For years, I felt the expectations and pressures of my daily life weighing me down. Balancing work and being a mom left me feeling drained. I always felt stressed out, and I usually turned to comfort food to feel better. I've always been on the smaller side, but before I knew it, the numbers on the scale crept up to 163 pounds.
In addition to feeling exhausted, my weight gain also impacted my marriage. I felt disconnected from my husband. When I looked in the mirror, I only saw —post-baby flabby belly, cellulite on my thighs, a double chin and swollen ankles. My lower back, hips and knees were always sore. I felt embarrassed and ashamed of how I looked. Feeling out of breath walking up the stairs and a growing list of health problems didn't help my confidence either. I would lay awake at night worried about my marriage, and unhappy with how I looked and felt. The lack of sleep and stress made me look and feel older than I was.
I hit my breaking point grocery shopping. A 4-year-old girl asked her mom if I was pregnant or just fat. That really hurt my feelings. My insecurities about my weight overwhelmed me, and I broke down crying in the bathroom. I felt ashamed. Where had the confident, energetic woman my husband married gone? Despite the embarrassment, I decided that day it was time to make a change!
I joined different fitness groups, from water aerobics to Zumba classes, Pilates, Yoga and tried different workout apps. I tried different diets, but over time I found none of them worked for me. I had short term success with some programs but always got frustrated when the weight came right back. I tried: