Vida. Risa. Amor.

I've had one thing on my mind all day today, and now it's time I just face the facts:  It is just no longer a possiblity to "suck in", my arms continue to say hello after I'm all done waving, the capris I bought for myself last summer haven't shrunk, and "muffins" are not cute. 
At all.

My suspicions were confirmed a few weeks ago when I made an "appearance" on the scale in the ladies locker room at the gym last week.  Three pounds heavier than last summer.  What in the world.

Here's my week in a tiny microscopic nutshell:  I have run over 15 miles, hiked up a mountain for 3 hours, finished a Firm weight workout twice, moved seventy-five 10 pound bricks from eyelevel on a shelf in Home Depot...to the back of my van...to my parent's backyard....to help make a raised garden bed...which also required shoveling and  moving 10 wheelbarrels full of dirt.  (I seriously LOVE outdoor projects by the way, and secretly wish I was a professional landscaper).  Weeded my backyard and found time to make a mini brick patio in the front of my own house...(thanks to my bro for all the free bricks).  Still made dinners & dishes & laundry, still got the kids to practices & school & church groups, and yet STILL after all this physical activity, no pound has decided to melt off of my body.

Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit discouraged.  And tired.  Of course I am thankful my body can function and do amazing things, yet the reality is I'm not getting any younger. Or skinnier.  Why if I want to eat Peanut M&M's do they have to stick to me??  I don't like that losing weight usually requires to eat less and work out more.  Ugh.  It's downright exhausting, if not depressing.

And yet, that's what half of the Mom's I know, just know.  No Pain, No Gain.  When I saw a Mom pushing through the rain with her baby in her stroller just to get out and jog last week, I felt I could relate.  Been there.  We do just about anything to squeeze in time for our workouts.  We want to look good.  We want to be healthy.  And we'll jog in the rain if it helps us get there.

I like working out and I like to eat.  Let me rephrase, I like feeling healthy and strong, and I also like to enjoy food....(my favorite food to eat is the kind someone else makes for me).  So sometimes I workout so that I can eat.  And drink.  And it is quite possible that this is the scenario that is secretly backfiring on me, and at this point I pretty much know something needs to change.  So if that somehow requires portion control and giving up on chocolate and carbs for a while, then so be it.  Sigh.

In the movie Eat, Pray and Love, Julia Roberts went out and bought herself "big girl pants".  (Dumb movie anyway).  All I really want is to fit into the jeans I own now...maybe make them a little baggy on me if I'm being completely honest.

Bring on the early morning jogs again.