It’s been awhile since my last blog.  I’ve started and stopped so many different blogs but for some reason or another never brought myself to finish them.

Today, I invite you on a little journey … Like so many of us, I started strong this past January with the New Years resolutions and the “2017, get ready to be owned!” mantras, but like so many others, mine fell apart shortly after declaring my owning 2017.  It’s no surprise that ONLY 9.2% of us who make resolutions in some way, shape or form feel they are successful in achieving their resolution (weight loss topped the list of 10 at #1 btw).

A year and a half ago I did not struggle with body image issues or self esteem issues. I liked going out and dressing up.   I was 5’6″, 122 lbs and I had boundless amounts of energy.  I loved life and was always up for taking on new challenges.  I ate pretty clean (but definitely wasn’t too hard core), I worked out occasionally (I’ve never been a huge gym person) but I was definitely always active.

We moved West around that time and likely as a result of adjusting to new surroundings,  dealing with life circumstances and making poor food choices I began to gain weight.  At first it was like 1 lb here, 2 lbs there – my attitude was like “well, when in Rome”.  At first I didn’t really notice the weight gain, I mean I work from home and I live in leggings and Lulu Lemons.  I knew my clothes were getting tighter, but that just depressed me even more, so I just said “hey wanna grab some wings and pints?” – see WRONG choice lol .

“Your attitude determines your altitude!” ~Denis Waitley

None of my clothes fit and the few that did were pretty darned snug (thank you leggings!).  I had no energy, like it was zapped and this was after my severe anemia had resolved itself with 9 months of iron supplements.  I started getting depressed about the amount of weight I had gained. I didn’t know how much cause I wouldn’t dare hop on the scale.

I finally decided to give my head a shake and get my self together, start treating myself better and taking responsibility for my life …. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS NOT EXCUSES!

So, I ordered what I refer to as my “superfoods” and joined a 16 week body transformation challenge to hold myself accountable. The day I took my measurements and weighed myself for the first time in a year and half, I almost started to cry,  literally –  ok, to be totally truthful, I cried and not only did I cry – I sobbed – uncontrollably – it was worse than I thought. I had gained 35 lbs!  Count them …. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35!

Ok, so I gained 35 lbs, it’s not the end of the world – I gotta make changes, and work hard.  But, this is DOABLE – anything worth having is worth working for.  If it were easy, we’d all fine specimens.

I made changes in things like my coffee. I switched from a large Tim Horton’s double double (280 cals) to a product that is healthy and frankly tastes waaayyy better and is less bitter – and contains green tea extract, trace minerals, and coconut oil – I can even drink this one black so buh-bye sugar and cream.

I’ve also switched from taking a caffeine pill or pop/soda (synthetic) to an energy shot (drink) that is full of adaptogens (ideal for combating stress, providing clarity, and promoting physical performance, energy) and it contains a naturally sourced caffeine derived from green tea and yerba mate.  I did a lot of research before choosing – when shopping for caffeinated beverages, here’s a useful tip: If you see the word “caffeine” on the ingredient list, that means it’s synthetic. If natural plants containing caffeine are added, you will see the actual name of the botanical, such as guarana, yerba mate or green tea.

In the 1.5 weeks that I’ve chosen this superfoods regime and made small, but important choices, I’ve lost 5 lbs.  This is not water weight either, because I drink 1/2 my body weight in water daily (so three of my 24 oz water bottles).

How many of you out there are experiencing this right now and wanna do something about it?  How many of you feel like you’re not living your best life and wanna do something about it?

I’ll keep you updated as I progress in my journey …and hope you follow along.  Whatever excuses you may be using to avoid losing weight and getting healthy, get rid of them! There’s always something you can do and something is always better than nothing. Make some simple adjustments and get back in the game.

Namaste

T xo