Monday, July 28, 2014

Day 7: Motivation Monday

What gives me the motivation that I need to make this big life change?  Is it fitting into all the clothes in my closet? That doesn't hurt. Is it thinking about being there when my girls walk down the aisle at their wedding? Yes, if Jesus doesn't come before that...which I pray for, every day...preferably before they are teenagers. Is it not wanting to be the fattest mom in the classroom when I go to see my 2nd grader at school?  Probably that most of all. 

For me I don't get my motivation from watching celebrities who have personal chefs, and trainers, and physicians, and an entire staff of people devoted to getting them in shape for their next role, show, or red carpet appearance.  Nope.  My life isn't even comparable to that kind of life style.  Sure, any of us could get skinny from someone telling us what to eat, cooking it for us, telling us when to go to bed, when to wake-up, and what to do when we work out.  Plus I don't get paid millions of bucks every year or two for the way that my body looks.  If that were the case, sure, I would have motivation coming out of my ears.

I also don't get my motivation from the people on those weight loss t.v. shows.  I mean I do get some sort of inspiration from them.  And I never sit down to watch one without a box of Kleenex close by...my motto is that no one is allowed to cry alone in my presence...name that movie...  Those are all great stories, and they have wonderful transformations to their bodies and lives, but I don't live in that world either.  They too have a much bigger reason to get in shape...who would ever want to disappoint Chris (from Extreme Makeover) or make Jillian Michaels mad.

I find my motivation from people that I know, some in real life, and some through social media.  They are the people that have been through the real world of weight loss and real life...not some manufactured representation of it for t.v. cameras.  I am not knocking reality t.v. here.  I love reality t.v.  Except the Bachelor and Bachelorette--I can't stand those.  They have kids, and jobs, and financial struggles, and school, and real life issues.  Like donuts in the break-room in a box that says "You DESERVE a donut"--why yes, yes I do deserve a donut...maybe even two--I haven't had one since last week.

Other than my friends and family, the people that give me motivation are some people that blog, share their stories on Instagram or Facebook, and those that I see their story as it happens in REAL life.  I love seeing someone at church that you haven't seen in a while and being able to see the changes they have made in their bodies.  I love to see them telling about their workouts on Facebook, and seeing their pictures of the healthy food they are eating.  I don't hate the posts that talk about how hard a workout was...those are the ones that make me think...hmmmm...my butt probably should have been on a treadmill today too.

Some of the people that I follow through social media are:  Christian Radio Personality, Motivational Speaker, blogger, writer, and church friend, Janelle Keith.  She is an amazing lady with an amazing story of physical and spiritual transformation.  Another one is Jessi:  from the blog The Girl Who Thought Too Much. She is ms_st4us on Instagram.  She is amazing.  She has lost 70 lbs. eating clean and working her butt off in the gym...literally.  The Tone It Up girls. I mean seriously.  Are they not the cutest?  Both Katrina and Karena are my girl crushes.  I love their adorable personalities, their amazing recipes, and their fabulous style, oh, and they live in California...the land of my birth.  Another of my Instagram motivators  is Courtney Crozier of Biggest Loser fame.  BL11Courtney on Instagram.  Loved her on the Biggest Loser, and love to see what her life is like now.

You also give me motivation.  Knowing that you are reading my thoughts, laughing at my jokes, and watching my eventual transformation, even if it is only reading words on a screen is a BIG motivator for me not to give up and to press through.  I love to know that you spend time in your day to be a part of mine, and hope that I am in some way motivating you too.

All of these are great, but my biggest motivation comes from my accountability partner, my precious best friend Carol, my sisters Brooke and Amy, my incredibly supportive and devoted parents, but most of all from my darling husband--but I haven't forgotten the ice-cream incident-- and my precious little girls.  I want to be around for a long, long time.  I want to be here to see all of their firsts...and God-willing to see my grand-children.  And I know that I have to get my body in shape to be ready for the long haul.

Oh, and Ryan, it has been a week...

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