September is here and with it the "back-to-school" feeling is in the air. Kids are excited about a new year (some of them - LOL). Teachers are excited to get back to work (ditto). And moms, like me, are probably excited at the opportunity to get back to the gym, or at least get back on track with their healthy lifestyle. I thrive on the schedules that come with school time and I feel like my life gets back into some semblance of order when the new school year rolls around.
To go along with this "back-to-school" feeling I thought I'd share interviews of three close girlfriends of mine who are each working on their healthiness journeys. I'll be sharing one a week through the end of September. My hope is that those of us who are trying to get back on track will be encouraged by their stories and maybe even learn a thing or two.
Today I want to introduce you to Kelly.
I've known Kelly since about 3rd/4th grade. Though we've spent most of our lives living in different cities we keep in touch regularly and we're always able to chat like the old friends we are when we're together. She is a strong Christian woman and her faith shows in her devotion to God, her husband and four children. I'm amazed at the energy Kelly has to keep her busy life going and still take great care of herself!
And now....Kelly's thoughts...
ON HEALTH:
When did you become interested/concerned about getting healthy? I became interested in becoming a healthy eater when I saw how much it could and would impact my weight; something I never even thought about until my son Isaac was born.
When did you become interested/concerned about getting healthy? I became interested in becoming a healthy eater when I saw how much it could and would impact my weight; something I never even thought about until my son Isaac was born.
Did you have any health issues that lead you to change your lifestyle? Yes my mother has Celiac Disease and the older I get I seem to be inheriting some of the problems that go along with that. It definitely has changed my desire to eat the things I shouldn't because I feel so miserable after doing so. I also am in perimenopause and that has had a lot to do with my weight going up and down; and emotionally it has been a challenge that I am slowly over coming. I have seen that the wrong kinds of food ie. lots of sugar and heavy carbs have made my symptoms much worse.
ON WEIGHT:
Have you ever struggled with your weight? I never even thought of "dieting" until my youngest child was born. It went downhill from there until I decided I was tired of complaining about it and went to a very informative health class at my local Sprouts. It was there I learned about low glycemic and lower carb foods and the impact they have on your blood sugar, and how that affects your weight.
If you needed to lose weight, what steps did you take to begin? I think the most effective plan for me to help keep my weight down (and yes I still struggle at times) is to eat my vegetables and fruits and lower carb (notice I did not say No carb); and I try to eat smaller mini meals 2-3 hours apart.
What are your must-have foods that you keep on hand at all times to keep you "on plan"? Nonfat Greek yogurt is my favorite. I eat it with honey or make a smoothie with frozen strawberries and spinach. Its a great meal as well as a low calorie snack. Boiled eggs are an easy go too with fruit. I also love hummus with mini peppers. I always try to combine a lower fat protein with a good carb, usually peppers, cucumbers, and salad. If I could have the high fiber pasta I would eat it too, but I can't :( . It bothers my digestive system too much. 100-calorie pack of nuts are also a great snack idea.
Have you ever struggled with your weight? I never even thought of "dieting" until my youngest child was born. It went downhill from there until I decided I was tired of complaining about it and went to a very informative health class at my local Sprouts. It was there I learned about low glycemic and lower carb foods and the impact they have on your blood sugar, and how that affects your weight.
If you needed to lose weight, what steps did you take to begin? I think the most effective plan for me to help keep my weight down (and yes I still struggle at times) is to eat my vegetables and fruits and lower carb (notice I did not say No carb); and I try to eat smaller mini meals 2-3 hours apart.
What are your must-have foods that you keep on hand at all times to keep you "on plan"? Nonfat Greek yogurt is my favorite. I eat it with honey or make a smoothie with frozen strawberries and spinach. Its a great meal as well as a low calorie snack. Boiled eggs are an easy go too with fruit. I also love hummus with mini peppers. I always try to combine a lower fat protein with a good carb, usually peppers, cucumbers, and salad. If I could have the high fiber pasta I would eat it too, but I can't :( . It bothers my digestive system too much. 100-calorie pack of nuts are also a great snack idea.
ON EXERCISE:
What part does exercise play in your life? I can eat great but if I don't exercise I don't lose, so it's definitely a neccessity! Plus I feel so good when I'm done.
What kind(s) of exercise do you do and how often? It varies on my mood. haha Right now I'm into running. I've never been a runner, started out just walking with my husband, but he pushed me into doing interval run/walking and now I"m really liking it a lot. I just ran 3 miles for the first time ever in my life in 30 mins and it felt awesome. I have some good dvds I pop in for variety, mostly a mix of cardio and weights. I'm trying for 5 days a week sometimes I only get in 4 though.
Was it hard to begin exercise, or have you always been an active person? This was a tricky question for me cause I'm a very active person, but because of the hormonal activity or lack of it in my body it was very diffficult for a while to get motivated to get out and exercise, which is what I needed to feel better. Once I got started it was easier to keep going. My husband started exercising with me too and that was a great help to me.
What part does exercise play in your life? I can eat great but if I don't exercise I don't lose, so it's definitely a neccessity! Plus I feel so good when I'm done.
What kind(s) of exercise do you do and how often? It varies on my mood. haha Right now I'm into running. I've never been a runner, started out just walking with my husband, but he pushed me into doing interval run/walking and now I"m really liking it a lot. I just ran 3 miles for the first time ever in my life in 30 mins and it felt awesome. I have some good dvds I pop in for variety, mostly a mix of cardio and weights. I'm trying for 5 days a week sometimes I only get in 4 though.
Was it hard to begin exercise, or have you always been an active person? This was a tricky question for me cause I'm a very active person, but because of the hormonal activity or lack of it in my body it was very diffficult for a while to get motivated to get out and exercise, which is what I needed to feel better. Once I got started it was easier to keep going. My husband started exercising with me too and that was a great help to me.
ON LIFE:
Do you have a family? A job? Yes I have an awesome husband that I have been married to for 17 years and 4 kids ranging from 15 to 7 yrs of age. Lets see, I am a wife, mother, chauffeur, house-cleaner, Pastor's wife, referee, cook... Oh wait I'm a stay at home mom! Thats a full time job! I just started a part time job that is only a few hours a week, just enough to give me a little extra spending$.
How has your healthiness journey impacted your family life? Much to my kids chagrin! One of the biggest changes we've made is hardly ever eating cereal, now we eat oatmeal, eggs, yogurt, things like that. I have tried to various degrees to try to eliminate "processed " foods. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. We don't eat out a lot and I'm always sneaking veggies in sauces and smoothies. We eat lots of fruit and although I can't eat the whole grain stuff thats what I feed to the rest of my family. As a result my dear hubby lost 20lbs without even trying.
Do you find it hard to stay "on plan" or fit in exercise with all the duties of being wife and mother Sometimes. Over the summer I felt like I slacked off a lot in my excercise and even eating healthier; as a result I didn't feel that good. I was really tired and sluggish. Now that the kids are back in school I have been able to focus once again on taking care of myself, watching what I'm putting in my mouth. I have more alone time to go ahead and make that commitment 4 or 5 days of the week to go running/walking.
What have been your hardest struggles, physically or mentally, while living a healthy life? The hardest thing for me is realizing that if I don't stay on target with my exercise and eating healthy, and yes that does include portion control, those extra 20lbs come on way too quick. I've made the mistake of being extremely disciplined and losing 40lbs only to have it come back because I got lazy. So I see its a lifestyle that I must maintain. Its not easy but it is rewarding.
The issues I've had concerning my hormones have made things very difficult and thankfully with the help of biodentical hormones it has helped a lot with the mental aspect of living healthful. Its hard to be healthy when your depressed, stressed, and tired all the time and thats what I was. I'm convinced that most women who are diagnosed with depression and even mental illness have unbalanced hormone problems and if they got them checked out they would not need the medication they're on. Your hormones control every part of your body including your weight. I had to really cry out to God for help in this area and I know that He led me in the right direction to get help.
If you could narrow it down to a few helpful hints to being healthy, what would you say?- Get your exercise in, even if its only 20-30 mins a day, you are worth the time for yourself!
- Take a break every once in a while.
- You might have to say No to some things.
- When you feel "snacky" have some fruit and a little protein, it helps.
- Drink Water its good for you.
- Last but not least you need a good friend to encourage you. I have been very encouraged by my friend Leah and her blog and I cherish her friendship in so many ways!
So fun to "meet" your friends. She has a great outlook and looks wonderful!
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