Hi!
Rachel here, getting a little vulnerable in this next little series. It’s been a year in the making (but maybe a decade too!) of taking back control of my health and wellness. Realizing how to get back into a space of confidence and quit using my busy as an excuse for not taking care of myself. As a woman I’ve grown up with the low fat this, the high fat this, this diet, that diet, don’t eat that, eat more of this all the time. There is so so much noise out there, the cure all supplements, the pills, the drinks etc and I just wanted to share my story of how I shut all the noise out, didn’t take anything and took back control of my life. Thanks for being here with me!
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Funny how the years go by and you look at yourself realizing how far away from who you really want to be?
I guess I should first start by saying – I REALLY LOVE ME. All of me. This isn’t a shame story. It’s a story of getting off track and getting back on track. It’s about the gift of being alive and how I have one body to live in. It’s not that I was escaping from who I really wanted to be but rather I was letting my body and health escape me. It’s because time really does fly and 2 babies back to back and two growing businesses my focus was elsewhere.
I’ve never been a “skinny” person but I’ve always been confident in my body. I was always a full person, does that even make sense? I am grateful for a family gene of big thick strong thighs and plump booty too. I mean our genes matter. I say that because I have a husband who could eat a stick of butter a day and it burns right off. Part of this is who I am. And I love that part of me. This is about realizing how long it has been since I really felt strong and able.
But last year that all changed for me. I realized how many years really did pass that I just hadn’t even come up for air to realize.
I grew up in a home of from scratch cooking and proudly say I carry that gene too. We make food daily and I am also grateful for quick grab and go packaged goods for kids lunches. Balance.
I’ve worked for the last 17+ years in the food industry. 8 of that was for a natural grocery that I really learned about the importance of local food, organic food, additives and more. I’d say I was probably my healthiest then, food wise, exercise wise and just all over better awareness of myself.
As a mom I really lost the ability to do one more thing, the crazy part is that I was that one more thing. Any mamas out there relate to that? How in the heck am I supposed to eat healthy, school, work, work out, sleep heck 6 hours, keeping up on laundry… right? So mamas if you are in the midst of that time, just know these babes grow up and it won’t always feel that way. Let me remind you again, take a big deep breath and hold those littles just a little bit longer. I’m honestly grateful that my path has unfolded the way that it has and the season of having little babes is over. It’s so much easier for me to cook meals today than it was 5 years ago when they all still needed so much of me.
So here I am, getting back and feeling strong again in my mind and in my body. Grateful to be sharing with you and that reminder that where you are is exactly where you need to be. You are enough and if you feel called to make a change whether it your food or your work – change is possible. You can. Yes, yes you can.
I wanted to start here though before I share what I call my rock bottom, my wake up call, my hey wait I can change this. More next week!
In Gratitude,
Rachel