PROOF...literally!

Before I share with you some phone snapshots of our half marathon race proofs, I wanted to share some EATS!

This soup came highly recommended by our local Trader Joe's manager, David-who is incredible!!!
It is DELICIOUS!!!  Thick, hearty and full of flavor...makes a great addition to a side salad or my NAAN bread pizzas!
Trader Joe's low sodium Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper soup with a sprinkle of Parmesan :)

It's in a carton, so simply pour, heat and it's ready to EAT!  Oh my goodness, I just totally made that rhyme!!!  How cool :)  LOL!


Pictured below: Breakfast made SIMPLE!
Eggs in the microwave?  Oh YES.  Keep in mind that I keep things easy in this house.  The less I dirty the dishes, the better I feel.  
This is a low carb/high fiber Ole brand tortilla that has been heated/toasted in my convection oven on 400 for about 8-10 minutes or until crispy.  
For the eggs:
Combine 2 eggs/2 egg whites and scramble with a splash of Almond Milk and 1/2 tbs butter.  Stir and cover with a paper towel.  Microwave for 1 minute.  Stir.  Repeat.  Continue to microwave for 30 seconds until cooked through.  Stir cooked eggs and fluff with fork!  I sprinkled each serving with 1 tbs low fat cheese and placed on toasted tortilla.  This was YUMMY!  Quick, easy and delicious as most of my meals are.  

Don't make HEALTHY EATING more difficult than it has to be.  Keep things easy, find great go-to foods and you'll be set up for success for years to come :)  

And more race photos...the PROOF versions!  Ha!
What amazed me?  I am SO stinkin' happy in all of these photos this time around.  My first half marathon, I looked drained.  I looked defeated.  I promised myself I'd enjoy each step of this one and that is exactly what I did!  I took each mile as a reflection of my past.  Where it all began.  I used the "doubters" to help me focus on what I wanted out of this race.  All of the people who told me I was crazy.  
In life there will always be people trying to drag you down.  Kick you when you're headed in the right direction.  It's sad but so true.  I'd like to think ALL people want what's best for all of us but when they see you succeeding, there's a chance that the jealousy might creep in.  I am still dealing with doubters, the ones that secretly are waiting for that moment of weakness to come into my life.  SO it's what I have all of you for, right?  And it's what you have me for as well!  We can lean on one another because we've been there, lived it, live it each day.  Nobody will ever understand your true struggle and we don't want them to.  
We each have a separate story to tell.  Share it.  Let it help others.  

Honestly in the above pic I have NO idea what I was thinking but it looks like I'm darn happy at mile 9 doesn't it?  
WOW!  
The girl who grew up afraid to succeed, afraid to try new things for fear of being knocked down, SHE DID IT!  I DID IT!  I ran 13.1 miles.  And the best part?  I was never a RUNNER.  EVER.  I dreaded it, got of out if every chance that I could as a child.  If it was "running" in PE, I'd fake a tummy ache for fear of standing out in the crowd of my peers.  I'd make them laugh so they would keep the focus OFF of the fact that I was out of breath after ONE lap around the track :(  Argh!  I use that as fuel to this day.  

Use your struggles to make you STRONGER NOT WEAKER! 

Again, is that me DANCING?  Look at Amanda and I go!  LOVE THIS!  Obviously I was having a wee bit of fun here and it had to have been a pretty good song to get me moving like that huh?!  

And there's my hubby and I, wearing finisher medals!  We've both come SO far.  When the road seems so far and out of reach I use days like this, accomplishments like THIS to add to my desire to be healthy.  To help others.  To achieve all of the goals I set out to reach as that lost girl back in 2001.

Determination?  YES that would be my husband.  He's amazing.  If it's possible, I love him more today than I ever have.  I respect his WANT and DESIRE to change his life, his unhealthy ways.  We wanted to be better for one another, better for our boys, our families...for US.

One thing I know for sure...

this road does NOT get easier.  It does have perks.  Many, many perks!  Rewards that make each day worth fighting for.  Although this road has had bumps, I wouldn't change it for the WORLD. The climb is worth it.  I hope you all understand that.  When it seems so lost, so far away...focus on TODAY.  Focus on the baby steps that make us each stronger, greater, HEALTHIER.    

I am able to do what I love, inspire and hopefully help others see that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE.  That IT'S NEVER TOO LATE FOR CHANGE!  

My life is better because I decided to take that leap.  YES it was scary.  I was deathly afraid of change because I feared FAILURE.  I had to make up my mind that failure was no longer an option.  Each diet that I started and quit, each workout that I stopped and QUIT, each pound that I proudly lost only to shame & gain once again...I turned it around and made it fuel to my fire.  To my desire to be more.  I wasn't truly living.  I was hiding.  Hiding behind the shame of my addiction to food.  I was in a hole and it seemed like there was no way out.  Many days I feel like I'm moving backwards, deeper in that hole but I REFUSE TO QUIT!  

We must all REFUSE TO QUIT!

Stop making excuses, stop saying it's not fair...we each have our battles.  For some it's to lose 5lbs, to fit into jeans we haven't worn since before we were married or before having children.  For some it's to break the cycle of heart disease or diabetes that runs in the family.  To help your children see that healthy living is a HUGE importance in your life.  

To start actively participating in LIFE!

What are your goals?  Celebrate the victories EVERY day...big or small!