After graduating with a BA in English Literature from Wheaton College, I went to work for CTCA as an Oncology Information Specialist.  Two years of OIS, and I was ready for a new challenge, opening Eastern in Philadelphia, the first start up the company had done in 20 years.  I sat in the Executive Assistant to the CEO chair for 5 years until we had our first daughter.  My boss was an amazing mentor and I learned more than any 24 year old kid could have asked for.

After a high-risk challenging insulin-dependent pregnancy, we had our 10lb 6oz daughter.  Finally I could live my dream of being a stay at home mom, and enjoy my baby.  Motherhood is a challenge.  It looks like so much fun to play with babies but that stage lasts like 6 months and most is a blur from lack of sleep.

Pregnancy #2 was also filled with glucose readings, insulin injections, and ketone stick tests.  Our second daughter was “only” 8lbs 1oz since my diabetes was better controlled by an endocrinologist.  Growing a baby by keeping my sugar levels in a healthy range with a busy toddler was a new challenge.

At my 6 month postpartum appointment, (which was actually 7 months since who really gets there on time when you have a toddler and an infant?) my amazing Endocrinologist gave me 2 options: Change how I eat, work out every day and get down to what I weighed in HS OR come back for insulin.  I was super sleep-deprived and wasn’t sure what I was hearing.  He repeated himself.  Those were my options.  I didn’t have time for either with 2 littles, but I chose to try the healthy way first.

At that point, I had about 10lbs to lose, but it might as well have been 100.  I was wearing 2 sizes bigger than I usually did because the post-baby mombod is always super different than the pre-baby bod. I had no idea where to start or how to cook “healthy.”

A friend reached out and invited me to her Facebook challenge group.  I had bought the workout 10 years previous when I had graduated from undergrad but never used it.  After 6 weeks of doing my first ever workouts, I lost 7lbs.and gained a small interest in being healthier.  I told my friend my results and that I just couldn’t hack doing a long workout with middle of the night wake-ups and trying to get it done before the girls woke up.  She recommended Shaun T’s T25.

I was NOT excited to ask my husband for the $120 for the program.  We had planned to live on his salary, but there wasn’t a ton extra floating around.  It was easy to drop money on the girls, no second thought, but as a mom it was hard to even think about spending money on me.  I am SO glad he was supporting and excited I wanted to do something.  “If you’ll use it, we will find the money.”

A couple weeks into T25, we had our anniversary.  I decided to try my wedding dress back on.  I was 9 months postpartum and it fit!  Suddenly my friends wanted to know what the heck I was doing that I could back into my wedding dress post babies! I was hooked and ready to help others.

Now as a Team Beachbody coach, I always have support to keep my own health journey going.  I know I have to keep eating healthy and working out, and the groups and my team keep me accountable and encouraged.