Sunday, October 12, 2008

Does my butt look big in these jeans?

Honey, we're not 21 anymore and yes, your butt looks big. So what? You have accomplished so much with your career, family and volunteer work. You are super woman. That's what you wanted right?

Sure it's what you wanted. But you also wanted to stay young and beautiful didn't you? Don't lose hope - if Miss Piggy (a pig for God's sake) can maintain her sexy savvy, then so can you. You have the power to change your exterior (if that is what bothers you most). We already know that you're accomplished on the inside.

There are no secret weightloss plans - just eat healthy and exercise. That's easy to remember. The hard part is keeping yourself inspired and motivated enough to do it. The key to getting your booty back in those jeans is finding your motivation and using it as a tool to help you succeed.


  • Achievement Motivation: If you're an achievement kind of person, then you need to satisfy your desire to succeed. Set a goal - maybe you want to be able to run a 5k by Christmas or maybe you want to wear your jeans by January.

  • Affiliation Motivation: Will friends and family shower you with compliments if you get back into your skinny jeans? Do you feel good when other people validate you? Hey, they are your support crew. Tell them to send you weekly emails to encourage you to stay on your exercise plan.

  • Competence: Are you driven by being excellent at a task? Do you take your job very seriously? Do you like to be perfect? Use that type A personality to your advantage. Tell yourself, "I will close this deal. I will not fail." Treat your diet and exercise plan like a task - something that you must conquer.

  • Power: Do you have the ability to change the people around you? If you stick to your exercise plan will that motivate your children to be more active? Will your spouse join you? Will you inspire your friends and family to succeed? Okay Mrs. Beaver, rally the troops and get back on your diet then!

  • Incentive: Do you like to receive awards for your accomplishments? Will you win a contest at work if you lose the most weight? Do you want those Prada shoes or to take a little rendevous to New York? Make a deal with yourself. If you stick to your healthy eating plan for 3 months, then you get the shoes or the trip. Or both!

  • Fear: What are the consequences if you don't succeed? Do you work hard because you like to work or do you work hard because you're worried about what will happen if you don't? Go put on a bikini (that will put the fear of God in you). Or go read over a few websites pertaining about the consequences associated with unheathly eating and lack of exercise.

We like you just the way that you are - but if you don't like you, then it's time for change. So, put down the Snickers and put on your running shoes. We'll be out there running with you (and checking out your butt).

Tell us what motivates you and we'll help keep you on track.

10 comments:

Katie R. said...

I can so relate with this. As most of you know I lost about 35 pounds 3 years ago. Part of what kept me going and still keeps me going are the compliments. Yes, I feel shallow. But I'll get over it :) I've been able to maintain my weight with exercise. I have more freedom to eat what I want now but I still weigh myself every day and if I gain a few pounds, I don't eat that piece of cake and after a few days I'm back down.

A friend of mine called the other day to apologize for calling me a skinny bitch. I was like "What? I didn't hear anything after you said Skinny. You could have called me a billion bad names after that and I wouldn't have cared. I was just relishing in the Skinny...." And yes, I put that cookie down because it reminded me that's how I wanted to stay!!

Everyone has a different goal. And I know that everyone can do it!!!

Amber/Jazzy said...

LOL, Katie I was cracking up when you said that you did not hear anything after the word "skinny". Well I think you look awesome and the fact that you can wear a 2 piece bathing suit is sickening to me(jealousy). I personally don't want to scare anyone so I tend to make sure that everything I wear covers everything from my waist down past my knees which are absolutely horrid. I have dislocated them several times.

Anyways, my motivation is being able to sit without my stomach taking a sit too, on my lap. What a weird feeling. It was okay when I was pregnant, but for heaven sakes the boy is 2 now. After I had Jaz I worked out all of the time and I felt great. I would love to feel like that again then when I go into the bathroom at work with that god awful mirror that has my hips spanning from one side of the mirror to the next. I won't have to wonder if I really look that big. Ugh!

See you in a few.
Amber

Debra said...

Somebody send me a bill because this is better than therapy. LOL!

Katie, it's interesting to hear from you because you are there. You look great. You and Emily are where I'm trying to be. You both look great in everything you wear. It's interesting that you are still motivated by the same things as the rest of us. I also can't believe you lost 35 lbs. I can't remember you ever looking like you had that much extra.

Amber, you made me laugh because I feel your pain! I've often said I'm still working on the "baby weight". DIANA IS 13! So from this prospective, you're doing great.

I'm trying to gear myself up to go at this again today. I have to say, it is not getting any easier yet. All of you "pro's" keep swearing that it will. If all else fails, I guess I'll have keep running so you can't get a close look at my butt! Have mercy!

As far as motivation, I'm with Katie. It always surprises me when people tell me, that they've noticed I've lost but didn't want to say anything for fear I would be offended. Goodness sakes, this process is not easy and it's not quick. Staying motivated is a challenge and having someone notice just reaffirms that something is working.

*sigh* I long for the day when someone calls me "skinny b*tch".

See you guys in a bit!

Constance said...

Hi ladies,
Sorry I missed you at training today but I got an early start by going to Antrim Park this morning. It was a beautiful morning around the lake! I had work commitments this afternoon and evening so I had to get it done or miss out on a training day. If anyone would ever like to make a road trip to Antrim or any other park please let me know I love to explore the different scenery and with the leaves changing it is worth the work!
I can't wait to hear how the workout went today. Did Sue M. make it???
Thanks for the website Katie, I can't wait to find some good tunes to jog to.
Peace and good health to all!

Debra said...

Thanks for the extra motivation tonight everyone. I was having a low energy day and I know if it weren't for you, I would have blown off my workout for the day.

Amber, you rocked that first lap. You were out of the gate and gone! Sorry about the bug. Don't forget to work off those extra calories. :)

Katie, I can tell you've been working it during the week too. You ran more consistently than previously. I aspire to catch up with you and Emily.

Vickie, bummer about the shin splints. I was with you though. I was feeling them tonight for some reason. I thought maybe it was because I didn't hydrate as well today as I normally do before I run.

It's always great to see you, Sue. Glad you've joined the group. Thanks for the big finish line!

We missed you tonight, Constance. Glad to hear you're still with us at heart.

It's exciting to see the group growing. Week 2 was a success! Thanks everyone.

Bob, you've been very quiet. No words of wisdom from our sage marathon runner? I'm excited to get the chance to cheer you on again this year at the marathon. You and Stu amaze me.

Em, thanks for being the glue that holds us all together.

PS> Missed you tonight, Elaine! Come join us when you get the chance.

Coach Shawna said...

Just wanteed to say way to go ladies, keep up the good work! Your kids are so proud of you all!

Vickie said...

I really had to think about what motivates me- it is a combination of things.

I am motivated to exercise because I want to lose weight because I want new clothes and refuse to buy any more at the size that I am.

Another big reason is for my health. About 6 months ago I was told I have pre-hypertension meaning I have borderline high blood pressure. It definately is in my family history and I know if I don't change my exercise and eating habits I am headed down the road of medication, which I just don't want to do. It's scary because I do feel so young and yet I always thought this was something you got when you got "old". I want to make sure I am around for a long time for my family so that is a great "motivator" for me.

Oh yes then there is vanity. I am tired of having a fat stomach and looking like I am pregnant when I'm not.

Everyone here is also a great motivator. Being part of a group for some reason makes it so much easier. I am not sure what it is. I really do like to do things by myself like shopping and watching TV (even though I don't do much of either these days) but, when it comes to exercise I really need to do it with someone. I always loved group exercise classes such as step aerobics, kickboxing, etc.

Well the workout today seemed tough. I got home and googled shin splits and from what I understand a major factor in preventing them is not to do too much too soon. I remember Bob saying he rarely ever ran more than 2 days in a row. I think since last Sunday I have ran every day except for Monday and Friday. Maybe this could be the cause. I need to get into a regular routine. It seems that I am trying to fit in a run whenever I find an opportunity because I am afraid later on I won't find the time.

Hope all of you have a great week!

MPA Coaches said...

What motivates me??? Well I have a hard time connecting with this one, a lot of things motivate me. I am not out there running with you all because I am in with the glitter folks but I wanted to be part of this blogging stuff.

I have a lot of sides to me that I am not sure everyone knows. I am very competitive so I never want anyone to be better at something than me, not even my dear friend Em. She can kick my butt any day in running or most cardio workouts but I would never let her see that. So shhh don't let her know this. :) When I truly need to accomplish something I put myself into a race with someone that is at least my equal competitor and than try to beat their socks off! Pretty sad huh? :) MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED!

My mother was always one that folks use to never believe was my mother because she looked so young. I used to love that as a kid. I loved it when people would say when she walked away that my mom looked more like my older sister than my mother. I don't know why but I always thought that was so neat. It was an unspoken compliment to her and I always shared it with her. She of course never believed me but I always caught a glimpse of the smile on her face. One day I hope to have the same conversation with Madison and Brady and try to hide that same smile. MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED!

Emily keeps telling me that she and I are going to be the tap dancing duo at the mall when we grow older. Well I better start working on that tap dancing huh? MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED!

And lastly (say in a whisper) I don't actually want to grow up. I have been running in circles for as long as I can remember. As a child it was intense and I had to do everything that I could possibly imagine before I grew up and didn't have the chance any more. If my parents couldn't afford it so I just got a job so I could do it. There was no stopping me! As an adult I still have that thought. I want to do so many things in life and I don't want to get "too old” to do it. You can travel when you get older so that is the only thing I am keeping on the back burner. Everything else is do now and go crazy because some day my shoulder isn't going to be able to move and I will need a walker just to move these hips and knees! If I don't take care of this body it will start falling apart one piece at a time. As a child I did everything imaginable and I am sure as an older adult I will pay for it so I better do something about it now. MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED! MOTIVATED!

Just remember it is so worth it! That roller coaster ride with the ups and downs make life so exciting, even if some of the turns make you want to throw up! :) Keep at it everyone and set your goals. We are never too old to be the winner of the race or to look like the "older sister" or to stay young forever. Life is what we choose it to be and we are who we choose to become. Take what motivates you and run with it!

Heather

MPA Coaches said...

Isn't she a crack up? She would beat me in a sprint...that's why we always do distance running with the kids...ta da!

And she's better at me at ballet...that's why we're doing tap dancing at the mall.

Hee hee, that's the trick, I just sign up for stuff that I like best!

Keep up the great work ladies. I'm just loving our group.

Elaine said...

I'm sorry I missed the run yesterday. I ended up staying in Cleveland one more night. I PROMISE to make it next Sunday!

You all are inspiring me to keep it up! From the sounds of it, I'll be watching your dust when I finally do make it to a meet!