Crazy Talk

Things such as life have just been so crazy! School is almost out and our schedule is going to change again and the stress of that is making me nuts. I need to figure out how to get it all done with 2 little ones wanting to play, and not be into grocery shopping and going to the gym as their priority. Thank goodness I have lots of willing babysitters!

Another thing that has been crazy is that I am now in a single digit pant size and I actually got to buy a size small shirt. I almost fell on the floor. I told the salesgirl helping me she was crazy but she insisted the outfit I had been trying on was too big. So she got me the size 8's and a small shirt and HOLY CRAP she was right. I got very teary in the dressing room, and she actually hugged me. I am not sure I can go into my local LOFT store again but it was such a huge moment for me. When I started this journey I was a size 14. I am shocked almost daily, at how different I feel and what a difference building muscle can make in the shape of someone's body. My whole shape is different. My problem areas are still "not so great" but they are a whole lot better then they were before. Any women who had 2 babies in 2 years will understand that that isnt something you can quickly bounce back from, if at all. So my middle is still a lot squishier then I would like and I do tons of sit ups and ab work but they are hiding waaaayyyy underneath there and I am not sure I will ever get them to be as toned as I would like but for now I am thrilled with the hard work I have done.

I think the most gratifying part of this has been that I did the hard work myself. I didnt take a pill, I didnt get surgery, I didnt buy some weird processed food.....I did the work. I re-learned more about nutrition & portion control, I learned how a women of my age needs to be working out to be healthy, and I put the time in and took no shortcuts. I am still setting goals for myself and I will achieve them one day. That 5K is something I still have as a goal to work towards and hope to complete in the Fall. After that who knows what's next. But I want to keep challenging myself and seeing what my body can do. I am stronger now then I was when I was a tiny size 2. I have a body that I am proud of, not because of a good metabolism and not enjoying food, but because I work hard for it. And I still EAT. I eat such great food, and nothing is off limits. I love food, cooking it, eating it, talking about it so to have to deprive myself would never have worked.

So my message is, stop the excuses, because that's what they are. I lived for too many years thinking it was harder then it was. I made too many excuses as to why I couldnt do it, but you truly can do anything you want to achieve if you set your mind to it, make a plan and be honest with yourself. Life is really too short and I want to make sure I am healthy enough to enjoy every day I have with my amazing family. THAT is the motivation that keeps me going