Making Progress Around Here

As I was walking through the isles of the grocery store today, I almost had to stop and do a little victory dance for myself. I quickly realized that I live in a small town and someone I know would be watching, so I decided to celebrate with you guys instead

*Insert victory dance here*

So, you might be wondering why exactly a victory dance was necessary. Well as I looked down at my shopping cart this afternoon, the progress I have made over the course of the last 6 months was overwhelming and I was so proud of how far I have come. Before having kids (and if I am going to be honest...even after) my grocery cart consisted of, well, anything fully processed and absolutely terrible for you. Mac n' Cheese, Top Ramen (for the hubs), cereal (and not the good kind, folks), chips, candy, you name it...it was in my cart. Me, my body, and my husband were doing just fine (or should I say we thought we were doing fine) with it and functioned pretty well; UNTIL the combination of pregnancy and hitting 30 were involved in the equation.

To some of you, it might be pretty disgusting that we would live that way, and to you, I admire the fact that you choose differently. It was/and still is a bit harder for me and my husband. I have analyzed and pondered over the "reasons why" for countless hours, but that's another post for another day (or maybe for a counseling session).

Anywhoo, I put my foot down (pretty lightly) in October and started working out 3-4 days a week for 30 minutes a day. I kept telling myself and others that I didn't want to "diet" because I wanted to make a lifestyle change. I think that was initially an excuse for me to continue to eat the same and hope that exercising minimally would do the trick. Well, month by month went by and I wasn't able to see much progress. I would evaluate myself at the end of each month and make changes to my eating and exercise habits. I started working out more, cutting out treats, eliminating colored drinks, and working out more (I know I already said that). I am now to the point of celebrating a couple different paths of progress!!!! By no means have I hit my goals or do I eat everything I should all the time. However, I am adamantly writing down everything I put into my body, working out 6-7 days a week for 60-90 minutes at a time, AND my grocery cart is full of fruits, veggies, flour, eggs, etc. I am passing up complete isles in the grocery store without a second thought (they would be the ice-cream isle and the snacks/chips isle). I am walking by the candy bars in the check out line thinking "yuk, I worked out so hard today and eating 2 of those things would cancel out everything I have accomplished". Seriously, friends, I almost started crying today at the grocery store when I realized the things I was thinking to myself, how much work I have been putting in, and the choices I have been making. This is a huge accomplishment for me and nothing celebrated it better than a victory dance.

I am soooo excited for where I have come and where my family and I are going. I feel better about myself (granted I have a LONG way to go) and my body feels better about itself (if that's possible). Yay for progress!!!!

Thanks for letting me celebrate!
*More victory dances here*