Why (and How) I’m Committing to 90 Days to a Healthier Me

I’ll be honest; the last year has been a pretty rough one for me.  Life has changed drastically and in truth, I’ve stopped talking care of myself in a lot of ways. For those of you who don’t know, my oldest son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last October. Type 1 Diabetes in an autoimmune disorder that has caused his pancreas to stop producing insulin. He did nothing to get it (no, he didn’t eat too many sweets) and there is no cure which means that for the rest of his life, we will have to manage his condition with multiple daily injections of insulin. He’s doing great and really thriving but it’s been a hard adjustment for all of us. Where I once focused on my fitness daily and planned out what went into each of my meals, I’ve gotten away from taking care of me. I’ve fought sadness. I’ve dealt with the loss of friendships as I’ve had to step up and take a more active role in my son’s daily care. I’ve cried. I’ve screamed. And I’ve eaten.  There, I said it. I’ve done the thing I swore I would never do and have gotten fat again. None of my clothes fit. I avoid leaving the house much because, well, none of my clothes fit and there are only so many places that I can wear stretchy pants to. It’s hard to make this admission because in truth, I try to put the best of myself out there for the world to see. In case you haven’t noticed, any pictures of my that have been posted lately have been older pictures. But I’m making a chance. I’m committing to getting healthy again, not only for myself but for my family as well. It’s not just about how I look this time. It’s about the fact that I want to be around for years to come. I need to be around and healthy to help my son as he navigates his new normal. So, it’s time for a change.

Now, I know many of you out there who have struggled with weight have seen shows like The Biggest Loser and have watched transformations and wished that you could make the same changes. But, let’s face it, most of us are moms who are stretching the time we do have to simply get the things that we need to get done each day. I’ve let that deter me for so long now but recently, as I looked in the mirror, I realized that I NEED a major change. Then, the question because how can I make these changes with my busy lifestyle. How can I balance creating the right meals for my son, handing all of my family’s needs and still take care of me? As I thought through these questions and discussed my need for change with those close to me, everyone kept telling me that if I could make a change for 90 days, my life could look very different. If I could eat better for 90 days in a row, if I could exercise for 90 days in a row, if I could simply take care of myself better for 90 days in a row things could be different.  At first, that sounded like a long time. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I DESERVE 90 days. And I truly believe in those 90 days I can make a difference in how I look but more importantly how I feel. Through this thought process, I talked with my doctor, with a few different companies and then I made the scary decision to put it out there for the world to see. The comfortable thing for me to do would be to continue using old pictures and do this challenge behind the scenes.  But I don’t want comfortable this time.  I want life-changing. I want other moms like me who are tired and sad and feel like they are dealing with too much to worry about themselves to see that change is possible. I’m setting lofty goals. I’m putting them out there for the world to see.

And I want all of you to hold me accountable!

As scary as it is, I’m posting before pics. I’ve avoided this (oh how I have avoided this) because it hurts to see what I’ve let happen.  But if I am not willing to put it out there and really show you guys where I’m at, how can I expect any of you to do the same? So here they are….my horrifying pictures of where I am now. I want to have these as well as measurements as a reference point because I’m going to give this my all. I’m going to stick to it. I’m going to succeed.

I’ve also taken my weight and measurements of my hips, waist, bust, thighs and arms but I’m not ready to post those yet. Each update I’ll put it out there and share not only how much weight I’ve lost but inches as well. Perhaps by the end I’ll be strong enough to post my original weight. I’m just not there yet.

So why am I telling you all this? Whether you’ve been thinking you need a change, you’re dealing with changes at home, you’re the caretaker for someone and neglecting yourself or you simple need to do better, I want you to join me on this journey. Along the way, I’ll be sharing not only my progress with you but what I’m learning about myself. I’ll have healthy eating tips, fitness tips, printables to track your progress, suggestions on apps that can help in your fitness journey and more. Now, don’t worry, I’ll still be bringing you all the fun stuff you’ve come to know and love and I’ll still even be sharing recipes and crafts that have nothing to do with my journey (I’m still a mom after all) but for those of you who want to make a change along with me or, let’s be honest, simply want to see if I can do it, be sure to look for the #GiveMe90 hashtag on all posts related to this journey.

So, what is my goal? Well, I’m realistic and I’m also optimistic so I’ve set a goal for myself to lose 30-40 pounds over the next 90 days. I’ll be sharing products that are helping me throughout my journey and today I’m excited to introduce you to my two main sponsors! They have come along beside me and believe I can do this and I think you guys are really going to love them.

Personal Trainer Food

When I explained to Jake over at Personal Trainer Food what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it, he graciously offered to partner with me and provide my food for the #GiveMe90 challenge.

I’ve spent a ton of time on the website and I have to say, I’m beyond excited about trying the food. It appears to be very low carb (which is great for me) and everyone raves about how delicious it is! I’ll be sharing weekly recaps with you on what I’ve tried, what I love and how I’m progressing. You all know that I’m a little bit of a foodie so I’ll probably even be whipping up some Personal Trainer Food approved recipes. My order is scheduled to arrive Thursday and I’ll be beginning my journey with a 48-hour fast on Tuesday (more on that later this week).

If you want to join in with me, head over to the Personal Trainer Food website and grab their 35% off offer which is available for a limited time!

Cubii Ellipticals

While I’ll be eating a controlled diet, I know I need to get more exercise. I’m hoping to get back to walking and hiking on a regular basis but I also know that I spent way too much time sitting! Sarah over at Cubii Ellipticals and I discussed this problem and decided that active sitting could really benefit me. Between my work schedule and needing to be close to my son much of the time, it’s been harder for me to get to the gym. I’m excited that Cubii has provided me with a Cubii Jr which I can use while I’m sitting at my desk, when I’m helping the kids with homework or on days when life feels too busy to get out of the house to get my exercise done.

I’ll admit that I’ve always struggled with sticking to exercise but I really think that adding Cubii into my day will make a real difference! Not only can I multi-task and beat the guilt that I often feel for taking time away from my responsibilities but I’ll also be able to burn calories and work towards my fitness goals while still doing the things that I’ve always done…simple by adding Cubii in! Try Cubii out with me and purchase yours here!

I’d like to say a big thank you to Personal Trainer Food and Cubii for believing in me and joining me on this 90 day journey! I’ll be sharing about how they are helping me along the way as well as offering up tips, products and advice that are helping me get back to a healthier lifestyle from my other sponsors.

I hope you will all join in with me and not just cheer me on and keep me accountable (which I really need) but also use the next 90 days to see how you can make the changes in your life (big or small) that you need to make in order to be the person you want to be!

Let the challenge begin!