CONFESSION Time... again.

CONFESSION:

I take progress pictures. 

I have for years. It keeps me focused. 

Over the last few months, I slacked off on the pics. I was busy and I did not make it a priority. It wasn't intentional. It just (didn't) happen.

I believed I was staying the course. My eating was pretty good. I was exercising. ( not 4-5x's a week and not super hard.... but enough)

I would occasionally think that my pants were a bit snug, but then I would realize that I had put them in the dryer. And I would feel relieved.

I am very knowledgable about the body, muscles, fat, nutrition, posture, exercise and, most importantly, proper footwear. The years of learning, practicing, training self and others has combined with KNOWLEDGE to produce UNDERSTANDING.
As a result, I am acutely aware of the body obsession we, individually and collectively, often default to.
In response, I have been very intentional to keep myself balanced. Not "health" obsessed.

That is a (bit) hard for me, as my personality is an all-in type A. So I have chosen balance to be my guiding light - not weight, nor muscle mass, not pant size or health food. Balance. In all things.

All-in to balance is good.

(remind me to sometime write about my philosophy of balance)

I am not at my ideal, am never at my ideal, will never be at my ideal. Intentionally.

Life is so much more than that for me.

I have arms that look like arms and legs that, well okay... I like to work my legs, but, they still look like legs. I also have the had-four-babies pooch just over the top edge of my jeans.
(bunny trail...  my kids like to poke it when they are sitting next to me on the couch. Poke. laugh. poke, poke, giggle. Poke, pinch... slap. )

I do not believe that our physical appearance should have power over us. It does NOT need so much attention  - it tries to trick us. We become preoccupied; happy or sad, mad or glad, insecure, over secure. Just by how we look.
It is a thing.... not a THING.

Anyway, back to the my main point... not taking pictures. Progress pictures are my way of maintaining balance. Of keeping a visual record that in a glance I can verify that I am where I want to be - not too BIG (muscles or fat) not too small (muscles or fat). I can check in on perk and elasticity, shape and tone.

But, I lost sight of balance. 

And became lazy. 

Excuses reigned. 

Standards dropped.

The results are. not. good.

So, to be completely honest, right now I have a progress picture on my phone of me from years ago.

For motivation. 

( Don't roll your eyes. keep reading.... its not what you think)

The purpose is not to make my abs look a certain way again, or my arms or legs. The purpose of having the picture on my phone is to remind myself ....

WHEN we lose sight of the goal

WHEN we give our Excuses power

WHEN we let our focus slip

There are consequences!

It is a ton easier to stick to the plan than to RETURN to the plan.

I have the pictures to prove it.