You know that one person you constantly see walking in or out of the gym, but never talk to much?  Then, there is just that 'one' time you talk and you have a conversation like your best friends?

That happened to me today and I know it was God touching me.  I was just blessed by her words of wisdom.  It's funny how God uses people...

After a crazy week of working, I was excited to finally have a day off (Christmas Day) and I wasn't overly excited about returning to the retail world Monday morning.  It was one of those days where guilt of what I had ate the day before setting in and a feeling of hopelessness setting in.  "Ugh, will I ever have a flat stomach?"  I had lifted earlier in the AM and went back to teach Group Ride.  As I walked into the gym and compared my body to all the other thin women in the gym, I let my head droop and walked in to teach class.  Barely anyone showed up, but I didn't let that take away from the fact that those who did show up, wanted a good workout.  We got our sweat on and as I walked back into the locker room, I said hello to a woman I always see.

She looked right at me and said, "I have some serious work to do today".  I laughed and said, "tell me about it"!  Her response was not what I was expecting.  She was like, "You look great! Why do you need to work so hard?"  "Um, look at my belly!" I responded!  Her response wasn't what I had expected.  "You have great curves.... and your legs are to die for!  I wish I could have your legs!"  I was taken back...

The rest of her words really made me take a step back.  She said, girl, you need to love your curves.  Your beautiful.  You keep focusing on the one small thing that you fix about yourself instead of loving yourself.  You keep thinking that your not beautiful because of _____________.  Don't do that!  Love yourself and your body will love you.

Humm... It's true.  I look at every little blimish like it's my biggest fault instead of my so many other qualities I have.  I let the the fact that I don't have a flat stomach be my value when in reality, my value and worth come from only Christ.  I will always have something that needs fixed.  I can't oder a perfect body or wish my body perfect.  All I can do is care for the body I have and love it just like I love others.  As I think about it, I think I show more love to others than I do myself.  I need to work on loving me, and that can only come from more time spent with God, who IS love. 

This week has just begun, but lesson has been learned.  I'm always moving forward and making progress. 
I encourage you this week to be open to loving and caring for you.  When you focus on God and you, your other relationships and actions will fall into place.

Be Blessed
A













As Christmas nears, weather gets colder, snow begins to fall, the mood is set.  Set for gathering around friends and family.  People make goodies, we make goodies, and we share them with those we love.  For me, my favorite treat is any kind of roasted, glazed, or candy coated nut.  This season though, I'm doing all I can to resist the temptation and it's easier because I have a trainer I'm logging and sending him everything I eat.



After several e-mails with him though, I have to confess I haven't been doing my body justice.  I have been doing cardio, cardio, cardio and no weights.  I want and desire so badly to get the last bit of weight around my belly off, that I thought cardio was the only way to get it off.  However, I just found myself becoming more irritable and hungry.  Some days I wouldn't let myself leave the gym unless I had burned up to 2500 calories. Teaching spin class, 1 hour of running, and then intervals on the elliptical would take a over two hours and I was doing this 3-4 times a week.  I was beating myself up trying so badly to get the results I desired.  The reality is, I was being counter productive.  There is something in my mind that won't let a number on the scale go (even though I haven't stepped on one in a month). 



90lbs down



So, this week, I've changed my training.  I have added weight training back into my week and more protein into my diet.  And going back into the gym, I realized how week I had allowed my muscles to get.  Now, I'm being held accountable for what I'm eating and doing in the gym and I have to say it's refreshing.  It's refreshing to be able to hear feedback and someone to boldly tell me where I have gone wrong, but also HOW to change it.

Same goes for you.  I must first ask if you are only making excuses? In whatever you desire to achieve, are you putting out effort?  No, then your only failing yourself.  If you are putting your attempts into action, but your not getting the results you want- It's time to take a step back, evaluate, and maybe even as for some help.  It's such a humbling experience to ask for help, but trust me, it's always worth it. 



4 Years AGO!



Do something for yourself.  If you haven't started making choices to better yourself, give yourself one of the best Christmas presents- Faith in God and Faith in Self.

Know that you can take the next step to a better you.  However, it first starts in your mind.  You have to tell yourself you will and can.  I love the quote "A year from now you would have wished you started today".  It's the exact truth.  So do you and do you boldly!

-BeBlessed
A