Four years rolled by. Crazy, exciting, life-changing years filled with a long recovery, exhilarating travels, new ventures and friendships, and lots of studying. Then came the day when I found myself actually planning how to reincorporate working out into my life. Carefully, oh! so carefully, of course, but to go from being told I would likely not survive when I first became sick to reaching a point four years later where I could actually begin to revive my athletic lifestyle...I was thrilled!
I tentatively started training again at my apartment complex gym, eagerly looked forward to coming home at the end of the day's work so I could grab my iPod and hit the treadmill, weights and any other piece of equipment that seemed exciting that day. Physically strenuous activity is the best source of stress relief for me, so after being deprived of that for over four years, I suddenly found myself feeling revived, relaxed and more refreshed than I had in a long time!
How does that old rhyme go? "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage?" Well, that certainly was our experience! The thrill of being able to work out again quickly gave way to the joys of love and marriage, and then the overwhelming but precious responsibility of parenthood.
But, along with that also came preeclampsia...and terrible postpartum depression...and then prenatal depression...followed by even more debilitating postpartum depression...
I felt trapped.
And then, as I shared in the previously mentioned post, I signed up as a Beachbody Coach, committed to a sixty day "Challenge Pack" with Papa L (
PiYo!) as well as started drinking
Shakeology. For this confirmed supplement skeptic, that was saying something! But, I determined I got the biggest savings by ordering the challenge pack and figured I'd better know what I was talking about when it came to the Beachbody programs...and, besides, it certainly simplified breakfast for this anti-morning person!
Papa L and I began our PiYo Challenge on July 1st. Right from Day 1, I absolutely loved the PiYo workouts. It has been so exhilarating and gratifying to get back into a regular workout routine, especially one that has given such rapid, wonderful
results! But, let's be realistic: who's honestly that surprised that working out consistently for six days a week for the past six weeks has produced results? No one? Really? ;)
Here's what HAS been surprising: Shakeology. I started having a scoop a day of Shakeology for breakfast from July 1st but, being the true skeptic, I didn't put any particular effort in to documenting my results or experiences with it other than to note that it actually didn't taste like chalk...in fact, I kind of liked it! But, for the most part, I was content with the "Easy Breakfast" aspect. After a few days, I commented to Papa L that I thought I had a bit more energy than usual, but I mostly attributed that to the workouts. Endorphins, anyone? And I imagined my chocolate cravings were a bit less than before...but other than that, I wasn't blown away.
The first days turned into the first weeks of the program; Papa L and I were really getting into this whole new routine and I was ecstatic to be back into doing things I have always been so passionate about. My energy seemed good, even my postpartum depression seemed to be fading away into the background. Things just seemed to be going so wonderfully.
One evening in particular comes to mind: the babies were asleep for the night, and I was sitting
on the edge of the bed catching up with Papa L about the day, how
his work and my business were going when all of a
sudden he started smiling and said, "Don't you see it??
Don't you see what's happening?" I kept looking around the room
trying to figure out what the heck he was talking about and he just
started laughing and said again, "Don't you see it??" "See what?" "This! You! I haven't heard you talk like this for two years!! My Veronica is
coming back!!"
Yeah, that one goes right up there in the running for "Best Comment Ever."
The first month passed and everything was just rosy and gorgeous...until the bag ran out on August 2nd. The first couple of days weren't remarkably different, though, other than the fact that I had to actually
make breakfast for myself again. Not too thrilling. But by August 5th, I suddenly developed an appreciation for that old saying,
"You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."
It felt like it came out of nowhere...like I had been slammed in a head-on collision. I was exhausted...like "first trimester" exhaustion levels (and, no, I'm not.) My cravings for junkfood were back; in fact, I hadn't even realised how completely they had disappeared until then! And, worst of all, my postpartum depression had me in a vice-like grip again.
I was shocked. The transition back to better physical health had been so obvious, exciting and rewarding that I had completely missed the deeper physiological and emotional healing I was experiencing. It had all been easy, so seamless, so gentle and gradual!
I'll be honest: the last few days haven't been easy.
BUT, Papa L and I have stuck with the workouts...and every time I finish the day's routine, I am so grateful that I did it. The benefits are too obvious to
not stick with it!
But you can be sure Papa L and I put in an order for a new month's supply of Shakeology that day: one for myself
and one for Papa L!
Here's something to consider: maybe you know you could manage your diet a little better but haven't found a convenient way to do it; maybe you're like me and spend your days with little ones who seem to demand every spare minute, leaving you reliant on "quick fixes" to get your energy throughout the day; maybe you've given up on trying to lose those "last few pounds" and have just accepted your cravings are a part of your everyday life now.
But what if...? What if you didn't have to worry about that clean eating plan as much? What if you were able to boost your energy (and hydration!) one breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) at a time? What if you suddenly found a way to lose those stubborn pounds once and for all?
