When I hit rock bottom with my weight, I was at a point that I KNEW I had to make a change. I was physically and emotionally exhausted with being overweight. I was tired of seeing pictures of myself and deleting almost everyone one, of asking my husband everyday 'do I look fat in this?', tired of buying into every promise to give me results in 30 days when nothing worked.
I had to get serious and commit myself.
That first drive...that first motivation... came from knowing that this was something I had to do for me.
I had just invested in a machine for me.
I had to change and become a better happier person for me.
All this so that I could be a better person for my family.
Seeing results is what kept me going after that. Each time I hit a new goal I wanted to push myself and see what else I could do.
Taking progress pictures is one of the best reccomendations I can give to you. At times when I wanted to doubt myself, doubt the process, I would do a quick side by side on my phone and almost everytime be shocked at how much changes I was seeing.
When people say "Well, how do you find the time?" - Listen when I say this...
If you continue to always look for the time, you will never find it. You have to make time. I make a concious effort to try to give myself 45 minutes of time 5-6 days a week.
Penn joins me on most of my workouts now, either playing down there, watching a show or working out with me. Not that this is the easiest - but it ensures I get it done!
I try to work out 20-30 minutes on the treadclimber with 15-20 minutes with my Bowflex SelectTechs, free weights, or Bowflex 2.0 SE gym. Now, does this always happen?
No.
This is life... cut yourself some slack. Some days I do 30 minutes on my treadclimber with no weights, sometimes I do 20 minutes and Penn isn't feeling like hanging out in the basement anymore, sometimes a day is just straight too hectic and I can't fit in a workout. BUT there are other days where I just crush my workout and feel like a beast haha. So to me I feel like it all balances out.
Seeing my son know about fitness and see me being fit is what keeps me going now. I know that when he grows up he will know that being active and healthy is important.
I never want to go back to the person I was and I never want Penn to know that person. I love that he asks to go on runs outside, or that he knows how to squat. I especially love when he grabs his 2 pound little weights and lifts them beside me working out, calling them 'Penn sized weights.'
It all makes me know that loosing the weight wasn't just for an 'end number'.
It's for living a healthy life and sharing it with the ones you love. And boy, do I love these two - especially on our little family run nights :)
-Chandell