feeling good about yourself naked

Feeling good about yourself naked is a tough topic. It's something we all want but not something easily achieved. Advertisements bombard us each day of images of gorgeous, thin bodies. We all know that they are air brushed and that every imperfection is hidden from our eyes. But at the same time how are we supposed to get a clear idea of what beauty is supposed to look like?

I'm personally obsessed with having a flat tummy. I've struggled with being apple shaped my whole life. I've got a large chest, a big belly and skinny legs. In my opinion, it's not a great body type to have. I feel limited by my clothing options as I struggle with muffin top and not over exposing my very full cup. 

I dream of having an hour glass figure like Scarlett O'Hara or J-Lo. (Totally different models, I know.) To me, the hour glass figure is the essence of femininity and also has a lot of great fashion choices. When I look at myself in the mirror the first thing I look at is my belly. It's the first set of measurements I do when I'm measuring myself and I think about how my stomach looks in my clothing choices.

Now this post is about feeling good naked. How can we feel good about ourselves when naked when we obsess over that one body part that makes us dislike how we look and feel? How do we overcome that negative self talk and give in that we are all uniquely beautiful?

Well for me, it wasn't easy. I knew weight loss was key to get a flatter, smaller tummy and more self confidence. I've seen a lot of progress over the last 6 weeks. I knew I had to do something about it and the ability to change my shape to best of my ability. I got tired of obsessing over what I didn't like and focused on finding ways to change what I could. 

The hard part though was in the doing. Sometimes going after what you want is the hardest thing. It's hard to make healthy choices because it means making changes. Change takes courage and it can set you free.

I'm on my way to being free and loving the body I've been given. I have to work hard for that and that to me is worth it. Each day I try to find improvements in my overall shape and focus on the positive. I'm thankful for the support group I have. People have been sending me encouraging messages and commenting on the changes. This type of support is an important part of transforming yourself.

I will always look at my tummy first when I glance in a mirror but I think that's okay. It will keep me hungry for my version of perfection. I can keep going after that goal of looking better and the changes I see will contribute to an overall feeling of accomplishment. Recognizing progress is essential to feeling good about yourself. I'm not quite in love with the naked me but I'm on my way!

Isagenix one month in review

It's been almost two years since my last posting. In that time, I've had a baby and she's already a year old. Let's just say taking care of myself has been on the back burner for the last two years but I'm back!

Isagenix: Weight loss story (first month)

What a month it has been! As you probably know I was introduced to Isagenix from a dear friend, Logan, who has been using the products since January. In that time, she has dropped several dress sizes, gotten her energy back, developed a whole new lease on life and is making a considerable income. When I heard about the products I was very skeptical at best about how someone could do all of those things in such a short time.

 I had asked her about it in early May because I was also tired of feeling uncomfortable in my clothes and feeling very tired. At the time, I was not ready to start. We had just moved to NJ and I was just not in the right mind set. At the same time, I was looking to find additional sources of income for my family that would not require a full time or even part time capacity. I had explored other opportunities like selling make-up, jewelry and even body wraps that promise weight loss. None of these really spoke to me.

I met up with Logan in late July as I had not seen her in years. When I saw her I was taken aback. She looked amazing! Her aura was so positive and happy. I was really impressed. I started to believe that maybe these products she had been preaching about were something to consider. So I took a leap. It took my almost 3 weeks to convince myself that I should try it.

So on August 19th I ordered my Energy & Performance President's Pak and decided to dive in. The product is really for stellar athletes (which I am not) but the weight loss products were not recommended for nursing moms. Logan assured me that I would still see results. I figured I had 30 days to try it and if it didn't work I'd get my money back.

My goals were two-fold: 1. to look better and drop some inches by January 2014 and 2. to earn some additional income for my family. I decided initially that I wouldn't say too much about it to too many people. I wanted to see if these products worked. So I posted a few things on Facebook and told a few friends and family and went about using the products.

I wish I had more memories of the early days. I remember feeling tired at first. My body was adjusting big time to the what was happening to it. Here I was for the first time infusing my body with all the trace minerals that have been depleted from our nutrition and giving my body the best protein source available where my body can absorb 85% of it. It's like running on high octane! After a few days my energy came in. I felt like the Energizer bunny. It was crazy! At the same time I notice that I was able to fit into clothes that I haven't worn in years. They were still a little snug but at least buttoning.

I was not able to commit to a consistent exercising routine in the first month. I basically walked when I could, baby wore Miss Bea and follow the Isagenix regime. The regime includes a IsaLean shake for breakfast, a healthy snack around mid morning like almonds, fruits or veggies, an IsaLean shake for lunch or dinner, another snack midday and a nutritious meal for lunch or dinner that ranges from 400-600 calories.

I soon became so excited about these products that I wanted to share the news with everyone. I got my best friend, Carmen into it who got her boyfriend into it. I got Jason on the products, my mom and one of her colleagues. My sister even tried it while staying with me and felt her clothes much looser in just 4 days.

Four weeks later and I am so excited about the opportunity to share Isagenix with everyone I know. I've lost 5 pounds and almost 18 inches on my body overall. I'm so happy to have found something that is healthy, affordable and easy to follow. I can't say enough good things about the experience I'm having. By introducing the products to friends and family I have already made way more than I have invested in just under 1 month.

My goals for the next month are to continue the same regime but to also incorporate more exercising. I feel with exercise I will see better results and feel better overall. I need to focus on toning by body.

Thanks for reading and I hope you will continue to follow my progress. If and when you are ready to start just let me know! You won't regret investing in yourself.

Photos below are from Day 1(8/24/13), Day 14 (9/7/13) and Day 28 (9/22/13).

My belly shrank from looking pregnant still to getting closer to flat.

My face looks like a chipmunk in the first picture to much slimmer at the end of the 28 days.

Belly is shrinking and will one day have less rolls than a bakery! :)