Exercising My Right to Bare Arms!

It is so true that we are our own worst critic. Sometimes when we look in the mirror we find everything that can possibly be wrong with the way we look. Our nose is too big, our ears are too small; you name it we have found something to complain about. I know I have. My flaws are many, some I can hide....and some not so much. But I am learning to embrace my imperfections and have developed a healthy disregard about what others may have to say about them. It took me some time, but finally I have gotten to the point in my life where I can honestly say.....I am owning my looks....flaws and all.

My arms have been one of my nemesis for a while. At first it was their size. I hated the way they looked in sleeveless shirts. So I always wore sweaters or some sort of covering over them. Since losing weight my arms are now at a size that I am comfortable showing but now as a result of the weight loss I have....stretch marks. Yes, the dreaded marks that tell the story of skin that has been stretched as a result of rapid weight gain or loss. Story of my life. So now even though I finally have gotten to a point where I feel good about the size, I began to feel self-confident about these marks. sigh.

So after trying a host of products promising the magical disappearance of stretch marks and looking for cute cardigans to go over every sleeveless tank and sun-dress that I own I finally said.....what the heck am I doing? This is me d*mn it! Take it or leave it. How can I tell young girls to own their looks when I am hiding behind cardigans and long sleeves shirts in 90 degree temperatures?

So who cares about a few imperfections here and there. We all have them. I recently saw this picture of Jennifer Hudson and she wasn't hiding her stretch marks behind make-up as most of the other stars do and she looks fabulous! Talk about self-confidence!!

So I said so-long to those cover-ups and hello to my new arms. They may not be flawless or the perfect size and shape but they are all I got and they are mine!
Learning to love what you see when you look in the mirror flaws and all is what really counts. So go ahead exercise your right to bare arms, wear a two-piece, or ___________ (place your flawed body part here) and repeat after me "This is me d*mn it! Take it or leave it!"

Weighting for Motivation

Last month my bff and I hosted a small intimate Girl's Day Out event. We thought it might be a good way to help all of us have a get-away from the kids and men for a while and enjoy some girl time. And it was! We asked each woman to bring their favorite dish and we supplied the drinks and the opportunity to meet some other fabulous women. For many of these women it was the first time they had ever met however instantly we all seemed like old friends. As we talked, laughed, ate and drank I couldn't help but think about how diverse the every day lives of these women were. Married, divorced, single, separated and dating. Working moms, sahm, wahm and student. New mothers, no children, toddlers, school-age children and adult children. The ages ranged from 20 something to almost 60 and each one of us had something in common. The conversations were fun, candid and enlightening.

We discussed many topics that women discuss when they get-together: shopping, men, children, celebrity crushes and of course weight. It didn't matter the age, size or shape of the woman, we all shared a successful or not so successful story about our struggles with weight. Whether we exercise, diet or have just been blessed with an awesome metabolism, we all connected when it came to losing and/or maintaining weight. As we shared low-fat recipes, exercise regimens and for some of us, secret wishes of liposuction, I realized that almost all women have some sort of obsession with our weight. However, our motivation to lose or maintain weight varies.

Some of us are motivated by health reasons, some by wanting to look better in and out of our clothes and others by outside influences. My motivation was my age. When I turned 40 I realized that my metabolism was pretty much dormant. I had been gaining weight and pretending not to notice. When my clothes got too tight I just brought the next size up and I placed the blame on the cut of the pants instead of my inactivity. It wasn't until I went on the scale on January 1, 2010 to once again start a New's Resolution of losing weight and gasped in disbelief at the number I saw. Then, I did something I never did before I showed my husband the number because I needed someone to know how serious I was and to keep me accountable. (I know I must have been crazy but I meant business!) It worked because I kicked my butt in gear and started on my weight loss journey and in six months I had lost 25 pounds and in one year 50. Although my metabolism is no longer dormant it still can take naps every once and awhile so I have to make sure that I keep active and watch what I eat. It's not easy but for me it is a necessary part of my life now.

Whatever our motivation, one thing that is for sure is that we all want to look in the mirror and like what we see no matter what size. What is your motivation for starting and/or maintaining a healthy lifestyle? Share your successful or not so successful story with us; you never know, your story may be the motivation someone else is waiting weighting for!

Before and After

Recently I was looking at old pictures and I couldn't believe how different I looked. It's crazy to think that just 16 months ago I weighed 50 pounds more that I do now. Although I had a certain level of confidence then...my confidence now is at an all-time high! I really believe that no matter how much you weigh or what size you wear it's all about how you feel about yourself. Before I felt good about myself but as the numbers on the scale kept growing along with my pants size I knew I had to do get serious about losing weight.

Before

Now 50 pounds later I feel amazing and have a sense of confidence that I haven't had in years! I still have five more stubborn pounds that I would like to lose but the most important part is that I am healthy and that I did it all by just watching my diet and exercising...who would have thought that really works! At my last physical my doctor told me that my blood pressure and cholesterol level was the lowest it's been since I was in my 20's! Now if that isn't a reason to keep up with this new healthy lifestyle I don't know is!

After