I, I, I work out!

This was last month, I never posted it---I went running today. It was in the 90's for sure, but then again I chose to go at noon-thirty. On the asphalt road with no shade or water, genius. I apparently left my brain at home as well. I always run with the Nike + app which tracks distance, pace, and keeps you motivated as you run. Or so it says. Usually Zach runs with me unless I'm at work then he goes by himself. This morning he was off to work which left me to decide if I was going to burn some extra calories. So after contemplating for two hours whether to go on my own or not, I got out the door. That IS the hardest part for me. I can sit around ready to go for ever and ever and then decide nah I'm good, and grab a bowl of ice cream instead. But later today I work and I know I wouldn't get the chance back, or this day. Also on my app it said Zach was ahead of me by a few miles so I had to catch up! All in all it was all worth it, it always is and we all know that.---

I have to say if you aren't feeling motivated to do much these days, find something you love to do. I love boxing and running. Mostly boxing. Zach knows that when I don't want to do a video workout or some routine we made up he tells me to box because I love it. And it works. Moving is moving, and those little alterations you make have an impact on the way you feel.

Thankfully I married someone who is encouraging and supportive. He is my workout partner, and we always push each other to our limits. This morning I went for a run and came home to a healthy packed lunch and a note...

A few years ago when I got home from Denmark I weighed 190lbs, and some days a few more then that. That was my highest weight I've ever been, and most honestly the unhappiest I've ever felt. I wasn't happy with my choices of eating crap and not being active. It was my year off to vacation and enjoy my time, and food took over a lot of that time and energy. My point is is that I noticed how unmotivated I was and I wanted to change and feel confident as a woman in my early twenties. That's when I decided to start running around my block. It took doing that for a few weeks to improve to two blocks, and then a mile. And then enjoying how easy it got to run that mile. I got up before work every morning to run one mile which eventually turned into a 5k. In the meantime I was eating healthy, but also treated myself to my favorite snacks here and there. I had a friendly and healthy relationship with the scale, but most of all I was becoming HAPPY. I joined the gym and started kick boxing again, along with spin classes and lifting. That changed my perspective on working out. I didn't have to run for miles on a treadmill, I could be in a class with other people trying to improve themselves and work hard alongside them. I also joined a MMA gym and went with dedication during the week, meeting new friends and challenges. I set goals. I reached them and then set other goals. I struggled A LOT and had some tough days and even weeks. But I was making a difference and feeling it. When Zach came into my life we started to run and lift together. We packed lunches for work and helped each other make healthier choices. And we continue to this day. When our wedding came we had reached our goals for that time, and it was a great feeling. Overall in the last two and a half years I have lost fifty pounds, Zach has lost just about that much as well, and we worked hard for every single one of them.

The reason I share this is because being healthy can definitely make anyone happy. It's within every choice we make, and those little choices make the biggest difference. I am happy now with how I feel and look. Continuing to challenge myself to work harder and being more dedicated. I realize it's all about the individual to know what happy is for them. But I encourage everyone struggling, or not, to get moving and get healthy.

This is a huge part of Zach and my story.