The Proof is in the Pudding – A Fitness Plan That Works!

Hello B Method Readers!

Cathy Broadwell here, co-author of the sister blog, Slow Swimmers & Fried Eggs where my husband Eric and I talk about our personal journey dealing with infertility. Fitness and nutrition were (and still are) a part of our personal life path as well as a strategy that we constantly worked on as we were trying to conceive. In my efforts to be as fertile as possible, I actively researched best practices, tips and tricks, trying my hardest to put ANYTHING in our favor that might lead to a successful pregnancy. I changed virtually my entire diet, my drinking habits, my fitness regime, exploring every possible avenue with enthusiasm and hope which all helped keep my spirits up. With Eric and I doing it as a team, it helped bring us closer as a couple and inspired camaraderie and teamwork in our efforts. That was a total win-win for our relationship and for our collective journey, and it still is today.

Now as a middle-aged adult, fitness and keeping the weight off is still a concern of ours. Each year that goes by, I find it harder and harder to maintain my ideal weight. This past summer, I was on quite a bit of travel both for work and for pleasure. What a great summer it was! But come early fall, I found to my horror that my clothes were not fitting me as well as I would have liked. Truth be told, if I didn’t lose some of the weight I had gained over the summer, I was going to have to buy an entire new wardrobe! No one wants to do that!

I have been fortunate over the past year to have gotten to know our own Mike Goncalves, the primary author of this blog, the B Method. Mike is absolutely committed to health, fitness, overall well-being and making your life rock to the best of your ability. I believe as he does that exercise and good nutrition are the basis for any healthy and productive lifestyle, no matter what else you have going on in your life. Exercise and being healthy is the foundation upon which we can create a life that we are proud of. I have come to think of Mike as an excellent champion for health and wellness, and I am here to tell you that this guy knows what he is talking about! I can attest to it personally!

This past September, I came to Mike and asked for his help. I was on the brink of needing to give all of my clothes to charity if I didn’t lose some weight that I had packed on surprisingly over the summer. In the past, I had successfully lost weight, inches and pounds over a 90-day period. But Mike assured me that I could achieve my fitness goals in a mere 30 days (or the equivalent of just one menstrual cycle for me).

Really? 30 days? Can that be true? I was skeptical.

But Mike was right! You betcha! After a thorough conversation where we discussed specifically exactly what I wanted to achieve, how many pounds I wanted to lose, and where I wanted to end up, Mike went to work and created a personal fitness routine for me, complete with a shopping list, suggested menus, and fitness instructions and goals that coincided with our discussion. After noodling it out and asking questions the first few days, I “got with the program” and understood what it was that Mike wanted me to do, seeing where it differed from what I was doing in the past.

I kept at it. Day after day. Eight glasses of water here. A run on a nearby trail there.

And I’m here to tell you, it worked.

In 30 days, I had lost almost ten pounds, and two inches each off of my waist and hips, and I was feeling better than ever! And you can be sure that my clothes were fitting amazingly too! No need for new clothes – at a larger size anyway. Instead, I went out and bought a “Yay Cathy, you did it!” celebratory outfit to pat myself on the back for my success. Mike, I couldn’t have done it without you, your encouragement, and your specific feedback and ability to hold me accountable for what I promised to do. THANK YOU!

Readers, please know that you and your partner can work together as a team to achieve your fitness goals as you are on your own fertility journey. You can do it! The B Method is chockfull of incredible information to help you lose weight, stay healthy, and be at your top performance both to be as fertile as possible, and also to help you carry a healthy pregnancy to term. I am cheering you on, rooting for you, and I KNOW you can do it! If your doctor says to lose weight to be your best fertile self, hop to it – literally and figuratively! You will help yourself across the board, plus you will feel and look great. And that’s awesome!

Be fit, be fertile, and be healthy!

Cathy

~ author of Slow Swimmers & Fried Eggs