7 Things I’ve Learned about Living Healthy

Losing weight.  Fitting into a pair of jeans.  Lose 10 pounds….or 30.  I’ve tried to do this over and over through the years.  There’s never been a consistency to it though.  Until now.  I’ve had several health issues since having kids.  Age and stress have only added to those issues.  After I was admitted to the ER with possible heart attack symptoms, it really dawned on me that this is no joke.  I cannot be lazy when it comes to my health.  There are many things in this world I can’t control, but what I do to my body and how I live my life can be.

7 Things I Learned About Living Healthy

1. Life is a choice.  I am the only one who can make the choice about how I live my life.  I can choose to make bad health choices or good ones.  The good ones will be better for me and my family.  It really isn’t that hard of a choice if I keep that in mind.
2. I don’t need a gym or a class to exercise.  All I need are my body and the motivation to move.
3. Ending the “work day” is important to finding balance.  I need to give myself time to decompress and let go of stress.  That’s more important than my work — even my photography.
4. There is no shortcut to living healthy.  There isn’t a magic protein shake or pill that will get you what smart choices will.
5. I CAN cook 1 new recipe a week and sometimes, they taste good!  Every week, I’m learning a new and healthier recipe to feed myself and my family.  It’s done wonders for our budget and our health!
6. Preparation is key.  I know what times of the day I just love to snack.  I always have almonds, fruits and cheese readily available to snack on.  I eat it sloooooooowly to make it last longer and fill me up right.
7. Indulgence is needed.  I don’t deprive myself of a slice of cake or a cone of ice cream.  But maybe I go lighter for dinner that night or stick in an extra walk outside.  Again – my choices will make a difference.

So far I’ve lost 10 pounds.  I workout, in some way, at least 5 days a week.  I play with my kids outside as much as I can – even if it’s just to give them some fresh air and bring their senses to life.  I’m feeling very good with the direction I’m going in.

I’ve got to give a shout out to the No Excuse Mommy Group of Vacaville too.  Such a motivating and inspiring group of moms who work together to make us stronger.  I love this group!