Make the change!

People ask me pretty much everyday how I did it. How did you lose the weight? How do you eat so strictly? Why can't I lose the weight? How do you find time to get to the gym everyday?

It comes down to being ready to make the change. Being ready to make a complete 180 degree change from eating poorly and not exercising to eating REAL, healthy, food and getting off your duff and doing the work. I looked for an easy way out for 10 years...it does not exist! Truly losing weight is a matter of burning more calories than you are consuming and working your body so it can convert fat to muscle.

So there it is! You MUST be ready to make the change. No person, company, or diet plan can do it for you. Sure you can do it half assed and lose a few lbs and a couple inches but trust me when I say it will not be lasting. This is not something that you do for a season, it is a lifestyle. I have been working out at the same gym pretty much every week day for over a year. What I have found is that at the time I go, I see the same faces everyday. The same people are there, their kids are in kids club everyday. Our gym has amazing people working in their child care. Madison has been going since she was 5 months old, and she loves those girls! Bethany can't wait to go to see her friends on the evenings we go to the gym. Sure a few new people come and go with the seasons (esp the new year...that is entertaining to see all of the new years resolution members come in hard core for a week, hurt themselves, and take a break until next January) but for the most part the members stay the same.

So it is about a commitment. Not to a gym or eating plan or health coach but to yourself. Do you need an eating plan? Absolutely! Do you need a gym? It's either that or one of the amazing team beachbody workouts you can purchase here: http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/ryanmajor
If you are interested in health coaching shoot me an email! I can get you in touch with someone in your area who can provide amazing services!

My husband and I have made this 180. and we are still working out daily and eating real food. Do we treat ourselves? Yes!! Do we believe in loving ourselves? YES!! It's not about restriction, its about taking care of our bodies so we can be good stewards of our blessings!

I have a confession...

Ladies and Gentlemen it is time to come clean. I have a very serious confession to make. I suffer from a rare but serious condition....A fear of the TREADMILL!!!

I know what yall are thinking, seriously Ryan....a fear. And while it isn't one of those things where I can't see them or anything crazy, I literally find it almost impossible to workout on one.

I think it mostly goes back to being self conscious. When I was extremely obese I wouldn't run on one because it sounded crazy loud and shook with each strike of my foot on the belt. I also have a history of being shot off of the end of the treadmill. And although that memory still makes my friend Ashley who happened to be on the machine next to me at the time laugh hysterically...it has haunted me for almost 10 years.

So in this time of the dreaded plateau that I find myself in, I have finally had to give in to the fact that I am also in a fitness rut and need to switch it up to continue on my journey. In my quest to set new fitness goals it all kept coming back to running. Run a 5k people would say, train for a tough mudder, or what about a half marathon. I would shoot those suggestions down in a heart beat because the 300 pound girl inside me was thinking are you NUTS?! I CANNOT RUN, and it's winter, training for a run means the treadmill....so I was out on that deal!

In the past my excuses for skipping the dreaded running machine included my boobs, "They're just too big and flop around when I run", my knee "It can't handle the impact", and well "It's Hard!"

My husband spends about 5 hours a week on the treadmill, and he loves the way he feels after a great run. After weeks of not so gentle encouragement from him, I finally decided it was time to try it out. I made it my goal to run 1 mile on the treadmill with out stopping. I thought that was an easily attainable goal because I usually run 2 miles or more on the elliptical each day when I am not in a high intensity cardio class. So about 2 weeks ago I took my first jog on the treadmill. Keeping my incline on a 2.0 and my speed around 5mph off I went. The first 5 min were easy...fun even. My boobs are no longer an issue, in fact they pretty much don't move at all in a sports bra. My knee, still hurts a little but after being checked out by a doc I found out it is a ligament issue...not a cartilage issue. Plus my iPhone was blaring one of my favorite Pandora stations and I got in a good rhythm. Before I knew it my mile was up, and I had done it!!

The rest of that week I ran every day, getting faster and stronger. This week I have even experimented with intervals on the treadmill, different inclines, and even got up to 7.5 mph sprints. And you know what, the Husband was right!!!! It has made insane improvements already. Yesterday I decided to get back on the elliptical to see how different it felt after my 2 weeks of treadmill running. It was a breeze! I ended up going about twice as fast on it and ran 4.39 mi in 35 min.!!! And still felt good enough to take a yoga class and do abs!

The moral of my story is that sometimes we need to take risks even if they seem small. Getting out of our comfort zone can make you feel empowered and successful. I no longer feel like I can't do something that it seems so many enjoy. I no longer feel restricted to the elliptical and stair machines. I still don't know if I will be signing up for any long runs any time soon, I will keep y'all posted!

Fat day blues!

There are some things that I need to address. Some things that I have alluded to in the past but haven't really elaborated on.

I am talking about body image! This can make or break you for the entire day. We all want to put our best foot forward right? We all try to look our best and make a great impression. That is after all a huge part of the way we are perceived as healthy, successful, smart, competent, etc. So what are we supposed to do or think when we look in the mirror and no matter how hard we have worked, or what we have achieved we still see a fat or unhealthy reflection? This is something that I struggle on more than a daily basis. I will look in the mirror and still see my old self, or even if I see my new body size, I still only focus on imperfections.

As we all know, we are our own worst critic's, but when the mindset of a 'fat day' sets in, it can ruin your entire day. When you feel fat, or blah you don't feel like putting on your workout clothes because they're tight, so you skip the gym. When you skip the gym you tend to eat like crap, which makes you feel fat which in turn makes you skip the gym....its a vicious cycle.

Check out this blurb I found in an article on fitsugar.com:

Feeling thin or fat is an illusion constructed in our posterior parietal cortex — an area of the brain that integrates sensory information from different parts of the body. Unlike your sense of touch, there are no specialized receptors in your body that send information to the brain about the size and shape of your body parts, says lead study author Henrik Ehrsson, MD, PhD. "Instead, the brain appears to create a map of the body by integrating signals from the relevant body parts such as skin, joints, and muscles, along with visual cues," he says.

 

So you see, we are not crazy or experiencing depression or self hatred (well you might be and if you are I would suggest you seek out professional help). This is a normal brain pattern, and we have to recognize that and move on during the day. Here is the link to the whole article so you can learn from their tips on turning around a fat day.  http://www.fitsugar.com/How-Feel-Fat-25314402?spi_source=popsugar.com&spi_campaign=tagalert_email&spi_medium=email

 

There are a ton of resources out there about body image and how we can fix it. If you need more info or article please shoot me an email, I have a bunch more on hand. Also keep several 'before' photos on hand...never forget where you were so you can appreciate how far you have come!

 

As you all know my journey to health is very closely tied to my relationship with God. So even though I have read a ton of info on body image and how to fix it, the best way I have found is to ask the Lord to give me a very clear view of my actual reflection. To give me a proud sense of self in order to carry out His tasks he has given me for the day. You see we are not simply living out our days for us, we are here with a purpose. We must be healthy in order to complete any task he may set before us!

 Huge shout out to my husband for breaking through the 90lb loss threshhold!!

 

_________________________

Is it really possible that it has been 2 months since my last blog post? That is terrible! I am so sorry! This fall has come on fast and strong! We are all out insane busy right now! Between running kids to school and piano and riding lessons, keeping up with the family, being in charge of Sunday school at church, and Major's Motivation life is crazy!

 

 



Back to Nature!

So the weekend after the theme park we decided to take the girls up to the mountains in the Shenandoah and go hiking! Justin grew up in Oregon in a town surrounded by wilderness and mountains...I did not. I grew up in the Texas Hill Country, and the only hiking I had ever done was up the trail at enchanted rock **still a great time and if you're in central TX you've gotta do it!!**

We made the hour drive to the mountains, and began the hike. I was a little hesitant about how Madi would do with being carried all the way up, and we would still be on the way up if she was walking herself. But she did great! She rode all the way up and down the mountain on Justin's shoulders.
Bethany, who is not a nature girl when it comes to bugs so this could have been bad...but she also did great! She complained less than we expected and completed the full hike! She only fell down a few times, and by the end I think she learned how to avoid the sticks on the ground that were tripping her up. I absolutely loved the hike! I love being outside and this was right up my alley! I love the trees and the smells, and the little creeks and streams that are all around! It was beautiful!! My first hike will certainly not be my last!

I know this blog is intended to be about health and fitness and this post as well as the last have a lot to do with family. I am posting these things because as we improve our health we are able and willing to do more active things with our kids! It is awesome!

I want my kids to lead active lifestyles, to see past the television to the world around them, and put the laptops down and find true adventure.

I also post these things to encourage you to get out and play with your kids. Ask them to join you for your workouts, teach them about fitness from the get go, so they don't have to fight an uphill battle for health like so many of us!

Bethany is a morning person...like a really early morning person. She usually gets up about an hour before Madison and I (as in 6am, she's crazy). The last 2 mornings I have come down to the living room to find my yoga mat out on the floor. She did her kids' yoga workouts on her own, and was folding laundry. Just gotta say...awesome kid!

I wear a fitbit everyday to track my steps and fitness each day....we logged 7 miles at Kings Dominion (not including the water park), we hiked 4.35 mi on the mountains and 615 feet!! Family fun days can be a great way to get your workouts in!

Roller Coasting!

A couple weeks ago Justin and I embarked on a journey most parents cringe at...we took the kids to the theme park. I say cringe because lets be honest this can be a less than desirable experience depending on the age of your kids.

This is the time that we are reminded exactly how inconvenient the 6 year age gap in our kids is, especially at these ages. Bethany can ride pretty much everything and Madison doesn't understand why she can only ride baby rides. Neither one of them are going to go on their own and Justin and I cant ride anything together because someone always has to be with the kids. So needless to say we had been avoiding the whole situation. Not to mention the last time we went to a theme park we were both overweight. I was on the smaller side after my initial weight loss, and hadn't gained a lot of it back just yet, and his marriage weight gain was on the rise.

But going to a theme park as an overweight or obese person can really be terrible. You can't fit comfortably into the seats on most rides, or even ride some of them because of a weight limit. Walking confidently in the water park? YEAH RIGHT!

Justin and I like to think of ourselves as fun parents and we do really enjoy roller coasters, so we were semi excited about that part of the visit to Kings Dominion. We arrived when the park opened with 2 very excited, sunscreen coated girls. And we had a great day! There was no drama (well...minimal drama we do have 2 daughters) and both kids did great all day!

I met a fellow fitness and health coach watching Madison drive the monster trucks, and that was a total God thing. We were discussing how being at a place like Kings Dominion really shows us how we are the small percentage of the population that is health conscious. 'Gym Rats', 'Health Nuts', we are the exception, not the rule. I guess it is human nature to flock to those similar to you. I am at the gym everyday and everyone there when I go is for the most part always there. I go to church at Lifepoint every Sunday, and everyone there is on fire for Christ. In my little bubble of influence everyone is pretty positive, genuine, and encouraging. It isn't until you go places like the theme park full of the general population that you realize how unhealthy and unhappy the general population can be. People screaming at their children, morbidly obese people on scooters (eating fried oreos...seriously people you can't make this stuff up), and the group of 9 year old boys in front of us in line at the water park who were talking like thugs, cussing in front of their mother who did nothing to correct them. Not my favorite.

 Universal Studios 2010

 Kings Dominion 2012 (We look so much younger....except for Bethany...she looks like a baby in the Disney photos!)

 Thanks Madi for the awesome family photo with the peanuts characters!

Finding people to do life with that lift you up and encourage you to be the best version of yourself is crucial to meeting and keeping your fitness goals. On the days that I stumble I am so blessed to have a spouse to lift me up and encourage me. On the days when I just don't feel like working out, I am blessed to have a beachbody coach to tell me to push play or head to the gym. Everybody needs somebody to hold them accountable. Please let us know how we can help encourage you! Major's Motivation has openings for in home health coaching and is now accepting new clients!

FINALLY BACK!! Tons of recap!

Good morning!! I am so happy to be able to sit down and knock out this blog for y'all! It has been a crazy busy summer. I was in Texas for the entire month of June. This proved to be quite the challenge fitness wise, but I managed. My weight was maintained and I managed to lose 4.5 inches!! So it was a good month!

When I was in Texas I was able to speak with a friend of mine who is also a health coach. She had some great advice, and I also joined her as a Beachbody Coach!! While I am not one for home sales companies, and I know that they give a lot of people a funny feeling, I have to say a company whose mission is to end the trend of obesity is one I want to be a part of!

It was great being home with my family for a month, getting to ride horses each day, and see everyone. The girls had a blast!

Now that I am home I am doing my best to hit it HARD with the workouts. I am doing Brazilian Butt Life (an amazing home workout through beachbody). When I decided to buy BBL I wanted to just add it in and not eliminate any of my gym workouts. I thought it wouldn't be that hard since it was a DVD workout and I could keep doing what I was doing plus BBL.....NOT THE CASE!! It is hard!! Plus that equals 3 hours a day working out...something that I just don't have. So I am down to 1 hour in the gym and 1 hour for BBL. Some days I get it all in but that is rare.

The coaching business is going really well! I am offering a free 30 day trial of coaching when anyone buys a beachbody workout!!

 Here is a photo from my college roomie and bestie's wedding with Madi and my Dad!!

I will use some more TX photos for our progress photo from July...but it will be on tomorrows blog b/c it's already time for M-DAY!!!

6 Months of tracking....

When I began tracking my weight loss and measurements through a spreadsheet I had no idea what that would look like in 6 months!!

It has been 6 months since we switched to a plant based diet, and 8 months since I started my daily gym routine and almost a year since I set my sights on losing baby weight!! I will share with you some statisitcs since January!!

Since January 1st I have:

Lost 35.5 lbs

Lost 4.75 inches from my bust

Lost 4.25 inches from my waist

Lost 3 inches from my hips

Lost 3.25 inches from my thighs

Lost 2.25 inches from my arms

Taken my BMI from 31 5/9 to 26 even

What blows my mind is that this is just what I have been able to do in the last 6 months. This doesn't include what I did from July-December of 2011. This time last year I was losing the weight from having a baby, and honestly I felt okay about my body. I wanted to lose 20 lbs and get back down to my wedding weight....but other than that I didn't have much more in mind. I didn't think I could get lighter than when I got married! Well did that plus 33 on top of it. A 53 pound loss in a year! Sounds like a small number (considering I have lost 140lbs total) but 35 of it has happened since January!

I hope these numbers give you all hope. I hope that watching my journey shows you that you can do this too!

The health coaching business is offically open!! Please stay tuned for the launch of our website!! COMMING SOON!!!

www.majorsmotivation.com

June 2011!!
4 generations of strong beautiful women! (Photo By Judson Baker)
I am so blessed to have a mom and nana who support me!!

I will post a new 4 generations photo when I get to Texas NEXT WEEK!!!!! So ready for some ranch living and Lone Star state in my life!!!

It's that time again!!! M-DAY!!!!!

Here we are again at the beginning of another new month! May was a great month for me!! Sure I fell short on my lb loss goal, but I am realizing that my body will do what needs done on its own time. I just need to embrace my new shape, and enjoy the muscle mass and tone I am building!!!

I am adding a new category to my measurements, and that is body fat percentage!!

From M-day Last Month I have lost....

4.5 lbs

Bust stayed the same (glad!! I dont care to lose anymore)

.50 inch from my waist

.25 inch from the hips

.25 inch from my right arm

.25 inch from my left arm

right thigh stayed the same

left thigh stayed the same

neck stayed the same

 

 

My body fat percentage was 23.21% May 1st

 

June 1st it is 23.09% (I would like to get it into the Athlete range)

 

 

Jan 1

Feb 1

March 1

April 1

May 4th

May 1

 

 June 2

  June 1

 June 1

I realized that I have only been posting my monthly photos in my workout clothes...June is proof that I do own other clothes. lol

Oh so long ago....

My 19th Birthday

I have been going through old photos all morning today. I was kind of shocked looking through all of these pictures again. You know how it is when you have your picture taken...you only keep the ones you think you look good in.. I am posting some of them here to remind myself how much better I feel now, and while I have always felt that I was pretty, I am so much happier being healthy and fit. I also want you all to know that no matter how little or how much weight you want or need to lose, you can do it!

Leading an NYCHA meeting, Mississippi 2004

March 2005

2005

Summer 2005, after a Kenny Chesney Concert...looks like my life revolved around food!

Plucking a banjo in an antique store....

And just for good measure...Here is one of me from last month! I have lost about 10lbs since this photo!

Makes me weak in the...legs?

So as many of you know I am always excited when my gym gets new equipment and gadgets to play with. I am also a big fan of the biggest loser (even though it sets up unrealistic expectations of weight loss and can cause some people to fail because they don't lose 20lbs their first week of exercising so they give up...but I digress).

Anyway a few weeks ago my gym added the TRX training system...which is basically a bunch of straps that hang on a bar that pivots and you use these straps to do body weight exercises. The trainers on The Biggest Loser use these a lot. Pretty intimidating if you have no idea how to use them. Because they are a new thing, the gym offered a free intro class weekend...the weekend we went to the beach. I was pretty bummed because we missed it and I didn't want to pay for a personal training session just to learn how to use some straps on the wall. But luckily they were offering free sessions, you just had to sign up.

So last night was my first experience with these new things. I was pretty nervous, especially because I hadn't worked out with a trainer since October and I didn't even know if I could do these crazy body weight exercises. That little voice of negativity was coming out in my head, and I just had my doubts...even though I am getting so much stronger than I was before!

Working out with the trainer was great because he was able to tell me when I am doing things wrong. I was pretty annoyed to hear that I have been doing my squats wrong for the last FOREVER because my legs track wrong and all I had to do to fix it was angle my foot the other direction. But I am glad I know.

He said that my upper body strength was great, but that my core and legs were weak. The core part I was aware of...but the legs?! I grew up on a horse ranch for goodness sake! My legs should be rock solid! I used to be able to press an ungodly amount of weight with my legs...but thinking about it I haven't done presses in about 4 months! But I do a zillion squats (the wrong way apparently) and lunges. So this week will become about my legs, my inner thigh in particular. If anyone has any great inner thigh exercises they would like to share please do!

The exercises on the TRX system were very challenging but doable. Just kind of awkward the first time you do them. Mainly because you are suspended and may or may not fall. I worked up a great sweat, and am pretty sore this morning. All and all I would say I like them! Maybe I'll be brave enough to try them without assistance..who knows!

 For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, this is the stap system. Photo from http://www.lmu.edu/studentlife/studentaffairs/athleticsrec/burnsrec/fitwell/pt.htm

Don't give me your excuses!

Do you ever have those moments where you are talking to someone and can't help but have an entire conversation in your head 'with' them, but you know that if you said what was actually going through your mind you would, A. hurt their feelings or B. be completely inappropriate?

Come on, I know you all know what I am talking about. I find myself feeling this way quite often. I love to share my story with people. I love to let them know that being morbidly obese or just overweight in general does not define them, and that if they are unhappy with being unhealthy they have the ability to change it. But during these conversations I am always given a rebuttal of rehearsed excuses. The excuses that you can tell they use so often that they have come to define them. The old knee injury from high school, the kids, the job, their asthma, they can't change their diet because it's too expensive to eat healthy, they can't afford to work out because the gym is expensive, they don't have the time, they can't because because because! Ahh! It is overwhelming to think that they are so scared to make a few small changes to their habits, too scared to save their own lives.

I know why they are giving me this barrage of nonsense because I have been one of them. I couldn't lose weight because of X, Y, and Z. But here's the deal...Every excuse is just a choice to fail. It is giving yourself a justification for why you are in your current situation. We hear them in our spiritual life, we see them in relationships, in our jobs; everywhere. People are so ready to justify their actions to make themselves feel better and get you off their back!

I can give you advice, show you how to work out, and teach you about eating healthy until I am blue in the face but it will all be a waste of time if you are not ready to not only make a significant life change, but also to stick with it!

Last week Pastor Daniel's sermon was about putting your 'want to' to work. You have to put in the work. Our society is so used to instant gratification that we expect to lose 100lbs overnight, and when the weight is gone we expect to look like Jennifer Aniston. I've got some news for you, you didn't gain those extra pounds in 1 day, you're not going to lose them in 1 day either and if you didn't look like Jenn before you aren't going to look like her after. There is no quick fix or short cut to health. It is not easy, it is hard. It will hurt, it will take more planning in your day. Yes, you will have to put a lot of effort in. But if there is anything I have learned it is that you will get out of it what you put into it.

Why do diets fail? Because people are constantly trying to cheat on the diet. Who are you really cheating? Weight Watchers isn't the one who will have to lay down to zip their pants, that's you.

You have to find what motivates you, and use it. Think about it every day. For me, the initial motivation was being in my 3 best friends weddings this year. After the baby was born I knew I needed to whip it into shape to be an example for my daughters, but I wouldn't have put a deadline on my goal unless I knew I had to stand up in front of my entire hometown (which is pretty much accurate between all 3 of the weddings) in bridesmaid dresses. Now my motivation is so much deeper than just looking good in a dress. It's my health, it's the health of my husband and children, its inspiring others, its teaching others, it's using health as my ministry, and I tell you what when you know where your motivation lies you can tap into those reserves and power through to reach your goals when you don't thing you stand a chance.

If your motivation is being a certain size, buy a really nice pair of jeans in that size and hang them on your wall. Make a photo of them the wallpaper on your phone. Plaster them everywhere.

If it's a goal weight make signs that have that number on them and hang them all over your house. Especially on your fridge.

As for your excuses...here are my rebuttals...
The old knee injury from high school: It's been 20 years, the injury has healed and if it still bothers you try water aerobics.
The kids: most gyms offer child care. If you don't have access to a gym with childcare, take turns going to the gym in the evenings with your spouse. OR make exercise a family affair: take a walk, play football in the backyard, ride bikes, etc
The job: people who appear to be fit and in good health have a better chance of being promoted, get in shape and you might get a raise.
Their asthma: Don't run...you can still do some form of exercise and inhalers are small...it will fit in your pocket. (I have a good friend who is a successful ballet and jazz dancer who suffers from asthma...you can walk the block after work)
It's too expensive to eat healthy: We actually spend less money on our food now...Just sayin'
The gym is too expensive: Jogging is free, walking is free, running up and down the stairs at your house is free, a jump-rope costs less than $10, push ups are free, crunches are free, jumping jacks are free, if you have cable you have a fitness on demand channel that is included in your cable bill...use it! There are sooooo many options!
TIME: If you have time to read this blog, to look on facebook, to watch the Law & Order SVU marathon on tv...you have time to exercise! A 1 hour work out is 4% of your entire day....just get it over with and you will have more days in your lifetime to refresh your news feed every 6 seconds!

Knowing that I am in the best physical shape of my life makes me feel like a million bucks. Knowing that what ever the Lord asks of me next I will be able to do because I am physically capable. When I teach preschool Sunday school I can jump for the entire song and the kids will get tired before me....That's awesome!

I know that there are legitimate reasons why people can't exercise and I get that, but that doesn't mean they are sentenced to a lifetime in an unhealthy body. You are in control of what food enters your body. You are in control of how many calories you burn on a daily basis. You have the power to change your body. If you feel like you can't.....check in with the Lord, he is just waiting for you to ask him to move those mountains. He can and will set you free from your excuses, and give you that extra push you need when you feel like you can't do it!

M-day Results are in!

It has taken me longer to post this than I wanted. BUT here it is. April was not a huge month loss wise. I messed up by not setting a clear goal, and not focusing even with company and vacation. Disappointing, but at the same time it helped me to get focused in again, and come at the loss goals with renewed energy for May.

From M-day Last Month I have lost....

3 lbs (womp womp womp)

.5 inches from the Bust

.25 inch from my waist

.25 inch from the hips

.25 inch from my right arm

.5 inch from my left arm

right thigh stayed the same

 left thigh stayed the same

neck stayed the same

 

 Jan 1

Feb 1

March 1

 April 1

 May 4th

 May 1

I am so thrilled with the way my body has been changing over the last few months. My muscle tone is looking good, and I am loving clothes shopping!

For the month of May Justin and I are having a challenge, first one to lose 12 lbs wins. So far 6 days into the month we are tied...we have each lost 3 lbs...Ironically that's all I lost the entire month of April, which makes me kick myself! When I lose these 12 lbs, I will be below my original goal weight, and will most likely be done losing.

Wish me luck...well really I should say wish Justin luck because I am obviously going to kick his butt!

 

Hello, is anyone out there?

I have missed blogging this month so much! It has been very strange to miss out on sharing my experiences with y'all. Really there isn't much of an excuse other than being crazy busy. We got back from our beach trip today, and it was really nice to get away.

I was able to get a good workout in at the hotel gym, and we walked a ton around all of the sights of VA beach. We were able to say no to a timeshare presentation, and didn't totally ruin our progress with our diets, although we did stray from being totally vegan. We ate some tuna, and Justin had a lovely piece of salmon last night. All and all we did great.

M day is tomorrow. I am not anticipating a huge number of lbs lost this month. As much as that stinks, I hit a HUGE mile stone...A SIZE 6!!!!!Never in my life have I worn a size 6. I remember buying womens' size 16 in junior high, if that tells you anything about my size progression. Here is a photo of the girls and I on our balcony, me wearing my size 6 pants from Ann Taylor!

 Another huge milestone was wearing a bikini this weekend. I wore one on my honeymoon and to spring break junior year of college, but was very self conscious on those trips. This time I wasn't! So exciting.

Justin and I were just talking over dinner about vacation and food. I was telling him that I felt kind of guilty for eating things that weren't on our plan this weekend. He said he didn't feel guilty because we should never deprive ourselves. We should never say, "I Can't" rather we should look at it like I can eat whatever I want, but I choose to make smart food choices.

Such a great mindset to have, I wish I had totally rewired my thinking the way he has, but after 15 years or so of dieting I will take some reprogramming.

Another awesome thing that happened this month, aside from the beach trip and Justin & Bethany's birthdays was the launch of Major's Motivation! Not the blog, but the health coaching side of it! I was asked to speak at a women's event and share my story, I used this as my springboard to launching my health coaching business.

As you all know the Major's are a continuous progress and we strive to never stop moving forward. This business is all about helping become the best version of themselves by reaching 1 small goal at a time. For more info or to become a Major's Motivation client please send me an email at majorsmotivation@gmail.com

Using Major's Motivation to help people reclaim their health and take charge of their bodies from the inside out is so important to Justin and I. Check back tomorrow for M-day April results!!

Here we are enjoying our first vacation as a family of 4. My husband is so adorable, and doesn't he look 10 years younger after ditching those pesky 80lbs?

M-day results for April 1st!!!

I set some lofty goals this month, and I was hoping to rock out a 10 lb loss this month. I had a few days missed in the gym because life happens, sick kids, sick me, you know the drill. But all and all I am very happy with the results this month. Justin thinks my eating honey may have to do with a lower lb loss but it also has everything to do with muscles! I have been increasing my weights for body pump and ME and I feel much stronger than I ever have.

So for the month of April I will not be eating any honey, we will see if that helps. I am also going to cut back on the peanuts and almonds, the salt is something I crave but I may be overdoing it. Yes I am continuing to eliminate things from my diet, but it is nice to know that I CAN do this. It is amazing how praying has helped me. Doing this to be a better steward of my body has been the huge difference this time around. Also I have gotten to where I NEED my workout each day! woohoo!

Onto the numbers!!

From M-day Last Month I have lost....

8  lbs

1.25 inches from the Bust

1.5 inch from my waist

1 inch from the hips

right arm stayed the same

.25 inch from my left arm

.75 inch from my right thigh

.75 inch from my left thigh

.25 inch from my neck

January 1st

Feb 1st

March 1st

 April 1st

For those of you wondering, I have 9.5 lbs to be considered a 'normal weight' and no longer be in the over weight category. I want to lose the rest of the 9.5 lbs and then I will assess where I am at. Once I reach my weight goal I will be focused on maintaining and toning up all areas, but mostly my stomach. I have some extra skin that I would love to see come back to normal. Although I can get it more toned in the gym I am realizing I will need to have surgery to fix it for real....and I will not be doing that any time soon. Justin and I are not finished with babies yet...once we are we will discuss the possibility of restoring the skin on my tummy!

Shopping, now and then!

I love to shop. And really I don't know many women who don't. Bargain hunting for me is the equivalent to actual hunting for my husband. I love it. But it hasn't always been this way. Back in the day I can remember a terrible ordeal about buying a bra in a box. As a young teen with larger than normal breasts I was not lucky enough to get to wear the cute little bras you see in the stores. I needed support. My mother took me to Knopp & Metzger's (the local department store in Fredericksburg TX that is no longer there) and we looked at the lunch lady bras. Yep, in a box, silk, huge straps, the cone style. I had an absolute fit, refusing to wear a bra in a box.

It didn't stop at bras in a box. All of my friends would buy their clothes for school at all of the cute stores in the mall. I can remember buying my school uniform shorts (in junior high) in the men's department at old navy. My freshman year of high school was the first time that I was not required to wear uniforms to school. I was thrilled. My mom and I went on a huge shopping trip to San Antonio. I was bummed when I couldn't fit into the cute stores' clothes. But then it happened, I found the fat girls' safe haven...Lane Bryant! The catch, it was crazy expensive! My mom was able to get me a few cool outfits that would blend in and didn't look like I was wearing things from the woman's world department at Dillards. I will give it to plus size clothing that in the last 10-15 years they have really upped their game.

 But I was never able to buy from the cool stores, not until college when I lost the weight the first time. Shopping became way more fun. I was able to buy jeans from any store in the mall, I was able to try on size L tops instead of XL or XXL. I was able to buy more than purses and shoes and jewelery! I was in love!

Fast forward to now, and I am still thrilled every time I go into a store. I will look at a pair of jeans and think there is NO WAY these are going to fit me, and then they do. I pull out a L or XL top from the rack out of habit and they are too big, it is an awesome feeling to be a normal size and not 'speciality'. I love being a special person, and an individual but there are some aspects of life where it is nice to be 'normal'.

 It is sooooo much easier and affordable to shop for clothes now, and I have to say I love all of the options! There is more than one formal dress to choose from now. It truly is amazing.If the health benefits of losing the weight aren't enough for you, think of the fashion! It is awesome.

Also, I would like to apologize for the lapse in blogging, the baby turned a year old on Sunday and I had a packed schedule with my parents' visiting from Texas.

Adding Years To My Life...

Please enjoy this guest post from my Husband, the one and only JUSTIN MAJOR!

For those of you who don't know me, I'm proud to be a "logical" person. I weigh every situation with as much information as I can before I make a decision. Any kind of statistics and research that I can point to always helps solidify my opinions and actions, that being said...

Ryan had gotten on my case about going to the doctor last year and after quite a bit of prodding I decided to go ahead and make an appointment, although I told her exactly what the doctor was going to tell me, "Overweight, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol." So on 8/9/11, I weighed in at the doctor's office at 296lbs (I know I didn't look it, but I definitely felt it) and my LDL was in the 140s. My doctor said I was in the extremely obese column, which of course feels great to hear, and is kind of annoying because you want to be like,"Really? is that why it feels like I am carrying around a small middle schooler all day, I had no idea?"

So I scheduled to see the doc again two months later and on that visit I had dropped down to 285lbs, at that point all I had done was try and cut portion sizes and limit what I ate after 7:00PM. So fast forward to the new year and our adventure in the Daniel Fast began and kept going... and going... and going...

Before I reveal today's numbers I want to share my findings for why we all should eat a whole lot healthier. So about Adding Years to My Life:

According to the National Center for Health Statistics:

• The risk of an early death goes up as weight increases. The NIH found even a 10- to 20-pound weight gain can increases the threat of premature death, especially in adults between the ages of 30 and 64. People with a BMI index higher than 30 had a 50 percent to 100 percent greater risk of early mortality.
• The National Institute of Health says obesity is believed to significantly reduce life expectancy, particularly among younger adults. The most desirable BMI associated with the greatest longevity is 23 to 25 for whites and 23 to 30 for blacks.
• According to the NIH, the maximum years of life lost (YLL) for white people in their 20s with a seriously high BMI of 45 was 13 for men and eight for women.

So as I was sitting there I was thinking about Ryan and the girls and how I can control being at birthday parties, college graduations, walking the girls down the aisle, birth of a grandchild, birth of a great grandchild, 50th wedding anniversary, grandkids college graduations... the list continues and fills with memories and experiences that I get to have because of some simple changes I decided to make in my life. When I started to think of my diet in that sense, it made it a lot easier to choose healthy over "happy".

The "happy" we focus on is the right now mentality we all have. The U.S. is an amazing country for many reasons, but from the food aspect we astound most anyone visiting from a foreign country just because of how many food options we have. But it is time we all really look at our choices in the proper light.

When faced with the question, "Is that double cheeseburger more important than meeting your grandkids?" What is your answer?

"Would you never drink soda again if it meant getting to dance with your spouse on your 50th wedding anniversary?" What is your answer?

They are hard questions and an even harder answers because it requires us to show our true selfish nature that desires the now. I realize that the good Lord could take me from this earth any day he likes, but I am determined for it to be no doing of mine. It can be a train wreck, plane crash, natural causes, but I have vowed to do everything in my power to ensure that it won't be because I have let my arteries clog with all the fat of the "happy" food choices I made over my lifetime.

Lastly for all those people who are wondering where to go from here... The Better than Vegan (copyright pending) diet definitely isn't for everyone, but it is a place to start over and reset your system so you can truly start anew on this journey of being that man or woman that we are all called to be.

So as I give you these numbers, understand that I work a desk job all day and still really haven't added any scheduled gym time. The one thing Ryan and I have added which ends up being more fun than anything is doing little workouts during commercial breaks of our shows, The right now attitude has us fast forwarding through commercials whenever we can, but now we use that time to do something that makes up for the other 40 minutes we are watching our shows.

Today at the doctor I weighed in (fully clothed) at 252lbs and my LDL is at 76. Statistics say with that weight loss and cholesterol change I have added upwards of 3-4 years to my life and possibly more depending on the study. Start thinking about it in that light and trust me it makes everything so much easier.

Justin

Valentine's day 2011 (Ryan is 9 months pregnant with Madison)

Feb 19, 2012

When Mama Ain't Healthy, Aint Nobody Healthy

I have never been one of those moms who will make dinner for my husband and I to eat, and something different for the kids. Nope, sorry not gonna happen. You get to eat whatever I am making. You get what you get, and you don't throw a fit! For the longest time we never had any fits to worry about because we were eating all of the junk that kids love to eat too. Sure I would make a lot of chicken dinners with bread and a veggie, maybe even a salad. But there was no shortage of butter on the veggies and potatoes, always lots of cheese, ranch dressing, and don't forget Nana's bbq sauce. Not there is anything wrong with Nana's sauce, seriously that sauce may be the link to world peace. But I think that a few months ago Bethany could really relate to this commercial.... (minus the Eggos, she wasn't that lucky)

Okay so here's the deal. We have all heard the phrase when Mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy. That is true for so many aspects of our lives. Diet, exercise, and self image are no exception. As the mom in my household I have the responsibility to teach my girls habits that they will keep their entire lives. If I teach them to eat burgers and fries, drink only soda, and never exercise should I be shocked when they end up being overweight and leading a sedentary lifestyle? Should I also be shocked if they only hear me saying negative things about my body when they question their own self worth or the way they look in the mirror?

Having the realization that my girls are going to model my behaviors was hard enough, but then to take it a step further and think that they will also model the way I view my own body...whoa...talk about convicting.

Mom's it is up to us to set the standard in our homes. We are responsible for these precious little lives and spirits....don't let them think for one second that they are not beautiful. Teach them habits that will make it easy for them to be healthy, set the bar high for you and your husband AND your children.

I have had several people ask me what our kids are eating now that we are eating a plant based, pretty much the daniel fast diet all the time. Well Bethany is almost 7 and she has been a little bit of a tough convert. Although she LOVES salad and most veggies, it is hard to convince her to eat tofu (hard to convince me too actually). We still have our own form of spaghetti and she will eat that up with out any argument. The harder things are the meals when it's mostly beans and quinuoa with a steamed veggie. But I know that if I roast asparagus she will eat the entire pan of it.

In the mornings she has multigrain cheerios with skim milk or toast (no butter, only honey). Lunch she packs everyday (no way would I force her to eat the crap they serve in public schools...balanced meal my patooty). I usually make her a sandwich with natural pb and honey and sometimes its turkey and cheese always on whole wheat bread, carrot sticks or celery depending on what we have, pickle, apple or orange, and water. For dinner she eats whatever we make, yes even if it is something random like tofu with diced tomatoes and veggies over a baked potato.

It wasn't an immediate thing, the first month or so of us eating this way I would make her some shrimp or chicken and she would eat our meal as her sides, but now she is used to it. Yes she has gone to bed without finishing her dinner, and yes it has been trying at times, but she knows what nutrients are in which veggies and she is starting to get into it. She LOVES the hulk juice (green smoothies) and she loves the spaghetti that we make. She also loves her oranges!

Madison is almost 1, so she eats anything I put in front of her. Her favorites are broccoli, asparagus, peas, and potatoes! I do give her cheese about once a week for lunch because she looooves it!

I think that the most important thing we can teach our children when it comes to food is that it does not rule our lives. We do not live to eat, we eat to live. So much of our lives is totally based around food. Going out to dinners, cake at special occasions, etc. Using food as a reward has been a hard habit to break for us, not only for our children but for ourselves too. Finding new things to use as rewards has required more thought put into those rewards but wouldn't your children respond more to those rewards? Mine have! Bethany loves that she can get a video from redbox or go to funland or get her nails painted or pick out a new shirt or or or...

Have fun with it yall and it keeps you on track!! Having the whole family motivated to reach their own goals, weight loss or otherwise keeps all of us on track! Justin and I are working towards our health goals, Bethany is working on her goals of learning to play piano and finish first grade and remember her weekly bible verses for Good News Club, and Madison is learning to WALK!