So as some of you may know, I began on a health and weightloss journey in September 2011. Bella was eight months old and I still had 7lbs of baby weight I wanted to get rid of. I'll save the story of how it came to be for another blog, but I started Herbalife and began a mission to fit into all my suits again. That was my goal. Not a final weight or a final measurement, but just to be able to fit into my favorite black suit again. So with the amazing modifications a woman's body makes to accommodate creating another human, losing the 7lbs was not enough to fit into the aforementioned suit again. It took three months and 33 lbs to fit into that suit again, but I made it and I can rock it once again.
I have stayed on a maintenance plan with Herbalife, using the shakes and the supplements to stay healthy and have the energy to keep up with my growing toddler. I love it, I feel amazing! However, I have not made as much time to work out as I would like. Did you notice the word choice there ... not I am too busy to work out, but that I have not made as much time to work out as my heart would like. Thus, I am not as lean or strong as I dream of being.
So with the turning of the new year, my Herbalife family started a SHRED Challenge. 6 weeks, before and after pictures, top 2 men and top 2 women win a cash prize. Perfect!! Competition is a good way to encourage and in this competition all of the Shredders are sharing and encouraging each other, sharing recipes, workouts, motivational quotes and all things glorious and loving and encouraging. I'm amped! I am constantly being thoughtful and deliberate in my food choices. However, we are at the top of Week 4 and my progress pics show no progress. *sigh The scale at one point showed 5 lbs. gone, but now I stand at only a 2lb. weight loss. *sigh
I find myself being jealous of all the young 20-somethings in the challenge that do not have to cook for a family and thus can plan out an entire week of premade, premeasured low calorie, high protein meals. They don't have to get home to bathe a child and thus have time to go to the gym everyday for 2 hours and burn 1200 calories in one gym session. Then I snap out of it and remember that I am a 33-year-old mother who shares a home with my mother, father, husband, and daughter. I love the challenge of finding ways to make healthy, nutritious, exciting, sensuous food for my family. I remember that I live 15 miles from the closest gym and there are no lit sidewalks out here in the part of the county I live in. I remember that I am an executive under extremely stressful, high pressure deadlines right now and I have managed to make time to do 30-minute Jillian Michaels videos here in my home office. I remember that although my progress picture is not showing the physical transition that I have hoped for, the mental progress I have made is profound. I love where I am in my life and I do not need to envy anyone else's reality.
For instance, last night rather than making the normal chicken enchilada casserole that used to consist of chicken, green chiles, tons of cheese, tortillas, and green chile sauce (from a can) that would usually be accompanied my Mexican-style rice or refried beans. I made the following variation: Chicken and vegetable enchiladas (chicken, corn tortillas, half the cheese that would normally be included with corn, zucchini, squash, cilantro, and scratch-made tomatillo sauce) which was accompanied by a green salad with avocado, carrots, pepitas, organic heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, and low-fat Trader Joe's Cilantro dressing. My family ate it ... some even gave huge, glowing compliments of how delicious it was. That, my friends, is success! Success is not solely present in the number on a scale or whether or not your pants are looser. Last night, it was present in the herbal tea I was drinking sweetened with organic agave rather than a Coke Zero. It was present in the vitamin packed, reduced calorie, well-balanced, nutritious meal I made for my family.
I am so inspired by my Herbalife family and I want them to be inspired by me as well. We are learning skills on how to improve our lives, by improving our health ... we are not solely learning how to have the most drastic before and after photo. I am still fighting to win the competition, but I am being realistic and counting my daily victories and want to share it with all of you who may not be seeing the movement on the scale or your waist measurement that you were hoping for. Success is defined by how we feel about ourselves everyday; are we proud of who we were today? I am; I am stoked on the shift I have made in myself! I am so damn proud of how far I have come. I am proud of the healthy habits I am teaching my family and modeling for my young daughter. That success will never be present in a photograph other than the size of my smile in said photo.
Much love and health to you all! And as a nod to the physical transition I have made. Here is my before and after photo since Bella was born and where I stand now in my current form.
