Embracing Change

June 19th was the day I officially began to change my eating habits, it was not easy at first. I was going to bed feeling hungry and not the kind of hungry that you drink water and it goes away, I was h-u-n-g-r-y! Still I laid in bed and kept thinking tomorrow will be a new day, an easier one this is just the start so I'm feeling "hungry" as my body adjusts.

Days went by and before I knew it I wasn't feeling hungry anymore, I was making small changes everyday. Eating more vegetables and lean protein and less carbs. I was drinking more water than ever, I choosing to drink water and this was major for me. I would wake up and have my water bottle ready next to my bed to drink 16 oz of water {that's 2 glasses of water} before breakfast. 

I was not thinking about food all day, instead I was thinking of ways to move more. I kept coming up with creative ways to not lose my interest. Instead of parking in the first spot when I went shopping or to the doctor, I would park the furthest I could and walk. Instead of walking with 4 loads of laundry to the laundry room at once and possibly putting too much weight on my arms and back, I chose to make 4 separate trips and make myself walk more.

When I felt sleepy or tired -which happens at about 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.- I would put on some music and dance or make my kids dance along with me. I was doing 10 squats on the hour every hour. During the hot summer days getting up at 6 a.m. was easy and I would do so happily to change into my workout clothes and hit the gym, I mostly did 30-40 minutes on the treadmill at a faster than I would like pace and then it happened I was running for a minute straight! Me running! :D that was the highlight of my summer. 

Then I hit the third month and it was not easy, not easy at all. Getting back into a routine with kids back in school, going out of town to celebrate a birthday and returning so tired I didn't feel like exercising. In addition it was so hot that I didn't want to cook, being in the kitchen next to the stove was a challenge. Then I got sick and instead of hitting my moderate activity level I hit an all time low of only 343 steps in one day! It felt as if something was pulling me back while I was trying to run from it. 

I can honestly say that month 3 was sad for me, being tired, feeling the heat of summer and staying in the same weight was not encouraging in any way. 

It's been four months and as I look at myself in the mirror I still have some days when I don't like what I see, I still have days where I feel I have not accomplished anything. Losing 20 lbs some days feels like nothing, in my mind by now I would have lost at least 40 lbs. Setting that goal was unrealistic after all it has taken me 12 years to get where I am and I want to re-learn healthy habits, adopt this as a lifestyle and be healthy. 

I've seen pictures of myself now and then, I do see a difference. It is noticeable at first glance. I can't be feeling sad about only losing so much, I need to focus on all that I have accomplished because all the above mentioned changes have stuck to me and have become a part of how I live life now. I may occasionally give in, I may occasionally trip or even fall down but I am surely going to get up quicker and stronger dusting myself and ready to continue because I am embracing change.

Today I am linking up with Jackie Cross from With Just a Bit of Magic an amazing Team #cinchspiration friend who is always ready to cheer me on and sharing tips on her success. She has lost more than 30 lbs since May and looks amazing! This month she is sharing her success thanks to Cinch. 

This is a sponsored post as part of the Shaklee Corporation’s Team #Cinchspiration Campaign. I have received free products, online support and incentives for participating. All opinions and photos are my own. Results and experiences are unique for each person, so results may vary. People following the weight loss portion of Shaklee 180 can expect to lose 1-2 pounds a week.