I Am Making Myself A Priority

dear-future-me
 I am such a cliché. For the past 6 years, my health has taken a backseat. My kids have invaded the little bit of consciousness that exists within my sleep-deprived brain. As they get older they are capable of doing more for themselves and, thank the sweet heavens above, are finally sleeping better. However, now they have more activities. They are at two different schools and have class parties and sports galore. Still, the majority of my time is spent on them. It’s a hard habit to break! Here I am writing a post about making myself a priority and all I have done is talk about my kids!

I had a rude awakening this year when my face swelled up like a balloon and I had to schedule an emergency dental appointment. As best I can understand it, the root area from a previous root canal had split and become infected. I had an abscess. The dentist took one look at me and sent me upstairs to the oral surgeon. The tooth had to be pulled.

I began to look around at other areas of my life. My diet was horrible, I rarely got any exercise and my primary doctor was located in a drug store. Routine care was non-existent. As long as I was functioning at 50% or above then it wasn’t high enough on my priority list to take notice. That had to stop. I owed it to my future me to take better care of the me that was here and now.

My dental care changed overnight. I am now a habitual flosser! My new dentist is so proud and I know this because I actually went in at 6 months for a regular check-up and cleaning! I know it’s sad that I am proud of this, but I am going to own this achievement.

In June I did my first Whole30 challenge. It was so liberating and while I know it’s not about losing weight, I lost 10-15 pounds! I also finally dedicated two nights a week to exercise. My neighbor/bestie and I now take a pilates class on Mondays and Wednesdays. This caused some grumbling from the husband, but I stood my ground and offered to take bedtime responsibilities on Tuesdays and Thursdays so he could play kick ball and run. I still have yet to find a primary doctor but I am well on my way in the right direction. 

I am very picky about what type of doctor I want to see. The past six years aside, it is very important that my doctor cares about keeping me healthy, not just seeing me when I’m sick. There are so many things we can do that will help us feel better and prevent us from getting sick as often or having those minor aches and pains. I want a doctor who will focus on that and not exist to write me a prescription for antibiotics twice a year.

Once I find a new physician I imagine that the first thing they will do is talk about supplements. While I try to get all the vitamins and minerals I need in my everyday life I know it’s just not possible. Luckily there are companies like Nature’s Bounty who, with nearly 50 years experience, combine the latest breakthroughs in nutritional science with great ingredients to provide supplements that will help me achieve that healthy tomorrow I am searching for. I have taken some supplements in the past. The Nature’s Bounty Fish Oil and Probiotic 10 are great to take when breastfeeding! It’s no surprise though that I took these supplements for the well being of my kids! It’s a sickness I tell you! 🙂

Nature’s Bounty knows that you are 43% more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down. That is why they are holding a #DearFutureMe sweepstake to help us commit to healthy living today. All you have to do is take a photo of a #DearFutureMe letter to yourself or upload a photo with a caption that captures your personal commitment to a healthier future. You can upload your entry to http://naturesbounty.votigo.com/dearfutureme or post your entry to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #DearFutureMe and #Sweepstakes. All entries are eligible to win a Better Off Healthy prize pack valued at over $2,400 (including one year’s supply of assorted Nature’s Bounty vitamins and supplements (customized for your needs), one Fitbit Surge™ Fitness Superwatch, a one-year gym membership and a Mary Lou Retton signed Sports Illustrated cover). Entry Deadline is December 10, 2016.

Nature’s Bounty is here to support you on your journey to a healthy future. If you take care of your mental, spiritual, emotional, social and physical health now, your efforts will pay dividends later. Join us for a Twitter chat, Tuesday, November 15 from 2-3PM ET, and share what you are doing now to achieve a healthier future. We would love to hear your tips and tricks for staying healthy. We will be giving away five $50 Visa gift cards and five Mary Lou Retton autographed photos to randomly selected participants who tweet with the hashtag #DearFutureMe and answer the trivia questions correctly. To be eligible to win, you must RSVP here http://vite.io/dearfutureme and live in the United States.

Ya’ll I am so proud of the great strides I have taken this year to be healthy. I am truly comfortable in my skin these days and thankfully comfortable in my clothes too! They fit better than they have in ages! 🙂

I hope you will join me in making a commitment to a healthier you. I know you can do it and your future you will thank you for it!