Starting Again: My 15-Week Fitness Journey Using My Therapy And Chill Fitness & Food Journal (With Grace, Growth, and Self Love)
- Anitra Payne LCSW-C, LICSW
- Feb 2
- 3 min read
Today, I am starting another 15-week fitness journey using my Therapy And Chill Fitness & Food Journal.
I’m genuinely excited to embark on this journey again — but can I be vulnerable for a second?
To be completely transparent, I’m a little self-conscious about publicly sharing this.
What Happened Last Time
Last year, on October 1, I publicly announced that I was starting my first 15-week fitness and food journal challenge. I had big hopes for transformation. I even created a cute hashtag — #MindBodySoul15 — and invited others to join me on a mind, body, and soul fitness journey.
I encouraged people to purchase my journal so we could transform together, and I laid out a clear plan for success:
• ✅ Buy the Therapy And Chill Fitness & Food Journal and use it daily
• ✅ Increase protein intake
• ✅ Lift weights 3x per week
• ✅ Do 20 minutes of cardio, 5x per week
• ✅ Aim for 8,000–10,000 steps daily
• ✅ Stay hydrated
• ✅ Consider collagen for joint & bone support
• ✅ Consider creatine for recovery & strength
• ✅ Prioritize quality sleep and reduce stress
• ✅ Reflect weekly on mental health, nutrition, and habits
I posted all of this the morning of October 1.
By that evening, my world changed.
I received devastating news that a very close and deeply loved family member had passed away unexpectedly and tragically. In the weeks that followed, our family experienced the loss of additional loved ones in a short period of time.
Grief Changed Everything
As anyone can imagine, this had a huge impact on my mental health — and as a result, my motivation with fitness and nutrition.
I remember thinking, “Lord, I had such high hopes for this challenge.”
I had stepped completely out of my comfort zone by making such a public announcement. People were watching. And then suddenly, my world was flipped upside down.
Needless to say, the transformation I hoped for did not happen.
I struggled to move my body. I struggled to get to the gym. And I fell back into an old habit of emotionally eating. By the end of the 15 weeks, I had actually gained a few pounds — which was incredibly disappointing.
Giving Myself Grace
But as a mental health therapist, I had to extend grace and understanding to myself.
I was grieving. I was learning how to live in a new normal. Trying to maintain strict discipline and consistency during such an emotional season was extremely difficult.
And yet — one thing I did not do was quit altogether.
Yes, I gained weight. No, I didn’t get the transformation I wanted.
But because I continued journaling and tracking my habits for all 15 weeks, I truly believe it prevented me from spiraling even further.
As someone who gains weight easily, I was still proud that using the Therapy And Chill Fitness & Food Journal helped me avoid gaining far more weight. Instead of gaining 20 pounds, I gained about 6 — and that awareness mattered.
Even on the days when I wasn’t eating well or working out consistently, I still used the mental health check-in pages in my journal. Tracking how my emotions impacted my choices made a huge difference. It kept me conscious. It helped me fight against completely succumbing to grief and sadness.
Why I’m Starting Again
So here we are today.
I am starting another 15-week fitness journey with the same goal: to transform my body!
And this time, I truly believe I will be successful.
Life happens. Challenges come. Loss happens.
But the difference is not quitting.
You don’t take your eyes off the goal.
You don’t stop.
You keep fighting.
No matter what comes my way over the next 15 weeks, I will continue using my Therapy And Chill Fitness & Food Journal — just like I did last time — to track my progress, my habits, and my mental health.
Join Me
If you want to join me on this journey, grab your Therapy And Chill Fitness & Food Journal (https://a.co/d/gLw3jpY) on Amazon today.
And if you’re reading this and can relate —
💬 drop a comment
💛 share your journey
✨ or leave a word of encouragement
Thank you for being here. I really appreciate you!
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