Today I reaaally did not want to go to the gym and run. It seemed like my brain was trying to give my every excuse not to go! Here are some of them and my answer to them:

1) My legs hurt The pain wont last forever.
2) It’s cold out and I just want to cuddle up in my bed. Run a mile and see if you’re still cold. DOUBTFUL.
3) I have too much to do. You’re just going to sit on tumblr anyway. 
4) The gym is busy and I don’t want people watching me run. They aren’t even looking at you. Think of www.healthyyme.tumblr.com and how she went beast mode and kicked fear in the teeth yesterday! (You’re awesome, Olivia!)
5) It’s that time of the month. Woohoo. It’s not like it’s going to magically disappear at home!
6) I‘m not nearly as fast as I want to be. Look how far you’ve come. You wont get any faster if you don’t try. Not a single mile is going to get done by sitting on your ass. 
7) I barely slept last night because of my stupid housemates. Suck it up, sleep when you’re done.
8) I can always just do it another day. JUST DO IT.

So many excuses, it would have been so easy to give in. But I didn’t. I dragged myself to the gym despite this because I want to get better. I love running. I love how I feel after I work out. I’ve never regretted a single workout, but I’ve regretted not going. 4 miles on the bike and 3 miles running later and I feel amazing. Sure, I didn’t go as far or as fast as I would’ve wanted, but I went and that’s what matters the most. So if you’re using excuses not to work out, or just don’t feel like doing it, think of your goals and what you want to accomplish for yourself. You have so much more potential than you are probably aware of! :)

EDIT: As for my legs? While I’m sure they’re going to hurt like crazy tomorrow, they feel fantastic right now!

“Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it’s all about.”

Today I weighed in for the first time in a month and realized that I’d lost 4 pounds, leaving me one pound away from the ultimate goal weight that I had set out in the beginning of this healthy lifestyle/weightloss journey. It really hit me hard. I feel like I have come such a long way from the girl who was completely insecure and hated herself. Don’t get me wrong, I still have days where I look in the mirror and just want to stay in bed all day, but honestly, I’m starting to love myself.

That in itself is such an amazing thing, to have confidence in myself, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I am starting to see what I love in myself. I am starting to focus on the positives in life! I have never been happier in my life than I was this November, despite the fact that I didn’t set foot in the gym once. Because instead of obsessing over my weight, I’m focused on living. Really, truly, and completely. You only get one shot at this thing called life, so why not do things that scare you, why not challenge yourself?

To all of the girls and guys struggling out there with body image/self-esteem issues, I know what it is like to hate myself. I know what it is like to not feel worth it and like life isn’t fair. I know what it is like to be jealous of the pretty girls who seem to have it all. But I’ve learned that things CAN change. It IS possible to love yourself! Sure, it will be hard as hell at first, but you have to start out slowly, take each day in stride. Start out by looking in the mirror and tell yourself that you look hella fine! You might not believe it in the beginning, but it will become so natural to you that you can’t help but start believing it!

To everyone who is struggling with an eating disorder, I get it. I understand what it feels like to be craving any aspect of control in your life, that restricting calories and over-excersing seems like the only way. But darlings, it will consume you. If you don’t love yourself first, it won’t matter how much weight you lose. It really wont, because you will never see yourself differently. You will keep restricting and feel bad about yourself until you lose a part of yourself. I was there once. I ate only 800 calories a day, and burnt 500 calories each day in the gym. I mistreated my body. I gradually ate more, just because I was scared of starvation mode. 1200 calories a day scared the shit out of me. But I wanted to love my body, so I did it. Then I found out my BMR and that just to lay around all day in bed my body needed 1400 calories just to survive. Again, it scared the hell out of me. 1400 calories seemed outrageous. But I did it, because I wanted to treat my body right.

Now I’m eating anywhere from 1500 to 1600 calories a day, and I’m STILL losing weight. Guys, you CAN eat! Food is not the enemy. Unhealthy food is. I eat double what I used to, eliminating processed foods and am at so much of a better place than I was before. I’m almost done this long rant, and if you have read this far, thank you so much, it really does mean the world to me. My last points are that you are all beautiful, and that being healthy is so worth it. You can have that life that you’ve always wanted, as long as you make the conscious decision to live. 

If any of you struggle with something in your life, I am ALWAYS here for you. Whether you need advice, or just someone to listen to you. You are not alone in this.

:) 

I have been feeling so unmotivated lately. I got so used to seeing my body everyday that I could no longer see how far I’ve come since starting this journey to a healthy lifestyle. Last night I was upset and ended up eating almost anything I could find. It was sad to see myself at such a point. I decided to take progress pictures despite this, to renew that motivation and to be my own inspiration. We all have bad days, but you can either let them define you, or make a change for the better. They never said it would be easy but it sure as hell is worth it.

Stay positive, stay healthy loves :)

Eat clean, train hard.

helpmeloseitalready:

carofit: love this - Fitspo. on We Heart It. http://weheartit.com/entry/15536091

findingselflove:

DRINK MORE WATER.

If you get sick of water, add a splash of lemon juice. SUPER refreshing.

“Just because you fail once, doesn’t mean you’re gonna fail at everything. Keep trying, hold on, and always, always, always believe in yourself, because if you don’t, then who will, sweetie? So keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling, because life’s a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about.” 

—Marilyn Monroe