"The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative."
That is the definition of Inspiration. Everyone looks for it in different places- through celebrities, the latest movies and music, through their friends and family, or even through strangers. What is it that inspires us? Something pretty, flashy, sparkly? Someone new or something we have never seen before? Or perhaps what inspires us is something we yearn for in ourselves.
And once we become inspired, how do we keep that inspiration? For many people, the inspiration comes in a flash, on a whim. But it's as if we need a constant reminder of that *flash* to keep us going. For anyone who has tried to lose weight (or for that matter, anyone who has tried to live more healthy in general), keeping the inspiration going is not easy.
Staying motivated is by far one of the hardest parts of losing weight. Physically, it's easy to create more healthy meals, but mentally it's difficult to get out of the rut that many of us are in. Physically, it's easy to get up and go for a walk, or do a few push-ups. Mentally, it's difficult to get out of that comfort-zone that we so love to stay in.
I'm still experimenting with what keeps me going. I have used many techniques- everything from food journals, to putting aside money after every workout. Yet, I still struggle. Currently, I have an "inspiration board" hanging in my kitchen that I check in with every day. My board consists of a white board to write myself messages, a cork board to pin inspiring images, and a calendar to keep track of my workouts. This setup seems to be working well for me.
There have been numerous studies that show that "vision boards" have great success rates in terms of keeping people inspired. People seem to stay on track with whatever their goals are when they have something consistently inspiring to look at.
So, as a way of ending this post, I want to know what keeps you inspired. What keeps you inspired to live your life, however you choose to live it?
Fall 1996. 4th
grade. That's the first time I remember feeling fat. Wearing my ever-so-trendy
black stir-up leggings and oversized plaid flannel top, I checked out my
reflection in my parents full length mirror. And there, for the first time, I
saw those dreadful saddlebags. Those big, fat thighs wobbling in my leggings,
peeking out from behind the lovely plaid-printed top. At that moment, I knew I
was fat. Not only was I wearing an unflattering (but, I repeat...trendy!)
outfit, my legs resembled my 4th grade teachers pear-shaped bottom half--not the
straight, stick-like figure of many of my friends.
Spring 2001. 8th grade. The
discovery of the dreaded cellulite. Ugghhhh. Sitting in my 8th grade math class,
I look down to my thighs (most likely out of boredom) and see the resemblance of
cottage-cheese on my otherwise smooth legs. I immediately knew this was "gross"
by society's standards and as I covered the dimpled-spots, I vowed to never wear
shorts as long as my legs still looked like some kinda of chunky yogurt dish.
Fall 2001. 9th grade. I am wearing
a size 3/5. I was bigger than many of my friends, but if I had known what I was
about to do to my body in the next 12 months, I surely would have appreciated
that petite size. You see, as I entered freshman year of high school, I went
from being a so-called "popular" girl to a "punk outsider". I choose to hang out
with the more "alternative" students.. My parents, being the loving and
responsible parents that they are, thought better than to let me hang out with
this particular group of kids outside of school.
My lack of secure and healthy
friendships gave into my internalizing many of my feelings. I became lonely and
food became my new BFF. Not just any food though. Ohhhh nooooo, this was a
home-made-cookie (and also ice cream) lust relationship. At least once a week I
would turn on my music and whip up some wonderful, tasty, sweet cookie
concoction in the kitchen. Now I know you're thinking--"that's not THAT
bad"....oh wait, just wait....
Not only was I baking cookies at
least once a week, I starved myself of many nutritious and healthy foods (uhh,
veggies? huh? not for me thanks) along with often skipping breakfast (and
usually lunch) and overeating at dinner along stuffing my face at dessert. This
lifestyle caused me to go from my cute petite frame of a size 3/5 in the
beginning of freshman year to a size 14 by the end of sophomore year. That's 6
sizes. SIX.
As you can imagine, having gained 6
sizes in the first two years of high school was traumatizing. Forget the fact
that I had acne, fluffy eyebrows, and wore all black with studded belts-I had
ballooned out.
So here I am. 26 years old. Still
fighting with myself over my weight. Although I broke up with the weekly
date-nights of cookie-making, I still find myself binging from time to time. And
I *gulp* don't eat all my veggies. However, now I can say I truly love myself
inside. And I'm working on loving the outside....
