Welcome to my new life :)

Last summer I hit a point where I knew food was starting to control me. I knew it was time. I had to do something different. It would only get worse if I didn't make some better choices. After I had my second son I was quickly down to my pre baby weight but something happened over the next two years. I gained 20 lbs. I ate more and more junk food. I had tried running, going to the gym, biking, counting calories. But I just could never stick with any of it for more than a few weeks. It took me 6 mos to finally get up the courage to commit to change. That commitment was to join a Beachbody challenge group. Tomorrow is the last day of the challenge. I set some goals for myself nine weeks ago when the challenge started. It really helped me to focus on the WHY. I took some time and thought about what I wanted to accomplish and why. Yes I wanted to get "thinner", lose weight, but I had finally reached a conviction that was much deeper than that. Here's what I came up with:

30 day goal: more energy, up at 5:30 habit, bed by 9, asleep by 10, morning workout 6 days a week, lose at least 5 lbs
60 day goals: maintain 30 day goals, lose 5 more lbs, eating 75% natural/real foods
90 day goals: maintain 30 & 90 day goals, lose 5 more lbs, eating 90% natural/real foods.

I have two why's. One is just kinda surface - my best friend from high school is getting married in September. She still lives in the area where I grew up so we all know that means a mini high school reunion. I really want to be in great shape and get rid of this belly and these love handles and keep them off before then.

The true and inner why is that I've known for a few years now my body isn't what it used to be. I never had to exercise a day in my life before having kids and I was just always slim and trim. Now that I've had two kids and am in my 30s, everything has changed. I know if I don't do something now to get healthy and stay healthy it will only get worse. Its not just about how I look. That certainly is a bonus but its more about how I feel now AND later. I want to have enough energy every day to do all the things I have to and want to do: play with my kids, keep up on my housework, homeschool, manage a business, run errands, be super social. I also want to take care of my body so that when I retire I can play rough with my grandkids, play pickle-ball, volunteer, and whatever else I find I want to do to enjoy that stage of life. I want getting old to be something to look forward to instead of something I'm dreading. The only way I can look forward to it is if I know I will be healthy enough to enjoy it.

So thats my SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) goal. In a way its time bound...90 days to achieve a certain level of fitness. But a new lifestyle and mindset to maintain that level of fitness for a lifetime. Monday I will post my results from the 9 week challenge. In the meantime I'll be continuing to share some of the tools that have helped me get started on this journey.