At the beginning of the challenge, I thought I knew what I would write about in this essay. I would talk about my “why”, about the results I achieved during the challenge, and how proud I am of myself. But in the course of the last 60 days, I’ve come to realize a new theme. 60 days.

Do you know how long 60 days is? Of course you know, technically, how long it is, but do you know what 60 days really feels like? Do you know what it feels like to resist pizza for 60 days, and replace sweets with vegan oat pumpkin muffins and Vegan Vanilla + Life Greens Protein smoothies? Do you know what it feels like to wake up every morning and either go to a grueling Alpha class, a bike ride, run, swim, or climb the rock wall? Do you know what it feels like to challenge yourself mentally and physically for 60 days, pushing yourself to extremes to really see, really know, what you can do at the end of 60 days? Because I do. 60 days provides countless times to make excuses, give up, feel defeated, but instead endure. It’s enough time to really learn a new way of life, but also feel like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel… until you get to the end and realize you never want it to be over.

When I sat down with my coach, Tyler, to set my goals for the 60day Challenge, we decided that my goals would be to beat my personal record (PR) in a triathlon, lose 18lbs, and reduce my visceral fat level to 10. I was too scared to even look at my weight, and I was pretty positive I wouldn’t be able to PR either. 2020 was rough on me physically and emotionally, and when I thought about the toll the year had taken, compared to how I felt in the months before my PR tri, I didn’t think it was possible. Tyler told me, though, that the key was confidence. With confidence it was possible, and besides, I had Alpha classes this time around!

In those 60 days, I didn’t miss a single one of Tyler’s Alpha classes. I didn’t miss a Vegan Vanilla Protein shake with Life Greens in the morning. I was successful in completely giving up coffee, alcohol, and added sugars. All of my carbs were complex, and I prioritized protein in every meal. I was even consistent with walking 10,000 steps a day, which was harder than I anticipated!

The thing that kept me going through it all was the Alpha group that was doing the challenge together. We texted all the time, lamenting about how hard it is to go to baseball games and not eat greasy food and drink beer, and how you have to carefully scour restaurant menus before going out to eat to make sure they have healthy foods. But maybe more importantly, we shared laughs, motivational songs, and encouragement. In class, we all pushed each other in our workouts, too. We made sure we were always giving our workouts 100% and cheered each other on. It was the camaraderie of this group that made it impossible to give up.

At the starting line of the triathlon, I finally felt a deep sense of confidence and pride. I knew that because of the 60day Challenge, and the Alpha group that inspired me, I had done everything in my power to succeed. Sometimes I feel confident after watching some inspiring YouTube videos or a good pep talk from a friend. But this time, confidence came from knowing that I did everything I could, tried as hard as my body would allow, and the knowledge that no matter the results, I had won out over my doubt and my fear.

As I crossed the finish line of my triathlon (obliterating my run goal and winning 4th in my age group), just as I come to the conclusion of these 60 days, I realized that the finish line is simply a celebration. A celebration of all the work I put in and the pain I endured. A celebration of my own strength and will. A celebration of the fact that this is far from the end, but rather the beginning of my health and fitness journey. Upon reflection, 60 days go by in a flash. But when every day is spent improving, life feels so much more full.

Conclusion:

I beat my PR, lost 19.4 lbs, and reduced my visceral fat level to 9. I’m also proud of the fact that my Dry Lean Mass only reduced from 34.4 to 34 lbs, while my Body Fat Mass went from 61.1 lbs to 43.2 lbs.