Fit2BeMyself: Diary of a Woman Seeking Wellness

There's no set schedule for this. My plan is to be 40lbs lighter by the end of 2021. I have done it before and I know the steps I need to take to do it again. It isn't easy. It wasn't easy losing it the first time. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock to 2018 when I was doing fairly well financially and I was in the best shape I had been in for quite a while. However, time has to pass and life has to happen. Admittedly, it was easier to stay consistent when I had a trainer, but that whole quip about life proved true and I don't have a trainer anymore. Let me backtrack to 2019 though. You can skim past this to the actual plan below if you're not interested in reading my entire spiel or you could try my workouts. I have an entire program including videos that I created in Google Classroom called Fit2BeMyself Masterminds. Join my class here . Sign up using your Google account. A little background... In late 2018, my personal trainer thought I had the potential ...

I have lost count of the number of times that I've pressed the reset button on my life. It used to something that I'd beat myself up about, but I've realized that if I want to continue living that I'd have to start over as many times as necessary.  Life isn't always the way we would like for it to be. I think almost anyone who has ever lived would agree with that statement. I started this blog with great expectations but things happened. I haven't even been to the dance studio in months because of those things. Between being a caregiver for my sick mother, being a mother myself, trying and failing to pay all my bills on time, and having my own brief stint in the hospital, this past year has not been worth bragging about. However, I'm still here. I hope that despite whatever struggles you have had, you will continue pressing forward, too.  Many grand ideas have crossed my mind over the years, but executing has always been an issue. I thought...

I recently published a new blog post on my other blog Life in a Few Words . I normally post poetry and book reviews there, but the topic of self-care is very important and it is worthy to be shared everywhere. Here's a link to the post. I hope you find it useful. Also, if you're into poetry and books, check out the rest of the blog. Staying Motivated When Life Gets Tough - https://letarawrites.wordpress.com/2019/08/25/staying-motivated-when-life-gets-tough/ If you enjoy this website and want to support, you can either  buy me coffee ,  buy my book , or  shop in my eBay store .

It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to start building your home gym or to start working out. My go-to store is Target, but there are certainly places where you can find cheaper workout equipment. Five Below The first time I visited Five Below, I was very impressed by how much fitness equipment they have. They have light dumbbells, light kettlebells, sandbags, foam rollers, and more. I was even more impressed that they have cute yoga mats for $5 and slightly saddened that I paid around $30 for my starter kit, although the mat that I have has alignment markers on it and the kit came with a yoga block and a strap, which I personally find very helpful as someone who is still somewhat early in my yoga practice. I also saw some fitness apparel and t-shirts, but none of them appeared to fit plus-sizes, so I just took mental note of those. I’m in the market for a new yoga mat and a deep tissue foam roller, so I’ll be going back there soon to collect those. If you have a Five...

Weight loss isn’t easy. I think most people who have tried to lose weight would agree with that statement. It is a simple process for most, but not easy. There aren’t any specials tricks necessary for most people. Eat fewer calories than you burn and you’ll lose weight eventually. However, with so much conflicting information that exists and all of the marketing tactics and fads to get you to buy the next big trend, many people have no clue where to start or why they even want to start. Personal Health Goals I don’t have a weight loss goal. My goal is good health and as a result of becoming healthier, I have shed 25-30lbs depending on what time of the month it is. There was a time in my life in my teens where I used to be concerned with the number. I weighed more than most people, but I carried it well enough that no one believed me when I told them my size. At some point, I shed that mentality and decided that I wanted to pursue health and just feel good. I let go of the ...

March 1 was the grand re-opening of Ride Or Die Spin studio in Charlotte, NC and I was fortunate enough to be part of the first class. It was also my first time on a spin bike in about three months. Thankfully, I lived through the ride despite my fears that I would not. I didn’t get my obligatory photo in front of the sign this time around, but I’ll be back. I was just so happy to finally be back on my favorite bike in the back row by the door. My workouts are usually meditative and despite whatever instructions the instructor may give, I’m in my own world back there. But what has kept me from going to spin elsewhere? I suppose the greater focus concerning this post is mental blocks regarding working out. Ride or Die recently came under new ownership, but there was a period of several months when classes would be canceled due to low attendance. I’m not sure why the previous owner couldn’t make it work, but that’s part of the risk of running any business. All I kno...

I t’s still hard sometimes. As a matter of fact, I’ve been meaning to visit a spin studio that I’ve never visited before. I booked a spot in class through ClassPass * then canceled my reservation the day before because I was a little intimidated. However, I’m proud to say that I have made a lot of progress in overcoming my fear of group fitness classes and unfamiliar gyms. Let me explain. Gym intimidation is real. As a matter of fact, any place where you feel out of place makes you not want to go to that place at all. Pin for later! I began my fitness journey at home. In past years I always worked out at home. Or maybe I went walking around the neighborhood. I had exercise DVDs. When I lived in an apartment complex with an onsite gym, I visited that gym once. I didn’t see the gym as a fun place and I was not motivated to continue going. I felt like I did best when I took walks and followed the DVDs in my living room. As much as I enjoyed how I fel...

T his post is for anyone looking for a few tips to be successful in fitness, but this is coming from the perspective of a single mother who works outside of the home, has always carried extra weight (and probably always will), and who can physically move better than most people would guess. As of the writing of this post, I have lost 30lbs, decreased my resting heart rate and improved my overall health and fitness level by changing my eating habits and becoming physically active. Low lunge pose January 7, 2019, marks the official launch of my online fitness group, Fit2BeMyself Masterminds . It’s funny. Around this time last year, I would have never guessed that I would go in this direction. I have certainly had my share of hits and misses in entrepreneurship in several fields, but fitness was never on the radar. I suppose that’s what happens when you finally decide to care for yourself. You eventually attract people who actually care about your success...

It has actually been more than a year of progress. It all started in my head when I decided that I was tired of being tired of everything: my credit score, my health, my life. Yesterday was my birthday. This past year has been spent dedicating more time to honoring myself and making better choices in my life. Every now and then I think I should have made more progress than the roughly 25lbs I have lost over the course of 2018, but then I let that thought go and appreciate the fact that I've gained so much more than weight loss. I will probably always be a bit on the fluffier side and I'm okay with that. I'm naturally curvy and carry a lot of weight in my hips and thighs. I'm just glad that I can breathe again and that now I can move my body in ways that I could not a year ago. The picture only shows the weight loss from February to October. It doesn't show the five minutes I take every morning to do a quick Spanish lesson to help keep m...

Breakfast. Most people say it's the most important meal of the day. I don't doubt that it is. The more I live and the healthier I become, the more I realize that maybe a traditional breakfast isn't for me. When I first started heavily working out, I'd get up early to do a quick HIIT routine, then I'd have a protein shake or some vitamin and electrolyte-filled drink to recover. Then I'd hop in the shower, get dressed, then make breakfast for my kid. I would be awake for a couple of hours before I finally ate. Since I don't HIIT every morning anymore, I start my day with at least 16 oz of water, then I'll eat breakfast. But solid food in the morning, no matter what it is, but if it includes butter or milk it's even worse, makes my stomach uncomfortable and I feel heavy. This isn't a new feeling, I've been experiencing it for years. I'm just now deciding to do something about it.  Thinking back to the days when I ...

I feel like I've made progress with my Dolphin Pose. The top photo is from May 2018 and the bottom is from this September 25. It still takes my breath away, but my core has gotten stronger. I fell right after I took the pic lol but I'm still proud of myself. I feel like I've made some progress with my Pigeon Pose (Eka Pada Rajakapotasana) because I couldn't do it at all a few months ago. Now I'm just trying to transfer this same energy to other areas of my life. I began practicing because I wanted to be more flexible and I wanted to try something new. I had seen Jessamyn Stanley, a plus size yoga instructor, featured in an article online and I was so inspired. Not inspired enough to take action right away that day, but enough to continue following her on social media and YouTube. Eventually, I worked up the nerve to buy a yoga starter kit from Target and try one of the videos she has posted on YouTube. The firs...

I originally shared this on my social media accounts. As a matter of fact, I have shared the majority of my fitness progress on Instagram , but I've finally decided to move forward with blogging all of it. From February 2018 to June 2018 I lost around 10lbs, a ton of body fat and gained some muscle. You may not be able to tell the difference, but I can. I probably would've lost more by now if I could stay away from ice cream and cookies. I was already pretty bad about staring at myself in the mirror (I guess that's where my daughter gets it from), but now I really can't stay away from it. More than how I look, I'm enjoying how I feel. I've lost inches everywhere except my arms. My arms have actually grown about an inch, my biceps are getting ridiculous 💪 . It feels good to feel good, which is why I started exercising.  Now it is September 15 and I have since lost an additional 10lbs. I don't have a goal w...