The Why....... part 2

So I finished up that last post and it has been on my mind for hours....... and I suddenly realized I left out so much from that post.

I have learned so much about myself in the past year. I learned that I like to push myself to the breaking point. From recovering from a stress fracture and still completing a half marathon with a new personal best, shaving off 6 minutes from time to juggling working, moving and training for a marathon. Yes we all know I'm nuts, but I feel better when I know I am challenging myself. Clearly if I didn't like a challenge I wouldn't have finished that crazy PhD journey with my family in tow and then moved them halfway across the country!

So, what did I leave out of that last post? WHY do I want to inspire people to be healthy? Well as you may or may not know I grew up in a household with an exercise physiologist and a nurse. It was a healthy household, but I can say I watched my father struggle with his weight, even though he is probably one of THE most educated people I know about fitness and exercise science. I followed in his footsteps early into my marriage, both hubby and I worked out, but we let our nutrition slide. Then I had some moments of clarity and got myself back in shape, and well then came the pregnancies and school and I LET IT ALL SLIDE.

I have worked so hard these past 4 years since B was born to get healthy for me, for hubby and for them. God gave me this amazing body that can do amazing things, and it is MY responsibility to take care of it. I don't want my children to struggle with their weight or being healthy. I want it to be natural. We have a strong family history of obesity and diabetes and I want them to have every advantage to be strong and healthy. I have changed my wording in the past 2 years to make it clear that I exercise to be healthy and strong (and I don't say to lose weight, even if I am trying). This is another of my "whys"

Hubby is another. I'm not going to air all of his dirty laundry here, but he has struggled with his weight and now diabetes. I have been hoping, wishing and praying that he would be motivated to work out and be "inspired" by all that I have done. Clearly I went about it the wrong way and I think that maybe it was just too much, and there was not a balance. Pushing him into this program probably wasn't the best idea either, but you know.... sometimes you need a shove to get off that cliff! He's another "why" I want (and need) him to be healthy. We're a team and I'm not going to lose him to something as simple health consequences from being out of shape.

So maybe part of this coaching journey is selfish reasons for the health of myself and my family, but really? I'm ok with that!