The Family!

I have loved seeing the photos that some of you have posted of your families!  Here is a picture of our precious clan!

Feeling Good!

Wow!  When you put all the pieces of this healthy lifestyle in place, you just feel good, don't you?!?!

Ann and I just finished our workout with Chad and for the first time, I felt great when we were done instead of feeling absolutely exhausted!  I think in part it is because I started listening to my body (and to Traci who told me that I have been pushing too hard) and instead of working like a crazy woman at each workout I have tried to work hard during my workouts and then put that same energy that I was putting into my workout into making healthy choices with my nutrition. I haven't been perfect, don't get me wrong, but I feel progress!  I am feeling good!

Isn't it great to have all of the support that we have during this challenge?  I have such a great partner!  Ann keeps me on track and focused not so much on the scale but on how much better we feel.  She also is so motivating!  Ann has done so well!  She is almost to her goal!  Way to go Ann!!!!  Also, I feel like each of the challenge participants are my new friends, not my competition!  You are each so motivating!  And your progress is so visible!  It makes me want to do better!  

When I realize that we are closer to the end than the beginning I am a bit sad.  But I can look back and see all that we have learned and the progress we've made and I am so glad that I am where I am today and not back where I was on February 11!  I know a great future is ahead for each of us and I hope we will stay connected even when our challenge is officially over!  

Here's to a great week!

From Theory to Practicum

Here I am on a Monday morning after a great weekend with all our family home and after watching another amazing General Conference and I ask myself, "How do I get from where I am to where I want to be?"  Of course I ask myself this in a spiritual sense, but I think the question applies to all areas of my life.  I feel like I understand the theory of making changes, I just struggle with the minute to minute, day to day decisions.


For example, here we are - 52 days into our challenge, more than half way through -  and although I can say that thoughts of making changes have occupied my mind everyday multiple times, I can't say that I think my appearance has changed much.  In fact, if I think about how long I have been doing this, I can get kind of discouraged about the lack of visible change.


So what does it really take to make these changes?  At the dinner table yesterday afternoon, my 21 year old son told me that if I had the desire to be thin, then I would be (easy for him to say!!!).  Does that mean that I don't really have the desire to be healthy?  Do I just think that I want to be healthy but deep down inside I just really want to taste yummy food?


I say that I want to be organized and family centered in my focus on life but then when I am asked to do other things that aren't a priority, I lack the ability to say no (my hairstylist reminded me this morning that I have got to learn to say NO!).  So what do I really value?


I think all of this introspection is part of the process, but only if I am able to come to terms with some of the hard questions and answers in life.  Only if I am able to move from the theory to the practicum of daily decisions!