Finding Time in a Busy Schedule with Lean Cuisine

“This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and Lean Cuisine, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #HonestlyGood #ad https://cmp.ly/3/8vNxcO.”

It’s been several years since I started Frog Prince Paperie, and probably as long since I have written anything really personal here…mostly because I figure you all are more interested in seeing pretty parties, recipes and tutorials!

But since it has been so long, it might be time to let you know there is an honest to goodness warm body behind the web page.  Frog Prince Paperie was opened in 2010 after my son’s first birthday party with an etsy shop. At the time, I was living in a small town with no prospects of getting a job in my field (marketing) and in truth, I was just about pulling my hair out with no creative diversion and two really small kids to take care of all day. Now, I really and truly love my children and do just about anything for them, but there was a part of me that needed a different sort of sense of accomplishment aside from being the best mom I could be.

And that is when it started. It has been an amazing few years, and I never dreamed I would be doing what I am or working with the companies I have been able to work with. Flying to New Orleans to style a shoot for Zataran’s? Writing for national magazines? Meeting with Better Homes and Gardens? Being seen in Southern Living? Never crossed my mind those kind of things would happen a few years ago when I was sketching frogs for a birthday party.

But it was work to get to this point. Lots of work. Like I never stepped away from the computer for about the first two years kind of work. Building my little business was really all-consuming and took virtually all my attention, effort and waking hours during that start-up period. With a great deal of guilt, I admit it took more time from my family than I should have allowed. And secondarily, it also took a lot of time from even just thinking about me–when everything else had to come first, taking care of myself always came last.

 

 

 

And now I run. A lot. And no longer get lapped by pets with missing limbs. The 7 year olds…well, those kids are just wicked fast! Next week I’ll be running my third half marathon, and I’ll finish my ninth in March; I really feel with all my time constraints and medical problems that if I can do it, well, it’s possible for just about anyone. (This is my pile of running shoes from this year!)

In the end, although I felt leaps and bounds better, exercise wasn’t enough to get totally healthy and slim down. Getting into my head I could make room in my life for exercise opened the door wide for getting it into my brain I could also start taking time to eat right…which meant carving more time out of the schedule and work-time.  I decided work will always be there, but this is the only body I get and I’ve got to take care of it!

Our household is pretty healthy now-a-days. No sodas, lots of fresh from the organic co-op produce, lean cuts of meat and virtually no junk food. We do have an occasional sweet because, well, it’s hard not to with all the parties around here, but we just practice moderation.

 

 

And that’s sort of my personal recap from this year. I’m 22 pounds and 6 sizes down, and stronger and healthier at 37 than I’ve ever been in my life.

What sort of shortcuts to you take to make sure you are the healthiest you you can be?