Getting Perspective...The Big Picture

Ya know, God has a funny way of working in our lives.

I went to the gym today to make up for my missed beloved session with the Step Mill. We know how I love that thing...argh! Unfortunately/fortunately "Hate" is a bad word in our home. So I really, really LOVE that machine.

I sent the hubby to do weights and check in with me after each set series. It's kinda funny cause he really listens and does what I tell him to do. He likes having a personal trainer for a wife. I get to build up his body parts the way I want them to be! Well, it could happen if he would eat better and workout more than once a week! I have since banned Jalapeno sausage from the house.

I plugged away. It felt good to have a "relaxed" time a the gym.

When he was done, I practiced posing, and he did my update shots.
Remember everything looks better with a tan.
Surprisingly that stuff washed away very quickly, and you can see how light it is by where my clothing lines have worn it away.

Here is an updated picture. So, It has been about 1 1/2 weeks since I started the diet, I think? I dropped two pounds - down to 120lbs. I am truly hoping that is just water. The Tanita body fat scale had me at 16%. Ha, ha...for the record those things are always off. It can be completely altered by what you have eaten from the night before to how much you have had to drink. They work by sending an extremely faint electrical impulse thru your body. You don't feel a thing.

As I posed, the doubt started to set in. I want my legs to have a bit more of an outer sweep, and a little bit more "Beefiness" to my upper lats. I actually got really down on myself. John, my hubby tried to be helpful...

I left the aerobics room and headed for the locker room (covered up of course) feeling completely deflated mentally exhausted and physically run down. Kinda crazy considering I only did 30 mins on that Step Mill, and nothing else!

Anyhow, God has His plans....that crazy guy. And some lady jumped off her elliptical and ran towards me telling me how she realized how hard I have to have worked to get to this point. She was in tears as she talked about how God had put her at this Golds, and how she was needing inspiration about doing and Iron Man Triathalon. I listened and talked with her, and wished I had more energy to encourage her. I told her thank you, I so needed to hear something encouraging today and that she inspired me! Then I ran into the Sorrells at the grocery store. Debbie and Johnny Sorrell. He was our lead Music Minister at our church, and has since retired due to a neck injury. I was standing there just wondering how I was going to make it through these next 4 weeks. Debbie tells me she's following me on Facebook. Just seeing them was uplifting and encouraging! Thanks Sorrell Gang!

I need to remember the bigger picture. Your body is constantly changing, I am gradually getting there. You never know who will show up the day of the competition or for that matter what the judges are really looking for. I know that I have a balanced package, and enjoy doing this. Really, as long as I am continuing to better myself each time I am on the stage, then I am on the right track. The big picture....It took me til my second year of college to weigh in at 100lbs! I now weigh 120lbs and feel great! The big picture, I have only been doing this going on my third year. And, technically this will be my second time on the National Level Stage. In 2008 I qualified Nationally for figure, and did the USA's just to see what the quality of the competition was like. I wanted first hand, up close experience, knowing full well that I was not there yet.
Last year I did only one show: Jr.Nationals. Out of 40 girls in my height class, I placed 12th. The funny thing was, I told myself I just wanted to place 12th- which to me was a lofty goal!

What is your bigger picture? In life, in job, in family? Sometimes we just need to take a step back and be still. Listen, and have our eyes open to what is to come.