I feel amazing!

And when I feel amazing, I just want to shout it to the whole world! Not because I want to brag about it or try and make people jealous or make others who don't feel amazing feel bad about themselves....but because I want to spread the amazing feeling around!

I wish I knew how I could help other people feel this amazing.

I think that is part of the reason I blog. I absolutely know for a fact that part of (or most of) the reason I feel this good is because of a healthy diet and regular exercise. And maybe by stating that, I will help someone, somewhere, who may be struggling, to give this lifestyle a try and feel amazing themselves.

There are times when I feel selfish about blogging. Because it's about ME. What I do, day in and day out. But I need to get over that because there are TONS of blogs just like mine. And my hope is to have a faithful following of people who read me because they like my ideas, attitudes, etc. The same way I follow certain blogs that I like because I find inspiration from them, not because I find them self-centered people.

Anyway, enough of that rant.

I had another GREAT day at the gym. I am SO glad that I joined. Mom and I were talking about that in the locker room today after our workout. It was such a big leap, for both of us, and we did it and both feel like we could never go back to the way it was.

The gym has help me in so many ways. I have made gains that would not have been possible at home. The atmosphere pushes me harder and now and then I get a good dose of BAM! to my ego when people I don't know compliment me on my fitness.

Everyone likes to get recognition for what they do - whether it's a promotion at work, a compliment from your kids about dinner, a pat on the back from your parents for good grades....whatever it is, it means something to get a compliment for your efforts. It makes all the hard work worth while.

I am on my way to a goal. This blog is about that goal. The struggles, the ups and downs, the things I've tried and liked, the things that haven't worked out so well, the slips ups, the set backs...everything. I put my whole self out there for the world to see. It isn't always rainbows and unicorns. And if you read a lot of my posts, you definitely know when I'm having off days! I try to be as real as I can without disclosing too much intimate information.

Sometimes I wonder what people think of me posting pictures of my body but it is necessary to show progression. It's necessary, mainly, for myself. The scale is not a measuring tool I trust. I barely use it anymore. Because it doesn't matter what I weigh. What matters is what I see in the mirror and how my clothes fit, and how I see myself in the pictures I take. That's it!

When no one I talk to seems to understand my body goals, this is the place I usually turn to vent my frustration. When I'm sick of people telling me I'm too skinny already, why do I exercise and "diet" so much, this is where I go to explain that what they are perceiving as a quest to get skinnier is very VERY wrong. I know my body better than anyone. I have very specific goals and I train according to those goals. Whether or not you understand my goal, is irrelevant. I know what I need to do and why. And after I've reached my goals, you STILL might not understand it. But I'll still be here, blogging away, hoping to recruit you. Hoping to inspire you. Hoping to help you.

Because I feel AMAZING! And if you try it, you might feel amazing too! Go on, lift a dumbbell, see how it makes you feel - I dare you!