Before you turn up this New Years, find out how alcohol is hindering your weight loss

If you think Christmas cookies, cakes and pies are the only indulgences you need to avoid this holiday season, think again. Alcohol consumption often flies under the radar because it is a liquid after all; but in terms of weight loss alcohol can put a major road block in the way of your weight loss efforts.

Alcohol is primarily made up of sugar and carbs which translates to calories.  In fact, having only a few drinks in one setting can increase your calorie count rather quickly. For example, a light beer averages around 110 calories; 5 ounces of champagne 95 calories; 1.5 ounces of vodka 96 calories. Those are just a few examples, combine these numbers with mixers such as grenadine, juice or soda and you could be adding anywhere from 50 to 700 additional calories. If those numbers don't get your attention try making your drink of choice a heavy hitter like a long island ice tea which is a whopping 780 calories per drink, just two drinks would equal more than half of your daily recommended calorie intake... yikes! Now base these numbers on the fact that most females with a weight loss goal tend to average about 1500 calories or less per day (not including exercise) and you can see how alcohol consumption can really add to your calorie intake.

If the calorie count doesn't have you convinced that alcohol is your enemy in terms of weight loss how about these apples: alcohol causes cellulite, alcohol slows your metabolism and alcohol lowers your inhibitions, which makes you more likely to eat bad food. Not only will you more than likely make a bad eating choice while imbibing but how often do you wake up after a night of drinking craving something to "feed" the alcohol? Bacon, egg and cheese bagel anyone? Also, alcohol contains a ton of sugar, you may as well sit down with a big bowl of sugar because alcohol plus the added mixers are loaded with the white stuff. Now, for arguments sake lets just say you were a good girl and got in a good burn by exercising before you begin drinking, well that's always good but you need to know that once you consume alcohol your body will focus all it's energy to burn the alcohol in your body first which can take about ten hours for your body to burn. In addition, consuming alcohol could stop your body from burning fat for 24 to 72 hours!

There are many of you who still think you can continue to drink and win the battle of the bulge but let me put it to you in a way that really made me sit back and smell the tequila! If you're finding it hard to cut the alcohol out of your daily life, you may need an AA meeting or 12 step program more than you need to worry about weight loss. Alcohol consumption has become a part of our social DNA and when you begin cutting it out your life you often realize how the lack of alcohol can put a damper on your social engagements. I personally discovered that my husband and I were consuming more than I imagined once I began trying to lose weight. A glass of wine or two with dinner on a Tuesday, a few drinks while listening to jazz on Thursdays and a full day of drinking and watching football on Saturday. It was so ingrained in some of our rituals that we hardly noticed! When I began replacing an alcoholic beverage with a water bottle not only did the weight seem to fall off a bit more easily but I was also one thousand times more likely to get up and workout the next day. In fact I begin to make exercising an absolute must after drinking because I refused to let drinking be the reason that I gave up on my goals. Now,  I'll be the first to tell you that I had to really take a hard look at what we considered "fun" and make some serious changes in order to cut the alcohol. For example now that I've limited my alcohol intake on those instances when I do allow myself to let me hair down, it has on occasion taken a full two days to recover. Feeling like crap for a full day is enough motivation for me to be mindful when I'm drinking and drastically limits my intake in a major way. So here's a few more facts that will hopefully prompt you to limit your intake: alcohol can lead to addiction; alcohol is empty calories that provide no benefit to you in terms of nutrition; alcohol diminishes your capabilities; alcohol can increase the chances of liver disease and diabetes.

I'm in no way trying to ban alcohol from your life, it is part of so many customary traditions in our culture, such as toasting in the New Year after all. What I am asking is that you take a hard look at your relationship with alcohol, especially if your goal is to lose weight. I strongly encourage you to limit your alcohol consumption to special events or outings. Also reach for alcohol with low sugar and carb content which means avoiding beer and sipping on a dry red or dry white wine such as champagne. Also drinking straight alcohol such as vodka, scotch and gin minus the sugary mixers is also a better choice when your trying to limit the calories. I've began mixing Crystal Light into my drinks and it's a pretty tasty substitute for fruit juice. Finally, I've gotten into the habit of drinking plenty of water when I'm having and drink and my personal rule of thumb is to always workout the next day, no matter how bad the first twenty minutes might suck I always I feel better in the end!

Can you improve your weight loss by limiting the alcohol in your lifestyle?

Mini Pre Christmas shopping haul

There's no way I can be the only gal guilty of going Christmas shopping and applying the "one for you two for me" ideology.  I'll be the first to admit that I may have soaked my sorrows in a bit of retail therapy this holiday season. With one child living many miles away while serving in the Air Force this will be our first Christmas with no children living at home, so it just "feels" different this year. It's more than fair to say that I've had no problems occupying a portion of my idle time with some good ole fashioned shopping, here's a peek into my mini pre-Christmas shopping haul.

I love this fragrance, RiRi by Rihanna is such a sweet, fruity fragrance. I tend to change up my scents through the work week but I've been reaching for RiRi day after day. I purchased a set that included a full size perfume along with a rollerball and smaller version of the full size. I thought I'd be reaching for the rollerball to touch up my fragrance throughout the day but this scent has staying power and my husband loves it also. If your into floral, fruity scents, give your girl Rihanna a test drive.


While shopping with my hubby a stylish pair of Timberland boots caught my eye. After trying them on I thought they'd be a fun addition to my weekend wardrobe. Also this feminine take on Timberlands will have me walking in style and despite the high heel the padded foot bed makes them very comfortable. I test drove these lovely ladies on casual Friday at work and a trip to the grocery store and I must say they are extremely comfortable and I just love the look, they get an A+ in my book!

I...love...accessories. I love accessories so much that I won't bother to capture all the accessories I purchased thanks to a visit to DFW this past weekend. For those of you who don't know DFW stands for Discount Fashion Warehouse and it's based in Columbus, OH. In short, it's basically a warehouse of discounted, out of season, possibly irregular merchandise from Limited, Express, Victoria's Secret, Cacique, etc. One could very well spend hours going through racks of clothing in search of deals but since my eyes were on accessories I was able to find a several gems that fit my needs perfectly.  In the winter months I'm a scarf lady and at $5 a pop for a luxury scarves I snatched up several. I also found a great leather belt for $5 and few pairs of fun, colorful earrings that will look great on the beach for our vacation next month. Couple these deals with a cute handmade scarf and headband I received in the mail this week from one of my favorite Etsy shops "One Stitch Away" as well as some cheap rhinestone headbands I grabbed from eBay all I can say is "Merry Christmas to me"! As many of you know headbands are one way I'm able to spice up protective styles with a bit of fancy.

My Ebay headbands as well as my handmade scarf and headband from Etsy

Full disclosure: I'm one of those people that has most of their Christmas shopping done before Thanksgiving day so in all fairness my little splurges didn't get in the way of putting deep thought into meaningful gifts for my loved ones. Now, don't mistake that disclaimer as an admission of guilt, I took the opportunity to treat myself as we all need to do every once in awhile.  This week I'm looking forward to baking Christmas cookies for the kiddos to decorate, watching my favorite Christmas movies (and catching the new Star Wars flick with the hubs) as well as preparing a feast for the family. The dynamics of our family has changed but my heart is perfectly full this holiday season and for me, that's about as good as it gets.

This season give the gift of health..

2015 is the year that I committed to making my health a priority, period. While that commitment was easy on same days, other days were literally a battle with self. I'll be the first to admit that in the beginning the bad days sometimes outweighed the good but in the end there were a few items that helped me stay motivated and (dare I say) excited about working out and embracing healthy changes. So without further ado let me share my top picks of  gifts that would do wonders for any gal aiming to lose weight or increase her level of fitness this year and beyond.

Moxie Fitness Apparel

Polar FT4

1. Of course I have to stroke the vanity hiding beneath the layers we'd like to lose by wrapping myself in stylish workout clothes. Compression leggings and stylish workout clothes can not only give you a boost of confidence in the gym but they actually make me want to workout. I've had some great luck finding quality workout gear at discount prices at Walmart, TJ Maxx and Marshalls but when I'm in the mood to splurge I head over to Moxie Fitness Apparel and snag a tee with a spunky saying and a pair of matching leggings.   
2. I love my Polar Heart Rate monitor, now I realize there are a lot of new gadgets out there but this gal is committed to Polar. While it does require a chest strap for monitoring your heart rate I don't mind since I only utilize it when I'm working out it really doesn't bother me. I have two goals when I'm breaking a sweat: to accurately track my calorie burn based on my personal data (age, weight) and also to keep an eye on my heart rate. It's really a great tool to determine if your burning enough based on the calories your eating, especially if your utilizing My Fitness Pal to track your daily intake.     
3. Sweatproof earbud headphones, I love these! I'm a heavy sweater and nothing breaks my stride like the feeling of my sweaty headphones slipping out my ear drums and eventually falling out, getting tangled between my legs and temporarily taking the focus away from my workout. With sweatproof earbuds this aggravating scenario is a thing of the past. Since we're on the subject another great gift for the fitness minded would be an Apple iPod mini loaded with fast paced songs, music is a great motivator!
4. This category isn't specific due to the fact that this list is based on my fit must haves but I couldn't create a fit gift list without a few heavy hitters. A great piece of fitness equipment weather it be a weight bench, elliptical, stationary bike or free weights. Based on the intended recipients weight loss or fit goals having a piece of exercise equipment (or three) has worked wonders in adding variety to my workouts.
5. Support and by support I literally mean your time. Outside of my current lifestyle I was once able to maintain an awesome fit life when I had an equally amazing accountability partner. Like so many of the great things in life fitness is better together. Not only are you more likely to challenge one another your also more likely to show up! If that's out of the question why not purchase a few personal training sessions or classes to give them a boost in the right direction.

When it comes to fitness this listing provides a few of my favorites that not only make me want to workout but also helps me to maintain my drive and enthusiasm. If you have someone that really wants to make change in the right direction, give the gift of healthy, it keeps on giving!

One inch of hair growth in one week, who's up for the challenge?

Looking at the calendar it's about that time! Challenge time that is, for all you #yougrowgirl15 hair growth challengers I have a method that claims to achieve one inch of hair growth in one week and based on my past experience utilizing this method it actually works!

Has anyone heard of the "inversion method" for hair growth? Well whether you have or haven't I'm here to break it down for you in a few easy steps. The inversion method in a nutshell is where you "invert" yourself in order to allow the blood to flow to your head and scalp for approximately four minutes a day for five to seven days. You can invert by allowing your head to hang off the side of your bed, sitting and allowing your head to hang between your knees or getting in downward dog type of position and allowing your head to hang. The details behind this method is that the increased blood flow to your scalp and hair follicles also increases hair growth. The caveat to this method is that it's not something you can do weekly with the expectation of receiving the same results. Sorry to disappoint you but as your body get's used to the increased blood flow the "magic" wears off therefore in order to see results the recommendation is to perform the inversion method only once per month.

I didn't give this method much attention until I read an article that grabbed my attention followed by  a YouTube video breakdown by LongNHealthy that explained her miraculous hair growth of two inches in five days. Based on her overview I was convinced to give it a try along with my sister, niece and two of my little cousins.  In addition to the inversion method this particular video also called for drinking bamboo tea (which contains high levels of silica which greatly benefits skin and hair), applying Hairdrenalin oil to the scalp and massaging it in and then performing the inversion method for approximately four minutes per day. In the end of our experiment it's fair to say we all achieved approximately one inch of hair growth. I personally wrapped an elastic band around one lock of hair and kept it in for the length of our trial. I measured that lock of hair at the start and finish of our experiment. I was happy to achieve an inch of growth in a week even if I fell a full inch short of LongNHealthy's results.  Based on several other videos I've viewed prior to taking on the experiment many others have achieved significant growth as well. In order to get the details behind the inversion method and Hairdrenalin (which is no longer available for sale but you can buy the ingredients to make it yourself) please hit the link above to view LongNHealthy's YouTube video.

My results with the inversion method

Now that you know the details behind the inversion method please note that I'm not asking for you to go all out as described in the video but I am challenging you to apply your Jamaican Black Castor oil, hair growth oil or oil of your choice directly to your scalp and massage it in everyday for the next five to seven days followed by a four minute investment to perform the inversion method. Realistically between the oil application, light massage and inverting this can be done in about five minutes a day and with the possibility of achieving one inch of growth the investment is more than worth it.  Considering the fact that hair grows approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch per month achieving even a tiny growth spurt of 1/2 inch or more in a weeks time is definitely a bonus. Now, I call that time well spent, so I ask you #YGG gals...

Are you up for the challenge?



How $10 and online training is transforming my fit life...

When it comes to working out I'm 100% committed. What I am not committed to however is one particular type of workout, from zumba to spinning I change like the wind. I love weight lifting, that maybe the only constant in my fit life but I crave variety, new challenges and a constant change of pace. Keeping all that in mind Noelle Benepe's 30 Days to Go All Out" challenge seemed like the perfect mix to keep me on my toes and end the year strong.

I follow Noelle on Instagram, she has a great body, good energy and I enjoy her mini workout videos. When she offered her 30 day challenge for only $10 I jumped at the chance to really get an inside glimpse inside her training regimen. Noelle's program includes some recipes, weekly PDF printouts for home or gym workouts as well as daily video demonstrations. The program is available online via Trainers Vault and once paid you simply login to an account you create to view your session and access Noelle's 30 day challenge. I've seen many only trainers offer these challenges but because I'm not prone to commit to any particular workout I've been hesitant to sign up in the past. Well let me tell you now that I've gotten a taste the past is behind me, I think I'm hooked. This format provides a variety of workouts in an easy to use format, the only draw back as I see it is you must hold yourself accountable to put in the work.

A glimpse of Noelle and her killer body

Last week I performed all my workouts in the comfort of my home and I have to be honest, her workouts were tough! I definitely felt my body adjusting to this break from the norm and my abs, shoulders, hips and buns were feeling the burn! I was really sore but the exercise challenge was surprisingly refreshing. Her workouts included jumping jacks, mountain climbers, body weight and resistance band exercises and a variety of abdominal work with lots of sets and repetitions. Keep in mind I chose the home version last week, today I'm on day 2 of the gym version and again the change of pace is right up my alley.

Lots of online trainers offer these incentives and typically they're pretty inexpensive. Being that I love diversity in my workouts this platform is perfect for me and I will take advantage of future online offerings. I follow Noelle on her IG page NoelleBenepe; I'm not sure if this challenge is still open but I do see that she offers them pretty regularly and I strongly encourage you take advantage of this virtual training option as an inexpensive, challenging program that can be performed at home or in the gym. I give this training platform and Ms. Noelle two thumbs up, best $10 purchase I've made thus far!

Sweet satisfaction: Low fat pumkin cake recipe

My Thanksgiving goal to stay focused on my healthy lifestyle wasn't too bad. I worked out consistently, ate moderately and avoided sweets, which really aren't my "thing". However after being surrounded by decadent desserts the days following Thanksgiving went something like this: avoids desserts in lieu of real food; offered helpings of my two prized desserts (sweet potato cheesecake and deep dish peach cobbler) only allowing myself to sample the sweetness that lingered on my knife or serving spoon; opened the fridge and eyed cheesecake; began finding it hard to resist cheesecake; decided to enjoy a slice of cheesecake only to get home on Monday evening, make a beeline to the fridge and discover, no cheesecake.  Turning a disappointed face to my husband I ask "did you put the cheesecake in a smaller container"? To which he replied "sorry babe I just demolished it". Oh I could taste the agony, literally!

After my turkey day dessert let down I made the decision not to make another cheesecake, knowing full well that with the children and family gone that was too much temptation for me to bear. I wanted sweets, I wanted the "feel" of Thanksgiving but I didn't want all the calories. Well I found sweet satisfaction in this easy little dessert. Here's what you'll need to whip up this tasty treat:

Cake

1 (15 ounce can pumpkin puree
2/3 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
Cooking spray

Icing

5 ounces light cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 chopped almonds

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8x8 inch cake pan with cooking spray.
2. Mix pumpkin, yogurt, vanilla, egg whites and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add in dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake comes out dry when inserted with fork (my cake cooked 40 minutes).
4. For the frosting: Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla. After the cake has cooled, frost and garnish with toasted almonds.

I sat down to enjoy a piece and while it's not the cheesecake I've been dreaming about it definitely cured my sweet tooth, the icing was especially delicious. It's pretty dense so a little piece goes a long way. The real test came after my husband got home. I took the picture for the blog post and proceeded upstairs to get ready for our date night, leaving the cake on the kitchen table. Soon after he joined me and added "a little elf dug into your cake". He liked it, that's a bonus because he really enjoys his desserts. Am I still eating "junk food", you bet, but when I compare it to my cheesecake I'm getting pumpkin wasted minus 600 plus calories per serving.

The calorie breakdown for my sweet treat is: 16 servings; Calories 183, Fat 2.2 grams, Cholesterol 6.1mg, Carbs 36.1, Protein 5.2, Dietary fiber 2.5 and Sodium 251.

Why half wigs have become my protective style of choice

Outre Yasmine                            Vanessa Express LaFasta

If you've even bothered to glance at my blog post lately you're well aware of the You Grow Girl hair growth challenge and December's mini challenge which happens to be protective styling for thirty days.  I've sang the benefits of protective styling on several previous blog post and just when you thought you'd had enough let me reiterate the benefits to you once again. Protective styling ensures your hair and particularly your precious ends are tucked and protected. Also it protects the hair from day to day manipulation from brushing, combing, flat irons, etc. Finally, protective styling allows for better moisture retention.

If your goal is to grow long hair protective styling definitely needs to be utilized in your regimen. I personally tend to increase my protective styling when my texlaxed hair is in the middle of or towards the end of a stretch between touch ups. Also, due to the dry air indoors and cold air outside I also increase my protective styling in the winter months. As I've progressed through my hair journey I can honestly say I've tried a majority of the styles available to me and I find myself returning over and over again to half wigs as my protective style of choice. I love the versatility of changing my look and I also appreciate that a good half wig often closely resembles a flexirod or braid out hairstyle. Finally, for beginner wig wearers, curly or wavy wigs are an easy way to experiment with blending your own hair for a more natural look.

I recently ordered two more wigs to add to my collection, not only because I'm committed to the 30 days of protective styling challenge but also because I want to give my hair a fighting chance in recovering from the set back I experienced after the passing of my father. My hair was damaged by being neglected for weeks on end, in a high bun, in the dead of winter. My recipe to remedy the damage includes deep conditioning, castor oil, moisture and of course protective styling.  In addition to the versatility offered by half wigs here's a few of the reasons I'm loving half wigs right now.

1. Have you ever had a sew in or braid install before that you HAD to get out or you'd lose your mind? Please don't tell me I'm the only one that's gone crazy with a pair of scissors in order to get to my real hair because you can't tolerate one more day with that weave in your head. Well with wigs I remove them every night, I can apply my moisturizing spray and castor oil to my scalp. I don't have that annoying, impossible itch that's trapped beneath a track I can't reach or that feeling of an itchy, foreign object sitting on my head. It gives me access to my hair and that's important to me.
2. I where my hair in cornrows underneath my wig minus a small section of leave out in the front. With that said wearing a half wig allows me to take down my cornrows every couple of weeks and perform a proper pre-poo, shampoo and deep conditioning session. After that my hair goes right back into cornrows having only been down long enough to get some much needed TLC.
3. Lets face it, no matter how good I've become at protective styling when I go out on the town with my husband or to a special event, half wigs often allow me to continue my commitment to protective style without sacrificing my overall look. Don't get me wrong, a haute high bun is classic and versatile as well as a host of other protective styles but sometimes you just want that extra umph!
4. Finally, I don't have to touch up my style in between workouts. I can spray my hair down with my little water & aloe mixture, apply my Jamaican Black Castor oil and tie it down for the night, with the cornrows in tact. All I have to care for is about a half inch of leave out and that's easy as pie!

Outre Tammy one of my favorites

Now as much as I love a good wig I also have a few personal "don'ts" that I practice when wearing a wig, they include:

1. I avoid or remove that little comb in the front and back of wig units. I simply place the wig on my head and add bobby pins along the perimeter and center to keep it in place. I don't dare dig that comb into my hair, it just seems like a recipe for damaged edges. We've all seen what tugging and pulling can do to those precious edges so I just avoid that little feature all together.
2. I remove it nightly and often over the weekend. When I'm lounging around the house with the hubs I tie a cute silk scarf on my head to the side or in a chic top knot and keep it moving. A well tied scarf can really elevate your look and if it's done right you won't look your donning a bonnet for bed. Finally, if we decide to go out on the town I can just toss on my 'do and I'm ready to go!
3. I don't wear a wig cap, it feels like it's drying and personally it's very irritating to me. I've been told they cause damage but I haven't seen any real proof of that, it's just my preference not to wear a cap.
4. Don't pop a wig onto your head straight out the bag. Cut the wig to match your face or have it cut if your not comfortable. Also, find a wig that closely resembles your hair texture. If it's too shiny apply a small bit of cornstarch to dull that "wiggy" shine. Play with the unit and where it in the house a couple of days before venturing out in public with it.
5. Finally, if your wearing a half wig it's probably only good for a week or two, let it go! They typically are less than $30 which is the cost of a salon visit. Don't hold on for dear life to a wig that's seen better days, it's a terrible sight.

In a nutshell, a good wig can look great and keep you from getting stuck in a protective style rut. It allows me to access my hair and scalp and not feel trapped in a permanent protective style like braids or sew in weave. Finally, just like a bra, I remove that bad boy at night and breath a sigh of relief. It's versatile, fun and easy to care for. If you find one you love buy two, trust me it won't go to waste. Did I forget to mention they're perfect for bad hair days. For a change of pace or an easy way to begin protective styling invest in half wig and have some fun!

What will be your protective style of choice for the December mini challenge?

Fall shoe preview: Work and Play boot and shoe haul

I love a comfortable stylish shoe and I've found myself drawn to booties this season above anything else followed closely by the popular block heels which seem to be growing in popularity. I indulged a bit thanks to a fab sale at Macys and found a few pairs that were exactly what I needed in terms of comfort, detail and style.

The tan Mary Jane heels by Ralph Lauren we're love at first sight. These beauties put me in a vintage seventies state of mind with the wooden block heel. Not only do they look great on my feet after wearing them a day in the office I found them to be very comfortable as well. I can envision a thousand outfits to wear these bad boys with and above all else these chunky heels are easy to walk in, comfort is mandatory at this stage in life. The Clark Mary Janes are also pleasing to the eye and an excellent contributor to the strong grey palette in my wardrobe. I think the textured heel really adds a pop of style to the shoe and most importantly they feel good on my feet. These are my first official pair of Clark's, I don't know if that means I'm getting older or they're getting more hip but I like them and that's what matters. Both of these are great additions to my work wardrobe, I'm off to a good start for someone who began my fall/winter wardrobe shopping somewhat late, was I the only one holding onto summer?

If you haven't noticed by the pictures my sights have been set on booties. My guy Vince Camuto offered up two pairs that I couldn't resist in a camel suede and black zippered bootie. Again, the name of the game for me is comfort and style and I believe I've got a good mixture of both. I can picture myself trouncing around Easton Fashion Place getting my Christmas shopping done in these grey White Mountain booties, the lining makes them warm and they'll go perfect with some fitted jeggings and this seasons hooded poncho. Finally, I'm not completely sold on the black Calvin Klein boots, I like the gold detail above the heel and on the buckle and I appreciate the way they hug my slim calves, but for some reason I'm not in love with the look of them on me. To be honest, my husbands compliments about this boot has kept them around but I saw a short boot by the same designer that may tickle my fancy a bit more than this pair. Decisions, decisions...it's a woman's right to choose, that's my motto!

I believe these babies are good additions to my existing shoe wardrobe, what's on your fall and winter shopping list B&B dolls?

Special Feature: Gen Elizabeth shares her weight loss transformation from size 20 to size 8 with weight training

Now that the biggest eating holiday of the year is behind us I thought it would be a good time to motivate you to focus on your fit goals. This past year I was introduced to a remarkable woman that became my weight loss idol- Gen Elizabeth. I happened upon her transformation while reading the success story posts on My Fitness Pal. The title immediately caught my eye "From a size 20 to a size 8 with strength training, in one year". Not only did the title speak to my love of lifting weights, it also spoke to the part of me that often wondered if I could focus on just lifting and experience the results I so desired. Having become a follower of Gen's journey via befriending her on My Fitness Pal and her Facebook page I was beyond thrilled that she was willing to answer some of my burning questions for B&B readers. Without further ado, let's dive into the details behind Gen's awesome transformation.

 

1. Can you tell us a little about your history with fitness and body weight/image. For example, have you always been active or did you adopt this lifestyle later in life?

 

I have struggled with my weight and with low self esteem my entire life. I never knew anything about how to eat right and how to exercise, nor was I athletic growing up. Everything I know now that's given me results, I've had to teach myself, with lots of research as well as trial and error.
 

2. What made you decide to commit to weight loss?

I was tired of being unhappy with myself. I had a great family, a great husband and great friends but I always hated my body. I wanted to feel normal for once and have a healthy self esteem like everyone else seemed to have, that was around me. My daughter was growing up fast, she is now 7 years old and I didn't want her to grow up feeling like I had always felt. I knew I was a major influence on her so I had to figure out how to make a change and do it. My husband has type 2 diabetes and I wanted him to get healthier as well so we could live out our lives together as long as God would bless us for.

Just looking at Gen's awesome legs and arms makes me want to go grab some weights!

 

3. I’d love to hear how your early workouts were structured. Also, what motivated you to focus on strength training specifically?

I focused on strength training because the only other way I knew of to lose weight was walking or running (which I hated). Cardio based exercises would've required me to venture outside and I was too uncomfortable to do that. I hated my body so much that I was embarrassed to leave my home. The more I started researching strength training, the more benefits I learned that there were and the more I fell in love with it. All I needed was a few pieces of cheap equipment, such as a pair of 5lb dumbbells, which was all I started with. I learned that compound exercise proved to be the most effective so I focused on those. Squats, over head press and step ups were my favorite exercises by far and I did them daily. Usually 3 sets of 10 with the step ups being timed to music. One song at a time until I got stronger. Eventually, I was doing up to 45 mins of step ups at a time! Slowly added more equipment and more exercises to keep things fun.
 

4. Based on my understanding of your story you were able to lose weight with limited cardio, can you elaborate on that?

As I mentioned, I was not a fan of running (couldn't even run at all) or walking, which required me to go outside. I also wanted to look strong like I always felt like I was on the inside. I have been through a lot personally so strength training was special to me, it was a way for me to express my inner strength as well. I did occasionally go for a walk around the neighborhood or at my local park later on for fresh air and a change of pace but not often.

 

5. Food choices play a major role in weight loss, please give us a peak into your meal plan and how you were able to track you food intake and overcome cravings.

 

First of all, I gave up ALL fast food and soda, which is killer to any weight loss plan. I ate all home prepared meals, including chicken breast, beans, greek yogurt and fruit. I kept my protein intake high and my carbs at a moderate amount. To avoid boredom, I kept my eye on the prize (the results were enough to keep me focused) and I also experimented with different recipes and spices. 6 months into my journey, I started using My Fitness Pal to log my food and zero in on my macros, allowing me to shed the last few stubborn pounds and attain a decent amount of muscle mass.

 

6. The muscle definition you were able to obtain is awesome.  I love a feminine, muscular physique can you describe your muscle building routine and what a normal workout week looks like?

 

Compound exercises were key for me, they require more than one muscle group to perform each exercise. I stuck with 3 sets of 10 reps and I did them almost daily. Because I was lifting at home, I wasn't lifting too intensely, which allowed me to do them almost everyday. At the same time, I made sure that I was challenging myself. As the exercises got easier, I upped the weight or changed up the routine. I did 3-4 exercises for upper body and 3-4 exercises for lower body.

Here is a typical full body routine I would do 5-6 days a week (all can be done with 5lb dumbbells):

Squats - 3x10

Step ups - timed

Leg lifts (outer) - 3x10

Leg lifts (inner) - 3x10

Over head press - 3x10

Bicep curls - 3x10

Tricep extension - 3x10

Front or side shoulder raise - 3x10

 

7. What are Gen’s top weight loss tips?

 

1. Believe in yourself! Believe you are no different than any other woman out there who has achieved what you want to achieve. Speak positive things to yourself, whether you feel it or not. Be proactive about being motivated and be proud of yourself for the little accomplishments.

2. Be patient and don't quit! There will be ups and downs or things that don't work out in your favor, just keep going. The time will pass anyway, so do something useful with it. A healthy, fit figure takes time but is well worth it.

3. Track your progress! Take a lot of photos, take measurements and see how your clothes fit differently. The scale can be ruthless and is NOT the only way to see your progress, especially, in the end stages where you weight can fluctuate like crazy or even stay the same for a period of time. 

 

8.       How can our readers connect with you online?

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/genesiaelizabeth

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/genelizabeth

MFP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/profile/genelizabeth

 

There are a few things we can learn from Gen's story and the first that really stuck out for me was eliminating fast food and only eating dishes that were prepared at home. When I take time out to meal prep I know that I am doing everything in my power to really control my portions, the fat content and even the flavor of my dishes. It also enables me to really eat well without worrying about what's in my food. Second, Gen began with light weights and compound movements that really work the muscle and she also committed to five days a week of working out. Finally tracking your progress with pictures and being patient with yourself are both great takeaways because results take time and the scale doesn't always tell the whole story in regards to your progress. Thank you for sharing your story Gen, it definitely has me motivated!