Why did I choose to change my lifestyle and be healthy?? Well, I might not go into the long list here, or maybe I will... it seems to keep growing.... But I finally put my mind to it because I wanted to be a fit and healthy wife and mom. I won't lie and say vanity wasn't part of it at all.... when I thought I was going to throw up because the workout was SUPER intense, I would think about how I wanted people to look at all of my kids and then look at me and wonder to themselves if they all came out of my body.
But my main reasons were to have energy to handle all that life threw at me. There is a certain stigma with stay at home moms, "you stay at home, so you should be able to take care of it all, I mean what else do you do all day?" And I wanted to make sure I was doing everything I COULD so that when I got to the end of the day I still had energy to PLAY with my kids.
I see so many moms just exhausted and unhealthy and sick and tired ALL the time, and their kids are sick a lot too. But having the energy to laugh and dance and play with your kids, not only improves YOUR health, but it improves theirs as well. It creates family bonds that cannot be broken and some awesome memories!
I imagine that if I play with my kids now, not only will I learn their awesome personalities and quirks, but they will learn mine too. We will be best friends, and when they hit their teenage years, I won't regret not having spent more time with them when we had it.
I also want to have enough energy at the end of the day to spend time with my husband as his WIFE, not just the mother of his children. I want to be able to engage with him like he needs me too, not just hit the floor in exhaustion every night. That way, when I really am exhausted, I don't feel guilty and he doesn't feel deprived of his wife. As a result, he plays a much bigger role helping with the kids, because he cares and sees that it is hard work. He feels more inclined to help because he knows I am not lazy and I am doing everything in my power to do my best. Likewise, when the house is a mess, he helps clean it! Because he sees that me playing with the kids is FAR more important than cleaning the house. And strong family bonds are what we will carry with us through the years.
I want to be healthy so I know I have done everything in my power to fight cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and every other diet and lifestyle related illness. So if that day were to ever come, and I were to have contracted some terminal illness, I KNOW it is the Lord's will, and that I didn't bring it on, or at least I didn't help or abet it in anyway.
I want to be healthy so that when I am a grandma, I can help my kids get through this most difficult stage of raising kids... that I will actually be able to help my daughters and daughter in law adjust to motherhood.... that I will be able to have the energy to help them with those first all-nighters, whether it be on the phone as they cry wondering what they are doing wrong, or in person giving them a night to sleep and recover as I take over for the night.
I want to be healthy so that Spencer and I can go on missions when we grow up! And I want to go somewhere AWESOME, and I can't do that if I am all medicated and falling apart!
Most of all, I want to be healthy, so that my family will be too, so I can really provide them the best life I possibly can.
And, so you see, this is why I reach out to so many people to help coach them to a healthier life. I have found so much joy in embracing a healthier lifestyle. And my family is so much closer, and so much happier because mama's happy!
Anyway, I don't believe in quick fixes or fad diets. I believe in eating FOOD, and being active! I believe in self-discipline, and taking action to get and stay healthy. I believe only I am responsible for my success, and only I am to blame for my failures. This isn't an easy life to start living, it has many hurdles and setbacks in the beginning, but in time, your body and mind are strengthened to the point that you can begin to cross them on your own. It is my job to help people, well, coach people, through them in the beginning.
If anything, I know reminding myself of this only improves my desire to remain healthy. But hopefully it will inspire other's to do the same!
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