I haven’t always been a healthy individual. What may surprise you is that as a child, I was as far as athletic as possible. My dad is a pediatrician, and I used to beg him to write me bogus health excuses to get out of gym class. I didn't fall in love with fitness until I was out of vet school. 

I was working an extremely demanding schedule and was under a lot of stress when a friend invited me to do a boot camp with her. I ended up saying yes because when I mentioned it to others around me they said I would never stick with it (it required me to wake up at 3:30am to finish in time for work). I took it as a challenge and never looked back.

That was until my pregnancy with my twin girls. I was on bed rest - in an out of the hospital - for 3 months before their arrival. It took me hitting a new low after becoming a mom and struggling with post-partum depression to get back up again. I knew what fitness had done in the past for my mental wellbeing and that it needed to be a priority in my life once again. 

How to stay in shape, even when you are a busy vet mom

Like so many veterinarians, I am a perfectionist.  I struggle with wanting everything to be perfect and if things don't pan out that way, I get frustrated. 

I had to realize that "perfection" is an illusion that is unattainable, often setting us up for failure before we even step over the start line.  I had to learn how to celebrate the little wins knowing they would add up to big change. I also had to get comfortable with having a plan but remaining flexible when that plan wasn't executed the way I wanted. 

The convenience of home-fitness programs along with simple nutrition and a supportive community also make the balancing act doable despite my busy schedule.

 

Staying fit is hard work, but you can do it!

My alarm typically goes off between 5:00 - 5: 20 am. I immediately mix up two glasses of our pre-workout and bring one to my husband- who is still in bed by this point. While waiting for it to kick in, I read a devotional or two, practice gratitude, and pray. We then go to our "home gym" which is currently our garage and press play on whatever workout we are doing at the time. We just started a new cross-fit inspired program this week which has us torching calories all while watching the sun come up. It really is such a powerful way to set the tone for a successful day.

The rest of my day depends on what I have going on. Usually a mix of enjoying time with my girls, working with my clients through my online health and fitness coaching, mentoring other coaches within my team, writing/speaking, and the unavoidable responsibilities of having a home keep afloat such as cooking and cleaning. 

 

Eating healthy is key to a healthy lifestyle

I do eat a lot, and some are surprised by how much I eat. But,  I eat a lot of stuff that is good for me: veggies, lean protein, fruits, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, etc.  

 

You won't see me cutting out food groups either. I'm a huge proponent in them all playing a role tend to veer away from any approach that makes sustainability harder by eliminating them. 

What I eat in a day:

 Breakfast:

Post-workout recovery shake within 30 minutes of working out (I call this my "pre-breakfast") then breakfast with my girls.  For breakfast we will have two scrambled eggs with 2 thin-sliced Dave's killer bread with dark chocolate almond butter, slow-cooker steel cut oatmeal with pure maple syrup and fresh fruit, or Kodiak pancakes – these are my girls' favorites! 

 

Lunch:

Lunch is almost always a big salad with all the toppings: lean protein such as chicken or shrimp, all the veggies (tomatoes, cucumbers, colorful peppers, carrots), nuts (walnuts, almonds) or seeds (pepitas), and the occasional grain such as quinoa. I don't skimp on flavorful dressings but I do thin out them with water to make less go a long way! 

 

Snack:

I always have my shake (Shakeology) mid-afternoon to help me keep sweets cravings at bay and powering through the hardest part of the day. 

 

Dinner:

Dinner can be anything from pepper nachos to spaghetti squash lasagna- I try to focus on options that I can easily tweak to fit my needs while still getting the approval of my husband and girls. For example, it's easy to make extra taco meat and serve it as traditional tacos while making pepper nachos for me!

How you can help me win Ms. Health and Fitness

Ms. Health and Fitness is an online competition that gives everyday women a chance at the title of Ms. Health and Fitness 2020 and cover appearance in Muscle and Fitness Hers magazine. I was tagged in a post on Facebook by a client of mine suggesting that I try out for it. I honestly giggled when I saw it because I thought, "I have no chance!", but I'm a big believer in taking leaps even when the land seems impossible.

Winning to me means that I am representing veterinary professionals from all over that share a passion for health and fitness.  Shameless plug:  Vote for Dr. Jessica!