#blogtunes
Let It Rock- Kevin Rudolph (love, love, love this song)
E.I- Nelly
Remember the Name- Fort Minor
Talk Dirty- Jason Derulo
Shining- X Ambassadors
Boy Got it Bad- KaiL Baxley
A Thousand Year- Christina Perri
One Republic Mash-Up-Anthem Lights (my heart)
So, it's summer and this seems to be the time of year people get into fitness hardcore and start wanting to make some serious change. The other peak season is January (New Year's resolutions and all) is case you were wondering. Maybe you are at a point in your life where you want to make some changes to your body. Wanting to drop some weight and look good, but you're unsure where to start or you feel like you're too far gone to really make a difference. Fear not! Let me lay down some steps for you, but first, a little history (because I always have stories for everything.)
I have been overweight since before I can remember, always struggling and hating my body. This problem has never gone away and it is something I continually work on every day. I am still not where I want to be on the scale, far from it, but we all have to start somewhere. Last fall I finally decided I was tired of being overweight, that I wanted to make some serious changes. So I started my weight loss journey and since then I have dropped twenty pounds on the scale (which still doesn't seem like very much to me, but progress is progress, right?), my journey has been rough and bumpy and I've fallen off the wagon too many times to count, but I refuse to give up entirely. So, now that you know a bit about my journey, let's get to starting yours.
Nutrition
First things first, what are you putting into your body? Most people think if you go to the gym and absolutely kill it day after day for hours that you can put whatever you want in the old body machine. Wrong. Weight loss is more about nutrition than it is about exercise. If you aren't monitoring what's going in, then this is the absolute place to start. This is seriously the hardest thing for me, I have the absolute worst relationship with food. When I get depressed, food is my go-to which only makes the depression worse. So, I don't keep any of my trigger foods in the house.
What is a trigger food? It's that thing that once you start eating it, you have to finish all of it. For me, it's chips. Seriously doesn't matter what kind it is. And dip? F*cking forget it. That bag is gone and I feel like a bag of garbage. Ice cream is also my oldest nemesis. I love that stuff. So it doesn't stay in the house (much to the sadness of my husband).
Stop eating fast food. Seriously. Just let that sh*t go. It's not good for you, on the same note give up pop (soda, whatever you call it) and just pump the water.
I know this is a lot to give up, especially if you are like me and you love to eat. Making healthy food choices is difficult, but luckily now we have Pinterest. Get on there and look up healthy meals. You will be uber inspired and feel like a badass in the kitchen.
This takes time. You will have withdrawals from sugar and caffeine, you will have food dreams (nightmares) and it will seem impossible, but the longer you go the easier it is to not crave those foods. Even now I will still want my trigger foods and sometimes I cave. And when I do, my body gets so angry. I will feel sick for days. So, listen to your body, not your head, your body will tell you what it really wants.
This is the hardest but most important part of weight loss. I promise it is 100% worth it.
Who are you doing this for?
If you did not answer that question with, "Me. I'm doing this for me.", this absolutely will not work. I am telling you, your entire heart/mind has to be in this. You will want to give up, you will want to quit; and if your are not behind yourself every step of the way you will give up. This is a lifestyle change. This is something you want to become the new normal. It's not temporary, it's forever, and it is going to take constant work, so you have to be ready to make this change for yourself.
This is about you. Not your bf/gf, your spouse or your friends and family. This is for you. So you can live a happier, healthier life; so you can live longer, so you can experience new things and achieve goals you never thought were possible. You have to embrace this and accept that this is your new life. Soon it will be normal and you'll start seeing change.
Support
Now, I just said this isn't about anybody else, but sometimes you need a little encouragement. I need a ton of it because I'm not the best at being my own cheerleader. Get a workout buddy or get your spouse on board with you; basically get someone to hold you accountable. Sometimes we need that little push from others and eventually you'll start pushing yourself and stop making excuses. Your inner cheerleader will eventually reveal themselves, but at the beginning it can be hard to remain motivated.
Final Thoughts
Basically I have more stuff to say that I can't make an entire heading out of so here are some extra thoughts I have for you. Working out is a part of weight loss (a small-ish part, but a part none the less), so I would greatly encourage a workout regimen. I recently started getting into yoga again after being off the mat for a few years. And it works for me. I get a really good workout and notice a change in my body (don't worry, there will be a post about yoga soon). The point is you have to find something that works for you. Running did not work for me, I have a knee I injured when I was young that will always give me problems and running causes some serious pain. If you belong to a gym, check out some new classes and maybe meet with a personal trainer. Also (again) Pinterest is a great tool for workout routines. YouTube is also terrific. Just find something you like that will give you a good workout (get that heart rate up and sweat goin'!)
Set realistic goals. Don't expect to be able to do twenty pushups right away if you haven't done them since high school. Don't expect to be able to live off kale for every meal when you usually eat three quarter pounders for lunch. This takes time, so don't be too hard on yourself. Set goals that make sense and don't set them in stone. On this note, I would also recommend staying off the scale. And I am such a hypocrite because I live on that thing, and let it be said she and I do not get along. Focusing on numbers is not the way to go (muscle weighs more than fat), if you really want to know how it's going start measuring yourself and taking notice of how your clothes fit.
Get inspired. Again, social media is the best when it comes to this. I have said this a million times, but Instagram is honestly awesome. It is great for finding workout encouragement, routines, yoga flows and food inspiration. Seriously, just go take a peek at what is out there. Also the IG community can be crazy supportive. I only recently started posting pics and vids of my yoga and wellness journey and the support is phenomenal.
Begin. Just start. There are no more excuses. You can do this! You can! All you have to do is start and never, ever give up. Keep killing it every day. You will start to take notice that your mood is better, that you have more energy and you feel cleaner, inside and out. The hardest part is choosing to do this, but the results can be amazing. Focus on loving yourself and doing this for you, accepting yourself and learning more about you. This is your body, your life and you should be loving it. So start today.
I hope this inspired and encouraged you to start your weight loss journey. Hop over to my IG @alyxandraramos and follow me on my journey. Let me know what you think! Do you love this, hate it? Would love to hear from you.
Slay.
Let It Rock- Kevin Rudolph (love, love, love this song)
E.I- Nelly
Remember the Name- Fort Minor
Talk Dirty- Jason Derulo
Shining- X Ambassadors
Boy Got it Bad- KaiL Baxley
A Thousand Year- Christina Perri
One Republic Mash-Up-Anthem Lights (my heart)
So, it's summer and this seems to be the time of year people get into fitness hardcore and start wanting to make some serious change. The other peak season is January (New Year's resolutions and all) is case you were wondering. Maybe you are at a point in your life where you want to make some changes to your body. Wanting to drop some weight and look good, but you're unsure where to start or you feel like you're too far gone to really make a difference. Fear not! Let me lay down some steps for you, but first, a little history (because I always have stories for everything.)
Nutrition
First things first, what are you putting into your body? Most people think if you go to the gym and absolutely kill it day after day for hours that you can put whatever you want in the old body machine. Wrong. Weight loss is more about nutrition than it is about exercise. If you aren't monitoring what's going in, then this is the absolute place to start. This is seriously the hardest thing for me, I have the absolute worst relationship with food. When I get depressed, food is my go-to which only makes the depression worse. So, I don't keep any of my trigger foods in the house.
What is a trigger food? It's that thing that once you start eating it, you have to finish all of it. For me, it's chips. Seriously doesn't matter what kind it is. And dip? F*cking forget it. That bag is gone and I feel like a bag of garbage. Ice cream is also my oldest nemesis. I love that stuff. So it doesn't stay in the house (much to the sadness of my husband).Stop eating fast food. Seriously. Just let that sh*t go. It's not good for you, on the same note give up pop (soda, whatever you call it) and just pump the water.
I know this is a lot to give up, especially if you are like me and you love to eat. Making healthy food choices is difficult, but luckily now we have Pinterest. Get on there and look up healthy meals. You will be uber inspired and feel like a badass in the kitchen.
This takes time. You will have withdrawals from sugar and caffeine, you will have food dreams (nightmares) and it will seem impossible, but the longer you go the easier it is to not crave those foods. Even now I will still want my trigger foods and sometimes I cave. And when I do, my body gets so angry. I will feel sick for days. So, listen to your body, not your head, your body will tell you what it really wants.
This is the hardest but most important part of weight loss. I promise it is 100% worth it.
Who are you doing this for?
This is about you. Not your bf/gf, your spouse or your friends and family. This is for you. So you can live a happier, healthier life; so you can live longer, so you can experience new things and achieve goals you never thought were possible. You have to embrace this and accept that this is your new life. Soon it will be normal and you'll start seeing change.
Support
Now, I just said this isn't about anybody else, but sometimes you need a little encouragement. I need a ton of it because I'm not the best at being my own cheerleader. Get a workout buddy or get your spouse on board with you; basically get someone to hold you accountable. Sometimes we need that little push from others and eventually you'll start pushing yourself and stop making excuses. Your inner cheerleader will eventually reveal themselves, but at the beginning it can be hard to remain motivated.
Final Thoughts
Basically I have more stuff to say that I can't make an entire heading out of so here are some extra thoughts I have for you. Working out is a part of weight loss (a small-ish part, but a part none the less), so I would greatly encourage a workout regimen. I recently started getting into yoga again after being off the mat for a few years. And it works for me. I get a really good workout and notice a change in my body (don't worry, there will be a post about yoga soon). The point is you have to find something that works for you. Running did not work for me, I have a knee I injured when I was young that will always give me problems and running causes some serious pain. If you belong to a gym, check out some new classes and maybe meet with a personal trainer. Also (again) Pinterest is a great tool for workout routines. YouTube is also terrific. Just find something you like that will give you a good workout (get that heart rate up and sweat goin'!)
Set realistic goals. Don't expect to be able to do twenty pushups right away if you haven't done them since high school. Don't expect to be able to live off kale for every meal when you usually eat three quarter pounders for lunch. This takes time, so don't be too hard on yourself. Set goals that make sense and don't set them in stone. On this note, I would also recommend staying off the scale. And I am such a hypocrite because I live on that thing, and let it be said she and I do not get along. Focusing on numbers is not the way to go (muscle weighs more than fat), if you really want to know how it's going start measuring yourself and taking notice of how your clothes fit.Get inspired. Again, social media is the best when it comes to this. I have said this a million times, but Instagram is honestly awesome. It is great for finding workout encouragement, routines, yoga flows and food inspiration. Seriously, just go take a peek at what is out there. Also the IG community can be crazy supportive. I only recently started posting pics and vids of my yoga and wellness journey and the support is phenomenal.
Begin. Just start. There are no more excuses. You can do this! You can! All you have to do is start and never, ever give up. Keep killing it every day. You will start to take notice that your mood is better, that you have more energy and you feel cleaner, inside and out. The hardest part is choosing to do this, but the results can be amazing. Focus on loving yourself and doing this for you, accepting yourself and learning more about you. This is your body, your life and you should be loving it. So start today.I hope this inspired and encouraged you to start your weight loss journey. Hop over to my IG @alyxandraramos and follow me on my journey. Let me know what you think! Do you love this, hate it? Would love to hear from you.
Slay.
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