Stay the Course

Two weeks in to the Best Me challenge, and I'm still going strong.  I'm still keeping my food and exercise diary.  I stayed the course for 10 days with my sugar detox, and I'm still not eating refined sugar.  Thanks to cutting out sugar (and most pasta and bread), I'm already losing weight.

Staying inspired can be difficult.  You'll want to give up.  Don't.

So, what am I doing to stay inspired to improve myself and those around me??  Well, honestly, stepping on the scale has helped me stay inspired as far as my diet goes.  I know that the changes I've made in my diet are working.  If I had not decided to blog my Best Me commitments I probably never would have purchased a scale.  I don't want it to become something that I dread something that causes anxiety.

Of course, there's yoga.  Yoga is the sunshine on a cloudy day.  I'm even back to leading friendsies yoga on Saturday mornings.  Anytime I can share yoga with friends is a good time for me.

I'm setting up plenty of "dates" with friends and leaving sappy cards on my husband's dresser.  No one has better friends than I do, but I might be biased.  I am grateful every day for the friends I've made; they are strong, happy, hard-working, bloom-where-you're-planted women (and men!) and I can't imagine life without them.  I am also grateful for the people that haven't continued on my journey with me, people from whom I've grown apart.  There is a saying that people can either inspire you or drain you.  Letting go of people who drain you is healthy and helps you become your best.

Sappy card for the hubs

I had some crazy sugar cravings yesterday, and instead of eating a bag of chocolate chips I made this awesome fudge.  It tastes like Thin Mints.  Cooking is a huge inspiration for me, researching recipes and trying new foods.  Sometimes all it takes to inspire me in the kitchen is something as simple as a new kitchen tool.  Take for example, my new Veggetti Spiral Vegetable Slicer.  I've made so many zucchini noodles it isn't even funny.  Zucchini + olive oil + salt = amazingness.

My husband inspires me every day.  He's doing this challenge with me, you know.  I've never, ever seen him count a calorie or watch a portion size, and we've been together since 1996.  His participation is a big deal to me.  

What inspires you?  Art?  Dancing?  Books?  Whatever it is, pursue it.  In that same regard, let go of what dulls your spirit or weighs you down.  Being an anchor is vastly different than being unnecessary weight.  Realize that you could be inspiring those around you, or weighing them down, and build yourself according to what you want from your life.