Some of you may know my story, but I will still post it because it is a large part of the journey I am on! My husband, Jesse, and I have been married almost 8 years. About 5 years ago, we decided we were ready to start a family (as if our pets didn't count) and things didn't quite go as planned. After about a year of thinking this month would be the month, we found out something was serious wrong in the baby-making department and were advised that in-vitro fertilization was our only realistic option for conceiving, so we pursued that. Off and on for about 9 months I went through daily injections of hormones and a painful procedure and three attempts before we finally through in the towel. The emotional roller-coaster was too much and all the drugs were taking a toll on my body. So, in May of 2008, we decided we were done and waited to see where the next road would take us.
A deeply spiritual journey lead our hearts around the globe to HIV+ orphans in Ethiopia and enter phase 2! We decided to adopt 2 boys, then ages 3 and 4. Adoption, particularly internationally, is rarely a completely smooth process and we were no exception. All I know is that it was a full year and 2 days from the time I received their pictures to the time we arrived in Ethiopia to bring them home. We finally arrived in Ethiopia in September of 2009 and quickly dove head first, off a high dive, into parenthood. Nothing could have prepared me for the reality of parenting 2 boys, then ages 4 and 5, who did not speak English. We began sprinting through days and not knowing where the time went. We also encountered the realities of adopting an older child with an attachment disorder.
However, this blog is not so much about my children or even my life so much as a journey towards health and fitness while balancing motherhood. As an adult, I have been been active and when we first moved out here we joined a gym and regularly exercised. However, after 9 months of hormone while doing IVF, I found myself over 30 pounds heavier. No amount of exercise seemed to help and I will admit that my diet was not the best. We became pescetarians around this time (meaning we eat no meat except seafood), but still I indulged in cheese and late night snacks and whatever to deal with depression. So, this was not an ideal setup (even with regular exercise), for staying healthy. And then as we jumped into parenting, we found that we might be eating healthier, but I could not find time for going to the gym due to babysitting issues. Enter P90X!
Last spring, I was frustrated with my body and had tried a number of fitness videos that provided me little to no challenge and the gym was just not an option. I had a friend that was doing P90X, so I read about it and promptly ordered it and began to transform my body. I made it to about day 80 and school started for my oldest (the one who is attachment challenged) and he had a lot of issues those first few weeks, so I did not finish, but I continued to use the workouts, albeit not as regularly. At this point, I went from about 180ish pounds (yikes on my 5'6" frame) to 170 and stayed there for about a year. I continued to workout a few times a week and did spin class 1-2 days a week while both boys were in school (my youngest was in kindergarten, so gone only 3 days a week and I was at school 1 of those). However, I was still frustrated with my weight and my overall look. Enter INSANITY!
So, I had heard about Insanity through Beachbody (the makers of P90X) and thought it looked right up my ally. I completed the 60 days on June 18th and only lost 3 pounds (and I was quite frustrated with that), but also 17 inches from my arms, chest, waist, hips and thighs. I also started using Shakeology to have another healthy meal every day. This past week I started a hybrid of Insanity and another program by Beachbody, called Brazil Butt Lift. The goal is to continue to tone, lose weight, and stay healthy.
What I love about all these programs is that I can do them at home. On really busy days, I have gotten up before my kids and worked out, but most days I workout as soon as they are feed and either off at school or playing. Sure, there are interruptions and days I think I just want a nap, but I have continued. I have found that not only has regular exercise helped me with energy, but also it has helped me battle depression and helped me have better mindset to parent. I realize, now, as a mom, how important it is to not only set an example with healthy eating, but exercise too! I am a registered nurse and I see every day the effects of obesity and I am a firm believer that it begins at home. All parents have the responsibility to teach their children healthy habits and I hope that I am doing my part. So, this is really why I decided to become a Beachbody Coach. I realized that I wanted to share with others my desire to see us all healthier and this seemed like a good opportunity. Hopefully, you will join this journey with me! I hope to be posting about workouts and also some of my favorite recipes.
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