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Wednesday, September 2, 2015

It's been TWO YEARS!

Two years ago today I wanted to find friends that would workout with me.  Simple as that.
Those friends would become my Move It Mommas and the rest is history.  

We've lost weight and inches, crossed finish lines, cried, laughed, danced, sang, celebrated and held one another when we needed it most...
THAT'S what is so amazing. 
I wanted a group of women to workout alongside, hold one another accountable but NEVER dreamed of what it has become...two years already and we haven't even scratched the surface of what we'll accomplish in the future :) Happy Anniversary to US!  
Even those of you that read this and somehow find inspiration through my words and my personal story...YOU are just as much a part of this, so give yourself a hand!  
We are changing the world, together! 


I have written in previous posts about portion control and changing the mindset.  It's no secret and I'd never want it to be...I'm an emotional eater.  I have to separate the mind from the stomach EVERY time I put food into my body.  It's challenging but I find that I can simplify things just by moving temptation out of my way.  For example, the old me could devour an entire box of Triscuits in 5 minutes...it was miraculous and disturbing how quickly the box would be empty :( so MOST of the time I just don't buy them.  I'm a savory/salty lover and could pass up sweets any day but salty, crunchy snacks...ahhhh.
SO I had a box left in the pantry, decided I'd create a little snack with one serving Triscuits-I portion out my crackers and then seal up the box immediately.  I served it with some plain nonfat Greek yogurt and some fresh blueberries.  I start by eating the blueberries (when the old me would go straight for the carb/starch) then work my way around to dipping the Triscuits in the yogurt.  NOW I understand you must be saying ewwww but I was always a chip/dip girl and if THIS somehow gives me that same satisfaction without the guilt, bloat and horrible feeling afterward then WHY NOT?! 
I have to make up my mind EACH time I'm around food.  I tell myself, it's ONLY food...it has no control over me and instead I am in control of myself and how I want to treat my body...boom!  It works! Then I do a reality-check and think about how great I'll feel by making positive choices and then I do a quick flashback on how AWFUL I felt when I made poor decisions.  Then that choice becomes MUCH simpler because I choose the healthy ME!  I am satisfied after this snack because it's BALANCED.  My old ways, I'd grab the box and go sit on the couch, mindlessly eat until only crumbs remained and since there was NO balance, I'd hit the pantry yet again for that same indulgence that had little to no nutritional value.  No part of that was good for me.  It was like an emotional roller coaster every time I was around food.  MY GOODNESS, FOOD IS FOOD.  It should have NO control over who I am.  

For many, the struggle is about self-image rather than FOOD.  That can be just as self-damaging as what I did with food.  If we can't like what we see in the mirror, that can create emotions that cause us to feel inadequate, resentful and depressed.  NO matter what that person does/doesn't do, they have to find a way to love what they see in order to improve it and they should train their mind to focus on their strength, health and how they FEEL rather than picking out imperfections every chance they get.  I think we forget that being healthy means feeling good, not looking good.  Of course looking great has perks but it has NOTHING to do with how we feel.  If someone "looks great" to us, we may not see that they have more insecurities than a person who is 100lbs overweight.  Crazy how powerful the mind can truly be and that goes for negative aspects as well.  
It's like what I did with food.  I ALWAYS saw food as that escape when life threw punches.
They will always see the BAD when they look into a mirror, see a picture 
or are standing in a crowd.   

NO MATTER the struggle, we as women must be honest with how we feel in order to deal with it and improve it.  We have to stop hiding behind the "not so perfect" things about us.
Being healthy and feeling good is a whole new world for me, a world I didn't know until recently.  The feeling good has helped me see my strengths rather than only seeing my weaknesses.  I know I'm capable of so many things and I now know I deserve those things because I work hard to be HEALTHY. 

We take the good with the bad when it comes to friendships, family, neighbors and co-workers.  NOBODY is perfect.  It's our imperfections that make us who we are.  We always pull out qualities we like in others rather than what we dislike so why would we not do the same for ourselves?  We ALL have those qualities but it's about how we reach in and grab them!  Hold onto them and let those qualities carry you to new heights.  
Know that you're valuable enough to deserve to FEEL GOOD and FEEL HEALTHY! 



HAPPY TWO YEARS TO MY MOMMAS! 
Getting stronger and healthier EVERY day! 

LOVE that!  It is about upgrading ourselves.  Not to be like anyone else but to be our best. 
Every day I wake up I want to be MY BEST and you should want to be yours.  Giving my all in an intense workout helps me become better and feel better.  That is MINE that no person or thing can take away from me.  I'd rather work hard to simply improve rather than not try at all and stay in that place I was STUCK in for so long.  
When I speak to women that feel STUCK, it breaks my heart because I knew that feeling yet know what it will take to help them climb out but something inside holds them back...if I could force it I would but unfortunately it's the toughest part about what I do.  We can only help those that want it with 110% of their hearts.  If they aren't ready to UPGRADE their health, their body, their minds then there's nothing I can say or do to change that...and that is so frustrating, disappointing and heart-breaking.  
As I celebrate two years of my dreams becoming reality, my mind stays fixed on those women that have slipped away from me for various reasons.  I wish I could scoop them up and never let go...BUT as I've said before, if I am helping change lives and I'm here when those that I've lost are ready, then I'm doing what I've set out to do 
and I can ask nothing more of myself than that! 

And in closing, my cute TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY outfit!!!   

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