Friday Motivation

Today I'm linking up with Lora to talk about MFP (My Fitness Pal) and the success I've had with it.  I missed fully completing my daily diary a couple of days, so I didn't 100% complete her two week challenge, but I did pretty good anyway!  For those that don't know, MFP is an app where you can enter your daily food intake (and any exercise you do).  When you start, you put your current information in and choose whether you are trying to maintain your current weight or trying to lose a certain amount of weight per week.  Based on that information MFP will calculate how many calories you should *ideally* be eating each day.

It takes a few days to get used to, not gonna lie. But, once you figure it out, it becomes habit.  Everytime I'm about to eat, I think about what I'm eating, why I'm eating it, and how many calories it will be.  Dinner time is my nemesis because I'm not a big planner and don't always know what we're having.  With MFP I am able to make sure I don't overindulge during the day so that I have plenty of calories left for the evening.  I also LOVE seeing some of my calories earned back after a workout.  I usually don't end up "using" those extra calories, but it is nice to see my hard work paying off.  The only time MFP is an issue is when we are having meals cooked by other people (like Granny) and I'm not sure how to calculate those calories.  Pretty much everything else I can find.

All that nonsense being said, I am down 2 pounds this week!  That brings my total to 15!  Last Sunday after I weighed, I said I wasn't going to get back on that bitch the scale again for a while.  But, I knew I busted my ass working out this week, I was under my calorie goal each day, and I was dying to see my number drop.  And luckily it did!  Prior to seeing the proof on the scale though, I saw the proof in my clothing.  I told some of yall on Monday about a pair of size 10 pants that fit me after years of being too damn small.  And yesterday I fit into another pair of pants that I could barely get my legs into a few months ago.  So even before I saw that the pounds were gone, I knew that I was losing inches because I could see and feel it in my body.  And Christopher also mentioned to me last night (more than once) that I was looking "slim".  That my friends is almost as good as seeing the number on the scale drop and having my clothes fit. 

Yesterday was the first day for our "group workout" with some of my friends from work.  I was a little nervous about it, but the fact that FIVE people showed up made those nerves disappear.  I was so excited that they were there with me and were trusting me to help them with their workout and to motivate them!  I put together a quick workout, mostly using the "3 Circuit" type routines found on the 30 Day Shred.  The girls hated loved it and I knew they were feeling the burn right along with me!  I'm sore today and a few of them have stopped me in the hall today and told me they were sore, but felt good!  I'm looking forward to next week because the weather is supposed to be GORGEOUS and Christopher is going to help me plan out some "stations" for us to do.  I'm hoping the same five awesome ladies show up next Tuesday, and maybe some that weren't there this week will show up too!

On that note, I am going to leave you with a post I did a while back that I came across.  It kind of revalidated all of the hard work I have been doing, reminded me why I'm doing it, and motivated me to keep going.  I hope whether you've read it before or today is your first time, you will read it and maybe find something you've been looking for.

Happy Friday!

Disclaimer: Thanks Mama Laughlin for the inspiration!  (I did inform her months ago that I was using her post because it inspired me so much and adding some of my own insight on it, so don't get all cray cray on me those of you that follow Mama Laughlin religiously and think I jacked her stuff!)  www.mamalaughlin.com

 

This is what I know...

I know how it feels to cry uncontrollably because you are that unhappy with your body.

I know how it feels to scour the back of the clothes rack, only to realize the biggest size they carry in store doesn't fit you.

I know what it's like to feel defeated in the dressing room.

I know how it feels to grab the XL thinking it will be too big and come to find out, it's actually too small.

I know how it feels to sit down and pull at your shirt to try and hide your rolls.

I know what it's like to pour yourself into your jeans.

I know how it feels when the buttons from those jeans cut into your skin and leave painful marks.

I know what it's like to stand in your closet full of clothes that are all too small wondering what you're going to wear that day.

I know all about not owning or refusing to step on the scale to “avoid the truth”.

I know what it's like to change over and over every day before you finally find something that doesn't make you look THAT fat.

I know what it's like to hide fast food wrappers from your significant other.

I know how it feels to see cute fashion trends, only to realize they don't make them in your size.

I know how it is to think "oh SOMEDAY I'll get back into my skinny jeans".

I know how it feels to be so out of breath from just doing the simplest of tasks.

I know all about avoiding outings with family and friends because you are ashamed of how you look and don’t want to be "the fat girl" amongst the skinny folks.

I know all about lying to those family and friends about not being able to go out with them because you’d rather stay home in pajamas and feel sorry for yourself rather than put on an outfit that you feel hideous in.

I know all about "Starting my diet on Monday".

I know how shameful it feels when that diet fails.

I know the only thing that seems to cure that shame (at that moment) is more junk food.

I know all about that vicious cycle.

I know how it is to feel like a prisoner in your own body.


BUT, I also know how great it feels after you've been eating healthy for a few weeks.

And how amazing it is to see the pounds melt off.

And how it feels when you go to put on a pair of pants that were tight last month and now they're too big!

And how strong you feel when you run your first mile.

And how much better you sleep after you rid your body of all the junk you've been feeding it.

And how much more energy you have.

And how it feels to buy a smaller size.

And how it feels to hear people say that you look great.

And how you never knew you could be so proud of yourself for something.

And how it feels to do it the RIGHT way, with hard work and dedication.

And how all of a sudden you crave foods that are good for you.

And how it feels to look at a picture you didn't know was being taken and actually think you look cute and NOT fat.

And how great it feels when your significant other tells you how sexy you are, and you actually believe him instead of assuming he’s just lying to make you feel better.

And that amazing sense of accomplishment you will feel when you step on the scale and you've reached your goal.

I know.

So don't tell me it's hard.

I know.

Don't tell me it's not possible.

IT IS.

Don't tell me "I'll start Monday."

Start today.

Don't tell me you can't do it.

I know I can, and so can you.