? 21-7=14 Still can’t get the Yoga thing, looks so easy…NOT….

Day 9 –  Eyes open… barn chores …ck….wanna go back to bed but didn’t…ck… moving forward… day 9 of 21 day fix Dirty thirty …ck again…… shower and shakeology…ck ck…. omg  21-9=12 almost half way there….ALMOST

Day 10 – Work…ck..barn chores..ck…shower and Shakeology ..ck…. I am not going to lie, life got in the way today.. I had 10 GREAT reasons to skip tonight.. then I reminded me…THIS IS FOR ME! Dirty 30 and 10 min abs DONE…. damn I am good! Tomorrow is hump day…DAY 11 smile emoticon oh and picture day frown emoticon

11 Jan 2015 (Rebekah’s post)

My big sister is making me so proud I could cry! Just look at the post she is tagging me in on my wall. She as always been pretty active but NEVER have I seen her stick to an exercise routine like this. DEDICATION AND DETERMINATION!!!

18 January 2015

Angela’s Post: True story…. 16 days into 21 day fix……Can now do 4 push ups… well almost full push ups on toes… then I drop to knees…. Friday I realized while dropping to finish my pushups on my knees that I could be on my knees without them causing me great pain.. even to get down to look under the bed or something before hurt, anyway then this morning I realized I road my horse 12 miles yesterday and my knees didn’t hurt me at ALL in fact nothing hurts, not even my normally rock hard stressed shoulders …. makes you think…. what the heck can it be??? There just might be something to this exercise thing… Rebekah Valisa Bain

Angela’s Post:Day 17—- 12 miles of horseback riding….. Drop into bed and up for work.. DAY 17(make up day) of 21 day fix….. Lower fix Done …ck. even though it feels like it’s broken lol ….  And sitting up laying my body flat over in between my legs spread… so don’t see that happening, we shall see lol that must be more like a 90 or 120 day fix  grin

Angela’s Post: Day 18  Upper fix DONE! and before 9:30 am …now that is scary.. think I have to go up a pound on the weights as well she keeps saying if it’s easy…. so gonna up them a pound …. we shall see…. off and running another beautiful sunny day in SC..

Angela’s Post: Day 19  lower FIX DONE! the plus here is when I went to buy weights one pound heavier… ha ha joke on me Wally-mart was OUT …really!!!!! had to go up 2 pounds on the weights … So Lower Fix DONE + 2 pounds on day 19 …lol… Picture day in two.. we shall see………..

Angela’s Post: Day 20  Upper Body Fix DONE! shower & shakeology done! house dusted and vacuumed… shazam lol ……..checked in with sister …CK… getting ready for Kat’s Karate Class !!!! Day 21 just around the corner  we shall see……

23 January 2015 (Rebekah’s post)

Patiently awaiting the day 21 post from my sister!!!

I am so incredibly proud of my big sister for taking on these 21 days. She has never been one to workout- EVER! I don’t think 2 sisters could possibly be more opposite.

I will share as much as she will allow me to share in an upcoming Blog and in parts of my book. But you just can’t possibly fully understand what a huge accomplishment this is for her.

Her achievements over the last 21 days are truly life changing. And if the scale or the pictures don’t show that, the heart and mind do. I have no doubt the physical changes are there.

BUT…

I am MOST PROUD of the mental and emotional changes.

Love you Angela !!!

And perhaps my favorite update of all…#21 – read the letter below!

February 4 2015 

An open letter to from my sister (Angela) to me (Rebekah) about 21 Day Fix Results!

Rebekah…

Hi, a little update for my perfect baby sister….( I know you’re not perfect but we don’t have to let FB know right)  as I was working out this morning I was thinking about you, your family, your blog, your sharing things that I never would on FB, your fear I might quit ect…ect

…. I continued to do the workouts…and seeing / learning, I wasn’t getting them all right, and my diet never changed except I added the Shakeology (now remember I am doing this for me!) Initially, I could not see the change (I DID not wake up 39 on the 22nd day;))

But feeling the change is bigger than seeing it for me. I do see it in the mirror the fluff is going away and what is still there if not so fluffy 🙂 anyway just wanted to let you know sis that the being able to, ride my horse for miles without knee pain or even getting down on my knees and back up without pain and being able to lay down at night or get up in the morning without the rock solid stress sitting in between my shoulder blades and neck is so amazing!

Thinking about starting a new job with more hours in the day I began to wonder how will I fit this in and think maybe I won’t need to…. but I do need to…. so I have decided that something else will have to be deleted or put on hold for that 30 minuets… my mental and physical needs are going to come first. Because life is always going to be life, no matter how young or how old, we are going to have to live life, and choosing to feel better about myself and life in general is truly important.

Thank you Rebekah for being awesome…. just sayin… I love you! Hey look at me I can be positive 🙂 grin!!!!!!!!!!!! off to pick up the kid!

Angela 

 

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