Today, I am so excited to have Amy Meyer share with us for Get Fit Friday! Her story is so encouraging and the recipe she is sharing looks absolutely delectable! Take it away, Amy!
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I was so excited when Amanda asked if I’d like to contribute to Get Fit Fridays! I am so happy to be here! I have a story I’d like to share with you, a super simple lip smackin’ recipe & a few thoughts to refresh your soul.
Before I jump in, let me tell you a little about me and how this whole fitness & nutrition passion of mine came to be. I have always been a fairly active person. As in, I played sports in high school, I haven’t ever been able to sit still, and I have a 3 year old and an 18 month old. < Enough said, right? ;-) Well, within that less than two year time frame where I had my baby girls, I weighed more than I had ever weighed in my life, still fitting in maternity pants seven months post-partum, my hormones were out.of.whack; I am pretty sure I had postpartum depression but I was too stubborn to see a doctor (ask my husband, not really sure how the man stood by me, bless him) and at that seven months postpartum (with my youngest) I decided I had had enough. I felt absolutely terrible. I wasn’t exercising at all,eating habits consisted of spaghetti bake, mac & cheese, Arby’s, Sonic, Bojangles, and McDonald’s. NO wonder I felt bad, right? One day I saw a friend’s Instagram post about Beachbody’s Focus T25 and Shakeology. I contacted her and 2 days later made my purchase. I decided I didn’t care how much it cost, or what it took, I had 25 minutes a day to dedicate to working out and I HAD to do something to feel better and treat others around me better. I knew my diet and lack of exercise were the root of the problem. So, fast forward one year. I am now a health & fitness {Team Beachbody} coach, a momtrepreneur, and a much, much happier person. Here’s the thing, if mama ain’thappy, ain’t nobody happy. Can I get an AMEN? Absolutely, right? So this mama made a change. And I haven’t looked back. Exactly one year later, I’ve lost 30 pounds and 30 inches and truly feel better than I ever have in my life.
I have absolutely found my purpose in helping others get started or continue their fitness and nutrition journey. I don’t believe our health journeys are all about the physical. Yes, it is true if we don’t feel like we “look” good, we don’t feel good, but truth be told, it ALL starts from within. The decision to make a change, the decision to make healthy choices in place of the not-so-healthy ones, the decision to work on ourselves spiritually, mentally and emotionally so that we can get our minds in the right place to work on the physical. Then we can work on the physical and help along the fitness side of things. I am learning that life is all about balance. With our minds, jobs, spouse, children, families, friends, workouts, nutrition. It all has a place, it’s just finding that balance that is sometimes difficult. Let me tell you though, once you start working on YOU, from the inside and out, things just fall into place. You’ll find that balance. I love this quote, so much truth in it: “It all begins with you. If you do not care for yourself, you will not be strong enough to take care of anything in your life.” -Leon Brown
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I have a few thoughts to leave you with.
- Take Time For You.
- Accept Yourself.
- Love Yourself.
- Invest in Yourself.
- Be Grateful.
- Smile.
- Never Give Up.
Speaking of taking care of yourself, I have a monthly 10-day long “focus+refresh” {free} private support group on Facebook where we commit to focusing on ourselves for 10 minutes a day, connect with other women in the group, have a daily “soul challenge” and a daily photo challenge…..we share stories, successes, motivational stories, and even fears, struggles and dark times we have been through. It is a place to connect with other women and to take a few minutes out of each day to focus on ourselves and check out of the group feeling refreshed. Please feel free to reach out to me if you’d like to join an upcoming group.
Guilt-Free Almond Bliss Bites
12 Whole Pitted Dates (I use the Publix brand)
1 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil (I love Nutiva!) or 1 tsp. coconut butter
1 tsp. almond butter
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (organic if possible)
2 tsp. shredded unsweetened coconut (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
12 whole almonds
Melt coconut oil (or coconut butter and almond butter. Slice dates in half. Combine coconut oil (or coconut butter), maple syrup, almond butter, 1 tsp. of shredded unsweetened coconut and mix well. Spoon small amounts into the hollow pits of the dates. Place one almond on top of each date. Sprinkle remaining shredded coconut on top. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator. (Note: next time I make them, I want to try dipping them in dark chocolate after they cool for a bit. YUM!)
ENJOY! :-)
Thanks so much, Amanda, for having me today! :-)
Let’s Connect! Let me know you found me by leaving a comment with the hashtag #cultivatecreate and #getfitfriday
IG: @getfitwithamymeyer
About Amy:
Work at home mom of two entertaining & energetic little girls, wife to a hard-working man, fitness+health+life coach, former marketing & public relations career woman & professional photographer. Living & working to find the balance within while inspiring others along the way.
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Amy, thank you so much for sharing with us today! I am so encouraged and inspired by your story!
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