Now That Feb is Over...It's About Self Love | Photographer in Great Falls, MT

"Alright!  Here we go!  Everything you got!  You can do anything for 60 seconds." 

Those are the words I've been hearing in my sleep after starting my new workout routine.  It's AWESOME!  (Where's the option to insert emojis in this post so y'all know I'm being sarcastic???) And P.S. 60 seconds is a long time.

Okay, so I began this new workout (and eating healthy...er) journey because I think for too long I have been neglecting my body.  And side-effects that are tied to that (lack of energy, headaches, deteriorating muscles...the list goes on...) were beginning to  affect me.  AND...everyone at my office was getting after the health kick and I felt guilty.  ANNNNND...my husband and I are going to Hawaii in a few months!  Guess which reason was the most motivating?! ;) 

The good news???  I am feeling more energetic, I'm seeing muscles I haven't for a while, and overall, I feel better and I've had fewer headaches.  So there really is something to this "working out".  But more so than feeling better, both physically and mentally, I also have thought about a few things in the process.  Wanna get inside my head??!  This is where my mind has been the past couple of weeks:

~I think we need to think about the "airplane oxygen rule" a lot more:  if you can't take care of yourself, you won't be able to take care of your child.  Give yourself some oxygen, moms, and then (with all that new energy!) give it to your kiddos!

~Why is food (and in my case, TREATS!) the gift we want to give ourselves after a long day? Why am I not thinking about what my body really wants? A nice healthy meal and a workout...

~Drinking water is hard. That's all.

~I can't leave myself to my own "control"...I have a three-pronged approach to accountability: a Facebook group (thanks, Jessica Pence!), a husband, and my GFH Counseling Office that will give me hell if I don't follow through!  

~The scale is a terrible way to gauge progress.  Your body retains water once muscles start working again, your gaining muscle mass, drinking more water (especially in my case...because before this my body was hydrating off of hot, steeped brown water.  Fine...we will just call it "coffee"), and overall I think it's just full of lies.  But I still have to remind myself of this every once and a while.

~Cardio with Autumn Calabrese from Beach Body is my least favorite EVER.  But hey, if I pause every couple of minutes and still make it through the video that day - it still counts!

~February may be the month we honor our significant other, but every month we should honor ourselves.  

~PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.  This one is bold and in the annoying all caps because it is my new mantra.  I have to remember this, because deep down I am still a perfectionist.  If I don't do it perfectly, I don't want to do it at all.  Not anymore, people!  I am really pushing myself on this one, because it is always tempting to throw in the towel.

~Not everything can be immediate. Did I mention I'm only a couple of weeks into this journey of mine?!  I probably shouldn't expect the 6-pack quite yet....   In fact, the good stuff, the stuff that is REALLY worth it, is going to take time and hard work.  I say these exact words to my students at the high school almost every day.  Yet sometimes it's difficult for me to remember when it applies to MY life.  

So...to sum up this story...I am continuing with this health-kick of mine!  I'm sharing all this with you guys in case it can help motivate you, keep you going, or if nothing else, provide you with some laughs!