How my fitness journey manifested...literally

My fitness journey seems to have been a lifetime in the making. As a young girl I can recall being in tow with my mom at local recreation centers and often participating in aerobics classes by her side. Aerobics was all the rage in those days and like Olivia Newton John we all wanted to “Get Physical”. Yes indeed, I'm showing my age, moving on!

Throughout the years my mom would purchase the latest trends and most popular DVR tapes. My favorites were Jane Fonda and step aerobics.  After high school and during college I gained a bit of weight and pulled out mom's collection. Now keep in mind I was fresh out of high school, weight loss came easy. When I recall how I felt during that time period it was a sense of power I got from going through the motions of exercise, not necessity. One thing that stands out in my mind clearly is I wanted a toned physique, I craved it. Not toned as in solid but I wanted the visual appearance of a bicep, that line down the center of my abs, toned quadriceps and hamstrings; you get the point. That goal had always been a wish with minimum effort put forth to bring it into fruition.

Just as my mom introduced me to exercise I adopted another trait of hers when it came to a fit lifestyle – inconsistency. Exercise was something my mom clearly enjoyed but the highs and lows of life, school, children etc. kept her from being consistent. Whatever the reason that varied pace of exercising regularly to not at all followed me throughout my adult life. After giving birth to my first child, having gained close to eighty pounds, I hurried to lose the weight. Once the weight was off or at least to and "acceptable" level I’d fall off the wagon and so it went for years on end.  Those periods in which I was most successful with weight loss usually involved about two or three months of working out and some sort of diet pill such as the now banned Metabolife 356, remember those? 

There were periods where I was laser focused followed by months of nothing.  Now at 42 years old for the first time in my life exercise and healthy eating has been consistent for one full year. Now that we've gotten the history out the way let me let you in on my secret motivator that has gotten me out of bed and to the gym better than any alarm clock. 

My before and during weight loss

 In February of last year I created a vision board alongside my close friends. That board, which is placed in direct eyesight at my bedside, has been a constant motivation to keep pushing myself when my momentum was down. In addition to the board I created an online version of my vision board that I saved to my desktop at work and glance at throughout my workday.  I updated my screen saver on my cell phone to a before and after picture that I admired. Visual clues of athletic, curvy bodies became pop-up reminders on my Outlook calendar coupled with quotes and mantras for me to keep pushing. Out of nowhere on any given day I'd get a pop-up that reads "did you give up on yourself"? Or "do you think she got this body overnight". These verbal reminders included a picture or two of a strong, fit body to further motivate me.

 



Anyone know this beauty? One thing for sure
she provides for good fitsporation

 I created a Pinterest board of curvy bodies like mine that were also fit and I used Instagram to stay current with my favorite fitness experts as well as those that were still fighting to be fit. During those times when I was "too tired" to workout I'd looked to them for motivation. So with no further adieu feast your eyes on these strong athletic women and ask yourself if your willing to take small steps daily to do whatever it takes to obtain the body of your dreams? If so don’t wait until New Years or a Monday to get started, create your vision board and meditate on it daily. Save it to your phone or computer screen and make use of these visual clues to fuel your weight loss mission.

Instagram fitness/trainer GetbodiedbyJ

 

 

 

 

 

Madison I love seeing her smiling face in workout vids!

 

 

Trick your brain into working out and eating healthy with motivational pics. Once you do let your results become your motivation! It's 2016 B&B beauties and biceps and abs don't grow on trees so get started today and create your vision for the year to come!