Fit by 40, Week 11 – Encouragement

It’s back! Well, at least it is on it’s way. Though I have been seeing results of the Fit by 40 challenge for weeks now, this week is the first time I have seen an indication of the return of my pre-pregnancy body. It is so exciting! I am also breathing easier while running. I am feeling stronger and healthier week by week and seeing muscle definition that has been missing for years. Yay!

I am tempted to get on the scale to see the progress I have made; and then I remember how discouraged I was in Week 9 when I thought I would see a different result than I expected. So for now I am celebrating the positive changes in my lifestyle and body. They are a great source of encouragement and I know I can stick with this challenge through the last few weeks!

What Went Well, Week 11:

Celebrating Progress: In the past I typically celebrated a win of any kind with an extra nacho night that week. Seeing as how that is counter-intuitive to my goals, this week I celebrated a win by taking a little time for some self care. Rather than reward myself with unhealthy choices, I decided it was appropriate to pamper the body I am celebrating!

Moderation: I am getting better at enjoying things in moderation.This week my sister’s family came over for the evening. We had some yummy, less healthy foods. Knowing the plans ahead of time allowed me to make choices the rest of the day that would support my overall goal. I made sure to eat healthy, nutritious food the rest fo the day and we spent some time together exercising as a family.

Exercise: We continue to exercise as a family and I am loving it! Not only are we building healthy habits with our children, we are having lots of family time. This week, our children were asking us to exercise together! I am encouraged that this is something that will continue well after the Fit by 40 children since we all like it so much. We capped the weekend with a 3 vs. 3 soccer match.

Areas That Needs Work, Week 11:

Going to Bed Early: I published my first course this week! After more than three months of work, it was time to push through and finish it. I stayed up late several nights this week to get it done. After being in the habit of getting adequate sleep each night, I really felt the lack of sleep this week! Finishing the course was well worth it. I am hoping to jump back into my usual sleep routine as I now realize its importance in my overall well being.

Listening to my Intuition: An important part of overall wellness is listening to your intuition. It is something I have been doing pretty well for a few months. This week I failed to do so and it caused a problem. While I would love to go back and do things differently, I am taking this as a learning opportunity. I will be paying attention to those gut feelings in the future!

The encouragement I feel from several different sources is inspiring me to work a little harder to meet my goals. There are times where I am tempted to fall back into some old habits and then remember our family exercise times and how far I have come. Those thoughts help me push through. I know I can do it and you can too! Thanks for being with me on this journey!

What helps you feel encouraged?