Making a Promise of Health this New Year

Making a Promise of Health this New Year

The following is a guest post from momAgendaCOMM blogger Beth Anne Ballance.

Ahhh, the New Year!

The new you!

The slimmer, healthier, prettier, shinier you!

At least, that’s what we all promise ourselves at each gong of midnight on January 1st. To be better, faster, stronger, but hopefully not quite like Kanye.

Like a lot of moms and women, I struggle with my weight and body image. I’m softer and rounder than I used to be, thanks to two pregnancies and one birth. I’m war-beaten with stretch marks and wider hips, tired lines around my cheeks and circles under my eyes. I struggle with disliking the number on the scale but finding the time to do something about it other than whine.

Every few weeks, I stock my refrigerator with healthy snacks, but my toddler is usually the one munching on cheese and fruit while I dig into a box of Cheez-Its. The worst part is, I KNOW I feel better when I eat healthy. I have more energy to play with my son when I am jogging the neighborhood after he goes to bed. I know I look better when I am 20 lbs lighter. I know I’d spend more time in my jeans and less time in yoga pants if they fit my waist better.

In 2010, I quickly dropped 35 lbs of baby weight thanks to Nutrisystem and depression. I looked fantastic, but my insides felt hollow. New meds (and lots of therapy!) made my heart whole again, but I put on twenty pounds quickly. Over the past year, even more pounds have crept on silently, drowned out by the munching of Dunkin Donuts and sipping of Starbucks. However, my goals for 2012 are forcing me to stare in the mirror, step on the scale, and face the music. I’d like to get pregnant again, but I’d like to not feel like a whale.

So begins a quest (once again, sigh) to drop these pesky lingering pounds in an effort to begin my third pregnancy at a healthier weight and stronger physicality. I’ve swapped donuts for homemade oatmeal and eggs; I pack a peanut butter sandwich and yogurt for lunch while my coworker’s head to Chipotle & Panera. My water bottle is my new best friend, and the close runner-up is the bathroom down the hall.

I pulled out my dusty 30 Day Shred DVD and Santa Claus brought me a ballet DVD to

stretch and lengthen in the evenings. So far, I have dropped 7 lbs since the New Year began and hope to keep my motivation uplifted.

I just keep focus on the end prize. It’s a little bit easier doing it for my future baby and not just for me.

Do you struggle with weight and fitness, finding yourself making new promises each year to be healthier?

Beth Anne is a member of the Council of Media Moms at momAgenda. She’s a born and bred Southern Belle who blogs about motherhood at The Heir to Blair. You can also find her on Twitter.