Digging Deeper

It takes approximately 21 days for something to become part of your everyday routine. Almost a month. I'm on week 2 (again) and already I'm starting to dread working out. Well not dread exactly, but I just wish there was an easier way. I know full well that there isn't a REAL easier way - if I want to lose the weight I've got to put the work in. 21 days worth of putting the work in, and then it shouldn't feel quite as much like work as it does right now.
So when I need to dig deeper, when I need *something* to run towards, when I feel like cutting it short or giving up, I made this.

This is my vision board, my goals, my "why I am doing this". I'm getting healthy for my BOYS. I'm getting healthy for my HAPPINESS. I'm doing this because I love my family and I want to be around for a long long time to bug and harass them. I have put this up right in front of my treadmill, so when I need to focus on something to get through the last excruciating 30 seconds of a sprint or when I need something to climb towards, I can see EXACTLY why I'm doing it.

What gets you through a run or a workout? Are you motivated by the physical or mental changes that comes with a workout? How do you push through or dig a little deeper?

First Steps

So now that I am post pregnancy, I know it's time to step up my game and get rid of the jiggle. Having an infant definitely puts a little bit of a speed bump on my path to skinny; he wants to eat anywhere between every hour to every 3 hours. And you never really know which it'll be until he starts eying up my boobs and making his ever so cute little grunt/fuss/screech. Add to that, with my hubby working away, it's just me and the boys ALL.THE.TIME. Sawyer is a little bit young for a teenage babysitter (in my opinion) and my mum isn't available often.
Excuse. Excuse. Excuse. Excuse. Excuse.
I can come up with a dozen more, if you'd like. But I won't. Because really, these excuses don't really matter to anyone else. They only matter to me, and only then they matter because I let them hold me back. I know I'm not alone here - there are thousands of women who let their kids or lack of time for themselves hold them back. So how can we move past it?
First things first; WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO YOU, IN GETTING HEALTHY?
Is it losing weight? Or getting stronger? Do you want to start eating better, cleaner? Do you want to be able to run or even walk without getting winded? Or do you want to show your kids that being active is important? Do you want to do something alone or with a group? With your kids or without? What about your partner? This is the first step.
What's important to me? I want to lose weight. I want to be stronger. I want to eat better; I want my family to eat better. I want to do something FOR ME, without having a child hanging off my leg or my arm or my boob. First step complete - onto the second; Translating what's important to me, into an action plan.

Love It, to Lose It.

What is the number one reason people start working out? They want to lose weight or tone up. They aren't happy with the way their body looks and they want to change it. So if you are working out like crazy 5 days a week and only losing 1 pound a month or 1 inch every 3 weeks, you're going to get disappointed. You're going to quit. You're going to think that it's impossible to get to where you want to go. Time to re-think it.
First of all, changing your body is more than just moving your muscles, you need to feed it properly too. And that includes eating ENOUGH (which most women don't) and eating well. If you aren't eating enough and you are eating processed crap that just burns through your body, how can you expect your body to really do what you want it to do? Eat well, eat often.
The number on your scale is really no indicator with how well you are working out or how healthy you are. Most people, myself included, can become slaves to the number. Everything gets dependant of that number sliding down and when it doesn't - heartbreak - disappointment - chocolate. So find another reason to workout, any reason.
Working out...

• ... helps increase the density of your bones so they are less likely to break easily.
• ...reduces anxiety.
• ...improves your ability to recover from physical exertion.
• ...can enhance your sex life (c'mon now; you feel better about yourself, you do it more, you like it more)
• ...helps you sleep.
• ... helps to better control your insulin levels or blood sugar (especially if insulin resistant or type 2 diabetes)
• ... gives you more energy.
• ... helps improve mental alertness and studies have showed increased mental cognition (short term) in people who workout consistently.
• ...increases your overall health perspective or awareness.
• ... cleansing (mind and body).
• ... will improve the way your body works.

Find a reason to workout. Any reason that is important to YOU and hold yourself accountable to that reason.