ready2bskinE

Is just getting bigger and bigger!  *sigh*  It started with gradually becoming increasingly lazy as the weather got colder, then with Halloween it turned into the return of my junk food addiction, full force.  The past several days have consisted of me sitting on my butt and stuffing my face.  No kick-butt workouts to speak of, not even one single “good day” eating-wise that I can think of.  I haven’t gained a LOT of weight back, but still, I can feel and see myself getting more and more jiggly.  Really disgusted with myself right now.

I’m officially up to 130 lbs, and God only knows about my measurements.  I definitely can see that my middle has gotten bigger, but I really don’t want to masochistically punish myself by pulling out the measuring tape.

I never wanted to see the 130’s again, and yet, here I am.  I spent plenty of time trying to ignore it, but last night, my husband was looking at some Fredrick’s of Hollywood stuff for my Christmas stocking… I said, “Yeah that’s cute,” but what I was REALLY thinking was, “I’ll be lucky to get a leg in that come Christmas!”  I HAVE to do something about this.

If I just keep sitting around, feeling sorry for myself, I’m only going to get lazier and bigger.  I DO NOT want to go back to where I started; this is actually close enough for me. I want to be proud of myself and my progress again.  I know the only answer is to just get up and do it.  I’m definitely ashamed of myself for allowing this laziness to set in (It has a lot of different, excuse-sounding names, like busy-ness, tiredness, etc, but I know the truth; it’s laziness!)

So today, I’m writing down what my ideal day will look like, diet and exercise-wise, and I’m going to stick to that.  Because lately, I’ll start out with “good intentions” and then something gets in the way.  Like, I’ll PLAN to workout, then never find time, or I’ll do well with my eating til after lunch, then blow it with miniature chocolate bars. (ONE won’t hurt, then it turns into 6!)

So the person I want to become, eats like this:

Big breakfast of healthy, nutritious foods (egg whites, oatmeal, whole grain cereal, fruit, etc); LOTS of water during the day; Good sized lunch with plenty of lean protein (fish, chicken) and green veggies (large spinach salad, broccoli, etc); Afternoon snack that DOES NOT consist of junk food-no mini chocolate bars, Reese’s cups, or ice cream-stick to fruit, whole grains, and veggies (REAL food!); and a light dinner-about 1/2 or less of what I’ve been having- consisting of at least 1/2 of my plate colorful veggies with only 1/4 being meat and the other 1/4 a starch. (As in, no more eating 3-4 rolls; no more 3/4 of the plate being meat and potatoes… etc).

This shouldn’t be so hard for me, because I’ve done it in the past.  But for some reason, bad, old habits are soooo easy to fall back into when your focus shifts. But when your butt goes from shrinking to enlarging, you can’t help but focus on it!

Ideal exercise for the day, will be sticking to an easy to follow chart; Cardio days, weight days; upper body focus days, lower body focus days; abs days.  I’m really good at CREATING these charts; not so good at following through with actually DOING what they say.  I know that I LOVE how I feel after a good workout; I know that I LOVE looking in the mirror and actually looking as strong as I feel (as opposed to JIGGLY!)  and I’m going to focus on those feelings instead of the tired, nagging voice in my mind telling me a few push ups is enough, or it’s ok to skip the weights today because I can substitute a total body workout the next day…. It’s NOT ok!! It makes me look fat and feel fat; I want to look lean and toned and feel strong and proud of myself. That takes commitment, sticking to the plan, and especially doing it when I’d rather sit on my butt and eat a treat.

I’m challenging myself to stick to it just for the rest of this week; through Sunday.  How hard can that be?  I’m intentionally including the weekend though, because I’ve found myself thinking with that old “diet” mentality, “I’ll start Monday!”  LOL   And then it never really starts.  Starting TODAY, I will do my best, I will put forth the effort I’ve been denying myself, and I am determined to say each day that I did better than yesterday, until I’m back in the routine I want to be in.

I went to bed early last night, got up at 4:30 am after having had 7 peaceful hours of sleep, and cooked breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, and then went for a walk.  I was only outside for 30 minutes, but that’s 30 minutes  I would have spent sitting on my butt yesterday, so I’m on the right track.  :)  Not going to let the junk food tempt me; going to drink tons of water and ignore the Diet Pepsi; and eat lots of veggies today.  I know I can squeeze in a 20 minute weight session, no matter how busy I get today: NO MORE EXCUSES!  It doesn’t have to be all or nothing; it doesn’t have to be an hour of cardio plus an hour or more of weights; I just have to make sure they are both consistently an every-day part of my routine, and the results will slowly come.

*big sigh*  I’ve been terrible lately!! I feel like, all I keep doing is saying what I’m *going* to do, as in future tense, then I just let all my opportunities to do the best/healthy thing slip right past me.  I have a million excuses for everything, and it’s to the point that I’m even sick of hearing them myself!  I got that one run in, and it felt good… A short, two mile run, but no foot or leg pain.  So why didn’t I go out again the next day?  Basically, it boils down to sheer laziness.

I’ve been lazy about everything lately!  Except counting my calories… No, I’ve been doing that 6 days a week, and let me tell you, it’s not pretty.  I’ll have a few good days where I’m right at 1500, then it’s like WHOA!! Calorie explosion!  :(  Like yesterday… All I did was EAT!  Like I couldn’t stop stuffing my face.  I had close to 2600 calories!! Technically, that’s enough for two days!  Especially since my workout attempt was feeble, at best.  I did some lunges, squats, and pushups, a couple of minutes in plank position and called it a day.  So that didn’t burn any calories.

My weight is up, just as I knew it would be.  I didn’t even weigh in for my team this weekend because I was just like, What’s the point??  All I ever do is gain and lose the same freaking weight…  As of this morning, after yesterday’s gorge-fest, I’m officially up to 131.8!!  I’ve been avoiding Buddy Slim because I feel like a complete failure. 

But yesterday, my new issue of Shape came in the mail, and of course it’s helping me get some of my motivation back.  I read some diet tips, and a few of them struck a chord with me, so I thought I’d share them.  I’m *hoping* that putting these into practice will help me rearrange my eating patterns and keep my weight from ballooning further.

The article is called Eat Like a Happy Person and I’m just going to paraphrase, because it’s pretty long.

In her new book, Eat Your Way to Happiness, Shape advisory board member Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., explains how munching on the right foods a the right time can boost your mood and energy, improve concentration, control cravings, and keep you slim.

1. Pick real foods. To be your best, you have to cut back on processed foods.  In a UCLA study, people showed improvements in memory and mental function within just two weeks of eating healthier.  But you don’t have to be perfect; if 75% of what you eat is “real”, you can play with the other 25% to work in favorite treats.

2. Power up breakfast.  During the night, your body depletes its stores of glycogen; to correct that deficit, your brain releases a chemical called neuropeptide Y at the crack of dawn.  Its sole purpose is to get you to eat carbs.  Carbohydrates refuel your brain so you think more clearly and help you start the day off calm.  Your best bets are oatmeal, whole-grain cold cereal, whole wheat toast or waffles, and fresh fruit, but whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast.  Even if you have a good lunch, you’ll never regain the energy and brain power you would have had if you had take five minutes to eat in the morning.

3. Have some fat at lunch.  (This is the one *I* need to remember!)  The brain’s production of an appetite stimulating chemical called galanin naturally rises midday.  Galanin triggers fat cravings, so you want to satisfy them in a healthy way. Overly fatty foods-like a cheeseburger and fries-will send galanin production into overdrive and cause increased fat cravings; instead, add avocado to your sandwich or salad in place of cheese, eat a few nuts or olives rather than chips, or have a small piece of dark chocolate instead of cookies for dessert.

4. Eat a light dinner.  Eat early so you have time to digest before bed, and have a lowfat dinner that contains 500 to 700 calories, max.

5. Snack before bed.  (Shocked to learn this is OK!! lol)  An all carb snack about an hour before you turn in can up your serotonin levels, which has a calming effect on your body. You’ll sleep more soundly, which is crucial for a happier mind-set, maximum energy, and weight control.  It takes just 30 grams of high quality carbs to get a serotonin boost-a whole wheat English muffin with a little jam, five graham crackers, or nine Triscuits.

6. Sprinkle in superfoods.  What makes a food super? It must supply mega nutrients for minimal calories so you get a whopping dose of waist-slimming fiber and mood-boosting vitamins.  And it has to be loaded with antioxidants, nutrients that protect the brain from free radicals that otherwise speed aging, slow memory, and dampen your spirits.  Nearly all brightly colored fruits and veggies fit the bill-like berries, dark, leafy greens, magoes, citrus fruit, and carrots, as do nuts, beans and whole grains.  Fish counts too, because it supplies your brain cells with Omega-3 fatty acids they need to stay supple, which makes them better at absorbing nutrients, passing messages to and from the rest of your body, and getting rid of toxins-functions important for mood and memory.

These are things I knew on a surface level, but I liked the article because it went into detail about WHY these things are good for you.  Me personally, I’m more likely to do something if I understand why I’m doing it, as opposed to just doing it “because I should.”    So I feel like my spirits have been lifted slightly, even though I have the same 5 lbs to lose before I’m back to where I was (well, actually, closer to 7!)  but I am still sure I can reach 120 by Christmas.

I’m apparently not very good at following through when I talk about what I’m GOING to do, so I’m just going to go and do my best, and hopefully I’ll have some good news to report later, when I talk about what I HAVE done. 

Well, the title says it all.  I’ve been eating like a pig and doing the bare minimum when it comes to exercise.  I really think I’ve gained about 5 lbs in the last week, if that’s possible.  My clothes even feel tighter! How is it freaking possible to gain so much weight in one week, when it takes me a month and a half to lose that much??  LOL

Going out for my first run in FOREVER tomorrow morning.  I’m really excited about that!!  Hopefully it’ll spark that love of exercise again and kick this cool weather laziness out the door for good.    My husband was like, “Why don’t you just relax??  Gain 10 lbs like everyone else and lose it after New Year’s!”  LMAO   But I told him, I’m asking for new CLOTHES for Christmas, and I want them to be in a tiny new size!    So that’s my motivation.  I’ve been eating better the last couple of days, counting calories again, keeping it under 1500…  So with getting back to my intense workouts tomorrow, hopefully I’ll have a cap on this gain and be on track to getting things back under control.  120 here I come… I will see 120 before Christmas!! 

I feel like I’ve been so lazy for so long!!  Once I made up my mind that I had to rest my injured foot, I sank into a very deep funk and just let myself go.  Thankfully and miraculously, I was able to maintain my weight, but I know I have to get back on track or there is a gain waiting for me on the horizon.  One of my friends was telling me Whatever… You’re small already. I was like, Yeah, but since I’m “small” a simple 5 lb gain will make NONE of my clothes fit and I’ll be in sweat pants for 3 or 4 weeks while I work it back off. I do NOT want to go there!

So anyway, I’m super thankful that none of my laziness or lack of self control with food has resulted in an insurmountable weight gain, and I’m ready to get back in the saddle and workout!  I’m going to start off slowly with the cardio… Very low impact.  But as far as weights and conditioning, I’m ready to give it hell!    I’m going to start off with lighter weights and higher reps, and work my way back up to heavier weights.  I really can’t risk another injury this close to all the food holidays… Halloween candy snatching from the kids’ pails… Thanksgiving Day visiting and eating with any relative and friend who will have us over…. and of course, all the weeks leading up to Christmas, getting together with loved ones, weekends spent shopping from sunrise to sunset (eating out a lot) etc… I need to be able to workout!  I don’t plan on making a pig of myself, but I do plan on enjoying myself and my family, focusing on good conversations infinitely more than the calorie content of what’s being served.    I’m so excited….  Can you tell?  ;)  It’s just, everyone’s always so happy around the holidays, and since it’s cold and wintery, there’s nothing much else to do but spend time with the family; and I love every minute of it!

I just know myself, and since restraint is not my strong suit, I need to be able to work off the calorie surplus that’s sure to be coming my way. 

I’m NOT excited to be back to counting calories, but I know it’s necessary to get on track.  I’m really surprised I haven’t gained a ton of weight over the past several days, but the scale doesn’t lie….  I “feel” fatter though, but that may just be a result of how I perceive myself and my recent actions. (Or lack of action!! lol)  Hopefully a week or two back in good form will get my self confidence back where it needs to be. 

So my plan, starting today (I was hesitant to start in the middle of the week, but hey, there’s no time like the present!) is to do a daily 45 minute fast walk, 20-30 minutes of low impact step (depending on how my foot feels) and pick my weights up every single time I get a chance.  (While watching TV, cooking, etc, in addition to structured workout time.)  I always feel like I’m really doing my best when I stand in front of the TV and do squats and lunges instead of sitting on the couch eating popcorn with my husband.  lol  Or when I do shoulder presses in between stirring dinner instead of whatever else….  Keeps me focused.    (I’m sure I look like a dork though, but hey,  it works! lol)

So hopefully my weigh in this week will be ok, though I’m not hoping for more than a maintain this first week.  My water intake has been low too, so increasing it back to where it needs to be might show a gain on the scale the first couple of days; I’m not worried about it, just hoping to be back to losing next week!

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to encourage me and support me while I was in my funk.  It really means a lot to me to have the support of great people like you!!  I definitely feel blessed to be part of such a wonderful group.

So much has happened the past several days! First of all, I found out that restricting carbs is NOT for me.  I’m sure tons of people have found success with that method of eating, but for me it just leads to over eating and junk food cravings.  So I will NEVER do that again!  My focus will be staying within a certain calorie count and choosing healthy foods that I enjoy. Who says lunch has to be chicken breast and green beans instead of whole grain pasta with chicken and veggies?  I know how to do healthy carbs, and I’m not ever going to restrict them again.  :)   It’s far too taxing on both my mind and my body!

Secondly, How do I even begin here? Basically, I’m planning to break up with running.  Yep, I’m leaving him.  I don’t have any other time to do my runs other than before sunrise, it’s just downright too cold!  I have ear aches from my Monday and Tuesday runs.  I got dressed to go out again this morning, but I just don’t see any point in putting myself through this.  So I’ve decided to join the ranks of seasonal runners.  I’ve thought this through, and while I will most definitely miss running and look forward with hope to the spring, I know that I can find other forms of cardio I’m sure to enjoy.  My husband is supposed to go get my boxing gear this weekend!  Yay!!  So that’ll help.  I have a step, a jump rope, and tons of DVD’s.  For today, I plan on taking the kids outside, and while they play I’m going to jump rope and do jumping jacks alternately.  If I give it enough time, it’s sure to burn at least as many calories as jogging.  It’s about time I switched it up a bit anyway….  My left ankle has been sore all week, and I don’t want to risk a serious injury.

I had also planned a lower body workout for today. Well, that’s what was on my schedule.  But I upped my normal weights for Monday’s lower body workout, and added a few new moves, and I’m so sore I can’t walk right!  My glutes… OMG  And my inner thighs.  I thought about still doing lower body but focusing more on my calves and quads, but since I’m basically sore all over and dragging my ass, I’m switching up to yoga, lots of stretching, and abs/back work, with my jumping around late this afternoon and a good stretch session again afterwards.

I’m not used to switching things up like this… I’m a Taurus, and that contributes to my natural tendency to just want to bull-headedly push through and go ahead with my plans, but I think when it comes to fitness, listening to my body is the smarter choice.

I got this little exercise from issue of Oxygen magazine, and I found it very motivational.   I encourage anyone who keeps a journal (whether it’s a regular journal or a fitness journal) to do this exercise as well. 

You work out almost every day, but do you know why? Understanding what really motivates you, whether external  or internal goals, can make a difference between getting just a great body for now or getting a hot body and healthy mind for life. Take a moment to map out how to make you fit lifestyle stick.

Imagine yourself at your most fit and healthiest stage; how do you look? Describe your ideal body.

For me, it starts with nice, healthy skin from drinking plenty of water. No fat under my chin! Clavicles-I remember when I first saw that I still had them! lol  Love them in a sexy dress. Moving on to very toned shoulders, and strong but not bulging biceps. Strong, toned back and chest. Small, defined waist, muscular abs- FLAT stomach! Slender hips. Toned, muscular thighs and calves.

There is nothing wrong with working out to look good but it shouldn’t be the only reason. Write down a few words that describe how you feel after a workout.

After a workout, I feel STRONG! I feel sexy, energized, and happy. Weights make me feel invincible and tough. Running makes me feel dedicated and successful. Pilates and yoga make me feel calm, relaxed, and balanced.

Working out to both look good and feel good will keep you training for the long haul. Next time  you feel like skipping a workout, refer to the lists above for motivation.

My goals for the next several weeks include:

• Improving my running, working up to 10K training.
• Lifting heavier weights.
• Consistent exercise. (Not just when the weather’s nice or when I feel like it, but completing my planned work out daily, regardless of my emotional response to it.)
• Start boxing training. (With the gloves, bag, jump rope, whole 9 yards. I want to be a tough chick!)
• Cleaner eating.
• Goal weight: 115; Goal size: 3/4

My beginning measurements for this 12 (or so) week challenge will be my ending ones from yesterday. 

And here’s my workout plan (for starter’s anyway, I don’t have my boxing gear yet, but it’s been promised to me.)

• Monday: 45 minute walk, lower body work.
• Tuesday: 5-8 x 400 interval workout, abs work, and upper body work.
• Wednesday: 3-4 mile run, lower body work.
• Thursday: Rest!, abs work.
• Friday: 40 minute jog, upper body work.
• Saturday: 5-7 mile run, abs work.
• Sunday: 30 minute easy jog (active rest day, they call it), and upper body work.

I try to focus on each body area 2-3 times per week, sort of like bodybuilders do, only my focus is a whole, rather than individual muscles.  (I’m not to that point yet!)  The workouts that I have for each area (upper, lower, and abs) are basically compilations of moves that I’ve gleaned from videos and magazines, such as Jillian’s 30 Day Shred, various yoga videos, and LOTS of workouts in Oxygen and Shape and Fitness magazines.  Their websites have lots of great workout information if (when!) I need something fresh.  I spend probably 20-30 minutes on each of these toning/strengthening workouts.

For right now, I’m not really restricting my calories much. I try to keep it around 1800 calories per day, with one low day (on my rest day) around 1300, and one very high day around 2200-that high day gives me the opportunity to satisfy any cravings I may have had during the week without going over on my weekly total.  The other days vary, 1600-2000, averaging out to 1800/day for the week.  It’s enough to keep me full, and hopefully enough to be able to build muscle while still burning fat.  (The building of muscle tissue actually requires a calorie surplus, but I don’t really want to gain weight; I’m open to the idea that I may in the future have to increase my calorie intake, but for now, I’m going with 1800/day and we’ll see where it leads.)  :)  I’ve been reading about appropriate diets for building muscle, and while carbs and fats are necessary, the best diet seems to be high in protein, with moderate amounts of carbs and slightly lower in fat.  So that’s what I’m going to try for this challenge (at least TRY to stick with, because God knows I CRAVE carbs after a good, sweaty workout!) ; I don’t imagine it will be easy, because so far I have been eating “whatever” as long as it is within my calorie allowance.  Not necessarily junk food, but still not monitoring the macronutrient ratios.  So this will be a new challenge for me, but hopefully one that will give me that extra boost I need to get that hard body I want so badly! 

So… that’s it.  Just a personal challenge to myself, some goals I’d REALLY like to achieve by the end of the year, and some areas of improvement I’d love to see.    I can’t help but think, after this little challenge is over, I’ll be in the midst of the Christmas rush, and then it’s time to set new goals for the New Year!  Hopefully reaching the goals I’ve set here in this time frame will help me start 2010 off on the best foot ever, fitter than ever. 

Side note: I seriously doubt I’ll be able to get down to 115 lbs over the next 3 months, as I tend to lose about 1-2 lbs per month, but it’s a goal, and I’m going to work hard to get as close as I can safely in this time frame.  I’m thinking that maybe the two goals of a lower weight and building muscle may contradict each other (???)  BUT all I can do is wait and see while working hard and doing my best. 

I don’t have any new pics to post as of right this second, but I’ll get some on here as soon as I can.  (I’m not good at that stuff, and it’s a hassle for me, so please bear with me.  )

But for anyone interested, here are the results of my 8 week challenge to myself.

Starting Measurements:                                   Ending:

bicep: 11 inches                                                   11 (-0)

chest: 35 inches                                                   33.5  (-1.5)

waist: 28.5 inches                                               28  (-.5)

33 inches at belly button                                    31.5  (-1.5)

hips: 36 inches                                                     34.5  (-1.5)

upper thigh:  19.5 inches                                    18.75  (-.75)

calf: 13.75 inches                                                    13  (-.75)

Weight: 129.5 lbs                                                   127.5   (-2 lbs)

I didn’t really have any “set” goals for this challenge; I just wanted to see how well I could do.  2 lbs is almost embarrassing, but it really does take me a long time to lose weight.  I go through a lot of back and forth, like lose 2 lbs one week, gain 1 the next week, etc…. And I gained a FEW lbs over the Labor Day weekend, so I’m pretty happy with a 2 lb loss over the last several weeks.  I’m *very* surprised by the inches lost, though slightly saddened that so many of them came from my chest area.  No big surprise though! lol  I knew I was getting plenty smaller up there!  Happy that I got a couple of inches off my tummy, though I’d like to shed still more.

I’m thinking that Autumn officially starts tomorrow and ends on December 20…. Maybe  a little pre-Christmas personal challenge is in order.    I want to set some specific goals and workout plans this time through; give me the evening to think it over and I’ll be back tomorrow. 

I finally dusted off my Wii Fit the other night.  :)  My favorite workout is running, but it has been raining like crazy here lately, and it shows no sign of letting up til Sunday at the earliest.  But that doesn’t mean anything, cuz Monday the weather girl said we’d have a perfect, sunny weekend… lol  Now it’s rain through Saturday with a chance Sunday. Ugh…  Anyway, so I’ve been at a loss when it comes to finding fun workouts, and remembered I paid like $500 for this Wii and balance board not too long ago, Why not use that. 

So when I started the game, it weighed me, and told me how close I was to my goal.  I set it at 125, so pretty close but not there yet.  (I haven’t played it in a WHILE and I had lost over 10 lbs since last time, but still not at goal.)  So I was pretty happy to be so close, BUT I kind of muttered under my breath, “That’s not even my goal anymore anyway.”  My husband was sitting on the couch, and he was like, “What are you trying to get down to now? 110?”  He said it all sarcastic, like I’d just blow away in the wind of I weighed 110 lbs.  I looked at him like he was crazy, and I said, “OMG! No way….” But he could tell by the look on my face that he was close. “115?” He asked.  Blank stare from me.  “You’re crazy….” he informed me.  But I’m telling you guys like I told him, all I want is to be able to look in the mirror, and LIKE what I see! Is that too much to ask?  If I were skin and bones, trying to lose more weight, I’d be like, “Yeah, maybe I’m crazy….” But seriously, 115 is not even at the bottom of my recommended healthy weight range.  (I’m barely 5′5″) It’s my body fat % I’m more worried about anyway, but that’s harder to explain.  He knows that I want heavier weights, and I’m going to get them this weekend.

We were “wrestling” a few nights ago, and I found out that if my husband pins my upper body where I can’t move my arms, I can still get him off of me!  :)  He was like, “Damn, your legs are getting STOUT!”  All that running, lunges, squats, bridges, etc… But if he gets on me where I can’t move my legs, I can’t BUDGE him with my arms.  ZERO upper body strength… at least compared to my legs.  I definitely plan on working on that over the next several weeks; It was embarrassing.

Oh, here’s the other reason I’m crazy (according to him).  Ok, so the town we live in is GHETTO!  It’s ridiculous how scary this place is at night, and during the day, it’s not a *whole* lot better.  So whenever I’m planning a shopping trip, we ALWAYS go out of town.  (I will go to the Wal Mart here if I just need a couple things that I forgot, or something comes up unexpectedly during the week, but I definitely try to get everything elsewhere on the weekends.)  So we drove to the next town over to go to Wal Mart, and I had just happened to reset the mileage tracker thing on the dash.  It was exactly 27 miles to the Wal Mart there, and when I saw that, I said “Cool!”  :)  Big smile! He asked me WHY that was cool of course.  lol  I told him that’s about how far a marathon is, and *someday* I planned on running that far, and it just made it click in my head exactly how far it was, and I was just thinking about maybe trying it someday. (Not soon; can’t even finish 10 miles yet!)  And he said that was crazy!! Now, thousands of people run marathons every year… How is that crazy??

I think he’s just saying these things are crazy because he doesn’t think I can do them, but I most certainly CAN and I plan on proving it to him.  :)  I am NOT crazy, but I do set high goals for myself, and I think I’m ambitious enough to accomplish them.

Doutzen Kroes, Jamie Eason…. I could post more pics of more women who inspire me, but these two are shining examples of what my “ideal body” is.  Yes, these women are models.  They are gorgeous women, but frankly that’s not what inspires me.  These are women who very obviously work hard at looking the way they want to look.  Not stick thin fashion models (well, Doutzen is a fashion model, but at 120 lbs, she’s definitely at the upper end of their size spectrum)  these are beautiful, physically FIT women who OWN their workouts.

I don’t necessarily look at these women and think “I want to look like her,” though I can occasionally detect that thought somewhere in the back of my mind.  :)   What I think when I look at these pictures is, “Wow, I wonder what her workouts are like….”  Whatever they’re doing to look their best might also help me look my best!

Hollywood’s and New York Fashion Week’s standards of perfection are very different from my own, but I definitely have an image in my mind of the ideal body, and I’m determined to work hard until I’m as close to it as I can get myself.

I don’t want to fall into that trap of going to the mall or whatever, looking at the women around me and thinking, “I look average, I look like all these other women, so I must be ok.”  What’s the fun in looking just like every one else?  That is *not* what I’ve been working so hard for.  Not that I need to feel “superior” or get extra attention, but I definitely believe looking my absolute best *does* boost my self-confidence which improves every aspect of life. 

After all, if you were building a house, you wouldn’t go to the run-down section of town looking for inspiration.  If you have a medical question, you don’t ask someone who flunked out of medical school.  And if you’re trying to get in shape, you don’t look at the women at the mall for inspiration.  Find someone who is where you want to be and follow their example and learn from what they’ve done!