I'm so excited to have a guest post today from fellow blogger, Rachael Schedewy from New Zealand. I've been following her blog for a bit and am happy that she is sharing her story here. Such an inspiring story and reminder that it's never too late to start your own wellness journey. Show her some love by reading her story below and then sending her a comment and following her at www.GirlsGotCurves.com
My name is Rachael, I was an overweight and unhealthy 28 year old wife and mother of two. I have struggled weight for as long as I can remember, I have tried too many diets to count but can just never stick to them.
I smoked, I didn't exercise enough and I ate far too much junk food. But this was all about to change.
We were a happy but pretty unhealthy family. We ate takeaways, lollies and chocolate biscuits and thought nothing of it. Then in April 2013, our lives got flipped upside down when my 29 year old husband got diagnosed with Metastatic Melanoma.
This diagnosis was absolutely devastating. The Melanoma had spread to his lymph node system and the doctors didn’t seem too confident about the treatment working. He underwent multiple surgeries and intensive radiotherapy, and they got it! They still haven’t found his primary site but as far as we know, he is good!
About a year later, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder. I truly believe that the stress of my husband’s cancer along with our unhealthy lifestyle contributed to, if not caused, this diagnosis.
Then in July 2014, I had a mini-stroke (or TIA), at 28 years old. That was it. Enough was enough. We had to sort ourselves out big time!
So this is when we embarked on our new healthy life journey. I started my blog Girls Got Curves as a way to keep me accountable and not slip back into old habits.
We now eat mostly clean food but do go by the 80/20 rule, so 80% of our food is whole, non-processed foods while we have a bit of room for real life times where clean food just isn’t available or you just really feel like a treat.
I have discovered my passion for cooking and developing healthy recipes along with a passion for writing. We all have so much more energy than ever before and are really making the most out of life now.
I still struggle with exercise and finding types of exercise that don’t flare up my Fibromyalgia. I have heard from many other Fibro sufferers that Yoga has really helped them manage their condition so I am going to start. I am really looking forward to trying it for myself and hopefully seeing results.
I have downloaded Everyday Yoga with Amy so that I can do it from the comfort of my own home and get my daughter involved too.
If anyone has any Yoga tips for a newbie, please leave a comment for me on my site!
Rachael xx
Rachael Schedewy is a blogger, researcher, wife and mother from New Zealand. She blogs about life, family, food and wellness. Rachael started Girls Got Curves after her husband started his battle with cancer and she started her own battle with Fibromyalgia. Check out her blog at www.girlsgotcurves.com