After gorging myself with every imaginable sugary treat and carb discovered in the western hemisphere, I wanted to send personal thank you notes out to every legging company out there. My note would start like this: “You make it possible for me to get dressed…”

Because let’s face it, anything with a button or zipper is not happening in the foreseeable future.

On New Year’s Eve I sat on my couch with a large glass of wine and a not-dessert-size plate full of the best Caramel Apple Crunch Pie I have ever had…seriously, heaven on a plate made by a wonderful local, in-home baker. As I justified that the wine was good for my heart health and the apples were the fruit I desperately needed…I vowed, what I vow every year…I WILL GET INTO SHAPE! I WILL GET HEALTHY! I WILL LOSE THE DARN BABY WEIGHT!

Then I rolled my eyes at myself…because I knew what was coming…and it came in the form of a text to my dear friend who runs the best dang gym there is:

“Meetings and tubal surgery for Aria will keep me from Roc this week.”

There it is in a nutshell. Life. Life sometimes gets in the way.

I’m so thankful that friend knows my schedule/lifestyle. She “gets me” and has always been 100% supportive. Because there are complete strangers on social media who will post things like: “NO excuses! You have to take care of yourself! It’s only an hour a day! You must not want it that bad!”

Ease up there folks.

There is no better feeling for me than when I get to go to the gym…put some boxing gloves on to hit stuff hard…grab weights to lift. It’s easily the best hour of the day.

NO. BETTER. FEELING.

But sometimes that hour is needed elsewhere.

Let me say this louder for the people in the back: Life gets in the way! Skeptical Sally will tell me I am making excuses…but ole’ Sally girl doesn’t lace up my shoes every morning.

Some days I have to put what’s best for me on the back-burner.  I think there are others moms who feel the same way.

“Go in the early morning then!” I will never be the one who carves out time to workout at 5:30 in the morning…because there is a really good chance I was up throughout the night with my three-year-old who doesn’t like to sleep in her twin bed alone. Yes, I spoon my three-year-old in a TWIN BED ALL NIGHT. I keep chiropractors in business.

“Go at night!” Negative ghost-rider. The Mom-Taxi light goes on top of my car and I am shuttling children all over the Cedar Valley and beyond.

So I have to find the “hour” that works best for me. There it is: WHAT WORKS BEST FOR ME.

I hope this year women everywhere ignore the comments or suggestions from people like Skeptical Sally and just do you. Repeat that out loud: YOU DO YOU.

Because at the end of the day, the only opinion that matters is coming from the reflection in the mirror. Period.

That reflection is my accountability partner…and trust me…she’s hard enough on me.

xx