Goals, goals, goals.

Good morning everyone. Today I again start the process of the "Meltdown Challenge" with myself and with my gym Sweat360. This morning when I woke up and actually while I was sleeping I was dreaming and thinking about the goals I had for myself in the next six weeks while I am going through this change, process and moment in my life. I have a few challenging, exciting goals for myself. I also have some more serious thought provoking, deep meaning goals as well. So here it goes, I am going to share them with you. These are the goals that I want for myself so when I look back 6 weeks from now I can say yes, I did check all of these off my list.


1. (MOST important to me) After the six weeks, no matter how much weight I've dropped, how much faster and stronger I have gotten I know I need to stick with eating right.

  Still eliminating gluten and dairy and sugars is the ultimate goal. I am ready to see where my life will continue to take me without those things in my body. When I thought about this number one at first I instantly started getting these excuses in my head. "But what about going out with friends, it won't be fun anymore", or "I'm sure I can just have a little and be alright". NO. I have to realize that to be at my full potential and to stay where I want to stay weight wise I have to think of food and especially social situations way differently. Yes, I can go out with friends and have a good time. But these moments in my life can be fun without the food, alcohol, etc. in them. I'm making a goal for myself during these six weeks to try something new at least 2 to 3 times during this process. Whether it be hiking, (which I've only done once! That for sure needs to change!) exploring a new part of Oregon, crafts, drawing, painting; I'm ready to think outside of the box. I will still be complete, will still feel fulfilled without adding the food temptations. Will this be easy? Probably not. Will I learn from it and move forward? Yes, you bet I will.

2. Start seeing the positives in my life, body and actions.

 Sometimes yes, I get pretty hard on myself. Talking the "negative talk" in my head and to myself has become something that triggers everything for me. If I feel I didn't work out hard enough, eat good enough one day the negative thoughts start flowing and everything seems to down spiral for the day, weeks or longer. I have got to recognize when the negative talk starts so it doesn't destroy me, and not keep me moving forward and to my full potential! Instead of the talk in my head such as "oh you did not push yourself hard enough in that workout" I should be turning it immediately around and saying "you know what, you are here, you did the workout, you're a sweaty mess and you are a bad ass!" I never used to realize how this had any correlation with my eating, and energy until recently. It seems to start with this and just keeps overpowering me. I will be turning this around!
 Along with the negative talk in my head I have got to move past the idea of my negative body image. Here is a point where some of you may just shake your head and not understand. But really, to be honest not everyone has been 300+ lbs. ever in their life and had to work their ass off in the gym and the kitchen as I have done to lose weight. When I look in the mirror at times I still see that girl that is overweight, shy and timid; the girl that I used to be. But in reality I am not that way anymore! I have moved more boulders and obstacles in my life that seems possible. I am the girl that never used to run and am now running the fastest I ever have, doing relays, half marathons and testing out new waters with my running. I am the girl that could never do a cartwheel or handstand as a girl because I was too overweight. But now, even after just one gymnastics class I almost have these things down. I am the girl who just hit her best PR on a 500m  row of 1:44, each time PR'ing by one to two seconds! That, is a positive thing and it feels great! So for myself I must remain positive in all things in my life.

 If a challenge, obstacle, or difficulty comes up I will take a deep breath and know that it will be okay; and conquer it!

3. Get some more weight off!

 When  thinking about goals, I usually have this be my number one thing.  But with realizing that if the two above goals are not happening, or in line with each other this proves to be more difficult. I have been able to do it time and time again and now I've got to get all of this under control and keep my weight down. Everything is so much easier when I do this. Knees don't hurt, back isn't sore, etc. A difference of even 5 extra pounds makes a crazy difference for me! It is interesting to think of it in a positive and not negative way also. At times, the scale can be my worst enemy and all the things I've talked about come through because I decide to weight myself. But if I look at it as, "well 80-100 lbs. ago you couldn't touch your toes, and your body constantly hurt, but now your body hurts when it is sore from kicking it up in your workouts!" See, that is so much better right?! To conclude this, I just am realizing that if losing weight is a key factor for myself everything else must be put in line in order for me to have success!


4. Stretch, stretch, and stretch some more.

 So after almost every workout I think in my head or Rob, one of the owners at the gym is always like "You need more yoga in your life". So you know what? I am freaking going to do yoga more than I have. I have been averaging at least one day of yoga in my workout schedule a week. I have decided I am going to turn it up to at least two days a week of yoga, and possibly trying some Bikram yoga also. I might die in Bikram yoga considering whenever they turn on the heat at Sweat360 for yoga I at times feel like I am dying a slow death, but trying that type of yoga should be..eventful to say the least. But I am all for stretching my body and loving my hips a little more! Tight hips, sore knees and tight hammies and quads are something I have definitely been dealing with lately. And I know it is because I am not rolling out enough, stretching and yoga'in it up enough. So time for another change! I will do it :)


5. Enjoy this time in your life, you have come SO FAR.

With being honest and true to myself I have to realize there have been so many amazing things I have seen, pushed through, and experienced. Things such as being on my third year of Hood to Coast this summer, having almost celebrated my one year anniversary of being at the wonderful Sweat360, and being able to say I am able to workout as hard as I can 5-6 days a week. Before this whole change in my life almost 4 years ago none of this was even set in my mind as possible! I want to hold onto that, find joy in this thought and continue to grow! No better way than to live in the moment, not dwell on the past and move forward!

Ready to bring it in these next 6 weeks and further!