I am beautiful, I am special, I am loved!

A few people who read this blog don't really know about the life changes I'm currently going through. I'd like to take a second to share it with you! I've been striving to be healthier by eating better and jogging. I actually haven't been jogging for about a week because I've strained a muscle in my heel, but I think it'll be fully healed by tomorrow (pun is completely intended)! So, I'll begin jogging again tomorrow morning at 7:00am! But, this is from another blog that I'm writing specifically about this particular journey! I wanted to share it with you who read this! I feel that it's important to share goals, struggles, and successes when you're going through a change. Here's that specific post:

As I've been jogging I've learned that I'm not my friends who are runners. That isn't to say that I'm not enjoying jogging at all. I feel that it's free therapy! It has really helped me feel a better balance in my life! But I need to remind myself why I'm doing this. It isn't because my friends are doing it; it's because I WANT to be healthy, fit, and happy! So, I'm going to make some changes.

This blog (the private blog about this health journey) is meant for me to write some things I'm feeling about this little repentance process I've been going through. I'll explain; for the majority of my life I've resorted to food to make me feel better (that and music, but you don't get much physical activity from sitting at a piano). Looking back, I wish I could tell my nine year-old self that I just needed to control what I ate, don't eat so much junk, and to get out more and run around! But I can't do that! So, one step at-a-time I'm changing my heart and my body. I've already lost a couple of pounds from doing so and it feels great! But I do need more dedication.

My goals:

• Jog 4-5x a week!
• My goal is to be able to run 1.5 miles in less than eleven minutes by January 3, 2013.
• A goal I have for Winter Semester of 2013 is to run the midnight 5K that the campus will be doing (I hope). If not, I'll do it on my own!
• Do NOT eat fast food! Eat it maybe 1-2 times a month (but don't count on it)!
• It isn't healthy and there's nothing to gain from it, except for some extra pounds! ;)
• Don't eat so much sugar/junk food!! Limit size/tpm (times per month)
• This one is huge for me! Recently I've learned that, as I've been making these lifestyle changes that my stomach actually gets really upset when I eat too much sugar (ice cream, chocolate, etc.) So, limit it!
• I'm not getting rid of it all together because from everything that I've read, that isn't healthy. But limiting the intake is healthy. It's good to "splurge" on something every now-and-then. But really make it "now-and-then".

These are being put into effect immediately! I obviously couldn't necessarily get the jogging this week, but I'm jogging tomorrow AND Saturday AND Monday!

Despite these goals to change my appearance, I want to make it clear that I know that I am beautiful, that I am special, and that I am loved. I'm not doing this to gain approval from anybody; I'm doing this so that I am healthy! I need to change my health because, let's face it, right now I'm not healthy! But, I love who I am and I'm loving this change that I'm making! I thank you all for your constant love and support!