Today a friend of mine shared with me a photo of me she took over a year ago after I had my son. I had just returned to work off maternity leave and was struggling with my "baby fat". I think I had deleted that picture out of sheer disappointment with how I looked, mind you I was not unattractive I simply felt uncomfortable with my weight. Need less to say that picture today motivated me to write this post a little sooner than later.
I am at the leanest I have ever been though I weigh 155lbs, my pre-baby clothes fit me better than they did back then. I look a lot better than I used to in some form fitting clothing like dresses, leggings and denim. I have greater muscle definition. I am overall a lot more confident and comfortable in my skin than I ever was My weight lose journey like my hair journey has been a lesson in patience, progression and self acceptance.
I must admit that growing up I was always uncomfortable with my weight and had to live through feeling ugly when compared to my older sister, cousins and friends. I was always working out at some time or another, but never understood how nutrition played a key role in weight loss/management. As a result I would go on some binge diet for a week or two lose a few pounds only for it to return and I would be depressed.
After my pregnancy it hit me like a tone of bricks how overweight and unfit I was and how my health would soon get affected. I could have simply sank through the floor hearing the results of my Health Risk Assessment (HRA) last May. In that moment I decided that I was going to live my best life now! Not tomorrow or next week or next year, I was going to start today.
The internet and social media was a big motivator and source of information for me; I started researching how to lose weight the healthy way and made notes of the most consistent pointers (Nutrition and Exercise). I eventually found some amazingly fit moms on Instagram from Natalie Jill (Nutritionist, Fitness Model and Trainer), My Nguyen (Meal Prep Guru) and Audrey (Fitness Fanatic). I have since expanded my reach to other fitness pages on IG to keep me motivated and to get workout tips, as I do my work out from home.
In the beginning people would look at me funny when I made the trek ever so often up and down the hill side behind where I lived. Or worse took me to task about my green smoothies or me giving up some foods saying "that's too much", "but eating healthy is hard and expensive" or give me the "what's wrong with your weight" line. I made P90X my best friend and have found a new appreciation for burpies, planks and squats. All I kept hearing is the instructor saying "its gorgeous stuff...I hate it but I love it" it was and still my mantra.
It was not easy I felt like stopping lots of times and had to keep reminding myself why I start and where I want to be. It is not a diet for me anymore and I annoyed when people use that term to me; it a lifestyle change that I progress in each day. You too can be fit and healthy and look great without starving yourself or thinking you have to be skinny.
I get asked very often how I did it and these are some helpful tips:
- Make your weight lose and/or fitness goal so long term you never want to quit
- Believe you can do it; change your mind and change your life
- Surround yourself with like minded people OR learn to shut the detractors out!
- Find support groups or people that can motivate you and offer meaningful advise
- Research meal ideas to help you transition from eating processed/junk food to eating healthy and cleaner
- Start out slow, pace yourself and track your progress...it takes 12 weeks for people to notice your body changing give it time
- Put AWAY the scale and measuring tape it will only depress you!
- Use progression as marker for success; how much you have improved based on where you started
- Finally...TRUST THE PROCESS
These are some before and after pictures to get you and keep you motivated.
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| Progress from June 2013 through to April 2014 |
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| February 2014 March 2014 |
April 2013 to March 2014 (clockwise)
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| July 2013 May 2014 |
Please let me know if you need more detailed information on how I lost weight, ladies I mentioned in my post or what I do now for motivation and work out.
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Peace, Love, Prayers.
The Beautiful One
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