Fitness and Wellness talk

For the month of February, I've been busy, busy at Clark College lecturing for health classes.

I started the month with lectures for Health classes and concluded the month with motivational talks for Health and Physical Education classes. Seriously!This has got to be the coolest "job" ever! I love sharing my story in hopes to motivate and inspire others. My story is more than about weight loss it's applicable to life -- believing in yourself, hard work, making adjustments, and never giving up.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of delivering back-to-back lectures for HPE 258: Fitness and Wellness. Super-duper cool! Here's a look-see at the photos:

Bold Connections

Reflecting...The recipe for success --

• Be bold. 
• Ask for what you want and don't be afraid of being told no.
• Don't shy away from hard work. Be willing and ready to work for what you want. 
• Make connections. Connections are a vital part of getting what you want. Remember, it's not what you know, but who you know. We are all connected to one another. 

All the wonderful opportunities that have been presented to me are because I've asked for what I wanted, worked very hard for what I wanted, and I'm connected to some pretty awesome people.

I'm grateful and thankful for where I am in my life and to all of my awesome connections for helping me get here.

Don't give up on yourself

Bear with me I've been bitten by the speech bug and I'm still kind of in that mode.

There I was all by myself trembling, sweating, and about to give up on the plank. If I gave in and released the plank, who would know? It was in that moment I recalled being in boot camp fatigued and ready to collapse to the ground from plank position when the instructor, Jen said these words, “Don’t give up on yourself.” I held the plank that day because of those inspiring words and ever since have used them to help me get through tough workouts. After all, throughout all this there is ONLY me. This isn’t a show for anyone else. I don’t show up at the gym just because I want to be seen there or have bragging rights about having gone there. I started this journey because of an internal desire to change myself.


At 388 lbs. I was a miserable soul, so whenever I get discouraged or feel like giving up I remember the alternative. This battle is not being fought for anyone else. This battle is mine and mine alone. I push myself to the limit because I never, ever, ever want to return to that lonely, miserable place again. I push myself because I want to be healthy and fit. I push myself because I want to look good. Heck, one day I want to sashay around in a pair of 4” heels. So when I’m working out and at the brink of giving up from embarrassment, fatigue, or a combination thereof, I push through.


I've been talking a lot lately with Steve my trainer/buddy about how we wish we could find the magic solution to keep folks motivated. I talk to lots of folks through my blog and FB page - I love when folks reach out to me. That's one of the reasons I blog. Anyhow, I notice folks sometimes seek my advice and they start off with great intentions then all the sudden I don't hear from them anymore. Too often Steve gets clients that start working out with him who are all revved up and next thing he knows they cancel their appointments. Of course, there could be a number of factors as to why these folks cancel and stop seeking advice -- please, I don't want to assume anything, but I will say this is a mental battle like no other. I believe, perhaps folks set their expectations to high and when the return doesn't happen fast enough they give up.

Folks when the going gets tough, you have to figure out a way to talk past the demons. They'll be all sorts of demons telling you, you can't do it -- it's too hard. The road to a healthy, fit lifestyle is not going to be easy. Especially, with all the set-ups: Fast, cheap, convenvient food, drive-thrus, etc. There are going to be obstacles, but you have to find a way to manuever around them. It's not about me, Steve, your spouse, your daughter -- this is about YOU. Don't give up on yourself.


Take it from someone who to date has lost more than 170 lbs. and counting. I'm not just talking out the side of my neck. Oh, the obstacles I've encountered. Believe me, I know how hard it is. But, I also know that I'm worth it. I'll never, ever give up on myself.

The American Dream

Tomorrow, I'll make my motivational speaking debut. I'm super-excited as this is something I've always wanted to do. My girlfriend and I, have long said that I would make a great motivational speaker. We just  never knew what capacity I would motivate folks, but here it is! I'm grateful, proud, and honored. 

The five themes I'll follow:                                 

1. Hard work
2. Making adjustments
3. Staying the course
4. Believing in self
5. Never giving up

Here's a snippet of my speech:


"...This time around I knew the changes I sought would not come without hard work. I know you, can appreciate hard work. The American Dream – your generation is probably the last that believed in and worked for it.  America was built on hard work, companies like: Ford Motor and GE were booming and you were a part of that movement. Hard work comes in all forms and sometimes emotional  and mental hard work can be equally if not more taxing than physical...."


So there it is friends. Tomorrow morning, I'll have the pleasure of sharing my story in a totally different medium - speaking. I so love my life! Maybe this is my version of "The American Dream."

Drive-thrus and ATMs

No quick fix.  Just a never, give up attitude and HARD work.

We are a society that craves instant gratification. Fast food drive-thrus, ATMs, and 1-10 item check-out lanes at the grocery store. We don't like to wait. We want, what we want -- now. So no surprise that when it comes to losing weight and adapting a new healthy lifestyle we're no different. The changes aren't happening quick enough, we grow impatient. We become discouraged. We...

I can honestly tell you, ladies and gentleman the drive-thru (DT), ATM mindset does not work when it comes to losing weight. This is the HARDEST thing I've ever done in my life so I'm speaking from experience. The only way to get the weight off is through hard work, diligence, and a sense of humor. There were plenty of times when I became discouraged because the scale wasn't moving (it's at a stand still right now), I wasn't able to perform a push-up, or I had a slip-up and indulged in chocolate chip cookies. These types of things are normal -- it's life. Instead of hanging my head and throwing in the towel, I made adjustments. Heck, in July 2004 I had gastric bypass surgery which was my DT, ATM approach and that did not work. Sure, I lost some weight, but ultimately it wasn't until I truly made up my mind and put in the necessary work through diet and exercise that I began to see results. The point, is I did not give up. I dismissed the DT, ATM approach and took control.

I think it's important I mention that results shouldn't only be tied to the scale when trying to lose weight. Look to other things like a change in your endurance, strength, and your attitude. Yes, the goal is to lose weight but ultimately the goal should be a lifestyle change. The way I live my life today looks totally different then in July 2004. I say all this to say, if you plan to set out on a path to healthy living and weight loss, there is no quick fix. Stay focused. Stay diligent. Leave your DT, ATM mindset behind because folks this all about HARD work.

"Hard work pays off. When someone tells you otherwise, beware the sales pitch for something “fast and easy” that’s about to come next. The greater your capacity for hard work, the more rewards fall within your grasp. The deeper you can dig, the more treasure you can potentially find." Steve Pavlina

A Weighty Matter

I work so hard at the gym and with my diet. I have a friend who described my determination as, iron willed. Consequently, when I meet with my fitness coach to get weighed and measured I get a little anxious. After all, the ultimate tale of my progress comes down to the numbers on the scale and with a tape measure being wrapped around my body. So it’s perfectly normal then to feel a little antsy right? Well, today’s the day I hop on the scale. My mind is racing with thoughts; please let the bright red display show how hard I’ve worked. I’ve been such a good girl.

Hold up, wait a minute. No sooner than I wrote the last paragraph it dawned on me – that’s nonsense. That’s the beauty of writing I’m working through thoughts and feelings. Certainly, the numbers are indicators of my progress. But, the numbers DON’T dictate my success. Sure it’s important to track these numbers because in the end the goal is to decrease them. But, for heaven’s sake, I’m more than a number. All my hard work is not tied to a scale.

My hard work and determination is evident in many other ways. First, by eating better and exercising I’ve decreased my odds for developing a slew of health issues. If I stopped at my current weight and maintained it my overall health has been vastly improved. Next, I’m breaking through a lifetime of barriers by confronting obesity head on. Today, my outlook on life is much brighter than it was even six months ago -- I’m happier, friendlier, more vibrant, and heck even trimmer.

So no matter what the numbers are on the scale today or any day for that matter, I’m not defined by them. This journey is not only about the weight loss, it’s about me improving my overall health, attitude, and life.

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” Greg Anderson