Days 17-21: A lot of the same, with something new thrown in!

Gym. Shakes. Water. Repeat.

Although I did have real live, regular pizza this weekend. In the words of my favorite author and her new book, I REGRET NOTHING. This challenge, to me, is all about learning how to balance the better choices with being part of a family that still likes to do fun stuff. Can I make pizza that's better for us than what we can buy? Absolutely. Am I going to do that every time someone wants it? Absolutely not. I have this great recipe for these mini pizzas that I cannot wait to try. Pineapple, chicken, bbq sauce and veggies on a sandwich thin? Sign me up! But some days, your family wants pizza on the way home from the water park and you just say "Yes". It's about real life and enjoying my life, not feeling like I'm limited to what's on a meal plan or recipe book. It's enjoying life in moderation. I regret nothing.

Also.

On Sunday we went to the water park again and for the first time since 2007 I wore a real live two piece bikini. Not because I'm so fit that everyone needs to be impressed, but because I am finally becoming comfortable with my body in a way that I haven't been since before I got pregnant with Hayden. I have stretch marks, I am carrying around more weight than I'm happy about and I'm nowhere near the goal of health and fitness I have in my head. But I'm working on it, and I don't care. If your biggest problem with the water park is me in a bikini, let me introduce you to the sub-par lifeguards working in the kiddie pool. My point is that I wanted to wear one, I could actually WEAR one from 2007 and my stomach needed some sun. I feel like my post-challenge reward to myself will be a bikini I actually feel good in, not that I can just fit in. BUT STILL. Big fear conquered. To my knowledge, no one reported an out-of-shape woman in a bikini at the kiddie pool. But for the record, Lila (queen of the tankini) was SHOCKED that I was leaving the house wearing something that shows my belly. In our house that kind of thing isn't frowned upon, but she's chosen her own bathing suits and none of them show her belly. I want to set an example for my daughter that she needs to be comfortable in her own skin, wearing what she wants (that mom and dad deem appropriate, you're still under my roof young lady) and feeling good about herself. If I had Lila's tan alone I'd feel pretty good about my body, no matter what it looked like.