Our Account Manager Supervisor, Ashley has a special reason for her dedication to health and wellness. Her journey has not been easy but she continues to show up and be an inspiration for all of her coworkers at HealthCheck360. Check out her inspiring story below!
My mom passed away very unexpectedly when I was 16 weeks pregnant with my second daughter. We also found out shortly after, that I had a high risk pregnancy. Thinking back, it was a blur of stress, anxiety, and unimaginable grief. For me all I could do was try to survive for everyone else. My daughter was perfect, despite all the risks. But now I was dealing with the grief and postpartum depression. I was angry, sad, and didn't want to do anything.
Everything I did was to care for someone else.
After almost a year of struggling, I reached out for help. It was scary and I was skeptical. One of the questions I was asked was "what are you doing for you" and I didn't have an answer. Everything I did was to care for someone else; my girls, my husband, my clients. There wasn't anything for me.
My husband later took a picture of me on the 4th of July with our youngest daughter. I looked at the picture and immediately began to cry. I didn't recognize myself in the picture and didn't like what I saw. He was forbidden from posting it on social media.
I came across a workout program that was a 10 week Buy One Membership, Get One Free. It was a sign and I could NOT pass it up. I grabbed a friend, and we started the challenge.
The initial commitment was huge with 6 days a week of exercise, and a major change to current eating habits. But we made it work. My husband did everything he could to help me with our childcare hours to make sure I could make my workout classes. My family got on board with my new eating style and supported me every step of the way. I communicated with them how important this change was to me and my life. This was paramount in helping them understand this was feeding my mind, my body, and my spirit.
I was not perfect every day, but every day I woke up committed. My body did change physically over those 10 weeks, but more importantly, people were commenting on my smile and energy. Not only did I lose 9.8% of my body fat, but I found that "thing" I was doing for myself. And I found myself again.
It's been one year since I started journey to find me. It's a daily challenge to stay committed, but I do every chance I get.
Thank you Ashley for letting us into your life and seeing why health is so important to your life. We are so excited to see you continue your journey and we will stay tuned for the amazing things you will continue to do. Comment below what you do for you in your daily life!
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