Hi there! My name is Candice Cox. It is with a full and grateful heart that I’ve been given the opportunity to share my project with you!
Some of you may know me as the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor here at the WIC office, located in Barton County Health Department. I have also worked in retail most of my life and waitressing before that, or maybe we have never met at all. However, thank you for stopping by to see what this new project is all about!
First, I would like to share with you a little bit about myself and give you some background as to how I got here, and where my project is taking me. I am a Wife and Mother of three children; two handsome boys, 14 and 11 years old, and a joy-filled daughter who will be 2 years come January. Quite the stretch between ages, right? It was like learning how to be a Mom all over again! On top of that, I recently turned 40 years old, and then almost a month later found out some great news, that I am expecting blessing number 4!
But, let’s back up a little bit further. Many months or maybe even years now, before I had my daughter, Avigail, I have been wrestling within myself. To take care of my body by losing weight with exercise, eating healthy and clean, and all the while feeling good while doing it, and to not have that dreaded feeling of, it’s something “I have to do”. That I would also find joy in it, and crave working out versus thinking or craving what junk food I could have next, kind of mentality. To some this may not be their struggle, but for me, it is something I have been trying to hone in on for quite some time and overcome. It takes a lot of consistency and strength and I have found that when I pull my strength from the one place that matters, Jesus Christ, that it makes all the difference. It changes your “I can’t do it” to “I CAN and I WILL”. For The Word says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” Philipians 4:13. Maybe your struggle is the temptation of drinking pop or grabbing that candy bar in the checkout line. If you want to quit it badly enough ask Him to give you strength and He will help you.
Fast forward to this year, I had just started to workout 2 to 3 times a week in my small garage gym and I wanted to do more. I needed to challenge myself further and I wanted to feel extremely accountable! As my 40th year was just a few months away, and the thoughts of what I needed to do filled my brain all the day, I decided to put it in motion. Once my birthday was here, I decided that I would post this challenge on my Facebook and share my journey with others of how I plan to lose 40 pounds for my 40th! That would cover the extreme accountability and be transparent in my struggles, which would help me that much more! What I did not know was there would be an added blessing of baby on board right at the start! However, that will not change my desire to acquire new habits and reach goals. I may not reach the 40 pounds lost but I plan to acquire new habits and mindsets along the way as well as tone up and lose weight/fat, all the while baby taking its place.
What I have learned in my past trials is, that it is best to take baby steps or have a gradual process in mind. I have found that when I tried to change too many things at once, that is when I failed. So, this time around I will gradually be gaining new habits and mindsets. That way these changes will become part of who I am and not just be a fad or temporary thing.
I am now one month in on my challenge as of October 20th and have made some great progress! I am adopting some great habits and mindset changes. I have lost 3 pounds and 5.5 inches, been working out consistently 2-3 times per week, and walking more. I can feel the difference when I do not work out, my body hurts and it is like its aching for movement. Here are some positive habits and mindsets I am adopting:
- Welcoming positive thoughts and pushing out negative ones as they enter(these can be anywhere from things about my self-image or things I want to do but that little voice in the back of my head says I can’t)
- When I see something that needs done, I just get up and do it. No more procrastinating, which has helped me be more active (it’s a good way to also think of getting exercise in, I find it rewarding with any extra things that I do now versus would have been putting them off.)
- Being mindful of the food I eat and my behavior towards food. Because everything I do, makes me, ME.
- Remind myself often, “I can’t wait to see where I am one year from now”.
- Cut back on “added” sugars. (Even though I am an adult and have my own children, I have found and learned that I have to “parent” myself. I think a lot of times we have this child-like mentality; I can have what I want, when I want and if I want the cake, I will eat it too, and two pieces if I like! We have to tell ourselves no, just as we would want to tell our children, so they don’t overdo it.)
- Focusing on low carb. (Not having carbs with every meal and limiting them down to once maybe twice a day depending on what the carb is, as there are clean and beneficial carbs for you.)
- Last, but not least, shifting my thoughts to all the foods I CAN have, versus thinking about what I can’t have.
I will be continually sharing my health project with you, what I learn along the way, in hopes that you will come along with me and see that there is goodness in change. I think a lot of us Moms sometimes get so wrapped up in taking care of our husbands, and children, that we forget about taking care of ourselves. Sometimes it can feel selfish if we try to set apart some time to work on ourselves. WE as Moms matter! You are of great value, especially in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. And in order to take care of our families and homes it matters how we feel, whether that is physically, mentally or spiritually, or else things will suffer. I know I have been suffering inside! We also have to make sure that we are making “deposits” in the “bank” of health and sanity and not just constantly tapping out our “account” or we will end up “depleted” and “broke”. It is more encouraging to view things we do for ourselves as small investments, no matter how small they are, they add up! Since I have started this project, I have found a sense of empowerment and self-control that I have desired and will cling to. It is helping pull me out of the depths of this valley I have been in and helping me to take the reins of every part of my life!
If you made it this far, thank you! I hope I have been an encouragement and reminding you, that you are worth it.
Until next time, much love and happiness to you!! 🙂
Candice Cox
