- How did you do it?
- What's your diet like?
- What motivates you? What keeps you motivated?
my point of view...
1. How did you do it?
I started my lifestyle changes in August of 2013....
I was literally fed up with my weight and I hated how I looked... I couldn't wear the clothes I wanted and I just wasn't comfortable in my own skin. So I finally decided to change my diet and start working out everyday. I started by jogging/walking everyday for 45mins (that was about 2.5miles) and I changed my diet completely. After a month and a half I was finally able to cut my time down to around 30mins ish, so I decided to add 30mins of weight training after my workout. I tried to make my workouts at least an hour and I also bought a calorie/heart rate monitor and made it my goal to burn at least 600calories everyday. I also took some boxing classes when I had some extra money.
From August-October I had no gym membership so I did everything in my basement, at the park or outside in my neighborhood while it was still warm enough outside. In November, my mother willingly gave me a gym membership to Planet Fitness and I started going there EVERY single day, 6 days a week with one day of rest which was usually Sunday.
I then started making goals for myself... how fast can I run 2miles, how long can I run without stopping, how many man push-ups can I do, how long can I hold a plank, how much weight can I squat....little goals to keep me pushing myself.
Before I knew it...I finally was able to run 2 miles under 20mins. I ran for a full hour and ran 6+ miles. I am able to do 10-15 man pushups on my own without stopping and I can hold a plank for a whole min, probably more now.
Now....
I'm able to push my body and workout for 3hours...(it's not needed to workout 3hours, I just enjoy the workouts I've been doing). I'm burning over 1,000 calories in my workouts. I'm training for a half marathon (13.1 miles) and a full marathon by the end of this year (26.2 miles). A short term goal I'm working on is to do an unassisted pull-up. Since September I can honestly say I've been working out every single day of the week with one rest day. I wanted to change so bad I did everything and anything I could possibly do to make it happen. Giving up, starting over, procrastinating, and saying "tomorrow" was no longer an option.
2. What's your diet like?
When I changed my diet, I decided to no longer eat anything that was packaged, and no more take outs (fast food, going out to eat, ordering food). I started buying my own produce and cooking everything I ate so that I knew exactly what was going into my body. I also started a food diary which held me accountable for what I was eating. To be able to see what I was eating on a sheet of paper made a big difference. They also say 80% of the people who keep a food diary lose weight and keep it off.
I try to keep my calorie intake between 1200-1600 calories a day. Before I eat every meal I drink a huge glass of cold water also. I eat 3 meals; breakfast, lunch and dinner with 2 snacks throughout the day. For breakfast I almost always have eggs whether it's a boiled egg or a veggie omelette, some type of fruit (I really like berry fruits), and some type of carb (I switch between a slice of toast, a cup of cereal or 1/2 cup of oatmeal). I make sure I eat breakfast EVERY morning. I'd rather be late to an appointment than to not eat breakfast. If I'm on the go, I'll grab a granola bar and throw some bag in a fruit or grab a fruit that I can easily eat while driving. For lunch I usually have some type of protein and veggies and also for dinner. If I ever want dessert it's usually fruit or some peanuts.
I don't consider myself on a diet because I don't ever feel like I'm missing out on any foods I like. If I want pizza, I'll make my own pizza using my own ingredients with healthier options. If I want cookies, I'll find recipes online that are healthier options and use organic items. It's all about modifying the things you want to eat to healthier options. Once I changed my eating habits I felt like a totally different person inside and out... my skin was clearing up, my mood was changing and I just felt happier overall as a person.
3. What motivates you? What keeps you motivated?
In the beginning what motivated me was social networks.... looking at people's before and after transformation pictures, I had to believe that one day I would be able to transform my body just like they did. I would stay up for hours at night some night until 4-5am looking at fitness people, pages, websites. I would search tumblr all night also for motivation. I would read every fitness quote and apply it to myself. I honestly just wanted to change so bad there was no other option for me and I wasn't gonna stop until I did. I engraved it into my head that I just had to do it.
People continue to ask me what motivates me....but I could sit here and tell you what motivates me and it might not motivate you. You have got to find out why you are doing this and believe that you can do it. I spoke my transformation into existence and didn't take any half ass steps to get where I am today. I watched every food documentary on Netflix before I changed my diet. I read nutrition books. I researched what foods I was eating and educated myself. Reading fitness magazines and blogs has became a hobby of mine. I love it!
Today what motivates me is... ME! Every morning when I wake up and look at myself in the mirror I am STILL in shock with what I see. It's only been about 7 months and I've changed so much... Now I can't wait to see what I'll look like in August my full year transformation anniversary. lol. It's so surreal to me that I used to have buy a Large in all my clothes... I recently went shopping and bought mediums and they don't fit!!! It feels beyond weird to buy a small in clothes!!!
I've been showing the world my fitness journey because I remember once upon a time 7 months ago... other fitness people were my motivation and now I just wanna be able to motivate others like they did me.
If you want it, you've got to do everything and anything you can to do it. You've got to research fitness, try new foods, push your body. You only have one life and one body, take advantage of what you have now. Prevent yourself from sickness and diseases. The body can cure itself with the proper nutrients. I hope this post helps a lot of people who having a hard time starting, or are having a hard time in their journey. Keep going, it can only get better, it never gets worse!
