Welcome to our very first interview! Each Monday we will feature a motivating interview from one of our group members. It's a great way to learn about them personally, and what they do at home to live life as healthy as possible. A big welcome to our group founder, Erica Mayon!
Name: Erica Rene Miniex Mayon - Age: 30 - Career: Attorney
Give us a brief bio about yourself:
I live in Louisiana. I’ve never been outside of the country and I’ve only been to a handful of the states in my own country. I've been married to one of my best high school friends for almost 6 years. We have two children - Mariah, 3 and Liam 1. I am a very busy attorney. There is never enough time in my day. Life as a mother and an attorney is never boring. I’m challenged every day – from getting everyone where they need to be on time to settling cases. I love to read books, and I enjoy days at the spa. My real passion is organizing. I like to organize anything from closets to vacations. I actually enjoy the organizing more than the actual vacation sometimes. I realize that makes me sound like the control freak I am.
What or who is your fitness inspiration?
I don’t have a fitness ideal nor any real fitness guru who inspires me. My children are my newest inspiration for getting healthy. I don't want my kids to be embarrassed by their fat mother, or embarrassed by their handicapped mother. It’s a reality that I could end up seriously crippled with rheumatoid arthritis. I used to cry at night thinking about my body shriveling up. Eating healthy and feeling better gives me much hope. I’m just inspired by the possibility of me beating this disease with food and exercise. I’m going to be here for my kids and I’m going to be here on my own two feet.
What are you doing now to maintain an active lifestyle?
I don’t have a very active lifestyle. The reality is that I jump out of the bed in the morning and for the next hour I run around getting people dressed and lunches packed and dogs fed. Once I hop in my car to drive to work, I am on my butt for the next 12-15 hours. Then I pick up my kids and run after them until they go to sleep. I have to really make an effort to get my heart rate up. The 30 minutes to an hour that I drill out time to exercise is really the only activity I get. I’m trying to be more committed to making that 30 minutes to an hour a non-negotiable part of my day. I’m trying to do better.
What are foods, meals or snacks you would recommend to those looking to maintain a healthy diet?
I used to try to be super fancy with food. I have thousands of recipes in several beautifully bonded notebooks. What I've learned is that simple works. Food is simply there to nourish my body. My body doesn't care if I eat baked chicken every night. Therefore, I usually eat baked chicken every night. Chicken and broccoli are the things I can count on when I have no time. Oranges, grapes, almonds, and pistachios are also my easy go-tos. My life often requires meals and snacks that don't require bowls, forks, spoons, etc.
What does a sample menu of your day look like?
Breakfast: Boiled Eggs. You guessed it. I can eat these while I drive to work. No tools needed.
Lunch: Whatever meat is leftover from the night before and those steamable boxed broccoli or baby carrots.
Snacks: I try to limit snacks, but I keep raisins, baby carrots and pistachios at my desk for when I absolutely need something.
Dinner: Baked chicken and broccoli
My food choices are really simple. I don’t need dipping sauces or lots of different choices. Matter of fact, I don’t like choices. I’m too indecisive to have to make too many simple choices every day.
Name one fitness item you absolutely have to have:
There is no fitness item I absolutely have to have. I can run with no music. I can exercise without a mat. I’m adaptable that way. I do like gadgets though. Having a new gadget always makes exercise exciting for me. So, even though I don’t have to have it, I love my new Withings Scale. It’s got cool apps and graphs and goals to play with. Its compatible with my bodymedia fit. I love that thing as well. Best of all, both work with myfitnesspal. I’m all “gadgeted up”.
What would be your best piece of advice you’d share with someone who might be struggling?
I struggle every day. My mind is my worst enemy. I can rationalize eating a piece of cake to death. I am no stranger to the struggle. Everyone has to realize it is a struggle to eat healthy in a world where the majority of food choices are unhealthy. I would encourage everyone to do their own research. The mainstream isn’t always right. Every time I hear someone talk about eating their healthy whole grains I cringe inside because I know they are not so healthy in my life. I say all of that to relay this; you have to know yourself. You have to know your limits and where your temptations lie. You have to know what lifestyle will work for you. You have to be comfortable with your choices. You have to be brave enough to say, “ I want to be healthier and I am going to do whatever it takes.” Nothing worth having is easy to obtain. In sum: Find what it is you want and go for it. Find what it is you need to get there and get it.
When we aren’t working out, we’re normal people too. Name your favorite, feel good beauty product:
I'm not big on the beauty products. I still have the makeup I bought when I got married in 2007 and there is enough to last another 6 years. I do love the spa. I love being pampered in a soothing environment. I'd forgo another mascara for a pedicure any day.
What accomplishments are you most proud of in your life?
I have accomplished so much in the past 30 years. I have a law degree and almost everything I’ve ever wanted. But honestly, just last night my daughter was sneaking broccoli out of the steamable bag. At that moment I was so proud. I know that my children will be the best thing I have ever done.
Tell us about your experience with your first Whole30 challenge:
The week of my 21st birthday I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. It has been a really difficult thing for me. That year I went through so much. My mom wheeled me to my finals in a wheelchair. I could hardly pick up an ink pen. I fell getting out of my bathtub in my dorm and had to call my mom to come from another city to pick me up off the floor. I was naked, wet, and crying on the floor. My mother and the house mother picked me up off the floor. It was really hard. Treatment was sometimes harder. I’ve sat through hour long infusions. They are just like chemo. I’ve had to inject myself with different meds. I’ve taken enough steroids to make me look like a body builder (if I worked out), but they only made me look like a blowfish.
A miracle happened when I got pregnant. The RA went away. It disappeared. It was in remission for about 3 years. After Liam, I was ready to get the weight off forever. I went all whole grains and counting calories. I was determined. The weight was coming off but the pain came back with a vengeance. I was back to having difficulty walking and holding ink pens. It was hard to hold my own children. I needed to find a solution. I went back to my doctor and she re-prescribed the shots. I’d always had a hard time giving myself that injection. Inflicting pain on myself isn’t at the top of my list of fun things. With the children, giving myself that shot was impossible. I couldn’t find 30 minutes to get the shot ready, sit in the bathroom, gain my courage, and press the button. Someone always needed something.
In comes google. I was just researching and reading. I came across this site and read a testimonial from a woman that could have been me. She had rheumatoid arthritis and swore she had no more pain just by changing the foods she ate. She had done a Whole30 challenge. I started researching and reading everything I could find on the Whole30. That was May of 2012. I cleaned out my house. I got rid of everything processed. All the breads and flour and sugar went bye-bye. I even threw out my seasonings. I was determined. I started my first Whole30. I made it about 7 days. Hell, it’s not easy to give up everything I’ve always eaten. But on day 3, before I gave up, I woke up pain free. Obviously, I thought it had to have been a coincidence. How could the pain go away in 3 days? I played around with the Whole30 and Paleo for a few months. The pain would come and go. The pain was always gone on that third day of no grains, sugar, etc. On July 5, I successfully started my first full Whole30. I made it through 30 days. I was so proud of myself. I was sleeping better. My mood was better. My face was clear. The pain was gone. I was energetic, and life was amazing.
On the 31st day I went to a birthday party. I made it through that party. I was proud. However, I was weak. I ordered a pizza that night. Oh my was I in so much pain after eating that pizza. I had ice cream too. Maybe they were both the culprits. I got right back on my bandwagon. However, I keep falling off. I’ve been falling off since that August party. I know it’s terrible to know what causes me distress and still indulge in it. I am really addicted to the sugary foods. I want them. I feel like I’m at an AA meeting. It’s been 7 days since I’ve indulged. Once I indulge, its super hard for me to get back on track.
The Whole30 works. If anything, I know I can control my disease with food. I can control my life with food. I have to stop letting food control me. That’s my commitment in 2013. I’m committed to being a healthier version of myself. I’m 7 days into my second full Whole30. The energy is back. I have no arthritis pain even though its cold outside! The world is tempting me (My boss, as I am writing this, just ordered burgers for the whole office), but I am going to make it through this. I would encourage anyone reading this to give it 30 days. Try it once. It’s not a 365 day thing. You do it for 30 days and slowly reintroduce other foods in your diet. Read about it. Think about. I’m proof that its life changing.
Thank you, Erica, for sharing your amazing story. This goes to show the drive behind her creation of this group. I'm so glad we're all in this together!
-Cassie
*If you'd like to be featured for Motivation Monday, please message me via Facebook, or email cassie.baillie@gmail.com.
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