So I was at a family party over the weekend and I was trying to mingle. There's a tiny group of women who all know each other and have gone to these parties over and over again that I'm trying to break into. I talked to one of the gals the year prior and thought we had a nice connection, but I was only ignored the next two parties so I was determined to be involved in the conversation this weekend. I know that one girl does Beachbody, T25, so I asked her about it because I'm really curious to see if she follows more programs, has she tried any new programs, if she's liking the program she's on, etc. I'm really curious because she really inspired me to continue with Beachbody because she looked fabulous! She and a couple other women at the table finally gave me some time and I found out that one girl really likes 21 Day Fix Extreme. The original girl was getting bored with her Beachbody workouts and she borrows programs from her friend. I was really excited and I said that having being in these challenge groups on Facebook really keeps me going, and motivates me to stay on track. (The original girl is an elementary teacher so she won't be on FB much.). When I started talking about my high fat/low-carb way of eating, I was immediately shut down. One gal said "I am never hungry and eating six meals a day", and the other gal said that "eating six meals a day is good for you". I was not about to try to break this notion.
Trying to lose all this weight (30 + pounds) at the beginning of the year, it is now six months later, was so frustrating. I was trying every single diet that I found everywhere, in my email box, on the web, on YouTube, inbox, I commercials, etc., And I couldn't stick with them for more than two days. Or, I was buying all these fancy ingredients and running up the grocery bill. With a refrigerator full of whole foods, I was the only one eating the fancy recipes and eating all the leftovers. On only one income, this is not sustainable for us.
Let me tell you my backstory, one that most people can't relate to. I grew up super skinny. There's a picture of us vacationing in Florida where we look like little starving children. For the record, we were not starving. In high school I ranged from 121 and when I joined the swim team as a sophomore, I bulked up to 135. When I was younger, I didn't care about eating. My dad would say "your mother and I are concerned that you guys don't eat enough". Wow, what a joke when I hit my 30s!! Anyway, when I graduated high school I was about 127. I ran into my band director and he looked me square in the face with fright and said, "you are looking way too skinny". I laughed. I was a single young female by then, no longer living at home and I did not care. I had moved out of my parents’ house and I was renting one of my dad’s rental units. Who had time to eat? There were clothes to buy and nightclubs to dance at. What little money I had went to those and rent. And on top of that, I smoked. It is easier to push off a meal when you smoke instead.
When I hit my 30s I was in a pretty stable relationship , I had a stable job that paid a little better, and a full refrigerator. I was finally going to play the adult and make dinner, and have a well-stocked refrigerator and cabinet. My weight increased but I still looked pretty good.
By the time I was in my 40s I was in an even better relationship, better job, and I had learned to spoil myself with everything I ever wanted, including going out to restaurants and having dessert every time. Then I had my child at 42. I thought, I can take this extra weight off, no problem. Well, it was hard to eat let alone exercise and shower. And somehow the weight kept adding up, and I was still going out to those restaurants and eating all the desert. Fast forward four years and I'm too afraid to weigh myself. I know I was mid 170s. Probably 175. I refused to weigh myself because I thought "this is not the person who I am. I am not going to memorialize this weight with a number".
My time freed up because a work project ended, and I was ready to take off the extra weight. I was running to the gym at 5 AM to hit my 10,000 steps, I was using free workout videos online, I was going to my friend's aerobics class twice a week, but I was not seeing any results. My refrigerator was full of good food, but I was the only one eating it. I was so frustrated.
I was going to the gym and walking for 2 to 3 hours to reach my 10,000 steps (I do NOT run), which I still do today, although I don't walk the whole 10,000 steps at the gym. But during that time that I was doing the whole 10,000 I was watching all these YouTube videos regarding different diets. It was so fascinating. High carb, vegan, vegetarian, high-protein, no carb, low-carb, high-fat, ketogenic, starch, low fat, calorie counting, you name it, I watched it, and I learned. I am still learning.
Finally after three months, I was starting to see the scale go down, but I was determined to clean up my eating even more, because those desserts still crept in, and I needed to do more moving other than my 10,000 steps a day. AND I was so confused by all these different diets.
went into the five day free clean eating challenge group and I was hooked. Mind you, I am so stubborn, this was my third or fourth clean eating group that I joined on Facebook! It finally stuck with an amazing coach, who is also a trained medical doctor, who stopped practicing to become a full time Beachbody coach.
am now hooked! I became a Beachbody coach and I run challenge groups on Facebook. I have lost a total of 30+ pounds, and have started, AND ACTUALLY STUCK to the high fat/low carb diet (HF/LC), and I am learning to fast, well, shall I say, my BODY is learning to fast! I guess you can include my head in that as well.
enjoy helping other get fit and healthy too! I want to spread the word of all the healthy, and not so healthy things that I have learned and have worked for me, and try to help YOU find what works for YOU! I have learned that this process is DOABLE and anyone CAN do it! I love the Beachbody programs because of how up beat, motivating, and different they are. I love the diversity and flexibility they have, and how it takes all the guessing out of my workout plan with their calendars and eating programs. Let me help you find that too!
Back to the weekend party. I did not pursue more talk regarding fitness or eating well. The women seemed to have their plans figured out and were not open to other theories. Not of complete like mind with me, so I removed myself from their already-in-progress conversation. At the next party/gathering/meeting/whatever, I will focus my efforts on people who are willing to invite an outsider in. Luckily there are plenty of people in the world who will listen, as you just did. Thanks!
