Guest Post - Jessica

Jessica is one of our very favorite people. She was an original member of the (infamous) Pink Team.

She is awesome and a super great workout pal.

We miss her at the gym and are grateful we get to see her every day at work.

(I <heart> this picture! love, Cali)

Hello all!

So, the ladies asked that I do a little guest spot on this, their AWESOME blog. Thing is, never really “blogged” before. So, forgive me in advance if my post isn’t up to the Cupcake Addicts awesome-ness.

To begin, I am extremely familiar with all the torture, struggle, and triumphs that these ladies have blogged. Because I was there with them at the beginning! For the first three months, while it was company-sponsored torture, I was a part of these amazing ladies’ group. And let me tell you, the struggle was as legit as they’ve blogged it up to be. 

Brutal doesn’t even begin to cover it. 

But after three months, I’d felt I’d learned enough to continue the process on my own (and get my hubby on board with me). It was tough leaving my workout buddies but I had high hopes for me and my husband.

A month later, the surprise of the century: 

I got pregnant!

First thing I thought:

“Woo hoo, free for all! Not only am I not under the tyrannical rule of Mike, but this is the one time in life when you are supposed to gain weight! 

Ice-cream, cookies, nachos, fast food, HERE I COME!!”

Being my first pregnancy, I soon hopped onto my phone and got a pregnancy app that tracks the weeks and gives me little updates on what’s going on.

I immediately found myself annoyed with this new, highly rated app. It had the AUDACITY to tell me, (and I quote!) “Avoid those empty, nutritionless calories and reach for vitamin dense foods”

WHAT!?! Who made this stupid app!?! 

Don’t they know pregnant women have a free pass for nine months in the food department??? 

(minus a few no-no foods, obviously)

Literally, every few days there is a little article to read about how I should “Reach for a banana instead of that donut” or “Try not to save room for that pie and instead fill up before dessert” 

It was Mike in an app. 

In my pocket. 

Guilting me constantly.

After coming to terms with the fact that pregnancy is not a free-for-all, I started really thinking about this idea to avoid the empty calories and eat nutritious, healthy food. I know it sounds like basic, obvious realization, but the thought dawned on me:

Taking care of your body is ALWAYS a good idea.

Really think about that a second, because if it can hit you the way it hit me, then I’ve got my point across. Reaching for a banana is ALWAYS going to be a better idea than that donut, whether you’re 8 years old or 98 years old. Even if that’s the only healthy choice you make that day, you have still done your body a small service in that one small choice.

It’s NEVER too late to start taking small steps to a healthier lifestyle.

It doesn’t have to be a 180-degree lifestyle turn around. It can be as simple as saying “Today, I’ll have a piece of fruit instead of my usual after dinner dessert” or “I’m going to start every day with a small healthy breakfast”

Make a goal today, right now, to do some small thing this week that will make you just a little more healthy than you were last week, whether it’s a food substitution or a little exercise goal (“walk the dog for 15 minutes every day!”). 

Once that has become habit, you can make another! You’ll be surprised how quickly you start to feel better and how easy the small changes can be! 

(We love that she even made her own signature image. That means she has to post a lot!)