This article originally appeared on People.com.
Emily Powers had struggled with her weight since high school, when she began eating cafeteria food instead of homemade meals and put on 100 lbs. by the time she graduated.
By the time the Ontario, Canada-based daycare worker was in her 20s, Powers had reached 273 lbs.
“I tried different fad diets and I’d lose some weight and then I’d gain it back and more,” Powers, 24, tells PEOPLE.
It wasn’t until she had her youngest daughter last year — she is also mom to an 8-year-old stepdaughter and 3-year-old daughter — that she decided she needed to make a lasting change.
“It was about June last year after having my six week check-up that I decided I wanted to get healthy for my kids,” she says. “They deserved more. I could barely even take my kids for a walk. At the park, I’d sit on the bench and watch them rather than play with them.”
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Powers began logging her food intake using the Lose It! app, and was alarmed to see how many calories she was consuming in her fast food-heavy diet.
“I didn’t really know what I was putting in my body,” she says. “The app helped me hold myself accountable. I could actually look at what I was putting into my body and how it’s affecting it.”
Powers set carb and calorie limits based on her weight loss goals, and learned to use portion control to stay within those limits.
“I eat a lot of lean meats — chicken or fish or occasionally red meat — and vegetables instead of potatoes or pasta,” she says. “I try to stay as low-carb as I can now that I’m still losing.”
The busy mom has already dropped down to 151 lbs., and hopes to lose five more. In addition to staying on top of her diet, she’s also started exercising at least three times a week.
“Now I love going to the gym,” says Powers. “It’s my time alone away from my kids when I can relax and do my own thing. I’m very active compared to what I used to be!”
While she loves being able to shop anywhere she wants, the best part about dropping the pounds has been being able to be more active with her three children.
“I like that my kids are used to hearing ‘yes’ a lot more,” says Powers. “Before, I could never take them to the park and run around with them and be the mom that I wanted to be. Now there’s no limitations.”
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The information herein on "Mom of 3 Drops 120 Lbs. After Having Her Youngest Child: I Wanted to Get Healthy for My Kids" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
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Welcome to El Paso's Premier Wellness and Injury Care Clinic & Wellness Blog, where Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, FNP-C, a Multi-State board-certified Family Practice Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and Chiropractor (DC), presents insights on how our multidisciplinary team is dedicated to holistic healing and personalized care. Our practice aligns with evidence-based treatment protocols inspired by integrative medicine principles, similar to those on this site and on our family practice-based chiromed.com site, focusing on naturally restoring health for patients of all ages.
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Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC*, CFMP, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
(Board Certified: Family Practice Nurse Practitioner—Multistate)*
(Licensed Nurse Practitioner & Chiropractor - Multistate)*
Clinical Director
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Dr. Maria Cardenas, MD
(Board Certified: Internal Medicine)
(Licensed Medical Doctor)
Medical Director, Clinical Director & Collaborative Physician
NPI # 1164426749
MD License #: J2933
Licenses and Board Certifications:
MD: Medical Doctor
DC: Doctor of Chiropractic
APRNP: Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
FNP-BC: Family Practice Specialization (Multi-State Board Certified)
RN: Registered Nurse (Multi-State Compact License)
CFMP: Certified Functional Medicine Provider
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MSACP: Master of Science in Advanced Clinical Practice
IFMCP: Institute of Functional Medicine
CCST: Certified Chiropractic Spinal Trauma
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TCA: Texas Chiropractic Association: Member ID: 104311
AANP: American Association of Nurse Practitioners: Member ID: 2198960
ANA: American Nurse Association: Member ID: 06458222 (District TX01)
TNA: Texas Nurse Association: Member ID: 06458222
NPI: 1205907805
| Primary Taxonomy | Selected Taxonomy | State | License Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| No | 111N00000X - Chiropractor | NM | DC2182 |
| Yes | 111N00000X - Chiropractor | TX | DC5807 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | TX | 1191402 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | FL | 11043890 |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | CO | C-APN.0105610-C-NP |
| Yes | 363LF0000X - Nurse Practitioner - Family | NY | N25929 |
Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC*, CFMP, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
(Board Certified: Family Practice Nurse Practitioner—Multistate)*
(Licensed Nurse Practitioner & Chiropractor - Multistate)*
Clinical Director
Digital Business Card
Dr. Maria Cardenas, MD
(Board Certified: Internal Medicine)*
(Licensed Medical Doctor)*
Medical Director, Clinical Director & Collaborative Physician
NPI # 1164426749
MD License #: J2933
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