I have been working out at the local gym for 5 days a week since I was 10 weeks pregnant with my third child. I gained a good bit of weight during my first pregnancy...65 lbs to be exact. I did lose almost all of it (all but 10 lbs) before I found out I was pregnant with our second child. I didn't gain quite the same amount with pregnancy #2 but didn't really feel much of a drive to lose the baby weight after giving birth. By the time I got pregnant with our third child (#2 was only 5 months old) I was tired of my clothes being too tight, having to purchase new clothes because what was in the closet didn't fit, and not being happy with the size of clothing I was purchasing. As soon as I found out baby #3 was on the way, I signed up for a membership at the gym and haven't looked back.
After recovering from a c-section I was back in the gym full-throttle. Arms, legs, cardio, eatin right...and the weight started to fall off. Before I knew it, the clothes in the closet were starting to fit again. I felt like I looked better...but I still wasn't in a maintenance mode. Fast-forward...my third child is now 2 years old and I STILL haven't hit the maintenance mode. I am working hard...1 hour cardio everyday, eating healthy, changing strength training routines so I don't hit a rut. And still no washboard abs. I'm constantly looking for the next best thing that will FINALLY take off those last 10lbs. I'm not overweight. I'm not at risk for heart-related or weight-related disease. I'm actually really strong and in fairly good shape overall.
I've been really down on myself, frustrated with just about everything. So I took a step back to asess what was out of line. Listen to how self-centered I sound. The "Ah-ha" moment...my relationship with Christ is what's really out of whack. The more I have focused on my outward appearance, the more I have neglected my soul. That is why I'm so unhappy with how I look. The real, stripped down, naked, soul-baring me isn't lookin' so good. But, you know what's so great about knowing and loving our Lord? The minute I ask for His forgiveness and redirect my attention back toward Him, I'm lookin' really good once again.
1 Samuel 16:7
"...The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Although, I must say, it would be nice if I got the same instant results from one 5-mile run. :)
