The Fight

Question:  Are you like me?  And what I mean is, are you like me in the fact that you are not blessed to be naturally skinny? Have you inherited the "gets chubby easily" gene?  If you eat too many carbs and sweets and don't work out, do you gain weight pretty quick?  If your answer is yes, well then... we are in the same boat.

Most of us who are over the age of 21, or who have had babies have to REALLY TRY HARD to be at their goal weight and size.  I just had a conversation with a couple of my friends the other night.  We have all just had babies and had shared our thoughts about how it doesn't seem fair that we give birth and sacrifice everything and our bodies come out a mangled mess.  The author Jen Hatmaker puts it best, "There were so many elements of parenting I was unaware of when I signed up for it.  In the earliest stage, my romantic notion of motherhood was hijacked by such delights as breast pumps, sitz baths, and hemorrhoids.  Everyone forgot to tell me I'd still look six months pregnant after I delivered and I'd need to wear diapers for three weeks.  I found it troublesome that my hair fell out in clumps and my nipples looked like ground beef."

Fluctuations and changes in our bodies can be depressing.  It's hard to put forth so much work to feel comfortable in our own skin.  Us women are wired to feel insecure and compare ourselves to the "skinny girl."

I have had my share of bad decisions, weak moments, binging, and laziness.  I have never let myself go out of control.  I vow to never be obese, but  I have never been that girl who eats whatever she wants, never exercises and still looks great.  I have to FIGHT FOR MY SKINNY!  Yes, it would be nice to be at my ideal weight and pant size without ever having to think about it or try, but I wouldn't be as mentally and physically smart or strong without the body I was BLESSED with.  This is the body I was given and I embrace it.  I want you to do the same.  Let's do our best with what we've been given. 

-Did you eat a whole bunch of junk this weekend and you know that it's gonna go straight to your butt if you don't do anything about it?... FIGHT FOR YOUR SKINNY, get a good workout in today and make good eating choices this week!

-Do you have a soda addiction and deep down you know that you would be healthier and probably thinner if you cut back?... FIGHT FOR YOUR SKINNY, try going one day just drinking water!

-Do you hate running and working out because you just feel weak, or insecure about where you are physically?... FIGHT FOR YOU SKINNY, start with something simple, go for a long walk or a quick 20 minute run.

It's attainable.  Sometimes it is NOT fun, but it IS attainable.  The other day this is what my workout looked like:

Was it interrupted 50 billion times by needy kids? Absolutely.  Did I regret my efforts and the fact that I finished it?  NO WAY.

Let's all FIGHT FOR OUR SKINNY. And I want to be clear that in this post, my definition of "skinny" is the body that is healthiest for you.  The body that you feel most secure and fit in.  The skinny you attain to be.  NOT the number on the scale.  Remember that you are like me AND tons of other women who feel the same way.  Let's motivate each other to FIGHT FOR OUR SKINNY, FIT AND HEALTHY BODIES! No matter what it takes.  I promise that you will NEVER regret your decision to try.  

Starting From Scratch

After having baby number 3, I have been anxious to get back to the gym just to find out just how out of shape I am.  Looking at myself lifting weights and doing the stair master for the first time since having this baby was tough, I'll admit.  I am squishy all over and much wider than I realized.  I especially hated seeing my chub roll hang over my pants every time I did a dead lift.  I kept trying to tuck it in, but it would work it's way right out of the top for everyone to see.  I even took pictures just for you:

lovely, right?  I may regret this later. Anyway...

How many of you feel like you have a long road ahead of you with your weight loss and fitness goals?  I want you to know that you are NOT alone.  It doesn't matter how great of shape we get in or how skinny we are, as us women grow older and have babies, our bodies will fluctuate.  Why?  Because that's the life of a woman and a mother! We may be in a rut of not working out for a few months, we may become a convenience addict and usually the reason for this is life gets crazy and busy.  Us mommy's put everyone else before ourselves. BUT we have the power to change that whenever we want.  Where there's a will... there's a way, right?

 Here I am, six weeks after having my 3rd baby and 2nd c-section and I'm starting from scratch again.  I have gotten into some bad habits.  This recovery was rough, so me and convenience have been best friends.  I think my kids had cheese crisps, or macaroni more times than I could count.  If I had a super long day and I was craving chocolate chip cookies, well doggonit I ate those chocolate chip cookies.

I want my readers to know that I am not a fitness instructor who is like those fitness guru's who eat perfect and go to the gym every single day.  I am a fitness instructor who appreciates the value of a good cheeseburger.  I know that it's hard and I know that it can be depressing starting from scratch again, but YOU CAN DO IT.  I'm in it with you.  I can barely run a mile right now and I'm going through sugar withdrawals, but I'm ready to start fresh.  Here I go.....Who's with me?!