This is not only a challenge to lose but a challenge to heal

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is 
what you do now. BUDDHA 

Just as I mentioned before I'm also in this competition to reach my own goals and will be blogging and working just like the rest of you amazing women. Blogging is one of the biggest pieces of this competition for several reasons.

1. It connects us to one another. You share your struggles and triumphs, we learn from them, support you and root for you.

2. It holds you accountable. One of the BIGGER reasons. Once you write it and share with your peers you are so much more likely to actually do it.

3. Defines your goals. You take the time out to see what did or didn't work for you, so you know where to improve, what to kick out completely and what to add in. This doesn't have to be the worst thing that has ever happened to you and you now live your life depressed that you can't make your goals, will always be unhappy with your body and lifestyle choices etc. Life is all about learning and I hope you will learn a lot about yourself and what feels good to you. I challenge everybody to find something that works and have fun with it. For my Mom and my aunt they LOVE their Visalus shakes and with out exercising they continue to slowly lose weight by substituting meals with shakes that don't get boring because they can have a different kind each time. Now they both plan to add in exercise and take the next step with some better eating choices on top of the shakes. Hopefully they find joy in that as well. We are here to help each other find their happy place with this journey. It took me several attempts and will likely be something I do all my life but I also enjoy it.

I also recommend doing your blog at the beginning of your week. Weigh in, write your blog. Set your goals, talk about the week prior. Get in a routine. Reward yourself and evaluate. Don't take hours to write but share with us what you can. We want to know! And if you set goals half way through your week (all but 3 have done this on week 1) then you aren't really giving yourself a chance to meet those goals and work towards something. You will get out of this what you put in. Make the commitment, make the choice and you will find the time and energy.

Now for my goals:

Long term:

• Lose at least 10lbs. Hike more. Be outside more. Feel good, feel healthy and radiate light. Be conscious of my thoughts (are my reactions to things positive or negative). Stay connected and committed to myself re: personal and professional goals. These are going to be some very BIG months in defining my future. I need all the focus and motivation I can muster up.

Short term: (how to reach my long term)

• Last week I started a new (healthier) morning routine. The first thing that goes in my body is now hot water, fresh lemon and a little cayenne pepper to jump start my digestion and metabolism. I now eliminate coffee and the unhealthy creamers. :)

• I'm looking to go as close to whole foods as I can. Nothing frozen or processed. Reading labels, making salads, blending my own fruits and veggies etc. Making sure I fill my day with nutrients, not garbage.  I have even substituted some vegan cheeses in my salads to reduce the dairy, the fat and the torture to the animal that I also consume in my body. I know what goes inside shows on the outside. :)

• Run! I have signed up for 3 races before summer. My first one is a half marathon in 2 months! I hope to improve my time with each run and have fun. Having the race as a goal motivates me, gives me a huge reward for my efforts and the race itself is full of such great energy and I miss it. Yesterday I ran 4 miles, today I will run 5. By next week I want to be able to run 6.

I also challenge everybody to find somebody you admire. Why do you admire them? Did you know it's because they have inside them something that you know deep down you have inside you, you just aren't quite tapping into it fully?  I started to travel because I admired a friend who traveled. I started to hike, camp and be adventurous because I briefly dated a boy who had such a full and happy life, I too wanted that for myself. I ran a marathon because my best friend ran marathons and I was so proud of her! I follow 2 women's healthy living blogs and they inspire me daily to do better for myself, the animals and the earth. I volunteered and decided to make a difference because of all the people who came into my old job inspired me and showed me that we ALL can make a difference. In fact, that is the purpose of life. You are deep down what you desire. You are worth it. You are biggest inspiration, your biggest fan and also your biggest foe. Where do you want to place your energy? When you find these things I think much of the rest will fall into place. I think we have all gotten to the weight we are at because we aren't tapping into our purpose, drowning pain, giving into false pleasure. This is not just a challenge to lose but a challenge to heal. Hand in hand this will be how you change for good.

What you are is what you have been. What you'll be is 
what you do now. BUDDHA 

Thank you for reading this far. I love you all and am excited for us all to transform and grow in some little way over the next few months. We all deserve it. xo

Annie