Health: One Year Fitaversary!

June 2014

So August 1st marks the one year anniversary of the day I decided to take back my health and my life. I am feeling super nostalgic, just like I did on the anniversary of my friends wedding that marked the turning point in my life that led to this starting point. This post definitely won't be as long as the last one, but I am super excited when I think about all the goals I have accomplished in just one year.

June 2014

So I started trying to lose weight by printing out a 30 day Ab and Butt Challenge. The first day was hell. I couldn't do a proper squat because it hurt my knees. I couldn't do a sit up because I had no core strength. On my way up I had to use any momentum I could muster, I  kind of rocked from side to side just to get all the way up. I was a mess and the workout only last 5 minutes. If I remember correctly it was only 5 squats, 5 sit ups and 10 crunches for day 1, I was insanely out of shape. But I did it and I finished out the month. By the end of the month I was doing 100 squats and 50 sit ups (my form was still terrible though). I was really proud of myself for not giving up after day 1 or day 5, but I made it all 30 days. And it only increased from there. The workouts got longer and more intense with each 30 days. Now, I am doing about an hour and a half to two hour workouts a day and my fitness is the best it's been my whole life.

I remember starting day one with this humongous goal ahead of me. It was overwhelming and I really thought I would never even get close to it. The amount of weight I needed to lose was scary. However, I determined not to think of the ultimate goal and just to take my weight loss 30 days at a time. All I had to do was get through a month and there was no way the weight wouldn't come off. So I took it one month at a time. I did the 30 day challenges for activity and tried my best to eat right. I honestly didn't weigh myself until 3 months deep and at that point I had lost 30 pounds. I was very excited. Yes my goal was still very far away, but not nearly as far as it had been 30 pounds ago.

Over the last year I have lost 80 pounds but I have gained a whole new perspective on life and health. I am only 20 pounds away from my goal now and thinking about changing it to 15 pounds. I am stronger than I have ever been. I can actually throw a decent punch, which I have never been able to do. I can see muscles that I never knew existed on me. I can fit into a clothing size that, except during that short spurt of being this weight in 2011, I haven't fit into since middle school. Most importantly I have grown to love the body I was given and appreciate all it does and will do for me.

June 2015

July 2015

I celebrated my Fitaversary with actually paying for a workout routine(gasps)! I also treated myself to a few new dresses. I was hoping to be at my goal by this point, but I am not disappointed at all that I didn't make it. I know that I will continue to put in the work and eventually I will get there. So happy Fitaversary to me!

Health: The Fear of Regaining

During the course of any lifestyle change, there is always the question of "will I fall back into my old lifestyle?". This question is scary for those who are losing weight. The fear of regaining is a very serious concern. Not only because it is easy to fall back into old habits, but because the statistics are against us. Most people that lose weight, gain it all back plus some over the next 5 years. It is a scary prospect to think that all the hard work you put in could be for nothing. I am sure people are tired of reading this sentence, but it truly boils down to a lifestyle change not a diet. That is the only way that a person can hope to sustain the new weight bracket they are in. But unfortunately the odds will always be against those that used to be overweight. It is easier for people who used to weigh more to put on weight because fat cells do not disappear, they just shrink. So it is easier for someone who already has those cells to refill them, than it is for someone to create those cells.

So how are you supposed to stay motivated when the odds are against you? How are you supposed to want to keep up all the hard work when this fear is constantly on your shoulder? I try to see it as extra motivation. Yes I messed up once before, I lost 50 lbs in college and gained 80. When I realized I had regained and that I was over my highest weight, I was truly at my lowest in spirits. I was extremely disappointed in myself.. I don't want to feel that way again. I also know that the embarrassment will be doubled if I let myself regain all over again. So, I learned from the mistakes and know what to do and what not to do now. I motivate myself by telling myself to not become the statistic. I don't want to demotivate others by regaining again, so why not become an exception to the rule instead of the norm. Sometimes, I even just choose to ignore it. So what if the odds aren't in my favor, I am doing this and I will be successful. There are no "maybes", it is a statement: I will succeed. The possibility of regain is there, but it doesn't define my current situation. Currently I am living a healthy life and I am succeeding. That is what counts.

I hear from friends and read on forums people who regained and are scared to start over. I look at it like this: you lost it once before, so you can do it again. Will it be harder? Yes. Will it be worth it? Even more so than the first time. Fear of something is not an excuse not to start something. I say this to myself as much as I write it for others to read. This is not fear of heights or a fear of clowns (people in clown costumes mostly... so scary), this is fear of living your life. Living your life as healthy as possible, because losing weight is not just about the aesthetics, it is about overall health. And when you let fear dictate your overall health, you let it dictate your life.

Health: You Don't Need to Pay to Lose Weight

How many times have we heard or given the excuse "I don't have the money to lose weight"? Meaning  that the gym costs money, healthier food costs money, new clothes cost money. It's a common excuse, but it's just that... an excuse.

You don't need money to lose weight. It's a fact. That excuse is now null and void. If you are still using it, make a new excuse. I started at 260 and have lost over 70 pounds without spending money (Well sort of, new clothes did happen, but I budgeted and bought new clothes on the cheap). So I am about to give you my detailed guide (more of an outline) of how I lost weight without spending excess money. Debunking all the things you "need" to lose weight, one excuse at a time.

1) "I can't afford to go to a gym."

Then don't. You don't need a gym. You don't need equipment. Do you have a body? Then you have all the equipment you need. Youtube is overflowing with free workout videos. Trainers are on there posting 30 day workout plans, for free. If you don't have access to Youtube videos to follow, that's ok. I started with a 30 day PDF file with pictures. Workout plans provided by certified trainers are just a google search away. You don't need to pay gym fees, you don't need to pay trainer fees. There are many, many resources available online. Plus, if you are/were anything like me, I was so big that I was embarrassed to go to a gym with fit people. I felt like they were judging me. So being able to workout in the comfort of my own home, without other peoples eyes on me, that was the best.

Here is a list of free trainers that I've used and really enjoyed:
-Darebee ( www.darebee.com )
       -Formerly Neila Rey. This website provides PDF and clickable 30 day to 90 day workouts. They have low impact for beginners up to high impact for the beasts. All the programs have options to start with the lowest intensity and work your way up to a higher intensity. I don't think any of the workouts require equipment, but if they do, they will tell you at the bottom. All you need is you bodyweight to start. Everything is free. This is the website I personally started with on my journey. I did the 30 days of Cardio Blast two months in a row. The first month I was on the lowest intensity the second month I was strong enough to move up to the highest. I saw tons of improvement, not just in weight dropping, but in building muscle. There are also meal plans, recipes, and more on the site. It is a great resource.

-Super Hero Fitness (www.youtube.com/user/superherofitnesstv)
        -Keaira LaShae is one of the most entertaining and fun trainers I have found on the internet. Her workouts are simple, but fun and effective. She does a lot of dance based cardio, but she walks you through the steps. The plus side is, even if you aren't good at dancing (I'm not), you can still have fun and get a good workout with her videos. She has a few 30 day workout challenges where she gives you a list of her videos to workout with for a month. Every day is different and it gives a good mix of cardio and strength training throughout the week. I am on my 3rd 30 day workout routine with her. I sweat, I laugh, and I am sore with her videos. And the plus side is her advice, videos, and humor are all free.

-Joanna Soh (https://www.youtube.com/user/joannasohofficial)
      - Another Youtube trainer. Joanna will kick your butt into shape. I haven't followed her videos on a regular basis. But every time I attempt even one of her videos (looking at you kickboxing), I am on the floor by the end and can't move the next day. She has tons of great advice videos and a few 30 day workout plans. She's spunky but tough and a pleasure to watch. Her website is full of free meal plans and great recipes.

There are sooooo many more if you just  search for them. But these are the 3 I've personally tried and loved.

2) "Healthier food costs more money."

False. It is because you are trying to add your healthy food to your junk food. I made this mistake for the longest time. I thought that adding a few vegetables to my meal constituted eating healthier. Frozen vegetables are cheap. Kroger has bags of frozen veggies for a dollar. That is cheaper than your bag of chips. Chicken is cheaper than beef. A large pack of chicken at Kroger (if you can't tell, I live by a Kroger and shop there) is 8-13 dollars. It comes with 6 large chicken breasts. You can divide that into 6 or 12 (I cut them in half) meals. Divide them out, freeze the ones you aren't using immediately and you have a lot of meals on the cheap. Rice (brown or white) can be bought in bulk at your local Asian market (I go to 99 Ranch) for only 13-20 dollars. The bag should last you a REALLY long time.

I personally count calories. You don't need to buy Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig or whatever programs are out there just to have them tell you how many points to eat. Apps and websites like Spark People and MyFitnessPal are completely free (upgrades cost money, but you don't need them). I used Spark the first time I lost weight and lost 50 pounds. I've lost 40 or so pounds using MyFitnessPal this time around. Not saying one is better than the other, either one is pretty good. Mainly just depends on your preferences.

3) "New clothes cost money."

Can't really debunk this one. It's true, as you lose weight you will have to buy new clothes. But it's rewarding. When you fit into smaller sizes, when you move from the plus size section back into the misses, that's a good feeling. It shows that all the hard work has paid off. But when you lose massive amounts of weight in a short time (looking at you 70 lbs in 10 months), clothes stack up. But there are ways to get around this. Your interim clothes don't need to be expensive. I found stretch skinny jeans at Walmart for 8 dollars. Buy a few pairs and you'll be good for a couple of months. For my old t-shirts, I cut them up and used t-shirt glue to put them back together in a smaller size. I only use them for working out now, but hey I needed new workout clothes anyways. Find sales. Wet Seal has a ton of sales all the time. Shirts 5 for 20 on the regular. A lot of people swear by going to resale shops while they are losing weight. I know the resale shop by me has dollar bins. They put out bins of clothes where everything is a dollar. Yes you have to search, but you can get clothes for very cheap in the meantime.

The point I'm trying to make is that money should not be an excuse as to why not to lose weight. Yes it takes major motivation, yes it takes time, but it does not take money. Some people would say that doing it for free is harder. I think it's harder on me to spend my hard earned money on things I can get for free. I'd rather save that money and buy myself a nice wardrobe when I get to my goal weight. All the gym fees I avoided, that's cute new tops. All the money I saved when I shopped for healthier food options, those are new pants. And the new clothes I had to buy in the interim, those can go to charity and help someone else. I don't mind, it feels good to give back.

So ditch the excuse that you don't have the money to lose weight because it is not valid.