My Weightloss Journey

ALL MY LIFE I REMEMBER BEING THE BIG GIRL. I REMEMBER IN GRADE SCHOOL BEING TALLER AND FATTER THAN THE REST OF THE KIDS MY AGE. I ALWAYS CHALKED IT UP TO BEING LARGER BONED BUT IN ACTUALITY, I WAS JUST OVERWEIGHT.

I WAS A VERY ACTIVE TEENAGER BUT STILL I JUST ATE TOO MUCH AND HAD NO CLUE ABOUT GOOD NUTRITION. WHEN I WAS 15, THE TAEKWONDO TEAM I WAS A PART OF STARTED TO TRAIN FOR COMPETITIONS. MY TKD INSTRUCTOR HAD US ALL "WEIGH IN" SO HE COULD FIGURE WHERE WE NEEDED TO BE FOR THE WEIGHT CATERGORIES. I DISTINCTLY REMEMBER STEPPING ON THE SCALE AND HIM TELLING ME I REALLY NEEDED TO START THINKING ABOUT EATING BETTER BECAUSE I WAS OVERWEIGHT. THAT SERIOUSLY HUMILIATED ME BUT ALSO REALLY MOTIVATED ME AND I REMEMBER DROPPING 10 LBS AND REALLY GETTING IN SHAPE AS I GOT READY TO COMPETE FOR JUNIOR OLYMPICS. I FELT GREAT AND WAS STILL ON THE LARGER SIDE BUT I WAS HEALTHY!

ONCE I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL AND WENT INTO COLLEGE IT WENT DOWNHILL FROM THERE. THE FRESHMAN 15 HAPPENED AND THEN THE NEXT TWO YEARS I GAINED ANOTHER 10 OR SO. WHEN I WAS A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE, I MET THE MAN OF MY DREAMS <3 (BIG, TALL HANDSOME GUY WHO LOVED ME FOR WHO I AM/WAS). WE STARTED DATING AND IT WAS INSTANT HAPPINESS. I ENDED UP GAINING ANOTHER 10 LBS FROM NOT REALLY CARING BECAUSE I WAS IN LOVE AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DATE THEN GO OUT TO EAT!

WE GOT ENGAGED TWO YEARS LATER AND I LOST 10 LBS FOR MY WEDDING. THEN WE GOT MARRIED AND YA KNOW WHAT THEY SAY WHEN YOU ARE HAPPILY MARRIED- YOU LET EVERYTHING GO. HAHA- THIS HAPPENDED TO ME AND FOR THE FIRST 2 YEARS OF MARRIAGE I GAINED BACK THE 10 I PREVIOUSLY LOST AND THEN GAINED ANOTHER 15. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE SCALE AND NOTICED I WAS OVER 200 LBS AT THE BEGINNING OF 2013- I FREAKED OUT. THIS WAS MY TURNING POINT. 

SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE 6 MAIN TIPS ON HOW I LOST 55 LBS OVER THE LAST YEAR AND HOW I HAVE KEPT IT OFF.

BY THE GRACE OF GOD...

TIP #1 GIVE IT TO GOD AND LEARN TO CRAVE HIM RATHER THAN FOOD. SPEND TIME WITH JESUS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS IS A DAILY STRUGGLE. I ALSO TOTALLY SUGGEST READING MADE TO CRAVE AND WATCHING THE DVD'S AND READING THE DEVOTIONAL BOOK! IT REALLY IS EYE OPENING WITH SO MUCH WISDOM AND TRUTH, RELATABLE STORIES AND GREAT ADVICE! 

IN JANUARY 2013 MY SUCCESSFUL WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY BEGAN. AT THE TIME I WAS PART OF A WOMENS' SMALL GROUP THAT WAS FOCUSED ON WEIGHTLOSS. WE WERE ALL READING THE BOOK, MADE TO CRAVE. IT REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO WHAT A STRONGHOLD FOOD HAD ON MY LIFE. IT WAS CONTROLLING ME. I HAD MADE FOOD AN IDOL AND PUT IT BEFORE GOD AND WAS REAPING THE CONSEQUENCES OF DOING SO. I NOTICED HOW BEING OVERWEIGHT AND UNHEALTHY MADE ME FEEL SO ASHAMED, GUILTY, SAD, ENVIOUS, INSECURE, DEPRESSED AND SO MANY OTHER AWFUL FEELINGS. THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY TIMES WHEN ALL MY FRIENDS WOULD WANT TO HANG OUT AND I DIDN'T AT ALL BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CLOTHES THAT FIT AND I FELT SO FAT AND UGLY. I ALSO NOTICED I WAS TAKING THIS OUT ON MY PATIENT AND LOVING HUSBAND. I WOULD GET SO IRRITATED WITH HIM AND SNIPPY BUT IN REALITY I WASN'T MAD AT HIM BUT MYSELF. I REALIZED SOMETHING NEEDED TO CHANGE AND THAT I NEEDED TO GIVE THIS WEIGHTLOSS BATTLE OVER TO GOD ONCE AND FOR ALL. I LEARNED THAT SPENDING TIME WITH JESUS (J-TIME AS I CALL IT) REALLY IS NECESSARY IN MY WEIGHTLOSS BATTLE. MY SISTER (ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER) AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHENEVER WE ARE REALLY STRUGGLING WITH EATING RIGHT IT USUALLY ALSO HAPPENS THAT WE AREN'T READING THE BIBLE AND HAVING SOME QUALITY J-TIME. I'M NOT BEING LEGALISTIC ABOUT IT AND NOT SAYING THAT IF YOU DON'T READ YOUR BIBLE TODAY YOU ARE GOING TO CRAVE CHOCOLATE MORE- THAT'S ABSURD. BUT I AM SAYING THAT WHEN WE REALIZE WE CAN'T DO IT ON OUR OWN AND INSTEAD RELY ON GOD FOR THE STRENGTH, THAT'S WHEN WE SEE THE VICTORY. 

TIP #2 BEING ACTIVE REALLY IS ESSENTIAL WHEN YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT. FOR ME IT ALSO MOTIVATES ME TO WANT TO EAT BETTER AND NOT RUIN ALL THE WORK I HAVE BEEN DOING! 

I GOT A NEW JOB OVER 2 YEARS AGO (MARCH 2012) AND I NOTICED TWO THINGS: SITTING AT A DESK ALL DAY IS NOT A GREAT/HEALTHY ACTIVITY AND 2. MY BOSS IS AN AVID RUNNER AND HEALTH NUT AND SHE WAS ALWAYS ACTIVE ON HER LUNCH BREAKS WHICH MADE ME REALLY JEALOUS. I AM A VERY BUSY PERSON AND THAT'S WHAT MY EXCUSE WAS AS TO WHY I NEVER REALLY WORKED OUT BUT DOING IT DURING MY LUNCH BREAK WAS THE PERFECT TIME FOR ME AND I COULDN'T DENY IT. 

MARCH 2013 I BEGAN RUNNING WITH MY BOSS ON OUR LUNCH BREAKS AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I COULD HAVE EVER DONE. SHE STARTED ME ON A PROGRAM CALLED COUCH 2 5K AND BY JUNE 1ST, 2013 I RAN MY FIRST 5K IN 38 MIN WHICH ISN'T TOO BAD! I KEPT RUNNING EVEN THOUGH I ABSOLUTELY HATED IT AND SOMEHOW OVER TIME I LEARNED TO LOVE IT. I RUN 3X A WEEK OR MORE NOW AND HAVE DONE OVER A HALF DOZEN 5KS, 1 10K AND NOW I AM TRAINING FOR A 15K THIS JULY! MY FUTURE GOAL IS TO DO THE NYC HALF MARATHON NEXT APRIL AND MAYBE EVENTUALLY A FULL MARATHON! THE LAST 5K I DID WAS MAY 18TH AND I RAN IT AT 28:26 SECONDS! ALMOST 10 MINUTES FASTER THAN MY FIRST 5K! IT'S PRETTY UNBELIEVABLE STUFF AND I AM SO GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR IT! AS MY BOSS JULIE SAYS, I RUN BECAUSE I CAN!

I ALSO STARTED STRENGTH TRAINING THROUGH P90X AND STARTED ATTENDING CHRISTINE G'S BOOTCAMP ONCE A WEEK AND A ZUMBA SMASH CLASS ONCE A WEEK THROUGH BODY BY STACY, YOGA TWICE A WEEK THROUGH POWER LUNCH AND OF COURSE MY RUNNING 3X A WEEK. I TOTALLY SUGGEST DOING CLASSES TOO IF YOU ARE SOMEONE LIKE ME WHO ISN'T THE MOST SELF MOTIVATED PERSON. IN THE PAST I HAVE HAD MEMBERSHIPS TO A COUPLE GYMS AND WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO WORKOUT ON MY OWN BUT I NEVER REALLY SAW RESULTS AND I KNOW IT'S BECAUSE I NEED THE COMRADERY, THE COMPETITION, THE MOTIVATION AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM OTHER PEOPLE AROUND ME WHILE I WORKOUT.

ALSO IF YOU ARE A RUNNER, STRENGTH TRAINING IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH A TIME WHERE I WASN'T STRENGTH TRAINING AND I GOT RUNNER'S KNEE BECAUSE MY MUSCLES SURROUNDING MY KNEE WERE TOO WEAK AND IT HURT TO RUN! 

TIP #3 EAT HEALTHY! LIMIT STARCHY CARBS AND SUGARY FOODS. TRY NOT TO EAT AFTER 7PM AND IF YOU ARE REALLY WANTING TO LOSE WEIGHT- EAT YOUR SMALLEST MEAL FOR DINNER! KEEP TRACK OF YOUR CALORIC INTAKE- STAYING UNDER 1200 IS REALLY GREAT FOR LOSING WEIGHT! PLUS AS YOU PROBABLY KNOW DRINK TONS OF WATER!! IT IS SO BENEFICIAL!

IN THE BEGIINNING OF RUNNING AND WORKING OUT, I STILL WASN'T SEEING THE BEST RESULTS IN LOSING WEIGHT EVEN THOUGH I WAS BEING ACTIVE BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE I STILL WASN'T EATING THE GREATEST. SOMEHOW I NEVER COULD BOTH BE ACTIVE AND EAT RIGHT AT THE SAME TIME, HAHA.

OVER THE YEARS I HAVE LEARNED WHAT IS GOOD TO EAT AND WHAT IS NOT BUT NOW I WAS GETTING MORE AND MORE DETERMINED TO REALLY DO MY RESEARCH. ALSO WITH RUNNING ON MY LUNCH BREAKS I NEEDED SOMETHING FOR LUNCH THAT WAS QUICK AND EASY SO I STARTED TO LOOK INTO MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKES. I FOUND OUT ABOUT SHAKEOLOGY AND MY LIFE CHANGED FOREVER, HAHA. AROUND MID MAY OF 2013 I PURCHASED SHAKEOLOGY FOR THE FIRST TIME AND ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! I GOT HOOKED! IT WAS THE PERFECT THING FOR ME TO EAT AFTER MY RUNS AND IT IS SOOOO TREMENDOUSLY GOOD FOR YOU! IN HIGH SCHOOL I HAD TRIED SLIM FAST AND SAW SOME RESULTS BUT FOUND OUT ABOUT ALL THE CRAP THEY PUT IN THAT STUFF WHEREAS WITH SHAKEOLOGY IT IS ALL NATURAL AND ONLY HAS GOOD FOODS IN IT! I'M NOT EXCELLENT AT EATING VEGEATABLES AND FRUIT SO SHAKEOLOGY REALLY IS PERFECT FOR ME BECAUSE IT IS LOADED WITH VEGGIES AND FRUIT AND SUPER FOODS AND ALL THOSE LOVELY THINGS THAT ARE GOOD FOR US! 

SHAKEOLOGY IS A PRODUCT FROM BEACHBODY (THE MAKERS OF P90X AND INSANITY, ETC) AND YOU CAN ONLY PURCHASE IT THROUGH A BEACHBODY COACH. HOWEVER YOU CAN GET A DISCOUNT IF YOU BECOME A COACH SO BECAUSE I LOVED IT SO MUCH, THAT IS WHAT I DID. 

SO HERE IS MY SHAMELESS PLUG. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TRYING IT SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I WILL TRY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE ABOUT SHAKEOLOGY. YOU CAN ORDER IT THROUGH MY PAGE HERE BUT SERIOUSLY I AM NOT A COACH TO MAKE MONEY, I SIMPLY JUST LOVE SHAKEOLOGY SO MUCH THAT I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO GET IT $15 CHEAPER. HAHA.

I ALSO HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I DIDN'T ACTUALLY REALLY START LOSING WEIGHT TILL AUGUST OF 2013 WHEN I NOTICED MY OTHER SISTER STARTED TO LOSE TONS OF WEIGHT AND IT MOTIVATED ME TO REALLY EAT HEALTHY FOR MY OTHER TWO MEALS IN ADDITION TO SHAKEOLOGY ONCE A DAY. SHAKEOLOGY CAN'T FIX ALL YOUR PROBLEMS IF YOU AREN'T WILLING TO WORK WITH IT! EATING RIGHT + EXCERCISE + SHAKEOLOGY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE! 

NOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST 9 MONTHS, EATING WISE, IS THAT I TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM STARCHY CARBS LIKE BREAD, CRACKERS, CHIPS, PASTA, ETC. AND ALSO LIMIT MY SWEETS BIG TIME. THANKFULLY I DRINK THE CHOCOLATE SHAKEOLOGY SO THAT GIVES ME A CHOCOLATE FIX TO HOLD ME OVER A LOT. HAHA. I ALSO EAT LOTS AND LOTS OF PROTEIN, DEFINITELY LEAN MEATS (CHICKEN IS MY BEST FRIEND) AND I TRY TO ONLY EAT GOOD FATS (LOTS OF NATURAL NUTS AND AVOCADOS-YUM!) I CAN'T CUT EVERYTHING OUT COMPLETELY BECAUSE THAT'S NOT LIVING IN MY OPINION ESPECIALLY THE BREAD PART SO WHAT I DO NOW IS EAT EZEKIEL BREAD INSTEAD (TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT!) AND I JUST EAT SANDWICHES OR BURGERS WITH ONLY ONE SLICE OR BUN OR MAYBE NONE AT ALL OR SALADS INSTEAD, ETC. IT'S ALL ABOUT MAKING HEALTHIER CHOICES AND JUST TRYING TO FIND WAYS OF CUTTING OUT THOSE THINGS THAT ARE JUST GOING TO STORE YOUR FAT INSTEAD OF HELP YOU BURN IT. 

IN OCTOBER OF 2013 I STARTED TO USE MY FITNESS PAL TO TRACK MY CALORIES AND THAT HAS ALSO HELPED ME. WHEN I REALIZED THAT ONE EGG HAS A TON OF FAT (YES GOOD FAT BUT LOTS OF CALORIES) I REALIZED I DIDN'T NEED TO EAT 2 EGGS IN THE MORNING BUT ONE WILL SUFFICE! 

I'M STILL STRUGGLING IN THIS AREA AND EVEN RECENTLY IT'S BEEN BAD BUT I AM THANKFUL WHEN I REMEMBER HOW FAR I HAVE COME. MY SISTER AND I JOKE HOW OUR BAD DAYS NOW ARE BETTER THAN OUR BEST DAYS A YEAR AGO! 

TIP #4 GET SOME ACCOUNTABILITY! ASK A FRIEND WHO ALSO WANTS TO LOSE WEIGHT AND START EMAILING OR MESSAGING EACH OTHER WHAT YOU EAT FOR THAT DAY! ALSO PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER IS A HUGE HELP TOO! IN ADDITION IF YOU WANT, JOIN OR EVEN CREATE A DIETBET AND WIN YOUR FRIENDS MONEY! =)

I'M NOT EXACTLY SURE WHEN MY SISTER AND I STARTED SENDING FACEBOOK MESSAGES EVERY DAY TELLING EACH OTHER WHAT WE ATE THAT DAY BUT I AM SURE THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST REASONS I KEPT LOSING WEIGHT. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR MY SISTER. SHE ACTUALLY ALSO MOTIVATED ME TO START RUNNING TOO BECAUSE SHE WAS INTO THAT BIG TIME AND LOVED IT. THE LAST MONTH OR SO WE STOPPED MESSAGING BECAUSE OF BEING BUSY AND WHAT NOT BUT BOTH OF US REALIZED HOW WE REALLY NEED THE ACCOUNTABILITY. YESTERDAY SHE SENT ME A MESSAGE AND I AM EXCITED TO START DOING IT AGAIN. BUT JUST BEING HONEST, THIS MORNING I ATE A HALF OF A BAGEL INSTEAD OF EZEKIEL BREAD AND NOW I HAVE TO CONFESS IT TO MY SISTER =/ HAHA. NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOW IT WILL MOTIVATE ME AGAIN TO RETHINK BEFORE I DECIDE TO EAT SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T. 

MY LOVE AND HATE RELATIONSHIP WITH DIETBET...

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF DIETBET?! IT'S PRETTY GENIUS! WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT AND MAKE SOME MONEY AT THE SAME TME!? BASICALLY WHAT IT IS, IS A WEBSITE WHERE YOU SIGN UP AND JOIN A GAME WHERE YOU PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THE POT AND YOU WEIGH YOURSELF BY TAKING A PICTURE OF YOUR FEET, THE SCALE AND A WORD THEY GIVE YOU. THEN YOU HAVE TO LOSE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND TAKE A PIC AGAIN AT THE END WITH A WORD THEY GIVE YOU AND IF YOU ARE A WINNER THEN YOU GET TO SPLIT THE POT WITH ALL THE OTHER WINNERS! I STARTED DOING DIETBETS IN THE BEGINNING OF 2013 BECAUSE OF MY COUSIN, JENI WHO INTRODUCED IT TO ME. THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT FORM OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND MOTIVATION. I HAD DONE THE REGULAR LOSE 4% IN A MONTH DIETBETS AND THEN IN NOVEMBER OF 2013 I JOINED THE TRANSFORMER DIETBET WHICH IS A 6 MONTH LONG BET WHERE YOU LOSE 10% OF YOUR WEIGHT. IT WAS A LONG BATTLE BUT THANKFULLY ON MAY 5TH OF 2014 I FINALLY WON THAT BET AND MADE A TON OF MONEY. 

UNFORTUNATELY THE LAST FEW ROUNDS OF THE BET WAS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO MAKE WEIGH INS AND THERE WERE SEVERAL TIMES WHERE I WOULD FAST FOR A COUPLE DAYS AND GO TO A SAUNA AND SOMETIMES EVEN RUN A COUPLE MILES AFTER FASTING FOR A COUPLE DAYS JUST TO MAKE A WEIGH IN. I KNEW THIS WASN'T HEALTHY AND SO I DECIDED I WON'T DO ANOTHER DIETBET FOR A LONG TIME. HOWEVER IF YOU ARE SOMEONE WHO IS REALLY MOTIVATED BY MONEY AND HAVE LOTS TO LOSE THEN I TOTALLY SUGGEST JOINING A BET! 

I THINK I AM STARTING TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE I NEED TO FOCUS ON MEASUREMENTS RATHER THAN WEIGHT ESPECIALLY SINCE I AM STRENGTH TRAINING A LOT MORE NOW AND MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT!

TIP #5 SET GOALS! NOT CRAZY UNATTAINABLE GOALS BUT LITTLE GOALS! THOSE LITTLE GOALS ADD UP AND THEN 8 MONTHS LATER YOU REALIZE YOU JUST LOST 50 LBS! ALSO REWARD YOURSELF IN LITTLE WAYS WHEN YOU REACH GOALS!

IT MIGHT JUST BE MY PERSONALITY BUT I LOOOOVE SETTING GOALS. I HAVE 2 CALENDARS AT WORK, MY CALENDAR IN MY PHONE AND A DAILY PLANNER I CARRY AROUND WITH ME AND ON EACH OF THOSE CALENDARS EVERY WEEK I WOULD RECORD MY WEIGHT. MY WEIGH IN DAY FOR MYSELF WAS MONDAYS AND I ALWAYS TRIED TO REACH MY NEXT GOAL. ONE REASON I MADE IT MONDAY WAS BECAUSE THEN IT FORCED ME TO BE GOOD OVER THE WEEKEND (JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND) I ALSO LOVE SETTING CERTAIN EVENTS AS A GOAL. FOR EXAMPLE MY 26TH BIRTHDAY WAS A BIG GOAL FOR ME. I WANTED TO BE UNDER A CERTAIN WEIGHT BEFORE I TURNED 26 AND I MADE IT! THANKSGIVING WAS ANOTHER GOAL AND OF COURSE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS. THEN OF COURSE I HAD GOALS ATTACHED TO THE DIETBETS I WAS DOING. THESE GOALS REALLY HELPED ME TO KEEP GOING. REACHING A CERTAIN BMI IS AN EXCELLENT GOAL TOO! WHEN I FINALLY MADE IT INTO THE "NORMAL WEIGHT" CATEGORY ACCORDING TO THE BMI CHART- I WAS SO HAPPY!

I ALSO HAVE GOALS SET FOR MY RUNNING AND FOR MY STRENGTH TRAINING. SOON I AM GOING TO SET MEASUREMENT GOALS SINCE WEIGHT IS BECOMING HARDER AND HARDER TO LOSE. I DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE YOU TO WRITE DOWN SOME GOALS FOR YOURSELF!

ANOTHER ASPECT ABOUT GOALS IS REWARDING YOURSELF WHEN YOU REACH THOSE GOALS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S JUST MY PERSONALITY AGAIN BUT I LOVE GETTING REWARDED WHEN I ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. THIS HAS ACTUALLY BEEN ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MY WEIGHT BECAUSE ONE OF MY FAVORITE WAYS TO REWARD MYSELF IS TO EAT SOMETHING DELICIOUS. SO I STARTED THINKING OF NEW WAYS TO REWARD MYSELF. RYAN TOLD ME THAT IF I MADE THE 6 MONTH LONG DIETBET THAT I COULD GO ON A MINI SHOPPING SPREE FOR NEW CLOTHES- THIS MOTIVATED ME A LOT! =) SO TRY TO THINK OF WAYS YOU CAN REWARD YOURSELF WHEN YOU REACH YOUR GOALS! BUT MAKE SURE YOU DON'T TRANSFER YOUR ADDICTION INTO BECOMING A SHOPAHOLIC OR SOMETHING ELSE! HAHA. BUT ALSO SOMETIMES THOSE REWARDS CAN BE FOOD- JUST DON'T GO NUTS! I REMEMBER AFTER WINNING ANOTHER DIETBET, I DECIDED TO TREAT MYSELF TO CHICKEN PAD THAI (ONE OF MY FAVORITE MEALS) AND IT WAS GLORIOUS! BUT REMEMBER ONCE YOU CUT OUT SWEETS AND STARCHY CARBS, YOUR BODY CRAVES THEM LESS UNTIL YOU EAT THEM AGAIN. AT LEAST FOR ME WHEN I EAT SWEETS I SEEM TO KEEP WANTING MORE. SO JUST BE SURE TO KEEP A HEALTHY BALANCE AND A CLEAR CUT OFF POINT TO HOW MUCH FOOD YOU ARE REWARDING YOURSELF WITH. IT'S ALL ABOUT MODERATION =)

THIS PAST FEBRUARY I BEGAN GOING TO A NEW PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN AND I TOLD HER ABOUT MY RECENT WEIGHTLOSS. SHE WAS VERY COMPLIMENTARY AND ALSO ENCOURAGED ME TO KEEP GOING. ONE THING SHE SAID STOOD OUT TO ME. SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU "BLOW" YOUR DIET OR "REWARD" YOURSELF FROM BEING GOOD FOR A WHILE, JUST MAKE SURE YOU MAKE THE MOST OF IT. DRAG OUT EATING THAT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE AND REALLY SAVOR AND APPRECIATE IT. THIS IS SOMETHING I TRY TO DO NOW WHEN I EAT- REALLY APPRECIATE THE FOOD I AM EATING INSTEAD OF GETTING A CRAVING AND RUNNING TO THE FRIDGE AND SCARFING DOWN WHATEVER SWEET THING I CAN FIND. 

TIP #6 MAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR HEALTH. TAKE TIME TO PLAN OUT WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO EAT FOR THE WEEK. TAKE TIME TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO SOMEONE ON A DAILY BASIS. TAKE TIME TO WORKOUT.

I'M NOT GONNA LIE, IT TAKES TIME AND A LOT OF IT TOO...

YUP. I KNOW LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE TAKES SO MUCH FREAKING TIME- IT'S RIDICULOUS BUT OH SO WORTH IT! I AM AN EXTREMELY BUSY PERSON. IT'S THE ONLY WAY I LIKE TO BE. I HAVE NEVER BEEN BORED A DAY IN MY WHOLE ENTIRE LIFE. I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW A PERSON CAN BE BORED. I WISH I DIDN'T NEED SLEEP BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE I ALWAYS NEED MORE TIME IN A DAY AND IF I COULD RUN ON 2 HOURS OF SLEEP I TOTALLY WOULD, HAHA. I ALWAYS HAVE SOME KIND OF PROJECT GOING ON OR SOME KIND OF EVENT TO PLAN OR SOME KIND OF MEETING TO ATTEND, ETC. NOT TO MENTION THAT WHEN I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET THINGS DONE OR WHATEVER I GET STRESSED OUT AND I DEFINITELY AM NOT ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO STOP OR FORGET TO EAT OR HAVE AN UPSET STOMACH FROM THE STRESS- HECK NO THAT'S NOT ME! I WANT TO EAT ALL THE FOOD I CAN SO IT WILL COMFORT ME! SO WHEN I HAD THE REALIZATION HOW MY LIFE WAS HEADING IN THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY 2013 I KNEW THAT I NEEDED TO SET SOME BOUNDARIES FOR MYSELF AND START SAYING NO TO THINGS AND ALSO TAKING TIME FOR MYSELF. I TOLD RYAN THAT I WAS GOING TO TAKE A STEP BACK FROM HELPING SO MUCH WITH OUR CAMPUS MINISTRY GROUP AND I ALSO STOPPED GOING TO A COUPLE MEETINGS I WAS REGULARLY ATTENDING ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THIS IS ANOTHER ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I HAVE DONE FOR MYSELF. I FINALLY HAD THE TIME TO REALLY START PLANNING MY ATTACK ON OVEREATING AND BEING UNHEALTHY. I STARTED DOING ALL THE THINGS I LISTED ABOVE WHICH TAKE LOTS OF TIME AND PLANNING. IT'S HARD TO NOT DO ERRANDS OR WATCH MY FAVORITE LUNCHTIME TV SHOW, THE CHEW, (LOL) OR JUST PLAIN RELAX DURING MY LUNCH BREAKS BUT INSTEAD RUN AND WORKOUT. I AM TEMPTED A LOT ESPECIALLY WHEN I HAVE A LOT GOING ON TO NOT WORKOUT AND DO SOMETHING ELSE PRODUCTIVE BUT IT'S JUST NOT WORTH IT. IT'S HARD INTENTIONALLY PLANNING OUT MY MEALS AND MAKING SURE I ALWAYS HAVE THE RIGHT FOODS IN MY HOME. BUT I HAVE REALIZED THAT I HAVE TO DESIGNATE THE TIME FOR MY HEALTH AND STOP MAKING EXCUSES. TODAY IS RIDE YOUR BIKE TO WORK DAY AND YES IT TOOK A LITTLE EXTRA TIME AND EFFORT THAN JUST DRIVING TO WORK BUT IT'S JUST SO MUCH HEALTHIER! TRY TO FIND WAYS THAT YOU CAN USE YOUR TIME TO INVEST IN A HEALTHIER YOU!

THE COOL PART IS THAT WHEN YOU TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF IN THE END YOU WILL HAVE TIME TO GIVE. LIKE I SAID EARLIER THERE WERE SO MANY DAYS I DIDN'T WANT TO HANG OUT WITH ANYONE OR DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I FELT FAT AND UGLY AND I SAW THIS HAPPEN EVEN IN MY MINISTRIES. I NOTICED THAT I DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO HANG OUT WITH COLLEGE STUDENTS OR TALK WITH FRIENDS GOING THROUGH HARD TIMES BECAUSE I WAS STRUGGLING MYSELF. SO DON'T LOOK AT IT AS BEING SELFISH BY TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF. THANKFULLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD I DON'T HAVE THIS STRONGHOLD IN MY LIFE ANYMORE SO IF GOD WANTS ME TO GO MINISTER TO STUDENTS OR FRIENDS OR WHATEVER I AM FREE TO DO THAT WHICH IS IN HIS WILL AND PLAN WHERE I FIND TRUE JOY!

SO THOSE ARE MY 6 TIPS I HAVE LEARNED THAT HAVE HELPED ME TREMENDOUSLY IN MY WEIGHTLOSS JOURNEY. I CAN'T EVEN TELL YOU HOW GREAT I FEEL NOW THAT I AM MAKING HEALTHY CHOICES AND LIVING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE! IT REALLY IS LIKE NIGHT AND DAY. I AM HAPPIER, NOT ENVIOUS, MORE ENERGETIC, HOPEFUL, EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE AND SO MUCH MORE. BUT ALL IN ALL IT'S NOT OVER- IT'S NOT LIKE I HAVE ARRIVED. IT REALLY IS A DAY TO DAY STRUGGLE BUT WITH GOD'S GRACE AND ENCOURAGEMENT AND MOTIVATION FROM OTHER PEOPLE WE CAN MAKE THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER ONE DAY AT A TIME.

LOVE YOU ALL -KIMMY