OWN IT!

I've been on a long and frustrating road since having my 3 children. Attempting to regain the body that I wanted and achieved before becoming a mom felt like a constant battle. I knew that thinking about the gym wouldn't burn calories and that eventually I’d actually have to go. (It makes sense, if you think about cheesecake you don’t gain the calories you would from eating it. It sucks, but it can’t work both ways!) I knew what healthy vs unhealthy food looked like. I still managed to find obstacles to put in my way though.

I told myself the usual shit… Im not 26 anymore, pregnancy changes your body, I don’t have time, losing weight isn’t easy for me. The reality is that understanding the process, willpower and consistency were my real problems. These are issues that most people face when trying to make changes in any aspect of their lives.

The only exercise I did in the first three years with my twin boys was chasing after them. It was only after the birth of my daughter that I started running for exercise again. However, without implementing changes to my diet I wasn’t seeing the results that I wanted. For the first time I learned about calorie counting AND made it a consistent part of my life. With the use of an app called MyFitnessPal, I was able to track my daily consumption (input) and how much exercise I did (output). Incorporating this lifestyle change into my daily routine helped keep me accountable for my results.

I understood that the changes I wanted weren’t going to happen “overnight” but as I noticed the process working I found the motivation to keep going for the more long term goals. I wasn’t perfect in my pursuit and experienced a lot of unnecessary self doubt but I managed to find the balance of working out and eating. I didn’t have to completely eliminate restaurant meals or treats, just make sacrifices and find what worked for me.

A better understanding of nutritional value and how weight loss works is imperative for change. Finding the will power to control my consumption and hit the gym instead of just planning to is the driving force that keeps me going. Consistency, and being realistic with time frame for change is key.

If you lose 3 lbs one week and only 1lb the next, celebrate both weeks as moving forward in the right direction. If you lose nothing or gain weight, take responsibility. It’s easy to say you don’t understand lack of progression but if you acknowledge that you didn’t hit your input, output goals you’re better able to take control.

Over 6 months I lost 15 lbs and replaced it with confidence. I achieved my goal, reached my target weight, and feel happy and healthy in my skin again.

Own your input, output then own your success!