Wanna Know How I'm Feeling? I'll Tell You How I'm Feeling!

Well...I'm supposed to let it all out. So, here goes!!! I FEEL......................................................................... ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... GRRREEEAAATTTT!! The picture above describes how I feel quite perfectly. Actually, I'm naturally a happy person. So, if anything, eating healthier has made me happier. I feel more energized and lighter on my feet. ( I have lost several pounds so I guess I'm suppose to feel lighter on my feet, right? :-) ) I can definitely feel it emotionally and physically when I've eaten something that I shouldn't have. Thankfully I am doing that less and less! A lot of my family members have started the journey toward being healthier this year which is a huge motivation for me. The other motivation is reminding myself that I am responsible for my temple...the place where God dwells. I only get one body so I must honor it and God by being healthy!

And no, I'm not tired of Genghis yet. At this point, 43 days into it, I don't think I'll get tired of it. It's actually a relief for me to have one meal that I don't have to plan every day. So, when the contest is over I am likely going to miss going to Genghis everyday. My husband says it's like a little escape for me. Lol. I guess he's right. For the last 60 days I've been obligated to get away from the busyness of life for at least 45 min., eat healthy, and relax. It's been nice! 

My sponsors Premier Fitness and Clay's Fencing have been totally awesome in showing their support throughout the contest. I definitely couldn't have done it without them! 

So, everyone whose thinking about taking that first step towards getting healthy, I want to encourage you to do it. It is worth it! I mean, honestly, what do you have to lose? Nothing! But you have everything to gain. Don't do it for vanity but do it to be healthy! You'll be sooooo glad that you did! Much Love! xoxo

I Have A Dream...Remixed

Well, it's day 11 and I'm excited to say I'm 8.2 pounds down since our official weigh-in and 12.7 pounds down since I started my weight-loss journey a few weeks before the contest started. I am so excited to see those numbers and know that I'm getting healthier and healthier by the day. So, before I head to spin class I want to share with you my "I Have A Dream...Remix" speech which is our social media task for today. 

DISCLAIMER: This speech has obviously been altered from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech and is in no way meant to be disrespectful to him or what he stood for. Everything in RED is what I changed.

I Have a Dream Remix

By: Chantel Millin

Let us not wallow in the valley of obesity, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of what to eat and when to work out today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the Khantestants dream.

I have a dream that one day my muscles will rise up and live out the true meaning of their creed: "To take up more of my body then fat does!"

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of a central location, the sons and daughters of the 4^th Annual Genghis Grill Health Kwest will sit down together and celebrate health living!

I have a dream that one day even the Genghis Grill in Tyler, a restaurant sweltering with the heat of the grill (if you’re too close), sweltering with the heat of the Asian Chili sauce, will be transformed into an oasis of people wanting to get healthy.

I have a dream that my school loans will one day decrease because of the Genghis Grill Health Kwest prize money and I will get closer to becoming an Officer with The Salvation Army…an organization that preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ and meets the human need without discrimination.

I have a dream today!

With this faith, I will be able to hew out of the mountain of weakness a stone of willpower. With this faith, I will be able to transform the jiggling fat of my belly into a beautiful symphony of defined muscle. With this faith, we will be able to workout together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to Genghis Grill together, to stand up for HEALTHY together, knowing that we will be HEALTHY forever.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fat will die, land of the Premier Fitness pride,

From every mountainside, let HEAL-THY ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let HEALTHY ring from the prodigious hilltops of Tyler, TX.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let HEAL-THY ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let HEAL-THY ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let HEAL-THY ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let HEAL-THY ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let HEAL-THY ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow HEALTHY to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, big people and small people, tall or short, young or old, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the new Ghenghis Grill Health Kwest anthem:

                HEALTHY at last! HEALTHY at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are HEALTHY at last!

Today was day 2 and I must say it has been a pretty awesome day! Premier Fitness agreed to sponsor me with a 3 month membership to their gym. The gym is awesome! It's open 24/7, tons of classes, sauna, great equipment, very clean, and the staff is super nice. It is also a faith-based gym which makes me really happy! A few of my co-workers joined me at Genghis today which was awesome. Of course, they are all camera shy so I didn't get a picture but it was still fun! I meet more of the crew at GG and I must say, they are super nice and seemed to be excited about the Khantest. The Salvation Army's Chili Bowl is tonight so I will be working late. Good thing the gym is 24/7. Also, Racquet and Jog, a local fitness store, agreed to give me a sizeable discount on running shoes so I am looking forward to going to get those tomorrow! And a free shirt...and anyone whose from Tyler knows those shirts are kind of a big deal! :-) Anyway, off to work I go. Until next time... #genghisgrill #healthkwest #INON