Determined2Satisfied100! Challenge Yourself! #D2S100

I'm committing to working out 100 Days in a row!

Don't worry you can still take a well-deserved rest day. After all, a day off allows your muscles to recover, rebuild, and become stronger. But rest days don't just mean sitting on the couch and doing nothing. 

During the challenge we will take ACTIVE REST DAYS! Examples: Stretch, yoga, light cardio,brisk walk,short hike,dance. Every day doesn't have to be an intense workout day. The point of the challenge is to get the body moving everyday.

Challenge Rules: Your challenging yourself to workout 100 days in a row, so if you miss a day you have to start over again (Be HONEST w/yourself). I'm starting on 2/09/15 but you can join late, just post what day your on and don't forget to #D2S100

I will document my 100 days via Instagram & YouTube!

Wake up with Determination, go to bed with Satisfaction! 

I WILL get in these jeans! Size 5

The scale isn't the only way to measure progress, find a pair of jean or shorts that are too small and take a picture in them. I have them hung-up on my wall and this picture is my lock screen on my phone #Determined2getinthesejeans so I can see your goal jeans/shorts!

I tell my story, in hopes to inspire others!

Thank you Shapefit.com for sharing my story!

Click here to see my profile :)

How did you lose the weight without dieting? #LIFESTYLECHANGE

If you follow me on Instagram you probably seen me post things like #lifestylechange #nodiet or #dietsdontwork. Today one of my followers asked me a question I felt was a good topic to blog about.

@determined2satisfied...how did you lose the weight without dieting?What exercises did you do?

I use the word "diet" meaning putting restrictions on myself on what I could or could not eat. In the past would eat salads for a week lose some weight and quit three days later. I did the cayenne pepper diet but that didn't last more than two days lol. I've tried Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers, LA Weight loss, over the counter diet pills, prescription diet pills, slim fast but nothing lasted more than a month or two. I know now I wasn't mentally prepared at that time, you have to get your mind right to be successful. You have to BELIEVE you can do it and push yourself even when you don't want to.

In December of 2013 I committed to making a "Lifestyle change" my priority. I started out making small changes, like only drinking water and paying attention to my portions. I logged my meals and tried to stay within my calorie limit. If I really wanted something I would eat it but I would still log it. I researched and found healthier ways to make the unhealthy foods I enjoyed. I found different recipes online and tried new things. I came into this journey with a positive outlook excited to document my journey. 

I had to find what worked for me, not everything I tried was successful but that's part of the journey. The way I look at food during my journey was if I plan to to eat something after I lose the weight,I would eat it while I was losing the weight. I knew I couldn't eat fast food 5xs a week and reach my goals but if one day I wanted some I would eat it. I realized when I told myself I couldn't have something that's when I wanted it the most.  

Three weeks into my journey I participated in a 6 week bootcamp challenge on Instagram. I learned different smoothie recipes and the difference between juicing and smoothies. I even won a free juicer during the challenge which motivated me even more. For me I learned early on that breakfast smoothies worked best for me. One reason being in the past I never ate fruits/vegetables, drinking one smoothie made it easy for me to get my fruit/vegetables servings in one meal. Second smoothies are convenient, I'm always in a rush and on the go so I need something quick and easy.

As time passed, I started seeing results which motivated me to eat cleaner.  I remember my first meal prep was a fail. I made all this food, just Iike I saw on Instagram and didn't eat half of it lol. After that I would say, I don't like to meal prep, I don't like eating the same thing, it's too much work. Then I realized, everyone is different and I had to find a way to make meal prep work for me. Now meal prep is a must for me; I usually meal prep enough for me to take to work for the week for lunch. 

As for working out, in the beginning I just focused on being consistent. I had a history of joining gyms, kickboxing classes or bootcamps and then never going. This time I just I signed up for free guess passes and tried different classes/gyms. Some days I would just go and walk a mile, others I would do more. I kept motivated by trying new things and trying to beat myself. I took pictures of the treadmill so I could remember how long it took me to complete a mile or 2 then try to do better next time. After a month on my journey I knew I was committed and final joined Synergy.  My favorite class was Pound Fitness! Six months into my journey I started signing up for different races; something I so against a year ago.

I don't feel like I'm on a diet, I eat healthy more often than not but I still eat unhealthy meals. 80/20 rule. I don't have certain cheat days or cheat meals. I CAN eat whatever I want but I choose to eat according to my goals. I don't drink how I use to but I've had my share of drinks this year. It's all about having balance, staying active and changing the way you think. You have to take it one day at a time, don't be extreme and change everything overnight. I wasn't eating Quinoa & chicken meal prep week 1 of my journey.

 "I changed my whole life not just what I ate"

NON Scale Victory! Changing my Blog Description! New Direction!

Old Blog Description: 

Follow me on my journey of becoming FIT!         

It started off about wanting to lose 100 pounds before I graduated with my MBA but its so much more than that.  I've learned the only way to be successful losing weight is to make it a LIFESTYLE change, no crazy DIETS just eating better, working out and staying motivated. It took me a long time and many failed attempts but I'm more determined than ever and enjoying this journey.

 12.11.14 WOW a year already!!

Felt like I wrote that a long time ago, fast forward to December 19th, 2014. It's Friday night and I'm up watching Bad Grandpa with Gregory (Omg this movie lmao); Izaiah is spending the night at Gregory's parents house. I finished my last class on Tuesday, so that means I'm officially finished with Graduate school, so HAPPY I don't have to wake up tomorrow morning for an 8am class :)! 

This year has been one of the hardest but most rewarding years of my life; documenting my journey and making my lifestyle change a priority made 2014 an unforgettable year. I am committed to living a healthy lifestyle and will never go back #speakitintoexistence!

I participated in different challenges on Instagram, found recipes, friends, motivational quotes, different things to help keep me motivated. I participated in about 8 different races, as I type that it still feels crazy to say. November 2013 my response to being asked to participate in a Turkey Trot was "You want me to pay someone, to wakeup early, on Thanksgiving to run 3.1 miles? Are you crazy? November 2014 I particpate in a 5k Turkey Trot on the Saturday before Thanksgving and a 5 mile Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving Day. Its so crazy how much can change when you change the way you think.

I thought losing weight was IMPOSSIBLE, I thought I was meant to be big. On December 11th, 2013 I told my myself I wasn't meant to be big and it was POSSIBLE. It's of looking at losing weight as a negative, I went into happy to start my journey. I started off making small changes and just focusing on being consistent. I've learned you don't have to be extreme to lose the weight, you can still live your life and reach your goals.

You have to get your mind right before anything. I was inspired by others on Instagram and YouTube and never imagined a year later, people would be saying how I inspired them. I am so committed to this lifestyle and I want others to know if I can do it, SO CAN YOU. Losing weight isn't impossible, you have to stop making excuses and tell yourself you can do it. You don't have to be perfect, 80/20! Lifestyle change, diets don't work!

Hello December! Day 355 journey to becoming FIT!

Its late and I should be sleeping but heres a quick update. Yesterday was a great day because I finally jumped. I tried doing box jumps a couple of months ago and couldn't do it. Every time I went to jump, I stopped myself.

Even at home that same day I couldn't jump to my second stair. Yesterday something clicked and I told myself, listen you can do this, you will do this, your not going to fall and I did it. That moment right there confirmed to me that I CAN, DO ANYTHING I put my mind too. It reminded me when I change the way I think about things, I am capable of anything; I just have to stop limiting myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziOOM5mOqm0&list=UUI1Xa8LosIJplOcTLCPRtJQ

December is my month :), I graduate with my MBA on the 17th and I hit my year mark on my journey.  A year ago I made one of the best decisions of my life; I stop making excuses and made this lifestyle change my priority. I still have a long way to go but I am proud of how far I've come. I proved that you don't have to be extreme to lose the weight, if your consistent and determined you can reach your goals. 80/20 rule!

Goals this month:

#gallonENDsatisfied challenge (drink a gallon of water a day Dec 1st-31st)
#upgettingmylife challenge (AM Workouts at least 4x's a week)
Santa Toy Trot 5k
NYE 5k
Graduate!!!!!! #MBA #BUSINESSCHOOL

Stress will not be my excuse! No emotional eating!!! 13 pounds till 100 pound lost :)

This journey is more mental then anything else; at times I have to talk to myself to stay on track. If your like me and have been overweight most of your life, not working out and eating unhealthy foods on the regular, making a lifestyle change can feel like one of the hardest things you've ever done. 

I basically had to change everything in my life because I never really drank water or ate vegetables or fruits. The thought of healthy foods just didn't interest me, I would say I didn't like certain things but never even tried them. I've joined a couple of gyms and purchased workout stuff throughout the years but never went consistenly. Eventually I thought losing weight was an impossible task and I was meant to be overweight. 

I've always loved myself, had great friends and family and been pretty confident but I still wasn't 100% happy with my body. I always wanted to be smaller but it was just to hard for me. I see now that I just was ready mentally. I never actually committed to a lifestyle change, I would just "diet". There were times I would lose weight but then quit and gain it back eventually. This time I committed to a lifestyle change, made small changes and was excited to document my journey on Instagram. 

October 25th 2014,  my Father's kidneys failed and he was diagnose with lung & liver cancer and that brought on a lot of stress cravings. Late night Checkers, pizza or Popeyes; I 'm on a lifestyle change not a diet, so yes its okay for me to eat those things, time to time but when you eat something when you know your not even that hungry that's just binge eating. 

I continued to workout but eating wise and drinking wise I wasn't doing what I needed to do. If this was the past I would have quit my "DIET" but this time around, it wasn't a diet it was my new lifestyle. I told myself only you have the power to control how your story goes. You can either let this break you or motivate you to work even harder. 

My Father loves me, I am is little girl but he's been talking about my weight since I was a kid. I've heard for years how I need to lose some weight. So instead of using food as a comfort tool, instead of using his sickness as an excuse not to workout or eat whatever I wanted, I told myself you fight to reach your goal. You make sure you lose that 100 pounds for him to see!!!! I was over there the other day and he kept calling me skinny lol, I'm far from skinny but so happy thats what he sees now.

I said before my one regret was that I took so long to start my journey, now I'm just happy that I did decide to start my journey last year. My dad is home now (kidneys working again :) no one knows what the future will bring. You just have to cherish the time we all have together and stay positive. 

Working out and reaching my goal will be my stress reliever! Food does not control me, this is my new lifestyle not a diet and I'm NEVER going back. I will lose 100 pounds by December 11 2014!
I will have thanksgiving dinner with my Dad :), I will spend Christmas with my Dad! I will live the life I have imagined. #SPEAKITTOEXISTENCE 

Before and Now Picture 84 Pounds Lost (Link to my IG)

This year I did the one thing I spent my whole life thinking was IMPOSSIBLE and that makes me feel I can DO ANYTHING I PUT MY MIND TO! I don't know what the future will bring but I really do believe good things will come :) 

Not where I want to be but I will get there! BEFORE & NOW PICS!!!