Exciting Stuff and the Fire Within You

Hello, everyone!
I am so excited about so many things that I want to talk about on my post today that I have been trying to put it into one cohesive thought before typing this up, but that was failing and it's getting late so I am just going to try and pull things together as I'm typing. Here we go!
In my last post, I mentioned that I was starting a Beachbody program called 21 Day Fix. I have continued to stick with it, and I am loving it! Mentally, physically, and emotionally, I'm feeling better than I have in a long time. My reflux hasn't been bothering me so much that it's keeping me up at night. I am not super self conscious about working out in front of my husband and family. I'm not as tired (although at the end of week 1 I was wiped out!), and I am able to do more every day as I continue to work on my goals. It. is. AWESOME. I've also had a lot of success so far where numbers are concerned. In 3 weeks I have lost 7.8 lbs, and it is in the past 2 weeks doing my challenge that I've lost 5.8 of them. I've also been able to lose 26.6 inches off my body! Here are some photos of my progress:

Another exciting thing that happened since my last blog post.... day before yesterday, I ended up deciding to sign up as a coach for Beachbody. I am really, really looking forward to this because even though I've already been in a challenge group that is holding me accountable as well as writing this blog, I feel like coaching will help me be even stronger in sticking with my goals, as well as allowing me to help others along with reaching their own goals. And honestly, ever since I made the decision to become a coach, I have been feeling absolutely giddy. Have you ever had one of those moments in your life that you decide to do something, and you just feel like it's right... that it's what you're supposed to do? I got that feeling 5 years ago when I decided to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, again when I decided to change my major in college to technical theatre design, when I said "yes" to marrying my amazing husband, and now again as I've made this decision. My heart is so full and I feel so blessed. I get to join an amazing community of inspiring people and be one of them myself. 

The last thing I want to talk about on this post is the fire within. We all have this amazing potential to be so much more than we can imagine, and it's just hidden inside waiting to burst free. Find that fire and chase your dreams. If the way you're living now isn't allowing you to live the life you want to live, CHANGE IT. There's a quote I saw on a sign of a church in Oregon 3-4 years ago that has stuck with me since: "The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine." You don't have to make huge changes and leap into everything all at once. You'll get overwhelmed and you'll likely give up. Instead, start by making small changes every day and build them. I promise you that your life will change for the better. 

God is good. He wants what's best for us, and He wants us to reach our potential and live our dreams. If you are struggling, you have no better companions by your side than Him and His Son. Look to him in all you do. He will guide you and help you make those changes. What are you waiting for?

My progress:

Pounds lost: 7.8

Inches lost: 26.25

Making Progress

Hello, everyone!
This last week has been exciting as I've been making various changes to start new and better habits. I continued working on a Beachbody program called CIZE until Sunday, rested, then started on 21 Day Fix for my challenge group on Monday, nutrition plan and all! I'm really excited because I have a coach and a community to be accountable to, aside from you wonderful people who take the time to read my blog and follow my journey. And I've already seen some awesome results!
The biggest challenge for me this week has, surprisingly, been trying to eat all the food that I'm supposed to eat every day. I've been learning how to adjust and even out each meal to have smaller, more frequent meals so that my metabolism gets better and faster. It's definitely been an adjustment. However, it has been really fun to try and find recipes that incorporate good, fresh food. And it makes me feel great because I'm finally getting more of the nutrients I need!
As for exercising, the workouts are tough but I am getting better at them each day and feeling stronger with each one. And having to report each day on whether or not I have done my workout to a bunch of women that are doing the same thing as me has really helped! I even had my wonderful mother-in-law come over and do leg day with me today. It was awesome to have someone in the room with me making me push myself and work hard for my goals.
As you all work on your goals (fitness or otherwise) this week, I want you to find the things that excite you on your journey. If there is something that you have noticed you really struggle with, reach out to someone who can help you, even if it's just a daily report. You can make anything happen if you take it one day at a time. Don't get discouraged if something is more challenging than you expected. It's just an opportunity to grow more! Good luck! As for the results I mentioned...
I am now down 5.4 lbs and 18 inches lost! I am super proud of myself for continuing to stay on track and push through even if everything hurts. And who knows... maybe I'll have a 10 lbs lost progress photo next week!

My progress:
Current weight: 250.6 lbs

Time to be Honest

Hello, everyone!
Wow. This is actually really hard to post today even though it's been bothering me that it has been a while (yet again), but I really felt I needed to do it. So here we go.
As I mentioned, it's been a while. I feel like I've already made so many "starting over" or "getting back on track" posts, and honestly, I'm mad at myself for letting myself get off track so many times in the past. I kept making excuses.... either because I didn't have any "real" way to track my progress, because I didn't have anything to report, because I couldn't think of something new to say. Really though, it's because I felt guilty for not working towards my goals like I had promised myself. It is time to stop making excuses. It's time to take a step back and reevaluate, to realize that by making excuses, I'm only hurting myself and limiting my life.
In my last post I mentioned that I was going to do a 14 day trial with Beachbody, and I did. I even paid for a few months, and when I actually did the workouts, I loved it! They have amazing workout programs that really allow me to push myself. However, I didn't really take advantage of the time I paid for because my heart wasn't really in it, and I was making excuses again. That has changed, and I am "starting over" again, but this time, I'm promising myself that it will be the last time I have to start over. Now that the easier part of this post is done, on to the hard part.
Guys, it is really, really, really hard to work so hard for something, have things happen, and have most of your efforts be gone. It is so disheartening. Before I left on my mission, I had lost 54 pounds and around 90 inches off of my body, and I felt great. I never thought I would ever see my starting numbers again, and I was determined to make it so. Then I got sick. It got worse and worse, and I came home from my mission that I worked so hard to go on. It continued to get worse, and I couldn't even make my bed without being in so much pain it brought me to tears. I was depressed because my service had ended early and I couldn't. do. anything. The pounds started quickly coming back because of one of my health issues, and I started to give up on myself. Even though I was in a much better place mentally and emotionally than I had ever been before I started my journey, I was feeling super self-conscious again and was unintentionally blocking myself from seeing the love that God has for me. I was making it harder and harder to be who I really want to be.
Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. I decided to recommit myself, and not because of New Year's resolutions or because everyone else was making goals.... because something finally reignited the fire in me that had been lost for a while. I reached out, made plans, and budgeted. I finally signed up for the full Beachbody program for a year, and I got the tools I needed to help me succeed and track my progress. I started making small changes in my health and food habits. This past Saturday I started working out, and have made a point to schedule a specific time for my workouts each day. I told others my goals so I could be made accountable. And I've started seeing a difference.
When I got a scale last Friday, even though the number was about what I had expected (because I've been to the doctor recently and they weighed me), it was still hard to see such a big number, but I moved on. Last night I finally bought a tape measure, and measured the various parts of my body (hips, bust, waist, arms, and thighs), and I was devastated. I don't know why it hurt me so much more than seeing the number on the scale, but it did. And I wanted to cry. But then I realized something that really encouraged me. Yes, the number on the scale and my body measurements were bigger (some were smaller, but others made up for it) than they were when I began my journey, but I am still better off. I still have more physical capability than I have ever really had in the past, and because of the things I've learned in the past, I have more tools and knowledge at my disposal than I had the first time. And yes, I've fallen off the wagon several times. But I keep getting back up, and I keep trying. And that's all that matters.
This is a long post and I don't know if it will really affect any of you. In fact, I feel like this is more for me than anything, but I really hope my story is helping you in some way. On to the big point of this post, DON'T EVER GIVE UP. If you fall, get back up. If you've forgotten your goals, make new ones and write them down. If you need help, reach out. There is always someone out there who is willing to help you make your dreams come true if you let them. We are all human and we all make mistakes. No matter how many times you have to start, the important thing is you keep trying.
In the spirit of starting over for the last time, here is my new "before" photo:

Starting Weight: 256 lbs

My progress:
Current weight: 254 lbs (2 lbs lost already!)
Measurements (these are my starting ones, because I just measured for the first time last night):
Hips: 54.5"  Waist: 51.5"  Bust: 45"  R Thigh: 28.5"  L Thigh: 28.5"  R Arm: 16.75"  L Arm: 17.5"
Body fat: 60.9%