Losing weight has always been a challenge. I’d go on crash diets and yoyo back and forth. My husband, Juan, and I have three kids, 10-year-old twins, Natalia and Thalia, and Dalia who’s nine. Life felt chaotic. I’d eat a lot of fast food, and at home, we’d order pizza or make spaghetti. I’d eat the children’s leftovers. I’m 36 and I had no energy. I wasn’t involved in my kids’ activities, like girl scouts and soccer, and I felt depressed.
I downloaded the Thrive app and I started walking three miles a day.
Everything hurt for a couple of days, but then I got into the groove and the pain stopped. I began jogging in the nature park by the river. There’s a butterfly garden and it’s very calm and soothing. It felt good hearing the birds chirp and the water running, just listening to the sounds of nature. I’m now running every day and I’m going to run a 5K for charity.
I have energy and I get up early.
I clean the house and do laundry. After school, Juan takes the kids to the YMCA. There are stations for the children. And I’ll go for a run around the nature park. Then I’ll meet everyone and we’ll work out as a family. They’ll do dancing and stretching, and I’ll do yoga, cycling, and weights.
We’re doing lots of activities together.
We go rollerblading in the park. I hadn’t done it in nearly 20 years. It makes me feel like a teenager again — it feels amazing — I love it. Once a month we’ll try something new. We’ve gone ice skating and indoor rock climbing. We went to Busch Gardens, an amusement park. The girls wanted to go on the big roller coasters over and over again! It was great. I feel young again. I’m living life in the moment and making memories.
Juan and I are on a strict keto diet.
We’ll have boiled or scrambled eggs with avocado for breakfast. For dinner, we’ll make chicken with broccoli, or lettuce wraps with meat and cheese. Or we’ll make regular shrimp alfredo pasta for the kids, and we’ll have it with low carb pasta, but I can’t taste the difference.
I’ve lost 24 pounds and I feel amazing.
I’d like to lose another 10 pounds. I used to be in the military, I was very athletic, and I’d love to fit back into my Marine Corps uniform.
As a family, we like to write inspirational messages on rocks.
We write things like “You are Amazing,” and “You are Strong,” and we paint rainbows and sunshine, and then we leave them around town so people can find them and enjoy them. It’s a lot of fun.
We’re volunteering at a nursing home.
We sing for residents at the home. I also sell cookies and make blankets for the homeless. And I volunteer for the Children’s Miracle Network. I helped to organize a summer fundraiser; we cooked hot dogs and burgers.
Juan and I have date nights.
We’ll go to meet friends for a drink, or go to see a movie. We saw Fast X, the latest Fast and Furious film, and it was really good. While we’re out, my mom will watch the kids.
We’re saving to buy a house.
We’re putting money away into our savings account because we’re not eating out or buying fast food. Also, my husband convinced me to get rid of cable since I was the only one using it. so now we just have the internet. We’re investing more in stocks in our 401Ks.
Later this summer, We’re taking the kids to visit our families in Mexico.
It will be the first time the girls have been out of the US. We’re excited about them experiencing our culture. We’ll be able to say, “Hey, these are our roots; this is where we’re from.
I’m listening to what my body tells me and my stress is lower.
I love the Thrive Resets. Oh my goodness, they’re life-savers. It just takes a minute to take those deep inhales and exhales when I’m overwhelmed, and I know everything will be alright. I feel way happier and people notice that I have a glow. I’m living life in the moment. I want to show my girls that they’re capable of anything they put their mind to, and that they can conquer the world.
— Eloisa Garcia, Walmart Supercenter #5055, Naples, FL; $5K Winner