Frankly, Mr Shankley

Several months ago, I reached my heaviest ever. It was a very sad, scary moment because I never thought I'd hit rock bottom like that. I had vowed after my surgery in 2010 that I was done being big and cumbersome. While I will never be a petite, delicate flower, I would at least be healthy and strong.
Somewhere along the way, I lost my mojo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEuw2mgLRuQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
And have yet to fully reclaim it.
The events of the past year have really trampled me both physically and emotionally. Both my head and heart were not in good places, which led my stomach to be in a bad place as well. I am an emotional eater.
There's an ugly cycle that occurs, too. I am stressed. Since I'm stressed, I succumb to cravings for junk and soda. Now that I've eaten junk, why bother working out. Since I'm not working out, why use my food journal or meditate or do positive things?
It just perpetuates the bad choices and turns a bad day into a bad week then month...finally a year.
And voila here I am, come and take me. Better or worse.
Quite frankly, I am on the same hamster wheel I've been on for 20 years.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGGriRgHnvM&feature=youtube_gdata_player
And I'm tired of it.
So it's time to dig deeper.
Deeper.
Deeper.
I'm quite frankly baffled by how I got THAT big that fast, but eating badly + not exercising = unhealthy. It's a pretty rotten equation that is going to be my ultimate undoing, if I don't balance it soon.
Talking to other moms, it's somewhat comforting to know that I'm not alone. Hearing that they don't have the energy or motivation to work out either in the morning or at night lets me know that there is safety in numbers.
However, this doesn't negate the ill effects of unhealthy choices, and it's not about fitting into skinny jeans either. I do know some moms who are on the other side of the fence-where they run marathons, and work out and eat healthy. The ones who look elegant in Pilates class, not the dying seal I resemble.
I had to find out their secrets.
What was the magic potion or pill?
Turns out, it was a lot of discipline and hard work. One mom stated that she uses a food journal daily, and has for years. Another makes time for 3 workout classes a week (yoga, Zumba and spinning). Yet another has made fitness a family thing-they walk every night after dinner, no matter what the weather.
Most of them put health, and themselves first. They drink a lot of water. They make good food choices without making it seem like it's a sacrifice. They get enough sleep. And they make the effort to hit the gym day in and day out, no excuses. One woman walks on her breaks at work. Another works out in the park when her kids are on the playground. Most find opportunities to work out. Most wear a pedometer and get in more than 10,000 steps a day.
They all eat breakfast, and a healthy one. No sugar smacks there! Many don't eat junk food, period. They rarely drink soda. Most eat organic and ethnic. They eat healthy snacks throughout the day, like yogurt or almonds or fruit.
Most have other interests that keep them motivated. They read, craft, and pursue other hobbies. They have a great support network. Many also take the time to take care of themselves, by regular hair cuts, some with regular spa time. One has a weekly chiropractic appointment, which she claims helps her stay sane.
A great article at Elephant Journal traces another woman's journey: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2012/03/my-food-secrets-to-losing-weight-naturally-from-someone-who-lost-over-60-pounds--katrina-love-senn/
Quite frankly, there are a lot of good habits that can be adopted, mr Shankley.