This is a quick post about the other way to lose weight/get skinny. I thought it would be important to detail my changes on a more personal level. Here are some weight loss before/after pics. My Weight Loss: 3 Parts Part #1,Emotional Part: I got entirely FED UP with obsessing over my body and not taking proactive steps to correct it. I had always wanted to be fit and thin but I didn't ever take the reigns to make it happen. The part I didn't realize until my weight came off was the own mental limitation. Turns out, I was hiding myself in a box. I wasn't playing life big, because I was afraid. In order to lose weight it meant I had to do things that scared me and forced me out of my fear box. But for others, it is the other way around, where the weight loss comes after the mental change. Either way, they both work together to propel each other.
BEFORE. Wearing scarf on the left side. 2009
AFTER. My 2nd Tough Mudder in Dallas. Fall 2014
After. Feeling confident! Summer 2014
The second part, the workout part of my weight loss was fear based. I was scared to go to the gym and look chubby, terrified to try a pull up while people were watching. I was scared to bare my legs. I was scared to look stupid. I was afraid to walk into a gym. I was scared to try to lift heavy weight; and then I decided being fit was more important than my lousy fears and said to myself, "I'm just going to try these new things. I'm just going to try to do a pull up, I'm just going to try to do this really hard workout, I'm willing to be uncomfortable to get my dream body." My IPOD became my crutch, I cranked it up at the gym and I just went for it. The fitness aspect was my most propelling factor in weight loss. #3, Nutrition portion. My weight loss switch flipped into turbo mode when I altered my diet. I allowed myself to feel massive guilt after I ate things that were working against myself. The guilt became impressionable enough that the next time I was in that situation, I didn't want to feel it again. The decision to change your eating for the better is SOOOOO difficult the first few times you make good choices. My choice to eat a light meal and walk away without feeling full, was incredibly hard. That first meal might make you feel deprived initially, but each powerful decision like that makes the next easier. And pretty soon you are feeling in control and you realize you had been giving all your control to the food before. It's like cleaning your sunglasses off, suddenly you can see clearly. Your body is feeling light and you feel full of energy instead of sluggish. Then that drives you to keep reaching for more. It's an awesome process and I am lucky to have gone through it because it toughened me up. Some people never struggle with food and eating, but that was never me.
My body changed overnight, and I'm not kidding. It happened so fast that clothes stopped fitting within a week of having #1,2, and 3 all working together like a rowing team. But everyday was me pushing for it. Everyday I grew out of my box by doing things that scared me, I left my comfort zone and blew up that box I had created for myself. Every workout was difficult for myself and I established a structured eating schedule. And the part of my personality that I dropped is the part that was playing small and hiding from the world. The workouts pushed me outside my box so I couldn't hide anymore. The me who thought I needed to hide inside a shell realized the sun was still shining, the birds still chirping and life still went on outside my box. Yea!
So does everybody have a crush on Jillian Michaels from The Biggest Loser? I used to watch The Biggest Loser religiously, for my girl crush AND because I love to be inspired by weight loss transformations. The Biggest Loser has the best weight loss transformations, and the motivation just shoots out of my TV like Mardi Gras beads on Bourbon Street. Usually by the last few episodes of a season I can pinpoint who the finalists are going to be. Don't call me psychic too quickly though, there's a method to this prediction.
The first few episodes of the season for The Biggest Loser are Debbie Downer's favorite episodes, really tough to watch. You are watching people's excuses come in full swing, and the contestants are often at their lowest, emotionally and physically; which makes things very negative. However, just wait until the trainers (welcome, Jillian!) get to work on them and their attitudes snap from piss poor to positive and dedicated. The contestants become empowered, through pushing past physical limits and thus they drop their "wo is me" attitude like it's a Justin Beiber CD (kinda rude but just proved my point). I can tell who has a good chance of winning because they have a dramatic shift in their personality. Suddenly, the contestants are beaming, lit up by the joy of life and trans-formative glory is happening before our eyes. The biggest mental changes = the biggest physical changes.
Ali, My Fav contestant (first girl to win Biggest Loser)
Two Ways Purposeful Weight Loss Happens:
A) Forced with structured eating and a dedicated workout regimen; could just be temporary if #B (below) doesn't happen - read on for more B) Natural decrease in appetite, change in personality and/or change in physical demands, release of limitations and old thought patterns, no longer telling 'your story' from a victimization standpoint The great part is that a lot of the time forced weight loss (A) can blossom into a natural decrease in your appetite (B) which is what happened to me. So here's what all this means: Weight loss will happen permanently and effortlessly when you have a major change in your personality. You have to be willing to disregard and or drop the part of your personality that is locking you in to your current weight/body. Weight loss is about transforming your mind and body, not just your body. There is a powerful mind body connection that can not be ignored if you want to lost weight. The mean voice inside your head that has been whispering cruel nothings into your ear your whole life- that BS has to go, and IMMEDIATELY. Sometimes that voice says you aren't good enough, you need protection from something/someone, you will never be loved, or you aren't worth anything. But the trick is that you have to turn off those negative thoughts because they are the thoughts drawing in to eat when you aren't even hungry. They are the emotional triggers that pull you away from reaching your goals. Let's take a few steps back to when you were a baby. Awe. So sweet. Babies have a natural appetite, they eat when they are hungry and they stop when no longer hungry. We were ALL born like this. It's a perfect system. Babies might eat more one day and the next eat not much of anything but its perfectly calibrated for their activity expenditure and growth patterns. When we are having fun and doing what we want to be doing out of pure pleasure, then food stops being our go-to back-up friend. Kids can easily pass up dinner when they are building a fort with friends. Can we adults learn to make life so much fun that food doesn't draw us in emotionally? Craving foods that nourish you can come naturally if you restore your appetite by eating nutritious foods. Losing weight does not have to feel rigid, it's the opposite. Part of it all is eating the right foods. When your body is getting the vitamins and minerals it needs, it begins to calibrate to a right way of eating. Think veggies instead of dessert.
This life is too precious for any one in the world to play small and hide away. Everyone has a unique gift to offer as we were all created with divine intent. When we are hiding behind extra weight, or hiding behind (food) addictions we can't offer that gift to the world. So, what self depreciating thoughts are you thinking right now that take away your control? Even right now are you thinking you aren't strong enough, motivated enough, smart enough, worthy enough? Weight loss is about shedding an aspect of yourself that no longer serves you.
Something I learned in rowing class recently, is how to become comfortable with feeling uncomfortable.You are not too old, too short, too slow, too busy, too nerdy, too stinky for anything. You are plenty. You are perfect. You are just right. Your body is perfect as it is right now, it suits you for everything you are asking of it. But maybe you are ready (or close to ready) to ask more of it? When you're really ready to ask more of your body, it will step up to the plate- I guarantee it. So what's the other way to get skinny? Ditch the part that says you can't do something because your Dad never loved you, or because you were never taught how to exercise or because your genetic coding or because you're addicted to peanut butter (guilty!) All excuses. All fear-based. All, very much needing to be kicked to the curb. If you can ditch that part of your personality and realize you have all the power, then you can fly.
STEP #1 - STAY PRESENT:
There's usually an autopilot mode that takes control when you aren't paying full attention to living. It's called your subconscious and it is made up of childish notions that are NOT true. Things like why bother losing weight if it takes that much work, even if I lose weight I will still have these love handles, I'll start next week when I feel less stressed- Things that you say to justify eating the food you regret later.
Remember, your body is always in the present moment. Your hand can easily be moving the cookie into your mouth (without realizing it) when you aren't in the present moment. A prime example of this is when watching TV and eating. So, try this: sit down to eat, and only eat - no cell phone, reading material, no Netflix - NOTHING. Just you and your grub. (And avoid food when you are extremely emotional, your body likes to store that food as fat. (Read Cortisol post)) If you need help staying present, go find a kiddo to talk to, they are present 100% of the time. You can borrow one of mine if needed :)
STEP #2 - Fill this out: This is to help you discover the steps you need to reach your goals:
1. Being skinny/thin looks like: (describe in detail) _______________________________________ 2. Why do I want to be skinny/thin? ___________________________________________________ 3. What will change in my life when I am thin/skinny: _____________________________________ 4. What will be difficult about being skinny/thin: _________________________________________ 5. What changes do I have to make to reach my Happy weight:_____________________________ 6. Is there something that is holding me back from my dream weight: ________________________ 7. Long term fitness goal:____________________________________________________________
Here are my answers:
Being skinny/thin looks like: Being comfortable in your own skin, able to socialize with ease, can focus on issues instead of weight, can eat in front of others socially without feeling embarrassed, can feel beautiful and confident. Can wear clothes and not try to cover up. Weight is 125-130lbs. Clothes are not tight.
To run like the wind, to do obstacle races, to be a good example to my kids, to not have to be held back from my weight
I will begin to focus on other issues that have been masked by my weight. I will come out of hiding. I will eat more veggies. I will not overeat in times of emotional stress.
Dealing with sexual attraction (this is REAL and a lot of people have this fear) and feel deprived at parties, moving forward in life without stagnation (what career is best for me)
More broccoli, less snacks, making "me" time a priority, staying out of my comfort zone permanently, meditation, drinking enough water, much better portion control, NO SUGAR, less alcohol
Staying out of my comfort zone, wondering if I am strong enough to maintain it
STEP #3 - Write a FOOD LOG for a day - no judgement- it's for your eyes only!
The calories column is optional - but you can use a calorie counter app if you are curious. The purpose of this is to make you accountable for what you ingest. This is so simple and POWERFUL. And easy to procrastinate. It took me months to do mine, but when I wanted to get real results, I wrote it down. This is how you keep track of what food you are putting into your mouth, it keeps you present around food, you need this, trust me.
1. Look in the mirror at home and declare you are staring at a sexy beast. Self-loathing is your enemy. Self-love will get you anything you want. You have tried the other way, right? Be positive and tell yourself loving thoughts when you look in the mirror.
2. Feel attractive. If that means shopping for new clothes, then damn, let me twist your arm. You want to feel beautiful at every size, you want to show yourself that you love your figure in every shape, unconditionally, not just when you reach a certain size. Also, groom yourself - paint your pretty toes, do your hair, trim your unruly nose hairs. Show mass love to your body and your body will give it right back. I never ate a tub of ice cream wearing my most fancy dress.I ate the tub of ice cream in my jammies feeling sorry for myself.
Hope this helps. The topic is hard to give direct advise because your comfort zone and your fears are unique for each person. I would love to help you if you wanna email me for support! Best of luck to us all in our journey. And remember, fitness is a journey - there will be hills and ponds and freakin oceans to cross but we can do it- if the desire is there to transform your body, then trust that you can make it happen. Much love!
When my youngest daughter, Gabby began trying to walk, it was a learning experience for us all. We watched with pride as our little girl tried all different ways to start walking. We watched as she fell, meandered like a drunkard, and looked at us with uncertainty for answers and reassurance. We got to watch as she beamed ear to ear realizing she was learning something momentous. If you pay attention you can hear a deeper message to the whole process.
During the months that our little lady worked on her walking, everyone - family, friends, and strangers alike, cheered her on. We all knew she could walk, we knew her body was capable but the only thing holding her back from walking, was herself. What a lesson to learn from. Never once did we think she couldn't do it, never did we pick her up and tell her she should try another way. Instead, we were the encouraging observers, watching in awe as a little tiny crawler blossomed into a full fledged arms-out for balance walker.
Can we learn to give this level of confidence to others and to our self? Can we offer that level of kindness to the world and to our own selves? Genuine love, trust in the method and the acceptance of the trial and error process. Can we move on with absolute faith and fearless resolve? Wouldn't it be nice to offer yourself the level of support that you would offer to a child.
Lucky for me I had an "ah-ha" moment when I realized I was hiding something up my sleeve without knowing it. Thoughts of my body have always been in the fore thought of my mind, so in my "ah-ha" moment, I realized I could use that obsession to my advantage. Since I was thinking about my body all the time, why not use it productively with a positive spin.
First, Start by Getting to a Positive Place
I encourage you to get excited about making these changes in your life. Be THRILLED to make changes that will create your future. Hoping won't get you what you want, you've tried that already. Hoping has no action to it. Now it's time to take action. It's time for change.For me, I had to accept that I needed to eat more like a rabbit if I wanted to lean out. So I started eating a salad as one of my daily meals (take notes: Eat a salad a day). This is a shout out to salads because I used to snub them, but now I LOVE SALADS. True story.
The way you view food is a choice. I had to change the way I thought of a salad, and trust my body to reward me for my good eating behavior (IT DID!) Besides, changes involving food might be hard initially, but when you see results the changes become enjoyable. I encourage you to make food changes with elation, and not dread. If you hate the changes, they won't last.
You can choose to view healthy eating as a courtesy to your hard working body. Eat food that LOVES you! Do donuts, ice cream, candy bars and sodas love you back? Not for the long haul, those foods just trigger a chain reaction of erratic emotions. No donuts can't love you, they are that crush you had as a teenager, the one who you kept going back to even when they used & abused you (what jerks!) Spinach and apples do love you for the mutually loving, committed relationship. Get it? Good.
Another good tip! A GREAT movie you can watch on food. It's called Hungry For Change. It will get you excited about making good food choices. I have watched this three times trying to make sure I get all the goods out of it that I can. Watch the trailer here. I watched it on Netflix, if you have a streaming account you can watch it on there for free.
My ideal body. Camille Leblanc-Bazinet.
My Reality Body. Oct. 2011, after first pregnancy
Yo! You Tube is Free!
Use YouTube like a life coach! I found what spoke to me the most, I listened to a subliminal video designed to help you overcome weight loss obstacles. Headphones are required for this. So when I felt weak at will or I just needed to calm my racing mind, I put my ear buds in. During this quiet time, I would visualize what I wanted my body to look and act like. Everything was positive and focused during my "me" time. Calm energy came my way because that's what I put out there. It also helped me to feel in control of my body again. You know those days you find yourself speed eating, shoving crap in your mouth, eating when you aren't even hungry? Those are all red flags towards a slippery slope, it means it's time to put on your headphones and slow your roll!
Rule Out Comfort Foods
Let's cut to the chase here. If you want to change what your body looks like, you need to make something change. We both know what foods shouldn't be going in your mouth. Let's put up a big X on your comfort foods - you know the ones. Usually it is food which offers zero nutrition which temps you.What if those comfort foods are what's holding you back from the things you really want in life? Don't give food control of you, take your control back, put your foot down. Repeat this with me, "I am in control of what my body looks like."
COMFORT FOODS = Foods you eat when you feel lonely (and you usually eat them alone)
Start by closing the fridge (the answer is not in there!) and slam the pantry closed too. Don't be mad about what you ate or did in the past, instead, go now do something you LOVE and say no to the food that haunts you. Go outside, pet a dog, email a friend, do whatever you need but get some distance from the kitchen.
My comfort food was almond flour mixed with maple syrup and coconut flakes. Kinda weird, I know, don't judge me (it's one of those time I could say at least it's paleo, but I won't because that's totally out of line).
To help my transition away from eating for comfort, I practiced a lot of self control until it became easy. I am also an avid rule maker, so I made up three rules for myself:
1.) Avoid comfort eating for 30 days
2.) If I broke rule #1, I wasn't allowed to feel guilty about it. Guilt is a dirty, dirty thing that holds you down.
3.) When I did eat it, I wouldn't feel bad, instead I would get even. I had to do 30 burpees immediately after breaking rules #1 or #1. True story. **See, burpees are good for something, don't let anyone tell you otherwise**
500 burpees without stopping. He must have eaten a lot of almond flour+maple syrup
If you struggle with overeating (yes, sure do!)...I suggest you turn to Marianne Williamson, her book is hands down the MOST influential piece of research regarding self love and weight loss that I have ever come across. It is easy for me to say her book changed me permanently. She made me feel empowered and in control of my body again instead of victimizing myself. Her book is here. I bought her book on audio only, so I listened to it on my cell phone on morning walks. It is very powerful, and all of her words spoke to me in a million ways. It was as though she got inside my head and did some deep hearted troubleshooting. I encourage you to take the time to read or listen to it, but if you want something free, you can read an article she was featured in. WARNING: She is religious and mentions God a lot in her writings; but as I am not religious, I chose to ignore that piece and listen to the actual message.
Now, as my youngest daughter is almost a year and a half, I have rightfully earned the body shape I wanted. I make it a point to workout hard at the gym and I stay focused making good choices outside the gym. In my opinion, eating is 70 percent of your body composition and 30% is determined by how you are working out. Focus on the eating piece first if you are just starting off. There will always be slip ups (that's how life goes) but by making focused choices most the time, you learn to get control back and be happy (relaxing sigh...) with your body. I sincerely hope this helps set your motivational wheels into action. If you need help establishing your goals, you can read this post.
Sugar and I are not friends. In fact, that statement is putting it lightly. Sugar to me is like kryptonite to Superman. Even if sugar was the only food left in the world to eat, I should still NEVER eat sugar. Research has shown that sugar is more addictive than cocaine (the proof here.) And a sugar addiction is not just emotional but actually biological - driven by hormones effecting brain chemistry. YIKES. But just like a vegetarian says no to meat and feels ecstatic; you too can say no to sugar and feel empowered.
This was me last weekend, minus the boobs
My relationship with sugar is completely addictive and self-sabotaging. For days after I eat large amounts of it via dessert(s), I pay a hefty price. Recently, I ate multiple desserts at a wedding and thus that bottomed out feeling was me falling off the wagon, but I am eager to climb back in.
I stopped eating sugar almost a year ago (besides a few relapses). Giving it up was the best thing I ever did for my family, my mood, my body and thus, my general sanity. To end my sugar addiction meant I had to put up my dukes for one of the biggest fights of my life; but when I did my personal heaven welcomed me. Not only did I get stronger, faster and more self-confident, but I also got the body that I dreamed of my whole life. I had no idea that sugar was the major player blocking me from my dream self. It very likely could be doing the same thing to you.
What happens After I Consume Sugar:
1. My CRaZY self comes out to play. A gentler description would be that I get moody. But no matter what the label, I go for a roller coaster of emotions: ecstatic, guilty, happy, angry, negative, emotionless, needy and sad bordering on depressed; and they all play on repeat. It's a vicious attack. 2. Major dips in self-confidence - Anything positive I had been thinking about takes a nose-dive. I don't feel worthy of much, sometimes even the idea of putting myself out there in the world feels daunting. Self-doubt comes rearing his head in my direction and I feel too negative to put up a decent fight. 3. Sugar cravings- I crave MORE of the stuff that harms me. My cravings for dessert and fake, processed foods becomes intense and sometimes unmanageable. If there is sugar in my house, I am drawn to it by obsessive thoughts and most often can not avoid eating more of it if it's in close proximity.
What is Going On Inside Your Body (The Parts You Don't See) When You Eat Sugar:
Insulin emerges. When excess insulin is lingering inside your body it means you are storing fat instead of burning it. Your liver doesn't have the ability to convert your fat into energy. And too much insulin inside your body gets stored to your tummy (can you say beer belly). This is reason enough to stay away from sugar. Keep that sugar raging in your blood and you develop blood sugar issues, insulin insensitivity, type 2 Diabetes, heart disease and a host of other issues.
Leptin and Ghrelin (hormones) get wacky. These are hormones which regulate your hunger/satisfaction levels. More on this here. The more sugar you consume (which includes fructose sugar from fruit juices) the more your body doesn't know when to stop eating. Also, your body will be conned into thinking it needs to consume high calorie foods & store them as fat deposits. Don't even get me started on how corporate America puts sugar in processed foods to profit from our overweight lifestyle.
Damaging your cells. Oh man. Sugar weakens your immune system by depleting your Vitamin C absorption, putting inflammation in your body, adding bad bacteria to your gut and damaging your cells. Being armed with all the factual data out there, why do we still reach for the cake? It's not just a craving anymore, it's an effing dragon.
My only saving grace is that after I stop consuming sugar, the negative/self-doubt subsides within about 3-5 days. As of today, after about four days, I can feel my stronger, better self coming back to the horizon, yea! There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Steph, ON SUGAR
Steph, FREE From SUGAR
TIPS TO GET OFF THE WHITE STUFF (Sugar)
1. Satisfy your (non-food) reward system with something you LOVE. Personally,I like to meditate, go outside, take a short nap, go for a jog, call a friend...what do you like to do? Maybe put a strike on TV watching, which is notorious for making people overeat and can be a complete drain to your soul. Do something different, do something that is super enjoyable. Hell, send me an email - I'm 100% committed to help you! 2.Stabilize your blood sugar (insulin secretion) with protein and fiber. This means to eat lean meats and loads of veggies. Eat your fill of the good foods so you don't want the bad ones. Eat the foods that your body really needs to function and eat them timely before your hunger steers you in the wrong direction. 3. Eat more fat. Yes, fat had a very naughty reputation but it has now been vindicated! Foods full of healthy fats are going to grab your hand and steer you away from your sugar cravings. Think coconut, avocados, nuts, olive oil, and (my favorite!) nut butters. 4. Sleep! Naps and a good night of sleep will help you feel your best! When you are sleep deprived you have a more difficult time saying no to those dirty, tempting foods. It's hormonal, it's not just you, don't get mad, instead, get even with those hormones by getting your beauty rest. 5. Cut up veggies and prepare healthy snacks ahead of time, get them ready to go in your tummy; just like sugar-laden processed foods are ready. Be proactive by preparing! Good foods to have around are almond butter, sugar-free beef jerky, eggs, radishes, bell peppers,and regular staples like carrots, celery and cucumbers. And for the love of your waistline, get all the processed sugary, junk, chemical foods out of the house! Don't let those fake foods poison you anymore. 6. Make Rules that you can follow & stick to your guns! Write down your rules and hold yourself accountable. For example: Rule#1. No desserts for a week. Make your rules reasonable. In fact, I made a rule once that I could eat as many apples as I wanted instead of eating dessert. One crazy apple-eating afternoon, I ate 4 apples; I have no shame in admitting. It got me through my sugar craving & I was full. Do whatever you need to get through, take those baby steps if that's what you need. 7. Substitute pure maple syrup or raw honey for sugar. If you must have some sweetness, go with what nature has made. At least it won't burden your hard-working liver. Your body can trust foods that come from nature. But remember, the sweet tooth will still be activated, which means it might cause cravings to creep in later through the day so be aware you might be on a slippery slope. Maple syrup, coconut sugar, raw honey, agave are much better options than sugar. Baby steps...
Eat Food That LOVES You Back
Some inspiring words of wisdom from Marianne Williamson, EAT FOOD THAT LOVES YOU BACK. Does sugar love you back? No way. Sugar harms you in every possible way. Sugar makes you puffy and inflammed, so you can't look fit. You can visually see the difference in people's physique when they stop eating sugar. Now is YOUR turn to put up a fight and let your body become whole and functioning at full capacity again. Out of all the steps above to get off sugar, the most important one is to stop eating sugar. I can promise you giving up sugar can change your life for the better. Going sugar-free is going to give you powerful, almost-instant results, and it is completely doable. Maybe you take baby steps and try going sugar-free for a week? Maybe you try for 3 months? Either way, your body will be blissfully happy and you might even feel obliged to hug me. Best of luck in your endeavors with taming your sugar dragon. Feel free to email me in times of crisis during your battles or post comments, suggestions or progress reports. Constructive feedback is always a blessing to a blogger.
****Now A feel-fabulous Challenge! When you are ready for this mentally and feel ready to see results, the challenge is ready for you. Remember, you have tried the other way (on sugar) now let's try to see who you blossom into when you nix the poison. Remember, you can always go back to sugar, since it isn't going anywhere. The challenge is FREE, it's outlined for you and it could make you feel like a million bucks! It's the Whole 30 Challenge. Which is 30 days of Real Foods for 30 days. ****
Extra Reading/References 1. Ten-day Sugar Detox http://drhyman.com/blog/2014/03/06/top-10-big-ideas-detox-sugar/#close 2. One Year Without Sugar http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-foster/no-sugar-diet_b_1397439.html 3. Sugar and bodybuilding http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/topicoftheweek69.htm 4. Sugars role in the body, a basic run-down http://authoritynutrition.com/4-ways-sugar-makes-you-fat/ 5. Weight loss and Blood Sugar http://www.boxingscene.com/weight-loss/39772.php
As my body has begun to take on a new thin shape, I still struggle to accept and love EVERY part. Stretch marks, check. Scars, check. Imperfections, hell yeah, big check. In the last seven months, I have lost 20 pounds and gained a super-muscular physique. In fact, it happened so freakin fast that I wasn't even sure I was doing it all myself. I questioned if I was struck with a nasty disease or diabetes. But now I realize I am perfectly healthy, my intense visualization of my body actually worked and I created this body all on my own! That's empowerment.
BEFORE. Sept 2013
There are times that I go into a dark place where I still see that old chubby girl looking out. I gravitate towards those same insecurities and I feel her ache towards something more, something greater. There are ample times when my negative mind pulls me down and I focus on my flaws; my big thighs, my back fat, my wobbly arms. And sometimes those emotions linger for days, ah what a sad place I let myself go to in my mind.
Luckily, pulling myself out of that dark place seems to be getting easier now. The more weight training and intense exercise that I do, the more I appreciate my body's performance rather than judge it's appearance. Who cares if my thighs are bigger than most if I get to use them to squat clean over a hundred pounds? Who cares that my arms are big if they help me to get my chin over the bar during pull ups? Who cares if my calf muscles are super sized if they are what help me sprint like a cheetah? Who cares, and why do we care so much? Who in the WORLD are we striving towards looking like?
An amazing video which speaks numbers to me and gives my mind a break from this insane drive towards perfection. Please watch and enjoy! This video tends to bring on the tears for me, beware...
