Pictures of my progression.....

I'm very serious when I say if you don't want to see pics of me in a bikini, don't view this blog! I don't want to offend anyone without warning. :-)

This blog is going to be different than my others. Instead of sharing my insights on different aspects of fitness, I am going to share some before and after photos of myself in my fitness journey. I am by no means done, but I want to give people a realistic look at what can (and cannot) be accomplished when one applies ones self to living a fit life style.

I don't look at these pics as sexual, I look at them as a photo documentary of one helluva lot of hard work. And I'm not trying to brag, so please don't think ill of me. My only motivation truly is to help others with these photos. And yes, my husband knows about this.... He's the one who put the photos side by side for me, and he subscribes to my blog. So don't worry about that! :-)

Okay, first photo:


The left pic was taken September 2nd, 2005. I believe I was very close to my heaviest weight in this photo of about 197 pounds. I did NOT like having my pic taken for this, which is apparent by my stance. I was almost to a point of self-loathing for what I had let myself become. But I never did completely give up. The right was taken January 13th, 2010. In this one, I am about 160 pounds. I know the bike shorts are dorky, but I was trying to replicate the first photo as much as possible.


In the above left pic it is October 26th, 2006, and I weigh 181 pounds. Of course, the one on the right is January 13th 2010, and I am 160 pounds. That might give you some idea of the difference a 21 pound fat loss and added muscle can make on a woman.

The next two photos I am really excited about! By my wearing a bikini they but show better what can be accomplished in just 3 1/2 months of really applying oneself with eating right and exercising hard:




The ones on the right were taken on October 5th 2009. I weighed 171 pounds. The ones on the left were taken two days ago, January 20th 2010, at 159.4 pounds. Look at the difference just 11 1/2 pound can make!

I share these because I know there are television progams and product promotions out there that show dramatic changes in 12 weeks or less. It is easy to get discouraged when you see people go from flabby to fit so quickly, yet despite your best efforts it's not happening to you. Comparitively, this is what I did through seriously applying myself (did have a few "off" days during the holidays), over the course of 3 & 1/2 months. Can you make a change for the better? You bet! Will you look like Arnold or Beyonce when you get done? Er..... Probably not.

Also, I'd like to point out that you can make these kinds of changes despite circumstances. During the past 3 1/2 months I have been working on my body intensely a lot has happened, to include a death in the family and me getting braces on my mouth. Never mind the holidays, having six of the seven kids here, 6 immediate family birthdays (Yes, SIX between the times the bikini before and after pics were taken) and making two major holiday meals.

My point? You CAN overcome obstacles and work through them. It's just a matter of making up your mind you will do it, and not giving up when you fall behind.

Hey, life is going to happen, but fat doesn't have to!

Let me know what you think! I realize this post is probably going to raise some eyebrows, but if it inspires or helps someone else, I don't care!

Oh, and I am not done. Far from it! I'll NEVER be done improving and challenging myself. I hope you never are, either.

Exercise- Your non-negotiable appointment with yourself.

How do I manage to keep up a 5-day-a-week exercise schedule? I make it a non-negotiable appointment with myself. If I didn't, I'd find every excuse in the book to not do it.

Exercise and self-care don't happen by accident. You have to be purposeful.

If necessary (and it probably is), write it down on the calendar, or your day-timer, or wherever you keep your appointments. And then make it non-negotiable. I mean, aside from an emergency (and by emergency, I mean an-ambulance-has-to-be-called-emergency), nothing is going to stop you from getting your workout.

There have been a few days when things happened and I couldn't get to the gym. For instance, we had a very unexpected snow storm here in Texas (THAT was weird!). Not only was the gym closed, but driving there was treacherous on untreated roads. So, I got up early before the family was awake and did step aerobics with a DVD in the living room and lifted weights with my dumbbells in the bathroom. (In case that sounds weird, my workout equipment is in a closet in the master bath.) If I wouldn't have had dumbbells at home, I'd of made it work with body-weight exercises. But I sure wouldn't have done nothing.

The point is, I made it happen, anyway.

It's a difficult way to start thinking at first, but eventually it's a habit and something you can't imagine not doing. Your family gets used to it being important to you... it all starts to fall into place.

But you have to take the first step: You have to schedule your exercise.