Well, today is my birthday. And while I have no desire to say my age, let’s just say the “About” section is still true and I am in my thirties. : ) What I can say is that I feel better than last year and I may even feel younger. Stop the presses! A year ago I never thought I would say that. I was still wallowing in my “I need to lose weight” mentality. While I can still fall into that quickly, I know that my “aha” moment this past January actually set a fire under me.
I didn’t want to be held down any more emotionally and physically by my weight. I didn’t want to stand in front of my closet every time we had to go somewhere almost in tears. So after a year of hard work (not perfect work) I feel better. I have shed some pounds, I am stronger, and I am a little more confident.
Over the last few months I have slowed down. I haven’t counted points, I haven’t put as much sweat into every work out, and I’ve been plagued by some minor injuries. It’s easy to get down on myself, but I think a birthday gives me a chance to look back and compare. It gives me a chance to look back and be thankful for what can happen in a year and for the people who helped me get there. A part of me really is different a year later.
A birthday (and the New Year coming) also gives me a chance to look forward. What will this next year bring? What should my goals be? Am I going to be able to keep off the weight? Can I up my fitness level a little more? What if growing older means getting healthier each year?
So as I celebrate this thirty-(cough)th birthday, I’ll try to reflect on the blessings, enjoy the moment, and look forward to what waits for me.
I’m not sure how I started receiving emails from Miracle Fitness but I do enjoy reading your blog. I can relate to the constant reminder of aging and weight gain. Waking up every day saying this is going to be the day only to wake up and another year has passed. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
Thanks for reading, Tim!
Happy Birthday, Jen! You’ve done great this past year. I’m looking forward to keeping up with you next year!
Thanks, Diane! I appreciate the positive comments!
Great reflections, Jen. I can totally relate! I’m so proud of you (I sound like I’m your mom or something). I remember the beginning, though, and know how faithful and committed you’ve been. You’ve been an inspiration to me! 🙂 Happy Birthday (again)!
Thanks, Kim! You are an inspiration to me getting up for 6 am bootcamp!
Start kicking some butt again, Jen. It’s a total life style change and you’ve already taken massive steps to reach that, so congrats on all the results, and remember that the hard work (mountain climbers) does actually pay off!
Are pigs flying? I thought you said something about mountain climbers.