I was never small, skinny, or average. I was 135 as a sophomore in high school and became pregnant at 17. I was 195 lbs when I delivered our precious baby boy. Everyone told me "Don't worry, you are young and you will just bounce right back to your pre-baby weight." Little did they know that this was the start of my journey with obesity. I struggled every day for seven years to lose that baby weight. I would lose some, then gain some and gain even more. I was the classic yoyo dieter and I had tried almost every diet out there.  And then, just when we were content with only having one child, I ended up pregnant with our second bundle of joy within a month of giving away all my son's baby clothes! Read more

 Tip of the Month:

Getting in those last couple camping trips and vacations before school starts? Pack a huge cooler and bag of food in the car to always have healthy options readily available.

Sometimes you can luck out and find healthy and good tasting options on the road, but not often! Plan ahead and pack a cooler full of healthy meals and snacks to get you through the driving and perhaps even through the trip with a few breakfasts and snacks or more. It's easy to refill the cooler with ice along the way. Good ideas include: hard boiled eggs, string cheese, low fat cottage cheese and yogurt, cooked lean meat like turkey and chicken, roasted or grilled veggies and fruit. 

 

Goal of the Month:   

When you are on vacation this month, whether it's camping, in a big city, or visiting relatives, take a daily walk or hike to explore the area.

 What better way to combine exercise and exploring a new place than to walk it? Or bike it? Plan to fit that in on trips this month- you'll probably make it a lifelong habit because of how it makes you feel and how fun it is to do (if it isn't a habit already).