A Life-Changing Health Care
Shortly after my first son was born, in 2015, I experienced a life-changing health scare. I had a very invasive surgery to remove a grapefruit-sized tumor that was found in my chest, setting on top of my right lung. The recovery process left me with intense nerve pain, nerve damage, muscle damage, and months of physical therapy. I gained a substantial amount of weight and found myself becoming depressed and tired.
Coping with STRESS with Excessive Overindulgence
About 6 months after surgery I tried to start a fitness routine, thinking I could just jump right back in. I couldn’t. I failed; disappointed in myself, I had a negative shift in mindset. I adopted a “you only live once” mentality when it came to food and fitness. As in, “you only live once, why not eat pizza whenever I want…or have a pint of ice cream for dinner…why waste time on working out” I was coping with the depression and stress by excessive overindulgence. I was in a very difficult season mentally and physically, and I felt very alone.
I Realized I was Convincing myself I was too Busy to Care for those Most Important in My Life
My husband and I had our second son in 2017. I was about 6 months postpartum, and still weighing in over 200 lbs (at a modest 5’6”), when something just clicked. I was always tired, moody, depressed…a shell of my former fun-loving self. And one day I heard myself saying to my mom during a phone conversation “I just don’t have time to workout…” I had said that before, but this time I actually heard what I was saying. It was an excuse; just me trying to convince myself that I was “too busy” to get healthy. Too busy to take care of the person in charge of taking care of the two most important people in my life??? That was it. I didn’t want my boys to grow up seeing their mother like that, I couldn’t. I needed to get healthier, I needed to be more present…I needed to be better, the best me, for them!
Time for a Change
I always enjoyed weight-training, and I love to cook (and eat!). So, I started working out and meal /planning/prepping. I was lifting heavy, pushing my workouts hard. But I new that that was only going to take me so far. To see real change, I would have to MAKE a real change.
My Plan
I started to research all the “clean eating” theories, educating myself on macronutrients & micronutrients, IIFYM, etc. I got my Group Fitness Instructor Certification with the American Council on Exercise and started teaching fitness classes; all the while taking in as much information and literature as possible on nutrition as it relates to fitness, and healthier living. Not only for myself, but for my family as well.
I Have LOST Over 80 Pounds!
Since then I’ve lost over 80 lbs (95 of you count my stage weight) and I have never looked back. 2019 was my first competition season, and I LOVED IT! I love the prep, the challenge of pushing myself to the extreme both mentally and physically. I’ve never been one to have a desire to be on stage, but the bodybuilding arena…that felt like home to me!
Life Changing
I can say without a doubt that this past year has absolutely changed my life. Not only have I grown stronger physically, but mentally AND emotionally, too. I’ve opened a small fitness center in my community (we are a small town of about 1500 people) in efforts to bring more awareness and opportunity for activity and exercise. I’ve held workshops on clean eating and nutrition, and hope to offer meal prep workshops in the future.
Positive Role Model for my Kids
My family has benefited as well. It makes my heart beam when my four-year old tells me, “Mama, apples are carbohydrates. They give you energy.” Knowing my kids will grow up with a healthy relationship with food and fitness, that is the ultimate mom win!
Interested in your OWN Eat by Color plan? Just click below…..
What you will get:
Learn what and how to eat with an Eat by Color Nutrition Plan.
Have a program and plan for exercise. Only about 3 hours in the gym every week. PLUS our training app FREE… so you can track your workouts. Oh… and there is a video of each exercise in the program.
Ray Binkowski is the former owner of a hybrid training gym, author (all of his titles are on Amazon), and trainer. He has lost over 60 pounds and kept it off for over 20 years. He has worked with thousands including professional athletes, police/fire/military, physique competitors, even corporations like 3M, and most often people looking to make a long term change in health, wellness, and weightloss.
#fitdad #fitover40 #fitmom #instafit #instafood #eatbycolor @eatbycolor #theprojectstrong @theprojectstrong