Hi friends. I hope you are all doing well. Today, I’m gonna get a little personal with all of you and share a little update on my weight loss journey. It’s been years in the making, but I’m super excited to have all of you on this journey with me. It’s like I’ve had a bunch of awesome cheerleaders all for me. If you are interested in learning a little about it, definitely keep on reading about my weight loss. This is just the beginning of this series and I plan to update all of you on this journey as I experience it. Also, I just released a video on my YouTube Channel so if you want the breakdown in video form, click this link and check out the video. So, let’s chit chat a little… shall we?
At the beginning of this year, I posted on Honeygirl’s World about how I needed to get going on a healthier me. Since October 2017, I felt the need to really get my health issues together and start working on being a better version of my self, physically and mentally. I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been an easy road. I had worked my butt off the last few months trying to get in shape and lose weight, but it’s been difficult and I haven’t been the easiest person to live with because of it.
Let me break a few things down for you… So, in November 2017, I decided I would cut out all the things that really were dragging me down (food wise). I stopped drinking my Cherry Pepsi (I’m glad the world didn’t come to an end because of it) and I ultimately stopped eating white rice (most rice for that matter) and pasta. Yup, I said it… pasta. Let’s just say that it was not an easy choice for me, but I was amazed at how easy it was to give them up when I look at myself in the mirror and I’m excited about my progress. There are days when I see white rice smothered in gravy or a giant slice of pizza topped with ooey gooey cheese and I just want to lose my marbles, but then I realize that I’ve come too far.
Here’s the deal… there is no such thing as a fad diet or a 30-minute exercise once a week that will help. It took me a long time, lots of money and many years of realizing that because I really struggled with my weight after having my sons. I wasn’t always big (though I did always have thunder thighs… lol) and so I really wanted to get myself back on track. I realized that after years of the struggle, I needed to really do this for my health, not just my looks. This epiphany was probably the one good thought I had in my mind and it has been a constant reminder of how I’ve been able to keep going on this journey (or lifestyle change).
“I am down over 50 lbs in about 8-10 months and I’m so excited to be able to shop in stores that carry regular sized clothing, instead of only plus sized clothes.”
So what am I doing? Well, I’m at the gym 3 to 5 times a week concentrating on not only cardio but also strength training. You don’t need to spend excessive amounts of time at the gym if you don’t have it and if you don’t have a gym, use what you do have. I signed up for the gym in March, but prior to that I was walking/running and jogging several times a week – averaging about a mile to three miles each time I went for a walk and tried to do that 3 times a week. I also work with my kettle balls and my own walls to help with building my muscle and keeping the muscles I have. There are a number of different exercises you can do while utilizing your own body weight as your option to strengthen your muscles. I like doing push-ups against the wall if I can’t make it to the gym and if I do make it to the gym, then I love doing pull-ups and using the different muscle toning machines available. Remember, that it’s all about using what you have, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a gym membership. I like it because it’s my time to myself, but if you don’t have that – use what you go. Run or walk the dog or your baby or even go on a hike with a friend or two (or three) if it helps get you mobile and outdoors.
Now, when it comes to food… that’s a little more difficult. I try to concentrate on the Keto diet since I did a liquid fast prior to getting my metabolism jump started. The Keto Diet and 21 Day Fix have been two diets or lifestyle changes when it comes to food that I know I can actually keep working at. They aren’t easy diets, but basically a way of changing your lifestyle to accommodate what works better for you. I concentrate on healthy proteins and fats at each meal so that I can keep my muscle lean. I also have cut out most sugars from my diet (of course many fruits and veggies have sugar so I try to be mindful of how much I eat) and carbs. Making this change did not happen overnight, but it has definitely gotten easier as time progresses. Sugar-free popsicles have been my best friend lately (because it’s been so hot here on Maui) and I am really loving protein ice creams like Halo Top. However, everything is best in moderation, so if I am gonna eat a few sweets, I will definitely be putting in more work at the gym or I make sure I only have a little in moderation. Remember my words – “Moderation is more than just the key, it will be your new way of life.”
“Moderation is more than just the key, it will be your new way of life.”
I couldn’t possibly sum up how to do all of this in just one blog post, so I am gonna wrap this up in a bit. But, before I do, I wanted to share with all of you that this lifestyle change is not easy, but it’s doable and it can work. It took me a long time of saying excuses and my shoulda-coulda-wouldas before I realized that I need to take action and keep at it before I’ll see results. Don’t worry, I’ll be here to answer all of your questions and I’ll also be posting more frequently about this journey so that I can offer you some tips, ideas and even food choices. My goal is to actually share this journey with all of you because the support from each of you means the world to me and it helps more than you realize.
Stay tuned for more updates as I discuss products I’m enjoying to help with my weight-loss and get healthy jourey and everything else.
Wishing you all the best,
Honey
2 Comments
Congrats on your progress, you look great!
thanks so much Tina <3