You're so vain, you probably think this post is about you.

Last post I talked about the "why" and today I'm going to talk about the "how".

How do you stay motivated to hit your goals and keep a steady routine of exercise and eating healthy?

Well I can't speak for everyone else, so I'm going to tell you how I got started and how I always kick myself in the butt when I'm slacking.

The simple answer is vanity.

There is no reason to sugarcoat it and in fact it's being honest about vanity that makes going to the gym that much easier.

I'm going to be very open and honest about this because I think people get the wrong side of a lot of these "transformation" stories. I wasn't obese. I was far from healthy, but I never got to that point where a doctor was telling me if I didn't loose weight I'd develop diabetes. I did have high blood pressure problems from stress, but my doctors never told me cardio alone could elevate that. It was all a talk about bad genetics.

The reason I started on my path to fitness was because I thought it would make my boyfriend at the time love me more. This is as plain as I can be on the matter.

I didn't feel good about myself, I was crazy self conscience and hated how I looked in everything I wore. I was ashamed to be with such a cute guy and feel so frumpy next to him. He NEVER said a word about my weight, never criticized me or told me I could lose a few pounds, but I felt he didn't love me as much because I wasn't as beautiful as I could be.

When I started my training with Terri Walsh she made me do something really important and that was admitting why I was there to train.

"To get healthy!" is what I spouted out and to a point that was very true, but it really wasn't the reason I was there.

I remember Terri looking at me and saying "Yeah ok, but why are you really here."

I didn't understand, wasn't wanting to be healthy enough? She forced me to think about it, she forced me to admit it and it was the most freeing thing that happened in my body breakthrough.

"You want to look cute in a pair of skinny jeans, that's why you're here." Terri said.

She was completely and totally right. I wanted to go into a clothing store and love everything I put on. I wanted to look in the mirror at a naked me and not completely cringe. I wanted to look good!

Terri taught me that vanity is probably the greatest motivator for keeping true to your fitness and eating. Mostly importantly that it's okay, vanity with discipline is not a bad thing!

Vanity is a large part of how my decisions are made. Do I want to binge eat or look amazing in a bathing suit? The answer isn't hard to come to when you look at things that way.  I WANT a cute butt, I can forgo pizza for that and do a serious leg workout twice a week. That's why sticking to a plan is easy for me. I'm vain and open about it with myself.

Now health is a big part, but it's almost like the extra awesome bonus. I can't see my heart or my cholesterol. Someone can measure them with a machine and take my blood, but I can't look in the mirror and say "Damn my arteries are fantastic today!"

I can however look in the mirror at how flat my stomach is and how defined my shoulders are getting. Why do you think there are always so many mirrors at the gym? Don't kid yourself, those are not all for form... those are to gawk at progress to pump yourself up!

I don't have the highest self-esteem and that's how I've fallen unto scary places with making food a security blanket, but I've learned from that and now force myself to answer questions about my looks before I slip.

The sooner you admit to wanting to look awesome the easier it will be to stay looking awesome.
Take pictures of yourself often, it will force you to keep yourself in check and accountable!

Next stop for me is a full length mirror, it's been long enough I think I'm over my fear now.

"Why?": A question I'm getting asked a lot these days.

I've been saying "No" to a lot of things lately. No to bad food, sweets, getting drunk, staying out super late and pretty much any situation that would lead me to unnecessary temptation.

I'm not compromising myself and because of this I have a few people saying I'm working too hard.

I get asked a lot why I put so much focus into training and eating healthy. People hear that you're doing it because you want to and they get really confused. "Are you doing a competition or race? Are you going to a wedding or a reunion or something? Why train hard just because?"

Why can't I have a competition with myself?

I'll tell you flat out that competing with your own mind is far superior then being compared to others. There are a lot of people out there who run fast, or can lift super heavy. I found I stick with something far longer if I DON'T try to out do someone else. I just try to outdo myself :)

Gaining inspiration from others is fantastic, but no one is going to motivate you more then you. Ladies you will never look like Ava Cowan, Jamie Eason or Zuzana Light, just like you'll never look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Why? BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THEM. You don't have their genetics.

I'm not saying you can't train like them, become as fit or get down to their body fat percentage, but even if you achieve all this, you still will never look like them because you are you - EMBRACE THAT.

I train hard because it's the one way I try to love myself. I find that's a constant battle that's always uphill. I train hard because I know that no one, not family, friends or lovers will ever love me as much as my body loves me after hitting the iron as hard as I can. I train to show myself I'm stronger then I ever thought possible. I do it to overcome myself.

You want unconditional love, you want to feel amazing and have self respect? Then use your body and make it do what you want. It's control, respect and love all rolled up into an hour a day. Eating right is the fuel to do all the things you thought you never could. It supports that body you want to have and keep the results of the training you work so hard for.

I deserve to love myself that way and so does everyone else. I'll be damned if I let anyone try to take that away from me. I don't care how "un-fun" that makes me, no one gets to determine the way I show my body or myself love.

Things get hard. Just like everyone else I get depressed and slackerish. I second guess, I self loathe,  but eventually I realize that if I keep on top of training and eating well I'm doing something for myself.

It's natural to want a sibling/friend/partner that supports and drives you. The thing is you work with what you have. I'm always my own coach and fan club. I'm not saying I don't have people who root for me, or say "Hey that's really awesome what you're doing I wish I could do that," but they aren't there making me push myself.

I know I've said this before, but no one can disappoint you, but you. Everyday is a new one to show yourself you're dedicated to you. Not to your job, or to your bank account, not to the expectations of others... just YOU.

I train hard and I do it for me.