My Fitness Story

My Fitness Story.....

(6/2011) This is the part where I'm feeling a little exposed...haha, but oh well, other "weight loss" stories always motivate me and if I can help hopefully somebody than I am willing to share!! Along the way it helps me too! 

Okay, you've heard of Freshmen 15, well in college I gained the Freshman 30-45, not getting enough sleep, doing regular midnight Denny's runs, daily DQ treats.  Wow!! What was I thinking? I never had to think about it living at home eating home cooked meals every night and staying active during high school.  My College years is where it all started going down hill....gained the weight, had bad acne. Now I realize it was all because of my bad sleeping habits, bad eating habits and a total decline in my activity level. Looking back now I believe this is where my food intolerances started to get worse and I didn't know that's was what was causing so many things going on with me.

Then, I got married to a super great guy & we had 4 beautiful kids. I gained 65-70 pounds with each pregnancy. Especially with my first I was way over 200 pounds, around 215. I'm only 5'4! Having kids changes your body big time and I know for any Mom's they wonder if they'll be able to get their pre-baby body back, it can be stressful & sad. But, it's just a part of life, it's beautiful and wonderful and so worth the body changes. But, I know I could have made better decisions during my pregnancies to be a lot more healthy.

This is a picture of me pregnant with our first child.  I was so big, just swollen all over and then I got Bells Palsy (half of my face went numb, now I almost wish I had a picture of me like that to remember) and they had to put me on a Steroid, luckily I was far enough along that it wasn't harmful to the baby.  But, it did help her grow faster and I grew a lot more after this! Yikes! (this is my next clue of my food intolerances...looking back I now whole heartedly believe my severe intolerance to gluten could have had something to do with my Bells Palsy...it causes inflammation in the brain and that's what happens with bells palsy, I've also researched a lot and found many studies that link the 2). My husband always says we didn't have a newborn with her, she came out a toddler because she was a big baby. Haha. I already did not feel good about myself being so huge, not feeling well, my active level was way down and then having half of my face numb for months didn't help the confidence at all!! When, my face finally came back (thank goodness) I new I would NEVER EVER take the simple act of smiling for granted again!

This is me about a month or so after giving birth. My face was finally coming back!! But, I honestly cannot believe this is me!

 I have worked hard after each pregnancy to get back to pre-pregnancy weight because I know how much better it made me feel. It's never been all about the # on the scale for me....but that when I'm trying to be healthier my mood is better, I'm happier, I have more energy...I just feel better inside and out. That's what's most important. And I've done it each time with A LOT of hard working out! But, still felt....Soft and flabby I guess you could say. So, now I want to be and look in great shape and feel strong. Have a leaner body, lower my body fat, look toned, feel energized, have more endurance. I want to feel the best that I can! But I know it's going to take hard work and dedication to get there!

*This is me prego with my 2nd child*

 *prego with my 4th*

 *After my 3rd*

 I have worked hard to get back to my pre-baby fitness level again each time, there are many moms who do, easier for some than others. I feel totally proud of myself for doing it and I know how hard I have worked. For me it's the exercise that got me where I am now. But, I have recently (7/2012) started an "Eat Clean Diet" and I know that along with continuing to exercise, the changes in my diet is what will get me to my ultimate fitness goals. Food is fuel after all! 

(Running and Beachbody "Insanity" DVDs got me here)
(6/24/2011)

   

It doesn't look like much difference from this top picture to this bottom picture, but it's actually quite a few inches.  It definitely shows in the way my clothes fit and How I feel.  I'm a little more toned, but I hope one day soon I can show even more progress.  

This is at the start of my Eat Clean journey and doing more Weights and running.  I finally realized that the "eating part" is actually more important than the "exercise part." (I still was having random symptoms that didn't allow me to feel quite right. Hypoglycemia like crazy, fatigue, dizziness, hormonal lashing out, skin problems) 

August 2012

I love to change up what I'm doing, so then I started doing the new LES MILLS PUMP around September 2012 (Love it!!! And running! Then around January 2013 I added in Les Mills Combat and did a hybrid with Combat/Pump and running. (ya I was really into Beachbody workouts for a while) then I really started focusing on eating clean 80% of the time and using better and healthier alternatives for the whole family. These (below) are just some lounge/workout clothes from Costco and they are a size SMALL! What....I never use to buy small anything and now I usually get SMALL!! It feels so great.  The BEST part is how I feel, my attitude and confidence and that I am trying to be as healthy as possible for a long full life with my Family.  I want to help other Moms get there too.

March 2013- probably at my fittest

I'm continuing to eat clean and workout with more weights and I want to prove that a mom with a muffin top can change it into a six pack....or close to it ;) with TRUE and consistent good ol' hard work- Exercise and Eating healthy!!

If I can do it! You can too!

Summer 2013 I started getting into CrossFit and Loving it!! I also had some huge changes in my Diet because of Food intolerances and just wanted to feel good on the inside!! Symptoms that I had been dealing with for years began to get worse, including blurry vision, heart palpitations, severe fatigue, hypoglycemia that I couldn't control anymore, digestion issues and so much more.  See all about those struggles HERE.  

Well, any journey has up and downs...right! Because of the Adrenal Fatigue and damage to my gut my energy started slowly declining, symptoms increasing and I then had to take a break from CrossFit and Exercise all together. I couldn't exercise for about 8 months and had a very strict diet that took it's toll on me physically and emotionally. It was hard to find energy to do the simplest tasks there for a while, not easy when you are also a working mom/wife with 4 kids. It's been the toughest things I've had to do, it has been a physical and emotional ride. Exercise was the biggest part of my journey up to that point and that was one very difficult thing for me to give up. Making severe diet changes has slooowwwwlllly healed my body on the inside, but I'm not as confident or strong as I once was.  (like the photo from above) I've had to learn to have a lot of Faith and Patience and just trust the process. There have been many days of crying and not wanting to try anymore and just big bouts of depression. But, I continued to keep trying and I hope to one day be back to the hard core exerciser again (because it is my passion) and feel great on the inside AND the oustide! Taking care of yourself is the most important. Sometimes you just have to buck up and do you what gotta do. 

This Picture below was taken last Spring (2014) and now here it is Janurary 2015. I'm no where near where I use to be. But, we should never compare ourselves to our past, right. Just move forward! 

I still have daily struggles with my healing process but I can finally see the light at the end of the dark tunnel. I FINALLY can start exercising again and I can feel my body healing! All the Faith and Patience is finally paying off. It's been a huge testimony builder for me! I actually started out exercising again and it's amazing how my strength is coming back. No matter how rocky the road may get....you just have to KEEP TRYING! Giving up will get you NO WHERE! Excited now to look back and proud that I kept pushing and trusted the process and began healing my body for the better. 

As long as you are still moving forward you are still improving.

I am currently teaching Fitness Classes, have begun Personal Training and also Nutrition Coaching for Brain Balance to help families make healthier and better choices for their kids. I try to encourage and help friends daily in their own process. I am still learning everyday as well! There is always more room for learning.

I'm Currently back at the Gym myself and although I know what to do and how to make a fitness program for myself as a trainer... I absolutely Love letting others train me! :) I love the programs by James Wilson. I have completed Body Earned and almost half way through Tension over time." I look up to him and trust him and his advice and his amazing knowledge that also helps me learn more everyday.

I've also since been diagnosed with MTHFR, a gene mutation. I am homozygous C677t which means I have 2 copies of the mutated gene. That is more than likelly the cause of all my problems. My body cannot detox and I cannot process the active form of folate among a ton of other things...it has taken a lot more learning. More about that another time.

Can't wait to share the rest of my journey! Without the struggles it wouldn't be much of a journey and I wouldn't be the person I am today! More well rounded, refined and more knowledgable!
“If we endured no pain or suffering in this life, then there would be no true happiness or joy. None of us would know what true accomplishment feels like. If we experienced no trial, then there would be no point to this life.” 

.....And so it continues. Stay tuned. :)