Extol Sports December 2017 | Page 47

on the countertop and will be available for throwing together a quick dinner later decreases my stress level significantly. (Side Note: I’m thinking of investing in an Insta-cooker. This will allow for the days when I forget or am too rushed in the morning to actually put something in the crockpot to slow cook.) School sports are a GREAT way to keep kids active. Throughout this journey, I haven’t had to worry at all about the older two kids getting enough physical activity into their days. Daily P.E. classes, school sports teams, after school practices and weekend clinics are keeping our tribe moving. As colder weather sets in, I will need to make a conscious effort with the two youngest, as they won’t be playing outside quite as willingly and there aren’t as many school sports opportunities for their age groups. I am terrible at taking care of myself. I’ve obviously fallen into the Mom-trap about which my friends are always lamenting. I focus my efforts on making sure my family is well cared for and I don’t take the time to acknowledge my own physical well-being. Throughout the past year, I’ve tried each new idea we’ve explored, but my personal follow- through has been meager at best. While I feel like we’ve certainly made progress as a family, I must focus more on my own health in the coming year. In a nutshell, my husband and children are meeting many of the FamFitter challenges like rockstars, and I’m more of a groupie. I’ve got to up my game if I want to join the band. ADAM For the most part, I’ve been pleased with the journey we undertook as a family this year. When it comes to health and fitness, I’ve wanted to undergo something transformative because, after having kids and getting caught up in their busy lives, I felt like we’d lost focus concerning the importance of our overall wellness. I knew FamFitter could be a great catalyst to explore the changes for which I’d been looking. Excitement of a new endeavor is always a strong motivator for me, and I started off the year embracing every new concept we decided to take on. I developed a strong workout routine and stayed with it. I dropped all processed food from my diet and stuck resolutely to healthy eating habits. Within a couple of months, my blood pressure had dropped so drastically that I eliminated the medication I’d been taking. By the time school was out and the kids were home for the summer, I was excited to include them in my daily activity goals because my energy level was soaring. I admit that my motivation has dwindled recently. The kids have gone back to school, the weather is getting colder, and I find that I am less regular in my exercise regimen. In addition, I’ve recently allowed myself more and more indulgences foodwise. I still feel good, but I can tell a