Oh I am so glad this week is a three day weekend for our family! I was needing some Shawn time!! We have been playing hide and seek, playing with cars, having a dance party, and even pulled out the glow sticks and had a party with those! Family time is the best time in my book!

I seriously don't know how I would be able to function without them. They are my life, my heart, and my soul. My husband, Tony, food prepped for me so I could play with Shawn....it was the best! I am lucky to call him mine!

When I was down wrestling and hiding in some places, my mind started to think about when I was heavier. I remember Shawn turning one and he was crawling and I was thinking to myself...man...you are fast!

What I didn't realize at the time, was how much of a struggle I had with just bending over and getting down and just interacting with them. I wanted it to happen, but when it did, I was in pain. My back was killing me, my knees were aching, and my stomach held me back from bending over fully. I was a hot mess!

I remember looking down at my stomach and thinking...If I could just cut it off and make it disappear I would be happier. I wanted that time with Shawn, but in a way was scared for it to happen, because it was a constant reminder of the struggles to come. I didn't like that. I didn't want to associate the best times with my son to be a reminder of struggles....if that makes sense.

When I finally decided to get with it, after my sugar and me blacking out at work, and the trying of the dress on for my sister's wedding. I had enough and I was at my breaking point. Up until that point, I seriously didn't care for myself. My eating habits were terrible and my exercise habits were non-existent. It was truly an eye opening experience when it all went down.

Let me just say some things that you might not want to hear...but need too. Don't get offended, because these were THE EXACT things I had to come to terms with, before I even thought about doing anything...so if they helped me...by golly...I am sharing them with you!!

HERE SHE GOES...

I want to break it down real simple for you...so we are numbering these bad lads...plus it is the nerd in me:

Choices Everyday - You have choices every single day you wake up. You have a choice to stay in bed, push that snooze one more time, or lay there and be sad and hopeless. Let me say you are not hopeless you are lazy! That was my problem...I was extremely lazy. You like to lay there and be all comfortable, but ask yourself this...Is laying here helping you change those feelings you had when you struggled with your weight, trying on clothes, playing with your children? Is laying there helping you get a head start on your day and to prove to yourself that you can have a better day than it was yesterday? The choice is and was always there...pick the one that will advance you...not hold you in the same spot.
Emotional Eating? - What are you putting in your mouth to feed your emotions? My BIGGEST problem!! Remember I was shoveling in the pizza, the ice cream, and the chocolate to feed my emotions. What really needs to happen is that you need face them instead of trying to burying them. You have choices...yet again...to put healthy foods in your mouth. Is that Twinkie really going to make you look better or are you just feeding an emotion?? YOU seriously got to ask yourself, WHY are you eating this. If you can't come up with a good reason it is totally on impulse and habit. The choices to eat bad food was happening to me daily....I had to stop choosing the food that was slowly putting me in my grave and start choosing the ones that was going to make me the active parent for my son and allow me to run and play with him. Every action you choose...think how it will affect your future....every....single....choice....affects...your....future! (Remember this...sooo very important!!)
Your future self - How do you want your future health to be? Would you prefer to lay in a hospital bed with no limbs from your incredible high sugar and bad eating habits? I was sooo headed that way! You don't eat 36 candy bars a week forever with no consequences. Just saying! You have to picture yourself in the future....you might be fine now, but what about later? I don't know about you, but I want to be feeling young, healthy, and free from health problems and concerns.
Stop Complaining and Start Doing - You can't complain about your body if you don't do anything about it. Simple as that. I was a complainer...I hated everything about my belly, my back fat, my thighs, you name it...I hated it. I compared like crazy, but that seriously got me nowhere. Stop comparing and start doing!! The faster you start doing, the faster you can get started on your journey, and the closer you will become to your goals...doing nothing actually requires the same about of energy than just getting in and getting out. So instead of complaining...get a plan together and love the skin you are in!
How is your WHY Power?? You know your driving motivation? If it isn't powerful enough, you will fall off track and get back to your old ways. That is not what I want for you. I want you to stick with it...this will be a lifestyle change...not a diet...not something you can run and hide from...You will embrace it, because you have it...because you need to, and because you have a powerful WHY. Mine was my son, my sister's wedding, and my sugar. We all have a story...we all have our reasons, don't let down yourself or your loved ones. Prove to yourself you are better than your old ways...because believe me you are!!

Remember the food you put in your mouth can be your disease or your cure to your health problems and you have the power to control it all. Stop being a slave to the junk and get moving in the healthy happy direction. Your future self will thank you and you have nothing but LOVE to give to yourself...Heck why not treat the body that God blessed you with...like the temple that it is.

Respect and love yourself forever and always my friend!!

SOME TOUGH LOVE FOR YOU!! ARE YOU READY?