Time To Get REALLY Real...and Journey On!

I'm going a step above the infamous Dr. Phil today...time for me to get REALLY real! You see, I've learned to accept and love myself at any size, which is a wonderful thing since I now live each moment of my life to the fullest and allow myself to be present in that moment. The only downside is that I allowed myself to go to a different extreme...since I love myself no matter how much I weigh, I can eat whatever I want, right?

Wrong! I've noticed that I started getting out of breath again now, at least sometimes. (At first I thought it might have something to do with our air conditioner breaking...and I'm sure that didn't help matters.) I wondered why my swimsuit felt kind of tight on me when I wore it Saturday. I figured I might have gained a couple of pounds on vacation, but no more than that since I was still getting plenty of exercise. Well, I bit the bullet and got on the scale this morning. Since I last got on the scale in July, I gained almost 8 pounds. Too many ice cream indulgences and treats while on vacation did me in. (If I ever move down South, please remind me that I need to find healthier versions of my Southern favorites!)

The number on the scale showed up as 210.0. I don't consider this a tragedy of any kind, but just a point from which to start back on my healthy eating plan. I have no regrets about this summer, since it's all a part of my journey and I've learned about myself and about life. This time, the number on the scale and the tight swimsuit will not cause me to curl up into a ball and stay inside of my house as it usually did in the past. I am a wonderful, beautiful person and I deserve to go out into the world and live my life. No hiding the person God made me to be. I can still live my life to the fullest as I re-incorporate my healthy eating plan back into my daily routine.

Part of living life to the fullest is being able to do all of the things God has planned for you and you need to accomplish without getting out of breath or dragging along with no energy. Celebrate who you are right this minute...and honor that person by taking care of your health!

My Smoky Mountain Vacation!

It was soooooo nice to get away for 3 days and relax. I've been really busy which is wonderful, but we all need a little break every now and then. My husband, son, and I spent the weekend in the Great Smoky Mountains, staying at their waterpark Wilderness at the Smokies. We all really needed this vacation. It's been a rough year, and even though my husband has started his new job we still have a lot of catching up on bills to do. This was our first real vacation in 4 years, and we enjoyed every minute even though we wish it could have been longer.

I always say that I really should have been born south of the Mason-Dixon Line. I love all things Southern, and I enjoyed being able to have grits and as much REAL sweet tea as I could hold. We also had dinner at a great place called Bennett's in Pigeon Forge...amazing BBQ for the tummy and plenty of old blues music for the soul. If you are anywhere near this area I would highly recommend eating there. You will not be sorry! We spent a lot of time at the waterpark, both indoors and outdoors, and just had a great time as we let go of our worries for the weekend. It was a computer free trip, which made it even more relaxing. We are already planning on going back there sometime soon and staying longer, so we can have time to visit Dollywood and all of the other attractions that look so interesting. The budget could only handle a short trip this time, but now we can plan out a longer visit for when our finances are ready.

Now it's back to the regular schedule, and school starts next week so we're getting ready for that as well. It's also back to healthier eating for me...because while it's nice to be able to enjoy all of the great foods on vacation, after a while your body tells you to take a break from the rich fare. All in moderation, so now it's time to balance out my vacation menu with more of the nutritious stuff. Got to take care of my body...it's the only one I've got!