Why did I start this???

this...well this could mean a million different things.

• running
• eating right
• logging my food
• training for a half iron distance triathlon
• my blog
• the fight with myself to stay on track

The current this that I am referring to is Orange Visor.  Being a mom of four kids and staying home with them takes its toll on your body and your mind and your soul.  It is very rewarding on many days but there are the days and the instances over the course of the good days that just kick your butt.  I knew I needed to do something...I needed to change me for me.  For whatever reason I was able to sync my body and mind in January of 2014 and tell myself, and believe in myself that I was going to make a change...a big change...a final change.

I am not a personal trainer or an elite athlete but always considered myself athletic and able to be self driven and extremely competitive with myself.   I did this with the support of family and friends and the extreme encouragement and coaching from my husband.  As wonderful as everyone was for me over this process you must remember one thing, in the end of all of this there is one person that will get you to the finish line....YOU!  You have to be the person everyday that does the right things...you can try every gimmick under the sun...but again it all lays on your shoulders.

So I started my journey with lots of miles on the treadmill in the winter of 2014 and was an avid weigher and measurer of my food and logged everything I ate.  I was on a mission.  I was hoping I could make a big enough impact that by summer I would feel good at the pool.  Everyday I didn't stop...I wanted to give up, cheat, eat the bad stuff...but I kept at it.  I ate veggie patties on beds of lettuce sprinkled with feta and lots of tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.  I had my eye on the prize.   I stopped the lame excuses that filled my head and my plate and just did it.  I don't know why I was so crazy and I can't tell you what switch to flip to make you want it that badly too.  I know I have a husband that was right there with me every step of the way.  He would check in on my workouts and log his food as well.  We made a rule of no desserts if a workout was not had that day.  You should know by now how much I love ice cream...it was a good motivator!!

I did have weeks were the scale didn't go in the direction I wanted or the number wasn't big enough.  I took that as a moment to reflect and be better the next day-push harder.  I knew what I could become, how strong I would feel, I was not going to give in or give up.  By mid summer of 2014 I hit the goal weight of where I wanted to be.  I kept running and was loving that I was still losing weight at a slower rate and keeping up my exercise and my ice cream consumption. So by the fall I was feeling like this new person had emerged and all of my hard work had paid off.  I was going to keep at it and see where I was able to go.

Last day of summer 2014

The beginning of the school year of 2014 was in full swing and the craziness that is life with four kids began...and I continued to stay focused on project julie.  I knew that I had worked way to hard to end this and I could keep it going and maybe even get stronger.  I ran Army Ten Miler that October and had a great PR, a pace I never thought I would be able to hit.  I was taking myself to the next level of me and was not even aware it was happening.  

Then came my moment of, "my gosh Julie you really did it."  It was a year since the party when I jammed myself into a dress and wanted to die...and I was so at the other end of my journey.  I had made it there in a year of blood sweat and tears...but I did it.  I posted the below message on my FB page on January 25, 2015.

"warning-long post: January 25, 2014...the night of ben's work party i jammed myself into a dress and felt like it was going to burst the entire night...that night i said to ben...i need to start something tomorrow and i need you to do it with me. he did and i did...and here i am full year later 47 pounds less...and stronger on the inside and outside than i have ever been before. I decided that day to say Yes to me and No to a lot of other things...Yes to weighing and measuring food, writing it down, silly monthly fitness challenges and no to second helpings and sometimes my kids(and accepting that that is okay.) I decided to say YES to the treadmill, to early morning runs, to being okay when the scale didn't move, and yes to being a work in progress. The only No I tell myself is... No Julie...You Can Do It, You Are Doing It! Thank you to all of you that continue to believe in and inspire me. I hope that I can return the favor on some level...Make this the Year of YOU!"

The next day Orange Visor was born-with encouragement from a few friends.  I created this space to let you know that you can do it.  You can be the best version of you.  You can make yourself a priority.  You can help others start to believe in themselves.  You can push yourself to a level that may hurt a bit but will be so worth it in the end.  You can do this at home while raising four kids and run in circles.  You don't need a fancy trainer or coach, although extremely helpful, you can do it solo.  Resources are endless and so is your drive and determination.  Remember every day the person you promised yourself you would become.  Figure it out...make a plan....and just do it.  I am not perfect...I have many areas of growth still needed...but I am stronger than I was in mind and body last January.  I have moved me to the top of the list and other areas may falter as a result(sorting and storage of children clothes) -and that's okay.

Embrace the suck...choose you....you CAN do this!

ps-I do have a page on FB as well where you can get daily tidbits, monthly challenges and encouragement..check it out! (Orange Visor)