Motivation

It’s important to find what inspires and motivates you…obviously. But a lot of times, it’s hard to find that motivation to make the time, eat what you know is right, and stop making excuses. Especially when it seems like the whole world is out to get in the way of you doing these things. Am I right? I would love to look at a picture and have immediate long-lasting motivation til I looked exactly like that picture. But for some reason looking at picture after picture while we continue to sit and eat whatever we want, somehow that perfect image doesn’t appear when we look down at ourselves. Can I start a fundraiser toward whatever research needs to be done to make that happen?? Haha K, great! 

Even once that motivation is found, it can be really hard to maintain it until that goal is reached. It can be especially hard when we go through something that has weakened our body physically, like an injury or pregnancy. Since I just went through the latter, I’ll share how I found that drive…

this was something like 36 weeks

just 2 days before Norah showed up

First of all, I’ve been craving to be hard and toned since I was going through the flabby/not-so-pregnant-look that started at about 8 weeks and just kept getting shocked that my body would continue to get bigger when I thought there was no way it could possibly stretch anymore. But then, inevitably,it always does. 

For some reason though, when I hit that 6 weeks and got clearance to exercise, that drive didn’t come immediately like I had hoped. It was disappointing to work out. You don’t see the flabbiness go anywhere, it seems impossible to think it will ever go away, you’re strength you once had has incredibly diminished, and you’re starting from further back then you ever have. It’s actually quite devastating. At least it was for me. It wasn’t until consistently dragging myself to the gym for 4 weeks until the actual desire came to make time for a sweat session. It was stress relieving and my time for me. I started looking at it as MY time and I had to take advantage of it, and even though I didn’t feel like it in the beginning-I knew I would always feel better the rest of the day. If I was able to work out then it seemed like I got done what I needed to, and little things throughout the day wouldn’t bug me nearly as bad. Then I started to conquer little goals-like, sprinting at 9.0 again and being able to hold a plank without wanting to die after 15 seconds. I had to focus on that, my achievements and my body showing signs it was regaining that strength I once had. It was then I found the fun in conquering my own mind and body- breaking barriers that seemed too hard to do again or like it was going to take forever to get back to. 

before getting pregnant

You CAN do it! Your body WILL get there! You just have to put in the work, even if you’re dragging in the beginning. I'm determined to look better than before I had Norah, I think I'm getting close, and that's a feeling that can't be bought.