A Wife, A Mom, An Entrepreneur

A Wife , A Mom, An Entrepreneur...

by Tiffany Lyles

     How in the world does one who wears so many hats attempt to find time to try to mildly stay in shape?
     As Women, we are the glue and a central figure of our families. We multitask without giving a second thought, we care for our children and/or our significant others selflessly.  We love unconditionally.  We literally dedicate every fiber of our being to making sure that all things are taken care of.  Somehow, we apply these same ethics to our work lives as well.
     Although we manage to balance so many stressors gracefully, many of us seem to lack one thing....we often forget to take care of ourselves! Like so many other women, I myself am guilty of this.  I found myself saying, "Oh, I'll make my doctors appointment later" or "the kids are more important, this can wait.” In more instances than should happen, I put myself and my needs on the back burner. It wasn't until I came across a post that read, "You can't pour from an empty cup" that things started to make sense to me. I realized that I can’t be superhuman all day, everyday.  At some point I need to, and I deserved to put myself first. How can I be all things for everyone else, and yet be nothing for myself? I can't take care of my kids if I'm not well.  I can't run my business if I'm not in good enough physical shape to endure standing for long periods of time. So I decided to make a change.
     My real life changing moment came in January of 2015. My son, who was 7 years old at the time, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes just days before his 8th birthday. This diagnosis truly shook me to my core. Although type 1 diabetes is quite common and can occur despite how well you eat or how active you are, I felt guilty that this was now my son’s reality.  I kept thinking, maybe if I had been more knowledgeable of how to cook healthy meals or maybe had I done something different along the way…maybe diabetes could have been avoided. But the truth is, there was no way around it.
     We spent days in the hospital working with nutritionists and endocrinologists who helped us get a grip on how to manage and care for his condition. It was at that point that I vowed to learn whatever I needed to know in order to take better care of myself and my family- from a nutrition and exercise standpoint.
     I was never athletic in high school and as a kid I felt lost when it came to exercise.  And to boot, now I had the added responsibility of nutritional considerations.  Yup, I was venturing into uncharted territory. I didn't know anything about portion control, carb counting, how the body processes things we digest, calories, or metabolism for that matter. I was in the habit of eating what I wanted when I wanted it because that's what I was accustomed to.
     The hardest thing about trying to get in shape or being healthier is to figure out where to start and with what to start. Honestly, the only true answer to that question is to...JUST START.  Start with something small such as swapping out soda and juice for water.  Go for a 10-15 minute walk daily.  Stay away from fried foods.  Try to get more rest.  Small changes will begin to make a world of difference in how you feel inside as well as how you look on the exterior. The key is to increase your heart rate which will result in the body burning more calories.
     I currently enjoy going for a run or walk.  I also enjoy working out at the gym.  Yoga has become a big favorite for me. Yoga allows for a deep stretch and it's a great way to regain a mind and body connection. In the high stress work we live in, we need a good way to detox and Yoga provides that something for me.
     So, let’s fast forward to the present day.  I'm in pretty decent shape.  My husband and children are way healthier and we all work towards making healthier choices on a daily bases. We are all looking, and most importantly, feeling better than we ever did before.  For that reason alone I am super thankful. I really feel like I am taking care of myself and my family the way I'm supposed to.
     Finally, I discovered that the internet is loaded with helpful tips to that I used when I started my fitness journey.  Google became my best friend! And, it will be extraordinarily helpful for you as well.  Remember, the hardest thing to do is to take that first step, but I promise you…it'll be a step in the right direction.

Tiffany Lyles is a Wife, Mother, entrepreneur of multiple businesses and projects including a unisex beauty salon and hair cuttery, and a paint & sip center.  In recent years, Tiffany has transformed her life and the lives of her family by empowering herself with nutritional knowledge.  Tiffany is also an avid runner and a Yoga practitioner.  This Publication is thrilled to have a professional as talented and as knowledgeable as Tiffany.  Please join the Jubilee News Team in officially welcoming Tiffany Lyles in her debut article as Author-Artist to the Jubilee News Team.