I realize now how exercise and proper diet can help your mind when dealing with tough situations

Growing up I never worried about diet or exercise because I was always skinny. I was “skinny fat.” I was skinny but I wasn’t healthy and I certainly did not have diet habits that would promote a healthy body and mind. In my mid to late twenties I really started to notice a difference. I started gaining weight, feeling tired, and lacking motivation. I found myself trying different diets, not really exercising, and loosing weight only to gain it all back and be left with the same tired unmotivated feelings. A couple of our friends were doing challenge 8 with Fitmania when they suggested I try a week. I started going to Fitmania approximately 4-5 weeks before the start of challenge 9. My initial goal was to lose weight. I have a strong family history of heart disease. My second day at Fitmania I had a checkup with my primary care provider who ordered lab work. When my cholesterol and fasting blood sugar came back high I knew that I needed to make some changes that were more than just losing weight. I signed up for challenge 9 knowing that this would be an investment not only in my future but the future of my family.
2. One of the biggest successes from the fit for life challenge has been the way my family eats. We are so much more aware of what goes into our bodies. I think one of the greatest feelings was seeing my 11 year old step son embrace the food changes we were making. We also discovered new recipes that have quickly become family favorites. My attitude towards food has also changed I definitely look at food as more of fuel source for my body than I ever did before. I now crave fruit more than I crave candy or other sweets. My stamina has definitely increased since starting the challenge. I feel stronger and healthier than I have ever felt and I know that his is just the beginning of something bigger. I struggled quite a bit with a really hard family issue that came up during the last six weeks of the challenge. I found myself stressed, not eating, not sleeping, and not going to class everyday. This was a big set back for me and I realize now how exercise and proper diet can help your mind when dealing with tough situations.

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