It happens every year

It happens every year about this time....

I've worked extremely hard to get in shape over the late spring and summer.... then fall comes and it is back into a routine with working and kids and I feel so overwhelmed that I just flat out STOP exercising.  So all of my hard work goes to crap and I fatten up over the winter.  Spring returns and I feel like a stuffed turkey.  Yup... that's where I am now.

Last year I was motivated because of our wedding.  I knew I had a dress to fit into, and I wanted to look like a gorgeous THIN bride.  And I did.  Not to toot my own horn, but I worked out twice a day and was extremely conscious of what I put into my mouth.  And low and behold... it worked!  Down to my skinny clothes that I had stashed away.  And what a great feeling that was!

Well, the skinny clothes are slowly but surely being put back into my storage area because I have not been dedicated to eating OR exercise in about 6 months.  Yikes.  If I had to look at past pictures I would say I am about here..... (a little bit into the way of my big loss last year)

So the "funny" part of this is that I look at this picture and think I look good.... happy, vibrant, curvy in a good way.  But I know that it is not my "best" me, and I want more.  The problem is that apparently I am not committed to being the "best" me for 6 months out of the year!

Why is it that for me living a healthy and active lifestyle has to be extreme?  This is something that I do not know the answer to. I am supposed to be maintaining and enjoying life and instead I "enjoy" life way too much and then punish myself by binge exercising and dieting (for the record to me "diet" means really control and watch what I eat nutritionally.... I am never starving myself).  Part of me wonders if that is what got me to 245lbs in the first place... the notion of all or nothing.

I keep telling Brian that I am starting "today".  Well, it's been like 2 months of "today" and I suppose I am writing my blog post in the mindset that if I share my "today" with the world that it really will happen.  Today I am committing to taking back my life and having the body that I want.

Here is my inspiration:

Yup... that's right.  My inspiration is ME!  Because I know deep down that I CAN do this and I will.  It just takes self control and discipline and although I am on the weaker end of the spectrum on both of those (particularly when it comes to food and or shopping.....) I have done it, and I WILL do it!

So if anyone wants to walk or hike or workout... the answer is YES! I would love to :)