This is what I think..

And it may not come out right, cause I'm never very good with words. .

 I was just thinking about how far I've come in a year and how easy it would have been to just give in to becomming an over weight Mom and Wife.

I see it happen time and time again. We get pregnant, gain some baby weight, and then become completly consumed with this whole life of changing diapers and taking care of these adorable human beings that we brought into the World.

I get it. You're a Mom now and have another life to worry about but your own. BUT, that's the problem. Another day goes by and you are still at your pregnancy weight. You go to bed each night saying, " Tomorrow I will go for a walk.. tomorrow, I will exercise" and tomorrow comes, and it doesn't happen. Believe me, I've been there.

When you're used to being a certain size, and you're now 60+lbs over that weight, (like I was) you start getting depressed and start to give in to the fact that you're always going to be over weight because with a new baby, it's just so hard to get out there and do something about it.

But it's not! When I first had Noah, I was 30+ lbs over weight. After my 6 week check up, I could hardly walk around the block without getting winded. I remember trying to do crunches on my living room floor and just failing miserably. I tried laying on my back, putting my legs straight out, and trying to lift them up and I couldnt. That's when I knew I had to do something. And I did.

I started walking every night around the neighborhood. It turned out to be 3 miles. I did that Monday-Friday (this is easier when you're a stay at home Mom like me) and took the weekends off. Then I started doing more and more.. and then even tried running. I think I could do about a half mile.. and then a mile..and then more..

Until I got pregnant wirh Benjamin. I fell right back into that," I'm pregnant, I can eat whatever I want and not do anything" mode. That's when I gained almost 60 pounds. I was over 180lbs when I delivered Benji. I was miserable.. I had no self esteem and NO motivation to do anything about it..

I had Ben in May, 2008, and stayed that weight until January, 2009. In January, I had had enough. I went to the gym on base with my neighbor and made myself run a mile on the treadmill. It took me almost 14 minutes, but I did it. I went right home, and decided that THIS was going to be the turn around in my life. And it was.

I've been working out ever since. This is easy for me bacuse like I said before, I'm a stay at home Mom. I don't have a job to go to every day. But if you do, I still think you need to make time for some exercise. Even if it's going for a walk around your neighborhood. After all, that's what got me started.

"No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change" - Bill Phillips

I think I've come to terms with..

The fact that I have a big butt.
That my hips are always going to be a bit wider.(Thank you Noah and Benjamin)
That I might always have this "double chin," (and an awful profile)
That I have a lot of work to do on my theighs.
That I have the boobs of a 12 year old.
That I still have a widdle "Mommy pooch"
That I'm not 19 anymore and my metabolism is slowing waaaay down.
That I need to workout longer and not harder.
That exercise is very important to my self image.
That its one thing I can do for myself.
That exercise is a daily need. If I don't get out and do something, I feel like a slug.
That exercise makes me a happier person and has been such a positive in my life.