I woke up the other morning and threw on my favorite sweat pants only to find that these good ol’ standbys were tight. Not just a tiny bit tight, but the kind of tight where you need to find bigger pants to throw on. It was around 5am, and I thought, You know what? Today’s the first dang day of the rest of my life. I need some energy back, I need to not want to throw in the towel by 6pm every night!
I’m basically the guy running in jeans. We’ve all seen him. He’s like, “Man, I gotta work out, and these jeans are a great idea to run a 5k in!” Rashes be darned, I gotta sweat. I wore a canvas coat, brought a salad dressing squeezy bottle for my water, and I did it. I started by hitting these mountainous stairs near my house built into a hillside and ITS WORKING!
I want to make something very clear: my self-worth isn’t wrapped up in my pants size. I actually really like myself; I don’t mind my extra squish or chubby cheeks, and I look great in my undies! By the by, If you don’t feel like you look great in your undies, buy new undies! Throw out everything ripped with holes in them and get some pretty brakettes and big-waisted underwear and I promise it goes 19 miles toward making you feel good! Don’t worry, you’ll never catch me posting freaking before-and-after photos of me in my underwear because I’m not a weirdo who believes the internet needs to see that.
I actually hate when women feel that they are gross or in some way unworthy or ugly because of life weight. The kind that sneaks up on you after a few years of marriage and kids and working full-time. I am exercising and losing weight for energy and for my kids! Not for approval by the world or to hear comments like “WOW, you lost weight?!!! OMG, you look amazing!!!” As if I didn’t look amazing before! ‘Cause, honey, I did and do and will continue to look great because of my heart and soul – not my pant size.
There is no diet I’m following. I’m not paleo or Whole 30 or anti-carb. I’m Team Balance. I eat sensibly. I don’t snack on bacon, but I do eat bacon! I try to eat less carbs, about 15 carbs per meal. Lots of water and fruit and vegetables. I make a big salad with our dinner every night, and I skip the starch sometimes at dinner. If you deprive yourself of everything, it won’t stick as a lifestyle. I want a lifestyle overhaul! I eat a protein-packed snack at bed time, like string cheese and turkey meat to keep my blood sugar stable while I sleep. I had gestational diabetes while I was preggo, so I try to keep all those same eating principles, and honestly the weight just starts to come off!
I’m feeling better this week, and I’ll definitely be having one slice of this pie and working out in the am! I’m feeling more clarity and much more motivation during the day after 4 days of morning sweat sessions! I want to encourage you. No diet will make you love yourself; no amount of weight loss will make you enjoy who you are. Be kind to yourself because, honestly, kindness makes you beautiful. If your sweats are tight, go for a walk and eat less. That’s it! I like to set small goals and crush them rather than think, Hey, I’ve got soooooo much weight to lose!!! I’ve got a 5 pound goal. I’m drinking all the water and not berating who I am. I hope you get moving and make this easy weekend treat!
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P.S.: Strong is the new sexy – not skinny. Go forth and crush your day.
Basic Not Basic Chocolate Cream Pie
Makes 1 9- or 10-inch pie
Crust
13 graham crackers
6 Tbsp. melted salted butter
Pie Filling
1 3.4 oz. package of all natural instant chocolate pudding
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Whipped Cream Top
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Crush the grahams and mix them with the melted butter. They should resemble wet sand when perfectly mixed. Press crumbs into a pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and place directly in the freezer for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, whip your pudding ingredients with a hand or stand mixer until creamy and slightly fluffy. Spoon pudding into the graham cracker crust. Whip the cream in the same bowl you made the pudding in. Spoon over the top of the pudding and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight before serving. I like to allow the pie to sit at room temp for 15-20 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh berries and enjoy!