Where's that Invisibility Cloak When You Need It?...My First Progress Photo

Hello again dear readers! 

Progress Photo 1

My first progress photo on December 4, 2016. As you can see, I am not happy at all (I mean probably not just cause of my weight although that is the main reason, but I was not happy with my hair either 😆 lol good times). This also is not my starting weight. I did not want to take a progress photo immediately because I was ashamed and embarrassed, which I regret. I should have taken it at my starting weight and not after I lost 4lbs. Everyone starts somewhere! Embrace where you're starting. Let it motivate you. Allow it to give you reason to push yourself.

I started slow with my exercise routine and began with using myfitnesspal, which I've always used to track my calories when I begin trying to lose weight. I love the app! It has helped me so much. You enter your information, goals, and activity level. It then provides you with a calorie goal. You log your meals and exercises daily. I try to overestimate my food and underestimate my exercise when I don't have exact numbers. It tends to balance out. My goal was to exercise at least 3 times a week at least 30 minutes each time and reduce calorie intake. My focus was not to change my diet. I really just wanted to ease into a routine that I would be able to follow without overwhelming myself. Hence, I started with Zumba 3 times a week. I absolutely love to dance! ♡ I tend to have to beg people to go out dancing with me and bribe them with buying their drinks lol! Anyways, Zumba is a great calorie burning workout! I have tons of fun doing it! Starting around the holidays was very hard, but challenges of all forms are always popping up in life. To me, starting then was just proving to myself I could do it and do it differently this time. I really wanted to do it differently.

"You've always been beautiful. Now you're just deciding to be healthier, fitter, faster, and stronger. Remember that." -unknown

Remember when I told you I have never really been self-confident? I think the only thing I've ever had confidence in is with my smile, but even then that is not always. I wish I had read this quote a long time ago. We are all beautiful. There is beauty in each and everyone of us as we were yesterday, as we are today, and as we will be tomorrow. I struggle with this daily, but let's try to remember that. We are beautiful especially with all of our imperfections and quirks. That invisibility cloak I mentioned, it's not needed (unless we're going on late night adventures through the forbidden forest or Hogwarts...gotta get around discreetly somehow). We shouldn't hide who we are. We shouldn't hide ourselves. Let's embrace who we are. You get decide what will make you happy and if that includes getting fit, great. If it doesn't, that's great too. Right now, in this moment, reading this, you are beautiful! Our journeys are our own. We get to decide, we have that power. 

Until Next Time,

Ari <3

P.S. My goal is to post twice a week until I catch up to my journey present time. Then, it will be once a week. I haven't decided on exact days yet, but I'll keep you posted. Much love <3