Project Supermom

[pughki5]

Hello, fellow Supermoms! I am a married mother of a toddler and a supermom in the making. I am not a doctor, therapist, or nutritionist, but what I am is a mom who knows, all too well from my own experience, that we mothers tend to expect and give the best for our kids but not ourselves. We can do better! As I continue to on this road, it may not be a perfect journey, but it will be made with a better effort at being a superhero in my own life!

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/

[pughki5]

Greetings, fellow Moms! I invite you to become a part of Project Supermom, my new blog designed to inspire us moms to focus on becoming our best selves! Through small tips and thoughts, I hope to help YOU find truer happiness in your life. Please join me at http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/ to start your journey. You can also follow the blog on Facebook, under the page Project Supermom. I appreciate your support of this very personal endeavor and also encourage you to pass this invitation along to other ladies, moms, and even men…thanks and see you there!

[pughki5]

Why The Project...

So, I'll bet some of you are curious as to why I decided to do this? My motivation comes from a passion I have discovered for leading a healthier lifestyle...physically and mentally. By this, I mean living in a way that makes you feel good about yourself, both inside and out...that makes you feel empowered...that puts a spring in your step...that makes you stand up a little straighter...that makes you feel superhuman!

I see the stories of women, many who are also moms, who have lost their way and themselves. All you need to do is tune into the morning shows, talk shows, The Biggest Loser, and even your girlfriends and family to see the pattern: happy, bubbly girl goes about life, gets married, gets pregnant, has baby, gets immersed in motherhood, turns around and has no idea who is looking back at her in the mirror! The girl in the mirror looks tired, tattered around the edges, chubbier than she remembers...she shrugs herself off, hiding behind the guise of being "too busy" or not having time or blah, blah, blah. Despite the denial, I think these women harbor a secret well of self-loathing, self-hatred, and depression. Trust me...I know...I've been here, too, and I couldn't STAND IT!

Well, enough! You do not need to be a helpless victim, lost under a mountain of fear and denial. You do not need a major overhaul to rebuild yourself. You just need to stand up and do what you need to do, and unfortunately, it's not always easy or fun. You aren't taking care of yourself or your soul, hiding behind the "I'm a mom" excuse. You are in there, and you are worth nurturing!

This is why I decided to finally do this blog. I have learned little tips and picked up ideas and formed strong opinions that helped me find my way, on this journey. They didn't require a massive overhaul of my life or my family's. Being nearly two years into this motherhood thing, I've been amazed at what I have accomplished, both big and small...I am so proud of who I am becoming...I am excited and anxious to see what else I can do...I am beginning to feel good in my own skin...I am force to be reckoned with, in my own life...I am becoming Supermom! And, this is what I want for you. It just isn't that hard. You just need to get your ass in gear, which is why I'm here. I ask you...why not?...

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/2010/01/why_29.html

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...-supermom.html

By supermom, I do NOT mean some uber-Mom that complies with all of societies ideas of what moms and women should be. I'm not talking about shooting for being the perfect Stepford wife. I will focus a lot on nutrition and exercise, because I do believe they are crucial stepping stones on your journey...providing you with energy to face the day, an outlet for stress, a way for creative release, and ways to protect yourself against getting sick or developing physical ailments!...does it hurt that you might see a drop in your dress size? I sure don't think it does!

What I'm talking about is each of us taking a little time to make ourselves a priority. Yes, I am a good mother to my son. Yes, I work on being a good wife. Yes, my family is important, and I do enjoy the family things we do. But what about me? Am I taking care of myself? Am I doing what I need to be doing to take care of my body? What makes me happy...what feeds my soul? Family is a big part of that, but what else? For each of us, the answers to those questions are going to be totally different and probably ever-changing...full of things that we have to do to take care of ourselves and full of things that we want to do for ourselves...things we like to do for ourselves and things that we may not like to do for ourselves but need to.

So, Project Supermom is all about encouraging that ongoing growth and learning process. This is about becoming your best self...how you define that is up to you. This is about pulling ourselves together and taking those steps to do what we need to become Supermom...even if some of those things are hard and may make us face things we don't want to think about or haven't had time to make a priority. It is up to you to make the effort for yourself...you are worth it!

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...y-journey.html

I have always been a "thick" girl, although I didn't really think too much about it...or realize the extent of how that held me back. Sure, like a lot of women, I packed on some pounds, when I met my husband...we were having so much fun partying it up, pigging out, lounging around. I mean, he was kinda big, and I matched that! It was great to let go of the reins on self-control, because it's not like I was THAT big. I mean, I was a 10-12, which was still smaller than the average woman, in this country, right?.. I told myself that it was inevitable, as I come from a family of food-loving, chunky people. I was working out some and thought I was eating pretty well. I'd tried Weight Watchers and Atkins, not that they were that much fun or that anyone supported me. What was the big deal, anway?...that is, until I saw my wedding pictures...what had happened? How did the photographer seem to capture all the lies I'd been telling myself about my weight?

Determined, I began educating myself about calories in food. I was floored by how many calories were in what I was eating, how little calories I really needed for my body to function, and how little an impact my meager exercise efforts were making on my food intake. So, I tried making better and healthier decisions and saw my weight come down a little. About this time, my hubby suggested we watch The Biggest Loser...this was my wake-up call! From the show, I got a MUCH clearer picture of just how little I knew about nutrition, diet, and exercise!!

I chose this moment to grab the bull by the horns, not only to avoid gaining excess pregnancy weight (we had begun planning) but to really avoid being one of the fat moms that can't keep up with her kids...one of the moms that may not fit in with the mommy cliques...one of the moms whose kid might be embarrassed by her. I began to educate myself and understand the concept of portion control and healthy snacking. I began to rethink our family's tradition of gourging yourself, at every meal. I recommitted to my cardio exercises and added weight training to my regime. I got more interested in food prep and began efficiently creating snack packs and planning out menus packed with healthy eats. I got pregnant, watched my hubby lose 60 pounds on our new program, ate my fill of fruits and veggies, and tried real hard not give into my pregnancy-fueled inhibitions about eating anything and everything.

Two years after the birth of my son, I weigh nearly 30 pounds less than my wedding day. I lost all my baby weight and then some. Having a lifestyle of eating and exercise to fall into, after the baby was born, helped me get there. I worked HARD for myself, for once! Sometimes, I didn't want to...sometimes, I didn't...most of the time, I made the right decision. Being super self-critical, I am finally in awe of my body...it looks good and feels good!!!...not being as embarrassed with it, I am more adventuresome about clothes and pull off different styles. I learned some new hair and make-up routines, to celebrate my new look. More importantly, my BMI is no longer teetering on the edge of unhealthy...my weight is nowhere near the overweight category...I much lower risks for high cholesterol or heart issues or diabetes...I have no doubts about having another healthy pregnancy and recovering from it...I actually have more energy, getting up well before dawn, than when I dragged my feet to get out of bed...my son would rather eat veggies or fruits than burgers, fries, or chicken fingers, and so would my husband! And, I have now found the courage and energy to be a well-oiled machine in other facets of my life!

I am SO energized, for once! I am driven and focused and more secure. I make mistakes...eat some bad food more often than I should...drink my fair share of red wine...occassionally slack or skip my workout, but I'm still doing it, because I know what to do. I always have a base to come back to. See, it's not about a quick drop of 2 dress sizes...it's about a life-long journey of healthy habits, and I finally CHOSE to give this gift of health (and all the wonderful things it entails and enables) to myself...to my family! Boy, did it feel good...boy, does it still feel good. Better than eating all that garbage...better than pounding my food as fast as I could, so that I could get more before anyone else did...better than being lethargic and lazy...better than being ashamed of myself. Now that I've finally begun to love myself, so many more doors have opened, and I'm FINALLY brave enough to go through!

Looking back, I don't know why it was so hard to make the decision to MAKE THE EFFORT, but I am sure am glad I learned it, before I got any further down the road. I am glad I figured this out and can share it with my child and others. Because, it was almost just that easy, once I figured out what to do and took the time. And, now, with a blog launched, races registered for, work to do, a baby to raise, family to entertain, movies to watch, friends to catch up with, a hubby to love, and a bikini contest to win, I continue on...

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...-soi-dont.html

Now that you're considering putting some effort into a very worthwhile cause...yourself (gee, there's a concept)...let's lay-out some hesitations that may have cropped up already, at just the THOUGHT of making a change:
I don't have enough time to change my habits
My family won't change their habits
I'll change my habits later
I don't care about being skinny (hello?!!...not what I'm getting at here!!)
It'll be embarrassing
What if I look dumb?
I can't...
Don't be fooled! These are simply excuses...excuses to hide underlying fear, lack of motivation, disorganization, and denial...maybe even some self-loathing? Well, enough! I'm not here to coddle you or acknowledge your excuses, by offering a soft place to whine and complain about "not being able" to get in gear. I don't want to hear it, my dear! Being a pouty princess will not get you closer to making life changes...it does not help you to play into being a victim.So, yes, sometimes we all have to work a little harder or make the harder decision or do things we may not want to do. C'est la vie. Now, let's move on to the business of bettering ourselves...

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...rmom-time.html

Let's talk time! I know...you don't have enough of it...neither do I! But, it's time for you to start taking some time for yourself. "What do you mean?", you might be saying. I mean, TIME TO GET YOUR BOOTIE IN GEAR and start paying yourself some attention!

Yes, I said it...time to grab the bull by the horns and take the first step in finding the true you. MAKE THE TIME! It's not asking too much to take the time for yourself. It's not taking away from anything to take time for yourself...to take the time to implement some of the ideas we're going to talk about...to take some time to consider some of the ideas and thoughts I'm going to throw out at you.

If you're reading this, a part of you is ready to take the time for yourself...you know you need to (for yourself AND your family, I would argue)...you may even finally want to. Well, I'm here to say the time is NOW!...time to step up and put some energy and effort into yourself. Find the time, even if it's 30-minutes a day. Ready?...set...GO!!!

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...outta-bed.html

Good morning, my lovelies! Here's to me FINALLY writing about one of the many small steps I keep talking about!

It is time to rise and shine! (if you don't already) If you got out of bed an hour or so earlier, imagine what you could do: get a work-out in, knock out chores to make room for you-time later in the day, or spend some time doing something positive for yourself. I was a habitual snooze-button girl, which got me nowhere but kinda groggy, to be honest. Now, I spring outta bed at 4:30 (everyday of the week, not weekends of course, and not always happily)...believe it or not, I feel more energized and less lethargic. This allows me the time to get in a good workout, shower, change, get organized, and even sneak a cup of coffee, before it's mommy go-time, and my daily frantic pace sets in.

It may take a week or two to adjust to getting up earlier...may I also suggest coordinating this with going to bed earlier. Consider this time of the day sacred time!

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...re-it-was.html

...just like that...124.2! I FINALLY hit my goal weight!...no, not hit it, but blew right past that elusive 125!!

Through my tears, I calculated that I am now over 25 pounds lighter than on my wedding day. I have lost almost 50 pounds, from the day I gave birth to my son....50 pounds! I weigh less than I have for as long as I can remember. After all the denial, the excuses, the not caring, the sheer laziness, I have done it! Those were big obstacles to overcome, but the even more powerful lesson was that I can set goals, have dreams, make a plan, go after them, and ACHIEVE them! It was as simple as just doing it...doing it most of the time...needing just me, the most powerful tool I have!

124.2 is not just a number on the scale. It represents another piece of the true me that I have FINALLY given the wings to to come forward...to be. Now, more tears are falling, as I am filled with the sheer joy of just how good it feels to be this girl!

[pughki5]

http://projectsupermom.blogspot.com/...nd-family.html

"But my family won't eat healthier...they make me feel guilty, when I try to workout". Oh, please! You are capable of acting independently, being that you're a grown adult and all.

The great thing about what we're talking about here is making small changes, instead of doing a major overhaul that'll disrupt the entire household. You may be surprised about what changes they'll eventually embrace with your positive role-modeling. Be confident in yourself and your decisions. Educate your family on why healthy is better and involve them in making decisions to support a healthier lifestyle. This is not only good for you...leading a healthier life and making yourself a priority...but, I would argue that this is also going to be good for them!

Still not seeing a way out of feasts at the dinner table or weekend junk-food bingers? Okay, have healthier nibbles around that are just for you, and be excited that you have your own secret stash to dive into. Make a point to eat right throughout the work week to balance out weekend splurges. Prepare light and healthy breakfasts, lunches, and snacks for yourself, in order to counteract heavier dinners, and to keep you feeling fuller, so that you aren't as apt to overeat. If your hubby won't watch the kids for an hour and/or complains about you being gone to workout, practice your yoga for him, in a fitted tank top and some cute boy shorts...or, add some stripper, pole-dancing, or belly-dancing routines to your repertoire...bet you'll get his attention and support pretty quickly!

This is about doing the right thing for yourself, which you can still do with or without them being onboard!