Dancing in Laurel's Birthday surprise!

 

Not a great picture but I love the great memory I'll have forever of dancing in a flash mob for Laurel's Birthday. 

 

Accepting Who I am Today

I have spoken with so many women and no one I speak with says, “ I love myself exactly the way I am.”  Everyone has something they need to change.  I know we are striving for perfection in this life and that we should desire change but can’t we still love ourselves? or Can we at least lovingly accept who we are and how we look today?

This has been a struggle for me.  I look in the mirror and my eyes go right to my trouble spots.  I never spend much time looking at the huge overall improvement or the areas that look great.  Well today I decided to be different.  I will love myself no matter what.  I have so much to be thankful for.  I especially need to be thankful for this body and the great opportunities I have been given because of it.  I need to appreciate it, warts and ALL!

So today after coming home from boot-camp at 6:30am I took this picture.  It is a little blurry but it is for me to appreciate where I am today.  I need pictures to remind me of my journey.  I now live a healthy life and numbers should not decide my happiness.

I don’t always see myself the way others do.  I am hard on myself and often only see the numbers on the scale.  I carry a lot of weight for many reasons (ex lrg bone structure, 5’1o.5” frame, extra skin, etc.) and so when I see others numbers on the scale I tend to compare my numbers to theirs.  I don’t think about their height being 5-10 inches shorter because I see those pounds difference and think I should weigh less!

I do not have a perfect body and will never have one;  BUT I do have a very healthy body and I need to celebrate that!

I challenge you to make one healthier choice every week and very soon you will be able to feel and see a difference in your body.

 

My lunch today:

Taco Salad

2 cups romaine lettuce

1 cup spinach

4 small mushrooms

1/4 cup homemade salsa

1/4 cup ground lean turkey

9 multigrain chips

Approx. 300 calories

1/2 cup  Fat Free/ Sugar Free Vanilla Pudding (1% milk)

with chocolate animal crackers (I ate 10 )

approx. 160 calories

I Am Blown Away

I am always blown away when people tell me that they sent other people to my blog for inspiration.  Of course that is really what I hope for for this the blog but it always shocks me.  I am just a SAHM living in a small community in Utah raising 5 kids. I found this article that is way too kind.  This is written by a woman who I have admired for years.  She is a “super woman” in my eyes. She is a mom to almost 9 children, a runner, a woman of faith, so creative and drop dead gorgeous (recent swimsuit model by peoples choice)! Thanks Catey!  It is because of women like you that I desire to become more than I am today.  I want to the best I can be when I see your incredible example.

Catey recently started a new blog and is helping some of her friends lose weight and live healthier lives. I found this post below on her new blog and was flattered beyond words.  

Real Life Inspiration

Meet my friend Becky at beckyloses200.blogspot.com.
Yep, you read "becky loses 200".  As in 200 pounds.
She is one amazing and inspiring woman!
Every time I see her around the neighborhood I am still blown away at the transformation she has made in her life.  She started out at 390 pounds and has dropped down under 200 now.  She has completely turned her life and her lifestyle around.  She has always been a sweet person, but she just absolutely beams now!  I swear the woman is always glowing!  And yes, even when she's not sweating. :)  She made a huge huge commitment and really dug in and got down to business and is one of those people that still must put in a concentrated effort every single day to maintain the changes she has made.

When you have a minute go peek around her blog.
Amazing things are possible!

 

WOW! I sit here in tears wondering if these words are really about me.  I have been feeling a little down on myself wondering how I can really keep this up forever and this is exactly what I needed to remind myself that I can do this.  I can get up everyday and make good choices.  I have done it and I will continue to do it. and

 You can do it too!!!

Dressing Up - Valentine’s Dance

One day a year I get all fancied up with a new dress and jewelry and dance the night away with my sweetheart.  I love wearing a beautiful dress and feeling elegant.  Even though the theme was a luau this year and most people were in shorts or jeans I still dressed up because you can’t get me to part with a tradition that has been going on for 12 years.  My dress is second hand for $15 and I wanted my arms a little more covered so I bought 3 yards of brown and blue tulle.  I sure love to dress up!!!

What I find interesting is the change I can see in my physique.  My upper body and core is so strong now.  I am much “straighter” and less curvy than I used to be since I have muscles there now. What’s great too is that it is a misses size 9/10!

Some Ways to Stay Motivated

I love to search the internet for great information.  I try to read a couple new sites every day on topics regarding health and fitness.  Knowledge is power and I need all the power I can get to keep my weight, eating, exercise and overall health in balance.  Here are a few new sites I ran across that have some good ideas.  Nothing earth shattering is found on these sites and I’m sure you’ve heard most of it before but sometimes we need a little reminder to keep us going.

http://www.articlesbase.com/supplements-and-vitamins-articles/6-ways-to-find-inspiration-to-guide-your-weight-loss-505685.html

This is a link to a great article with 6 ideas that will help you keep going toward your weight loss goal.

 

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/diet-motivation-tips

This link is ideas for eating right.

 

http://resources.jimestill.com/2008/09/inspiration-to-work-out-14-tips/

Inspiration to keep exercising.

 

One of the best things I have learned is that life is a marathon not a sprint and you just have to tackle each day as it comes,  Right now I am LOVING exercising but still working to eat a little less but I am finding joy in everyday.  I am not beating myself up over not eating “perfectly”.  I am human and I do make mistakes.  Even my Heavenly Father doesn’t expect perfection from me right now but I sure will keep trying to do a little better each day.  We are ALL in this together.  We need each other to stay focused on this journey.  When I was was in the midst of losing weight I thought that once the weight was gone that I could relax on the exercise and eating but I was wrong.  To be healthy is a daily choice.  Some days the food wins and some days my health wins BUT I must never lose sight of my goal to be happy with who I am and how I feel!!!

Make a choice today that will bring you closer to reaching your goals!

I WON Kind-of

I entered my picture into a Facebook contest to win a free registration for the AF Canyon Half.  Well I didn’t get first place but I did get 2nd place with 195 votes over less than a weeks time.  I have the most amazing friends!!!! I just found out that I too get a free registration.  YEAAAAAAAA! 

Here is a great quote to keep you headed in the right direction.

Running

Last week we purchased a new treadmill.  I had forgotten how good it felt to run.  Sadly I am not running nearly as fast I was in the fall but I am running.  I also registered for the American Fork Canyon Half Marathon today.  I am so excited to run this race again.  I need a goal to work toward and this is it!  It was my first half and it was an amazing course and for a great cause. If you don’t run I challenge you to try it.  Start out slow and build up to full on running.  I never imagined I could ever run and now here I am planning to run my 3rd half marathon!  What an incredible change!  You too can change.

  The POWER to CHANGE is within YOU!!!