You guys. I let Chris take my WEIGHT, measurements, and physical fitness numbers on television. And then I let her post them to the internet. Am I crazy? Maybe. But here's the thing: I'm 30. I'm married. I have a baby boy at home. I have more important things to worry about than what anyone else thinks of my numbers. What I worry about is how I feel, how well my body is aging, how I'm going to be able to keep up with my son, and the example I'm setting for him. And honestly, I've played this "I'm going to get healthier and lose this pregnancy weight" game for nine months without actually doing it. So I thought, if a large group of other people can see those numbers, I better get my rear in gear and do what I've been saying I would so they can also see those numbers change.

I gained 45 lbs. during my pregnancy last year. To someone who already wanted to lose 20 lbs. before she found out she was having a baby, it was pretty intimidating coming to terms with the number on the scale. And after my son was born, it wasn't just that I didn't like the way my stomach had changed (my husband likes to poke fun at how high I started wearing my pants -- gotta cover the bulge!), it was how I felt about myself, which, in turn, made me a pretty unpleasant person to be around. So when Chris approached me with this idea, I thought I better take the opportunity. If you're in a similar situation - whether you're unhappy with your size, your fitness level, or how your body is making you feel - I hope you'll reach out to Chris or someone else who can help you find a path and keep you accountable.

So, now that Chris has done my mid-point assessment and taken my new numbers, I know I'm on the right track. What I've been doing is making a commitment to workout three times a week. This generally includes two nights that I meet a neighbor at the gym. She's my accountability partner. We got the husbands to agree to watch our kids these two nights a week at a set time for a little more than an hour so we can have "our time." Then, for the third day, I will take a walk or jog around the neighborhood (usually about 30 minutes), depending how I feel. As a former athlete, I've had to tell myself it's okay if I don't run 4 miles or use every machine in the gym. It's better to walk around the block in 15 minutes than to stay inside thinking that walk wouldn't be "worth it." What kind of crazy, lazy logic is that?

Something I just started doing is paying attention to my calories. Now, I don't want to count calories. I've used dailyplate and other calorie trackers before, and I can usually track my food for a day or two before I start forgetting to write down what I've eaten. But just paying attention to the amount of calories in some meals, or foods I know I eat a lot of, is really helping me think twice about whether they are worth it. Give it a try. I know a lot of people say, "I just want to enjoy the food; I don't want to know what the nutrition label says!" Just because you don't look at the calories, doesn't mean they aren't going to end up on your arms or hips later. Knowledge is power, my friend.

Thank you for being part of my journey. Please let me know if you're on a journey of your own. What works for you and what do you struggle with? 

- Amanda

Today, February 4, 2014, is the first day of the LUV Your Body Challenge 2014!

The truth is that women tend to be extremely hard on themselves when it comes to body image. We are quick to dismiss a compliment with a complaint.  We jump into bed before our spouses come into the room, to avoid being seen. We do crazy things to our bodies to try to look beautiful.  That stops today!

Today, I want you to LUV your body.  LUV her and her curves.  LUV her and her dimples.  LUV her and her sags.  LUV her and her unevenness (ya know what I mean!)  LUV Your Body!

If you are ready to get fit and want to schedule a fitness assessment, please email me at [email protected] to get this journey started. 

Chris "The Health Hippie" Omni is a certified group exercise instructor, personal trainer and former adjunct professor of Kinesiology at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.  She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Washburn University.  After her nearly ten-year career there, Mrs. Omni decided to devote her time and talents exclusively into growing her entrepreneurial vision, MAKIN’ MOVES.

The mission of MAKIN’ MOVES is to motivate families to become physically active and achieve optimal well-being.

To date, Mrs. Omni and her team have positively impacted the lives of nearly 1800 men, women and children since launching MAKIN’ MOVES in January 2013. Mrs. Omni recently created a not-for-profit division called MAKIN' MOVES 4ward Fitness where she teaches free, fun and family-friendly fitness classes in under served populations in Topeka, KS.  

Mrs. Omni is a Kauffman Foundation, First Step Fast Track graduate and Chamber of Commerce member. She is also a member of the Heartland Healthy Neighborhood coalition and serves on the Active Living committee.  As a contributing member of the Heartland Healthy Neighborhood coalition, Mrs. Omni leads the monthly exercise breaks for nearly 50 attendees.

Mrs. Omni currently resides in Topeka with her husband Vince, two daughters Clarae and Aminah, their dogs Rico and Orlando, and her 17+ houseplants. She can be contacted at [email protected] for additional information about her innovative community wellness initiative.