A Year From Now

A new year is upon us and it’s time to reflect on this year’s choices and actions. Well, it’s been almost a year since I decided to better myself and while I’m not where I thought I’d be, I’m a lot better than I was a year ago. I am 38 pounds* lighter today than I was this time last year and to me that is cause for celebration. How I look at it, if I didn’t change my eating and exercising habits, I’d be a lot bigger right now and even more miserable. Because of this, I can’t be upset with myself. I made a change and I’m still continuing on that path today. The path has been bumpy and it has tested me in ways I could have never imagined, but one that I wouldn’t change because I’ve learned so much. It has brought me to this point and for that, I’m thankful.

I’m beyond excited to see what the new year holds for me and those who are or will be on this same journey. If you haven’t started on your journey, or are afraid to, just think of these 10 words:

A year from now you’ll wish you had started today.

Join me and don’t let another year go by without working towards the person you want to be. Well guys, that’s it for me this year. I wanted to keep this short for your sake. Thank you for reading my rambles as I go through this journey. I hope we can continue this next year. I wish you all the best and healthiest new year ever! Enjoy yourselves, but be safe! 🙂

Until next time,

Carolina

*This includes the weight I had lost and hadn’t regained before I started back up.

ICYMI: I have an announcement to make TOMORROW (January 01)! It’s pretty exciting and I think you guys are going to like it. Because you are not going to want to miss out on this, come back here (or here) to find out what it is. I really want you all to be a part of it!

Related articles

• New Beginnings 2014 (starserendipity.wordpress.com)
• New Blogger, new year, new you (selfinspiredchange.wordpress.com)
• On Reflections and Resolutions (rosieonthemove.wordpress.com)
• Looking Forward (bethbirmingham.wordpress.com)
• End of the Year (fiftyplus05261.wordpress.com)
• The Year’s End (veraiconica.wordpress.com)

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A Family Affair

The clouds above my head have parted and a light is shining through. It is a miracle! My mother, whom I had been shamelessly stuffing with bread and treats throughout this month, has decided she wants to get fit!

A couple of days ago, my mom took notice of her body and how she was feeling. She was having difficulty sleeping and breathing. She didn’t like any of it. Choosing to take charge, she approached me with her declaration to get herself fit.

Knowing about my previous weight loss in the beginning of the year, she asked me to help her change her lifestyle. Outside, I had my poker face on, but inside, I was beaming! This would help me as much as it would help her.

My mother is old school Dominican, meaning she’s very set in what she eats which is white rice, roman beans, and some type of meat. Trust me, if you have a plate of that stuff, you’d understand. It’s delicious, but not exactly healthy. So what did I do? I completely revamped her eating habits. She’s eating a lot more greens and colorful foods. I’ve cut her snacking and random munching drastically. I’ve also upped her water intake. I swear she would only drink one glass a year.

It’s only been a few days, but she’s already sleeping better. She’s “lighter” as she put it. On top of that, she seems happier and that makes me happier. Of course, she’s been sharing her news with anyone who makes the mistake of calling her. It’s all good though, whatever keeps her excited and motivated is fine by me.

You want to know something else?

My Goals

I don’t think I’ve ever put out there what I wish to accomplish with my lifestyle change. I know that I prefer to keep my failures to myself because I have an issue with people using them against me. I build a lot of walls around myself because I don’t like the feeling that almost always comes when I don’t. I’m not proud of this. I do make efforts to change it, but I’ve come to the realization that controlling myself is a lot easier than controlling someone else. It’s for this reason that my goals are very personal to me. If I never reach them, no one has to know.

After toying with this thought in my head, I’ve accepted that I have to open myself up a lot more. No one likes jadedness. I don’t like it in myself. I need to grow. I need to change. I must find strength and confidence within myself. It’s a tall order, but personal growth is so important. Once I change that, my goals won’t seem insurmountable. I look forward to these changes as they occur in the coming years. Now for that list…

Gym Confidence

If you’re just starting your lifestyle change, you know one of the most important components to losing weight is exercise. The most popular place to exercise is in a gym. The ‘G’ word can evoke fear, stress, and/or panic causing the individual to give up before even starting. It doesn’t have to be that way if you know what to do. I’ve compiled a list to help you choose the best gym for you, as well as, how to actually go inside.

Choosing a gym:

• Try to select a gym that is close to where live or work. This tip is almost self-explanatory. Convenience doesn’t always play a big part in selecting a gym, but it should. Picking one farther away, for whatever reason, can lead you to start making excuses. If your gym is within a 1-2 mile radius of your house, you can easily walk there on warmer days or if your car is in the repair shop.
• Choose a gym that fits your schedule. Going to the gym is hard as is, but it becomes even more difficult if you work unusual hours. There no need to add more obstacles on top of that. Depending on what you need, try choosing a gym that opens early or closes late. If you can find a 24-hour gym, that’s even better.
• Pick a gym that offers a free trial. You want to know what you’re getting yourself into. While you’re at it, ask if they offer a tour from a trainer. Getting one, or both of these things, will allow you to test out equipment and gauge what kind of environment you’re dealing with. Ask yourself if this is the kind of place you would enjoy coming back to several times a week. Does the energy suit you?
• Look for a well-rounded gym. This type of gym will offer classes, have weights, various cardio machines, and maybe even a swimming pool. Picking a gym that has options is important because boredom does occur. Also, body will get used to doing only one thing. This can lead to plateaus and discouragement. Choose variety because your body needs it. And for the parents, this may mean a gym with childcare services! [Thanks Victoria!]
• Price! Going to the gym should not break the bank. It should be well within your price point. If you can’t afford it, you’ll use that as an excuse to not go. There are a lot of gyms with relatively cheap membership fees. Some even offer discounts for students and/or low-income households. It does not hurt to ask, and you may even learn of some ways to save money if you don’t qualify for need-based discounts!

So now you’ve selected your gym, but you don’t have the confidence to walk in…

How to Start

I’m glad Christmas is over! Now I just have to get through these next five days and then I’m safe–I think. The new year is just around the corner, which means resolutions will be made and (in some cases) broken. Today’s post is about being smart from the start in order to succeed.

Before I begin to tell you the steps I took towards changing my lifestyle, I must say that it all started with my head. There had been countless times where my sister would ask me to join her on a weight-loss journey. Each time I would agree and within a week I was over it. It was a cycle where I’d try to lose weight, get discouraged or bored, gain everything back and then some. I would always be confused because I believed I wanted to lose weight. No one wants to be fat, so why wasn’t my desire enough? The problem, I came to realize earlier this year, is that it never came from me. It was always what someone else wanted for me, and while I wanted it too, it felt like an obligation. Other times I was doing it for the wrong reasons, such as for a guy or some other superficial reason. If you don’t want to change your lifestyle for you and your health, you’re not likely to succeed…