It Begins...

It's 2013! We made it passed the end of the world. Now its time to make life happen and make myself happy. I have two beautiful little girls and a wonderful, hard working husband and this year we start a new journey. We have been living in Germany for the past four years and are soon to be headed back to the U.S. We are all very excited. We love Europe and certainly feel privileged to have been able to live here, however, we are ready to move on.
I have been certified as a personal trainer since 2005, but have only seriously worked in the field for short increments at a time. I did some training in GA at Gold's Gym, but I was the Officer Manager mainly. Then upon arriving in Germany, I did training at the base gym, but then was hired to administer PT tests for Airman; mostly paperwork again. I finished school in 2010 wit a BA in History, only to really now have to think about what I am actually going to do with that. I still love fitness!
Since my youngest was born in July, I have been working out and watching what I eat, only to see no change to the numbers on the scale. It's highly frustrating and I know it takes time, but you are reminded on every media source, on a daily basis, that somehow, you do stand up to impossible standards.
I'm not perfect. I'm not ripped (think Jillian, my idol), would I like to be? Hell ya? Will I ever? Maybe one day, but I know why I am not. My fitness journey has been slow, very slow, but productive. I don't crash diet and I don't take pills. I know hard work and dedication is what makes a hard body. I think the first step to weightloss is getting over denial. I have heard people say they like being fat, they hate working out, they don't eat that much. It's all denial. Nobody likes being overweight, they don't hate working out, they hate how out of shape they are, and most of all, you are obviously eating more than you think.
Food tracking is the #1 way to see some reduction in weight and body fat. I do it, I have been (off & on) for years. I know what I eat and I know why I still hold on to a few extra pounds.  I am 5'4 and currently 180 lbs. though I think most say I don't look it. Before my last pregnancy I was at 160 and it was great to me. I am also very muscular, I have large arms, a wide back, thick legs and wide calves (and the added poundage of large breasts). I will never be a size 2, I was never meant to be and I am okay with that. My goal is to be at 150 at the end of this year. My weight concentrates from belly button to upper thighs. I want this gone!
I began working out 2 weeks postpartum, slowly. I did some walking and light weights, and increased gradually. At about 2 months postpartum, I picked up two Indoor Cycling classes week and took to kettlebell training. I am seeing the changes, just not on the scale. I am stronger, couldn't do a tuck and sprawl in my first kickboxing workout, but know I can! I am feeling better and more confident and have more energy. I am shifting my focus from the number on the scale, to how I feel about myself. I want to be healthy for my family, for my children, but most of all for me.