During the pandemic, like everyone else, life changed completely for me and my family. It was a hard time. I was injured, and as a result my movement was limited. I couldn’t exercise and I gained a lot of weight. I’m 43 and my husband, Jaskaran, and I have two children, but even when I recovered from my injury, I wasn’t participating in activities with them because I had no energy or motivation. Last year I heard about the Thrive Challenge and I got started.
I realized that instead of going back over the past and blaming myself, I could just move on and do things differently. I began with a Microstep, making the decision to move my body every day. I schedule time to stretch regularly after completing one task and before moving on the next one. I started doing yoga for a few minutes a day, then slowly increased my practice;now I’m up to 30 minutes. I find yoga very calming and I’m building my strength. I also put on music and dance, which makes me feel happy.
Staying hydrated is helping me feel less tired and I’ve changed the way I eat. I’m food prepping and I’ve been experimenting with recipes on the Thrive app, which the whole family enjoys. We’re having protein and veggies and we’ve cut down on sugar and carbs. I’ve stopped munching on chips and salty snacks, and I don’t eat late at night anymore. I’m so happy because I’ve lost 30 pounds. I’ve got my whole family involved in my Thrive journey. We’re having fun doing activities outdoors like going for hikes. I also challenged the kids to spend time away from their screens, and we’ve been enjoying connecting as a family.
In the evening, I’ll watch a Thrive Reset — I especially like the breathing exercises. I don’t use my phone in my bedroom anymore. I’m sleeping better, and I feel refreshed in the morning. One thing I’ve learned is that it’s important to put myself first sometimes. I’m feeling more joyful and more confident, and I’m excited about continuing my Thrive journey.
— Kuldeep Khangura, Walmart Supercenter #2030, Sonora, CA; 5K Winner