I’m still in disbelief towards how much my life has changed during this past 60 days. As I reflect on how far I’ve come in terms of wellness, I’m reminded of how I got into such a rotten predicament with poor health and horrible habits.

Embarking into motherhood, I knew my life was going to drastically change and I was excited for those changes. But, no one expects to be a Special Needs parent, and I’d have to say the very moment I found out I completely lost every bit of myself. I’ve spent nearly every waking moment of the last five years trying to figure out how to help my son communicate, learn, and cope in a world that isn’t quite cut out for his beautiful mind. You’ve probably heard all about “mom guilt”, and mine might even be a little more amplified than most. Over the years, I haven’t allowed myself to do much of anything other than help my son (and his amazing, patient brother) thrive and adapt. Hobbies, socializing, and a good night’s sleep all became distant memories. I wanted all of those back, but I honestly didn’t have the energy or know where to start.

It wasn’t until earlier this year when I took a long hard look inside my medicine cabinet, that I fully grasped what I’d done to myself. I had placed such a tremendous amount of stress on my shoulders, which was affecting both my mind and my body. Pills for everything under the sun, including fibromyalgia, acid reflux, and anxiety were up until that point, not something I thought about too much. I had come to rely on them quite heavily in my day to day, but under further examination, they weren’t quite doing the job any longer on their own.

I hadn’t exercised or been to a gym in years, but from my past experience I knew if I could just find a great fit for me, it would be a game changer. I had my husband’s complete support to carve out much time as needed to focus on myself, and before I knew it I had not just joined Life Time Dublin, but had completed my first 60day in the Spring. I was having a blast, working hard, meeting a ton of great people, and learning the ropes once again. By the time the Summer 60day rolled around, I had already proved to myself I was more than capable of doing this, and I knew my body was starting to respond well to my new healthy mindset. I decided right then and there, I was going to be all in! I was making this change for myself, but it was also for my family and my future, and that was all the fuel I needed to commit.

My personal trainer Evan L. really absorbed my goals and my health history to make sure I was aligned for success. I have worked with trainers at other gyms, and no one compares to the support and coaching I have received from Evan. He made my workouts challenging, enjoyable (ha, usually!), and he mixed them up so I never felt bored. I implemented every nugget of advice he shared; once I learned that the Active Metabolic Assessment would help me work out smarter and not harder, I was sold. My workouts are more efficient than they’ve ever been in my life, and I was able to see physical results much quicker (even though I’m no longer in my prime!). I also relied heavily on the 60day recipe guide, and even completed the GUT.FIX program to determine what food sensitivities were holding me back. Meeting with Life Time’s dietician Kate C. was another great decision I made that helped me reach my goals.

Upon completing the program, I expected to lose some weight and see positive changes, but there were certainly some surprises I didn’t see coming. For starters, it wasn’t just “some” weight, it was A LOT of weight, and a big chuck of body fat to boot! And let’s just say my doctor’s appointment last week was a real head scratcher; he was genuinely confused (yet excited!) about my rapid transformation, and all but one of my prescriptions were kicked to the curb. Additionally, I have more balance in my life, and I’m feeling so much lighter in terms of stress. This growth has provided me much needed clarity around my personal goals and also my newfound aspirations regarding motherhood. I feel absolutely great, and I haven’t been able to say that for a very long time. I feel like I have won my life back, and I can’t wait to see what happens next!