When I was younger, I was a competitive gymnast. I would practice 20 hours per week after school up until I was a senior in high school. So I was always in shape and I never had to worry about what food I was eating that would make me “gain weight” because I was so active.
Fast forward to 2018 after I had my son: I was up 40 lbs. During this time, I was struggling with PPD & PPA and my life was spiraling out of control. I ate whatever I wanted, drank a lot of wine, and told myself “I’ll get my shit together soon” (not really ever having a solid plan). It all came to a head in February 2020 when I drank too much vodka one night, which might not seem like a big deal most of the time, but this specific time I woke up with such a bad migraine that lasted days. I was unable to get out of bed and take care of my kids, I had to have my husband call out of work to help me out, and I even had to venture to Urgent Care because I was convinced that this was more than just a typical migraine. So after 3 days of intense, uncontrollable pain, I had an epiphany: My life was falling apart and it was my own fault. I had to take back some kind of control. After my migraine finally went away I decided to sign up for Weight Watchers and start working out. Weight Watchers was perfect for me because I wasn’t even sure how to eat “healthy” so that made it very easy. When it came to working out, I wasn’t really sure where I wanted to start so I just began watching YouTube videos and doing those work outs. It was on YouTube that I found Boxing and Bubbles with Christa DiPaolo and I was OBSESSED. I signed up for on her website and became addicted to boxing and kickboxing work outs.
Once I dropped all of my “baby weight” I began getting my confidence back again. I incorporated it into my daily routine and my kids knew it as “mom’s exercise time” and I would tell them “you can do whatever you want while I work out as long as you don’t fight” and they listened. Sometimes they watch me work out and sometimes they try to join along with me. When I notice they are paying attention or joining me with what I am doing I will say things like “isn’t it great how strong we are getting?” or “this work out isn’t easy but we can do hard things”. I love to give them inspiration and to show them that even though something isn’t easy if you put your mind to it you can succeed.
I have never felt more confident, beautiful, sexy, and fully myself as I do right now. Working out has definitely helped, along with all of the other changes I have made in my daily routine. Having a goal that I have set for myself every day makes it easy to stay on track with all of my other vices as well. For example, I won’t drink wine at night because I know I want to wake up in the morning and get a good work out in. I also wake up before my kids now so I can set up for my work out and jump right in after I get them to school. I think it is so important to have goals that are aligned with who you want to become in the future. I, personally, want to be a good mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and a kind, caring, generous, motivated, inspiring woman. The things I am doing today will set me up for success tomorrow. YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO!
