Skinny vs Fit

This is something I have struggled with for a while: skinny vs fit. Especially during the summer time, we girls are all about wanting to look and feel good in a swimsuit. I come from a long and lean family, and I have a pretty fast metabolism. I eat what I want, but I try to do it in moderation, so I've always been thin. Tennis kept me in shape in high school, and I stayed fairly motivated to work out my freshman year of college. Then things sort of fell by the wayside.

My story doesn't involve me gaining that dreaded 10 20 pounds many college students put on. I think I gained 5 pounds total throughout college, and I still looked thin, so I was good, right? Wrong. I wasn't fit or in shape. I got tired running a mile at a snail's pace, but I didn't have the motivation to lose weight, so I just let it go.

I've recently gotten into running, and I can't tell you how much it has positively impacted me. I feel stronger and more energized throughout the day. My legs are more toned, and did I mention the really sweet tan lines to show off at the pool? Yeah they aren't so cute, but the point is I am doing something. Have I lost weight? No, not really. Do I look healthier and feel more confident? Yes. I'll never be a size zero, but I want to look as good as I can with the body God gave me. It's not just about looking skinny in a swimsuit. I want to be fit for life.

A few non-solicited fit tips from an amateur:

1. Be realistic. I know myself too well to say I'll work out before work in the morning. I'll set the alarm, wake-up, and snooze until it's time to walk into my office and turn the computer on. Working out in the early AM isn't going to happen, so I go for runs on my lunch break.
2. Focus on you: You can't look at someone else and say I want to look exactly like that. Unless you're identical twins (and my identical twin sister and I still aren't built the same), it's not in the cards sweetheart. I try to focus on becoming the best version of myself I can be. Comparing yourself to anyone but your previous self is setting yourself up for failure.
3. Set a goal. Right now, my goal is to run a 10K. One day I'd like to run a 1/2 marathon, and this will likely become my deployment project when that dreaded day comes.
4. Make it a habit. They say if you do something consecutively for 30 days, it will become a habit. Those first few weeks of running every day were such a chore, but I can honestly say that now I enjoy it and even sometimes look forward to it...sometimes.

For motivation, check out one of my best friend's blog. Emily over at Just The Stew Of Us is a work-out machine and lost 30 lbs the right way- eating healthy and working her hiney off. She just ran a half marathon, and she's been a huge motivator for me to get my rear end outside and work-out! Not to mention, her blog is hysterical, and who couldn't use a few laughs on this fine Tuesday?

How do you stay motivated?