Love Day!!

Whether or not you're sharing V-Day with someone special, there's an even more important person to love-YOURSELF! Shockingly, it's probably one of the hardest things to learn. Loving yourself is foundational to love or give yourself to anybody else. You're happier, more calm, and even more logical rather than emotional. As you become selfish in the fact of giving yourself time to exercise and a chance to work on yourself, you become more selfless and patient as a person to all those you care about. If you check out my posts here, here, and here - I talk a lot about what it was like when I didn't love myself. I always put in the time at the gym, but it wasn't until I found out how to love myself that the weight, inches, and fat actually came off. I get questions all the time, well what did you change, what was the difference you made that actually made it work, how did you do it, where did you find the motivation and stick to it???

This is the answer-
I figured out emotionally why I would keep sabotaging myself from reaching my goals, I finally realized my own self worth. Because let me tell, I have been a HECK OF A LOT more strict than I have been these last 10 months and never saw results like I do now. I really never could keep a couple pounds off for more than just a few days. I'm not depriving myself anymore, I'm simply making smarter decisions and know that I can and will eat desserts and fries and chips and whatever I want the rest of my life. Before, I thought I could never eat them again until I got to where I wanted, then if I had even just a bite, I'd go crazy and eat more than my fair share. Then, I'd start tomorrow, and every tomorrow I "messed up" and wasn't worth more than the food sitting in front of me.

I find my motivation in knowing what being fit and healthy does for me as a person. It's so much more than just working out and looking good, it makes me a better wife and mother. I notice a REAL difference in my attitude when I don't make good decisions in eating and exercise. That's the biggest thing for me. Luckily, my hubs is at times over-supportive of me getting in my "me" time and will do anything he can to make sure I can go, because he sees what it does for me (sadly, he's been on the bad side of this and never wants that witch to come out again haha). There is a long time in the beginning though where it does seem like a chore and your goals seem soooo far away that it seems too daunting. Give it 3-4 weeks and it will become a habit and something you crave. You and the others around you will first notice a change in your presence, then the change in your shape. Once you've broken that 3-4 week barrier, I promise it gets better. Give yourself the chance to prove yourself wrong, give yourself the time to be who it is you truly are, give yourself your best "you" this Valentine's Day and the love will follow!

via

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.