Health Journey Update: MONTH 5!

I wanted to give an update on my health journey!

As you may know, I’ve not been “dieting” but changing my lifestyle, mindset and diet since September. I’ve always struggled with my weight and this is the first time I feel like I’m putting in the work, seeing results, and heading in the right direction. I’ve got a few nuggets I’d like to share with you all for today’s blog post!

1. Investing in a personal trainer was the best decision for me. Even Craig agrees, when we were looking at our budget and where we could cut, the personal trainer (I pay around $30/session) was not negotiable. I feel strong, I feel confident, I feel fit, I feel my body changing. I have more energy. We only meet once a week but what a difference maker that is!
2. I’ve really cut out sugar. I feel better when I don’t eat sugar. I have SO much energy, more than I’ve ever had in my life by living on the JERF diet – JUST EAT REAL FOOD! That’s it! Real food, not processed food, only naturally occurring sugars. At first, it was hard because I was so used to grabbing a handful of M&Ms or a bowl of ice cream or a a kit kat out of mom’s candy drawer. It just wasn’t worth it. If I’m going to eat sugar, I want it to taste GOOD not just a drive by handful of crap. Once I realized how sugar made me FEEL, I sincerely have no interest in it anymore. Don’t get me wrong, I still have pancakes with syrup! ORGANIC and REAL and LOCALLY SOURCED maple syrup. I eat whole grain protein pancakes! It tastes so much better, I feel so much better about my food choices too.
3. My boys eat healthier too! We had roasted broccoli for supper, plant based mac and cheese, Carver asks for one of my smoothies often, they eat the 2G GOOD Yogurt (only 2 grams of sugar for the whole container!) Our fruit counter that once only held bananas now has apples and pears and dates and oranges! Craig ate broccoli for the first time in years the other day – he said it was pretty good! Slowly but surely, our pantry and refrigerator is converting to more healthy whole foods all the time.
4. The scale is a liar. So I did weigh myself finally, I hadn’t for a LONG time and I’m down 23 lbs since September. I still have a love/hate relationship with the scale and for the most part, it’s a liar. I feel SO good about my body the past week. My clothes are looser, my muscles seem more toned, I feel great, I’ve had others tell me I look great, I feel like I’ve lost more weight! The scale says: I gained 3 lbs. LIAR. I don’t believe you scale, and you don’t determine my success.
5. No two days look the same: some day I fast, some days I drink detox smoothies, some days I have a burger and fries, some days I exercise, some days I don’t. There are a few mantras my favorite mindset coach Elizabeth Benton says that keep me on track: What is one good choice I can make this meal? What does 1% better than yesterday look like? What is one way I can improve my health today? What would the super healthy version of myself choose?
6. I am the creator of my mood and my motivation and my mindset. This is what sets every other diet apart from this go: I cannot wait for motivation, I can manufacture it. I did NOT want to get out of bed and go to the gym the other day, I was NOT motivated – but I did it. And guess what? I felt MOTIVATED to make another good choice once I got home. When I’m feeling angry or frustrated or irritable, I remember I create my own mood – no one else does. When I’m feeling negative about my body or the choices I made that day, I am the only one that can create positive thoughts.

So those are a few things that are helping me out as I navigate my way into a healthier lifestyle! Do you have a go to mantra to change your mood or your mindset? Do any of these tips resonate with you? Thanks for reading friends!

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