Day 21

Back to the basics of eating clean!! And back to the gym. And back to feeling good. I arrived at the gym around 12:30pm this afternoon. In a hurry to get my clothes off, tanning lotion on, find goggles and place them on my head...I ended up dumping my entire gym bag everywhere. And dumping a gym bag is almost as dangerous as dumping a girl's purse. Why? Because all the same things are in there and well...it's just not a pretty picture. They only give me 3 minutes to prep for tanning. Just 3 quick minutes. That is not very much time and I often find myself almost out of breath by the time I get into the tanning booth. Once in the tanning booth I just stand there waiting....and you know...8 minutes doesn't seem like very long but for someone like me, it feels like an eternity. There is no mental stimulation in the tanning booth. Just lights to look at. That's it. Of course, I have to keep my chin up as to avoid the tan lines that form in the creases in my neck. So, for 8 long minutes, I read the warning sign...the one that says not to touch the lights...over and over and over again.

Something that should be relaxing and uncomplicated can be quite complicated. Why....because what do you do inside the tanning booth?? Nothing. You do nothing. Somebody please tell me...how do you do nothing? I want to learn. I want to learn how to do nothing. Today was extra complicated because after I got out of the tanning booth, (a painful 8 minutes of nothing), I was in a hurry to get dressed and I was putting my underwear back on....I misjudged with where I placed my foot and as I pulled up with my hands and down with my foot...well...rrrriiiiipppppp! And so it was a very drafty work out. Not the most comfortable one either... And!!!! One day of eating clean and poof!! no more back flaps. So, I'm thinking there is definitely a direct link between eating fat and then seeing it. Anyways.....

So, I must tell you what my two little angels did for me tonight. I was washing the dishes, tidying the kitchen...you know...some of the most glorious work that a mother does. As I washed, I heard the giggles of two little girls behind me and then some shuffling and then some "scurrying away". When I turned around, there was no one to be found except my 5lb Yorkie. Hanging from his collar was a carefully designed scroll. As I kneeled to untie the scroll from Bailey's neck, I could hear distant giggles. There on the scroll was my oldest daughter's (whom we call Edith Bunker), my youngest daughter's (whom we call J-bird) and our little yorkie's Christmas lists. It made my night. They are too funny and not a day goes by that they don't make me laugh. This Christmas list will be one that I will keep. They made a memory for me and I will hold it close to my heart. I always ask my girls if they know how much I love them. J-bird will tell me...yes, Mommy, you love me as much as the ocean is blue. And then she will tell me that she loves me as much as there are trees. (Hopefully, we save the trees...I would hate for her love to run out). My oldest daughter rolls her eyes at me and says....yes, Mom...you love me as much as the sky is blue. And then she tosses her hair and runs off. They truly are my angels and it is so important to me be healthy and be a good example. They are the motivation I need to keep on keeping on.....to train....to eat clean.... and be healthy.

Cheers!