Making A Change | Charlottesville Newborn Photographer

I want to start out saying that this is going to be a super hard blog post for me to write. Not because of the subject necessarily but because it will be total exposure of myself. It’s admitting to myself that I am not doing my best in this area.

This year will be my third year to participate in  Baby Boot Camp Charlottesville’s Mother Love Challenge (MOLO). I started boot camp shortly after moving to Charlottesville because I desperately needed some friends and losing some weight didn’t sound too bad either. Lucas was six months old when I did my first challenge. During each challenge I have made improvements. The first year I lost some weight and the second year my fitness definitely improved so each challenge has helped my health. But, I have yet to make any really large progress. This year I am determined to change that.

I developed a really bad habit when I was in college. I would  basically eat whatever I wanted to on the weekends and then I would work I off in the gym calorie wise the next week. The mindset that I can just work off any poor food choices has been with me ever since. However, after having my kids, it no longer works for me. Holy revelation! For the past four years I have just gone on approaching my weight loss in the same manor that had worked for me for years. But it just doesn’t work and it’s time for a change. I must make a change.

I’m going to share my before pictures from the challenge this year. This is so super uncomfortable for me but I’m hoping a little public ridicule if I fail will be the extra motivation that I need to make the necessary changes I need to make. Feel free to publicly boo me if I fail. Seriously. My pictures:

Have you ever looked at a picture of yourself and been shocked? Well, let’s just say I took a lightning bolt when I pulled my picture up on my computer. I couldn’t believe how heavy I still look. Well maybe that’s because I am still heavy! I know we all have really weird body image issues. Mine is super dumb. Apparently, when I’m heavy, I convince myself that I look like I did before I had kids, despite the scale saying I’m a good 30 lbs heavier. And when I was that 30 lbs lighter, I thought I looked like a hugely obese person. What the heck it up with that?! So here’s the truth. I don’t believe that I look like someone who runs regularly or works out three days a week. Last week I ran 8 miles but I don’t think anyone would think that about me. I don’t think anyone would look at me and say to themselves, gosh, now there’s a girl that runs!

So if I am working my body as much as I am and not seeing the results I want, then I have to change my eating habits. Plain as that. So this year, while I’m stilling pushing myself super hard during my three mornings at Baby Boot Camp and running on my two off week days, the challenge is really going to be about what goes into my body. I’m going to post updates every two weeks to keep myself accountable. If I think people are watching, whether they actually are or not, I will stick to my goals. And seriously, if I putter out half way through this three month challenge, I urge you to chastise me.