Pre-vacation testimony

1st workout on vacation

My husband and I are less than an hour away from stepping onto our long anticipated birthday cruise. I plan to completely unplug, but first I wanted to share with you  my testimony that I posted to Facebook just two days ago. It's been a trying week but my faith and power has been restored.

 "Have you ever had a divine tap on the shoulder?  It's been a rough week, a totalled car, broken wrist, injured my rotator cuff, flight out of D.C. was a no-go and the list goes on.

I could continue but the bulk of my frustration came from the conflict between my stubborn, independent nature and not wanting to request assistance as well as my inability to get a good workout. To make a long story short I'm sulking, I was in pain because in my opinion my husband didn't notice I needed help soon enough (being a brat) and I was too prideful to ask, I was being a 1st class witch on a broom. Then as we flew into  Chicago I looked out my window at an image only God's paint brush could create. The soft rays of sun peaked through the clouds and seemed to collide with the frigid waters of Lake Michigan and the city shore. I got that tingle that overcomes you when you're excited for the Lord, my eyes filled with tears..

I'm a happy gal again!

How dare me make a bad week a bad life. How dare I treat this injury like a life sentence. How dare I allow myself to be pitiful instead of powerful! God is good and His timing is always right. Now we're off to celebrate our birthdays and I'm in the state of mind I should've chosen before we departed" #butGod

I really had to choose to take my power back and I got my first explosive workout on our first day of vacation, which may I add we got an extra day due to rerouting our flight layover from D.C. (which was shut down due to the blizzard) to Chicago, a blessing in itself! I was measuring everything that went wrong and nothing that was right. We escaped a terrible accident that could have taken our lives, the car is replaceable and we are headed to an island vacation!  I chose my attitude and it has made a mighty differance! Have a wonderful week my beauties!

Brown girls guide to sunless tanning....

This maybe my most difficult blog entry to type to date, allow me to explain. I'm writing with limited capabilities having suffered a broken wrist from a fender bender last weekend. Between this bulky cast, pain meds and an injured rotator cuff I've been out of commission a few days. So please forgive me for the limited post in the coming weeks while I'm on the mend.

Moving on to todays topic, sunless tanning brown girl style! My hubby and I are one day away from a long planned birthday beach vacation and other than researching ways to waterproof my cast I'm also getting a head start on my tan. Yes I'm one of the sista's that adores the glow! To be honest, being that I'm already brown I was hesitant to admit to "tanning" but it is what it is, I have a great appreciation for dark skin to the point of getting creative to achieve my summer time glow in the off seasons. Having darker skin allows me to cut down on the amount of make-up I apply, after all who wants to worry about perfect application while on vacay?  Glowing dark skin makes me feel better in less clothes and most importantly darker skin minimizes the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks. To compare the final effect of my sunless tan here are two pictures of me, both taken outside, one with my normal Midwest winter skin tone and one taken on our first day of arrival in Miami last year. Now keep in mind when viewing these side by side pics that I go a bit light in the application of sunless tanner on my face as opposed to my body and legs, which are a few subtle shades darker.

 

My Miami "sunless" kissed skin vs my normal winter skin tone

I have two products that I reach for that guarantee great results with no streaks and provide me the look of dark sun kissed skin. I begin this process about five to seven days before we are scheduled to depart for a beach vacation. First, I begin with a good exfoliation with Tree Hut Shea Sugar Coconut Lime Body Scrub, exfoliation allows for a good, streak free application and this stuff smells delish! Once I'm freshly showered and dry I apply a thick layer of Banana Boat Self Tanning Lotion in Deep Dark Color. I avoid my elbows, knees and ankles as instructed and wash my hands after applying. I like to apply the Banana Boat lotion about two to three days before I move on to phase two of my two step process.



The second phase of my transition comes in the form of an at home spray tan by PHD Skincare. The PHD Body Mist in Dark is just amazing, I love this product! I happened upon it on HSN one evening, after viewing the live demonstration on air I had to get my hands on it! I purchased two bottles prior to our anniversary vacation last year. I sprayed myself and my sister with excellent results. The only mishap I did experience with this product is the evening I tried to apply it directly after a shower on dried, dewy skin which I later learned was a spray tan don't. Be forewarned that showering and applying this product before your completely dry (I'd wait and hour or so) will simply cause the spray to run down your body in a puddle of brown droplets. I apply PHD evenly on dry skin with the applicator aimed about 10 inches from my body. Once applied you cannot bathe for 6 to 8 hours and of course no clothes until you're completely dry. The appearance of darker skin is instantaneous and it deepens as the color sets. I'll continue applying one layer each evening for three nights prior to our departure. Now if you read the reviews on HSN they're not so great, all I can say is those ladies may have aimed the spray bottle too close to their bodies or they made the aforementioned post shower error, for me it works like a charm!

I've found that the combination of these two products not only has incredible staying power but also gives me the beach body confidence that tanned or darker skinned offers. All my mommy marks and womanly lumps seem to be a lot less noticeable with a deep dark skin tone. To be honest, I wish I was consistent enough to maintain my fake and bake all year long but I reserve that level of commitment to my healthy lifestyle. I really hope someone benefits from my fool proof steps to great summer skin at anytime of the year. The countdown to sun, sand and mojitos is just days away and this gal is ready to go, glow an all!

Combat the winter hair blues with the baggy method

Long time no hair post! 2016 not only marks the beginning of what is bound to be a fabulous New Year but it also marks the end of the thirty days of protective style challenge! Let me be the first to say that not only did I successfully protective style the entire thirty-one days of December but I also held firm to the challenges by taking my vitamins and applying my castor oil faithfully! I've achieved an evident increase in thickness and so far I'm pleased to see that I am finally getting beyond my set back. If you weren't able to complete all the #YGG challenge steps please add them into your regimen, I'm getting some great feedback from those who are staying true to course. Nourishing healthy hair is much like fitness, don't be disappointed by the work you didn't do, small steps taken daily can lead to big results.

If you haven't been following the challenge or you've just tuned in you can read more about the details of the You Grow Girl hair growth challenge here. Now onto the good stuff, if your living in the Midwest like myself then winter just officially hit, aren't we lucky? I literally had on sandals one day this past December! In Ohio!! Okay enough of that excitement that's far from the point I'm trying to make. In regards to black hair, which is dry by nature, the onslaught of winter is particularly hard on our strands. During the winter months I step up my hair care by moisturizing and sealing, protective styling to spare my ends from the harsh elements and I also increase my moisturizing deep conditioning and steaming routine. There's one more method that I want to introduce to you to promote moisture during these dry winter months and its called the baggy method. Not only would I like for you to try and implement it into your hair care routine, it's also the You Grow Girl mini challenge for the next two weeks!

The baggy method is a technique used to lock in moisture. It begins by applying moisture to your hair then utilizing a plastic baggy, saran wrap, Ziploc bag or processing cap to lock in the moisture. The application of moisture could be a light spritz of water, leave-in conditioner or a drop of conditioner. Once you've applied your moisture you have two options, you can choose to baggy your entire head or focus solely on those precious ends. Whatever option you choose, baggy your ends or entire head for two to four hours max. Baggying any longer than that is not beneficial to your hair, so use this method in moderation. I personally prefer to focus on my ends because I sweat profusely in my scalp. Doing this a few hours, in the evening about two nights a week and that's plenty for me to get a boost in moisture. I do this by applying a light amount of my favorite leave in conditioner to my ends, wrapping them with saran wrap or a small plastic bag and using an ouchless hair band to secure the plastic wrap in place. Practicing this two to three times a week really promotes moisture especially in the dry winter months. Your hair will emerge softer, also the moisture combined with your body heat, which is activated by the baggy, really promotes a dewy environment for growth. Finally, I typically utilize this method in the evening because your strands will be slightly damp and we don't want to expose your hair to the cool air.

Now allow me to reiterate that you should NOT baggy your ends or head and leave that in for a prolonged period of time, this method is to be used in small increments, not days on end! In fact, I once thought I was a pretty wise gal and I moisturized the length of my hair, wrapped it securely into a small bun, covered it in plastic and applied a phony pony on top of my little bun. I maintained this style for about a weeks time. Let me tell you,  in my case the results were disastrous, my hair smelled bad and the texture was terrible. My hair wasn't happy at all with my little experiment, so trust me just don't even go there.

For this mini challenge the goal is to moisturize and baggy your hair, two to four hours, two or three times a week for the next two weeks. Perhaps you want to alternate between your entire head and just your ends to test which method you prefer. While your experimenting take note of how your hair feels after the bag is removed. Is it softer with notable moisture? If so, good that's what we're shooting for with this challenge. We've got less than three weeks remaining in the #YGG growth challenge, increase your baggying and step up your growth!

Are you up for the challenge?

Before and during: My weight loss story...

Last week I was excited to share two weight loss transformations of real women that I also consider friends, Natashia and Blaire. As the woman behind Braidouts & Barbells it didn't go unnoticed by myself that while I've achieved some degree of weight loss success, I'm still not what I'd consider and "after". With that said I'd like to take you behind the highs and lows of my before and during weight loss journey.

Now don't get me wrong, I've developed the mindset that healthy choices and fitness are no longer choices that I will exert in intervals as the need to lose weight arises. At this point in my life moving and challenging my body in new ways is a must and honestly fast food, fried food and bread don't come close to satisfying me like a delicious meal made with a variety of healthy combinations of food. I still love donuts and pizza, they're just not high on my list these days. With all that said I've got to be honest to you my readers in saying that I chose to showcase before and after's to kick off the New Year and frankly I don't consider myself ready to make the declaration of "after" because I've still got work to do!

209lbs to 181lbs

After the birth of my children, in my early twenties, I can clearly remember happening across "The Firm: Aerobics with Weights". It was a steep purchase for me at the time for an exercise video but I made the investment having gained over seventy pounds with both my children. Everyday after work I'd commit to an hour of the Firm and the weight dropped- easily! I never counted calories or adjusted the way I ate, I simply committed to one hour a day five days a week and voila! The fat was gone in no time! Fast forward to age forty-two, I've been working out consistently five to six days a week, logging my calories on My Fitness pal and really altering my way of life. I socialize a lot less and exercise a lot more, despite that from the beginning of my "official" journey last February to now I've lost close to 30lbs with my highest weight being 209lbs standing at 5'4.

Weight loss over forty has not been easy, but I won't let it be an excuse either. I've always loved my curves but it seems I may have been so comfortable with them that I didn't realize when my weight became out of control until I began to loathe the sight of myself in pictures, particularly on Facebook! I started purchasing Spanx and body contouring undergarments to hide the bulk, and I can remember going out with my husband feeling ashamed, my confidence had dwindled! My husband and I were enjoying life and once we started dating it's more than fair to say that our football parties, outings and dinner dates caught up to me fast. I also realized how much I loved food, I was obsessed with cooking and eating good food, I loved experimenting with new recipes, cakes and pies and my waist (which was always tiny in comparison to my hips) expanded greatly. I begin picking up the healthy habits I maintained before I met my husband like going to the gym and eating "better". After about a year into my weight loss I realized I had become one of those people that always talked about losing weight and working out but failed to actually drop any pounds. Then I got serious, I had to get below 200lbs, that was my first mission.

Myrtle Beach 2012 vs summer 2015

If you've ready my post "How my fitness journey manifested..literally" then you know how important visual reminders were in my journey to weight loss. The icing on the cake was the unexpected loss of my father, who was always a beacon of health and physical fitness along with the fact that so many of my now forty and over friends were getting health diagnosis that could be prevented based on changes in our lifestyle. I realized that myself, my family and my friends were all blessed with perfectly functioning bodies and our choices alone were the reasons that we fell ill, again I had to change. I had to change because I wanted to be on the beach with my husband in something other than a muu muu, I wanted my confidence back and above all I had to change for myself.

I begin logging my calories faithfully on My Fitness Pal as well as planning and preparing my meals for the week. As I sought out healthy meals I realized that my version of healthy eating wasn't cutting it. In the past I added a lot of fat in the form of cheese and butters to my food and I thought Subway was the equivalent of clean eating!  I begin experimenting with recipes using cauliflower and a wide array of vegetables. The more I applied my cooking skills to healthy food not only did the scale begin to go down but my family enjoyed my healthy alternatives to high fat foods like oven fried chicken and cauliflower mashed potatoes.

In regards to fitness I tracked each workout on my Polar Heart rate monitor which I love, it keeps me honest in tracking the calories I burn working out. In addition, I performed a combination of exercises including weight training, zumba, stationary equipment and classes. I'll be the first to admit that I have no loyalty to any particular type of exercise, I crave variety! In my opinion, the most important thing is moving your body daily. I committed to that by getting in at least ten minutes of fitness per day, reserving my ten minute commitment for days when I had no desire to workout.

February 2015 to July 2015 (smallest bikini I've owned)!

I've had road blocks and if I'm honest most of them are due to the fact that I didn't want my weight loss endeavors to completely stop me from living life. I still workout when we go on vacation, but I indulge in food and cocktails as well. Knowing that a single cocktail could equal more than half of my daily calorie intake totally accounts for some of the frustration I've experienced with weight loss because I still enjoy an occasional drink or three with the hubs at home and while on vacation!  That has got to be limited to special occasions if I'm serious about weight loss. In comparison to my twenties you can clearly see that weight loss over 40 is quite different than my hour a day commitment from years past. I'm more committed than ever to get into a healthy range for my height, which for me is below 170lbs. As I make that commitment I'm fully aware that I'm going to have to be very disciplined in between two upcoming vacations. My husband and I have planned a vacation to the Bahamas in January to celebrate our birthdays and in May we will travel to France and Copenhagen. Knowing that I like to "indulge" means I'm going to have to stick to my guns, eat well and continuing moving in order to drop another twenty pounds and become the coveted "after". My mottos is "self control is like a muscle, the more you use it the stronger it gets". So I'm going to have to take a mighty dose of my own medicine to continuing seeing results and the way I see it, I'm worth it!

Please join me on my way down the scale, weight loss is better with friends!

Ready, Set, Lose Weight Loss Edition: Easy, Meal Prep Ideas

Can we get a show of hands of all the folks that slacked in one area or the other during the holidays? Please, don't leave me hanging! I'll be the first to admit that in the area of meal prepping and over indulging in sweets, I dropped the ball big time. Luckily I maintained my workouts. I faced the music on New Years day by stepping on the scale only to find that I neither gained or lost during the month of December. That's a win in my book!

I'm happy to say that I'm back on the meal prepping band wagon and not only does it save my pocketbook by avoiding pricey cafeteria food, it also saves me the temptation of making a bad choice. Here are a couple easy meal options to leave you full and satisfied.

Breakfast smoothie

Easy, filling and full of fruit, veggies & fiber!

The sky is the limit on making smoothies simple and tasty. I often reach for frozen fruit and veggies to make my smoothie because they're affordable and won't go to waste. This week I chose and assortment of frozen fruits including blueberries, strawberries and mango. I added half a sliced banana and a handful of baby spinach. Because chia seeds provide a good amount of fiber and help to fill your stomach I also added half tablespoon and two tablespoons of PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter, I love this stuff. I keep my smoothies in mason jars in the fridge for easy access and when I'm ready I add in a cup of Light Almond Milk and crushed ice. I pour the ingredients in my Bullet and have my breakfast ready it about 20 seconds flat! Lately I've been experimenting by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla or even powdered coco to my smoothie combinations and I have yet to be disappointed in the taste! Not only are smoothies very filling, I also satisfy my sweet tooth!


Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken

I'm big on carbs and they are definitely my weakness. Learning to cook cauliflower that can pass for potatoes, pizza and rice has been a lifesaver for this carb craving Midwest gal. I've read a ton of different versions on making cauliflower fried rice and here's mine. I'm not one to go by exact measurements on this particular recipe and I've also been very pleased with the results by adding a variety of different veggies including zucchini and also with substituting the chicken for shrimp.

Here's what you'll need:

I may have overloaded on the protein but it's tasty!

1 head of cauliflower
1/2 cup shredded carrots
three green onions diced
small onion diced
2 eggs, beaten
Soy sauce or Low sodium soy sauce
1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders cubed
Lemon juice
Tablespoon of sesame or light olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

I begin by cutting my head of cauliflower into smaller sections and chopping it finely in my Ninja blender because I don't have a food processor. Once complete I put the cauliflower in a microwave proof bowl and nuke it for about four to five minutes. While that's cooking I heat my skillet, add the oil and begin cooking the chicken which I always lightly season with garlic salt, light salt and pepper. Once the chicken is lightly cooked on both sides I drizzle lightly with lemon juice and then pour in enough soy sauce to cover the chicken and allow it to cook down, stirring lightly until the chicken is fully cooked; about three to four minutes.

I set my chicken aside in a bowl and proceed to cook the two eggs which I scramble hard in a lightly greased non stick pan and dump into the same bowl with my chicken. After that I pour in the veggies, saving the cauliflower for last. Based on my observation cooking all the fixings together or adding the cauliflower too soon can make it mushy and we don't want that. So I cook my veggies of choice, lightly season them and once they're tender I add the cauliflower. Again, I pour in a bit of soy sauce to the veggie cauliflower mix and stir lightly for about two to three minutes. Add the chicken and egg mixture and give the combination of ingredients a good stir. Finally, I may or may not add additional soy sauce, salt and pepper and season to my liking.  Once the mixture is combined top with green onions and enjoy!

I find both these choices easy to make and versatile enough to toss in several combinations of ingredients. A delicious smoothie can serve as a filling breakfast or a meal replacement and your fried rice can be an easy lunch or dinner option. Prepping your meals takes the guess work out of making a healthy eating choice. That's important to me and a key ingredient in my weight loss success. Tune in tomorrow for another edition of this weeks Ready, Set, Lose Week of Weight Loss inspiration!

Plan, Prepare and Execute your way to weigh loss!

Ready, Set, Lose!! Weight Loss Edition: Spotlight on Blaire

Today's spotlight on weight loss is shined on my friend Blaire. Let me begin with a true confession, Blaire was actually my neighbor in cubicle land for about two years. I was blessed to see her progress through her pregnancy, her sister's wedding and also through some of her amazing weight loss milestones before she left the company. In fact, we were both trying to lose weight at the same time but she ran circles around me and here's why: Blaire is one of the most regimented and disciplined eaters I know. Once she decided to lose weight, she was a calorie counting machine!

  I didn't get my eating under control until last year but having been Blaire's co-worker and friend on My Fitness Pal, I've observed the amount of focus she put into her meals, planning before she went out to eat and staying true to her calorie count, even before she began adding fitness into her weight loss routine. Also, she managed to jump back on the weight loss train after her pregnancy with her second child!

Blaire is amazing and so are her results, take it away Blaire!

1.       Can you tell us a little about your history with fitness, food and body weight/image?

 I have always struggled with my weight my entire life. I was always taller and bigger than the other girls and that really bothered me. I ate my feelings. If I was happy, I ate. If I was sad, I ate. If I was angry, I ate. I turned to food to fill a void or to illicit a new feeling. I would lose weight and gain it back due to not making a full lifestyle change.

 

 

2.       What made you decide to commit to weight loss? Was there a defining moment?

After I had my first child I was the heaviest I had ever been. I’m 5’9 and weighed 297 lbs. I was tired all the time, out of breath all the time, and just overall felt miserable. I knew something HAD TO CHANGE. I was breast feeding so I began to eat healthier for my child, not even so much myself. One day I just snapped. I saw pictures of myself at my sister’s wedding.  I was embarrassed of what I had become. A friend had told me about the MyFitnessPal app and I started to religiously use it.

 

 

3.       How did your eating habits change based on your decision to lose weight? 

 Once I started logging all the food I ate into the MyFitnessPal app it finally hit me…… The actual number of calories I was overeating a day and what it would take to burn off excess calories. It all began to click. The app gave me a clear cut way to be held accountable and manage my food intake.

 

 

 

4.       Did exercise play in role in your weight loss? If so, what types of exercise and how often?

Along with logging all my food into the app I started to go for small walks. Short distance walks turned into 5 minutes on an elliptical. 5 minutes turned into 20 minutes. Soon 20 minutes turned into 45 minutes and I was hooked. I rapidly started to lose weight and that felt AMAZING! I slowly gained confidence, energy, and most of all will power. My exercise routines continued to build and I started to add weights to my cardio routines.

 

 

5.       How do you stay motivated?

It’s an everyday struggle. Even though I have lost 130 lbs I am STILL a food addict. It’s very easy to slip, to be tired, for holidays and others to discourage you. I just try to constantly focus on how good I feel. How strong I am, what I have overcome. I  remember the times I felt so bad, felt ugly, felt ashamed, and I never want that for myself or for my children ever again.

 

  
6.       Are there any apps or tools that you utilized during your weight loss journey?

MyFitnessPal.com

 

 

7.       If you could only give our readers your top three tips for weight loss, what would they be?

 #1. LOG EVERYTHING YOU EAT BEFORE YOU EAT IT!   #2. Do not eat back all the calories you burn exercising.  #3. Never let more than 3 days go by without returning to your routine – EVER!

I don't know about you but I love Blaire's honesty. Her story speaks to the insecurity's we all feel from time to time and also the physical burden of carrying extra pounds. My biggest takeaway from reading her story is logging the calories before you eat, wow that takes will power! Seeing her progress has been an inspiration to me. I often refer to this awesome mom as "B" as in "Queen B" and I think you'll agree this hot momma is weight loss royalty, way to go B!

Ready, Set...Lose!! Natashia's Weight Loss Success Story....

If you've made the commitment to become a new you in the New Year by losing weight than you're in the right place. Following weight loss success stories provided the extra push I needed to get off the couch on more days than I can count. We all reach low points during our weight loss journey from time to time and during those times I'd go to my favorite weight loss success stories to give me a boost, knowing that "if she can do it, I can do it too".

To begin the first week of 2016 let me introduce you to Natashia, a weight loss ball of fire! Natashia managed to lose weight while juggling a full-time and part-time job, mom duties and her daughters active cheer schedule. Lucky for us she took time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions about her weight loss success.

1. Can you tell us a little about your history with fitness, food and body weight/image?

In high school I was...petite. I was on dance team, but that was the extent of my "workouts." I got pregnant my senior year of high school and I put on 50lbs, taking me from between 125-130 to 180lbs. After my daughter was born, I lost all but about 20lbs of the weight that I gained during my pregnancy. That left me at about 155lbs. I thought I was big then. But not big enough to do anything about it. 

2. What made you decide to commit to weight loss? Was there a defining moment?

Same bridesmaid dress years later in a smaller frame!

Since having my daughter, I've never been comfortable with my appearance. It was never because of how anyone treated me though. I don't think anyone ever..."noticed" how big I had gotten. But I did, and I hated it. By the time my daughter was...6 or 7, I was sitting at about 197lbs, and I was asked to be in a wedding. So I decided to get in the gym to try to shed some pounds. I worked out with a trainer twice a week and took hip hop/Zumba cardio classes every now and then. The wedding came and went, I never lost a pound, and I wasn't getting stronger either. I couldn't understand it! If I knew then what I know now, I know I'd have been more successful.

3. How did your eating habits change based on your decision to lose weight? Also can you give us a peek inside a typical day (or week) of healthy eating?

The first two changes I made were to stop drinking soda and stay away from fried food. Harder than it sounds considering I LIVED on Mountain Dew. LOL But it helped! A typical day? Well...my habits aren't where I'd LIKE them to be (I SUCK at weekly meal prep), but I just try to make overall healthier choices. The number one choice being portion control. Regardless of what I'm eating, I stop when I'm full. For example, I LOVE pizza! I don't care what is going on, even if I just ate a SUPER healthy and satisfying meal, I'm going to eat at least a piece...or 3. But! I don't do it ALL the time, I don't punish myself when I do, and I stop when I start to feel full. I'm human. I'm gonna succumb to my desires every once in a while. And I almost always desire pizza.                                                                                                                          Wait...I'm getting sidetracked...ok, typical day. I try to eat a light, but filling breakfast at least an hour after I'm up and moving. It's not all egg whites and grapefruit either (I HATE grapefruit). But I do love eggs, so a couple eggs, some smoked turkey sausage (my fave!) and maybe a cutie or two is a typical. Aside from the occasional orange juice and Starbucks (because I get a tall latte everyday OMW to work) I drink water ALL day. I have a 20oz cup that I keep at my desk at work and I try to drink at least 4/day during my shift. I definitely don't limit myself to salad every day, but I actually do like salad. So for lunch, a salad with spinach and/or kale, shrimp, red onion, avocado and a light vinaigrette. (I found a sesame ginger one that I'm obsessed with right now). Dinner is usually something simple like grilled chicken with vidalia onion and bean sprouts then topped with siracha (it's literally my go-to dish!)                                                        Snacks are usually things like yogurt with some fruit and/or granola (or chia seeds, which are AWESOME! They don't taste like anything and if you put them in yogurt or on top of a rice cake with some almond butter, banana and honey (another fave), you don't even notice them. When wet, they start to expand which will make you feel full with a small meal!) Cuties, dark chocolate dusted almonds are also good snacks...in between each meal. I try to eat every 2-3 hrs with my last meal no less than an hour before I lay down for bed. And my body is trained to that now, by two to two and a half hours between meals my stomach is rumbling!

4. Did exercise play in role in your weight loss? If so, what types of exercise and how?

You've heard fitness is like 80% diet and 20% exercise (or something along those lines)? Well, it's true and I'm proof! I mentioned before that my first attempt at getting fit was working out with a trainer 2x's/week with some cardio here and there, but no results. Well, I was working out, but I was still a fast food junkie - burgers and fries, ANYTHING fried and eating until it was gone whether I was full or not. Oh, and salt! Lots of salt and soda. This time around, I was better educated (thanks Instagram). So, no soda, no fried foods and I never put salt on my food. I started eating more green veggies and I loves me some smoothies (I follow quite a few "clean eating" pages on IG). To answer the question, yes. Yes, exercise played a role in my weight loss, but it's more about my diet; the food I put in my body. Once I set my mind on eating healthy, I started my workouts. First, I was AAALLL about cardio. I love my hip hop classes! I was taking various cardio classes 5x's/week. Each class was an hour long. And the weight started coming off. But! For me, it was TOO fast. I don't want to be "skinny." Then I remembered that strength training is just as important. Muscle burns fat and all that good stuff, so I slowed way down on the cardio, and started lifting. I lift at least twice a week (Leg day is my favorite!!). And it's helped keep the weight off. I've found a new respect and love for lifting. And I'm stronger. SO much stronger! And believe it or not, it's actually helped my endurance during cardio as well. Lifting...is awesome!!

 5. How do you stay motivated?

Not to be cliché, but my daughter is one of the reasons I started this fitness journey (all three times). Yes, I do it for me, but I want to be able to keep up with my baby, and one day, my grandbabies! Plus, I want her to stay healthy. Start em young! Lead by example! And it's working. My baby encourages me and I can't wait for her to be able to start coming to the gym to work out with me! It's awesome. Another big motivator...RESULTS!!! My results have motivated me beyond measure! It is the healthiest addiction there is! Once I started realizing my strength, and seeing my body slowly start changing and becoming the body I've always wanted, the more I wanted to keep going! I'm more confident, I'm comfortable in my clothes. Even more so, I can wear things I've always WANTED to wear. And the muscles!! I Have muscles!!   In short, aside from my daughter and her future, what keeps me going...is me.

6. Are there any apps or tools that you utilized during your weight loss journey?

Aside from Instagram, not really. I've learned so much from IG it's crazy. At least 75-80% of the people I follow are fitness pages and people who share the same goals and struggles as I do/have. I've learned that's also a good way to stay motivated. Hard to fall off the wagon when you eliminate the temptation. And it's not all "hard bodies." Exercise pages, food pages, "challenge" pages (a couple I've actually tried and loved!). It's very educational if you use it right.

7. If you could only give our readers your top three tips for weight loss, what would they be?

Drink LOTS of water! You'll have more energy, and if you drink enough, it won't take as much to make you feel full during meals.

Eat, but eat clean!! I know it's hard, (especially with all the pizza in the world, LOL) but your body will thank you. Eat for fuel, not for pleasure or fun. There is so much good, clean food out there! You just have to look past the fast food.

Lastly, trust the process! You didn't put the weight ON overnight, don't expect it to fall off overnight. Just keep going even when you feel like giving up. If you fall three times, get up four times. The results will come if you put the work in. Just. Keep. Going.

Well folks the final three words in Tashia's interview say it all for me "just keep going" there will be good days and bad days. Trust the process and stay tuned throughout the weeks to come for more weight loss motivation and inspiration. Above all resolve to be good to yourselves, you deserve it!