Update on my story :)

This past week was so much better than the week before.  I wasn't in a funky/weird mood and I enjoyed every second of every day.  Proves to me, once again, that it's okay to have an off day or two.  It doesn't have to define you.  You just have to find a way to work through it.

The week started with going to a new fitness class sponsored by the school district I work for.  I wasn't sure what to expect.  It ended up being a good workout (for me) and I was able to do everything we were asked to do (with the exception of a side plank).  I can say, without a doubt, if I had gone to that class a year ago, I would have been completely out of breath within the first 5 minutes, I wouldn't have even tried to run during the warm up and I probably would have been embarrassed at how heavy and out of shape I was.  That is, if I would have even gone.  If I'd had the opportunity last year, I probably would have come up with an excuse or reason that I couldn't go.  Just another step I've taken to find happiness in my life.  I enjoy exercising and I like trying new things.

I went to boot camp one day this week with Renee'.  I had to switch to a heavier weight for some of the exercises because I wasn't feeling anything.  I'm still not very strong but it made me feel good.  Also, when I went to the gym to run on Wednesday, I managed to run for 15 minutes straight at a speed of 5.7.  That's the fastest I've ever run for any significant length of time.  I felt invigorated!

This past week was "jeans week" at work.  I won't lie - I love when I can wear jeans every day.  There's something about it that makes me feel comfortable.  Anyways, I'm getting away from my story.  So, on Tuesday, I put on a pair of jeans that I've worn for the last few months.  They are a size 12 and have been fitting pretty well.  Well, they were definitely a little looser on Tuesday but I still wore them.  One of my co-workers told me that the looked good and a little big on me.  I couldn't figure out how.  If you've kept up with me at all, you know it's been over a month since I've lost any weight.  I've definitely hit a plateau and, although I've been a little frustrated, I've tried to not let it get me down.  So, to realize this particular pair of jeans was fitting differently made it more evident to me that changing my body is about more than just losing weight.  It's also about building muscle, toning, etc.  And those things can change your body composition just as much as having pounds come off.

I didn't have overly high expectations when it came to weighing myself.  The last couple of weeks I kinda did and I was let down.  So, I figured I shouldn't get my hopes up so I wouldn't be disappointed.  I'm making progress in so many aspects of my life.  I have to learn to not rely on the number on the scale to make me happy.  However, when I looked down on Thursday morning and saw 184.8 (rounded to 185) I was so excited!!! I had been at 186 for over a month so to see just a little progress made me realize that I can keep going and that the weight will come off in time.  When I was getting dressed, I decided to try on a pair of jeans I bought a couple of months ago that I hadn't worn yet.  They are a size 10.  When I bought them, I could get them on and buttoned but they were a little too tight to wear.  I was very close to jumping up and down when I put them on, they fit, I could sit down in them and I actually thought they looked good!   Even more proof that it isn't just about losing weight, it's about changing my body composition.  Just losing a couple of pounds over the last couple of months isn't going to make that much difference in a pair of jeans.  But changing other things about my body will.

Success in life comes when you simply refuse to give up, with goals so strong that obstacles, failure and loss only act as motivation.

I am still so motivated to keep changing for the better, inside and out.  Because the changes on the inside are just as important (if not more so), as the ones on the outside.