Embrace Change

So a little while ago I was walking through Walmart and I saw this necklace, it read "Embrace Change" on the front and "Life is a gift embrace it" on the back. I bought the necklace as a daily reminder to embrace what comes my way. I believe God gives us the desires of our hearts and part of my desire is to become healthy and live a long healthy life and help others do the same. I believe that everything happens for a reason and part of the reason I feel God brought me to Charlotte NC is to meet the family I would work for, who would introduce me to my trainer Betsy, who would connect me to Mrs. Lynne and kick my tail into shape. No, I have by no means lost all I need to, but I am on my way to living the way I have always wanted to. For those of you who do not know, I am about to move back to Huntsville Al. Side note, have you ever just wanted all the really cool people who are apart of your life to live in one place so you could be with everyone?!?! I hate saying goodbye! Anyways, it will be hard to leave but exciting too!
There is a saying, "Knowledge is power." if that is true I must be pretty powerful now. Most of my excuses for staying overweight was because I didn't know how to lose it the right way, but now thanks to the B.T.E. (Best Trainer Ever), I have the knowledge to succeed! I'm going back to Huntsville with the tools for success and a changed mindset! By next year, I will be a whole new person and it's because I'm changing more and more on the inside and it's reflecting on the outside. It's still a battle, and I have to be careful not to fall back into old habits because it's all to easy to do so. When it comes to weight loss, you can not compromise, because it will throw you off. You'll think, it's ok to have just one cookie, but who really only eats just one? I am finding the more I say no to those things that so used to tempt me, the less I crave those things. It's not always easy to say no especially during that time of month for us ladies. Betsy told me to chose a better option like fruit and yogurt instead of cookies and ice cream!
A couple weeks ago before the decision was made to move back to Al, I was struggling with what to do, because I was scared to move away and not have Betsy there if I needed her. But you know, just because there is a change in your life, doesn't mean that those people who are apart of your life are going to turn their back on you. I really believe God put Betsy in my life to help with this particular journey. Yes, it's a trainers job to help you get in shape, but you can tell if someone genuinely cares about you or it's about the cash. Betsy cares for the person, the cash is just a perk! lol! She is going to keep up with me even when I move!! She told me that as long as she driving my ship, I'm not going to sink. And just having someone believe that much in you gives you the courage to push forward and have confidence you can make it
I will miss the Y here in Charlotte. I made alot of good friends, and I love the classes I take! Mrs. Lynne's Kick Boxing class, Pace's Kick Boxing class, Koh's Zumba class, and Andre's Cardio Funk class are the ones I took weekly. I love Kick Boxing and Zumba, but my favorite is Cardio Funk! I loved that class. If you live in Charlotte, I recommend these classes! You will have fun and burn a ton of calories!! Anyways, I have some great news...... I have now gone from a size 26 jeans to a size 22 and from a size 26 shirt to a size 20!! I am so excited, because I feel so good and I have more confidence in myself! Betsy, Lynne, Pace, Andre, Beth, and Kasey, all my Y people, I will miss you very much! Thank you for helping this far along my journey! Ok, I'm done for now.... lol! <3

FEAR= Face Everything And Recover

OK... So as most of you know, I was on Atkins for quite a while. I found out that it is actually horrible for you. Yes, I lost 44 pounds while on it, but it is not a healthy diet. All that protein is hard on your body and your body can really only process 20 grams of protein at a time. When you do this particular diet, it is drilled in your head that carbs are bad and you have to stay away from them. So I would only eat between 10 & 20 carbs a day. After I stopped doing Atkins, I gained almost 30 pounds back. That totally sucked.
Long story short, I was so nervous when I started eating the food on the meal plan my trainer gave me. Side note, I still believe I have the best trainer in the entire world! Just saying! Anyways, she told me I had to trust her and trust the process. That's exactly what I had to do. One of the things I had to start doing is drink 100 to 150 ounces of water a day. I was able to start doing that right away. Btw... You have to go potty alot when you first start, but after that it's not so bad. I am now up to 68oz before noon & 68oz before 7pm. I haven't really drank anything but water for almost a month! That's exciting to me. I think all I had was one cup of coffee. lol!
I have been going to the gym for almost 6 months now and for a majority of the time, I was pretty much shooting myself in the foot because I wasn't eating enough and my body was storing what I did eat because I was working out so much. I was so mad when I found that out, but you live and learn right? I have been eating right and working out for a little over 3 weeks now. I have never felt so good. I am staying hydrated and building/ toning muscle the right way! Best of all, I'm happy to share that I have lost 15 pounds so far!! :) Yay me! lol!
The morning I weighed in and realized how much I have lost, I was super excited! My excitement was short lived because all those familiar fears came flooding back. I was reminded of every time I hard lost some weight and it all came back again. I think that's the biggest fear right now. Is that this will be like every other time. I'll lose it and then gain it right back. But the difference this time is, I am being given the tools to succeed, I have a support system, and I believe I can do it!
That's why I named this one FEAR, because fear is simply facing everything and recovering from it. I have to face all those things that says I won't be any different than my family and take them head on. I know I can do this!!! I will do this. :D

Training for the Win!!

Ok... SO it's been a few weeks since I last blogged. Alot has happened, but the thing I'm most excited about is my personal trainer! Her name is Betsy and she is Fantastic! If you have been overweight for any length of time, you know that most people have a comment about your weight or they'll tell you to go on a diet. But those same people, including doctors, do not want to help you fix the problem. That's why I am so thankful for Betsy. You know those people who genuinly care for others, yeah thats pretty much the type of person she is. I am not saying that this journey is going to become easy and I don't have to work as hard. NO, I'm saying that now that I have somebody showing how to change my eating habits, work out corretly, and above all how to get on the right track, a small part of my battle has already been won. If knowledge is power, I am getting stronger everyday.

If you have a story like mine, you were never taught how to eat right. So how can people expect you to know what to do and not to do? I had it all wrong, I would tend to not eat enough, and that was hurting me more than it helped me. Betsy gave me a meal plan, a grocery list, and a workout routine. She has literally given me the tools I lacked to succeed.

Everytime I tried to lose weight, I did it half heartedly because I felt I was setting myself up for another failure. That mindset is hard to break, and at times it's hard to make myself go to the gym because I'm afraid I'll fail again. But I keep going because somehow I know this time is different. When I had my consultation with her, I found the hope I had lost somewhere along the way. I am so thankful for this journey I have to walk, because although it's hard right now, I know when I beat this thing, I will have such an amazing story to share with people. I believe that everything happens for a reason. I moved to Charlotte and met Jocelyn for a reason. Jocelyn is the mom of the girls I nanny. She is the one who hooked me up with Betsy because she saw how hard I was working and how much I wanted this for myself. She believes I can do it, and so she gave me the help I needed.

So now I am eating the right way, working out in a way that's affective for my body, and drinking a gallon of water everyday. I have started some new cardio class and I love it. I went to a cardio kick boxing class and while I was waiting in line someone in the line next to me turned to me and said "maybe you should have started w/ an easier class." I just love when people judge what you can or can't do just by looking at you. I didn't even know that lady and she said that to me. Well if you know me, that just made me even more determined to do well and prove her wrong. I am so competitive. lol! So I pushed myself to the limit and I loved every minute of it! The same lady came up to me after class and told me I did well. Weird, she was watching. lol! So now my favorite classes are Cardio Kick Boxing, Zumba, and Cardio Funk!!!

I have Nicole, my friend, Jocelyn, Wendy, and Betsy behind me!! You watch, I am going to do it this time!! I may have my good days and bad days, but I will make it through because I am building a strong support system. So I want to say thank you to all of you who have and does believe in me! I especially want to say thank you to Nicole, Wendy, Jocelyn, and Betsy!! I love you and thank you for encouraging me and believing I can accomplish this dream! I will be updating more often! :) <3>

Keep Going

Ok.... so. I have an amazing boss! They got me a a personal trainer/nutritionist as a Christmas present. The holidays were a little rough, but I am back into my routine. It's crazy how just a few weeks out of your routine can knock you off track. All of my muscles are aching.
To begin, I have to journal pretty much everything about my day. What time I get up, what time I eat and what I eat, what time I drink and what I drink, what time I exercise and what I do and for how long, and what time I go to bed. It really puts things in perspective and it's alot harder to eat something that's not healthy for you when you have to put it in writing. It makes you evaluate yourself and helps you to be aware of what you're putting in your body.
I have done a food journal before, but since I wasn't really accountable to anyone, it didn't work out so well. So if you decide this is something you want to do, have an accountability partner!
It is really hard to lose weight by yourself, but it's not impossible. With the right people to help you and the right motivation you can do it. I was thinking the other day about addictions and this is what I came up with. If you're an alcoholic, a drug addict, or even a sex addict, you can live without these things. You can quit them cold turkey and once your free from them, you never have to face it again. I believe food addiction is the hardest addiction to break. Because unlike all the other addictions, you can't just stop eating. You have to face it at least 3 times a day. I know I can do this! It's going to take alot of hard work and determination, but I believe in myself. So I'm declaring, I will not give up or back down! I will do it this time!! This curse that has plagued my family, will be broken with me! :D To be cont.....

Learning New Things

So I have been taking it easy the last week and a half because I hurt myself at work. I was carrying a little boy down stairs, when he all of a sudden he did like a Jackie Chan movie and put both of his feet on the wall, blocking the already narrow stairwell. it almost caused me to fall, but I twisted quickly and grabbed onto the rail. All of a sudden I heard a pop and my back started burning. It didn't hurt very badly at first, but within the next couple of days the pain got worse and worse.
By the day after Thanksgiving I could barely walk and my back felt like it was all locked up. I took muscle relaxers, IBProfen, and tried heating pads and nothing was working. So after dealing with the pain and trying to work with it hurting so bad, I finally gave in and went to the chiropractor. The staff and the doctor were amazing. They were so nice and treated me very well. They took x-rays of my back. I found out that I have scoliosis. The lower part of your back is supposed to have an arch and mine is completely straight. The bend in my neck is going the opposite direction. I was a little nervous and scared when I heard this, but I decided that it would all be ok.
He told me it is fixable and that it would also improve as I continue to lose weight! Now I have another form of motivation. It really is incredible what getting into shape and choosing a healthy lifestyle can do for your life and your body. After only a week of going to the chiropractor, I am allowed to start going to the gym again. There are conditions for going to the gym though. I am allowed to do as much cardio as I want or can handle but I have to cut the amount of weights I've been lifting in half. I was up to between 60 and 100 pounds depending on the machine. I am limited to 30 pounds free weights. So I am going to take to push myself, but be very careful!
Now I am learning that no matter what life throws your way, you can overcome it. It may take longer than you want it to. But with hard work, diligence, and consistency you can accomplish anything. My new goal is to run in a marathon someday!! That's 26.2 miles and I know I can do it.
When you think of something taking a year to accomplish, we often think but that's so long and it seems like forever. But how many times did you say, "I'm going to lose weight and get healthy and gave up?" and before you knew it a year was gone and you are still unhappy and unhealthy. Think about it.... A year may seem like a long time, but if you put your mind to it and just do what needs to be done, the year will be over and you will have accomplished your goals!
Well that's all for my randomness for now... But just think about what I have said. Be back soon!

Knowing the Balance

I have been going to the gym faithfully for about 2 months now. I was getting so frustrated because I wasn't losing weight like I thought I should be. I realized that although I was disciplining myself to work out everyday, I wasn't disciplining myself to eat right all the time. I'm learning consistency is key when making a life change.
I am doing great with consistently pushing myself in the gym, but now it is time to do the same with my diet. I've only ever found one thing that works for me and that is the Atkins Low Carb Lifestyle. I'm about to kick it off hardcore! I'm not talking about eating only meat and cheese. You just cut out the breads, pasta, sugar, and dairy products. For the first 2 weeks, you eat meats, cheese, and eggs. That's the most strict part of the diet. Then you add fruits and veggies into you diet. You'll be surprised at how fast you notice a difference and you'll also notice you don't crave junk food anymore. You'll feel good and have a lot more energy.
I just got the Jillian Michael's workout for wii!!! I love it! You should definitely try it. Anyways, I am back on track and so excited about seeing the results I have been working for. I think more than anything I need to change my mindset. Every time I get close to breaking through that wall of impossibility, I back off subconsciously. It's almost as though I feel like I'm incapable of doing this myself. I can't wait to break through that barrier, and see myself completely as God sees me.
All in all, you have to know the balance. Diet to exercise, spiritual discipline to physical discipline, and Realistic expectations to Believing in yourself! I will definitely be updating my progress!

Accomplishing the Unimaginable

The human body is an amazing creation. I'm finding everyday that there is something new to learn about yourself. There is a strength inside of you that most of us aren't even aware of. On Wednesday, I ran a mile in 10 minutes. That was insane. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that was possible.
The next day I had an appointment with my personal Trainer, Beth. She is amazing. She's one of those people you know really cares and she pushes and encourages you to keep trying. Side Note, if you have a YMCA membership, you can get a trainer to teach a new routine every 6 to 8 weeks for free! My appointment with her was at 11:00am, so I went in about an hour and a half early. I decided to see just how far I could push myself. So I stretched then got on the elliptical. My goal was to beat my record and do 3 miles in 10 minutes each. I started running and soon I was running on a 7.0... I completed the first mile in 9 minutes 25 seconds. Walked on a 4.0 for 5 minutes, then did another mile in 10 minutes. Walked another 5 minutes, then did my last mile in 10 minutes. I finished up an hour on the elliptical. I burned 725 calories and desperately needed some water. Ha... So I went and got some water from the water fountain. I couldn't stop smiling, I was so proud of what I had just accomplished. Then with my legs feeling like noodles, I went to meet Beth for my appointment.
I had been on the same routine for about 6 weeks and now it was time to it up and challenge myself even more. She showed me different techniques on the machines I was already using. I went from lifting 30 pound to 60. Of course each machine is different depending on what muscle group I am working out. I learned I could do sit ups without holding my feet down. I did 30 sit ups, 15 holding a 8 pound medicine ball and 15 holding a 10 pound medicine ball. It was incredible. But most of all I faced one of my fears. She made me do a leaning pull up. The kind where you hold on to the bar and are leaning under it, and you do pull ups supporting all your weight. I did 24 of them!
When it comes to limits, most of them are just a mindset. How do we truly know what we are capable of if we never try?? I can't wait to see how I can challenge myself even more. I am very sore, but will be back in the gym tomorrow! If you have any advice or would like to share some of your story with me, I would be glad to hear it! Just remember, You CAN do it! My advice is to surround yourself with people who believe in you and will push you. I am here for you too! I can't wait to hear testimonies of the amazing accomplishments in your lives! Keep Pushing, Keep Fighting, and Keep Believing!!!