Friday, February 22, 2013

Once upon a time...

2004


I was 19 and looked like this ----->.
The woman next to me is my mom. She was 51 in this picture, and naturally tiny. I never worried about calories. I never compared my body to other women's. I thought I'd look like my mama forever.










Then, I was 26. I had gone on anxiety medicine after moving across the country and experiencing extreme anxiousness. Then my mother died unexpectedly. I stress ate. The medicine slowed my metabolism. So I took a lot of shoulder-up pictures like this ----->.









NOT flattering, but real life.

Because apparently, my body looked like this ----->.
This picture was taken the day after my fiancé proposed, on my birthday, August 3, 2012.


<----- This one is me a few weeks before, sucking in.

I had been exercising through this all, but eating and drinking what I pleased.

In September 2012, I had a few realizations:

1. What's the point of doing exercise I don't enjoy?
2. What's the point of finding exercise I enjoy if I eat whatever well I please?
3. I'm 27 and have the means to remake myself.

So I tried different fitness regimens and fell in love with Jazzercise. I applied my creativity to cooking and found  out how to cut calories and fat. I sweat. I got my booty up and out the door to the gym when I didn't want to. I resisted fries at dinner. I had the Greek salad instead of the burger. I never deprived myself.

COMPROMISE is the key.

Then, today, 5 months after my relevations, I took this picture.
And now I look like this.
Since beginning my journey on September 22, 2012, I have lost over 18 pounds. I was not fat, but I looked sloppy and unhealthy.


I wanted to share this progress picture because I took one unprofessional, un-photoshopped picture at a normal angle. I did not take 20 different pictures, and I am not sucking in.

I don't look like fitness model, but I have obviously made a lot of progress eating the recipes I post, and by exercising 45 minutes to an hour per day. I am a real, un-photoshopped women doing this the natural way. This is about being fit, not skinny.

My recipes are easy and the exercise is manageable. I do not have children yet, but when I make my recipes and exercise, I often keep think, Could you keep this up if you were a mom? With some planning and discipline, I think yes.

Real people are doing this, guys. It looks me 5 months to get here. It's a lifestyle, so I'm fine with that. If you are trying, keep going! In November, once my metabolism sped up, it became easy.

KEEP GOING!





1 comment:

  1. So Awesome Dani - & such a inspirational post - it really IS about taking accountability for what we eat - I've been trying to be a lot better with that :) I can't wait til you're home! xo - Kel

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