Appropriate Title for Fitness Motivation

I've been feeling like various farm animals lately: pig, heifer, elephant... (I never specified what kind of farm this is.) It's really time to get my ass in gear. (More animals? No.) I've mentioned in this post my struggle with motivation to use our oh-so-convenient elliptical machine. What I've concluded is that there are no consequences if I don't use it. I don't have the discipline to just make myself use it, and I don't have the motivation to use it during my free time. I need consequences! I need to be whipped into shape. (Animal references! Yikes.)

I was explaining this all to Jamie yesterday. He suggested I check out the local Pilates place where our friend Misty and our sister-in-law-to-be Renata take classes. I have heard them rave about this place in the past, but just couldn't wrap my head around the price; I could cover it with my part-time paycheck, but it wouldn't leave me much for groceries and other necessities. (And maybe shoes.) My super-spectacular husband says, "If you want to go, and are going to go, then I'll pay for it."

I chatted and texted with Misty and Renata all about it while looking into the various classes the studio offers, as well as pricing packages. I decided to pay for just a single class to go check it out, which happens to be tonight. I'm pretty scared. The class is Spin + Pilates: 30 minutes spinning and 30 minutes of Pilates on the reformer. I have never done either of those! Luckily, Misty will be there to help me out and hold my hand.

I'm hoping I love it. I think I will love it, and I think I will end up signing up for their discounted new client first month and I think it will work. This place, which has very small classes, in addition to your monthly payment, will charge you $20 if you don't go to a class that you register for. Hello, consequences! Welcome back, discipline and motivation? Hopefully.

I lost 20 pounds during the first half of 2010. I was so motivated and fairly strict with my eating habits and it worked really well. I've done it before, and I can do it again. The main reason I lost track of myself was my dad dying; Mom and I pretty much lived off of sugar wafer cookies for two weeks. It was so delicious, and so worth it at the time. I do not regret the stress-eating. But now, a year later, I'm ready to move on from it. I'm also really certain that I should lose the weight I have before I put any pregnancy weight on in the future. 20 pounds, kidless, will be a lot easier to lose than 20 pounds plus how ever many I put on while pregnant after having a baby, I'm sure.

Motivation from when I was lighter, stronger and kinda bendy.

Now, for the record, I'm going to post my past and present measurements!

April 21, 2010 (Which is the date that photo was taken, and the last time I recorded any numbers)

• Weight - 143
• Waist - 30"
• Hips - 40.25"
• Thigh - 23.5"
• Arm - 11.25"

June 7, 2012

• Weight - 163 (+20)
• Bust - 40"
• Waist - 34" (+4")
• Belly - 40.5" 
• Hips - 43.5" (+3.25")
• Thigh - 25.5" (+2")
• Arm - 13" (+1.75")

My initial goal is to reintroduce strength and cardio into my life while making better food choices. I don't plan on being too strict with my diet in the hopes that I can ease into healthier eating to make it a habit instead of a diet. I'm also hoping that checking in here with progress will help keep me motivated, so please, my dear blog audience, feel free to leave me comments either to give props or give me crap if I seem to be slacking. I need it. 

Ready. Set. Here I go!