Monday Motivation: New Puppies and Dreams of Bikinis

Well, it's time for a little Monday motivation from someone who needs it immensely herself!  It's been a crazy weekend, and even crazier last week, and I am pushing through some stress and other irritating factors in order to keep my mind focused on the prize. The weeks are slipping by slowly and my first 5K is coming up ASAP.  Not just any 5K, but the one in which I WILL run the entire thing.  I will not take exhaustion for an excuse. I have to keep pressing on. In the meantime, could life cut me a little break?! For real!!! No one else is allowed to need me for anything, no more emotional breakdowns are in order, and my children really need to get with the program on my new journey to health.  If I have one more request for McDonald's, I think I may just pull my hair out! :)

Let's talk about "planking", shall we?! I am pretty proud of myself, actually!  I have clocked 97 total minutes of planking in the month of July.  I'm a little over halfway there! I only have 8 more days to get this goal cranked out, so I'm going to have to bump my 10 minute daily goal to 20 minutes. I don't think that this will be too horrid, seems as though it's getting to be a daily ritual.  I make coffee, I plank while it perks. . .I cook breakfast, I plank while it cools. . .I watch a little Phineas and Ferb, and we plank through the commercials.  The kiddos are hilarious about the whole ordeal!  Either they are climbing on top of me, or climbing under my planks. They know I'm exercising, and try to join in sometimes.  I love it that they recognize that it is important to me, and mommy is trying her best to get in shape. My constant hitting the kitchen floor has sparked many conversations about health and taking care of our bodies and what all that entails. It's been a great experience this month.

Another change that I've made over the last week or two is the way that I shop.  I'm trying really hard to eat as many whole foods as I can. I'm spending most of my grocery dollars in the produce and poultry aisles. I actually feel a whole lot better! I have to say it takes a whole lot more time and effort and planning in order to make these meals, but overall, it's been a pleasant and much needed transition. I'm cutting the fast foods completely, only allowing one day a week to splurge in restaurants, and doing away with pop as well. I enjoy teas and water so much more now that I'm running so much more. One pop can leave me so dehydrated during a run, as I usually don't carry water with me. Eating foods that are 80% water has helped cure this problem as well.  I'm eating a lot of cucumbers, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc., all of which are made up mostly of water. My grocery bill may be a tad bit more, but it's worth it at the end of the day when I don't have that greasy pit in my stomach or am dealing with heartburn from so much soda. I wish I had changed my perspective years ago.

Ok, this is most definitely not me.  I would kill for those skinny thighs! This is adorable Miley Cyrus and her adorable Husky pup on a daily run.  The pics that would be taken of me, were I to be VIP enough to warrant a paparazzi following, would involve wider hips, baggy basketball shorts, and an adorable pit bull puppy by my side. That's right! I (temporarily) have a new running partner!  Out on a run one night last week, I came across this little cutie on a main road, running right in front of ongoing traffic.  He took quite a tumble and landed right at my feet.  Being the softie that I am, I made it my civic duty to ensure that he found his rightful owner. After calling the local pounds and putting up flyers, his owner seems to be MIA. He's been slathering my kiddos with slobber, taking nose dives into the backyard wading pool, reminding me of the woes of potty-training a pet, and being an overall love bug. I've grown quite attached to this "temporary" new sidekick and have decided to make him a daily accessory for my morning runs. I'll feel a lot safer and more motivated to keep moving with an energetic pup at my heels!  Now, if only I could get my hubby to allow me to name him and claim him as my own. . . .we're still working on that part! (wink, wink!)

This shall be me in TWENTY DAYS!  We have officially booked a family vacation to South Padre Island Beach, Texas for 7 whole days! I could not be more excited!  I haven't been to the beach in awhile, and am looking forward to jumping the waves with the boys and laying on the sand, soaking up rays. Of course, with the fact that a beach ensures I will want to wear as little clothing as humanly possible, I'm nervous about being "bikini ready".  Who am I kidding!?  I haven't worn a bikini since pre-children, although, that is my goal one day.  I'm slowly but surely getting closer and closer! From the beginning of this whole process, I have shown steady progress.  I'm down from 165 in May, to 155.5 lbs as of today!  I'll take it!  I've plateaued at this weight, but with the changes in my diet and running more frequently, I look forward to feeling confident and energetic on the beach with my family and parents. I'll post photos (as I know that I'm behind on my Progress-In-Photos page) as soon as I get back.