Do You Want It Bad Enough?

A year and a half ago I would have never believed I would come this far. I wouldn't have believed that I could lose 55 lbs. on my own without help from a personal trainer, a magic diet pill, or a famous wrap. Sometimes, it's even hard to believe now that it's been said and done.

Galleria Mall Dallas, Tx. April 2011



April 2011

2011

Being overweight, you never realize how much you can improve your life if you just stop making excuses and put in the work. The beginning is the hardest part, yet its the most essential step for weight loss. I mean, you have to start somewhere, right? I've said it before, and I will say it again: To be successful in this journey, you have to be ready to commit yourself 100%. You really have to want it for yourself because we are our only true motivators. Other people can nag you for so long, but if you're not ready to make the change for yourself, it's never going to happen. You have to be the one to put your foot down and be ready for change.


March 2012

April 2012

April 2012

First week doing Zumba March 2012

Fitness is a destination, but in the process, this journey has given me more than just a smaller pant size. I t's boosted my confidence, it's taught me discipline and patience, and above all, it's made me a happier person. I love life. I love waking up in the morning and looking forward to a good sweat. I love how my husband feels the need to hold me closer to him when we go out in public. I love not having to go to the plus size section at Target to find a decent outfit for a special occasion. I love it all. It was not always this way and for the last couple of years before I began my journey, I was drowning in a state of depression. I never let anyone see it, because I didn't want help. I just wasn't ready to commit. But behind closed doors I hated myself. I envied girls who were thinner than me. I hated going out with my husband because I just didn't feel comfortable being by him. He has always been thin and slender and being next to him just made me feel worse about my weight. I suffered alone because I knew if I seeked help, I would have to hear the cold, hard truth: GET UP AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And I didn't want to. I would blame genetics, I would blame the pregnancy, I would blame anything but myself. It wasn't until I accepted the reality, that I knew it was time. It was time for me to turn my life around and start TODAY. Not Monday, not New Years' not next week.


Aug 2012





At the beginning of my journey, March 2012, I was too embarrassed to go to the gym so I opted for Zumba at-home workouts. A friend of mine had the newest version of the Zumba DVDs and had fallen off the wagon and sold them to me for cheap. For a whole month I would do Zumba every day in the comfort of my home. I remember being so fatigued only about 5-10 minutes in and having to pause the video to take a break. As I sat there I wondered if I would ever be able to get through the whole workout without having to stop for water. By the end of the month I could do just that and I lost my initial 10 lbs. I was feeling good. At that point I knew I was ready to Zumba with the ladies at the gym. Things took a turn in the wrong direction when the unexpected happened. My son was NOT loving the daycare at the gym and would cry every single time I tried to drop him off. Understandable. Since I stopped working we were inseparable. It was no surprise he would have to be eased into the whole thing. I told myself I would wait until he was ready. But nothing was going to stop this desire to succeed of mine. No sir. I started hitting the gym at 4 AM. This was a couple of hours before the hubby had to go in to work. So by the time he was ready to go, I was already back and able to fix his breakfast and pack his lunch for the day. I was on a roll. By the second month I had lost 15 lbs. total. Then vacation happened. We went to San Antonio for 5 days and that's all it took for me to gain 10 of the pounds lost. I was so disappointed and angry with myself. How could I have let it happen? I was angry about the fact that it took me two months to lose weight and in one week just like that I gained it almost all back. It just wasn't fair. I knew what I had done in order to gain the weight during vacation. No workouts and I ate chips and salsa and had Margaritas every day. It was depressing but I was determined to get back on track. Once we were back, my 4 AM gym sessions continued, I began Google-ing meal plans and effective workouts, I got into calorie counting, and found inspiration in fitness blogs, especially Mama Laughlin's.I continued losing the weight and things were definitely looking up. I was able to talk my son into staying at the daycare while Mommy worked out (now he loves it!). Then I discovered Instagram. Instagram has been a very helpful tool in this journey because there is always so many people showing support and sharing their success stories. I began to document my weight loss there, and is where I continue to go for support. Also, I find so many people looking to me for support or calling me their "inspiration". Who would've thunk it? Who would have thought that I could impact so many lives and have people ask ME for help. The girl who had no clue what a 5K was, how broccoli tasted, or how many calories a day I was consuming before I started my journey (around 2500). That girl is now part of a fitness community that she loves and thanks God every day that she is able to touch so many people's lives on the daily with inspirational quotes and transformation pictures. ME.

March 2013

July 2013

Aug 2013



That's not to say I don't fall off the wagon, skip a workout here and there, have a cheat meal or cheat DAY at times, but I'm conscious of all my actions and get back on track the moment I get a chance. Lifestyle changes require slip ups here and there because no one is perfect, but I know that as long as I keep trying I WILL NOT FAIL.