Oh, yeah, crank up the James Brown, 'cause I feel GOOD baby!
Seriously...I feel really good.
I went shopping last week. I met my niece and a college roomie and we hit the outlet mall. We hit it hard, too! I was in need of "fall/winter" clothes, and even a new coat if I could find something. Normally these shopping trips are all about kids' clothes, but this time...it was ALL ME, baby! And it was awesome.
Here's what was awesome about it. Before I went there I mainly got clothes from either Cato or Kohl's here at home. And I guess I had pretty much convinced myself that those 2 stores were really cutting their clothes big, 'cause I'm still pretty sure that I'm not wearing a Large shirt or a size 14 pant. Must be the generous cut those stores carry...right???
WRONG...guess what...those sizes fit me in every freaking store in the outlet mall. And trust me, I tested the theory! I got stuff at Tommy Hilfiger, Old Navy, Van Husen, Bass, and a whole bunch of other stores in between! There were a few stops that I thought the shirts were really short, and I didn't like the way they fit. And for once in my life, if I didn't LOVE the way it fit and how I looked, I could skip it. No more "well, this will have to do". Oh no...total love or leave it on the hanger.
In January when I started all of this at 265 and wearing a 22/24, had anyone told me that before Halloween I'd be under 200 and wearing a 14 I would've referred them to the nuthouse. I can't believe I'm here. Really...still can't...but going and trying on all those clothes sure put a dent in my confusion.
And you know what, this is for good. This isn't a short-term thing. This weight loss has been so manageable and so real-life that I KNOW that it's for good. I know I can continue to do this for the rest of my life. Fat Lori has left the building, and she's NOT coming back.
The other thing that is important to disclose, is that I honestly feel that the loss that I've managed so far is not just a physical test, but a mental one as well. My way of thinking has shifted. I finally see that I DESERVE to be healthy, happy, and fit. And I see now that losing the weight that I have has helped make me a happier person. I would never have described myself as sad or grumpy before, and I surely thought I was enjoying my life then. But now, enjoying it now...well that enjoyment seems so much more intense, and so much more capable of saturating my soul with sheer joy. My cup is totally running over, and I am so thankful for that.
Believe in yourself...surround yourself with people who believe in you as well. Dig deep and realize that YOU DESERVE to be healthy, happy, and fit. Do whatever it takes to get started and then find it within yourself to know that you DESERVE this and YOU are the only person that can control your success.
You're so worth it....
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
So Long...Farewell...Auf Wiedersehen...Goodnight
Today was a pivotal day...a defining day...a day that I have been waiting for.
Today I said good-bye to 200. I weighed in this morning at 199.0. No more "I weigh two hundred and .... .
Oh no. Now I will say I weigh ONE HUNDRED and ... .
Wow. Really? I can't believe I'm there. Remember back in January? My goal at 265 was to get into the 250's. Getting below 200 at that time was just too daunting of a task, so I broke it down into smaller reachable segments.
And here I am...ONE hundred and ninety-nine pounds.
You wanna know the craziest thing? It really has NOT been THAT hard. Seriously. I don't know if it's because my perspective of "hard" is really skewed due to seriously hard things, but I would not say that getting to this point has been that hard. My life style, my eating habits, my exercise habits...those are all things that I can see easily manageable in the future. And so, this weight loss will be permanent. This is not a quick-fix, but a change in thinking.
And that's what I've been doing a lot of today...thinking. Thinking and watching. I watch people. I watch them drive by me in cars, I see them pass me in stores, and my brain is just churning, watching, wondering why the rest of the world can't see how easy this really is.
Don't get me wrong...there have been really horrible, dreadful, miserable times during this year. I have wanted to quit and I have wanted to indulge, and I have wanted to just chuck it all and go back to my old ways. But the only thing that is going to do is make me unhealthy and set my children up for losing their Mom too soon. So, even if I can't do it for myself, I can and will do it for THEM. And becoming Fit is not just about me...it's about the whole family. My kids will try more vegetables. They know how to read a label and choose the more healthy option. They understand (although they don't always LIKE it) that you need to put good food into your body for FUEL before you eat any junk or snack foods.
Ultimately, the decision to change MUST be yours. You have to find that piece of yourself that recognized that YOU deserve it. In the long run, everyone around you will benefit from your own healthiness, but YOU have to realize that YOU deserve it most. Getting fit and living a more healthy lifestyle is not expensive, too time consuming, or just too plain difficult for anyone to manage. You can do it, but first you must realize that YOU deserve it.
To those people that have supported me thus far, THANK YOU. Thank you so much. Your comments on this blog, phone calls, Facebook messages, etc. have driven me when I had no gas left in the tanks. I appreciate the motivation so very much and I hope to pay it forward 10 fold.
Today I said good-bye to 200. I weighed in this morning at 199.0. No more "I weigh two hundred and .... .
Oh no. Now I will say I weigh ONE HUNDRED and ... .
Wow. Really? I can't believe I'm there. Remember back in January? My goal at 265 was to get into the 250's. Getting below 200 at that time was just too daunting of a task, so I broke it down into smaller reachable segments.
And here I am...ONE hundred and ninety-nine pounds.
You wanna know the craziest thing? It really has NOT been THAT hard. Seriously. I don't know if it's because my perspective of "hard" is really skewed due to seriously hard things, but I would not say that getting to this point has been that hard. My life style, my eating habits, my exercise habits...those are all things that I can see easily manageable in the future. And so, this weight loss will be permanent. This is not a quick-fix, but a change in thinking.
And that's what I've been doing a lot of today...thinking. Thinking and watching. I watch people. I watch them drive by me in cars, I see them pass me in stores, and my brain is just churning, watching, wondering why the rest of the world can't see how easy this really is.
Don't get me wrong...there have been really horrible, dreadful, miserable times during this year. I have wanted to quit and I have wanted to indulge, and I have wanted to just chuck it all and go back to my old ways. But the only thing that is going to do is make me unhealthy and set my children up for losing their Mom too soon. So, even if I can't do it for myself, I can and will do it for THEM. And becoming Fit is not just about me...it's about the whole family. My kids will try more vegetables. They know how to read a label and choose the more healthy option. They understand (although they don't always LIKE it) that you need to put good food into your body for FUEL before you eat any junk or snack foods.
Ultimately, the decision to change MUST be yours. You have to find that piece of yourself that recognized that YOU deserve it. In the long run, everyone around you will benefit from your own healthiness, but YOU have to realize that YOU deserve it most. Getting fit and living a more healthy lifestyle is not expensive, too time consuming, or just too plain difficult for anyone to manage. You can do it, but first you must realize that YOU deserve it.
To those people that have supported me thus far, THANK YOU. Thank you so much. Your comments on this blog, phone calls, Facebook messages, etc. have driven me when I had no gas left in the tanks. I appreciate the motivation so very much and I hope to pay it forward 10 fold.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Challenge Yourself...
Status quo is easy, really. You just settle in to that nice, comfortable familiar existence that has been serving you so well and don't rock the boat.
But what if the status quo really isn't serving you so well? Maybe it's time to challenge yourself.
I see that this blog has picked up several followers, and some of you have even contacted me saying how I motivate and inspire you. This not only flatters but shocks me as well. I'm just a normal woman, trying to get fit. But, if my stories can motivate you then sometimes I think it's important for me to really TRY to motivate you!
Today is motivation day, baby....
Many of you look to this blog for motivation on your weight loss. How's that going for you, by the way? Are you still chugging along, losing those pounds? OR...are you stuck...hit a plateau...lost your drive?
Well, here's my challenge to you...........
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Yep...that's right...an open ended challenge. No specific motivation from me today. YOU do it. Figure out some kind of challenge for your own personal weight loss and fitness goals and then get on it! I've joined a 500 mile challenge. Sounds nuts, right? It is, a little, but I'm doing it, and so are several other people...only one of whom I've ever met in "real" life. See the rest of them are bloggers, or readers of blogs. We've all come together for Ashli's 500 mile challenge. Walk it or run it, but the challenge is 500 miles in a year. I have a "widget" to the right that shows my progress. It shows you what I've done most recently and then my "lifetime" mileage.
That 500 mile challenge is motivating me and totally challenging me. I'm in that push to get under 200, so I'm working out a lot. I'm watching my food intake and trying to really burn a LOT of calories every day. But that 500 mile challenge motivates me even further.
For example, I record lots of stuff on the DVR...and laying on the couch watching those shows doesn't burn calories. BUT, walking a couple of miles on the treadmill WHILE I'm watching sure does! And those calories add up, baby...they totally add up!
So find something to challenge yourself. Maybe you challenge yourself to get up 30 minutes earlier 3 days a week and take a 30 minute walk. Maybe you challenge yourself to use that gym membership that has been coming out of your checking account every month even though you haven't set foot in the place in 2 months. Maybe you walk your kids to school instead of driving.
Whatever it is, challenge YOURSELF. Let's face it, folks...the holidays are coming up, and for me, that is NOT the easiest time to lose weight...or even MAINTAIN. But this year, status quo on holiday eating is NOT going to bring me down. Oh, no...this year it's a brand new game baby, and I'm gonna be my own starting quarterback!
Go forth....and CHALLENGE YOURSELF!
(...and PLEASE...post a comment and let me know what YOUR challenge is! If anyone is interested in the 500 mile challenge, post a comment and I'll get you the link)
But what if the status quo really isn't serving you so well? Maybe it's time to challenge yourself.
I see that this blog has picked up several followers, and some of you have even contacted me saying how I motivate and inspire you. This not only flatters but shocks me as well. I'm just a normal woman, trying to get fit. But, if my stories can motivate you then sometimes I think it's important for me to really TRY to motivate you!
Today is motivation day, baby....
Many of you look to this blog for motivation on your weight loss. How's that going for you, by the way? Are you still chugging along, losing those pounds? OR...are you stuck...hit a plateau...lost your drive?
Well, here's my challenge to you...........
CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Yep...that's right...an open ended challenge. No specific motivation from me today. YOU do it. Figure out some kind of challenge for your own personal weight loss and fitness goals and then get on it! I've joined a 500 mile challenge. Sounds nuts, right? It is, a little, but I'm doing it, and so are several other people...only one of whom I've ever met in "real" life. See the rest of them are bloggers, or readers of blogs. We've all come together for Ashli's 500 mile challenge. Walk it or run it, but the challenge is 500 miles in a year. I have a "widget" to the right that shows my progress. It shows you what I've done most recently and then my "lifetime" mileage.
That 500 mile challenge is motivating me and totally challenging me. I'm in that push to get under 200, so I'm working out a lot. I'm watching my food intake and trying to really burn a LOT of calories every day. But that 500 mile challenge motivates me even further.
For example, I record lots of stuff on the DVR...and laying on the couch watching those shows doesn't burn calories. BUT, walking a couple of miles on the treadmill WHILE I'm watching sure does! And those calories add up, baby...they totally add up!
So find something to challenge yourself. Maybe you challenge yourself to get up 30 minutes earlier 3 days a week and take a 30 minute walk. Maybe you challenge yourself to use that gym membership that has been coming out of your checking account every month even though you haven't set foot in the place in 2 months. Maybe you walk your kids to school instead of driving.
Whatever it is, challenge YOURSELF. Let's face it, folks...the holidays are coming up, and for me, that is NOT the easiest time to lose weight...or even MAINTAIN. But this year, status quo on holiday eating is NOT going to bring me down. Oh, no...this year it's a brand new game baby, and I'm gonna be my own starting quarterback!
Go forth....and CHALLENGE YOURSELF!
(...and PLEASE...post a comment and let me know what YOUR challenge is! If anyone is interested in the 500 mile challenge, post a comment and I'll get you the link)
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