I’ve had this Blog Title in my drafts for weeks now. I haven’t written anything because honestly, I don’t know where to begin. Also, because of doubters and haters and needing to prove to myself I can do this before I put it out into the universe. There’s SO much I want to cover. I’ve been on a health journey for yearssssss. The first instrumental year being 2017. The year I started Chiropractic care. I’m not going to back track and talk about the past 6 years, but I am going to tell you about the power in 10 minutes a day.
I used to think it was normal to be exhausted 90% of the time. And when I say 90% of the time, I’m not exaggerating. I used to think it was absolutely crazy how families could go for bike rides on Sunday afternoons. Or anytime for that matter. All I was doing was struggling to get through a day. I woke up every morning and Travis would laugh at me because I’d say “I love my bed! I can’t wait to go back to bed tonight!” I was literally doing the bare minimum I had to do as a mom of 4 human kids and 1 dog, a wife, and someone who has 3 jobs 😆
One thing I should note is that I was also extremely anemic. I started working with a functional medicine Dr I trust back in July of last year, and my numbers are heading in the right direction. Thank you, Lord.
What I wasn’t prepared for was a completely life altering experience when I not only started combining chiropractic care, all my supplements my Dr has me on, eating WHOLE foods, and taking 10 minutes a day of high impact exercise. TEN minutes. Y’all, everyone has 10 minutes. I know…I thought I didn’t, and I’m sure some of you don’t think you have 10 minutes to give to yourself. But you DO! I’m also someone who will always need a good 8 hours of sleep to function, so when I would wake up at 5am to do CrossFit years ago, 1) it wasn’t sustainable, and 2) my body HATED me. But getting up 10 minutes earlier? Hell yeah I can do that! (Sorry. I’m so passionate about this. Lol)
I also needed to get this out there before I’m considered a fraud. But you know what prioritizing those 10 minutes a day and eating the right foods have done? Give me MORE energy where I started going into my son’s room and doing some weights a few nights a week…and now I do yoga every night! And because of my type A personality with SOME (😉) things, my main motivation? This habit tracker that I get to color in after I completed a day! And who wants to see blank holes? Definitely not me! I’ve told Travis multiple times, if it wasn’t for coloring in my little date, I would’ve stopped a long time ago. Every night I’d look at which exercise I’d be doing the next morning and dread it. But I’d force myself to get up and do it because of that damn habit tracker! My 10 minute workout program gives you a rest day every 3 and then 2 days, and since I didn’t want a non colored hole, I will do 5 minute walking lunges. (If you want the slowest 5 minutes of your life, do walking lunges. Ha!…but the best part was having my kids cheer me on the first time I did them.) I also do 30 vacuum twists every morning and night and 100 calf raises every night. Because it’s this weird domino affect of wanting to do just a little more.
You guys. You know those people who ACTUALLY wash their face and brush their teeth and have a night time routine? (Like my sister 😆) I thought those people were INSANE! Like…where are the people who are so tired they throw their clothes on the floor and hop into bed as soon as their youngest child is in bed? Now those were my people! The ones who if they’re in bed and your daughter yells from the other room she’s thirsty or needs an apple and you yell back, ‘ask your dad! Mom is done for the day!’ Those were my people. But that’s not me anymore! I’m 42 years old and I have a freaking nighttime routine y’all! I put my daughter to bed and there’s still more of me to give if she needs it. And she does, fyi. I NEVER knew this could be real life. I thought this type of life was only in fairytales…or my sister’s life. Ha! And here’s the honest truth. It CAN be real life for every day people like you and me.
I’m not going to tell you it’s been easy. I pretty much hated everyone the first 3 weeks. Seriously. I was MORE tired than normal if you can believe that. I was irritable. And huge shoutout to my husband who did ALL the meal prep or I would’ve thrown in the towel after day 3 because I was hangry and wanted bread! I’m not lying. It. Was. Awful. And then my mom, bless her heart, came a week after my birthday with a huge pan of homemade cinnamon rolls. To bake in my oven y’all. So I could SMELL them baking. Seriously!?! I hadn’t told her about what we were doing because it was so early in the game. I didn’t need other people, on top of myself, doubting what I can or can’t do. I ate a quarter of a massive cinnamon roll because just like me, my mom makes things with love and I’m NOT going to hurt her feelings! (Thanks again, Mom ♥️) But lucky for me, my habit tracker isn’t about diet. (It is for Travis so he resisted the cinnamon roll 🤣) It’s about working out 10 minutes a day and drinking my water. So we’re all good…I could still color in my circle. Phew!
So here’s my advice to anyone. Give yourself 10 minutes a day and color in a habit tracker. Whatever that might look like for you. Color in SOMETHING. You’d be surprised. The magic doesn’t happen if you do an hour long workout every once in a while. The magic won’t happen if you do a 75 Hard Challenge once and nothing ever again. The magic won’t happen with unattainable goals. The magic WILL happen if you take 10 minutes for yourself and you’re consistent. I promise. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Let’s start normalizing that everyone’s lives are busy and not everyone has an hour of themselves to give. Not everyone’s body and health, mine included, can actually tolerate hour long workouts. Small changes equals big results. Trust me…Allow yourself 10 minutes a day and be consistent. Then hold on and watch the domino effect of endless changes in your mind, body, and soul.
You’re worth it.
~XOXO
♥️ Special Shoutout to My Husband. He’s legit the best human for me. He feeds me when I’m hangry, encourages me, believes in me, backs every crazy idea I ever come up with, (like trying Whole30 and committing to his own activity goal…he’s also crushing it!), and washes a thousand dishes a day including egg pans. Scrambled egg pans are the worst. Amongst doing all the dad things and working, of course. He’s the best ♥️
Thank you to my 2 little photographers, Grayson and Isla, for helping me track my progress. It’s hard. It’s awkward. It’s annoying. But take the picture ✌🏼
P.S. Now that I’m past the initial hard part of Whole30, I’m going for more of a 90/10 or 80/20 approach. It does not mean I will never have a cookie again. I’m not THAT crazy! 🤣😉 Eat good, Whole Foods, 90% (or 80%) of the time, and allow yourself some things you still love ✌🏼
Living With Intention and Giving Myself Grace 