There is much beauty found outside of your comfort zone...

These weeks seem to be flying right on by as of late.
Which I am okay with because I am seeing one more snow flake away from a break down.
Guess I will have a break down because we are supposed to get another big storm coming through Sunday into Monday.
I.AM.OVER.IT.
Bring me sunshine, flip flops, and Summer Shandy puh-lease!

I am serious.
This winter has done a dandy on me.
I don't know what it is?
Age?
The fact that we have been spoiled with the previous couple of winters.
It is just depressing and I am really lacking the good ol' {healthy} Vitamin D.
I want to feel the pavement under my feet for a good long run.
I want to get outside and play with my kiddos.
I feel trapped and I don't like that, not one little bit!

Anyways...
Enough of the bitching about Mother Nature who I think could really use a drink right now.
No, that bitch isn't drunk, she is deprived.
I weighed 155 on Saturday and have not stepped on the scale since.
Honestly with as good as I felt I don't want to.
I will be doing my final weigh in, in 5 days for the Diet Bet I participated in.
It is what it is.
Who knows.
I could be up or I could be down.
I have been watching what I eat carefully trying to really behave and I have been working my ass off in the gym.
Today is cardio-schmardio.

I have my first 5k in three weeks.
To be perfectly honest I am not 100% ready but I am not at all scared.
I am not going to be too hard on myself right now because I have really dedicated to more strength training than running.
I love the feel of getting stronger and lifting weights has really helped me feel that way.

I am just going to run until I can't run anymore today.
Slowing down when I need to, upping the speed and incline when I am feeling it, all with a smile on my face.
Even when it's hard...
You know why?
Because I am alive, I am healthy, and because I can!

*This difference is from May of 2013 to present =)

I am telling you I have worked hard for this. 30 pound difference. End of May to now. My weight had crept up (rather easily I might add) after I had been in the gym still but eating straight CRAP! I still didn't realize how big of a difference until just now. Eat right (but still enjoy the things you love in moderation because ain't nobody going to tell me I can't have my morning coffee or my beloved beer or pasta or pizza or Red Velvet anything, etc. etc. etc.), drink the H2izz0, work out and I don't mean just getting on the treadmill for cardio. I used to think it should just be all cardio all the time. WRONG. I can't even tell you just within the last week or so the difference I feel from strength training/lifting all da weights yo'! GAME CHANGER PEOPLE. I have never felt more uncomfortable in the gym as I did when I first started lifting. I was TERRIFIED of the bench press... but I can also tell you that since stepping out of my comfort zone, off the treadmill, and into the "weight lifting area" of the gym I have now never felt more confident. I walk in there with my head held high... Confident AND strong. Nobody even pays attention to me while I am flexing in the mirror... Nobody cares. We are all there for the same reason. TO GET HEALTHY AND BE A BETTER VERSION OF OURSELVES! So step on out of your comfort area you might just be surprised at what you discover... and let me tell you something... from my end it's absolutely beautiful!!!!!

{There is much beauty found outside of your comfort zone}