Hurts Like Heaven

Apparently, I'm very serious about leaves...OR I just needed something to hold to show my nail polish.

This outfit has definitely become my "go-to" outfit. I might have even worn it last night AND today. It's just so easy. Jeans, cute top, cardigan, jacket, boots...done. Anyone else out there have a "go-to" outfit?

It's shaping up to be a busier week than I realized so my free time hasn't really happened yet, but I was pretty happy about making it to the gym to actually work out today. Paul and I got to work on some music and then Austin, Brandon and I went to play some racquetball. For the record, I'm not very good at racquetball since this is my first time taking a swing at it (you see what I did there?) but it is so much more fun that just running on a treadmill.

My body is already saying, "Why are you hurting me?" but I keep telling myself it's for the best. I've done a good job of maintaining my weight but I haven't lost any more in a month or so. I still haven't reached my final goal. In the midst of school and church, I just didn't make dieting a priority and truly, I don't diet. My father-in-law actually did a great job of writing a book that pretty much sums up a lot of how I came to my own personal success on losing weight. It's called "Don't Eat So Dang Much Food" and while I'm not here to promote weight loss, I am definitely understanding the importance of healthy living. It has changed me for the better.

Honestly, I don't think I'd be doing this blog at the weight I was at a year ago because I didn't have the confidence then. I'm a firm believer that everything is connected: mind, body, and spirit. While I was strengthening my mind at school, I was doing a pretty horrible job of taking care of my body and spirit and for the people closest to me, it showed. Anyway, my point in all of this is to say that when I ran the elliptical for 45 mins today, all I could think was, "I would have never been able to do this a year and a half ago." So please, be encouraged. It's the little changes that stick and for me it was eating less food, cutting out some of the really bad stuff (like sodas), and making exercise a priority. While today's exercise has left me exhausted its reminded me that my weight loss has been a journey and it's been so worth it.

Well, this certainly wasn't where I was planning to go with this post, but that's cool. Hopefully, this is something someone needs to be encouraged in.

Love,

my aching body and my happy, full heart.

{Jeans: Thrifted [F21] ($5.00), Shirt: Old Navy ($10.00), Cardigan [Ralph Lauren Polo] ($3.50), Jacket: [GAP] ($5.00), Boots: Payless ($40.00), Belt: F21 ($3.50), Necklace: Charlotte Russe ($3.50), Sunglasses: Target ($12.00)}