Sweat dripped down my face, stinging my eyes before I could wipe it away. My breath came in short gasps; I was tired. So tired and I wanted nothing more than to stop, but I could feel eyes on the back of my head.
I glanced over my shoulder and smiled. She returned the gesture. All thoughts of quitting flew out of my mind. I was looking at the oldest of my reasons for pushing my limits on a daily basis: my daughter.
Keep going, I reminded myself. You got this!
You wondering what the heck is going on yet?
Oh nothing much… just a little Insanity Max:30 as my daughter watched on, completely engrossed by both me and Shaun T. I was getting my butt kicked yet again by the man I had grown to both love and hate over the months, but there was no way I was about to quit in front of my daughter. What kind of example would that be setting?
Eventually she joined in, laughing with excitement as she attempted certain exercises such as “in-and-out abs”. And me? Well, I couldn’t have been prouder despite the fact that she left no room for me to move.
So who am I? I’m simply a single mother of two amazing children, ages 4 and 3 (this February). I began this fitness journey in earnest when I turned 30. I think it was a bit of a mid-life crisis that got to me. In my youth I had been a very competitive athlete but after shoulder surgery, two spinal fusions, gallbladder surgery and two pregnancies, I was heavier than I’d ever been (except while pregnant). At times the extra weight made it difficult to take care of two extremely active toddlers. It’s embarrassing to admit how out of breath I would get from such seemingly simple tasks. My self-esteem plummeted to an all-time low. On top of that, I also have a condition called PCOS which is an endocrine disorder that has too many side effects to want to list. But let me tell you – by not taking care of my body, I was feeling all those side effects at once and I couldn’t stand it. And the worst part of it all? I felt like I was being a horrible mother to my kids because I was so exhausted all the time.
One day I woke up and said to myself this has to change. I’m almost 30 but I feel like I’m 50. It’s gotta stop! So I used money I got for my birthday and placed an order for Insanity. Two months later I started on Shakeology.
I’m not going to lie – in the beginning it was really difficult. I had been a fairly gifted athlete in my youth so it was more than a little demoralizing to get my butt whooped so easily by Shaun T. And despite having the best intentions with exercising, I didn’t have the same attitude when it came to eating. That was probably the hardest part for me. I absolutely LOVE food (I’ll be the first to admit it – I am an emotional eater as well) and having to limit or even give up certain things was challenging at first. As a result my weight yo-yo'ed for a few months. I’d drop 10 pounds and celebrate that tiny victory with foods that most certainly should not have been consumed in such large quantities. Then to my horror I’d gain back not only the 10 pounds I’d lost, but another 5 because… why not, right?
By winter that year I finally woke up and realized exercise alone wouldn't get me where I want to be. If I was only going to half-ass it, then there was no point in even trying. So I started watching how I ate – especially those late night snacks that tended to put weight on me faster than anything else.
But I kept at it - through all my struggles I made the decision that I would never quit. I would keep going; I was determined to regain my health. Once I made this decision, slowly but surely I began seeing results and my weight loss finally stopped yo-yo'ing. It’s amazing what a difference an attitude adjustment can make.
As the pounds came off, my energy came back. It became easier to play and rough house with my kids. I found healthier ways to cook food that still tasted good. In general, I just felt better about myself and that made a world of difference. I felt like a new person and was happier than I'd been in ages. That happiness was reflected in all aspects of my life - including being the best mom I can to my children.
Since May 2013 I’ve managed to lose nearly 55 pounds (and have almost closed the abdominal separation I acquired from my first pregnancy) through the use of Shakeology, Insanity, and multiple rounds of T-25. Currently, I am doing my first round of Insanity Max:30 and I couldn’t be happier with the progress I've made to date.
I'm so happy with my results that in late November, after talking to family and friends, I decided to take the plunge and finally become a Beachbody coach. After all, I was already using the products and am proof that they really do work. It was an idea I'd been toying around with for months, but never had the courage to officially pursue until a chance conversation took place. I guess a little nudge was all I needed to finally align my work goals with my childhood dreams. Funny how life works sometimes.
I may not be exactly where I want to be – but I’m getting there. One day at a time. With the right mindset anything can be accomplished. Keep pushing play.
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