New Year's Resolutions?

New Year's Resolutions? No!! New Year REAL Solutions! I know this time of year many people (probably most of America) are making "resolutions" to lose weight, or eat better, or exercise more, etc. Do you see the problem with those so called goals? They are vague!! If you truly want great things in 2015, if you truly want change, then your goal must be that. A goal. Webster's defines a goal as: "the end toward which effort is directed". So there you have it. A goal will not be achieved without effort put forth towards it.

With that being said, I'd like to share with you my goals for 2015.

1. Reach my goal weight
2. Help others gain confidence
3. Support others' nutritional goals
4. Motivate others towards their fitness goals
5. Be PRESENT with my kids
6. Find a financial balance
7. Spend 10 minutes EVERY DAY in personal development
8. Set business hours for Beachbody
9. Focus on water intake and what I'm eating
10. DAILY workouts - NO EXCUSES

For these to be real goals I must know how and when I will complete them. They all pretty much will be achieved by continuing to do what I have been doing the last three months. By continuing to focus on my health & fitness, continuing to share my experience, and continuing to help others do the same, I will achieve all 10 of my goals before the year's end. I expect to reach my goal weight by Summer so I can rock a bathing suit when my kids and I go swimming.

I ask you to share one GOAL with me. A real solution. Not a resolution. And not I will end with my favorite quote: "To get what you've never had, you must do what you've never done."

If you are ready to learn how you can make your solution a reality this next year, message me on Facebook or on my Beachbody profile page.

Confidence

Sitting here going through memory lane (via pictures I've posted on facebook), and I had an epiphany. There are more pictures of me from the last few months than there are from the last 10 years. Okay, I haven't had a facebook account THAT long, I believe I created it after I gave birth to my son to share pictures of him (and my girls) with my family that live out of state, and also with my friends. I LOVE sharing about them. I am definitely a proud mom!

It just amazes me at the level of confidence I have gained over the last few months. I used to be that mom who was so ashamed of her body that she just wanted to shrink into the wall or under a rock and hide. I did not feel worthy of anyone's love. Let alone the love of my children.

I see that now only because I no longer feel that way. No, I am not completely comfortable with my size yet. But I am not so shy anymore. I actually make eye contact with strangers. I smile at people more. I say hello to the random person in the grocery aisle. I am more comfortable (not completely yet) chatting up a stranger about some random topic (appropriate to the items we are browsing or events around us of course).

No, I didn't find a magic pill. No, I haven't been going to counseling. No, I didn't join some women's empowerment group. Well, not really. I DID join in with an amazing group of women (and men) who are focused on making their lives (and the lives of everyone they can touch) BETTER. We have a hurting world full of hurting people. I am so lucky to have been introduced to this group of people who have helped me gain confidence, and self esteem. Who have supported me on my journey to health (physically, emotionally, and mentally).

I am happy to say I have lost 36 pounds and about as many inches over the last 3 months. Plus, I am no longer taking the nerve medication I was taking three times a day (with a double dose at bedtime) for my chronic back pain. But what amazes me the most is what I have gained! I have gained friendships, family, love (from others, to others, and to myself), confidence, self esteem, 'new' wardrobe (went shopping in my closet, lol), knowledge, faith, hope, and healing (just to name a few things).

To learn more about my journey and what I've been doing, visit my profile.

Who I Am, and Where I Started

Hey, you found my blog! Sweet! Well, my name is Stephanie. I am a single mom to three amazing kiddos. Although, they have their not so amazing moments I will admit. My son is 5 (a total mama's boy!), and my girls are 8 (my trouble maker), and 10 (such a tween and yet such a little mommy). I have struggled with weight and a positive self image for as long as I can remember. Enter my crazy relationships that produced my three lovely children and then brought my ex and I together. I know God has paved my life this way for a reason. I just can't figure that reason out yet.

These last 14 months have been a roller coaster of events and emotions. Lost many relationships but gained many more. Got sucked into a despair of depression. All the weight I had lost after my son was born I gained back, plus a few extra. The heaviest I have ever seen in my life is 236lbs on September 1st, 2014 when my kids and I moved into our current apartment. That was a wake-up call for me. I was tired of the constant back pain, and constantly feeling like I wasn't good enough. 

So I decided to lose weight. For good. I started by restricting my calories by A LOT and walking almost every day. At first it was just around the block because that's all my back could handle. Then it was several trips around the block a couple times a day (because that's all I had time for). I managed to lose about 15 pounds, but I noticed I was starting to have other issues with my body. Losing hair is not something new to me, I shed a LOT. But I was losing more than normal. Plus I was constantly tired, having diarrhea, headaches almost every day, and very very irritable.

Then a friend from high school shared about her experience with clean eating and PiYo and it caught my attention. I asked her a few questions like, what the heck is PiYo (pronounce Pie-Oh), and is it safe for someone with chronic back pain. Little did I know she suffered from back pain also and has no problems with PiYo. Okay, I was sold on that. Where do I buy it? Well then she invited me to a 7 Day Challenge and it changed my life! I learned how to eat the right kinds of foods, and a LOT of it too. I felt soo much better, and happier, and I was still losing weight!

I lost 5 pounds in my first week on the 21 Day Fix eating plan with my first 7 day Clean Eating group on Facebook. Okay Kels, I'm hooked, where do I sign up to be a coach so I can help other people feel this amazing?!

In the last 3 weeks I have gotten down to 209lbs by eating a TON of clean foods, drinking enough water (on most days), and exercising. Not even exercising every day! There have been days when I just physically couldn't because I was either sore (haha, yep, I was that out of shape), or sick (had a few sick days the last few weeks, darn kids), and there has even been a couple days where I was battling a migraine (I have suffered from migraines for about 10 years).

I have a natural food aversion, so I am working on getting over this as my body needs food to survive and thrive. It is what fuels us to function at our best. So taking it one food at a time and discovering all the great ways I can enjoy it. Thanks to Kelsey, I have found an amazing group of women to help me not only gain (I can't say regain because I've never been at a healthy weight) health and fitness, as well as develop a better me and some pretty great friendships. I will forever be thankful to her for her generosity and for introducing me to such an amazing new lifestyle. I feel confident that I will be able to teach my children healthy habits by example and not just by word.

I am currently in my first week (Day Two) of my first 21 Day Challenge with Beachbody and I continue to see progess that is amazing. I have dropped 2 pant sizes since the beginning of my journey. With Beachbody alone I have lost 12 pounds and 12 inches in the last three weeks! Amazing results with such a simple and easy process!

November 2014                    June 2009