Lose 5 lbs in 7 Days. Jillian Michaels shows you how to do it!

Jillian Michaels recipe for losing 5 pounds in 7 days...

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  Get 60 ounces of distilled or pure water and...
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  Add a tablespoon of sugar free cranberry juice and...
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  Add 1 dandelion root tea bag and...
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  Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and...

You Drink the 60 ounces every day for 7 days and...

This recipe works because it helps flush out excess water weight you have carrying around in your body and...

You could lose more than 5 pounds in 7 days depending on how much excess water weight you're carrying around and...

If you are unable to do this simple plan to lose 5 lbs. in 7 days...

 

 

5 More quick weight loss tips from Jillian Michaels...

1. Take Caffeine

Taking moderate amounts of caffeine can boost your metabolism by 6% and... Caffeine increases your testosterone & HGH Levels before you workout to help you burn more fat plus...

Caffeine gives you more energy to help you workout longer & harder making you burn more fat faster.

2. Take Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps suppress the belly fat storing hormone called Cortisol - Good sources of Vitamin C include most citrus fruits like Oranges, berries, tangerines and red peppers.

3. Eat Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are good sources of selenium and helps support your thyroid and... Your thyroid is responsible for a big part in the way your body burns fat and...

Brazil nuts contain zinc which helps your body produce a hormone called leptin that makes you feel full so you won't overeat and gain any weight.

4. Eat Garlic

Garlic helps boost your testosterone levels which not only increases your sex drive but more importatnly...

Testosterone helps you maintain lean muscle mass helping you shed body fat.

5. Buy Organic

Inorganic foods contain toxins that will only make you fatter by slowing down your metabolism while on the other hand... Eating organic foods will help you lose weight or at the very least help you maintain your weight.

It's All About Going Back to Basics!

This is my bible

 Update! Going back to basics really work. I weighed in last Monday and I was down 3.5 lbs ... and I got my period! For someone my size with little to lose now, 3.5 lbs is great. I'll admit it, it wasn't easy. I'm a foodie, can't live without it. When my trainer suggested me to go down to 1500, I blatantly told her that I didn't want to become anorexic. In all honesty, 1500 is not that bad. If you eat low calorie food, it's actually a fair amount of cals.

This is now my 2nd week at 1500. I really hope to get down to 140 lbs faster than expected. I won't stop there though. My ultimate goal weight is 135. I want that 100lb mark weight loss so bad.

The time has come ...

The time has come, the dreaded plateau has arrived. I knew it was coming but it's so frustrating. After losing 90 lbs, I got so used to see "big numbers" on the scale. I ate a lot but also worked out a lot and kept losing. When I first handed in my food log to my trainer, she was shocked.

Now, the story's different. I love my sweets, that will never change. I still train 5-6 days a week but I do less cardio because I really want to build muscle. Consequence, plateau. I know I look good better but my body's not where I want it to be. I'm a 5/6 but I'd rather be a 3/4. I'm somewhat muscular but I want more muscle.

The plan now, go from 2000-2200 cals/day down to 1500 cals/day. How do I feel about that? I'm not too happy but I know it's what I need to do. The good thing is that I'm not gaining, I'm maintaining but it's not what I want.

I'm contemplating signing up for a 5K or 10K. I want to but I'm scared. I'm still afraid of failure. What if I can't do it? What if it's too much for my body to handle?

Time to put my plan is action and lose those stubborn 10-15 lbs. What the heck, I lost 90 so why couldn't I lose 10 more?

I'm celebrating 2 years on this wonderful journey. I never would've imagined that I, little old me, would be where I am today. After years of yoyo dieting, I finally discovered the secret behind being healthy.

The fifth season of the Biggest Loser was a catalyst to me. "Believe it, be it". After Ali won, I told myself that it was possible. We were the same height and had the same starting weight, 235 lbs on a 5'5" frame. If she could do it, why couldn't I? I was miserable at 235 lbs. I tried and experimented different things to feel better about myself but nothing really worked. Everything was a struggle. I didn't like myself. Every year, I'd have the same resolution but never stuck to it.

On a hot summer day, I was driving around and saw that my old gym (which is now my current gym) was advertising a special. I signed up knowing deep down that I'd fail. I think I did that to prove myself right, once again. The first day there was such a daunting experience. I quickly enlisted the help of a trainer and that's how I got started. It was extremely hard at first. I wanted to be able to do so many things but my body couldn't. When my trainer noticed my first 10 lbs weight loss, I knew I wanted more. And here I am, 90 lbs lighter & 10 more lbs to go before reaching goal.

What I've learned ... believe in yourself and in the ability to do things. It's crazy how we underestimate ourselves. It's crazy how we have no concept of how strong we are. Take baby steps and educate yourself. Make sure to have a support network around you, you don't need to do this alone 'cuz you're not alone in this. Do it the healthy way, do it in a way that is going to be sustainable for you. There are no quick fixes. Anyhow, many of us have dieted and lost & gained those same stubborn pounds over and over again. Why? Because it wasn't a lifestyle change. I don't want to hear "I've eliminated carbs", "I'm eating one meal per day", etc. It doesn't work. There are no quick fixes.

What's the equation to weight loss? Calorie counting, eating clean, exercise (cardio and weight training) + believing in yourself. You can't go wrong with that!

I'm Worth It !

It's not an easy journey but it's sincerely the most rewarding one. I cannot believe how far I've come in the past 2 years. As a sit in my room thinking about the old me and knowing what the new me is capable of now, I'm stunned.

Not too long ago, I was your typical sedentary overweight obese young woman. I was constantly tired, depressed and miserable. I found comfort in food. I was still am your typical loner, never had many friends. I literally watched my body gain each pound over the years but I did nothing to stop it. The typical "start tomorrow diet" and that tomorrow never came ... until May 2008, that is.

I thought I successful at hiding the extra pounds from everybody. I was the only human being on the planet wearing turtlenecks in July convincing people that I was cold. I always made sure to eat less when I was around friends only to binge when I'd get home. I'd eat myself to sleep, I'd eat so much that breathing was nearly impossible. Exercise was not part of my vocabulary. Why did I let myself get so big? I thought it was genetic, I thought I was destined to be fat. Don't get me wrong, I dieted and manage to lose weight ... but by starving myself and the weight always came back with a vengeance.


What's different now? I decided to do something about it. I'm 90 lbs lighter. I'm mentally and physically much stronger. I'm working towards getting a personal training certification & I'd also like to become an aerobics instructor. I'm inspiring people around me, the feeling is great. I've lost a few friends here and there but made tons of new friendships.

Yay, the holidays are finally over! Getting back on track.

Is it just me or is anyone out there glad that the holidays are finally over. I mean, who needs 2 weeks of eating crap and getting thrown off their exercise routine. I was stuck working more than usual, the gym had their crappy holiday schedule hence modified open hours and I was not able to make it regularly. I actually did not work out 5 days in a row, a very first for me.

Don't ask me how I did it, I managed to lose 2 lbs during Christmas. I was surprised and felt on top of the world. Who loses weight during the holidays. Comes New Year which is also my birthday and my monthly little friend and I'm up 2 lbs! Disappointed, shocked but I blamed it on having my period. Today, a week later, I'm still at the same weight. Frustrating! To make matters worse, I'm told by my brother that my face looks bigger and he asks me whether or not I've put on weight. To confuse me even more, my mother begged me to stop losing because she finds me too small. Confused much?

I go in a state of panic wondering whether my face did really get bigger from gaining those 2 measly pounds. Are my new size 8 pants getting tight? Do I really look that big? Even after losing all this weight (80 something), I sometimes still see & feel the old me.

Luckily for me, I signed up for a few personal training sessions. I'm determined to get rid of those 2 freakin' lbs and get below 150 by the end of the month (I'm 154). I'm going to keep planning my meals, logging my food and push myself even harder at the gym (as if what I'm doing now is not enough). So frustrating!

The plan

•  Not to leave the gym until I see a calorie burn of at least 1000 cals on my HRM.
• 2 liters of water minimum per day.
• Be out of the 150s by the end of the month, no excuses!

As frustrating as it can be, I need to look at the bigger picture which is ...

• A starting weight of 235 lbs.
• My current weight of 154 lbs
• A total weight loss of 81 lbs.

Recap

I'm definitely not the best blogger out there but at least, I'm back to business. I have not fallen out of the weight loss wagon. Things have been going great. Losing the weight has not cured all my problems, at one point I thought it would, it has strengthen me.

It's crazy to think that a year and a half has gone by already. It's still unreal for me to realize that I was 80-something lbs heavier not too long ago. I was a mess, I was depressed.

Haha Moment
Season 5 of the "Biggest Loser". I had enough of watching people change their lives for the better while I was getting bigger and more miserable by the minute.

May 18th, 2008 ... I got off the couch, went to my local gym and signed up for a year. I had gone there when I was younger so I knew one of the instructors. I'll never forget the look in her face when she saw me after a few years, disappointed. I had put on a good 30-40 lbs.

I still mustered up my courage and asked her to design me a program. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. What the heck was weight training? What the heck is a set? I was totally clueless.


The journey
She has been there every step of the way. She has seen me lose each and every pound I have lost so far. She keeps me going. I honestly don't think I'd be where I am today had it not been for her.

A year and a half later, I've dropped 82 lbs. I went from wearing snug 22s to comfy 8s ... and I'm not done yet. There are so many things my body can do. I'm inspiring many, reaching out to friends & strangers, working on getting certified. My life has completely changed.

Rock On!

I stepped on the scale this morning and I lost another pound! I'm so excited and so proud of myself. Weighing in at 178 today I can honestly say that I never stepped on a scale weighing that little. I think I was about 180-something in seventh grade and 2 inches shorter and then again, it could've been more.

I feel great knowing that I'm losing the weight the right way by incorporating good & healthy habits. I'm so close to my 1st goal, it's scary. I've become such a perfectionist that I probably won't want to stop there, I want & need to see 150 lbs on that damn scale.

WEIGHT LOST IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE!
No, it is NOT! Eat less, move more.

Workout plans for the week? The usual stairmaster, treadmill, spin bike, aerobics & step class and weight training of course. I don't know how much more I'll be able to up the intensity but ...

Oh, and I'm leaving for LA in 12 days!

Goodbye 180s ...

ShrinkingDiva is back and needs to blog some more.

What's new? I'm no longer in the 180s. Who would've thought? Certainly not me. Yup, I weighed in today despite the fact that I'm probably +2 lbs because I got my period. Anyhow, I'm still very satisfied with the result, 179 lbs. I also weighed in on another scale and the result was the same, 179 lbs. Amazing!

That's a huge milestone for me. I don't recall ever ever weighing in under 180 lbs. At 26 years old, it's the first time that I see something below 180 which means that I'm getting closer to goal. Yay!

This whole diet & exercise thing really works after all. After being overweight my whole life, I thought I was destined to be fat. I really believed that I was destined to be overweight for the rest of my life. Yo-yo diets, South Beach, restricting my calorie intake, eating a meal per day ... been there, done that.

I'm overwhelmed by all the attention I've been getting because I've lost the weight & because society's perception of me has changed. I might be stupid for saying this but I feel like a celebrity. The people at the gym know me, strangers know me, guys are checking me out for the first time in my life. So many changes ...

I'm 19 lbs short from my goal weight and 29 lbs short from my ultimate goal weight. What's the plan? I'ma keep on doing what I've been doing.

Spinning 101

The Scoop on Spinning
Spinning was created by world-class cyclist "Jonny G." Goldberg as a convenient and quick way to train for races. In 1989, he and John Baudhuin opened the first spinning center in Santa Monica, California and then developed a program to certify other spinning instructors. Curious to know about this spinning thing? The following info will help you decide if it's for you:

What is it?

Spinning is an aerobic exercise that takes place on a specially designed stationary bicycle called (obviously enough) a spinning bike. As you pedal, motivating music plays and the instructor talks you through a visualization of an outdoor cycling workout: "You're going up a long hill now, you can't see the top yet.…" During the class you vary your pace -- sometimes pedaling as fast as you can, other times cranking up the tension and pedaling slowly from a standing position. This helps you to focus inwardly and work on your mind as well as your body.

Why we love it

Spinning burns serious calories (about 450 in 45 minutes) and offers an awesome aerobic workout that makes your heart pump fast. It also tones your quadriceps (front thigh muscles) and outer thigh muscles like nobody's business! Because you stay in one place with the same basic movement throughout, Spinning doesn't involve a lot of coordination; it's easier to concentrate on your form than in other types of aerobic classes. And although you follow the general instructions of the spinning teacher, you are in control when it comes to your pace. You can finish a spin class, regardless of your fitness level, simply by adjusting your pace or the tension knob on the bike.

Drawbacks

Spinning does not work all leg muscles equally, so if you spin without doing some cross training activities, you may develop muscle imbalances. Spinning every day can also be too much of a good thing -- real spin enthusiasts have to watch out for overuse injuries in their knees, hips and lower backs. If Spinning is your main source of exercise, we recommend doing some resistance training workouts that include hamstring (back of thigh), buttock and inner thigh exercises.

Equipment Needed

Other than the bike, here's what you need for a safe, comfortable ride:a stiff-soled shoe with good ventilation. (Running and aerobic shoes, which are soft-soled, may leave your feet numb by the end of the class.)

Two towels, one for wiping away sweat and one for draping over the handlebars so your hands won't slide out of position.

A full water bottle, because you're definitely going to sweat. Most spinning bikes are equipped with a water bottle cage so you can place your H2O within easy reach.

Insider information

Riding with an incorrect seat setting can also lead to injury. Set your seat height so your knee is slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Set the handlebars so that they are level with the seat. When you lean forward and place your hands on the bars, there should be a slight bend at your elbows.

Hot Tip
Arrive five minutes early for your first class so your instructor can answer any questions and help you with bike adjustments. Make sure you let her know about any injuries that you have so she can help you modify some of the moves. During class, be sure to let your instructor know if you are having trouble with the resistance knob or the general technique. If the class is too intense, just pedal more slowly or take the tension down.

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Source: http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/diet-fitness/spinning-101.html?pageNum=1

Update!

I hit the 50 lbs weight loss mark! Yay! 35 to go !!!

ShrinkingDiva's Still Going Strong

I have to stop doing that! Where have I been? I know, it's been a while. Believe it or not, I've been extremely busy working out at the gym and listening to Jillian Michaels' podcasts. I barely remember how to use my television, except on Tuesdays of course when Biggest Loser is on!



My blog title is pretty much self-explanatory. I'm still at it, still going strong and enjoying every minute of it. It's hard to believe that it took me 26 years (I'm 26) to get here and finally start to do something good for myself. I've been good and haven't given in to temptations. I didn't cut out everything cold turkey, I do indulge at time but intelligently and with moderation. I'll have a piece of cake or chocolate and not the whole thing times 2,3 even 5 that I did for so long. It's no wonder I got so big.



- What was I afraid of?

It's a question I've been asking myself a lot lately. What was I really afraid of? What caused me to turn to food to solve my problems? Why was I never ever able to believe that I could lose the weight? I'm sure many of you guys can relate to this but food was my drug of choice, it would never let me down. My eating habits were so out of whack just thinking about it makes me want to puke.



2 years ago, I was dealing with a lot of things (work, stress, family issues, etc). I would go to McDonalds and order a BigMac, supersize the fries, had an apple juice to cut down on some of the calories AND added 12 nuggets to that. I would then sneak the food home, lock myself in the basement and ate until I felt numb only to go straight to bed. I would repeat the same thing the very next day several times a week ... And that's just an example. Even though I had been to the gym off and on, exercise back then was a foreign concept to me.



I think it was a way for me to hide those emotions of fear, failure, rejection or loneliness I was feeling. I was afraid to embark on a weight loss journey convinced that I would fail. Shoving food down my throat muted those feelings and that's why I probably did it for so long. I loved it more than I loved myself. In fact, I hated myself. Knowing that I was missing out on so much, it just filled that void. My friends would spend the day with their partner & kids ... well, I had to spend mine with food, again!





I'm absolutely loving this journey of mine, I'm finally getting to know myself.



Enough rambling for now, I'll keep the rest for next time!

Rambling/ Falling off the Weight Loss Wagon

1st of all, I have not fallen off the weight loss wagon!

The journey continues and it will never end! Literally! I've learned so much in the past 6 months about diets, health and fitness. I've learned from my past mistakes and I'm more than happy that I did. I'm sure not going to let them happen again.

I sat down the other day and finally got it! No wonder I got so heavy. I was eating the wrong type of food, too many of it! "Weight loss/weight gain is a calorie equation". I did the math and it all adds up. 235 lbs on a 5'5" frame? What the heck was I thinking? Where the heck was I?

Absent? I know. Clueless? For sure! Uninformed? Of course !!! I'm now 42 pounds lighter and still going strong. I'm loving every minute of it.

Even though I'm enjoying every minute of it, I will admit that I'm somewhat scared at the same time. If Oprah, the richest and most influencable woman out there, is struggling with her weight, how can good old me make it? She's the Queen of yo-yo diets. She has lost and gained the same 50-60-70 time and time again. And I've been there too, we've all been.

Losing weight & looking great and having people praising our accomplishment only to regain it (and more) and start over. It's a never-ending vicious circle.

I'm a huge fan of "The Biggest Loser". It scares me to see how many "Losers" have put the weight back on. Just to name of few, Ryan or Erik under different circumstances of course. Gaining the weight is sooo easy, losing it hard enough as it is but maintaining is where the true battle begins.

I keep reminding myself AND others that I am NOT on a diet. This is a change of lifestyle. Diets don't work, they never did & never will. It's been a least 6 months and I get a high when I exercise, I'm absolutely loving it and always looking forward to it. I cannot wait to reach my goal weight as I don't even remember when I weighed 150 lbs (and I'm only 26). I am totally clueless! In the midst of all that, life happens. Stress, deaths, pregnancy, loneliness, boredom, hard times,etc.

Turning to food is what got me to 235lbs. After watching that Oprah episode, my fear of failure has reappeared once again but this time, I will not let it dictate my life. I'm much stronger than that. I truly do not want to go back there.

This journey's allowing me to find the roots of my previous weight gain. I ate my emotions. I am not a cryer, at least not publicly. When I cry, it's in the privacy of my own home. Closest friends of mine have yet to see me shed a tear. I ate to be "part of the crowd". Food brings people together. My social life used to revolve around food and eating out. I was to weak to say refuse to go to these gatherings.

I used the weight as a shield/protection. If people didn't like me, it was only because I was fat. If a guy wasn't into me, it was because of my weight. Not being popular at school to me was because of my weight. Not getting the jobs I wanted was because of my weight. Suffice it to say, I blamed it for everything that went wrong in my life.

Why did I put up with it? For the following reasons; "I've been fat all my life" or "I tried losing weight but can't" or "I'm genetically predisposed to being fat". Truth is, I never knew I had it in me.

To get back to the main idea of this blog, fear of failure (putting the weight back on), am I the only one feeling this way?

Weight Loss Battle

Onederland & Story About my Weight

Onederland feels absolutely great, I can't complain. What a great feeling to be in Onederland but by having done it the right way. 8 years ago when I graduated from high school, my highest weight ranged between 210-215 lbs. Fed up of the extra weight, I decided to go on a diet. Yes, a diet NOT a lifestyle change. I did it my way: calorie restricted & no carbs allowed. I'm guessing that I consumed at the most 700 calories a day. I went to eating fast food 3 times/day everyday to drastically reducing my calorie intake so it's no wonder the weight came off that quickly!

I got down to 180 lbs and it felt great having people complimenting you every second of every day. 180lbs without exercise! At 18, I had all the attention I've ever wanted and more. Since I had reached my goal weight, I felt comfortable enough to reincorporate the same foods that had made me heavy. I thought I had the whole concept of "moderation & willpower" figured out. In a blink of an eye, I had gained the weight back. 8 years later, I found myself weighing 235 lbs. Yikes!

8 years later (I'm now 25), I'm realizing how much the extra weight has robbed me from things especially from dating. It's hard to openly admit to friends & family, that you've never dated or been intimate while other people your age have or are having children, getting married and such ... I've made up imaginary guy friends, boyfriends because I didn't want to feel like a loser. Today, I completely avoid the topic.

With knowing what I know now about health and fitness, diets don't work! The minute you go back to your old ways, the weight will come back and more. When I look back at it, I can believe how stupid I was. Actually, I was young, naive and uninformed.

I lost 38 pounds (went from 235 to 197) and I've got 47 more pounds to go!

Superficial People

Shallow people ...
I can't believe how superficial people can be. I've been discriminated against all my life because of my weight so that's nothing new to me. For the first time in years, I'm starting to feel good about myself. I'm noticing the changes in my body and words can't describe how great it feels.

I go to the gym 5 to 6 times a week, I literally live there. The manager was recruiting people for a videoclip they're making to promote the gym and they needed about 10 to 15 people. The idea was to film a step class from one of the instructors. I love step and I'm quite good at it (and no, I'm not showing off). I saw the gym owner approaching people for the video. They all had one thing in common: good looking girls & guys in their mid-twenties/early thirties with gorgeous bodies and guys with 6 packs and all.

I was never approached and I frustrated me. A friend of mine was chosen and she's the lucky one with the nice body but never ever did aerobics in her life. She's never had issues with her weight and goes to the gym 3 times a month maximum. She admitted to me that she probably ruined the whole thing because she's never done step in her life! She had the hardest time following the choreography and was out of breath before the warm-up was over.

The thing that frustrates me the most is not that I wasn't chosen. What irritates me the most is that the people that were chosen are not representative of the people who go to the gym that is old & young, fit & fat, black or white, etc. I feared the gym for many years because of that because I thought I wouldn't fit in.

It made me feel like I wasn't good enough again and it sucks. I'm getting over it but it's so frustrating! Can't wait to see how that video will turn up ...

Alright, enough!

Later

I'm So Excited and I Just Can't Hide It!

I'll keep this short, promise. I've hit another milestone, I'm finally under 200lbs, 197lbs to be exact! Hard work is paying off! I still have "fat days", I guess everybody does. Sometimes, I "can't" see the changes in my body but today it's been confirmed by practically every single moving thing: "you look different", "have you lost weight?", "where's the other half of you?", "looking great", etc ...

Just loving it! 47 more pounds 'til my goal weight!

Ranting ...

Yes! I need to get new clothes. It's nothing new but it's pretty official now. I'm drowning in most of pants that even a blind person can notice. I guess my hard work is definitely paying off. Even though the weight isn't coming off as fast as I would like (I know pulling Biggest Loser numbers is impossible), I'm glad that I'm still shedding some pounds.

I have and must go shopping but I hate it! There's nothing worse than walking into a store, seeing some nice clothes and then picking the largest size only to find out that it doesn't fit! It really does hurt one's ego and unfortunately I've been there way too many times.

2008 is barely over, time sure flies. My 26th (yikes) birthday is approaching and looking back at things, I've let my weight rob me from life's pleasures. I've missed out a lot! I'm in control now & there's no going back.

A Jillian Michaels Blog: Ditch the Fear of Screwing Up

I just love Jillian, she's the best! I'm attributing my success to her and she's my motivation. Yeah, I know, I haven't had the chance to meet her ... yet! Thanks Jillian !
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Ditch the Fear of Screwing Up (Jillian Michaels).

Let me give you a scenario. You were working out hard and eating right, but then you had one slip-up. You skipped a workout one day, or you overstuffed yourself at dinner one night. So then you decided this whole diet-and-exercise thing wasn't worth your while anymore because you "messed up." So now you're ignoring your workouts and eating crappy food — just because you felt like it was all or nothing. Well buddy, this attitude — this perfectionism and fear of failure — is the reason you're not finding success. It's time to let go of the idea that you can be perfect at this weight-loss journey — because that will NEVER happen! I'm just going to say it. You're going to fall short sometimes at some things. When it comes to weight-loss, it's guaranteed. There's no straight line from Point A to Point B. You can't just say, "I'm 200 pounds on Day 1, and I'll be 150 pounds on Day 54." There are weight-loss plateaus, bad weeks, parties, holidays, etc., etc. You try as best as you can, but I'm telling you right now it's absolutely NOT all gonna come altogether at once.

Being ambitious is a very good thing — in my life, I wouldn't have gotten to where I am if I didn't reach as high as I could. But if your ambition doesn't come with a little flexibility, you're setting yourself up for disappointment and lost motivation. If you don't allow for setbacks, you're only going to sabotage yourself. As long as you keep trying as hard as you can, you WILL get to your goal. Don't give up halfway through your journey because you didn't hit your goal at the precise moment you thought you would! You HAVE to abandon perfectionism and lose the all-or-nothing attitude. It can be less than 100 percent of what you had envisioned and still be success. The only way you can truly fail is to give up on yourself. One really common manifestation of the fear of failure is procrastination. If you're the person who always says "I'll start exercising next week," or "I'm going to eat just one more triple-decker bacon cheeseburger, then I'll start eating healthy," you need to address the fear underneath this.

We've ALL procrastinated at one time or another...but the stakes are a little higher now than when you were writing your Great Gatsby book report. We're talking about your health — don't you want to take that into your own hands? Then do it NOW. Everybody has obstacles to work through, but if you don't even start because you don't believe you have the ability to do it "right," you're just failing yourself. If you don't succeed at first, just give it another shot. One setback doesn't make the whole effort worthless — so don't believe if you had just never tried, then you wouldn't have failed. If you have people in your life who tell you that, you need to get them out of your life or tell them that what you're doing is about YOU. You have to accept the ups and downs as exactly what they are — small wins and small losses that you'll experience throughout the rest of your life. If you're having trouble getting started, or if you're feeling discouraged about not being where you want to be yet, break down your goals into smaller pieces — I promise it really does help bring you focus on the little victories along the way.

Whether you want to lose 10 or 100 pounds, you're not going to do it flawlessly. Accept that now, and don't dwell on the slip-ups. When you get frustrated, beat through that barrier, and become a stronger person for it. Now tell me what you're going to do to abandon the need to do everything perfectly, every time.

xoxo,J

Keeping Track of my Progress ...

«--The picture on top was my wake-up call.

The pictures on the left we're taken somewhere in August/September (about 4 months later).

The ones on the right were taken somewhere in October (about 5 months later).

These are a few before/after shots I took. I should've taken them at the very beginning of my journey since these were taken about 2 months after. I still have a long way to go, some 50 more pounds, but I truly believe that this time will be the "right time". *Fingers crossed*

There it is! I absolutely hate doing this but I have no choice. I need this as a constant reminder of what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. To me, it's one thing having people notice that the pounds are coming off but it's totally something else when it comes to "stubborn old me" seeing it with my own 2 eyes.

So yes, I'm losing, I'm shrinking .. it's great. I just wish that I would lose more but that may stem from my "Biggest Loser" overdose. It's unrealistic for me to think that I can pull such huge numbers. On the other hand, I'm proud of my progress so far, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.

I'm learning so much from this. I wouldn't even know where to start.

I haven't stepped on the scale since my last weigh-in so that's something I'll be doing this week.

Alrighty, off to the gym!

Because I'm Worth It !

Why am I doing all of this?

Why wouldn't I? Because I'm worth it!

Time flies! I cannot believe that it has already been 4 months. So much has changed in those four months. Most importantly, I've realized that I'm much more stronger both mentally & physically than I thought I ever was. On a more realistic note, I know that the journey is far from over, truth is, it'll never be but I'm sooo glad it started when it did.

When I come to think of it, I've been robbed. "The weight" has robbed me from so many things such as having fun, dating, feeling good about myself and so many other dreams. I just had my "ha ha" moment and knew that something had to happen. I was always the one walking in peoples' shadow always unnoticed. I was the one who would voluntarily isolate myself because I didn't feel worthy. I was the one who would cry myself to sleep thinking "why me?". I am not saying that I got rid of all my insecurities in 4 months but I'm so much more aware of them now and I'm more than willing to do something about it.

I've banned the D-word aka diet. I'm not on a diet, it's a lifestyle change. A change I'm absolutely loving. What does it consist of? Healthy diet and exercise. Loading up on lean meats, fruits and veggies and being a slave to the gym.

Where did I get my inspiration from?

Biggest Loser, the fifth season! I have watched the show in the past but I'd be eating my junk food envying them like crazy wishing I had the same opportunity. I still can't understand why there isn't a Canadian Biggest Loser. I mean, they went all the way to Australia! So, the day after the finale, I ran to Chapters to purchase Jillian Michaels' (one of the trainers on the show) book called "Winning by Losing". We've all bought several diet books and stuff but honestly, that woman knows her stuff. If it wasn't for her, I don't know where I'd be! I ended up watching the Australian version of the show on YouTube, all 3 seasons, in a month and got a trainer and it has started from there ... I'm forever thankfulWhy am I doing all of this?


Why wouldn't I? I'm worth it! So are YOU !!!!