#TeamDiscoverYourself - Michell J.

One of the biggest things in life that people look for is a sense of belonging...something that makes them feel that they are not alone.  In speaking with some close friends, I thought it was important for you to not only hear my words but the words of others that read this blog and allow them to share their struggles and triumphs.

Michell and I have known each other since 2004 when I moved to Virginia.  We worked together and we enjoyed life together.  Her family welcomed me into their home for my first Thanksgiving away from my own family and in fact, I was the Maid of Honor in Michell's wedding.  Now married, with two children, Michell has an amazing life and one that she is now finding more able to balance.  Here's Michell's story (and thank you Michell for being willing to share this)...

Motivation: the general desire or willingness of someone to do something. 

Back in early 2008, I was motivated to look and feel healthy.  I ate healthy and I worked out almost daily.  For a good eight months, I worked so hard to do "boy" push ups, to go through my Abs/Core class without feeling like I was going to faint and to be sexy again.  It took a few months but I got to that point and it felt great...AWESOME in fact.  Then in August 2008, my husband and I wanted to start trying for kids.  After two miss carriages, we were pregnant again and we had a healthy baby boy the following Fall.  Once I became pregnant, I was more focused on being pregnant and not losing him than I stopped working out.  Once I had my son, my motivation was now...my son.  My thoughts and mind were consumed with being a mommy that I didn't start to think of losing that baby weight until two months before he turned one.  So, after almost two years away from the gym and eating healthy, I started again.  I started working out at the gym and lost some weight.  Then, about two months after my son turned one, I found out I was pregnant again.  What??!!!  I finally just started to get back into my routine!  I felt discouraged and not happy.  It didn't help that I had a medical condition that I was not allowed to work out or stand on my feet for a long period of time for the first trimester.  Of course I was concerned for my new baby inside me but that just made me feel more unhappy that I wasn't able to "get my body back".   My daughter was born healthy that following July.  Throughout the last six years my body went through a lot.  Between trying to get pregnant, two early miss carriages, two full term somewhat healthy pregnancies and nursing both for each thirteen months.  It felt as if my body wasn't really mine anymore.  I was always so tired and became out of breath easily that I didn't really play with my kids a lot.  Fast forward almost THREE years later after having my beautiful daughter, I finally...FINALLY got my motivation back!  My motivation at first came from my friends.  Three in particular.  One that has been by my side for the past nine years and who is a married mom of active crazy kids like me and I consider her one of my best friends.  The second is a woman that has a boyfriend but no children, that I just recently became friends with that runs marathons like every week (or at least it seems like it)!   Lastly, is a woman that is single with no children, that I have known for nine years and has moved here and there and seems like everywhere and has recently started a health & wellness blog!  These three women are so different but yet so alike.  Their main common goal is to be healthy.  All three love to run or be active.  At first, I would say to myself, "Eh, I'll get there".  I was just so busy with working full time, teaching dance part time, being a mommy to two rambunctious children and a wife.  For me, I didn't have time to do "that".  I would try at times but then end up making excuses.  My best friend that is married and has children, kept telling me to do things for myself.  She knew that I always felt my best when I looked my best.  Then, my friend that runs marathons, kept hanging up motivational pictures in my cube at work.  Geared towards running and being healthy.  I felt as if it was a leaky faucet (in a good way).  Kept dripping (or reminding me) that I can do this...I can be healthy and especially happy again.  Then, my other friend started this health and wellness blog.  That was the kicker.  Reading her words and thoughts was like a light bulb that just finally came back on and STAYED ON!   My second motivation came from reading one of her recent blogs about a Fitbit and how she just got one and loved it.  I started researching it and had some other friends that had one and I got their advice.  After a great informative and encouraging conversation with my step mom, I wanted one.  It was just my luck that my  birthday was right around the corner and that's what I asked for.  I was blessed to have gotten one and I haven't been the same since.  It has been a week now since I got it and I am completely obsessed with it.  I love seeing those dots light up and when I reach five dots (or 10,000 steps) I get so tickled and excited.  I did it!  I am also a competitive person in general.  So having friendly competition with friends and family is perfect for me.   Just like that, I am finally back on track to being healthy and happy again.  I can now jog more during my power walks, I now run up or downstairs and no longer out of breath, I have more energy with my kids and husband and honestly I feel happier.   My family and I go for nightly walks now and I take them on a longer route than we used to because I gotta light those dots up!  I want and need to be healthy for myself, my husband and most important my children.  I want to be able to run around with them and play until the lighting bugs come out.  I want to be around for when my children get married and have children of their own.  I want to be a grandparent that takes my grand kids on walks, plays with them and rolls around the floor with (like my father and step mom).  I want to be...happy and happy is what I now am. 

Happy: feeling or showing pleasure or contentment

Happy Belated Mother's Day to all the moms out there.  Please remember that YOU are Amazing and YOU are beautiful and YOU can do this!  God Bless you!  XOXO

Girls On The Run

First off, Happy Mother's Day to all of those AMAZING moms out there!  There are so many reasons to thank you, to applaud you and to celebrate you.  You are not only the protector, the listening ear, the supporter, the encourager and the guiding light to your children, you are also the most important educator to them.

Yesterday I had the privilege of running the Girls On The Run 5k as a running buddy to a little 9 year old girl named Sadie.  The Girls On The Run program (http://girlsontherunrockies.org/) I overall think is a great one.  It teaches young girls the importance of self esteem, empowerment, and how to live a life full of self-respect and healthy habits.  This 5k was Sadie's first and she rocked it with an overall race time of 42:53 (a pace of 13:50).  Definitely not too shabby for 9 year old legs!

Now as much as I love this program and I love spending time with kids, as a woman with many little children in her life and an educated background of health/fitness and coaching, there are a few things I must admit I disagreed with.  One, in 2014 how is it possible that someone can spend 1.5 hours ultimately alone with a child with no background check?!  In the middle of City Park in Denver, with tons of spectators I was ultimately running side by side this little girl and then walking around the park alone with her afterwards.  Her coaches didn't know me...her parents didn't know me and yet I took their precious little girl with all of their trust in the world.  Seems to me like this could ultimately be a dangerous situation.  Again, don't get me wrong, I LOVE this program and what it stands for and I personally appreciate all of the coaches and running buddies and them volunteering their time to help encourage these little girls.  But I do feel that this day in age, we should be background checking our volunteers just a bit more to ensure the safety of all of those involved.

Lastly, this race was geared towards 8-13 year old girls.  When we crossed the finish line there were protein bars and water.  What preteen do you know eats protein bars?!  Not only is the taste not appealing to a child, but it teaches them meal substitution when ultimately a child is developing and should be eating well balanced meals.  The program is intended to teach young girls healthy habits...so why not have healthy food options available and fun and active handouts afterwards?  How exciting would it be to cross the finish line and be given a jump rope, a frisbee, fruit, healthy granola bars...food choices that are healthy and appetizing to a child and "toys" that encourage outdoor active movement?!

Again, the morning was amazing and I don't want to take away from that.  These kids and volunteers all got up and moving instead of watching Saturday morning cartoons and for that reason alone, it's a great way to encourage unity and fitness.  But to go back to Mother's Day...health, nutrition, fitness, self esteem, healthy lifestyle habits...this all starts with the parents and how they treat their own bodies both physically and emotionally.  Keep in mind that your children look at you as role models and the natural reaction of any child is to replicate what they say and hear their parents doing.

Teach your children the way we all grew up decades ago...that life wasn't about "dieting" and wasn't about exercise being something we "needed" to do but instead something we enjoyed doing.  Get outside and play with your kids.  Show them that exercise doesn't necessarily mean running a 5k, but can be playing soccer in your backyard for 30 minutes.  Show them that healthy habits don't mean dieting but are instead a lifestyle.  That sitting down for a well balanced meal is better than any meal replacement bar you could eat in the driver's seat of your car.  Make healthy choices a lifestyle habit for you and your family and relish in the joy that comes from that!

Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms out there!  I hope you enjoy an active and healthy day together!