Anniversary Reflections

Two of my life milestones happened around this time in July - 2 years ago I bought the house I now live in (and still love to pieces regardless of how much work there is left to do), and 1year ago I started working out with Laurissa (when Core Essentials was just her and we worked out in Alderney Landing).

This has me reflecting on what I've accomplished one year of a healthy lifestyle:

1. I've lost 20 pounds - This was done sloowwwllly - which they say is the best way to lose weight if you plan to keep it off (which, obviously I do). I think there is more to loose, but I've learned not to obsess about the weight as its not a good reflection of fitness or muscle mass (muscle weights more than fat, so if I've lost weight but put on muscle traditional weighing myself won't account for that).
2. I've lost 8 + inches (I've overdue to me measured) - this is a collective loss, but the place where the largest I've lost the most was in my torso: this is the 'natural waist (smallest point of your torso) and what I call my waistline (where my pants actually sit). A modest amount from my butt and hips, and then smaller amounts from arms and calves. Interestingly, I've lost a noticeable amount from my face and neck but you can't measure that! LOL!  
3. My fitness level is VASTLY different - I have no way to gauge how much this has improved as I didn't take an initial fitness test of any sort, BUT I can now do an hour of hard cardio without passing out, and I recover quickly (whereas I would have been done for for the day when I started). I have muscles were there weren't any, and those that I had which were bulky and inefficient are now long, lean and efficient!
4. Healthy eating habits - While this something that I started for myself, it has become more of a goal we reached as a family. I started eating better, so hubby started eating better. Hubby buys the majority of the groceries, so he started buying better, and therefore we thought more about what we were giving the kids. The kids saw us reading labels, making better choices and watching portion sizes - and they started asking questions and learning about making healthy choices!  
5. I'm a healthier, happier person - Maybe this one is the most important. I feel better in my own skin. I have more confidence. Working out 'takes the edge off', and for me this means I'm more patient and laid back. This makes me a better mother and wife. Sounds sappy, but very true.

Oh, and before I forget hubby and I took in Carly's Sat Hustle Class! As a picture is worth a thousand words I'll leave you with Before & After shots of the two of us!

Before

After!

I should sign off with a few thank you's. One for Shanan, who got me started and has become my best workout partner (and friend). One for Laurissa (and the Core Essentials Crew) for showing me the way. One for my hubby for supporting me along the way, and then joining in! One for all those people I know who have taken the moment to tell me they've noticed the changes in me, and lastly one for myself for sticking with it, even when I REALLY didn't want to!

Later!