My Reason

Before becoming a mother, my reasons for keeping my health and fitness a priority were basically all about me; about how I felt, looked, and just for my overall health. I've been a runner for the past 16 years, and training for races gives me a high like no other. Committing to something like training for a full or half marathon not only gives me strength and confidence, but it makes me feel like an achiever, a goal-getter, and not to mention gives me a few bragging rights! (Ever ran the hills in San Francisco Marathon course? Brutal!) Eating healthy has been a part of my lifestyle since I woke up and saw the photos of me sporting my freshman 15 bod...and I never looked back!

Now that I'm a mother and have my family to take care of, my reasons have shifted. All the ones mentioned above still hold true of course, but now I have EVEN MORE reasons to be healthy, strong, and to be my best every day. I'm raising our daughter to also be healthy and fit, and to take care of herself and honor her body as I do mine. My child is very spirited and has a never-ending supply of energy, so I don't have a choice but to be on my toes all day, every day. Because of that alone, I need to make sure I take care of myself by getting enough rest (still working on that one), eating nutrient-dense foods, and exercising so my body is strong. I want to show my daughter the importance of taking care of our bodies, our vessels. 

I can't even begin to explain the happiness and sense of fulfillment it brings me when my 2.5 year old toddler tells me she wants to go for a run, or wants to do exercises with mommy, or is "so busy working, mommy." She is already a hard-working and driven individual at her tiny little age, and I have to take some, if not most, credit for that. Being able to create a fitness-based business working from home has been the biggest blessing for me. I truly wish I had found the opportunity sooner, but life just seems to work its ways with timing. I thought about getting my personal trainer certification, or go back and get another degree in kinesiology or related field, but when I found the coaching opportunity with Beachbody, I had to see what it was all about. I didn't have to be at my goal weight, or be a professional in the fitness industry. I just had to have the drive to focus on my own health and fitness and have the passion to help others with theirs. It aligned with my values and my passion for helping others. I was sold.

I know that this is just the beginning for me on this journey and I'm so excited to show my daughter even more as she grows older. It's such an enormous responsibility to raise another human being and to show her what being healthy and active and an ambitious woman looks like, and of course I want her to be nothing less than everything she wants to be. My reason now is her.