As a military wife, a mom of two young boys and working part time- finding time for myself was once nonexistent. I was a former sweet tea, potato chip, pizza and sweets devotee, and I used the excuse, “It’s my PROTEIN!" more often than I'd like to admit. My name is Amanda Nickell and this is my blog about my journey of living a healthy lifestyle and being a life coach. Living a healthy lifestyle is more than being a "clean eats freak," organic nut job, and fitness enthusiast (to which I am all of them). I believe the secret to being healthy is learning how to live your life to the fullest, deveolping your unique potential, achieving a balanced successful life– and looking good while doing it.
I currently live in the Tampa Bay area, and while living here I am blessed to have stumbled across the friends I have, and the opportunity to help others achieve health from home. I have found the freedom to be home for my family by living healthy, continually growing personally, spiritually and helping others do the same.
I was able to get fit, love myself again, regain my strength, energy And fit into my skinny jeans while balancing a busy life! I want to be an inspiration to all of the mommy's that want to PUSH for that healthy body, life, and financial freedom that they can have!
Growing up, I would definitely say that I was lucky.
I was skinny, taught to be active and wasn’t allowed
to over indulge in soda/sweets, and we ate pretty
healthy. Even until I was married, I was able to pretty much eat whatever I wanted, however much I wanted
and STILL look skinny and ‘appear’ to be healthy – I know, so unfair. I wish I was still able to do that, haha! Fast forward to two years ago, after having two
kids, but mainly after my second boy is when the real struggle began. I was getting annoyed when I went shopping- something I used to LOVE doing- When size 10 petite jeans are 4 inches too long for shorty 5’3” me, and getting winded from vacuuming and dusting is the norm- that’s NOT my idea of cute or fun! Add in trying to handle postpartum depression, with extra weight, lacking energy, and not understanding why I didn't feel like myself a year after having my youngest boy and it was wearing on me. I have a loving husband and two beautiful children and I was wondering, what is going on with me- Why do I struggle to get through every day?!
When looking in the mirror, deep down I was not comfortable with what I was looking at, you all know what I’m talking about right?!?
I was what I like to call “skinny fat.” I was out of shape, so I thought to myself, how the heck am I going to keep up with my two boys?!
I was 136 pounds at barely 5’3” and it was taking its toll on me. I was out of shape, and I was eating ALL of the wrong foods. I was always feeding my addicted sugar cravings for ENERGY-On an emotional/false energy roller coaster ride slowly gaining weight. Let me tell you, you DO NOT have to live like that!!
SO here is my first set of before and after pics:
How did I get started? I had this close friend who I confided in about how I felt. She shared Beach Body’s Shakeology & ChaLean Exterme Program with me, and how much it helped her. With a little convincing, I decided to commit to doing it, what could it hurt?
I was scared, nervous, and not sure what was going to happen but I wanted to try anything at that time. I worked out daily to the schedule, drank Shakeology and followed the meal plan. It wasn’t easy, especially the first two weeks, but I stuck to it and lost 10 POUNDS my first month- which was crazy to me!!! I ran out and went shopping thinking that was it- I am size 6, this rocks, WHOOOO HOO! Little did I know I was going to lose more weight, a total of 15 lbs. I did this while I built muscle for the first time in my life and physically felt stronger and more energetic every day!
You can read about my full journey in Transformation Stories
0 comments:
Post a Comment