Update - Post Transformation

Okay, so I know you're all dying to know how I'm doing post-transformation. Things are going well. I'm still working out full force. I am still implementing some of the Paleo lifestyle into my eating.

At my party last week, Bobby surprised me with a 6 month membership to Core 24. He had mentioned it to me at one of my first workouts with him, but he never said anything else about it so I didn't really put any more thought into it. PLUS, my 2 best friends from college (Jessica and Erica) surprised me with a 6 month unlimited membership to the studio (Inspire 4 Life Fitness)! I am unbelievably blessed to have these people in my life that want to invest in my health and fitness! I picked up a couple more classes at the studio this week and did a workout at the gym today. I'm working on getting a real workout schedule done so I know what I'm doing when.

I have 2 5ks coming up within the next 6 months. One is the Color Run in Charlotte on November 17th. Then there is another 5k I want to do in January in Atlanta called the Hot Chocolate 5k! The only thing about the one in Atlanta is that there is a 15 minute mile pace requirement. Right now I am at about a 22 minute mile pace. That is one of my goals -- to get to the 15 minutes. I actually started working on that today at the gym. I hit the treadmill with some hills and started increasing my speed. I know it's going to take ALOT and even some running/jogging, but I'll make it! I'm hoping to be under 20 minutes/mile by the 5k in November -- 8 weeks! We'll see how that goes!

In the meantime, I'm just working as hard as I can to get further in my journey. My next goal date is March 22nd. I'll be having dinner with Erica and Jessica for E's birthday. It's part of their "gift" to me. They want to know numbers and progress that day. I'm ready to knock their socks off! :)

One Year

Today marks one year that I have been on my weight-loss journey. It has been one heck of a year. If you don't know my back story, you can read it here. It's just hard to believe that it has actually been a whole year, 12 months, since I started changing my life for the better. It has taken a true mental dedication to stick to this. I know in my head and my heart that if I hadn't started this journey, I might not be alive. That's just the honest truth. My doctor blatantly told me that if things didn't change, I would die early. I didn't want to die, so I changed! My eating habits are completely different than they were 12 months ago. My activity level is MUCH higher than it was last year. I have new friends and stronger friendships. I am blessed to have had the opportunities for healthy living that I have experienced over the past year. I have now have two 5ks under my belt....something I NEVER would have done or imagined I would do this time last year. AND I have a third 5k scheduled for November in Charlotte with a new friend and 2 friends from college. My life is so much better.

I want to thank a few people specifically. First of all - Jessica. I thank God that we met in Spanish class 10 years ago! God knew I would need you in my life for this very reason. You have always been honest with me, even when it hurts -- and I know it has sometimes. You have kept me grounded and focused on my goals. Thank you for always standing by me and continuing to be a TRUE friend.  Leah - thank you for being my walking buddy. You have helped keep me on track as well. Had it not been for you, I would have never hit the pavement. You have pushed me to do extra things that I never thought I would do (Zumba, the 5k). Thank you for your friendship. Laurie - thank you for accepting me in your Zumba class. You have never judged me and I can't even begin to tell you how much that means. You have been so supportive and encouraging. You keep me excited to exercise. Your dedication and commitment to health and fitness is contagious. I only hope I can pass the excitement along! To Bobby and Carlos - thank you for working with me during this transformation over the past 6 weeks. Both of you have really pushed me beyond my limits. I never thought I would run or lift weights like you have made me do. You have a dedication to fitness as well. Thank you for making me realize that I'll never know what I'm capable of until I push beyond the pain.


I have so many other people to thank for all of their encouragement and support. There are so many that have made such an impact on my journey. I would never be able to thank or recognize them all. If you read this blog, THANK YOU! Knowing that my story is reaching others is so encouraging. My whole reason for blogging has become so that people who may be feeling the same way I do or facing the same struggles I am know that they are not alone. It helps so much to know that! Life is about sharing experiences with others and I am thankful I can share mine with each of you.

Catching You Back Up

As you might have noticed, I didn’t get much of a chance to blog last week. So let me try to catch you up! I left you having made my 8,000 step goal for Tuesday; well I met that goal again Wednesday! I hit 8, 312 steps Wednesday and 7,517 Thursday. I’m definitely making strides toward that 10,000 mark! I can pretty much guarantee that I’ll hit 10k tomorrow because I am walking a 5k in the morning! I haven’t said much about it because, honestly, I’m not really prepared for it. It still hasn’t sunk in that I’m really doing one again. My sister-in-law asked me if I wanted to do it with her (she’s actually doing the 10k) and my nephew, and possibly my brother. Obviously I said yes but my mind just isn’t completely there this time. I’m actually kinda nervous about it right now. I know I can do it, that’s not the issue. I just haven’t prepared for it by walking like I should, plus my legs are KILLING me from my workout with Bobby yesterday. He did actually prepare me for it a little bit without even knowing it. We went to the gym (Core 24) to workout yesterday and he had me “warm-up” and “cool down” on the treadmill. He had my speed at like 2.6-2.7 with an incline of 2.5-3.0! My body is not used to that…my LEGS are not used to that! And on top of that, he had me doing leg extensions with 30lbs. My thighs are screaming at me today!! I just hope they feel better tomorrow for this race. Carlos actually said he wanted to see me run the next one! Yeah, we’ll see about that! LOL

Speaking of Carlos, I worked out with him Thursday before our Inspired! meeting and Zumba. And of course he made me run again. We didn’t have a whole lot of time to work out. I went straight there after work, changed clothes and we got going around 4:15pm; our meeting started at 4:45pm. We did about 4 rounds of running, kettlebell squats/raises, and modified burpees. The running actually aggravated my hip from where I “hurt” it Tuesday, but I did it and it didn’t kill me! I did feel like I was falling apart by the end of the night though. I have developed a bone spur on the top of my foot and that started hurting, plus my hip was already bothering me, then I started getting calf cramps during Zumba! Again, I still made it. There’s a quote image that I found a while back that rings true in situations just like this…

Friday I didn’t have a workout because I had a surprise birthday party for my 2nd mama (my best friend’s mom). I did well at her party though as far as Paleo goes. I had some chicken salad (no sandwich), some veggies, and fruit. I stayed away from the cake, even though I had to cut it. I didn’t even lick my fingers! We had a great time.

Today was homecoming at our church. I wasn’t really looking forward to it because of all the food I couldn’t eat. I wanted to dig in so bad, but I didn’t. I actually brought my own stuff to make a salad for my lunch. I did enjoy a little bit of the apple and cherry crisp that my mom made, but mainly ate the fruit filling and not so much of the topping. I couldn’t even eat much of it because it started becoming too much.

I’m proud of myself and the obstacles I overcame this weekend. That was actually the main topic of our Inspired! meeting this week, obstacles. We talked about different things that stand in our way of staying on target for our goals. This weekend it was special occasions for me. The biggest thing is being prepared. Carlos mentioned planning out your meals on Sundays. Honestly, if you don’t prepare, you set yourself up for failure. That doesn’t mean you can’t overcome, but the odds are stacked against you to make bad decisions. I knew there would be fruits and veggies at the party Friday, so I wasn’t worried. Today, I knew there wouldn’t be anything I could eat, so I took my own. "By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail." (Ben Franklin)

Today is the day you can take control of your life. Take the necessary steps to get where you want to be. You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.

One Day at a Time

Those of you that read my blog know the struggles I posted about on Monday night. Let me just say I am so eternally grateful for all the support you've given me! I know that, in light of my issues, I still have people around me that are concerned and want to see me succeed. I talked to one of those people on the phone last night -- Jessica (my BFF & accountability partner). I knew that she would be able to help me get my head and heart back in the "game". After all, it was a conversation with HER 9 months ago that helped kick my butt into gear and start this journey for real! Being able to talk to her just helped me to refocus my energy and figure out where all this is coming from. I still haven't really figured it out, but I'm taking it one step at a time...one day at a time!

Today was a success. Yes, I went over on my calories, but I didn't feel guilty about it. It wasn't because I over-indulged  or over-ate. Supper wasn't the best choice, but it was okay. My biggest accomplishment today was not eating all the snacks/junk I normally do. It's embarrassing to say, but today is the first day in a while that my snacking calories didn't exceed any of my meal calories. I didn't even have a snack until after lunch today, and then it was pretzels with this new individual chocolate cream cheese cups that I found! Delish! Some of you may not think that's much of an accomplishment, but to me it's HUGE! I had a great workout at Zumba tonight and I'm ready to tackle another day! Right now that's what I have to focus on -- one day at a time. If I look too far ahead, I know I'll get overwhelmed again and go right back to where I was. I can't afford that.


I found these quotes on Jesse Duplantis's Facebook today:

Don't allow the world's ideas to rob you of your self-confidence. The world doesn't know you like your Creator knows you.

The devil is destined to lose and you are anointed to win. Praise God!

Don't give up on yourself...God hasn't.

That last one really got to me. God has faith in me, I just have to realize that and start putting one foot in front of the other again. He is here beside me cheering me on. He is whispering in my ear, "You CAN do this!" I cannot give up! I have too much to fight for. I can't afford to die! I want to LIVE! I'm not out of the woods yet. I still have issues to deal with, but I'm in a better mindset than I have been. I know I will make it through this -- one day at a time...

God's Blessing

You know, I look back at all the happenings in my life since high school and I can see God's hand in all of it. What I thought was the "love" of my life since HS loving someone else who became my best friend....hating Erskine during Business School to getting a full ride....losing all my scholarships, but still providing the funds for me to stay at there....being in Spanish classes with upperclassmen who became my closest friends....a caring gynecologist who referred me to a point-blank cardiologist....a pregnant friend that pushed through a 5k with me....being unemployed for over a year and allowing me to help care for my premature nephew....giving me a job that I ended up dreading going in to but giving me friendships that will last outside of that place.....friendships that lead to new opportunities....a new job that will lead to GREATER possibilities and blessings....

I'm just being honest with you -- had it not been for God allowing/providing specific events in my life, I would not be where I am today with the friends that keep me going. I cannot even begin to express my many thanks to God for his bountiful blessings in my life over the past few months and even years. I thank God for my experiences at my previous job(s) -- both good and bad. I have learned from them and grown into who I am today. I thank God for my college experience and education. It led me to one of my most faithful friends! I thank God for Thirty-One. It has renewed friendships, provided new experiences, and rewarding opportunities. And, as strange as it may seem, I thank God for annual check-ups and high-blood pressure. God has used doctor appointments to open my eyes and jump start me on a journey that I know I should have started a LONG time ago. God has completely changed my life over the past year especially. I cannot wait to see what the next year holds!

I Am Who I Am

My honest statement: My weight/health is what it is because I ate what I ate and didn't do what I should have done. I'm changing that now. I have been on this journey whole-heartedly since September 11, 2011. I kinda started before that, but that date is when I consciously made the decision to attack this thing full-force. That is the day I first measured....my starting point. One thing that I keep in my head is that "The only thing standing in the way of me is ME!"

This is a personal journey that only I can take. No one can do it for me. I have to be the one to change. I have to be the one to eat different. I have to be the one to get out and walk. I have to be the one to do the exercises. But even though this is a personal journey, it is SO beneficial to have someone walking with me....literally and figuratively. So I cannot even begin to tell you how much it means to have an accountability partner! If you're on a similar journey, I encourage you to get one if you don't already. I'll be glad to stand by you if you can't find one. It has made such a difference in my decisions and confidence. If it were not for Jessica and Leah, my 2 main partners, I can pretty much guarantee that I would have given up a long time ago!

This journey is HARD, it gets discouraging, I have failed -- but with people by my side, it's easier to get back up and keep going. They push me, support me, criticize me, encourage me....I am blessed to have them on this journey with me. I'm sure you're saying to yourself, "Criticize you??" YES, the provide me with criticisms that I wouldn't accept from anyone else.  One of my favorite quotes right now is this: Cherish the friend who tells you a harsh truth, wanting ten times more to tell you a loving lie. *Robert Brault* I am lucky to have them be truthful to me. Yes, it's hard sometimes, but I know they love me. I know this because they tell me the truth and don't beat around the bush with me or try to sugar-coat things. It's scary, but I know they're behind me 100% -- success or fail...and they push me so I don't fail!

It feels so good to finally get back on track with paying more attention to what I am eating and putting in my body and exercising. I'll admit, the past few weeks have not been great. But I can tell you why -- I didn't have any goals. I hadn't sat down, talked it out, and committedly decided what I would be working on. I have some set goals now though. They are:

1. Eat out only 3 times/week.
2. Eat less than 3 snacks/day.
3. Exercise 4 times/week.
4. Blog 4 times/week.
5. Drink more water!

It is so important to have goals. And it takes a plan to achieve your goals. I encourage you to take some time, sit down, and map out your goals. It doesn't have to necessarily be for weight-loss, it could be for your career or just life in general. Just DO IT!!!!

10 Days

I have a new found love in my exercise routine....ZUMBA! I've seen the infomercials on TV and all these people talk about it, but never thought I'd really be able to do it. Well, last week, my walking buddy - Leah - bought Zumba for the Wii. OMG -- it is so much fun!!! Monday last week, we played Just Dance 3 because it was too cold outside. Tuesday is when she got the Zumba game and we did 20 minutes that night. Let me just tell you - it's not a difficult as I thought it would be and it is so much fun! I burned as many calories in that 20 minutes of dancing as I do in 45 minutes of walking! Thursday we did walk 2 miles but Friday we picked Zumba right back up!

Sunday, I met my accountability partner, Jessica, in Greenville to do a trial "run" through of the 5k I'm doing on the 21st....YES, you read that right -- I am walking a 5k (3.1 miles)! I took a map so I could see exactly where the course was and what it was going to be like. We ended up turning the wrong way and almost ended up in the ghetto of downtown Greenville! :-o ...anyway, It's going to be tough, but I know I can do it. I am determined to do it! Leah and Jessica are both going to do it with me. Leah is going to run/walk it though. I am so excited about it -- I can't wait! :) My sister is even going to make up shirts for us (she works at a trophy shop where they do some t-shirt work). It'll look something like this...

(the small part up top will be on the front, the other will be on the back)

Now back to my workouts...I was pretty sore on Monday. I expected it though. HOWEVER, I still ended up going to an actual Zumba class with Leah that was 45 MINUTES long! Oh yeah, my feet hurt pretty bad and I sweat up a storm -- but it was so much fun! I took last night off but met back up with Leah tonight to do another Zumba workout on the Wii. This time we did the mid-length class that was [again] 45 minutes long. Between both of those classes, I have burned over 2500 calories already this week...not including my 3 mile walk on Sunday...how crazy is that!?! It is so much fun that you don't really realize you're working out!

Well, it is my bedtime....can't wait to share more of my journey with you later! :) g'nite folks!!!