Low fat or Low carb? How about try sweating first!

Thanks ladies for all your feedback. I am glad it brought encouragement to you! Awesome!

If yesterday's post advocated exercise ONLY, I apologize but exercise was my main focus. By no means did I mean to say exercise gives you a free ticket to eat whatever you want. Sorry if it came out that way. Eating healthy is VERY important!!!

I do believe that people in general come up with plenty of excuses on why they can't work out. No time, no money, kids too small, work too late, working mom, working dad, bad back, bad feet and so on. I've heard many of the excuses from myself. The thing is, a lot of these excuses are valid. So what do you do?

When I got serious about running again, my third child was only 6 months old. My husband worked insane hours and I had a two and four year old. There were mornings my friend and I were meeting at 5am to run for thirty minutes because both of our husbands left at 5:30am every single morning. Then we got tired of early morning and switched to running after kids were in bed. I guess that is why I am so excited to have finally pushed through the excuses and made exercising a priority. We always find room for the things we love. We sit on the couch and watch tv. We play on the computer. We talk on the phone. We do so many other things and then say we don't have time for exercise.

This is the first time I have had a membership to a gym. I lowered our satellite tv package, canceled netflix and found some ways to have the money for the gym. My kids LOVE it and since it's the YMCA, all of their sports they play are free. My husband has found so much joy in going to the Y after work and we do it as a family. It's the best money would could possibly spend right now and it was worth sacrificing other stuff. There is ALWAYS a way to do what we love and this is where I feel like encouraging Moms.

We live in a society these days that is obsessed with food. The "fat free", "gluten free", "light", "no sugar added", "organic", "all natural", "no hormones" type of things written on our foods in the grocery store is overwhelming. There is a new segment on the morning tv shows daily of what has been recalled or longer good for us. I think for Moms trying to prepare healthy meals on a weekly basis, it's difficult trying to plan and buy the ingredients for those meals. Most of my friends are really trying to cook healthier. I don't feel burdened there because I see them trying. I do see them NOT exercising.

Society has made all of us feel defeated. The beautiful people will see on tv and then all of the commercials for healthy eating. Society is obsessed and they make it seem impossible to be healthy. I love the Biggest Loser because they are not eating all organic or stuff that seems hard for people to accomplish in their daily or nightly cooking in the kitchen. They are just making smart choices. The trainers make it seem possible, doable.

I know people who spend all of their time on diets or weight watcher programs but they are not sweating. I see people trying to make the adjustments in their diet but I don't see it happening in their physical life.

My post yesterday centered around exercise. If you get to know me, you know that I eat healthy but I also love to indulge in Taco Bueno. I can do that! Now some may not agree with me but I think in order to experience true life change, it comes with exercise. It comes with getting that heart rate up, sweating it out and experiencing those endorphins that show you how strong you really are!!

Sure I just ran a marathon and work out regularly but it was hard to get there and it took me finally putting to death all of the excuses. And by no means do I think I have all the answers. There are women who have run many more marathons than me, faster than me and are in much better shape. I do not think that I am a fitness expert. I am learning in the gym every single day. What I do know is how much my mindset has changed because of the hard work. I still have my emotional days. I still get angry. I still feel insecure in some ways. But when I go to the gym or go for a run, I work it out. I work that anger out. As I pound away, i get softer in my heart. My attitude changes towards people, towards myself and my mind is clear. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is the only reason I have that and how HE has used exercise to speak to me.

The majority of Moms I come across these days are struggling. They are struggling to get baby weight off, struggling to feel good about themselves, struggling to get through an addiction, struggling in their marriage, in their friendships, struggling with depression and so much more. I know many more moms who are in the pit than Moms I know who are working it out and fighting for life change. Why is that? Why are so many Moms depressed? Discontent? Angry? Jealous? Lonely? Overweight? If you are not struggling with any of these, GREAT!!! But at some point, we all will or we all have.

A lot contributes to all of the above but I am someone who can GUARANTEE, I can put my money on it and PROMISE you that EXERCISE can begin to change ALL OF IT. Especially how you look at it!

Do something to make you sweat today!