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Did anyone watch Glenn Close’s acceptance speech from the Golden Globes? It was so so beautiful. If you’re a mom (especially you!) or a daughter, watch it. She won best actress for her role in The Wife, a show that is now on my list to watch. Her speech was such a true statement of the pressure we feel as moms and wives. We all deserve to chase our dreams. We have to find our own personal fulfillment. I feel like this idea was way more clear after I had Jack. One of my biggest points of anxiety is my inability to balance working mom life. Somedays I wish that I woke up and being a mom was all I had to worry about but then I think of how fulfilling this career has been to my life and I know that the juggle is worth it. I think that this idea pertains to all areas of our life. We deserve to feel like our best selves every single day.
Over the past year I’ve really made a conscious effort to focus on my health. Not in a way that completely changed my lifestyle (I love a good burger and a beer) but it was important for me to find a routine and stick with it. I filled you in on the process throughout 2018 but this year I really want to focus more on sharing this journey and how I’ve made it a lifestyle. One of my most frequently asked questions last year was how I manage being a mom and finding time for exercise. Trust me, I’m the queen of excuses but after having Jack I knew that I would be a better mom to both boys if I dedicated this time to myself. It’s been about a year since I truly started working out more consistently (the first change I made) and although the change has been (at times) slow, I feel so proud of all that I’ve accomplished.
I think there are a few stages of weight loss/exercise that help you keep up with your routine for longer than a few months. I was once told that it takes a month for you to notice a difference, two months for family and friends and three months for acquaintances. I definitely think this is true! However, in-between those first three months and now were 4-5 months of just a general plateau where I stayed the same. That’s when I knew that my diet was going to play an important roll (something I didn’t want to admit for a long time!) in getting to a place where I was happy with myself. Once you get past that plateau and you start to see more of a change, you kind of become obsessed. Not only was eating healthy and exercising making a difference in my appearance but in my confidence and determination to keep going. It’s a pretty awesome feeling coming from someone who felt uncomfortable in her clothes for 2+ years.
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After I had Jack my motivation to get my body in shape was kicked into high gear. With Charlie, I didn’t start consistently working out until he was one and felt that postpartum slump for a long time. For Christmas in 2017 (1 month after having Jack), my dad asked me what I wanted and I asked him for 5 training sessions with his trainer. I started working out with him 2x a week in the middle of February and signed up indefinitely after those five sessions were done. We all have different body types but I think it is important to talk to a professional to really know what works best for you. For me, my body craves change. It gets too comfortable if I’m constantly doing the same thing. Weight training has helped to make me stronger and more lean. I know that personal training is an investment but it is the best option for my schedule. It holds me accountable, every workout is tailored TO ME and has given me that one hour of dedication only to myself. Right now, I train 2x a week and try to do cardio 2-3x a week. Usually this is some sort of running circuit (check my health/fitness IG HIGHLIGHTS for all of my workouts!) which I’m going to do a big blog post about in the near future. I get asked about what the boys do while I’m at the gym – when I train with my trainer it is at 7am and Dave is home. When I go to the gym for cardio the boys go to the kids club – they love it!
In August of 2018 I did one round of Faster Way to Fat Loss and it really taught me the true side effects of the food that I eat. It was the first time I really cut out sugar, gluten and dairy and I realized that these things really aren’t necessary unless in moderation. I’m almost completely sugar free (aside from fruit and wine, ha!) and I still try to do Intermittent Fasting every single day. Again, different things work for different people but this program made me see the biggest difference. Dave does Intermittent Fasting now too and we both agree that it has really helped to lean out our bodies.
Cozy Nike Pullover
The coziest pullover for workouts, activewear and everything. It’s embarrassing how often I wear this cozy fleece. A must have!
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