#thrivingpcoswarrior

[valeriefitmom]

I'm going to be honest here... Because I don't sugar-coat things and I believe in being brutally honest. I hate Pilates. I mean I really really hate it . It ranks right up there with yoga. I find it boring and just blah. So why do it? Well lots of reasons (great for flexibility, strength, etc). But mostly because I promised myself that I would do all 90 days at P90X3 from start to finish. And as much as I don't like Pilates and yoga, they are on the calendar so I got to do them. I know there's a reason why they're there. I know Tony (the trainer not the Tiger) put it on the schedule for a reason. I don't have to like it. But I do have to do it. So no matter what program you're following, don't skip your workouts! They are there for a reason!!!! Since you already know that I'm not a fan of Pilates or yoga, I want to hear what are you not a fan of? What's your least favorite type of workout to do?

[valeriefitmom]

I am so excited! And I just can't hide it! I'm about to lose control and I think I like it! (Anyone else sing along when you read that 😂) Seriously, is it an impulse buy when you have been talking about buying an air fryer for months, you go to the store, it's on sale and you have a coupon? Impulse or destiny?! I say destiny! (Surely the hubby will agree😂) I didn't set out to buy one today. In fact, I went to buy school uniform bottoms for Em. I didn't get her anything, but I did walk away with an air fryer 😀 looks like I will be amazon priming later for pants for Em (can I do that with Amazon prime? You know add the -ing?)

[valeriefitmom]

I am ready to happy dance!!! Someone get me some balloons and confetti!! Time to celebrate because this girl did it… 30 whole days of no sugar (aside from the stevia in my shake… feel free to watch my live video from a few days ago called “I like to live dangerously” to find out more about that), no grains, no dairy, no gum and no legumes (and no alcohol but that wasn’t an issue for me because I don’t drink) for 30 days. So why did I decide to do the whole30? Well, I have a couple of reasons. One, my sugar dragon was getting to me. Too many nights with my hand in the chocolate chip bag… not a good thing. And Two, I wanted to see if I could reduce some inflammation and bloating especially in my mid-section. My tummy is an area I struggle with a lot. Even though I work out all the time, I still struggle with the mommy pouch (thanks kids!) and then having PCOS just makes the stomach pouch ten times harder to lose. My PCOS cysters know what I am talking about. Weight gain and holding on to weight is super easy especially in the mid-section. So let’s talk results… and start with my non-scale victories: Fewer Blemishes, Glowing skin, Flatter stomach, Leaner appearance, Clothes fitting better, Less bloating, Improved focus and mental clarity, Improved workout performance, NO sugar cravings (Literally, I went on a mom’s night out and it didn’t bother me at all to watch everyone else have dessert!), Clearer thinking, Food is NOT a stress trigger (HUGE for me),No more emotional eating, I have learned to read labels!, I know which foods make me feel GREAT vs. Crappy! And then there was the scale!!! I lost 5 lbs in 30 days!!! That is huge for me. With my PCOS, losing 1 lb is cause for celebration but 5 lbs is nuts!! feel like I need to rent a banner and hang it from the roof of our house!!! Lol Measurements… I am not sure. I can’t figure out what I did with our tape measure but I know for a fact I lost inches. So there you have it… my results from the whole30. The big question is “What next?” Honestly, not much is going to change for me. I really like this way of eating. I like the way I feel and the new found energy. I don’t think I will follow whole30 100% all the time but I am leaning towards adapting a more paleo lifestyle.

[valeriefitmom]

In my early 20s, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) and for many years, I struggled. Seven years ago, I was 80 plus pounds overweight, my PCOS was out of control, I was pre-diabetic, angry at myself, unhappy, low self-esteem, no energy to run after my daughter and felt very uncomfortable in my skin. I knew I wanted something different. I was so tired of being sick and tired all the time. But I didn’t know what to do. I made excuses. I didn’t Believe I could do it. So what changed? I started to BELIEVE. I started to Believe that I had the power to make changes. That I didn’t have to let my PCOS define me, I didn’t just have to sit around and be pre-diabetic and wait for the blood work to change to diabetes. I could take action. I could educate myself. Knowledge is power. It wasn’t easy. It took lots of determination, perseverance, and support. I am no longer 80 plus pounds overweight, I am no longer pre-diabetic, My PCOS is under control (I very rarely have issues anymore… I would say 99% of the time I am symptom free), I can run after my kids, I feel great in my skin and I am HAPPY. I know that changing from an unhealthy lifestyle to living a healthy lifestyle played a HUGE role in becoming a Thriving PCOS Warrior. But that is who I am: I am A THRIVING PCOS WARRIOR!!!