How it all began, and common questions I get on my weight loss journey!
I've posted a few videos and a blog or two on my recent lifestyle change and accomplishments. I decided to finally put some time into this blog, and share some of my techniques and frequently asked questions! I hope this can maybe inspire someone else, who once like me thought they could never lose weight or get their ideal body.
I began my journey on January 30, 2013. My desire to be healthier and lose weight didn't start there, however. All my life I remember being the "bigger" friend in most of my crowds. Whether I was truly large as a person didn't matter. In comparison, I always stood out. Over the years being 5'8'' I always managed to stay between 150 pounds and slowly gain until one day I reached 206 pounds. At first, I was in denial. I truly believed that others "didn't see it", simply because I felt I dressed well enough to "hide" my body, and I often took photo's of myself that complimented me (or so I thought).
(It wasn't quite THAT dramatic, but you get the picture, hehe)
A common misconception to fit/healthy/thin people is that everyone who is overweight is miserable, unhappy, and insecure. This is the part that may baffle some of you! I was actually NOT unhappy, nor insecure. I obviously wouldn't go posting photo's in a bikini or anything, but I did wear one while with friends, I had the courage to begin a YouTube channel, and I even was extremely happy. It helped that I was in a committed long term relationship that went from 1 year, to 2 years, to 3, and now 4 years. I didn't feel an itch to "go lose weight" because I was very comfortable and felt no need to change. That was true UNTIL I got on the scale in December 2012 and realized I had gone over 200 pounds! I didn't even think that was possible. I would shop and notice clothes sizes getting bigger and bigger, but for some reason it never upset me, because my mindset has always been "wear what fits, look nicer" and I never truly SAW how incredibly big I had gotten.
The first few things that come to mind when I recall past times is when others would snap a photo OF me, I was extremely uncomfortable, unhappy, unsatisfied that it was anyone's camera or phone versus my very own- where I had the leisure to delete, change, and choose what I upload. After realizing this and seeing that I was in fact HIDING most of me, I decided enough was enough and this time I was going to change for the better. No quick diet, no scam, no pills, no short term plan, but a real life style change...and a CHANGE it was!
The first thing I did was easy, I eliminated all soda in take. Some people say to go slow and cut down little by little. For myself, however, it works best when I go all or nothing method. I started to research what was being put into my body on a daily basis, so that helped cut my desire of wanting that product anymore. Soda is 100% sugar, starch, and fatty products just taking up calories and space, that I do not need. I asked my boyfriend for his help (since I live with him) and I asked kindly IF he purchases soda, keep it in his mini fridge away from me, giving me less temptation if any occurred. He was very helpful and willing to accomodate this easy change, and that began the first step.
Wherever and who ever you are living with MUST be aware of your life changes AND on board, because if not, it is incredibly hard to do this change by yourself with constant reminders and temptations all around. It also is important to clue in friends and family of your goals, simply so that they can take into consideration while offering you sweets, sodas, candy, nonsense things that you need to avoid during your first few weeks.
Tip1: Gain support from all directions. Tell friends, family, living mates about your plan and goal, eliminate possible temptation.
Tip 2: Research the food you are putting into your body. Search the calories on common bought fast foods, snacks, dips, ect to really realize what cutting out some of these foods/drinks can do for you (for the better) A very, very common phone app that anyone can freely download is "MyFitnessPal" That allows you to log in your foods/snacks/beverages and it also shows you how many calories it is. You can even add in your workouts or walking time for the day to show what you have "burned off". It is free and easy to use, I recommend it while starting out. Eventually, you'll memorize and get the hang of what meals are how many calories.
Tip 3: Buy a George Foreman (No, you don't have to, but this is what works for me!) This small grill comes in about 3-4 different sizes and prices. I recommend a mini one that can be bought at Target, Walmart, Any grocery store, and department store that sells kitchen ware. The small one is enough for 1-2 people to cook upon, and it only cost between 15-20$. Its easy to take with you to places if you know there will be a kitchen/plug in site, and you can spray pam or olive oil onto the grill and simply cook chicken, steak, fish, veggies, ect. It's also extremely easy to clean and put away which helps with time and management.
Tip 4: Invest in some type of calorie burning watch. I personally purchased the Polar F4 which comes with a heart monitor strap and it accurately tells me how many calories I have worked off. This one costs about 80-90$ and can sometime be bought online for cheaper. It is very useful and helps me keep on track of not only what I am burning, but also how much stronger and better I get with each workout I can compare to.
Tip 5: Meal prepping! This is a bit time consuming but worth every minute! If you're on the go a lot or even just at work during the week, if you can cook your meals for the next few days and separate them into containers, its easy to keep eating 'clean' and having your meals already available. A lot of people don't enjoy eating fast food, but result to doing so because of the ease and speed of it. Just keep in mind how bad that food is for you, and no matter how many calories you're burning off, the calories you put into your body matter MORE.
Tip 6: Keep either a photo diary of your progress or simply write down your measurements, beginning and during the journey. It won't be just a thirty day or sixty day journey, sometime depending on your goal it can take up to half a year or a full year or even more. But don't give up! Many of us do not see the results we desire in the amount of time we think we should be seeing the results, and instead of working harder and pushing ourselves farther, we give up and stop out of frustration. DON'T STOP! Its so important to keep going during the days you feel "there is no point" these are the times that will make that difference. Whether you go for a light walk or a sprint, anything is better than staying indoors and doing nothing. Do not waste any day that you are fit to go workout.
Tip 7: Take the rest days, when your body tells you. For some, they have designated days due to parties or planning/events that come up, so they decide to skip the gym for those days. Others have just simple "Mondays and Thursdays" as their rest day. For me personally, I listen to my body. If I consecutively go to the gym four days in a row, and the fifth day my knees hurt or my body is sore and tired (not from being lazy or lack of sleep, but physically hurt) I stop and take that next day to re cooperate Not only is the following day better of a workout but on that rest day I regather and remind myself what this is all about-reaching a goal. You can not reach that goal if you're injured, hurt, or in pain. You have to take care of yourself and get the proper amount of rest and sleep to be healthy and fit for the following day. Never push yourself when your body tells you to take a day off. A lot of people on social networking sites push the "No days off" idea, and although that sounds great and ideal, I do disagree because I personally feel rest days are necessary.
Tip 8: Have fun! Once your body is used to this new lifestyle you will see the changes in how your clothes fit! You will see how happier and more confident you have become. You may not have even realized that you lacked confidence, but once you start to look better, you instantly feel better and it's a high that no one can describe. "Nothing tastes as good as fit feels" Is the best statement. Notice I do not say skinny, because the goal for me is not to be skinny. It is to be healthy and fit. You will also notice an increased amount of energy you now have due to all the activity you have added in your everyday life.
Tip 9: Go shopping, but not too much! As you do lose more and more weight you will need new clothes, soon, because everything will be falling off! I recommend not over doing it, until you are at the place that you're satisfied. I have gone from a size 13 back to a size 9 that I was during 2009. It truly is an amazing feeling, and its one that I Earned myself.
Common questions: "What made you start, how do you stay motivated, is it hard to stay away from all the snacks and desserts?"
I answered what made me start above on this blog, but to put it in simpler terms: I just really wanted it. I can't recall how many times my loving parents tried to motivate me to get back into shape. See, they noticed how big I was getting whereas I just was constantly defensive and played the "I'm fiiine... I look fiiine" card. I truly thought I was fine! I didn't notice what they all were seeing. YOU have to want this, though. YOU have to realize that the change needs to happen. It cannot be for anyone else but yourself. If you do it for others, you will soon stop, give up, forget, lose focus. When you want it for yourself, you are the one pushing yourself and keeping motivated.
So, that brings me onto the next part. How do I stay motivated? Each time I get "off track" or want to "stop" and maybe give up, I remember why the heck I started this in the first place, and I think of all the previous times that I tried to achieve this lifestyle and stopped. (It also helps having people that are waiting for you to fail, because you can not only prove to yourself that you can do it, you can also shut up all of them!) I don't want to repeat the past. I want to show other young women, especially ones who are the size right now that I used to be- that EVERYONE can start somewhere.(Started from the bottom now we're here! lol) It just takes dedication and commitment and you're half way there.
When you really want a new item from a store or catalog, maybe you work extra hours to save up for this item. You know once you have that cash, you can now have the item. The body you want is a bit different because you can't just save up or wish for it or ask for it on a birthday/holiday, YOU have to put in TIME, sweat, tears, and love into it or else you'll eventually stop. You have to be able to say no to people who ask you to hang out, go out, drink, skip the gym, take a day off.... This might be easy for some of the more selfish people, but myself it was truly a hard task to learn. A LOT of friends and family members were so incredibly used to me always being there, saying yes, going above and beyond to ensure they got to see me/do what they want to, that when I began saying NO, sorry, can't, not tonight, it wasn't easy for them to hear. It's not THEIR fault, it's simply just something that was out of the norm, and unnatural almost because our entire relationship it was always taught to them that I will be there no matter what, and all of a sudden I changed my life around and priorities and it wasn't something easy to adjust with. Luckily, by now, month three, it's much easier for everyone to understand and I have also made it easier by switching up my routine to attend certain special gatherings.
The hardest part. Food. How do I stay away and not give into cravings?! You would think it's hard, because truthfully it is- at FIRST. The first MONTH is the hardest because more than likely you are used to eating WHAT you want, WHEN you want, WHERE you want. You don't think twice about that McChicken you just bought, or slipping 75 cents into that machine to hold you over to dinner. No one THINKS about these things because its so EASY and AVAILABLE and NORMAL to eat SHIT and not worry about the reality.
Most people don't weigh themselves ever, until going to a doctor and having to. Most people don't TRY to be better, they simply accept who they are becoming. DON'T be MOST people. BE YOURSELF and be the BEST version of yourself. The food was hard at first to change up and 'quit' certain snacks, but once you see your progress and you notice that it actually WORKS, you won't want that junk anymore. I promise. If you can make it just those thirty days to get yourself into the habit of the proper nutrition, it becomes second nature to pick up the right foods and avoid aisles and machines that only offer sugary filled junk food. I don't even SEE some of the things I walk past anymore because in my brain it has become a giant NO, EW, JUNK sign that goes off. I am only now attracted to whole foods, vegetables, lean meats and wheat breads. I don't honestly even want cake or McDonald's or anything like this, because I first hand KNOW how much hard work it took to burn off and sweat away. One donut is roughly 250 calories. That is TWO miles to run off that donut. That is twenty mins of weight training to burn off. Is it worth it? Not to me. Not anymore.
So at last, this is getting long, but I wanted to be as detail filled as I could :) I went from 206 pounds in January this year to 173 pounds now! I couldn't be prouder and happier. I feel better waking up in the morning, I can try on clothes that now almost always look nice and complimenting, versus before having to FIND the right clothes to make myself look a certain way. I can be stress-free majority of the time and here and there indulge in yogurts and snacks that I find to be "cheats".
I hope this inspired someone, anyone, or just simply was a fun read! Leave me comments with your thoughts/stories/questions!
If you aren't a reader I can be found on YouTube. Search the user name "Baybeebunny1"
If you're more into photo's only, I am also on Instagram: @suma1ra
And at last if you feel the need to stalk me I do have a twitter: @Suma1ra
Thank you so much for reading! Hope you liked! Share with others to inspire more people :)
I am not finished yet, just sharing thus far of the journey!
Also, in case you have trouble starting up on your own, Nici Sweany is someone who helps people get started and does '30' day at a time challenges to help others get the right diet and excerize started! You can contact her on Facebook here!
Love you, all!
-ssr
P.S: It feels SO good to be able to say.........
I began my journey on January 30, 2013. My desire to be healthier and lose weight didn't start there, however. All my life I remember being the "bigger" friend in most of my crowds. Whether I was truly large as a person didn't matter. In comparison, I always stood out. Over the years being 5'8'' I always managed to stay between 150 pounds and slowly gain until one day I reached 206 pounds. At first, I was in denial. I truly believed that others "didn't see it", simply because I felt I dressed well enough to "hide" my body, and I often took photo's of myself that complimented me (or so I thought).
A common misconception to fit/healthy/thin people is that everyone who is overweight is miserable, unhappy, and insecure. This is the part that may baffle some of you! I was actually NOT unhappy, nor insecure. I obviously wouldn't go posting photo's in a bikini or anything, but I did wear one while with friends, I had the courage to begin a YouTube channel, and I even was extremely happy. It helped that I was in a committed long term relationship that went from 1 year, to 2 years, to 3, and now 4 years. I didn't feel an itch to "go lose weight" because I was very comfortable and felt no need to change. That was true UNTIL I got on the scale in December 2012 and realized I had gone over 200 pounds! I didn't even think that was possible. I would shop and notice clothes sizes getting bigger and bigger, but for some reason it never upset me, because my mindset has always been "wear what fits, look nicer" and I never truly SAW how incredibly big I had gotten.
The first few things that come to mind when I recall past times is when others would snap a photo OF me, I was extremely uncomfortable, unhappy, unsatisfied that it was anyone's camera or phone versus my very own- where I had the leisure to delete, change, and choose what I upload. After realizing this and seeing that I was in fact HIDING most of me, I decided enough was enough and this time I was going to change for the better. No quick diet, no scam, no pills, no short term plan, but a real life style change...and a CHANGE it was!
The first thing I did was easy, I eliminated all soda in take. Some people say to go slow and cut down little by little. For myself, however, it works best when I go all or nothing method. I started to research what was being put into my body on a daily basis, so that helped cut my desire of wanting that product anymore. Soda is 100% sugar, starch, and fatty products just taking up calories and space, that I do not need. I asked my boyfriend for his help (since I live with him) and I asked kindly IF he purchases soda, keep it in his mini fridge away from me, giving me less temptation if any occurred. He was very helpful and willing to accomodate this easy change, and that began the first step.
Wherever and who ever you are living with MUST be aware of your life changes AND on board, because if not, it is incredibly hard to do this change by yourself with constant reminders and temptations all around. It also is important to clue in friends and family of your goals, simply so that they can take into consideration while offering you sweets, sodas, candy, nonsense things that you need to avoid during your first few weeks.
Tip1: Gain support from all directions. Tell friends, family, living mates about your plan and goal, eliminate possible temptation.
Tip 2: Research the food you are putting into your body. Search the calories on common bought fast foods, snacks, dips, ect to really realize what cutting out some of these foods/drinks can do for you (for the better) A very, very common phone app that anyone can freely download is "MyFitnessPal" That allows you to log in your foods/snacks/beverages and it also shows you how many calories it is. You can even add in your workouts or walking time for the day to show what you have "burned off". It is free and easy to use, I recommend it while starting out. Eventually, you'll memorize and get the hang of what meals are how many calories.
Tip 3: Buy a George Foreman (No, you don't have to, but this is what works for me!) This small grill comes in about 3-4 different sizes and prices. I recommend a mini one that can be bought at Target, Walmart, Any grocery store, and department store that sells kitchen ware. The small one is enough for 1-2 people to cook upon, and it only cost between 15-20$. Its easy to take with you to places if you know there will be a kitchen/plug in site, and you can spray pam or olive oil onto the grill and simply cook chicken, steak, fish, veggies, ect. It's also extremely easy to clean and put away which helps with time and management.
Tip 4: Invest in some type of calorie burning watch. I personally purchased the Polar F4 which comes with a heart monitor strap and it accurately tells me how many calories I have worked off. This one costs about 80-90$ and can sometime be bought online for cheaper. It is very useful and helps me keep on track of not only what I am burning, but also how much stronger and better I get with each workout I can compare to.
Tip 5: Meal prepping! This is a bit time consuming but worth every minute! If you're on the go a lot or even just at work during the week, if you can cook your meals for the next few days and separate them into containers, its easy to keep eating 'clean' and having your meals already available. A lot of people don't enjoy eating fast food, but result to doing so because of the ease and speed of it. Just keep in mind how bad that food is for you, and no matter how many calories you're burning off, the calories you put into your body matter MORE.
Tip 6: Keep either a photo diary of your progress or simply write down your measurements, beginning and during the journey. It won't be just a thirty day or sixty day journey, sometime depending on your goal it can take up to half a year or a full year or even more. But don't give up! Many of us do not see the results we desire in the amount of time we think we should be seeing the results, and instead of working harder and pushing ourselves farther, we give up and stop out of frustration. DON'T STOP! Its so important to keep going during the days you feel "there is no point" these are the times that will make that difference. Whether you go for a light walk or a sprint, anything is better than staying indoors and doing nothing. Do not waste any day that you are fit to go workout.
Tip 7: Take the rest days, when your body tells you. For some, they have designated days due to parties or planning/events that come up, so they decide to skip the gym for those days. Others have just simple "Mondays and Thursdays" as their rest day. For me personally, I listen to my body. If I consecutively go to the gym four days in a row, and the fifth day my knees hurt or my body is sore and tired (not from being lazy or lack of sleep, but physically hurt) I stop and take that next day to re cooperate Not only is the following day better of a workout but on that rest day I regather and remind myself what this is all about-reaching a goal. You can not reach that goal if you're injured, hurt, or in pain. You have to take care of yourself and get the proper amount of rest and sleep to be healthy and fit for the following day. Never push yourself when your body tells you to take a day off. A lot of people on social networking sites push the "No days off" idea, and although that sounds great and ideal, I do disagree because I personally feel rest days are necessary.
Tip 8: Have fun! Once your body is used to this new lifestyle you will see the changes in how your clothes fit! You will see how happier and more confident you have become. You may not have even realized that you lacked confidence, but once you start to look better, you instantly feel better and it's a high that no one can describe. "Nothing tastes as good as fit feels" Is the best statement. Notice I do not say skinny, because the goal for me is not to be skinny. It is to be healthy and fit. You will also notice an increased amount of energy you now have due to all the activity you have added in your everyday life.
Tip 9: Go shopping, but not too much! As you do lose more and more weight you will need new clothes, soon, because everything will be falling off! I recommend not over doing it, until you are at the place that you're satisfied. I have gone from a size 13 back to a size 9 that I was during 2009. It truly is an amazing feeling, and its one that I Earned myself.
Common questions: "What made you start, how do you stay motivated, is it hard to stay away from all the snacks and desserts?"
I answered what made me start above on this blog, but to put it in simpler terms: I just really wanted it. I can't recall how many times my loving parents tried to motivate me to get back into shape. See, they noticed how big I was getting whereas I just was constantly defensive and played the "I'm fiiine... I look fiiine" card. I truly thought I was fine! I didn't notice what they all were seeing. YOU have to want this, though. YOU have to realize that the change needs to happen. It cannot be for anyone else but yourself. If you do it for others, you will soon stop, give up, forget, lose focus. When you want it for yourself, you are the one pushing yourself and keeping motivated.
So, that brings me onto the next part. How do I stay motivated? Each time I get "off track" or want to "stop" and maybe give up, I remember why the heck I started this in the first place, and I think of all the previous times that I tried to achieve this lifestyle and stopped. (It also helps having people that are waiting for you to fail, because you can not only prove to yourself that you can do it, you can also shut up all of them!) I don't want to repeat the past. I want to show other young women, especially ones who are the size right now that I used to be- that EVERYONE can start somewhere.(Started from the bottom now we're here! lol) It just takes dedication and commitment and you're half way there.
When you really want a new item from a store or catalog, maybe you work extra hours to save up for this item. You know once you have that cash, you can now have the item. The body you want is a bit different because you can't just save up or wish for it or ask for it on a birthday/holiday, YOU have to put in TIME, sweat, tears, and love into it or else you'll eventually stop. You have to be able to say no to people who ask you to hang out, go out, drink, skip the gym, take a day off.... This might be easy for some of the more selfish people, but myself it was truly a hard task to learn. A LOT of friends and family members were so incredibly used to me always being there, saying yes, going above and beyond to ensure they got to see me/do what they want to, that when I began saying NO, sorry, can't, not tonight, it wasn't easy for them to hear. It's not THEIR fault, it's simply just something that was out of the norm, and unnatural almost because our entire relationship it was always taught to them that I will be there no matter what, and all of a sudden I changed my life around and priorities and it wasn't something easy to adjust with. Luckily, by now, month three, it's much easier for everyone to understand and I have also made it easier by switching up my routine to attend certain special gatherings.
The hardest part. Food. How do I stay away and not give into cravings?! You would think it's hard, because truthfully it is- at FIRST. The first MONTH is the hardest because more than likely you are used to eating WHAT you want, WHEN you want, WHERE you want. You don't think twice about that McChicken you just bought, or slipping 75 cents into that machine to hold you over to dinner. No one THINKS about these things because its so EASY and AVAILABLE and NORMAL to eat SHIT and not worry about the reality.
Most people don't weigh themselves ever, until going to a doctor and having to. Most people don't TRY to be better, they simply accept who they are becoming. DON'T be MOST people. BE YOURSELF and be the BEST version of yourself. The food was hard at first to change up and 'quit' certain snacks, but once you see your progress and you notice that it actually WORKS, you won't want that junk anymore. I promise. If you can make it just those thirty days to get yourself into the habit of the proper nutrition, it becomes second nature to pick up the right foods and avoid aisles and machines that only offer sugary filled junk food. I don't even SEE some of the things I walk past anymore because in my brain it has become a giant NO, EW, JUNK sign that goes off. I am only now attracted to whole foods, vegetables, lean meats and wheat breads. I don't honestly even want cake or McDonald's or anything like this, because I first hand KNOW how much hard work it took to burn off and sweat away. One donut is roughly 250 calories. That is TWO miles to run off that donut. That is twenty mins of weight training to burn off. Is it worth it? Not to me. Not anymore.
So at last, this is getting long, but I wanted to be as detail filled as I could :) I went from 206 pounds in January this year to 173 pounds now! I couldn't be prouder and happier. I feel better waking up in the morning, I can try on clothes that now almost always look nice and complimenting, versus before having to FIND the right clothes to make myself look a certain way. I can be stress-free majority of the time and here and there indulge in yogurts and snacks that I find to be "cheats".
I hope this inspired someone, anyone, or just simply was a fun read! Leave me comments with your thoughts/stories/questions!
If you aren't a reader I can be found on YouTube. Search the user name "Baybeebunny1"
If you're more into photo's only, I am also on Instagram: @suma1ra
And at last if you feel the need to stalk me I do have a twitter: @Suma1ra
Thank you so much for reading! Hope you liked! Share with others to inspire more people :)
I am not finished yet, just sharing thus far of the journey!
Also, in case you have trouble starting up on your own, Nici Sweany is someone who helps people get started and does '30' day at a time challenges to help others get the right diet and excerize started! You can contact her on Facebook here!
Love you, all!
-ssr
P.S: It feels SO good to be able to say.........
You are so brave for putting this up. I absolutely love your blog!
ReplyDelete