Having tried to eat clean while depriving myself of dairy, wheat, and sweets, adding in exercise and drinking lots of water, I’ll admit to being discouraged when the number on the scale did not move!

Ugh!

If that isn’t discouraging, I don’t know what is!

But, here’s the thing.  You can be discouraged and allow those feelings for a minute or two.  Just don’t stay there!  Don’t wallow in self pity or “Why me?” and don’t you dare do the “What is wrong with me?” questioning that we are prone to in situations like these.

I told a friend just the other day about the non moving numbers on the scale, and the reply was, “How could that happen?”  Yea … I’d like to know that also, BUT what I do know is that I am not the only one this has happened to recently.

One of my previous (In)courage friends posted a picture of herself in December and another picture at the end of January.  Normally there is massive amounts of change in a before and after picture, but there wasn’t a drastic change in her pictures.  She was honest and shared that the numbers on HER scale didn’t move either.  I thanked her for sharing because it helped to encourage me when I was feeling a bit defeated.

The thing is, no number on the scale can tell you how healthy you are getting your body.  No numbers on the scale can tell you that you’ve replaced fat with muscles that you’ve built by doing those squats and lifting those weights.

No number on a scale can tell you how beautiful you are or how hard you’ve worked.  Yes, it would be nice if the number decreased … even just a little bit.  BUT, what is more important is how you FEEL … how you LOOK … and how your clothes are FITTING!

So this is me telling you – and myself – to get back out there and DO this!  You CAN, with God’s help.  Remember – God will strengthen you!  Just ask, pray over this, and hit that treadmill like I’m going to do RIGHT after I hit “post” for this article.

Feeling defeated, too?  Don’t stay there!!

Let’s do this … together!

Oh, dear Lord.

What was I thinking?

Having just started an exercise and clean eating lifestyle change, I got extremely sick within the first week!  Now if that isn’t discouraging, I don’t know what is!

Here I was trying to better myself, stick with my new year’s resolutions and make a life change … which resulted in my body rebelling.  It was as if it hissed, snarled, and growled … leaving in its aftermath a severe sore throat and eventually a low grade fever.  After nearly losing my voice to where I squeaked like a field mouse when trying to speak, I felt the sickest I’ve been in years!  Ah, but my body wasn’t finished rebelling yet.  Along came the whole coughing up a lung thing.  I could have sworn I saw the other lung come hurling up last night!

And then … after five days of feeling unnecessary and useless … I decided it had been long enough now, and it was time to get back to exercising.

What in the world was I thinking by putting in Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred?

Yes, I had completely forgotten the butt kicking she gave me once before when I tried this, and even on Level One, I was gasping and panting within the first five minutes.

Winded, you say?

Ha!

I tried to keep up, and I did pretty good until I realized she jumps around … and my joints just couldn’t take a whole lot of that this morning.  I did the best I could, though, and when I just couldn’t do that particular move any more, I modified it, walked into the kitchen to get more water, and came back for more torture … I mean, exercise!

Weight training, squats, and ab work, I can do!  I can even do jumping jacks.  You want to know what got me?  When she started with the jump rope thing, followed by butt kicks where you’re running in place and kicking yourself in the butt.  Literally.

THAT is when I had to modify the move.

Insert Leslie Sansome’s Walk Away The Pounds skater move.  Instead of running and kicking, I did a move as if I was up on roller skates.  I still managed to kick my own butt, just in a different low intensity way.

So, a word to the wise … if you’ve been sick … don’t get discouraged.  You can get back into your exercise routine slowly.  Notice the word … S L O W L Y.

Don’t do like I did and pick the hardest exercise trainer after five days of being ill.

BUT … don’t give up either.

Get back in there and gradually begin your work outs.  Once you’re back to feeling like yourself again, by all means, increase the intensity.

Just learn from my mistake … as I sit here sipping on my second glass of water trying to recover.  Hey, I’m no longer panting so that’s a good sign.  lol

NOW … Bible Study time!

Maybe I should have started my day with that instead!  Another lesson learned!