A little more about my story....

When did you realize you would overeat/eat unhealthy foods when you were overwhelmed?

Food had been my go-to for comfort since I was very young. In an effort to stuff down feelings of overwhelm, food was what I turned to. It was a distraction from whatever I should be accomplishing. It was also a sign of giving up. I had always strived to eat healthy foods and when the cravings hit for whatever I had been telling myself not to eat, I overate it to punish myself. I would eat until I felt numb. I would continue until I couldn’t breathe. It would turn into a “last supper” because starting tomorrow, I would only eat healthy foods and no more sweets. Then I’d hit a bump in the road the next day that would send me right back to the tub of ice cream, then the cereal, then the bread, then anything I could find and exactly to the binge I had sworn not to have ever again. The cycle is destructive.

Ironically, it would get worse whenever I was trying to lose weight.

What has overwhelmed you about healthy eating/exercise in the past?

In the past, the tendency to quit on myself over and over left me feeling weak in the face of changing my eating patterns. Nutrition is where I struggle the most. That’s where I get derailed first, and while I tried to burn off what I had consumed and used exercise as a way to punish myself for overdoing it in the past, I now see how ineffective and damaging that approach was.

When I failed to plan out what I was going to eat, I would panic and grab whatever I saw first and chow down on all the snacks.

I’ve learned to start planning with picking 2-3 dinners to make. I buy enough ingredients to double the recipe so I have leftovers on hand and save myself the overwhelm that comes with having to cook every night.

I pick one breakfast and have my superfoods shake for lunch so I don’t have to plan, cook, and stress over what to prepare. Everyone is different in this area. I happen to be someone who could eat the same breakfast and lunch multiple days in a row. For others, I recommend picking 2 to alternate. The key is keeping it as simple as possible so that meal planning doesn’t become daunting.

How does maintaining a healthy lifestyle help you fend off overwhelm?

Exercising and eating healthy (being mindful of consuming quality fuel about 80% of the time) is the best formula for fighting overwhelm in my life. If I am practicing discipline in sticking to my exercise program and staying mindful of my eating, I feel like I can practice balance and take on other areas of my life with confidence too!

What advice would you give to someone who wants to make their lifestyle healthier?

I would recommend finding a place for community and accountability. I don’t think we are meant to do this life alone and pursuing healthier habits is hard. Surround yourself with people who will pick you up and remind you why you started, remind you that you are capable, remind you that you are worth it and help you with practical ways to make those little changes.

What excuses do you think hold people back from taking care of their health/diet/exercise?

Time. Time is a huge one. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. When we make our health a priority, we realize that a 30 min workout is just 2% of your day.

As moms, we tend to put everything else ahead of ourselves. Our kids, our schedule and our responsibilities become our excuse for why we don’t have time to exercise. When we realize we will have so much more to offer our workplace, our spouse, our friends and our kids when we bring our best selves to the table, then our priorities realign.

I also hear so many people say time and their bank account hold them back from preparing healthy meals or investing in their own health. The reality is that we only have one body and if we want to be able to keep up with our kids, live long enough to see them grow up and avoid costly illnesses that leave us hospitalized, we can’t neglect investing in our own health.

We can’t fill our bodies with low grade fuel and expect them to age and perform like we are running on the best quality input. Healthy food is fuel so gravitate to quality nutrition more often than not.

How do you balance chaos (kids, change, hectic schedules, etc.) with order (consistency, routine, habits, organization, etc.)?

I’ve found that there is no perfect balance, but there is a way to enjoy the journey. Healthy isn’t a destination, but a journey, and I encourage you to find something that you can enjoy, that grows you and keeps you engaged. Find new recipes, try new workouts, meet new fit friends, and don’t be afraid to put in the hard work because that’s where the reward and joy come into play!