Is that Me?

I don't really "see" my weight loss.  Yes, I know I've lost weight.  It's just not easy for me to see the change in my body.  You spend so long looking at the same image in the mirror and that's all you see.  Body image is such a bitch sometimes.  I wish I could take pride in how far I've come, instead of focusing on how much more I have to lose.

Once or twice before,  I have seen a picture of me and thought to myself  "Is that really me?? I look good!"  Those moments are few and far between.  Unfortunately, I need those moments.  Especially when the scale isn't moving or the tape measure is stuck in the same spot. They give me an appreciation of how far I've come and motivate me to keep moving.  Before, motivation was a picture I didn't like of myself and now it's a picture of myself I do like.

Here's the picture that had me smiling and feeling good today:

It's nothing special.  I don't have any make up on, my hair isn't done, and I'm actually covered in paint and spackle.  My arms look toned and my belly pudge isn't as noticeable though.  I showed this to Tim and said "Look how good I look here! Is that really what I look like?"  The more I see pictures like this, the more I might start to believe- Yes!  That's me!

Side note....I follow Jillian Michaels on FB....I have a slight man crush on her.  She posted a great tip for healthy snacking.  Considering I can eat at least two apples a day and almond butter NONSTOP, it validated my obsession with both.

Fitness Tip:  Snack on red apples, berries, or grapes.  They contain an antioxidant called quercetin.  Quercetin has been shown in studies to boost our oxygen capacity and subsequently our endurance, allowing us to work harder in the gym.  For your afternoon snack, have a red apple with a little almond butter or low fat greek yogurt and berries to amp up your work out.