Mary Angel
(1/2024) As you all know every year, I make a New Year’s resolution that lasts all of about a minute. I have good intentions and usually I pick something healthy, like eating better, working out, or losing weight. This year I have decided to skip the middleman and go straight to ending my resolution. However, I am already well on the way to the end result without even starting. Stick around and I will explain.
As most moms would agree, we would do anything for our kids. I am no different. Although, sometimes I do feel they learn way more from their mistakes than from anything I could teach them. In this particular case I decided to support my daughter by going alongside her. My youngest has struggled her whole life with her weight. She has been to more doctors and specialists than I can count. She has had her blood drawn so much it would make Dracula squeamish. No one can figure out why she kept gaining weight regardless of diet or exercise. So, when she decided she wanted to play a particular sport in high school it was crunch time (exercise pun intended).
Recently she decided she wanted to try wrestling in high school. After I got over the fear, horror, and downright confusion I asked her why and when. It turns out she has several friends on the wrestling team, and they have been asking her since freshman year (she is a junior by the way) to try out for the team. So, this year, she did, and she is officially a wrestler. At the beginning of the season, she comes home and says she needs to lose weight because she is much heavier than the highest weight class they have for girls. This was a horrifying statement until she added, "But don’t worry mom they won’t let me lose weight too quickly, or I am disqualified and can’t wrestle". I had visions of an afterschool special until she gave me that important tidbit of information.
So, we began the journey to help her make weight. I was not convinced it was possible in the short amount of time the season allowed, but I was sure regardless she would end up a much healthier, happier person. She began by going to practice 5 days a week minimum. These involved sprints, drills, wrestling, and so much more. It literally pushed her to the point where she came home crying many evenings. Through the tears, she would explain that she was either overwhelmed or disappointed that she couldn’t do a drill, but under no circumstance was she quitting. The running joke became me saying, "So I guess you’re not going back tomorrow" and turned into us both laughing after I said it.
After the first week and a half she was able to participate in the drill that had brought her to tears at the beginning. Then one day when she was a little down on her abilities her coach stopped her in the hall to tell her how proud he was of her and the fact that she was an inspiration to the other girls. It turns out that even though she was the biggest girl on the team, and struggled to accomplish what the other girls could, they were inspired because she kept trying even though things were harder for her. This gave her even more of a push to keep going.
I told her that she inspired me as well. So, I was going to give up soda and start walking in the morning when she left for school. As a family, we would also make sure that every dinner was low carb and full of protein and veggies. Not only that, but I started making sure there were salad fixings in the house, and I always had a head of lettuce clean and chopped in the fridge. I took it a step farther and shopped celery, carrots, and peppers for crudité as well. My daughter loves veggies and hummus. The whole family was thrilled about the salad, because we are a salad family.
Fast forward a few weeks and I am loving my daughter’s enthusiasm. Don’t get me wrong, she still has days when she is completely exhausted or really doesn’t want to go to practice, but she is still pushing along. I don’t think the weight is falling off the way it should for how much she is working out and how healthy she is eating, but as any number of doctors told us, that can’t be explained. She is making excellent choices and the whole family is doing the same right along side her. Her brothers are now going rucking every day. For those of you who are like me and had no clue what rucking was, they strap a weighted vest on and go for a few miles walk. Not only are they getting healthier and stronger, but their relationship is also growing. My husband has even gotten in on the fun and returned to the gym. He loves working out every morning after he drops our sweet little wrestler off at school.
My struggle with the soda addiction has been an uphill battle, and getting up in the morning to walk before work is not my idea of a good time, but how can I not when my baby is pushing herself so hard. She really is an inspiration and basically my motivation to keep going. At this point (almost Christmas time) she has lost almost 10 pounds and I have lost almost 5 pounds. Although I am skeptical that she will be able to make weight in the time allotted I do believe she will keep going and hopefully be able to wrestle her senior year. If suddenly the weight starts coming off a bit quicker and she does make weight, let me tell you, I will be the cheeringest (totally making this a real word) mom at that first wrestling tournament.
Regardless, I could not be more proud of her perseverance, care for her teammates, and motivation of her family. To see this whole family rally behind her and more importantly take this journey along side her arm in arm has really warmed my heart. Whether it be encouraging her to choose veggies over less healthy options, asking her to go for a walk, or offering to take her to the gym with them, her family has demonstrated their love and support in so many ways. So no, I am not going to make a New Year’s Resolution because this year I don’t have to. I am wishing you all health, happiness, and a headlock (just trying out a wrestling pun)!
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