Pillosophy of the Day: Health is Wealth

1 Year transformation. Left was May 2012. Right is January 2013.
I was bigger than the picture on the Left.

Hello Everyone! I have been reflecting back on my health and fitness journey so far.  I have been getting questions on how did I loose weight, what work-outs I do, what's my secret.

My answer to all of these questions is Determination, Motivation and Preparation. My father always said "Success is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration". When I was younger I just thought he was being annoying. It wasn't until my later years that I realized that he was RIGHT!

I live by this motto. Everything I want in life I know that I have to work hard for it and it will happen.


I want to share my story, and hopefully it will motivate you with your journey.

I was at a point that I no longer knew who I was. I would look in the mirror and not focus on what I was really seeing. Instead I stayed out of reflections and pictures. I avoided them because I wasn't happy with my appearance and how I allowed my self to get to this point.

I've tried every diet under the sun. And when I say every I mean EVERY. Just to list some: Slim-Fast, Weight Watchers, Jenny-Craig, LA-Weight Loss(Which I liked the most), Medi-Fast(Nasty as All Hell), Nutri System(Nasty and too Expensive), Starvation and drinking a nasty lemonade concoction(thought I would die)...and the list goes on.

So, I asked myself why didn't any of these work for me? After pondering on it, the answer was simple: none of these plans were individual to my personal goals and needs. Yes  some of these plans have big celebrity endorser's...that actually went under the knife to look that way(Yeah, I said it); but just because one particular plan works for you that doesn't mean it will work for me.

Trust me it took me a Looooooong time to realize this fact.I realized when it clicked: I was in the gym Killing myself following this body builder's program (yeah crazy, I know) and I said to myself why in the world am I doing this. I won't do this for the rest of my life. Enough is enough. At that point I went home and pulled out a notebook and started documenting all my goals and ideas. This was December 2011.

The formula was quite simple.
1. Eat a clean and well balanced meal
2. Research, research, research!
3. Move your body.

I realized that even though I was working our like an animal, I was eating too much of the wrong stuff, and I wasn't moving at work. I would sit for Hours at a time. FYI: were not designed to sit all day.

SO....Cutting to the chase

• Positive Thinking
• The mind is a powerful tool, and when you radiate positive energy positive things happen
• Also surround yourself with like-minded people. Misery loves company and I don't engage with negative Nancy's
• I started writing down everything I ate, including my exercises.
• I invested in a heart monitor and calorie counter, because I wanted to keep track of my calories burned vs. caloric intake
• I stopped making excuses.
• Remember Mental fatigue is not physical fatigue. You can work-out after sitting all day.
• I planned my meals for the week
• based off of things that my body responds well too
• This meant cutting out some animal protein, like meat.chicken.
• Sometimes in a blue moon I will have fish, if my body wants it.
• I Cut out the Junk
• If it didn't have a mother or grown from the earth. I avoid it.
• Have a rest/Cheat day
• All work and no play makes life BORING!
• I allow myself one day out of the week to go bonkers
• once you make this life change, you really won't go as crazy as you think because all that crap will make you feel like trash.
• Track your progress.
• I weigh my self weekly
• I take pictures of myself every 3-6 months and when I hit a milestone I reward myself.

So pretty much, this Journey is YOURS. Take these tips, do your research and Happy travels! I know you can do it, because I can.

Love and Peace.