Sometimes we just need a change! Be it a change in attitude, scenery, routine. . . you name it, change can be absolutely necessary for each of us at times, whether we like to admit it or not. In late 2016 I was in THE biggest rut of my life and was in search of a catalyst that would bring about the lifestyle changes I needed and make them stick for good!

Enter Pretty Intense by Danica Patrick!

I was fortunate to have the opportunity to participate in a trial run of Danica Patrick’s 90-day mind, body and food plan program called Pretty Intense. Danica is a warrior in the gym and though she designed and completed all of the exercises included in her program, she sought out a small group of people to test out Pretty Intense before making the final touches on the plan and her book.

So, at the beginning of 2017 I set a New Year’s Resolution to start and finish all 12 weeks of Pretty Intense. People, it took me 25 years to keep my very first New Year’s Resolution. . . 25 years!?!?! And it is the best dang thing I've done for myself in a very, very long time! This program rekindled my love for a regular fitness routine and reminded me of how much better I feel mentally and physically when I dedicate time in my day to working out (and loving on myself a little more).

If you've been wondering how to kickstart a lifestyle change that will make a significant impact on your mental, physical and spiritual well-being (and truly last) this program is an outstanding starting point and I would highly recommend it.

Curious minds might like to know what they'll be getting themselves into before committing to this program, so I've briefly broken it down for you.

First we started with a fit test, that consisted of:

100 knee push-ups

100 air squats

100 butterfly sit-ups

100 lunges

I made sure to complete my test a full week before the program kicked off because I knew I’d be the kind of sore where it’s a significant struggle to even sit down and I wasn't about to walk into workouts that I knew would be intense with a solid soreness already working against me.

This was me after completing the BEFORE fit test. It took me 21:25 and I died.

Each week our workouts were posted to the Pretty Intense website for our retrieval and let me tell you, there were weeks when I hesitated to print those puppies off because I knew they were going to require serious grit and gumption from me. I never let that hesitancy win though. This was just one important lesson I learned while completing this program.

Each week’s schedule consisted of seven workouts that we could schedule throughout our week in any way we wanted.

Cardio x3

Upper Body

Lower Body

Abs

Long Circuit

Within the first week I settled into a regular routine of:

Monday: Lower Body

Tuesday: Cardio 1

Wednesday: Abs and Cardio 2

Thursday: Upper Body

Friday: Cardio 3

Saturday: Long Circuit

Sunday: Rest Day!

While the above seemed to work best for me most weeks, there were definitely weeks where I couldn’t get in two workouts on Wednesdays or even one on any single day, which required me to complete two, two-a-days in a single week. The flexibility the program provided was probably one of my favorite aspects of Pretty Intense. The program required little equipment and I was able to complete each workout from my home with the addition of a jump rope, 20 pound slam ball and a few sets of dumbbells. Most of the workouts were body weight focused with a few CrossFit type exercises sprinkled throughout.

We were also provided a sample grocery list that outlined the foods we should be eating on a weekly basis. Broken down into fruits, vegetables, protein, nuts & seeds, oil/condiments/ingredients, and milk alternatives the list helped hammer home the importance of eating real, nutrient-dense foods and helped me to eliminate processed foods form my diet.

More or less, this was my first introduction to the Paleo lifestyle.

The photo on the left was taken at the beginning of the 12 week trial program and the photo on the right was taken after completing Pretty Intense. When I started I weighed 132 lbs, had a waist measurement of 26.5 inches and as I mentioned, it took me 21:25 to complete the fit test.

After 12 weeks I weighed 127 lbs, had a waist measurement of 25 inches and knocked out the fit test in 13:40!

When I started Pretty Intense I wasn't looking to lose weight, but I was looking to remain committed to a challenge and live a much healthier lifestyle. Before this program I had a bad habit of prioritizing work and others ahead of my personal needs.

So, while the facts speak for themselves, there's a whole other story to be told. It is so easy not to prioritize your personal health and it’s simple to make excuses when life gets hectic. Unfortunately, those excuses make it very easy to quit on your health goals.

Hard work pays off! I learned a great deal about myself through this program and gained an awesome new tribe of friends too!

This program though, taught me the importance of making time for me and taking care of myself even in the midst of a crazy work/school/life schedule. I discovered that I genuinely enjoy working out when I listen to my body and keep things interesting and that no matter how busy I am it’s best that I make time for me.

There's no doubt I grew stronger, both mentally and physically, and truly learned the importance of making time for taking care of myself. You certainly cannot pour from an empty cup. As an added bonus, I made some very, very close friends through this program, who inspire me every single day to push myself farther and love myself harder. You never realize just how important the support of others is until you go through significant life changes that force you to confront the not so sparkly aspects of your life. I am incredibly grateful for the PI Tribe and the lessons Pretty Intense taught be at the beginning of 2017!

If you're looking for a lifestyle reset that will put you back in control of your well-being and lead you to a long life of wellness, grab yourself a copy of Pretty Intense!

Love, Light & the Highest Vibrations,

Lon