Warm weather is FINALLY here! Everyone knows that hot temperatures equals skinny clothes and skimpy bikinis! My drive to be fit and lost weight boosted when I realized I would need to go shorts and tank top shopping very soon.
This swim suit ready girl looks like she has abs for days!
| I have kicked my diet back into gear and have done Medifast for about 5 weeks. I did the very strict version but now I am slowly increasing calories to prepare for my New Orleans trip. Yahoooo!! After the Holidays, my weight crept up about 9 pounds (YIKES) from where I was in December. Not good. I needed to start getting my life together again. I could feel the difference in my body and it made me grumpy and unhappy. I have absolutely no idea why it took me so long to realize that I was slowly by surely creeping back up to my start weight. A few more months and I would have been back where I started TWO YEARS ago!!! As Michelle from Full house would say, I thought "No way Jose!" | 
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As soon as I made my decision I was ready to go. However, I hit TONS of road blocks along the way! Dinners out, movies, people asking me to go to ice cream, the lure of the couch, and the list goes on. I needed to find my inner inspiration and make this happen. A huge part in my motivation to lose weight is my big upcoming trip to New Orleans!!!
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During my diet, I consistently think about how good it would feel to go to New Orleans as a lighter and healthier version of myself. Superficially, I would feel better about myself, fit into clothes better, and take better pictures. On the flip side, losing weight will keep me focused on health throughout my trip. I just lost all this weight, do I really need another scoop of ice cream to risk losing all my hard work when I step back on the scale at home? There is a ton of walking to do there, getting fit now will help me have more energy and allow my to keep up with my boyfriend! I value both the superficial reasons and health-focused reasons to be fit. I love putting on an outfit that I think I actually look good it; but I also love to walk all day without feeling out of breath or incredibly sore the next day! The point is I had to find my own inspiration to do better for myself. That is different for everyone and sometimes really takes a lot of thinking.
Find Your Fitspiration!
| Inspiration and Motivation go hand-in-hand. You must find inspiration that motivates you to push forward. From your motivation, you should be inspired to keep going! I definitely recommend making a list and using that to move forward. Start by organizing your thoughts about your health goals. Use this list to more clearly define what you are working towards. Be sure to include both short term and long term goals. These goals should, surprise surprise, motivate and inspire you! Inspiration should be unique to you. I will always recommend that you pick positive elements to provide you base motivation. However, I must admit that I do draw some of my motivation on aspects of my self that I do not like. If you are like me, maybe you don't like the flab in your arms or the undefined tone of your thighs, try to focus on your positive goals. Turn those negative thoughts into something that boosts you up! Instead of thinking "I hate the bulge of my stomach" to motivate you at the gym, try "My next goal is to get to size X pants". While the goals is essentially the same the latter is specific, positive, and has a clear fix -- diet and exercise! | Here is an example of my inspirational goals!:
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Take some time to create your own list! It can be ANYTHING you want. The list above is a smaller targeted sample, I have a longer list that outlines every little thing that I want from better health and healthier weight. No one has to see your list unless you want them too. Every so often I get out my crafting supplies and create a health motivational board. In the past this has meant colorful paper, markers, and lots of phrases, words, and ideas. I am working on a motivational inspiration board that includes pictures, tips, magazine clips, quotes, stickers, ribbons, glitter, and more to really help keep my moral up! The point of this mental exercise is to use things that will make you want to pursue health every day.
I hope this helped and stay tuned! Have a great last week of June =)
Valerie
I hope this helped and stay tuned! Have a great last week of June =)
Valerie
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