I’ll never forget the moment I decided to take back my life. It was a miserably hot day in July, and, 7 months pregnant with my first daughter, I’d never felt so lost. My excitement over becoming a mom had been overshadowed by the recent loss of my father; to make it worse, I barely recognized myself when I looked in the mirror. I knew that gaining weight would be inevitable when I got pregnant, but I hadn’t realized that the extra 50 pounds would make it impossible to keep up with the thing I loved most: my intense training regimen.
I’d been an athlete since high school, when I first realized that running did a lot more than keep me in shape. It gave me confidence, strength, and time to think, and nothing made me happier than signing up for a long-distance race and working to beat my best time. As a young adult, I had even competed in local fitness competitions. Looking fit and healthy was my world. And while being a mom was my top priority, with each pound I gained, I felt my identity—and my happiness—slipping away.
Now, at 41, I have two beautiful daughters, and I’m the healthiest I’ve ever been, both physically and emotionally. Finding the time to train while juggling my job as an RN and taking care of my family isn’t easy, but I’ve found ways to cut corners, like signing up for a food-delivery program called Bistro MD. It helps me eat clean and spend less time in the kitchen while modeling healthy behaviors for my girls. Whenever I’m tempted to skip a workout due to our crazy schedule, I remind myself that putting myself last helps no one. Be the person you want your kids to be, I think. And then I go for it.
