Picture perfect

This weekend was a big one for us. We celebrated Steve's 30th birthday! I'm so excited to be moving into our 30's. I have so many dreams and goals to achieve and I feel like this new decade will be a fresh and exciting start in our lives.

Before we left I had to take a few pictures. Lilly's hair did a poof and she looked adorable as usual.

Daddy and Lilly on his birthday!

This picture is the reason for this post. I posted it on my OSC fb page and my personal page and received so many wonderful comments.

I don't wear shorts. Like ever. I have been so ashamed of my legs for the longest time. This summer I decided to say the hell with it and wear them. Yeah my legs jiggle but I am tired of being hot and ashamed all summer long. The comments on this picture made my spirits soar. I was literally in tears you guys. I never look at a picture of me and think i'm beautiful, or stylish, or thin. Those were the words you guys were using to describe me. ME! I can't tell you just how much that means to me and just how much that changed my view point of this picture. It's ok for me to think I look nice. It's ok to put myself out there even though my body isn't perfect. There aren't a lot of people who do have perfect bodies. If they did, there wouldn't be a program out there called photoshop. So thank you, all of you, for making me feel like a million bucks. 

I WILL persist until I succeed!

Well May sucked.

I'm kind of blown away that I let an entire month slip by without losing a single pound. Talk about a waste!

However that is now in the past and I WILL persist until I succeed!

Something that is key for me is being organized and making things easy. I am such a lazy butt so if things aren't prepared for me BEFORE I want to eat it I tend to skip it. That means that I have a hard time eating fruits and veggies because they involve some preparation.

I'm such a loser. LOL.

So, yesterday I got my act together and cleaned out my fridge. I organized it, cleaned and prepped my fruits and veggies, and have everything easily accessible.

I can't even tell you how much that small amount of time/prep helps me succeed through out the week. It is crazy fast/easy to make meals for me and my three year old. It gives me the extra umph that I need to get through my weekdays.

I know a lot of people prep whole meals and either freeze them or put them in the fridge. I may or may not do that. I guess it depends on what foods will keep well that I eat.

I also did my pantry but I didn't take any pictures of that. It's really nice to discover food that was previously hidden by all the crap. I have snacks that I don't have to go out and buy yet! WOOT! My next shopping trip will be so easy now and I really missed that. I love the ease in which I was able to make a shopping list and place all my food in their respective places.

I joined a summer fit group that is also keeping me on track. I say the more the better. Well, except when it comes to fat on my body. I will get these last 30lbs off. I don't care about birthday goals now. I care about succeeding and being a good role model for my family. I care about feeling good and looking good.

I honestly have never gone this far with my "diet" and fitness. I know now that I am able to succeed and change my life. Don't ever give up on yourself. Who cares if you have a bad day/week/month? Get back on track and keep trucking!

160's FTW

Alright 170's. I loved you when I first got here. Now? Not so much. Frankly i'm quite sick of you and would love to NEVER see you again. Unfortunately this is my fault so i'm working very hard to remedy that.

I very much dislike being stuck in a weight decade. Even if it's my fault. It frustrates me, discourages me, and makes me feel lazy. On a related note I have period induced food hangovers. I don't know what comes over me but I eat crazy things and then don't remember why or how. I almost need to be chained up while on my period to stop me from doing bodily harm to myself.

I'm almost out of the 170s. I see the finish line. I will get there VERY soon.

I have a love affair with my white board. I love the squeaky markers, how colorful it gets, seeing progress and goals in writing, and being able to fulfill a childhood dream of being a teacher without having to teach snotty kids. I was so excited while writing down the rest of my goals. I have 8 more goals to go you guys! AND the 8th one is my finished goal so really 7 to get there! When I was first doing goals in January I felt like they went on forever and ever. It was a little daunting. Putting up these last 8 goals was exhilarating! I have come so far and now I can see the finish line! Go out and get a white board and then write all kinds of stuff on it. Goals, quotes, weight/food tracking, etc and experience the awesomeness for yourself!

This post is way disjointed but oh well.

I have decided to run a half-marathon in the fall. I have to decide which one I want to do but it's a definite now. I walked the Indianapolis Mini Marathon a few years ago but I really want to experience the pride of running and finishing one. I'm not a runner. I don't think it's all that fun but this is something I really want to do so i'm going for it! I'm going to follow the Hal Higdon program that is 12 weeks long. So when I find a date and venue that works for me i'll start that training. I'm pretty excited about it.

This summer i'm going to participate in a Color Run and a mudathon. I don't know which mudathon i'm going to do but I loved the Warrior Dash last year. It was hilariously fun! I plan to make this summer fun, active, and healthy. I'm even going to try camping. (YIKES!) I hope you guys do the same and make the most out of your summer too. I never do enough, which is the opposite of most people, so this year is going to be packed with fun!

Ok, that's the end of this weirdly disjointed post and should update you on what i've been up to. I have to figure out a "something new activity" for May. If you have suggestions feel free to post them. Have a wonderful week!

Hooray for May!

Is there anything better than flipping to the next month on a calendar?

Ok, yes there is but don't take away from my giddy joy at changing my calendar.

May. There is just something about it that brings hope. Is it the warmer weather? The blooming flowers? The animals scurrying around everywhere?  The end of school? The start of farmer's markets? Maybe it's all of the above that make May one of my favorite months.

This May is even more hope-filled. I'm on my incredible journey and still have so much to accomplish. April was difficult for me but that is now in the past! May is going to be amazing and filled with so many goals of mine reached!

Now, usually when I proclaim that i'm going to do something AND be amazing at it I get super nervous. I have a huge fear of failure and of letting people down. I'm moving past that now because none of that matters. I can't fail at this journey even if I have a bad day or two. I'm not letting anyone down because you guys aren't literally invested in my success. I know that you guys care! My point is that these are idiotic excuses for my self-sabotage! It's not going to happen this month! With April as the exception I have proven just how much I can do and change. May is going to be even better!

So, May is going to be dubbed MAD MAY! No i'm not angry. Mad is in mad crazy yo! (wow I sounded like tool there but you get what i'm saying) I'm so excited to get back on track and really knock this out of the park! My first goal is 172.0 lbs. That is my half-way point in my journey. I'm ecstatic about that! So ecstatic that i'm ready to get past that goal in three days. So, 172lbs by 5/4/12.

I hope you guys join me in making May wicked mad! Get some goals together for yourself and then bust through them with me!