Enjoy the workouts (it helps!)

With two young children, Audrey Vasquez, 34, of Warren, needs to stay in shape to keep up! “Fitness helps me stay active with two small children,” she said. “It gives me energy and helps with the release of stress. After having two children, my need and desire to stay healthy and active, while physically getting back into shape, was at an all-time high. Working out is not only an outlet for me but also helps with my self-esteem.”

Vasquez uses medium to heavy weights when she works out and adds cardiovascular workouts.

She said her meal plan is simple, as her current goal is to gain or maintain her weight.

“I eat a fairly clean diet with a daily calorie intake of at least 2,000 calories, as much as possible,” she said. “The urge to cheat was very difficult to defeat in the beginning. As I began to see results in myself, the easier it became to stay true to my food plan. It is all mental! Although, I do allow myself to cheat at least once a week.”

She said, when it comes to fitness, control what you can.

“If I had any advice to give to others, it would be to not compare your story, your journey, your goals to anyone else’s,” she said. “It is a process, and it takes time. You should enjoy doing it in the meantime.”