…..But it’s a beautiful ride!

Hello lovlies!
I am back from Chicago and I would say that it was a very successufl trip! I learned so much about being a Weight Watchers leader and I truly feel that I am meant to do this! I spent 3 and a half years behind the desk, weighing in members, and providing support one on one. At the time that is what I needed to do. However, through the changes in my life recently, I realized that I need to push myself. I need to step out of my comfort zone and do what is best for ME. Being a Weight Watchers leader is going to help inspire SO many people…..and insipiring them is going to inspire me. My leader helped me so much through my weight loss journey and I want to be that for someone! I was blessed to have my mom and aunt go with me and support me….but not everyone has that support. I want to be someones mom, friend, granddaughter, sister! I want to be the support that they need.

Losing weight is a journey…Its a process…and it doesnt happen over night. It has been 7 years since I started my weight loss journey and it is still difficult. I have a little talk today at a meeting to help inspire some members and someone asked me an amazing question. They asked how I changed my relationship with food and if I was okay with the fact that I can never go back to how I ate before I lost weight.

Now, before I lost weight, I was a binge eater. I would come home from school and devour chips, pretzels, and dip. I would eat at least two bowls of cereal every night before bed. And honestly eat non stop on the weekends. Food helped me feel better. I hated being the biggest girl in school, i hated not being able to wear cute clothes, and i hated disappointing my parents by not being active and involved in things. Food was my comfort. It was my drug.

When I joined weight watchers, i learned that i was addicted to food. I learned that i was a volume eater and i learned that i was also an emotional eater. I had to develop ways to stop this cycle. So, I spent hours in grocery stores and online finding recipes and snacks that had the volume but were good for me! I learned to turn to my mom or my aunt when i was feeling sad instead of turning to the food. I learned to find better coping mechanisms when i was feeling stressed. So i would read and chew gum to get my mind off of eating.

SO, to answer the question of if I miss how I used to eat before weight watchers, the answer is no. Because, tied to the way that I ate, is all of the emotions that came with it. I do not miss the excruciating pain of a best friend acting like they dont know who you are. I do not miss the embarrassment of not being able to fit in my desk. I do not miss the humiliation of having to change my clothes in front of others. I do not miss the feelings of being alone and scared.

The way I eat now brings so much JOY into my life. I am fueling my body with the nutrients it needs. The way I eat now is also tied to emotions. Feelings of confidence, empowerment, and happiness.

Don’t look at weight loss as a “diet” or a “quick fix.” It is a never ending journey….But i promise you…that it is a beautiful one!

God Bless.
xoxo – M

I’M BACK! and ready for the new year!

Hello everyone!!!!

I am SO sorry that I disappeared for so long. There were a lot of things that happened since September and I could not find the energy to get on here. My boyfriend of almost two years broke up with me completely out of nowhere in October. I truly believed that I was going to marry this man…and we had talked about our future many times. He told me he was planning on proposing within a year. Needless to say, this came as a shock. I was devastated, embarrassed, and heartbroken. I had to believe that God had a plan, but accepting this was very scary. Three months later, and looking back on our relationship, I realized that this was bound to happen. He was a personal trainer, I was a girl who used to be overweight and who still had insecurity/body image issues, and now I truly believe our relationship wasn’t healthy. There was the constant pressure of looking the part of “the trainers girlfriend.” I was so worried that if I had over 12% body fat he would not accept me. There were constant fights of not wanting to go to the gym, not wanting to eat out, and not wanting to drink. There were many times where I felt that he was just my trainer and not my boyfriend. However, him leaving me completely rocked my world. I no longer had a gym partner, I no longer had someone to talk to about my insecurities, and I started to become even more insecure and think that maybe I really wasn’t good enough for him….or for anyone.

Through talking with aunt, who knew my boyfriend from day one, I began to realize that I am good enough. She helped me point out the red flags and make me see that there is more to me than having a flat stomach and being the girl that lost 100 pounds. She made me realize that the right man, the man God intended me to be with, will love me for ALL of me. For my stretch marks, for my love handles, for my loose skin, and for my boobs or lack there of. She made me realize that I am worth SO MUCH MORE. And that NO girl should be made to feel that way. I would be lieing if I said that I didn’t miss him. We had great moments in our relationship. However, I think I miss the idea of what he could have been more than what he actually was. I am glad that he came into my life, because for the first time I am realizing that I need to learn to love MYSELF.

Ever since I lost my weight, I really have never been single. I would go from one relationship to the next. I truly believe it is because I wanted that guy attention, I wanted to feel that someone wanted me, because when I was overweight…..I never felt wanted. However, not I know that I really need to focus on me. It is my time. I need to appreciate all of my flaws and not expect a man to fill that void. God has made me in his image and likeness. And I am his masterpiece. I have realized that I need to learn to be alone, to feel the hurt, and to feel the anxiety and the insecurities.

Through all of this….good things happened as well! I graduated from college and now have a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work! I have officially been accepted to The University of Pittsburgh’s Social Work Master’s program and will being in the fall! I am going to become certified to be a school social worker 🙂 Also, I am flying to Chicago TOMORROW to become a Weight Watchers Leader!

I am accepting everyday that it is time for me to focus on me. To enjoy the single life. To learn to be alone and to let God lead me where he wants me to go. Everyday it hurts…But everyday it hurts a little less too.

I am so excited to be back with you guys! I will post about how leader training went this weekend!
Here’s to 2014….A new year. A new me! 🙂
God bless xoxo M

What I Ate!

Hello Everyone! Its time for WHAT I ATE WEDNESDAY! I hope you all enjoyed the post on HIIT! I felt like it was something really important that needed to be shared. I love finding new ways to live a healthy lifestyle..and when I do…I will tell you all! My week has been really crazy. I am starting to think that school social work is not what I want to do with my life. It is really confusing and scary when you don’t know exactly what is going to happen and exactly where you are going to end up! I truly believe my calling in life is to help overweight kids, teens, and adults. I hope that God opens up doors for me and leads me in the right direction. It is all in his hands! So….lets get started with what I ate on Wednesday!

Breakfast: I slept in a little too late, so breakfast had to be quick! I had a new granola bar I found in the store and it was so good! It actually kept me full until lunch. Now, I typically don’t like to have processed food in the mornings, but I have to leave extremely early for my internship and its sometime necessary! The ingredient list wasn’t long at all, which helps! Paired it with a banana!

Lunch: I got creative with my lunch! I mixed a can of light chunk tuna packed in water with 1/2 cup of fat free refried beans with 1/4 cup fat free cheddar and salsa! Microwaved it for about 1 minute! It was so good! Packed with protein so it kept me so full!

Dinner: We had shrimp in our house, so I went online and found a shrimp scampi recipe! It was from Eat Better America! It was so good! Basically it was whole wheat pasta, olive oil, garlic, spinach, shrimp, and tomatoes! I absolutely loved it! Shrimp is packed with protein and is so good for you!

Snack: My snack was simple! 1 container of Yoplait Greek Yogurt with 1/5 ounce of peanuts! I used the strawberry fruit on the bottom yogurt so it tasted like peanut butter and jelly! So good!

Mixing up foods and coming up with creative dishes really helps me stay on track! Have fun with your food! I try not to eat the same thing all of the time…That way my metabolism doesn’t get used to it! Also, it keeps me from getting bored and giving up! One day…Just try mixing random things together! You’ll find you come up with some really tasty things! 🙂

Live healthy and God bless xoxo M

What is HIIT you ask?!

High-intensity Interval Training! Oh how wonderful it is! So many people make comments to me such as “you must spend HOURS doing cardio” or “how much cardio do you do a week?!” Well the truth is….hardly any! Once I became aware of HIIT, I was hooked! I never liked cardio. I would get extremely bored and just completely give up. Once my brother told me I should try HIIT…I was a little confused. He told me to only do it for 12 minutes! I was used to trying to get 45 minutes of cardio in and now he is telling me only 12 minutes?! Sure I was excited about the short period of time..but I was also skeptical. So, I did some research on my own and wanted to share it with you guys!

High-intensity interval training consists of short bursts of going as fast and as hard as you can followed by a short recovery time. Then you just continue to repeat that process. HIIT has been shown to reduce body fat while making sure you don’t lose any muscle! It also greatly increases your cardiovascular capacity and keeps your metabolic rate increased for hours…and sometimes even days! The coolest part about it….you should not do HIIT for more than 20 minutes!!! (bodybuilding.com “3 ways to boost cardio intensity).

So..what are some examples of HIIT you ask? You can literally do it with anything! If you have access to a track…try sprinting the curves and jogging or walking the straights! If you are just starting out I would recommend walking the straights. If you want a challenge try jogging! Or, if you are on a treadmill…sprint for 30 seconds and then job/walk for 1 minute (or longer if you need to). I personally like doing HIIT on the stairclimber! I will do a moderate pace for a minute…then go as fast as I possibly can for 30 seconds..then back to a moderate minute..then 30 seconds as fast as I can…all the way up to 12-15 minutes! Don’t try to kill yourself starting out! Pick a pace and speeds that seem reasonable to you…my sprint might be a lot slower/faster compared to yours…THATS OK! Everyone’s body is different! The important thing is that you are doing it!

HIIT is especially important when you are lifting weights and trying to gain muscle. Steady-state cardio…such as running for an hour or doing 45 minutes on the elliptical is not going to improve your level of fitness. That kind of cardio breaks down your muscles. It burns fat with burning the muscle as well..which is NOT what you want! The more muscle you have on your body, the more fat you burn, and the faster your metabolism works! “The American Journal of Physiology found that steady-state cardio decreases the ability of muscles to absorb glucose after training” (bodybuilding.com “HIIT Can Get You Huge, Especially If You Are A Meathead”). Steady state cardio limits hypertrophy which is the primary regulator of muscle growth!! (bodybuilding.com).

So…I challenge you to try HIIT this week! It is a GREAT burn and it will really make you sweat!! It also is quick and fast and it doesn’t get boring!! I really think you all will like it…and see amazing changes in your body!! Also, try picking up the weights this week! Weight lifting does WONDERFUL things for your body! Girls..DO NOT BE AFRAID OF DUMBBELLS!! THEY ARE YOUR FRIENDS!! 🙂

-Live healthy and God bless xoxo M

About This Blog & How I Lost The Weight

Since I have a lot of new followers…I thought it would be a good idea to share what this blog is about and how I lost the weight again!

Hi all! My name is Maria and I am 22 years old. I am a social worker and dedicate my life to healthy living!
After my weight loss story was featured on the cover of PEOPLE magazine in August of 2013, I decided I needed to share my success with others in a different kind of way….so here’s my blog!

This blog is for all those who are trying to make
their lives healthier and who need some tips, motivation, and support!

I post things such as workouts, recipes, and weight
loss tips! I believe in healthy living and making it fun! Everyone needs a little inspiration in their life!

Here’s to making our lives happier and
healthier!

When I lost 105 pounds 6 years ago, I NEVER thought I would get my story out. I had always dreamed of it happening, but I never thought it would. There were many times I would send my story to magazines, websites, etc. and always get turned down. It got to the point where I finally gave up. I trusted that God had a plan for me, and getting my story out was not in his plan. In February, I decided that I needed to go to counseling to heal some past hurts and issues. I will post more about that soon! I needed to heal myself emotionally. When I lost the weight, I only healed myself physically. The same month I first started counseling, my mom sent my story into PEOPLE magazine. Well, the rest is history! I landed on the COVER of PEOPLE magazine! God DID have a plan! It was when I finally fixed my emotional problems and past hurts, he allowed me to share my story with the world. My story is raw. It is true. It is real.

I got so many amazing texts, emails, calls, and messages from people who saw the magazine cover and the news stories. Everyone wanted to know how I did it! What my secrets were! Everything I ate! Well, now everyone can! From a little push by a good friend, I decided it was a great idea to start a blog! I am new at this….so bare with me! I plan to post pictures, recipes, what I do in the gym, random ideas and motivational tips, and a look into my personal life of living a healthy lifestyle!

SO….HERE GOES NOTHING!

So, the question of the day….HOW DID YOU LOSE SO MUCH WEIGHT AT 15?!?! Simple answer…WEIGHT WATCHERS! Growing up, I was always overweight. I didn’t play any sports, I wasn’t active, and I LOVED to eat! I especially loved to snack. There was always a snack after school…and usually two before bed! I had a good group of friends growing up and was never bullied, which was a huge blessing. I have two older brothers who were both football players…they needed to eat a lot! So, I just fell into their eating patters. I was always the “clothes holder” going shopping with friends because I couldn’t fit into the clothes in the stores they loved. It was miserable, embarrassing, and downright AWFUL!

At 15, I was 240 pounds. Size 28. And a freshman in high-school. The best friends that I had all through growing up were involved in sports once we got into high-school…I wasn’t. Therefore…they made new friends and I was left out. It happens. Being left out is a part of life. However, being so overweight, I had no self confidence to stand up for myself and try to become involved in their lives again. I simply put up a GIANT wall and ate my pain away. The hurt was terrible. I cried everyday after school. There were moments when my mom and I had to plan out who I was going to talk to in school and where I would sit in the mornings before I needed to be in homeroom. Most times, I would just sit alone.

One night, I was sitting at my kitchen table. My mom came in the front door, walked into the kitchen, and set books on the table in front of me, and walked away. I picked up the books because I was curious where she was for an hour and I saw that they were Weight Watcher books. Now, I know my mom wasn’t pressuring me to lose weight, because she did my entire life, and eventually gave up. I didn’t like knowing that people wanted me to lose weight…it actually made me eat more! So anyway, I picked up the books, and started to look through them. That’s when I saw that Weight Watchers was based on a points system. Everything you eat has a points value and you have a daily target. You use a tracker to track your points each day. When I saw that PIZZA and FRENCH FRIES had points values…and I could still eat them if I tracked my points…I knew I needed to do it! I think my mom had a heart attack when I told her I wanted to join!

That Saturday morning, my mom and I got into the car and headed to weight watchers! We got myself all signed up (with a doctors note of course) and then it was time to face the scale! I didn’t know how much I weighed. I never weighed myself and I wouldn’t even let the doctors tell me. So, I stepped onto the scale. The receptionist was so sweet and so supportive. She made the process a lot easier. They keep the scale very private so I didn’t see what I weighed until I went into the meeting room. When I saw 240…I was shocked! I knew I was heavy, but I didn’t know I was that heavy.

That was the first day of the rest of my life! I was completely changed that morning. Something just came over me and I knew good things were going to happen! My leader was incredible. My mom was by my side. I knew it would work. There were weeks of gains and weeks of binging like I used to. But I took it step by step and day by day. I never said I need to lose exactly 105 pounds. I took it 5 pounds at a time! Thinking of the end result was just too overwhelming!

SO…my advice to you…If you are ready for a change. Do it. Walk into Weight Watchers. Throw out the bad food. Start to research healthy eating. I promise it will become second nature to you and worth it! Its going to be hard. Its going to take a lot out of you. There will be tears. And there will be haters. But the end result will be wonderful. Your life will be changed.

If a normal girl like me can do it…ANYONE CAN! Feel free to ask questions in the comment box!

What I Ate Wednesday!

Hi Guys! SURPRISE! What I ate Wednesday is actually on…WEDNESDAY! I am sorry I’ve been posting it a few days later…but tonight I made a promise to myself I would get it out to you actually on Wednesday! So…lets get started!

Breakfast: Todays breakfast was so yummy! Peaches are in season now and taste AMAZING! So, I had Yoplait Greek yogurt with peach. Then I cut up a fresh peach from a local farmers market! TO DIE FOR! Then, on the way to my field location site, I had 1/2 ounce of cocoa dusted almonds! This breakfast kept me full all day long. The protein in the yogurt and almonds really help to keep you full!

Lunch: Lunch was quick and easy today…It was my first day of working with kids one on one…So I wasn’t sure of my time. So, it was an 100% whole wheat Arnold’s sandwich thin with 2 ounces of chicken breast lunch meat. I also had a Weight Watchers jalapeno cheese stick! Then I munched on some baby carrots!

Snack: After the school I go straight to the gym, so I always have an apple! Once I get home from the gym, its too early for dinner, so I NEED a snack! Today I was craving something crunchy and salty! So, I treated myself to 1 ounce of tortilla chips with salsa. I also had some diet pepsi..which I normally stay away from during the week. But, I have really been strict with my eating this week and needed a little treat!

Dinner: Well, this is something totally different for me, BUT IT WAS AMAZING! Robby’s dad is a hunter…So on Sunday, he gave me a TON of deer meat. I have never had deer, and honestly never thought about trying it. When I looked up the Weight Watcher points for it, I was shocked to see that it is a power food and REALLY low in points! My dad told me that’s because deer meat is so lean and much better than red meat! This was a deer roast, so I put it in the crock pot all day with just some onion soup mix. Then, I added in new potatoes! I also made fresh green beans from the local farmers market where I got the peaches! Seriously, this dinner was AMAZING! And I was shocked at how big the portion was! I am such a volume eater!

Snack: You all are going to be so bored with my snacks! However, cereal is and always will be my favorite! Tonight was special k red berries with almond milk…nothing new here! 🙂

I hope this helps give you all some ideas on what eating healthy looks like! It can be fun! And you can have all of the things that you love!

-Live healthy and God bless! xoxo M

WhAt A wHiRlWiNd!

Hello loves. So… I haven’t posted a lot lately…that’s because I recently started my social work practicum and it has been extremely hard getting adjusted. If you look under my Social Work tab, you will see the post about where I am doing my field work. I love being in a school district but there is so much to take in.

The first week that I started, I ended up getting extremely sick. I was on antibiotics, nausea medication, and I felt miserable! Then this week, I reinjured my shoulder. I am DEVASTATED about this injury. I’ve been struggling with it for a while now and I am going to go see a surgeon next Wednesday. So, my gym routines have been horrible! I was sick…and couldn’t go. Now my shoulder is messed up and I can barely lift! So….things have been extremely stressful.

I am really having hard time managing field work, my two classes, eating healthy, working out, and my social life. I know everyone goes through change..however, I have major anxiety when it comes to things changing! Since I can’t really do any lifting…I have to somehow come up with a new way of working out. Those who know me know that I HATE doing any sort of cardio. If anything I will do 10 minutes of HIIT…I’ll blog about that soon. SOOOOO now I am pretty much forced to. I am thinking of coming up with interval circuit type work and tabatas..that way I am not forced to be on a treadmill! Also, my diet is going to have to be pretty darn good!

What’s the motto to this blog post you wonder? Well…I wanted to show you guys that I am a normal everyday person who struggles with the same things that everyone else does. A lot of people assume that I have a “perfect” diet and a “perfect” workout routine. Well, I don’t. And I never will. I struggle just like everyone else. I have good days and bad days. Stressful days and relaxing days. Happy days and sad days. What keeps me motivated you ask? MY BEFORE PICTURE! I know that if I stop trying at the gym and stop meal planning…I would go right back to that miserable girl with the fake smile. I see how unhappy she was. I know the intense pain and hurt that she was going through. And you know what….Struggling in the gym and struggling coming up with healthy recipes is 1,000 times better than going back to that place. Eventually, my routine will kick back in. And I will be back to lifting all of the time. But, for now, I have to make due! I know that GOD is in control and everything is in his hands. “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

So…to help others who are maybe going through the same thing I am right now…I was thinking about making a list of all of the foods that I eat and foods that are good for you! Some of you may not know where to start and what to buy! They will be basic things and of course tasty! What do you guys think??

Remember, YOU ARE WORTH IT!

-Live healthy and God bless xoxo M

What I Ate Wednesday!

Hey all! I hope you had an amazing week. I’m not sure about you guys, but I am SO excited that today is FRIDAY! I am in need of a relaxing weekend. So as always..here is the post of “what I ate Wednesday!”

Breakfast – I woke up late..therefore I had to eat on the go! So, I made a peanut butter sandwhich with naturally more peanut butter and an Arnold’s 100% whole wheat sandwich thin! This is so easy to eat in the car….and this keeps me full until lunch time! I also had a peach along with it..they are in season now and taste AMAZING!

Lunch – I try to get as much protein as I can in for lunch. I have to eat at 11:00am at my field placement. I am not used to eating that early! So, the protein helps keep my full until the end of the day. I had baked chicken breast with roasted veggies! The veggies were zucchini, onion, & mushrooms! We roasted the vegetables on Sunday evening so I had them the entire week!

Snack – Right after my day at field, I went straight to the gym. So, on the way there I enjoyed a golden delicious apple!!

Dinner – This is one of my favorite dinners! Its super simple and easy to make, the portion size is huge, and it is so filling! Its called nutty beff noodle! It has a peanut butter sauce with green peppers and lean ground beef. Its then mixed over whole wheat pasta. You get 1 and 1/2 cups for only 9 points+!

Snack – as always, I need my snack before bed! tonights snack was special k red berries cereal with almond milk!

Let me know if there are any questions about what I eat, how I plan it out, or concerns you have! Hopefully I will have time this weekend to have another post! What kinds of posts would you all like to see??

-Live healthy and God bless! xoxo M

Forget The Scale!

So…I have been going back and forth with posting about the dreaded scale. This is a very personal and touchy subject for me and it is hard to talk about. However, I know A LOT of people who struggle with the same feelings I do towards the scale.

When I started my Weight Watchers journey…I didn’t understand the impact that stepping on the scale once a week would have on my emotional health. When I joined Weight Watchers, I honestly felt like my life was falling apart. I had nothing to look forward to. I dreaded basically everything. I would cry before and after school everyday. Come home from school and literally eat an entire bag of potato chips and French onion dip.

The day I joined, stepping on the scale, and seeing it say 240 pounds killed me. It was embarrassing. I felt SO angry at myself and others. How did I let myself get that way?! It was a slap in the face. I was defeated. But, I knew that it was the start of my new life. I needed to lose the weight.

The first week of Weight Watchers was challenging, but fun! My mom and I discovered new recipes and yummy things to eat! The entire week I anticipated going back and stepping on the scale! I ended up losing 4 pounds my first week…Needless to say, I was thrilled! Little did I know that that scale would come to haunt me in the future.

Because I had no other joys in my life at the time, the scale became the only positive thing that I had. Every week I thought about how much I was going to lose. What I would weigh. What would happen if I gained. At the time though, I didn’t think anything of it. I looked forward to that weigh in and it kept me going and motivated. But, there were no other rewards. The scale was the only reward I had.

When I didn’t lose….it honestly felt like the end of the world. I would have good weeks and gain weight! It shocked me and really killed me inside. I managed to make sure I stayed on track…because I wanted to see that minus sign SO badly. I was determined and it paid off….I lost 105 pounds and changed my life…But, once I lost the weight…that’s when things began to get complicated.

It took me a year to lose the weight. I never missed a weigh in. So, I stepped on the scale once a week for a year. Then, I became a lifetime member. You are only required to weigh in once a month as a lifetime member, but I of course told myself I NEEDED to weigh in once a week. For 6 years… I was a prisoner of the scale. No one knew, except me, the impact of weighing in had on my mood, personality, and what I would do in my spare time. If I would have another loss, I would be SO HAPPY! Go out to eat, go shopping, call people to hang out. If I had a gain….No eating out. No shopping. I would be MISERABLE. Seeing that minus sign was honestly like a drug to me. I needed to get my fix once a week…and if I didn’t see a minus sign…I would punish myself and not enjoy my life.

It wasn’t until this January that I realized how bad it had gotten. I had started lifting weights. I used to only do cardio and light lifting. I really loved the weight lifting and I could see my body changing before my eyes! I felt great! But then, the scale wasn’t cooperating. I was slowly starting to see gains….Every week. Therefore, I made my diet stricter and lifted heavier. But..the scale kept going up and up. Finally, when I reached gaining 10 pounds…I had a nervous breakdown. My relationship with Robby was terrible. I never wanted to go out to dinner or get happy hour. Or, if we did go out to dinner, I would run to the bathroom after and check to see if my stomach was still flat and if I could see my abs. I was miserable at family functions because I wasn’t allowing myself the treats. I would spend HOURS looking at fitness girls on instagram wishing I looked like them and telling myself that they probably don’t gain weight or get bloated when they eat out. I was OBSESSING. I just wanted to keep losing weight. I was trapped. Through many fights and tears, Robby mentioned I should go talk to a counselor. At first I was embarrassed that he would mention something like that! I was fine! I didn’t need to talk to someone! But, the more I thought about it…I knew I needed to get help.

A good family friend of mine gave me the name of a women who she said was amazing and could really help me….. I finished up counseling in July…and I honestly felt free! From going and talking with her, I realized how much the scale ruined me. I learned that when I was losing weight, there should have been other rewards besides just seeing the minus sign on the scale. We should have had other weekly plans to look forward to so I wasn’t so focused on the scale. I also learned the importance of muscle. Little did I know that I was just gaining 10 pounds of muscle! I wasn’t gaining fat. A lot of fitness people look for weight gains as a sign of progress! (because they eat all of the correct food).

So…. The scale is important to track weight loss or even muscle gain. However, it CANNOT be the ONLY thing that you look at. Take measurements! You will see them shrinking even if the scale isn’t moving! Tell yourself it is just a number…because it is!! It doesn’t define you! It doesn’t make you who you are! DONT BECOME TRAPPED LIKE I DID! Your body fluctuates ALL day long! Girls…you will most likely gain on that dreaded week! Also, DO NOT KEEP A SCALE IN YOUR HOUSE! That is the worst thing you can do! If you have a week where you gain weight…accept it…move on…and realize that your body is just sometimes stubborn. It doesn’t want you to lose weight. Just keep eating healthy and working out and you WILL see the results! Also, make sure you have a hobby that you like to do while losing weight. I ONLY had weight watchers. I didn’t do ANYTHING else! I should have rode horses, scrapbooked, or went fishing to keep my mind off of it and to realize that THERE IS MORE TO LIFE THAN THE SCALE!

If you are into lifting weights, which I highly recommend, learn the difference between muscle and fat. It is a MYTH that muscle weighs more than fat. They weigh the SAME! One pound of muscle is the same as one pound of fat. HOWEVER, muscle is much more dense than fat! Meaning that it takes up less space! Also, muscle helps to burn fat, so the more muscle you have on you, the less fat you will have! SO, when I was gaining those 10 pounds, it was all muscle! I was still lean and I wasn’t going up in pant sizes. I was just toning up and getting rid of the excess fat I had! I know it was pure muscle gain because my diet was very good. All healthy foods and within my weight watcher points. Don’t assume that if you are lifting weights…but your diet is way off track that you are gaining muscle!!

So, what happened after counseling? I haven’t stepped on a scale since FEBRUARY!!! And I have never felt better! I keep track of my weight by how my clothes feel! If my jeans feel a little snug… I know I should probably tone it down on the treats for the weekend. If they feel a little loose…Well I know I can have an extra cookie! Once you are at a weight that is good with you, stay there. There is no need to experiment to try to be “smaller.” I know that my body is comfortable around 135-140 pounds. I am a size 6-8 depending on the store. I have big hips and a big butt and I don’t want to be any smaller now. I used to think…well, a lot of my friends are a size 4, so I want to be a size 4! Well guess what, when I got there….I couldn’t even eat one cookie! That is NO WAY to live. What are your priorities?? Mine isn’t to be a size 4. It was. And when it was I didn’t enjoy my life. I couldn’t have a piece of my moms famous pies. I couldn’t have a few beers with my boyfriend during Penguin games. Now, my priority is to ENJOY life. To be the healthiest and happiest version of myself. To have a great career. To get married and raise a family….and guess what….I am going to do all of those things WITHOUT a scale.

-PLEASE comment or reach out to me if you are struggling with this same problem!
-Live healthy and many blessings!
– XOXO M

What I Ate Wednesday….Even though it’s Friday!

Hi guys! So, I am SO SORRY that I haven’t posted all week. It was my first week in field experience, which kept me pretty busy. I was also sick which didn’t help AT ALL! As promised on my Facebook page, I am still going to share with you “What I Ate Wednesday!”

Breakfast: I was able to take my breakfast to my field placement site with me which was nice! So, I took a Yoplait Greek Cherry Yogurt with 1/2 ounce of cocoa dusted almonds!

Lunch: My lunch was simple…and since I wasn’t feeling well, nothing really tasted good! I knew I needed to have something with protein and a carb. So I had a chicken breast sandwhich on an Arnold’s 100% whole wheat sandwich thin! It was so so yummy! It hit the spot since I was sick!

Snack: When I got home from field, I was so hungry. So, I had 1/2 of an Arnold’s 100% whole wheat sandwich thin with 1 TBSP of naturally more peanut butter (you can find it at walmart)

Dinner: Again, since I was sick, carbs were the only thing that tasted good! So, I had 1/2 cup of brown rice with 1/2 cup of fat free refried beans and 3 ounces of chicken breast with salsa! It was SO SO good! And it was so easy to literally just throw everything together! I had the chicken breast already cooked so everything was just microwaved. Typically on Sundays, I will bake 5-6 chicken breasts that I can eat throughout the week!

Snack: I LOVE cereal…A little too much. But, since I love it, I always have it 🙂 So, my snack was 1 cup of special k red berries with 1 cup of almond milk. Its sooo good and perfect for an easy snack!

If you guys have ANY questions about any of the food I ate feel free to ask! This week has been stressful and I haven’t been to the gym once! I knew that if I went to the gym sick, it would put me behind even more! So, I let my body heal and get better and I will be back in action come Monday!

Look for a new post soon….Do you guys have anything you want me to post about??
-God Bless xoxo M