SECRET?

As I talk to women in my community and many of you that read my little blog from all over the world, we all want to know the HOW don't we?  

I wanted to know that SECRET so badly for so many years...

How do we overcome our struggles with poor diet, obesity, exercise, heart health, diabetes, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, back pain, and so on.

Why is it SO HARD?

If I had the "secret" then I probably wouldn't have struggled with my weight and health for most of my life.  Unfortunately I think we must come to a place where we find ourselves at the bottom.  No where but up is left for us to turn.  We find ourselves STUCK with no way out of our current situation whether it is weight or other health concerns and we just think THIS IS IT.  This is how my life is and I will deal with it and move on.  

Instead I think we should come to a place where we FIGHT BACK.  

We are worth more than a "I've been heavy for so long, why worry about it now?" or "I can maintain my weight so why exercise?" Or what about "I'm too busy and have to feed a family, I can't worry about eating healthy."...whew, sounds like I'm talking to you huh?  It's because I've lived it, I STILL LIVE IT EVERY DAY.  But the difference in myself now? I fight back.  Each day that I wake up, each hour and every minute of the day I am fighting.  Fighting to lead a healthy life for myself, my family, my boys and my wonderful husband-who also works hard to FIGHT BACK. 

Now that I know how much better it can be when food doesn't control my life, I wish I would have fought back sooner.  I was never living but instead, I was hiding.  

Ashamed that I allowed food and lack of exercise to put me in a bubble.  A bubble of self-doubt and fear.  I was afraid of change and failure.  

Ya see I can lose 20 lbs like it's going out of style, but keeping it off?  

Whew TOTALLY different story.  It's HARD.  I battle triggers throughout my day whether its "Do I really want to workout today?" Or "I really want that juicy, fattening cheeseburger"... but rather than feeling sorry for myself and saying yes to those questions, I now FIGHT BACK!

I think about how I feel at my best and at my worst.  

My best-when I eat right, exercise and conquer my goals and fears.

My worst-those days where I cried myself to sleep, where I wished things could be different but never put forth the effort to make that change possible.

How will you FIGHT BACK and lead your healthiest life?? 

Things that are my go-to's?
Water with lemon-

sounds so simple but it works!  I'm hungry and it's not quite time to eat, I drink water with a lemon wedge!  SO many benefits of drinking water and adding lemon will help in so many ways...plus curb the appetite so keep lemons on hand at all times!

Quick lunch bowls:
ground turkey, long grain brown rice, Trader Joes chopped veggie medley.
Makes a quick lunch for those crazy days!!

I used this chopped veggie mix with ground turkey to prep for the week!  The key is MAKE DIFFERENT MEALS out of the same foods to keep things interesting!
I put that mixture on the whole wheat pizza crust and add a little chicken sausage...

The hardest part for me these days?  
Staying focused and not slipping into my old ways.  Each day I must FIGHT BACK and know that I am stronger than my obstacles and you are too!  Whatever they may be, FIGHT BACK TODAY

Celebrate each milestone!  I have focused on my running and it has really paid off!  I have improved my pace and distance so much and I actually ENJOY RUNNING!  If you would have paid me a million dollars back then to run a mile, I would have let you keep your money...

but not today!  I know that it makes me strong, it is my time to reflect on my former self and a way for me to see my own strength and how much stronger I have become...

I will keep growing and gaining strength and I will share my knowledge AND passion with as many women as possible until I change the world.  High hopes and dreams, I know 

BUT I will NEVER QUIT and NEVER GIVE UP and I hope you won't either!