I started this blog because I needed somewhere to share all my thoughts, struggles, accomplishments, tips, and discoveries regarding fitness. (I figured I was driving people nuts on Facebook with all the status updates and shares.) So, whenever I find something worth sharing or have something exercise/healthy eating-related on my mind, this is where I'll post it. Whenever I find something worth sharing, I love to do so because I am like most mothers (even fathers) in the fact that I do not have a lot of free-time on my hands to just workout all day. I have to fit it into my kiddies' Rest Time, which varies everyday. I hope you all appreciate the info as much as I love sharing it!
I'll give a little peek into the landslide....
Years ago, my family went through a crisis and I took it really hard. I used to play soccer year round, run, workout, you name it, I did it. I was always athletic and never had to worry about what I ate because I was constantly active. After our crisis, I stopped caring about my health. I stopped running, I stopped working out, I drank, and I ate. A lot. I went into size 15 pants. (I was a size 3/5 in high school, and this was not much longer after that, just to give perspective.) I didn't care. My now husband never said anything to me about myself becoming overweight. He always said he loved me the way I was, so I never thought of getting healthy again.
After our first baby came along....
I was looking through pictures and was actually shocked by the way I looked before becoming pregnant. Well, shocked and mortified. Wow, how had it gotten this bad? I then saw a picture of myself just after high school and I cried. I was never "skinny" or "bone-thin" and that never bothered me. I was healthy looking, muscular, I loved the way I looked! Right then, I vowed to become healthy and fit again. After our daughter was born, I lost (post-baby weight and regular weight) 40+ lbs. I got up extra early every morning before work just so I could workout. I watched what I ate. I started to like what I saw in the mirror.
After our second baby came along....
After our son was born, I knew I wanted to get back to what I was before. And with the help from Lisa at our local gym (thanks Antonelli's!!), I knew how to eat properly for energy while losing weight, took Spinning classes, and even was recommended some tailored workouts for my problem areas. I lost around 40 lbs. of baby and regular weight. I am the closest to my high school weight that I've been in a long time. My body has changed after having two children, so I'm not expecting to look exactly like I did in high school, and I have to say, my arms actually look and feel stronger than they did in high school. (Score!)
Once I became a SAHM....
Transitioning from working mom to SAHM was not so easy for me. I was used to go, go, go! Now I had a newborn baby and a 21 month old. So, it was more like, go, nurse, go, nurse. I needed an outlet. Enter exercise.
For the love of exercise....
I fell in love all over again. Oh, it was a love/hate relationship at first, but now, I can't go one day without doing some form of exercise (although I do know the importance of taking rest days). If I'm not feeling very energetic one day, I do Yoga or Pilates. If I have tons of energy, I do HIIT or Tabata, along with strength training. Now, I'm no exercise professional, but someday I hope to be! All these years of feeling like, "What is my purpose", all became clear to me as I started falling in love with being fit and eating healthy. I have come to understand and appreciate the benefits of exercise. It truly is a natural anti-depressant and anti-anxiety method. It makes me feel strong and powerful. And one of the best perks, is when my daughter and son say they want to have muscles and be strong like mommy. My plan (after the kiddies start school) is to become a Personal Trainer. I want to share my passion with anyone willing to enjoy it and benefit from it, starting here.
Closing Time....
I love helping people. I always have. I guess being at home, I feel like I do not get to reach out and help others (besides my children) as much as I would like to. This is my way of doing that. I know there are some women who appreciate the things I share on my FB page, so I decided that this may be a better way to organize it. I use YouTube a lot because it's free. (Hey, we're not rich here so I try to be as frugal as much as I can.) When I find things that are beneficial, I like to pay it forward. Please let me know what you think as I always love feedback!
And remember: Movement is a gift, enjoy it!
(Above) This was me in 2005, at the heaviest I'd ever been in my life. (I am not proud to post this.) (Below) This is me in 2012, after working hard to get my true self back.
