Being healthy and active mean more to me now than ever

In January 2008, I ran the Disney 1/2 marathon. This was my first 1/2 and it fueled me with great ambition and dreams for my running future. I scoped out 5ks, 10ks and 1/2 to run in 2008 to fill my racing calendar. I was stoked!

I found out a month later that I was pregnant and immediately planned on being on of those pregnant women that stay in shape and exercise throughout pregnancy. Much more, I was going to drop all baby weight within weeks and run at Disney again 2 months after delivering.

Those really were just dreams.

The pregnancy proved more difficult than I anticipated and 3 months into it, when a doctor advised against running, I obliged. I did continue walking... to every ice cream store I could find! What a total dumb idea! My 20/20 hindsight tells me that was the dumbest thing I could have done. And yes, I will (and have) learned from this mistake.

Fast forward to January 2009. Having gained 60 pounds during the pregnancy, and only shedding 30 pounds of it, I obviously did not participate in the Disney races that month. I promised myself to get back in to running and lose the baby weight. I did work on the running here and there... nothing consistent though. I tried the C25K program in June and wound up hurting my knee. (I have yet to see the PT about it. Again, hindsight. Really, one of these days I will learn...)

It's now January 2010 and I still have some of the baby weight. I'm certain some is the remaining baby weight and then lost muscle tone too. I know a lot of it is adopting some really bad habits during the pregnancy and not breaking those habits.

Until now that is.

My son is now 14 months old. He's knows how to walk, how to say a few words and most noticeably, mimic his mama. That means, what I'm eating, he wants. And what I do, he most likely will follow. Here's where I think I've finally learned and hindsight is gonna take a backseat for this part of my life.

I don't want my son snacking on cookies, gargling down caffeinated diet sodas or planning dinner from a fast food menu. I want him to crave natural, healthy foods, hydrate on water and snack only when hungry. I want him to have the life I used to have and the one I envision in my future.

I look at my son and I realize the future is here and now. I want him to be better and do better. Isn't that what every parent wants for their children: a better life than they had? I want to teach my son all about being healthy and staying active. And I need to do that by being a model of health and fitness first and foremost.

So this new year, in 2010, I am resolving to be a healthier and active mama. I'm doing this because the cutest baby in the world deserves the best life possible!