Refuse to Give Up. Start Today

My Dad was a track coach during my high school years. I joined his team during my freshmen year hoping that because he was my Father that I therefore inherited his skills in this area. However, I quickly realized that this was not the case. I remember asking permission from my parents to quit the team as I wasn't making any progress. However, they informed me that I was not allowed to quit in the middle of the season. Through this experience, my parents taught me that year, that you finish whatever you start to the best of your ability. "It doesn't matter how slow you go, just as long as you don't stop".

Often times we give up in the middle of our weight loss journey. We give up for many reasons. For some we blame it on our schedules, for others we blame it on lack of progress, and then they are some of us who find the journey too hard. Improvement of any kind require change. A healthier version of you is gonna require a change in lifestyle and in your daily routine, but it is a change that you won't regret, I certainly don't.

One of the most crucial aspects of weight loss is getting your body moving. In the beginning I simply began by doing 7 minute workouts in the morning or evening. I soon realized I was capable of more than 7 minutes and increased my cardio time. After about a week my friends saw what I was doing and invited me to run with them in the morning. I began running for about 10 to 12 minuets, 3 times a week (maybe I didn't completely give up on track). Ultimately, the key is staying motivated. .


What is your goal? 

What do you want? 

Why are you doing this? 

Write it down.

Then stand up,
do 7 minutes, then do 14, and before you know it 
you've done a 21 minute workout.
Believe me when I tell you, you are more
than capable. 
You can do this!
Remember, you are worth it!

Finally, don't do this alone! Talk to a friend and find or develop a support group. Next post, I will share about my own support group, including a fall challenge group that my friend Marisa organized, Come back for more about that as well as some free and easy workout resources that I found online.

Let's Start at the Very Beginning

In Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, a character asks, "How did you go bunkrupt?" The response is" "Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly." Weight gain often occurs the same way, in the beginning I was simply 10 pounds over weight.... Then I was 20 pounds over weight and before I knew it, that number had jumped to 30. I am 5'2 1/2 and that extra 30 pounds was becoming apparent on my face, in my belly, and in many other places as well.

It was the Christmas Eve of 2013 when I first realized that my weight gain was getting out of control. My grandmother is a typical Caribbean woman who says it like she means it. This particular Christmas Eve she did just that, while helping her in the kitchen, she informed me in one short, sweet statement how she felt, "I know men like them big now a days, but your butt is becoming border line". 

At this point I was a tad bit traumatized. My parents then offered to purchase a gym membership for me and for a time I was quite faithful. I loved the classes and I went often, but as many know, the journey to fitness and health is rarely in a straight line. Many of us give up when we don't see progress as quickly as we'd like. Unfortunately that is exactly what occurred with me. Eventually I ended my membership and regained the weight I had managed to loose.

It was not until a year later when I finally became sick and tired of being sick and tired as the saying goes. I began my journey afresh on October 26th, 2014. I first began by purchasing an app called "Noom" which I am still using now. I love it! Through this app I loaded my weight and my measurements. This app allows me to load my meals and tells me how healthy or unhealthy they are (extremely helpful for beginners). It also gives me daily articles in conjunction with my own progress. They even send me encouraging messages from time to time. Honestly it is this app that truly assisted me in jump starting my journey. By November 29th I had lost 7 pounds! Fast forward to today and I am down 23 pounds altogether!!!!!! 

This has not been an easy journey and I am committed to continuing my progress. I invite you to join me! On this blog I intend to post my workouts and food recipes that I find are working for me in order to also aide you. No one climbs a mountain in one big leap, you climb a mountain one step at a time. Climb with me! 

                                                                   

Motivation Comes From Within

As of today I have lost 23 pounds! This journey to wellness and health officially began for me around October 2014. Like many of us I tried unsuccessfully  to lose weight and be fit way too many times to even count. I joined and rejoined gyms but to no avail. This time around, I simply became sick and tired of being overweight and not being able to wear what I wanted to wear. I do believe you have to get to that place for yourself. No one can get you there, you have to be self-motivated to make the necessary changes. I am not going to lie to you and say it is easy to make the necessary changes. However, what I will tell you is that it is worth it and it is fulfilling. These pictures are from this Easter weekend, they make me excited for summer and to rock a bikini. When that time comes, I will post my picture from last summer alongside of it for you all to see. Fitness and health are a journey, but it is a journey to a newer better you. It comes with many rewards and not all of them are internal. On this blog, I will share what works for me. I am not a fitness trainer or a nutritionist. I am a simply a special education teacher sharing my life with you. I hope you enjoy as I share pieces of me with you.   

Jacket: Lauren Conrad
Dress: Lauren Conrad
Stockings: Vera Wang
Jewelry: Costume Jewelry
All items purchased from Kohl's