At the beginning of the month, we had a delicious Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Bowl from Renee, our Mommy Makeover Contest winner. Then Danielle shared one of her family’s favorite recipes for Chicken Cacciatore. This week, I’m so excited to have my friend and fellow Comeback Circle member, Kendahl Airey, on the blog to share one of her go-to meals after finishing an invigorating and challenging workout.

Please welcome Kendahl to MB!

I’m only as strong as those I surround myself with. I didn’t used to believe this. I used to believe I could hold the world upon my back, and I was the hero of this script called life. Owning a business, being super mom, covering up the mistakes of people around me (at the time I called this being a graceful, generous person). When I would finally make it to bed, I was determined to rock my husband in the sack—no matter how exhausted I was. From the outside, this is called living the dream. From the inside, this is called how to be miserable with a big ol’ fake smile on your face.

Fast-forward three years. I applied to participate in the Mommy Makeover Contest after having a two-and-a-half-year incredibly dramatic divorce. While I was surviving, I was failing to thrive. I fell, and no matter how hard I tried, I didn’t have the stamina to get back up on my own. In boxing we call this down for the count—struggling to stand up with all your might but failing to do so. I hoped the contest would get me fired up again. I still remember that email from Toni informing me I hadn’t been chosen. I was disappointed but saw she was inviting me to join the Comeback Circle Facebook group. I joined and decided to follow along with what the other girls were doing, AdvoCare and all. I was going to be part of this contest!

What a difference it makes to have a group of women in something together. I realized I was not alone on the cheating, the struggling, and the emotional stuffing through food. But instead of focusing on our struggles, we mentioned them but focused more on our wins. OUR wins. I want to emphasize that. One day I posted my diet crash, I was beating myself up over it and bracing for others to jump in on the shaming. Instead, I was met with a wave of positivity and acceptance, with warmth. “It happens to all of us, just get back on the horse. We believe in you” was the message. No shame at all. Suddenly, my head troll was not as loud, and I knew I was powerful and in charge of my own destiny.

Then I met Marzia, one of the contest advisers, in person and we completely clicked! Danielle  (contestant) was there for me when I had a rough week, with the message that it’s okay to have rough weeks but that the pity party was over and she believed in me. Candace had been a single mom for five years so she had tricks for me. Toni commented on every single person’s post and posted her own stories.  We laughed together. We cried together. We were friends.

In case you were wondering, that’s what a girl needs to stop surviving and start thriving. A support system. And while the Comeback Circle welcomed me with open arms, the comeback itself was all mine.

The recipe I chose to share today is a healthy version of the classic ham and cheese melt. I prefer to serve it on whole grain bagels. It’s as savory as it comes and a decadent cheat. Except it’s not a cheat at all. The entire meal is under 300 calories. Did I mention it takes 10 minutes to whip up? It’s the perfect post-workout meal!