Natalie Scott, Health & Fitness Coach: How To Lose Weight As A Busy Mom

It's been just over 7 weeks since my first blog post, when I decided to really take my health into my own hands and dedicate myself to change. Now, I've always been kind of obsessed with nutrition, so the bulk of my diet wasn't terrible, but I had... er... have... a MAJOR sweet tooth. Also, as much as I'd like to deny it and lie to you, I won't: I'm kind of lazy when it comes to working out. I've always had a love/hate relationship with exercise. I know the benefits, the endorphin rush, blah, blah blah... But getting into it, STARTING it, is always so hard. Not to mention, I homeschooled my kids, was going through a nasty divorce from an abusive marriage and had to learn how to be my own lawyer, while trying to recover emotionally and mentally. I was a master of excuses and justifications as to why I had NO time to workout and be fit. My kids came first so all my time was spent on them. That was my biggest and strongest excuse, because it sounds the best, doesn't it? Guess what, friends? It's still an excuse!

So, back to 7 weeks ago... I was sick of my clothes not fitting. I was getting to a point where NOTHING fit, and I mean NOTHING - I was wearing my boyfriend's clothes, and even those were starting to get ... snug. How depressing was that!? (VERY!) I searched online for a workout program that I thought I could get behind. I have a bad back from a horrible car accident a decade ago. And not just some little thing - but I was in physical therapy for 3 years and still suffered lots of back pain. I was afraid to bend over or lift something or go on a roller coaster just 8 weeks ago.

But I was done with all that. The truth is, if I really wanted to put my kids first, not only would I make a change regarding my own health but I would let my kids see it and be a part of it. The first thing I did was tell everyone. My dreams. My goals. My strategy. My tools. I wanted to lose 30 lbs, I wanted to workout every day, and I did not want to go to the gym. I found a nutrition-dense super-food meal replacement shake that tasted delicious. Yeah, I know this sounds like a load of crap, but trust me - I am not one to drink something that does not taste good! I found an at-home workout program that had my interest piqued and it was something I thought I could stick with.

The first week I felt ridiculous, I could not make it through one single workout without pausing it. I could not do some of the moves. I cried to my mom and to my best friend (who is also MY coach), saying this was silly and I'd never be able to do this. My mom loved and me and encouraged me and my best friend was the perfect coach. She taught me my mantra: "Progress, NOT perfection". She reminded me that 10 minutes of working out was better than nothing. She kept me going. I kept my nutrition in line by cutting out the sugary junk foods, eliminating soda altogether, and eating proper portion sizes. And stopped eating chips... oh how I love potato chips. *laughs*

The second week, my confidence grew as I got stronger. I could STILL not complete a workout but I could do more than I was doing the previous week, and I could do all the moves, even if I could only do 1, when the people in the exercise video were doing 6 or even 10. Still, my coach/BFF motivated me, reminded me how far I had already come. I didn't even miss soda now. Water was my best friend. I knew I was detoxing so I drank water all day, every day. I didn't miss the sugar or the chips.

The third week, I kind of felt like a badass! Despite having to modify some moves, I was finishing the workouts. I could do more of each move, I wobbled less on balance, and I felt more energized. I focused now on the way I was feeling AFTER my workouts, and not before. Even if I had to hit pause, I was really feeling that endorphin rush. Sweat was pouring down my face, and I'd never in my life pushed myself this hard that I sweat this hard. That just made me feel like MORE of a badass. I started drinking my nutrient-dense meal replacement drink for breakfast. I was SHOCKED at how delicious it was. How filling it was. How healthy it was.

The fourth week was my real turning point. I don't own a scale. I hadn't checked my measurements since I started. My clothes were fitting better, but I hadn't been paying much attention to how much because I was living in elastic workout clothes. *laugh* Then I went to the doctor. My weight had plummeted 19 lbs in 4 weeks. My cholesterol had gone down by half. My blood pressure was down to normal. and my measurements... overall, I lost 21 inches - 4 inches alone off EACH thigh! Whaaaaat?!? I was shocked. I was stunned. I was ELATED!

I was on fire for week five. This week started showing muscle tone in my arms. My arms were something I was hyper conscious of and never wore tank tops because of this. But now, I had muscle definition in my arm.

My teenage daughter asked if she could start working out with me, and now she asks me to wait for her so she can workout with me after school every day. HER results are just as amazing - she is on the JROTC team at her high school, and as a freshman, was invisible. Now, her physical fitness stats including pushups and pull ups are so awesome that every commanding officer knows her name.

Now I had to start fighting my kids for my meal replacement drink because by now, they had all tried it and loved it just as much as I did - it tastes like a very rich, thick chocolate milk ( I mix it with almond milk).

Now, at just over 7 weeks, I kinda want to flex my arms at everyone I meet. *laugh* For the first time EVER, I took a photo of my bare tummy and shared it on social media!

I can't imagine NOT having my chocolate shake every morning. The one day I have missed it, I felt exhausted, hungry and just "off" all day. Trust me, that won't be happening again! I am down almost 30lbs in 7 weeks - once I started my uber-healthy shake, it really amped up my weight loss.

Along with my muscle building! Also... when your boyfriend runs his hand down your leg while mindlessly watching TV and says, "WOW! Your legs are so smooth... No offense, but the cellulite you had, is gone!", how can you NOT feel amazing? Then I saw a meme online that said, "Sometimes I grab my own butt because... well, I squat." I laughed SO hard, and thought... Hmm.. I have been doing A LOT of squats... and yup... started grabbing my own butt to see how it changed! *laughs* The difference is definitely noticeable!

So here I am, telling you this: a 30 minute workout is TWO PERCENT of your entire day. Being able to afford a meal replacement shake that fueled my health, fitness, muscles AND weight loss was totally affordable when I stopped buying chips and soda and candy. So what happened to my excuses? They transformed into my REASONS! I workout and eat healthy BECAUSE I love my kids. Because I want to healthy life where I can run in the park with them and chase them and participate in life with them instead of just watching and taking pictures. I want to lead by example so they have a healthy life. I want to be healthy and fit so I can live long enough to see my (far to come) grand children grow into adults. I chose my priorities and I arranged my life accordingly. Instead of watching TV when I have a free moment, I read a self-development book. Instead of snacking on chips and soda, I snack on nuts and fruit and drink water. Instead of laying on the couch when the kids are being quiet, I hit play on my workout video - an episode of Sofia the First is about as long as one of my workouts.