These pictures were taken 2 seconds apart. I wanted to share because a lot of you have asked about how I deal with body fluctuations throughout the month. In picture one, I'm pulling my core in; in the second picture, I have completely relaxed my currently bloated tum. 

I used to really struggle with this; years ago, these temporary changes stressed me out, now I don't care - which makes for a much happier existence. The way I deal with (completely normal) body fluctuations is to try not to closely scrutinize my size, shape, or weight. I roll with the punches. 

Our bodies are CONSTANTLY changing; how much you've eaten, how often you eat, what you eat, exercise habits, hormones, hydration levels, stress levels, etc, etc can enormously impact your size and shape by the hour, day, week. I think that this can be especially hard to realize and really fully grasp when you are working hard to lose weight. 

Just keep this in mind & try to be forgiving of whatever your body might be up to at the moment; a slight variation from the direction that you have defined as "progress" is not reason to give up on exercise and healthy eating - two things we KNOW are good for our bodies and brains. So don't let those (again, completely normal) fluctuations derail you or make you think your efforts aren't worthwhile. Weight gain from your menstrual cycle will drop off naturally, so don't let it get you so frustrated that you actually end up sabotaging yourself with poor nutrition decisions.

My best advice; love your belly & body, even when it's bloated (if not even more so - cramps suck!!). Otherwise, do your best to stick to healthy eating, drink lots of water, and don't be afraid to significantly lessen the intensity of your workouts if you need to - always listen to your body. Hope this helps! -Kelli