#ilovesourpatchkids

Last night I was reflecting on my freshman year of college. I’m not really sure why but I remembered a comment my grandmother made “you haven’t even gained weight”. She was referring to the fact I had gained the freshman 15; however, the fact was I DID gain the freshman 15 and then some. I will never forget that moment I stepped on the scale in our gym and saw the number higher than it’s ever been. For the first (and only) time in my life, my BMI was in the “overweight” range. It crushed me. I mean, I was in the gym for Pete’s sake working out, how did it come to this? But the truth is, all the working out in the world couldn’t outdo my horrible diet. I was also struggling with a lot of depression, especially after my cousin’s death. I know a lot of people are unhealthy in college, but I look back 10 years ago and can’t recall a single thing I was doing for myself that WAS healthy. Little sleep, partying, lots of fast food and alcohol, the list goes on and on. If you told me 10 years ago that a decade from now I would be in the best shape of my life, I would have laughed. But it’s true. And it’s never too late to start. #transformationtuesday

When you are at a Christmas party and are asked if your leggings are #LuLaRoe. Nope 🙅🏼‍♀️ these bad boys are from #Walmart 😂😂 I have NEVER been into designer names or the latest fashion trends. I still have a significant number of clothes from high school (I graduated 10 years ago) and the only time I get new clothes is Christmas. I am always about 7 steps behind the latest fad and if I finally give in, it’s about two years after the trend has gone out. I stick to what I know and rarely step out of my comfort zone. So that’s how you know when I am doing something “trendy” or have stepped out of my comfort zone it’s because it’s something I really like or am passionate about, not because it’s cool. Kinda like this whole coaching gig 😉 I don’t use the products or programs because it’s the “in” thing to do; I use them because I love them and I know if you give it a chance, you will too. - - - - - #healthylifestyle #fitphd #fittherapist #fitwife #clinicalpsychology #psychologyphd #phdlife #gradschoollife #puppymom #cavapoomom #fitfromhome #selflove #lifestylechange #fitstudent #svuaddict #edwarrior #mentalhealthawareness #ilovesourpatchkids #suicidepreventionadvocate #positivitychallenge #thepowerofpositivity #decemberpositivity #negativitybias

I often question if my body is still changing. I doubt that I will make more progress because I’m already pretty small for my frame. But then I look back at how far I have come and realize that even when I don’t see it, my body is changing in huge ways. Want to know the secret? Showing up and being consistent. Consistency does not mean doing things perfectly, but it means getting back up when you’ve fallen off track, making healthy choices 80% of the time, and continuously challenging yourself to do better. It is about taking baby steps to make huge gains, rather than big jumps that result in shortcomings. It’s about utilizing your supports and resources, rather than doing it alone. I am here to support you, here to teach you those baby steps, and here to provide you with those resources that have helped me make these changes over the past (almost two years). Are you ready to make the change?

I didn’t want to work out today. I completed a post-doc application, made my Halloween costume, took the dog on multiple walks, checked the mail (twice), and did laundry, all to avoid working out. But here I am, post-workout. Was it my best? Not at all. Was it worth it? Absolutely. - - - - - #healthylifestyle #fitphd #fittherapist #fitwife #clinicalpsychology #psychologyphd #phdlife #gradschoollife #puppymom #cavapoomom #fitfromhome #selflove #lifestylechange #fitstudent #svuaddict #edwarrior #mentalhealthawareness #ilovesourpatchkids #suicidepreventionadvocate #youareincontrolofyourreactions #emotionregulation #findyourcopingskills

Or breakfast, or lunch. Literally me this morning. I asked Spence what I should eat and all of his suggestions I was like nope 🙅🏼. Why is deciding what to eat so difficult?

With how obsessed I am with my dog I can’t imagine what I will be like when we have human children 😂.

Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror and go “is that really me?” This could be a positive or a negative question but, regardless, it’s funny how sometimes we don’t even recognize ourselves. I had that moment today when working out. It’s amazing how day to day we may not notice changes but over time we can tell just how much change we have made.

I took this weekend to catch up on a ton of work I had been putting off. I stepped away from social media and focused on research and putting together the free group I am running this week. I set a goal, and I crushed it. I edited two book chapters, two papers to resubmit to journals, and set up my whole week of crockpot recipes. This weekend was EXACTLY what I needed after the headspace I have been in recently. So here is to making Monday amazing and continuing on this productive path.