My Very Imperfect Journey to a Healthier Life

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My very imperfect journey to a healthier life started back in 2014. It’s not a perfect one by any means but I want to share it anyway.

Our second boy was barely 5 months old. One of my closest friends had joined a company that promotes workout programs and protein shakes. My head had finally cleared enough, after 3 pregnancies in 3 years, to think about how uncomfortable I was with my body. The pounds had packed on. And after 2 c sections, I had a very troubled mid section which I had never dealt with before. I kept saying how much I wanted to lose weight and how uncomfortable I was. I just didn’t think I had it in me to do what it took loose any significant amount of weight.

My friend shared her new business with me and I talked it over with my husband. I wanted to get fit very badly but I’ve always been afraid of failure, sometimes to the point of being paralyzed and just quitting. I didn’t want to start and just quit. It took a lot of thinking over until my husband, the doer that he is, told me “just do it!”. The wisest words ever spoken. Finally, I signed up with my friend and decided to go all in.

I started doing all of the modifications and taking breaks every few moves. I took pictures and measurements not really expecting much change. The first week rolled around and to my surprise I had, in fact, lost some pounds. It felt real good, and I was hooked on the sense of accomplishment. Besides the number on the scale, the best encouragement came from my clothes being too big. Being able to move, sit down on the floor, run with my boys, feeling stronger than I had ever felt! Dropping 40+ pounds, several inches and five sizes felt AMAZING! It had taken hard work and I had done it all, I could barely believe it!

journey
                          A few pounds apart

In September we took a trip to Mexico which messed up my routine. At home I got back on track but not as determined, and before I knew it I found out I was pregnant with boy #4! After the rough start we had becoming parents (2 miscarriages and a stillbirth) pregnancy became a time in which I just naturally held my breath, especially during the first few weeks. I did not want to move until I knew baby was growing safe and sound. My recovery from that 3rd c section though was surprisingly faster than the other two, and my body seemed to get back to a decent weight not long after.

When baby was around 3 months I started working out again and eating healthier. It was around the time when we were in a temporary living arrangement and then moved to Corpus Christi from New Mexico, so something had to give in the midst of all the madness. We had also decided not to sleep train baby boy, and he did not sleep through the night as early as his brothers did.

There came a time in which I had to choose between my sanity and working out. Every night I would decide I would wake up early the next morning to work out. When morning came I was way too tired. So I didn’t. And I felt guilty for not sticking with it.

It was like having something hanging over my head ALL. OF. THE. TIME! I decided to just drop it until I was able to get more sleep.

Towards the end of last year, I started thinking that I wanted to take my journey one step further. I don’t want to just be fit. I want to be healthy inside and out. The results I want call for drastic action since my biggest battle has been with food: not wanting to give certain things up and eating too many carbs. I decided that on Jan. 8th, when we got back from another trip to Mexico in which I ate more than my weigh in tacos, I would quit sugar, dairy, and most carbs. Thankfully my husband decided to join me, because quitting sugar alone is a topic for another blog post. I’m giving my body time to adjust and honestly recovering from months of sleep deprivation before I incorporate work outs back into my lifestyle. 

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The message I want to convey is: life has many seasons.

There are seasons when we are energetic, ready to take on the world; and there are others in which we need to prioritize and choose “best” over “good.” I know working out is good for me but I chose to protect my bond with my son, best.

In some seasons we find balance, are organized, and we manage to have time for everything.

My point is, no matter what season you are in, do your best. Choose “best” over “good” without any shame or guilt. Listen to your body. Remember that even the smallest step towards a healthier you is a step in the right direction!