I'm Hurtin - BAD

I said before I was a cheerleader in high school. Every July we had this horrendous three day camp. Every muscle in my entire body was stretched to the limit. I could never walk for DAYS after the camp. Literally - I would be in so much pain, I wouldn't want to sit my butt down. I dreaded the thought of having to go to the bathroom - for fear I would get stuck on the toilet. It was that bad!

Well...Here I go again!!! I'm hurtin. Jenn and I ran on Monday. I managed to get about a mile and a half done and walked about a half a mile. Last night after the kiddos were bathed, I put on my workout clothes and hit the streets. I walked for 48 minutes total. I live in a rural community and the roads by my house are a mess of hills. Literally my entire walk home was up hill. I felt so good when I got home though. I thought for sure I'd walked four miles and was on my way to being skinny. As soon as I got home I stretched, did my ab roller (you'll hear about this terrible contraption later), and did some push ups (girly style with my knees bent). Then, I jumped in the car to clock my miles...

Guess how far I walked? Ready...2.8 miles. Here I thought I'd walked enough to go to town and back. All I walked was a measly 2.8? I felt like a dope. But then I realized - I haven't exercised in EONS! I'm proud of myself for even having gone that far - alone. No one was there to push me.

The point is - no matter where you go, how far you go, or how long it takes you - Exercise is wonderful! You'll feel thinnner and eventually look it. Just keep at it. Don't give up the ship - even if you can't feel your legs in the morning! Smile while you do it - You're Burning Fat! Yah!

P.S. I posted this picture in my bathroom - the place I look at myself naked in the mirror (ew). I didn't do this so my husband could gawk at a VS model (although he probably will...ha!). I did this because not only do I have a high school reunion coming up, but also a wedding. I love this dress. While it may not be ideal for either a wedding or the reunion - I heart it a lot and hope to someday be toned and fit enough to wear it!

I'm thinking a different color though - black or red - or something other than yellow!

Much Love,

*Julie*

Julie's Journey

*The look of myself right now makes me want to gag!*

I am a busy mom of two gorgeous kids, an nurse, and the wife of an awesome man. I have a hectic, busy schedule and most days I don't seem to care what I am shoving in my mouth - as long as it serves its purpose - feeding my hunger!

My weight loss story has pretty much been the story of my life. It started when I began puberty for sure!
You start to notice other people when you hit middle and high school and from that point it has all been down hill. During my high school days I was a cheerleader. Haha - laugh now. Let me tell you what. I was in the best shape of my life during that time. We had to lift weights every other day, while running a mile every day. And not just a mile. The mile had to be run in under ten minutes. It was no easy feight. But at that time I was skinny and toned and I didn't have a care in the world...

UNTIL - When I was 19 I became pregnant and the L Bs started to pile on. The day I realized that I was pregnant I went to Little Ceasers and drowned my sorrow in an ENTIRE pizza. Yes, by myself...I never once became sick while I was pregnant and low and behold - 9 months later I weighed over 200 pounds. Imagine my suprise when I was weighed the day I was discharged from the hospital. I had only lost 4 pounds. EXCUSE ME? Four pounds. I looked at the nurse in shell shock. Did I not just deliver a 7 and a half pound baby plus all of that other stuff? What? And so the difficulties began.

I thought the weight would fall off...I thought I would be skinny in no time and would be wearing my bikini on the beach in the summer. I had visions of my daughter and I playing on the beach and me skinny with a tan and not a care in the world. HAHA. Joke. A year after my daughter was born I had almost gotten rid of the 60 pounds I had gained. But I held on to about 10 pounds. I didn't care though. I was confident enough.

Love and Marriage then comes baby number two in the baby carriage...I became pregnant with my second child about this time last year. I only managed to gain 25 pounds during the pregnancy. However, I believe I've only managed to lose roughly 10 pounds of it. While my son is my pride and joy - the extra 15 pounds I accumulated while I was pregnant is not. Thus begins the journey...

I want to do this for myself. While every girl likes to know that they're a certain size, with a certain weight I don't really care about that. What I want is for this summer to be able to put on a tank top and walk out of my house CONFIDENT. I want to look in the mirror in that sun dress and not be worried about the lump hanging over the top of my underwear. I'm tired of being jiggely all over. I want to be toned and fit. I want that confidence that comes from being physically fit and healthy...And I can't wait!