Macaroni Kid Family Fitness loves to celebrate moms and dads who have taken the leap to better health because a healthy parent is a major step towards a healthy family!
Want to share your journey with us? Send an email to jennys@macaronikid.com answering the seven questions below, include an image, and you could be our next featured parent!
What is your name and what town are you from?
Wendy Bass from Flowery Branch, GA
Who makes up your family?
My husband Stan, sons Christian (10) and Corbin (9) and daughter Kaiya (7)
Briefly, tell us your struggles.
I've been struggling with stress for quite some time in my marriage. It was a downward spiral after my daughter was born in 2007 and my weight got out of hand. I was over 200lbs and my husband (at the time) was having affairs. I felt hopeless, unattractive and hurt. We divorced in early 2011 and it took some time to get back to the strong self that I am today.
What was the turning point that made you change the way you care for yourself?
2014 was my turning point. At the beginning of the year I knew it was "my year." I got remarried to a wonderful man and I was turning 40 in May. I set a goal to lose 40lbs before my birthday. I missed that goal - I had only lost 33lbs by my birthday - but I kept at it and today I'm down 66lbs.
What actions did you take to become healthier?
The My Fitness Pal app has been my hero! My doctor told me about it and she said if I limited my calorie intake to 1200 calories and balanced my carbs, fat and protein and exercised, I would lose weight. So, I tried it. There is a gym at my office so I would do 30 minutes cardio, 15 minutes weights and eat a salad that I packed for lunch. The weight started coming off and, when I started seeing results, I was hooked. I have lost 66 total pounds in 8 months.
How have you implemented (or plan to) your new habits with your family?
My husband works with me and about 2 months after starting my new healthy habit, he started working out with me. He has lost 40lbs to date. Our eating habits at home have changed to healthy meats and veggies and less junk food, but we still let ourselves enjoy a nice treat. We started running 5ks at least once a month. My children run with us sometimes and they love it! In fact, over the summer my two boys came in 1st and 2nd place in a 5k. We also recently did the Savage Obstacle course race. We had a blast getting muddy and being fit!!
