Back to Basics: Making Time for Healthier Eating and Exercise Part 1

Getting back to the basics - sounds simple enough, right? But then you start to closely examine your busy life-style. Whether you are a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, let's face it. You are busy. Figuring out how to juggle kids, work, marriage, friends, family, church...and still find time to get in a quick work out and eat a healthy meal -- it can all seem pretty daunting. The goods news? We have so many resources at our fingertips! So many recipes, ideas, opinions, tricks and tips...just one click away on our phones or computer. My goal in writing this blog is to share the things that have helped me to prioritize my health and wellness in ways that didn't make me feel defeated before I even got started.

Let me introduce myself. My name is Ashley. Professionally, I am a nurse that specializes in hospice and palliative care. Currently, I am taking time off from being a nurse to be a stay-at-home mom to my adorable 20 month old son and my almost 9 year old daughter. I also have two stepsons, ages 10 and 8. We have a pretty busy household. And three and a half years of working night shift as a nurse left me in pretty bad shape health wise. No matter how hard I tried NOT to, I kept gaining weight. By the time I left night shift, I was 50 pounds overweight, my immune system was shot, and I felt terrible. Not long after leaving night shift, I got pregnant with our son. By the time I gave birth, I was 86 pounds overweight. 20 months later and I have lost every single one of those pounds. That's right, all 86 of them! 

It all starts with deciding that your health and wellness is a priority. It matters! Once you come to that conclusion, the next step is realizing that the road to a healthier you is a marathon, not a sprint. It is a life-long journey of learning, and trying new things, figuring out what works for you, what you like and dislike, and what leaves you feeling like the best version of yourself.

Okay, now what? Well, let's start with exercise. Plan a work out schedule. Sit down and figure out how many days a week that you can fit in a work out. Maybe Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are all you can handle right now. I know that on Tuesdays, I have to take my daughter to school by 8am and then I have an hour and a half of free time before moving on to the next thing in my schedule. So, on Tuesdays, I get up a little earlier, eat a power snack, drop my daughter off, and then head straight to the gym and get my 5 mile run in. Fridays are a busier day for me so I only plan a 20 minute strength training work out that I can do right in my living room. Type up your schedule. Literally. Type it up. Print it out. Hang it on your wall. Put it in your planner. It's a schedule. It can be flexible, but non-negotiable. I've even taken my work outs with me as I've traveled! I like to cross off each day on my schedule as I complete my workouts and then at the end of the week, I draw a smiley face if I didn't miss any work outs that week. It doesn't matter what kinds of exercise you decide to do in the beginning. Just get moving. At the end of your 8 week schedule (or however long you make it for), decide what changes you need to make to fit your needs. And then type up the next schedule! I highly suggest taking 1 full week of rest every 8-10 weeks of exercise. Your body needs this time to rest and recover and you will find that you can go harder in your work outs when your body has had this chance to rest. I tried exercising for 12 weeks and resting 1 week in the beginning and I found that by week 8, my body was exhausted and I was struggling to get in a good work out. 

This is just a good starting point for anyone trying to begin making exercise a priority. Schedule your workouts just like you would schedule a meeting or a doctor's appointment. And then stick to it!

May God Bless!

Ashley