Showing posts with label weightloss. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weightloss. Show all posts

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Journey To Health's Shrine

Every time I looked in the mirror,
I felt trapped inside my body...
Beauty faded from existence...
And confidence was too distant to fathom...

In the tall mirror's confines, I saw myself as a fat blob... continuously being picked apart by "friends" and "family" who enjoyed flaunting my flaws in the public eye...

My belly hung over my pants like extra meat falling off the front of a burger...
While the wrong people wanted to take a bite...

These 60 extra pounds on my back, which I prayed to be able to throw away every day, were stuck like brick and mortar being nailed into the ground...
These demons, which existed for my college days and then some, were soon able to be defeated...

One day on the battlefield, a camping trip to a medieval foam swordfighting battle and a spear to the face led me to my guru who turned me over to health's shrine...

10 months and lots of help later, overweightness played a permanent disappearing act!

Once my new self was unsheathed, I knew I had to pay it forward and spread the word of the shrine's teachings...

My guru, being the holistic doctor he is, introduced to me how to live the healthiest possible life while fully embodying my surroundings and my being...

From my experiences and my guru's advice, eating healthy doesn't mean an apple a day to keep the doctor away or eating salads for life to keep your clothes on just right...
It's making sure you indulge in moderation, eating your fruits and veggies, and not turning your plate into a losing game of Tetris.

Exercising definitely doesn't mean going to the gym 7 days a week for 2 hours at a time, but you can surely do martial arts, dance, walk, bike, run, swim, exergame, or even run around in the grass hitting each other with foam weapons, and still call it exercise... but be sure to do a combination of any or more of the awesomeness for at least 2.5 hours per week...

Being healthy is utilizing your body and mind to its fullest potential every day, while keeping your mind awake and in the now...

These words of wisdom may sound simple, but in order to understand the shrine, you need love to unlock its meaning. Not a fad diet, not something that gives you pre-packed meals, and especially not the "I'm going to do it myself" method...

No one is ever alone, nor should be picked on for not being as teeny and thin-boned as a barbie doll.
The struggle is real, and for those who wish to take the plunge towards healthspiration's paths, it is up to you to choose your destiny... though it may take awhile to find as it took me 3 years and 4 tries.
I wish to sprinkle my seeds to those around me wherever I land and serve as a catalyst of motivation for others... in ways such as listening to a lady at work's cry for help, providing her with guidance, and joining a company-wide fitness challenge with her to keep her on track and have someone to get an extra boost of "I can do it" from.

In the end, we are all beautiful creatures no matter what shape or size you are. Embrace your body, flaunt your curves and your everything to the world, and smile... while keeping health's shrine in mind. You deserve it!

Friday, January 30, 2015

How it Feels to Lose Weight

Today, I looked at myself in the mirror and appreciated what I saw. I didn’t see “the old me” aka me over 55 pounds ago and my poor state of mind. I saw me, who started a new beginning, a strong, beautiful, passionate woman sans fat rolls and clothes to hide who I really am. I don’t feel the need to wear as much makeup anymore either (though I think makeup is an art form to me and I will admit that my acne scars make me self-conscious and not wearing it will make me look tired all the time). I no longer need to hide myself because I have extra pounds on me. I’m in the best shape of my life. I’ve rekindled my passion for martial arts and am quite close to finally earning my black belt in Shotokan. I have truly discovered my passion for cooking. And most of all, I have never been this happy before and will never look back because I love who I am now.

In November 2013, I stepped foot into my friend’s holistic healthcare office (which he owns) and didn’t realize how much that would change my life. I was tired of being overweight for quite some time, but he summoned me into his office because I told him my mental health was severely going further down the toilet. To top it off, right after graduating from college, in August 2013, I was told that I have PCOS (more info here: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/basics/definition/con-20028841). After doing some reading on this disorder, I was well aware my hormones had been abnormal for years, but as soon as I found out that this is also triggered by being overweight and raises my chance of developing type 2 diabetes, I knew something had to be done. I did some research on type 2 diabetes and what I’d have to worry about if I ever developed this terrible disease and I was like, “nope, screw this, I’m just going to lose the weight and take care of myself now before something traumatic happens”. I had stopped doing karate in early-mid 2008 and realized how much I loved/missed it and how lovely of shape I was in. I unfortunately had just missed the session and had to wait until January to start again (and I did). I had also been involved in Belegarth (medieval foam swordfighting) as well at the time. I was so ready to do this! I so wanted to lose weight… at least that was my mindset “then”.

A couple of months into seeing my holistic doctor friend and right after starting karate again, I asked him for advice on how to lose weight… as he points to a program called Shape Reclaimed (more info here: http://www.shapereclaimed.com/). Although I am not the best at religiously following “diet plans”, I was pretty spot on for the first few months of this program. I still follow the program and am monitored, but I don’t “follow it to the T anymore”. I will honestly admit this because weightloss programs and losing weight is one of the most difficult things to do… no really, it is. Plus, if the world thinks that everyone follows every diet program super religiously, that’s likely untrue, especially because I’m still losing/maintaining weight and haven’t gained any significant amount of weight back in all of 2014 (excluding weight fluctuation of like 2-3 pounds, which is normal). This is the longest I’ve been able to hold my progress and this is my 4th serious attempt at losing weight… and only genuinely successful one.

The Shape food list is now a permanent guideline for how I construct my personal diet, which for me, is more effective than strictly following a diet plan (ex I have become highly disinterested in eating bread now). I also tend to follow things more loosely because it’s less stressful for me, but that’s just a personal deal. This program ultimately ended up helping me because it taught me how to eat healthier overall, about how my body works and burns fat, and to be more cognizant of looking at nutrition facts and especially ingredient labels. My dear friend educated me on how to maintain overall health through eating and in general, as well as acted as a coach and guiding star for me. Since he is my friend, having your wellness coach be someone you’re comfortable around who genuinely supports you ultimately helped me. The Shape program also fostered an even deeper appreciation and passion for cooking healthy, since there are only certain foods you can eat while on the program. Not only did the Shape program work for me, but it also taught me portion control, which is in my opinion the most integral factor of weight loss and why I gained weight in the first place… through eating way too darn much. I also exercise several days a week, which also helps.

My journey started in January 2014. It is now December 2014 and I am down over 55 pounds… and am still down over 55 pounds. So how did I do this?
*Shape Reclaimed (and my holistic doctor friend of course)
*Karate
*Further exercise (ex belegarth, running, extra walking, taking the stairs whenever possible, little things like that)
*Portion control
*Friend support (and falling in love with a darling who is health conscious, enjoys a raw diet, and helps hold me accountable)
*Cooking my own meals instead of eating out
*Heart/motivation
How does losing weight feel?

So for reals how losing weight feel? Well first off, feeling amazing is an understatement. I think a better term is me feeling holistically healthy aka healthy as a whole.

Aesthetically, I feel quite lovely because I enjoyed noticing the positive changes in my mind and body. There were changes in my mind because I knew I was acquiring a healthier mindset about my body image. I wasn't calling myself fat. I like looking in the mirror and confidently knowing I look quite snazzy... and fitting into my clothes. Not only that but I could barely fit into the biggest size, and now I feel and look just fine in the clothes, which made me enjoy shopping again. My family and various others also stopped making fun of me, which they shouldn't have, but it's in the past now. Yay for morale increases! I received plenty of compliments, which I always enjoy. Most of all, I met my boyfriend after I lost all the weight and he said he would have still wanted me for my heart and personality, which makes me blessed to know that men appreciate you for you.  In short, I feel a lot more prettyful.

Physically, I feel more nimble, my endurance is significantly increased, and overall more happy and healthy. Even when I had the extra weight, I still had the capacity to run a couple of miles... very very slowly... and then I would gas out. After losing it, I was able to run my usual 4 mile bike path without stopping and even do it a second time before my legs gave out due to needing further training. I haven't been sick in over a year, and even when I was sick, it was due to mold in my apartment. I feel more bubbly and lively as well. I also don't fear getting diabetes anymore and I know my health (of which I can control) will no longer adversely affect me.

My favorite from all of this process was the motivation to help others become healthy and even console and provide advice through their "I'm so gross" or the several versions of the "I'm going to start now" tirades. I also want to promote positive body image through the lens of someone with an "imperfect" body. Some of the effects of losing weight involve having scars aka stretch marks left behind... the same ones you get when you're pregnant. It hurts, but I want to project a message that you can have scars and be any shape or size and still be beautiful. I have stretch marks and I wish I loved my body more when I had the extra weight especially... because it's my body and I need to own and rock it. I've had several people also ask me for health tips, my recipes, and "how did you do that". One of my main goals and highest pillars in life is to make a difference. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy when I'm able to help at all or give someone that extra push they needed to get their life back on track... or even when people ask *me* for advice. I feel like I'm fulfilling my purpose when I help people be happy and healthy! But in the end, the size or makeup of your body doesn't define you as a person!

Friday, June 20, 2014

Weightloss Blog Four: Still Going Strong!

If you really want something "that" bad, you know you will do it; moderation, portion control, and exercise... the three biggest tools to weightloss. For a little boost, there's always weightloss programs out there too!

Here's how it all goes. If I'm at the bar with my friends, I'll drink and accept the fact that I'm likely not going to lose weight that day and go have fun and will be better the next few days to get back on track again. I'm very cognizant of what I eat and make wise choices. Being conscious is a lot easier for me than recording what I eat all the time. It may work for some people, but for me, an overall sense of awareness all the time is what I need. For instance, if I'm at a gathering and someone pulls out the mint Oreo DQ blizzard pie, you BET I'm having some. Instead of taking a full sized piece, I just take a teeny little slice to satisfy the deliciousness while staying on track. However, I don't really drink soda, energy drinks, super fancy coffee drinks, and try to avoid fast food, as well as food with tons of fat and calories in them. Oink! I try to eat as organic and healthy as possible though. I mentioned that I eat whatever I want though. Yes, I do, but I just make healthier versions of all my favorite fattening and calorie-loaded foods so that I eat it guilt free ;) I also picked up cooking a lot more (and posting my recipes on my blog) so that I control what's in my food and I fully know what I'm eating, not some gross chemicals that are in processed foods. I can find a way to homemake a McDonald's burger and fries, while swapping the soda for water or a beverage with as few calories and as few ingredients (that aren't aspartame) as possible. Aspartame messes with your hormones and can have many adverse affects on you. If you "really" have that craving for a coke, that scoop of ice cream, that ice cream cone, cookie, etc. do it! Don't make a habit of it, but if it randomly comes up every so often (ex once every other week) where you eat unhealthy with your friends or decide to splurge, go for it! Don't deprive yourself because that would make you feel like you're missing out on something. It's also soooooo good too! :P

I cut my portions HARDCORE, meaning that I basically eat about half of what I used to and not stuff my plate. I also eat slowly, which helps me recognize when I'm full to prevent me from overeating. I eat whatever I want, just less of it. I also don't snack all the time or super late at night. I usually eat 3 meals a day and maybe like 1-2 snacks depending on how hungry I am. My meals generally aren't super large either. Based on my personal experiences and what my friends who have also lost weight also done for themselves, they generally either do that or just 5 small meals throughout the day. It's all personal preference. Long story short, don't eat too much because overeating causes your stomach to expand and crave food more!

My final method to the madness is that I exercise in my own way… that makes me feel a sense of relief and accomplishment, is fun, and gives me a nice burn.  No, you don't have to wake up at 6am and go to the gym every day. I don't have the desire to do that and doing that won't make me happy. I workout whenever I personally feel like it. Doing anything that seems like a chore can be heavily unmotivating and hinder your weightloss. I've said this before, but the gym isn't for everyone. There's a method of exercise for everyone that they will pick up and fall in love with. Exercise is also very destressing. It says it all over the internet, BUT IT'S TRUE BECAUSE IT REALLY DOES REDUCE STRESS! For me, I run around hitting nerds with sticks once a week and do martial arts twice a week. Both of these activities are just a part of my weekly schedule in the same way that going to work Monday-Friday is. I also occasionally go for walks, runs, and bikerides whenever I'm in the mood.

What triggered me to lose weight in the first place? Because my poor hormones were all messed up and I was diagnosed with PCOS (you can google it if you're curious), which basically means that your ovaries have cysts on them. It can possibly cause some serious problems down the road, especially diabetes, which after going on multiple research sprees of looking up what happened if I get diabetes, I knew I was tired of being overweight and had tried 3 other times (seriously) and I was like "screw this", it clicked all of a sudden, I picked up karate (and fell in love with it) after quitting for 5.5 years, and bam, bye bye weight!

What also helped me is that I constantly talked to a dietician, which makes me take accountability for what I eat. I also have been doing this cool little thing called "Shape Reclaimed", which a dear friend of mine has been helping me with this (because he is a PROFESSIONAL -- do NOT do this without guidance… well, you kind of can't anyways). This gnarly little secret has been a huge miracle worker for me. Honestly, I'm someone who with certain kinds of endeavors, needs guidance in order to accomplish my goals. One of the serious attempts was doing it on my own and nope… that was the shortest and the least successful attempts to lose weight. It has made me more conscious of what I eat, has totally reset my metabolism that was absolutely crappy before, and having someone to discuss your eating with on a consistent basis is very helpful for me. It's also nice to feel like I have a "wellness coach" who totally motivates you. I was called fat several times and it's quite empowering when someone tells you how much progress you've made and how well you're doing.

This awesome little tool of Shape Reclaimed is the final push I needed. I did NOT lose weight "just because of this". I made an overall lifestyle change and this is just an extra boost. If you are in the Chicago area, looking to lose weight, and haven't found any kind of program to help you, you should check out a place called Balance Natural Healthcare (in Mundelein, in the north burbs). These people legit saved my life!

In summary, do you want to lose weight? Moderation, portion control, and exercise are the tools you need. Of course you need to eat healthy and find the methods of weightloss that work best for you. Being healthy is a lifestyle, not an attribute. Treat it as a part of your life like you would your career. Having any kind of wellness coach, personal trainer, etc, is always helpful as well!

If you're looking for a weight loss program, I personally think that anything where the foods pre-made for you won't teach you habits of making food on your own once the program is over, and keeping track of everything in a food diary isn't for me either. I found Shape Reclaimed works for me and if you're interested, go check out where there's a practitioner near you. It may not work for you, but if you think a weightloss program is what you need to lose weight, go for it!

Good luck to everyone and their weightloss journeys and don't give up :)

Here's me though… 6 months since the start of this journey and negative 30 pounds later: