My story

I have been pondering what my next blog post would be. Then it hit me, why not share my story and how I got to where I am today. For those of you who have known me most of my life, you know that I have not always been fit and healthy. It took almost 25 years, but I have finally become a confident woman who is comfortable with myself and the skin I am in. I have learned to love my body by treating it as a temple.... mind, body, and soul. Here is my story.....

 I have struggled with my weight issues and insecurities all throughout my life. I developed much faster than most of my peers in grade school. I also had developed a love for food  at an early age which resulted in me becoming the big girl in school. My family used to call me the dip monster because I would lick the tub of french onion dip until it was clean! True story! However, my family would tell me I was "big boned" and I was built like my grandmother. I truly don't think they wanted to hurt a young child's feelings. I always compared myself to my younger twin sisters. They were so little and so cute and got most of the attention from everyone. It made me very insecure with my "big boned" built. The twins could eat anything they wanted and do no physical activity and still have their tiny cute physiques. Me on the other hand, I would eat something and I felt like the food stuck to me like glue (well maybe that's what happens when you get a tub of french onion dip!! lol) I was very jealous of my sisters and turned to eating to comfort these feelings I was having.

Twins & I circa 1990s

As I got older and entered high school, I started to become active in school activities such as the swim team, ski club, and cheerleading. I also joined the local YMCA with a few friends and started to get into working out and lifting weights. The weight started to come off and my confidence started to grow.  For the first time in my life, I felt really good about the skin I was in. I even came in 2nd place for best physique in my Senior Superlatives!!

Senior Year of High School 1999

Then I started college and lived the experience to the fullest which included packing on 30 pounds! The drinking, late night eating, unhealthy lifestyle choices, and slacking on my workouts attributed to my weight gain. However at this time, it did not bother me. I was literally enjoying life and having fun. It wasn't until the beginning of my senior year that my parents sat me down to talk about my weight. They were very concerned because I was going to be student teaching and needed to start to thinking about my future. They didn't want me to develop the insecurities I had growing up because they saw how hard I worked to get into shape in high school.  Of course I was defensive and didn't want to hear what they had to say. My father than gave me a proposition. He said that if I was proactive and started to lose the weight I had gained throughout college, he would help pay for my spring break trip. Being a broke college student who so desperately wanted to go on spring break, this proposition definitely peaked my interest. I pondered it and decided to take on the challenge. I joined Weight Watchers with my grandmother. She and I went to the meetings every Monday morning together. We also shared recipes and went on the weight loss journey together. By the time spring came, I had lost 25 pounds. I went from 185 to 160! I reached my goal weight and I felt great!!! My dad stayed true to his word and helped supplement my spring break trip!

            

College years

Since 2003, which was when I graduated college, I still had issues with keeping the weight off. I had gotten comfortable in a relationship and put some of the weight back on. But I was in love and I didn't care what I looked like. My weight fluctuated up and down until about 2007. After my breakup from my boyfriend, I decided to try something new. I hired a personal trainer which completely transformed my life physically, emotionally, and spirituality.  Until this point, I always thought being fit was about the numbers on the scale and fitting into a certain size. My trainer taught me that I need to develop a healthy life style for the mind, body, and soul. She taught me that our body is like a furnace and we need to fuel it with the best foods and best thoughts in order for it to function effectively. I learned to not focus on the number on the scale, but focus more on how my clothes fit and I how I felt as a whole. (Also referred to as Non Scale Victories!)

In 2011, I had a trip planned to Miami. At this point I was in shape but I didn't have the dream body I had always wanted. I saw an infomercial on TV for Insanity. It peaked my interest and I decided to order it.  In January, I set a goal to get my dream body by April for my trip to Miami. I didn't set out for a specific number on the scale and quite frankly I didn't weigh myself once. I wanted to tone up and I wanted to have my clothes fit nicer. I decided if I was going to do this, I was going do it with 100% effort so I ordered Shakeology , bought a planner to schedule my meals, and stacked my ipod with some good get hype playlists.  I followed the program exactly and did the meal plans and recommended Shakeology for 3 months.  My body completely transformed and I had achieved the goal I had set out in January. It was the best feeling! Insanity and Shakeology helped me to take my body to the next level and I am so grateful that I was dedicated enough to reach this goal. To be honest, I wasn't sure how motivated I would be working out at home. I had always been the type of person who needed to be at the gym around others. But what I realized was that it was all mental. I got my mind right, put on some good hype music, and just got into a zone. Surprisingly enough, I actually ended up loving doing my workout at home. I was done in a hour, didn't have to pack a gym bag, and didn't prolong my workout by chit chatting with others. The bonus was that I started Insanity in the winter and I didn't have to fight the cold and snow to get to the gym. I was getting just as good, if not a better workout right in my house!!

College 2000 (left)   Miami 2011 (right)

Miami 2011 after 60 days of Insanity

Fast forward to present day.... I now have been practicing a healthy lifestyle including eating clean and working out. I have also added yoga into my workout routine which I have grown to passionately love. I still have a goal of toning more and achieving flat abs which I know will come with dedication and perseverance. I have learned to appreciate my body type and realize that I will never be that tiny skinny girl.  I have embraced my curves and love hearing people say "You look healthy and fit. Instead of hearing "Wow. You are so skinny."  My mind and body have completely transformed throughout my journey and I look forward to what the future holds! I have a wonderful network of friends and family who support my healthy lifestyle and encourage me to keep inspiring others with my story.  

"Never give up on something you want. It is difficult to wait, but more difficult to regret."

College to Present Day 2014

Fuel your mind, body, and soul

"Just as we choose good, nutritious food for our body, we need to learn to choose good positive thoughts for our mind."

Years ago, when I decided to make a change in my life, I hired a personal trainer to help me get into shape. My trainer used to tell me that our body is like a furnace. We need to fuel our body with the best food and the best thoughts in order to be healthy in the mind, body, and soul. 

As I embarked on my new journey in life, I started researching different books and authors that could help me grow in my spirituality and faith. A good friend recommended Joyce Meyer to me, specifically her book Battlefield of the Mind. I could not put the book down once I started reading it. I purchased a journal and started to write down my favorite scriptures and quotes from her. Referring back to them frequently helped me to develop my faith and confidence. At the time, I was in a bewildering place in my life. I was at turning point in my long term college relationship questioning what was going to happen between us after college. Also interviewing for jobs right out of college scared me to death. The thought of having a real career, not a job, and learning how to budget and pay "adult" bills gave me great anxiety. I also struggled with whether I should consider moving and leaving my comfort zone. All of those thoughts were racing in my mind creating an uneasy and unsettling feeling. My best friend's mother, told me that I was going through a Quarter Life Crisis. My best friend and I purchased the book, and it was reassuring to find out that this was a phase that would soon pass. However, I needed to acquire the proper tools to handle this temporary crisis.

Joyce Meyer and her book did just that! There are too many of my favorites to share. But I thought I would share just a few that have been pivotal in altering my way of thinking and my outlook on life.

• Positive minds produce positive lives- full of faith and hope.
• Patience is not the ability to wait; but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.
• Learn to become the kind of person who plans things but who doesn't fall apart if that plan doesn't work out.
• Trust and faith bring joy to life and help relationships grow to their maximum potential.
• We need to learn to enjoy where we are while we are on our way to where we are going.
• Quit dwelling on what's wrong in your life and start dwelling on what's right in your life. Learn to focus on your possibilities, on what you can do, on your potential. Then go on each day expecting good things.
• Confidence allows us to face life with boldness, openness, and honesty. It enables us to live without worry and to feel safe. It enables us to live authentically. 
• A person is a not a failure because they tried some things that did not work out. They fail only when they stop trying.

I am proud to say that I am still a work in progress. I love self expansion and what it can do for an individual. The most important thing I have learned throughout my health and wellness journey is that being fit does not just mean physically. Our minds must also be filled with positive and healthy thoughts that we can use to help create the balance between the mind, body, and soul. Remember that whatever you hold in your mind, will happen in your life. 

New Year... New You!!!

As much as I was looking forward to the holidays, I can honestly say I am glad they are over. I absolutely love spending time with my family and friends. Everyone knows the quality time with the loved ones also means an abundance of food and drinks which you normally would not consume on any given day! This happens to be the sole reason I am looking forward to the end of the celebrations. I cannot wait to get back into a normal workout schedule as well as my normal Clean Eating meals. According to the National Institute of Health, people can gain average of 5-10 pounds from Thanksgiving to New Years! YIKES!!! Time to toss the cookies, candy, and all the junk food and swap it for water, fruits & veggies!

Here are just a few of my favorite tips to help you get your behind in gear for the new year. Please feel free to share any other tips you have! :-)

1. Cleanse your liver in the morning with hot water, lemon, and pinch of cayenne pepper.

2. Look at your grocery store as your pharmacy. Buy things that will make your body feel the best!

3. Shop on the perimeter of the grocery store. This is where the freshest items are located.

4. When sauteing veggies, do it as low as possible to keep the natural minerals present.

5. Woman should limit sugar intake to no more than 100 calories (about 6 tsp) per day.

6. Say no to artificial sweeteners. Try raw organic agave or stevia.

7. Eat 5-6 small meals per day consisting of 200-300 calories each.

8. Hydrate! Water, water, and more water!!!

9.  Don't skip breakfast! Like our mamas told us, it is the most important meal of the day.

10.  Fuel your body with healthy and nutritious food in order to keep it running efficiently and effectively!