A Year to a Healthier Me: 2014

So, this year on top of ridding myself of drama, I want to get healthy both physically, mentally and spiritually. Notice how I say a year to a healthier me, and not a skinner me? I don't think that the two are interchangeable (however, getting thinner may be a result of getting healthier but not the goal.) Anyways...

I feel like I hop on and off the work out train so much I should be getting frequent flyer miles, and its annoying. Right when I start seeing real results something comes up and I get derailed and end up starting back over. I know I am not the only one. Thankfully I am starting about 15 lbs over my ending weight in 2012 making my total weight loss since I originally started around 60 lbs+. That and the fact that I haven't gained much back should be celebrated. I am by no means where I want to be, but I am trying to not focus on the scale or the size of my pants but about how I feel. (Sore. I feel sore right now). I know that when I am working out (which I actually adore) and fueling my body with good food I feel happier, have more energy and my depression goes away. Funny how it all works that way?

285lbs to current 220lbs. boom.

For me, I know what works. I can't just eat well and I can't just work out, I have to couple the two and I see results. but the biggest piece of the puzzle is my mentality. When I am in a good head space and truly believe it is worth it, have a goal in mind and want it, I achieve it. And for the first time in almost a year I am back in that head space. I don't just want to get healthy, I need to. And I will. Mainly because my best friend is getting married this fall, my sister is getting married sometime in the next year, I am a matron of honor in another friends wedding may 2015, and my brother is eventually going to get married in the next few years. Let's face it, with that much time in front of the camera I don't want to be sweating about how I look or looking back at people I love's wedding pictures and hating myself. So I am going the route of high lean protein low carb diet, weight training coupled with running (I did a 10 minute mile yesterday!!) and yoga.

But on the flip side, I am mentally learning how to embrace my body as it is. Flab, rolls, and stretch marks. On a lot of people's scale I am plus size and that is ok. Actually it isn't ok. I hate the term plus sized. And as a normal woman in a normal world allow me to address this. We don't call  clothes that are 0-4 the skinny chick section and the 6-12 racks the average section so why on earth is it ok to call the 14+ sections "Plus Size"? How is that right? Our society has such a terrible mindset that there is no surprise that normal healthy girls feel fat. Why do we have to separated "plus size" from the rest? Aren't we all women with feelings, brains, and amazing personalities? Why should the size of my pants become my describing factor? It's not right, and yet we continue to let fashion magazines determine our worth and we don't fight it. It's time to stop that. We should not be ok to search pinterest for weddings and stumble on a pin that says "Real Plus Size Wedding: Beautiful plus size lace gown". I am sorry, this isn't ok. That bride is a bride and does not need the "plus size" qualifier. The end.

This doesn't mean I am going to stop working out, but if my working out continues to leave me in my size 12/14 jeans than so be it. I am beautiful regardless.

So all of this to say that I am looking foreword to this year. I am embracing my body, changing things up, and taking charge of what I can, like what I put into my body (no one forces me to eat anything I don't want!) and going to the gym. I have control over those actions and have no excuses. And 15 days in of no drama and negativity has me in a wonderfully happy mental place and coupled with some hard workouts, I am looking foreword to how things will change this year.

Do you have any weight loss or fitness goals this year? What about mental goals?  How do you plan on reaching them?