It’s been some time since I last shared my story, so I thought I would share it here on my blog. Enjoy reading!
Almost 2 years ago I started my health and fitness journey. I had no idea I would end up where I am today. All I knew was I needed to do something! I was not happy with how I was feeling far less looking.
Before I dive into my story I think I should rewind a bit.
In 2013 my whole life CHANGED! I became a mom! It was and still is the BEST and ABSOLUTELY most amazing thing that has ever happened in my life. I always knew that one of my main purposes in life was to be a mother and I am so grateful to God to have the ability to live out my life’s purpose everyday!
My son, Seth, was born on a beautiful Fall day in October 2013. I fell straight into the role of mom and I loved it! I was flooded with love and happiness for this amazing child. Adam, my husband and I were proud parents of a beautiful baby boy! We had no plans for what was to happen next but we were so excited to embark on this journey together!
My husband and I were first time parents trying to figure everything out as we went along. Oh did I forgot to mention I was also a full time Interior Design student in College! Yup! you read correct. I had just started my third year of school when I had Seth. I took 2 weeks off from physically going into school but I was working on projects and assignments while I was home.
My goals at the time were to be the very best mom to Seth and to successfully complete my Interior Design degree. I felt like someone hit the fast forward button on my life the moment I had Seth. I only had time for Seth and school work. I barely slept (sleep! What’s that?) and I was working myself into the ground. I had absolutely no time for physical activity. (Mind you I was always active in my previous years, so being inactive was so new to me)
In 2014 when I entered my final year of College, the work load got even more intense. Regardless, I was determined and focused on my goal of successfully earning my degree. I was pulling crazy all nighters and I was not sleeping properly or nearly enough. The only time I took breaks was when I had to breastfed Seth, pump milk for Seth eat or bath. Yes, my schedule was CRAZY! Sometimes, I would fed Seth while working on my designs because I had to finish!
“You never feel like there are enough hours in a day!”
I breastfed Seth for a year and during the time I was breastfeeding I was very mindful of what I ate and drank. I did not risk eating or drinking anything that would upset Seth. That is one thing I made sure I paid particular attention to. However, when I stopped breastfeeding him my nutrition was all over the place. I started craving sugar in every form and I like most students, who work all hours of the night, I was not eating on time. I was eating cakes, cupcakes, chocolate bars you name it I was eating it. Which I found out later on was a sugar imbalanced that I had after breastfeeding.
In winter of 2015, my last semester, I turned to my husband Adam and said I can’t do this anymore, I am going to crash. I need to change something about my lifestyle, I am not taking care of myself properly and I am feeling the effects of it and I do not like it.
“My desire to change was greater than my desire to remain the same.”
Being the amazing husband that he is he was super supportive and 100% on board with me doing something. We are both from very active backgrounds so he knew how hard it was for me to not be physically active.
I found out that the Community Centre nearby had lane swimming during the week for an hour from 9-10pm. So I started going. Three days a week in the middle of a brutal winter, I would get dressed and walk 15mins to and 15mins from to the Community Centre to swim. When I went it was an hour I had to myself to swim my heart out. It became the thing I was excited to do. It was an intense session for me and everyday I went I tried to beat the number of laps I did the day before. I was in competition with myself and I loved it!
When I got back home it was shower time, eat and back to work for the rest of the night.
“I am a true believer that when you are ready and willing to make changes in your life God or the universe will place all the right opportunities in your path”
Shortly after I started swimming I was scrolling through Instagram one night and I came across a post that my now upline coach had shared. She was inviting people to Beachbody coaching. While talking to her I was completely blown away by the health and fitness aspect of the business. I had no idea who or what Beachbody was, but I was intrigued by the homeworks and I wanted to know more. I wanted to be more active, I wanted to take better care of myself but I was so TIGHT on time. Enter Beachbody home workout programs. My coach and I chatted many times before I finally committed. I was determined to feel better about myself again, gain confidence and get back to being active.
“I knew if i did not take care of myself I could never be the best mom, wife or Kari and I would be doing not only myself but my family and injustice.”
I committed to the Les Mills Body Combat, 60 day program (which is no longer available through Beachbody). I chose this program because I had done the classes, many years before, in the gym with some friends and I loved it. Les Mills Body Combat and Les Mills Pump were the only things I used to like to go to the gym for. I didn’t like gyms for many different reasons but that’s a whole different blog post.
Anyways, I began the program and I committed to it for 60 days. I started from ground zero I looked sloppy, it was hard but I never quit. I pushed play everyday and I was determined to feel better about myself. I did not have weights so I used Gatorade bottles filled with water at first. Then I moved onto 2lbs weights! 2lbs can you imagine but it was my baseline. I did the whole program with 2lbs, 3lbs and 5lbs weights and I was so proud of myself.
I successfully finished the 60 day program, I dropped tonnes of weight, I was feeling great, I learned more about my nutrition and which foods were good and bad for me and I added Shakeology to my meal plan.
I was never a shake person and I was always skeptical about them. But I did my research on Shakeology and I committed to replacing one meal a day for 30 days, with the money back guarantee I had nothing to lose. Within, a week, I KID YOU NOT, I felt and saw the changes in my body and I was sold.
The biggest change I noticed that first week was my decreased sugar cravings. I did not go to the grocery or send Adam out to buy my chocolate, cakes, cupcakes etc. That was a huge change for me. The benefits have been beyond amazing and to this day I still drink it everyday. I stopped eating JUNK FOOD and started focusing on real food, my sugar levels balanced off and I gained energy that I did not know I had. It was amazing!
My husband, son and parents all drink Shakeology. I wanted to ensure that they were being taken care of the same way I was and still am. So no matter what, I know that their bodies are getting the nutrients it needs to keep them going.
From the moment I hit play on my first Beachbody workout my life changed. Even though I had just started my journey things began to change. I started feeling better, I was more focused and I felt like I was more present. I was not only taking care of myself physically but also mentally and emotionally. I knew I was doing something good for me by taking 30-45 mins everyday to push play (workout) and by replacing one meal a day with Shakeology.
“It is completely fine to take the time to take care of YOU!”
For me that’s what I needed, and my recipe for success was, Beachbody home workout programs, Shakeology and support. I needed to take care of me, I needed to grow, to learn and to realize that taking some time for myself everyday is OK! I realized that in order for me to take care of my family I had to take care of ME first! I have completed many other Beachbody programs since then such as 21 Day Fix Extreme, Hammer & Chisel & Insanity to name a few.
I am happy to say I SUCCESSFULLY completed my Interior Design program and graduated in April 2015 with my degree. It was a tough two years of my life but I will not change it for the world. I learnt so much about myself and I grew mentally, spiritually, emotionally and physically. I found and tapped into internal STRENGTH I never knew I had and I am forever changed. I know now more than ever that I CAN and WILL to GREAT things and I have the ability and STRENGTH to do anything, no matter how challenging it may seem!
"We are never given more than we can handle. We already possess the STRENGTH we just have to realize that it already exists and tap into it."
Thank you for reading my story I hope that you connected to some part of my story and that you realize you are not alone. Nor do you have to start and continue on your journey alone. I am here for you. When I started my journey I told myself if I could help at least one other mother feel that way I did then I changed a life and that to me is amazing!
The first Monday of every month I host an accountability group to help moms just like you find themselves again in a world that is so easy to become lost in. It is ok to take a few minutes out of your day to take care of you. It will make you a better mom, a better wife, a better daughter, a better sister, friend and stronger woman. You just have to TRUST and BELIEVE!
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If you would like to join my upcoming accountability group please fill out the form below.
I will be required to commit to a Beachbody workout, a meal plan and replace one meal a day with Shakeology. You will also learn about portion control, meal planning and goal setting as well as become part of a community of strong and supportive women.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=11iBqGiCK76dgexmIFQIuehOZjRlaG2q5SNvpMbSIlk0
I would love to have you come on board!
Talk to you soon <3
