Thank you!!!

 I have gotten some really amazing and encouraging emails this week. It just makes me so proud that I am encouraging and inspiring others. It is always on the days that I am needing motivation that the Lord lays it on someone's heart to reach out to me...so thank you!

 When I started this blog it was really just to hold myself accountable and to give me an outlet to write. I wanted somewhere that I could be completely honest and open about what it is REALLY like to lose weight, and struggle with food addiction and exercise.

I started coaching because I wanted to help people achieve their health goals and to again share my story. People need to see and hear that it can and has been done. And they don't need to just see and hear it in magazines that promise 30 lbs of weight loss in 20 days and on the biggest loser. (Which by the way is one of my favorite shows, but as I have said before it is not feasible in real life...nobody has the ability to workout 6 hours a day....and if they do they shouldn't need the biggest loser)

I just wanted to take a post to say thank you to everyone who reads this blog or follows me on facebook. It is amazing that I have the ability to affect change in peoples' lives. It is amazing that people turn to me when they have questions about diet and exercise. I am still learning, still growing, and still figuring out where I fit in the fitness business. Thank you to all of you who have given me feedback over the last year, and who have helped me along the way!

I sincerely hope that this business takes off and I am able to help people all over the country achieve their goals....because we all know how to lose weight but sometimes we need someone to hold our hand and kick out butt. IF you do not have a health coach let me be that person for you!!! If you are not following the facebook page please do! I post daily (usually more than once a day) about my workouts and what's going on personally in my fitness journey! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Majors-Motivation/167362933372655

This has only just begun!!! Stay tuned for the launch of www.majorsmotivation.com very soon!!!!

 

Sorry Jim Gaffigan....we are NEVER done becoming the best versions of ourselves!! We will never stop learning and working to be better stewards of our bodies! The Lord has sent each of us to earth with a purpose and I am set on fulfilling mine!

Ain't Nobody Got Time For THAT!

I have heard it over and over, and there was a time in my life that I had said it over and over..."Eating healthy is too expensive".

If I only knew then what I know now!! You see when you are buying things like frozen dinners with limited calories, 100 calorie packs, organic whole wheat boxed meals, extra lean ground beef, etc yes eating healthy can be extremely expensive (and not so healthy). But when you learn to eat REAL food, whole food, more veggie based meals it can be very affordable. We have to quit buying diet food!! It is full of fake sugar and nonsense chemicals that are more harmful that beneficial and they do nothing to help you break your addiction to sugar and processed carbs!

As I have mentioned in the past Justin and I use the Dave Ramsey cash envelope system (for more info on that check out www.daveramsey.com) and when we were in college we didn't budget at all and never had any money. We would buy things like hamburger helper and ramen noodles because it was cheap and easy, and we were exhausted between school, work, and parenting Bethany. So what happened when we sacrificed quality for quantity? The weight crept up, and before I knew it my sweet husband was almost 300 lbs and I was back up in the mid 200s.

The difference now? We budget 100 a week to feed our family of 4. We are able to purchase everything we need with this amount. Our diet is plant based and we use a lot of organic frozen veggies which our grocery store often has on sale. We use a ton of beans which are super cheap if you buy them dry (or even in a can) I would love to say that I am one of those super dedicated couponers who saves 1000s of dollars every day at every store, but lets be honest... "Ain't Nobody Got Time For THAT!" And most of those coupons are for food like substances not real food that is actually beneficial for your health.

But some of you are thinking that Aint nobody got time to prep and cook veggies and whole grains. Aint nobody got time to pack a lunch when I can grab a $5 foot long or dollar menu delight. Well if you aint got time for that then you are living on borrowed time anyway. Besides it takes me about 20 min (45 if I'm doing rice) to cook dinner every night and then the leftovers are packed for Justin's lunch the next day and most of the time mine too!

The name of the game in grocery shopping is READING labels!! If you are going to be successful with changing the look of your body on the outside you MUST know what you are putting on the inside. I have a rule that if I cant pronounce an ingredient I avoid it.

Sure it can be irritating to have to throw a cup of oats into the blender to make oat flour but does it really take up that much time? I mean honestly...we live in an age of technology its not like you are grinding it by hand with a rock.

So how do you keep it affordable? Buy what you can dry and frozen. Buy whole grains like Quinoa and steel cut oats in bulk. Check the newspaper for what is on sale that week and base your meals around that. HAVE A PLAN!!! You must know what you are going to eat for dinner and lunch every day!!!! Seriously!

So how do you keep it from taking FOREVER? Use 1 day a week to prep all of your veggies and proteins (if you are eating meat) for the week. This is something that I don't do, because I have my meals that I make regularly down to a science. You can also use your crockpot to do a ton of delish soups that are BTV.

 Here is a photo of my grocery trip on Saturday. I spent $199.04. Aside from our meal necessities and kids' lunch stuff, I bought a few toiletries ($15), toilet paper ($12), paper towel ($4), an ahi tuna steak to take to a party ($8), and baby wipes ($4).

 

If you are needing some more resources check out http://plantbasedonabudget.com/ and http://theultimatedanielfast.com

 

Help Them Help You!!

Anyone ever heard of the freshman 15, what about the newlywed's ever so common 'happy fat', the mommy pudge, or the empty nester's extra fluff. These are things that go hand in hand with crucial changes in a persons life. You see when the support system around you isn't 100% on board it can be extremely difficult to have lasting success and stay motivated. Sometimes they do it intentionally but I would say that 95% of the time they don't even realize they are doing it.

I have several friends who are currently going through this, and that is what has spawned this blog. I got a text today, a call yesterday, and had a talk at bible study not long ago all venting and needing some feed back on what to do when family members and friends have a hard time with your new healthy lifestyle.

As you all know, Justin and I have been fortunate enough to have each other to lean on during the last half of my weight loss journey, but it hasn't always been that way for me. Don't get me wrong having a spouse to hold you accountable and keep you on target makes eating right and exercising so much easier, but like I said it hasn't always been that way. My history of attempting life change started and failed a long time before I met my sweet husband.

How many of you know a couple who struggle with this exact situation: "He just doesn't understand what I am going through, he can eat what ever he wants and not gain an ounce"

Or the friends that say "Oh come on you can have that piece of cake, you deserve it! You've been working so hard."

Or the husband that is so sweet to fix (or buy) dinner while you are running the kids to their practices but you come home to enchiladas with extra cheese and a cheesecake for dessert. He brought you this because he knows they're your favorite and you are seething mad because you cannot eat them.

You see they are trying to make you happy, trying to be kind and supportive, and trying to love you but what they don't realize is that they are tempting you and causing you to take 1 step forward and 2 steps back. I am not going to lie to you this is a tough situation. You love these people and they love you! That is why this conflict is so tough. The best way to handle it is to address it straight up.

When you decide what eating plan and exercise routine works for you, let them know exactly what your plan is. Ask them to hold you accountable, or take it a step further and ask them to join you. Let them know the best thing they can do to support you is not to tempt you, and to encourage you to stay on plan.

1 Corinthians 8:13 says "Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall."

If they are eating your favorite thing in the world (for me that would be carrot cake) and you know that just one bite of that can send you into a downward spiral of junk eating and a backslide for the record books, let them know that. Just simply ask them not to bring it around you. You would never offer an alcoholic a glass of the Merlot they used to call their favorite would you? Or someone trying to quit smoking a puff on your cigarette? No that's just cruel. The same is said for someone who is trying to break a cycle of bad eating.

My father is a recovering alcoholic. He tells me all the time that if he ever had to restrict his eating he would go crazy. This coming from a man who quit drinking cold turkey 5.5 years ago and never looked back. Junk food addiction is real, and we should be able to talk to each other about it.

Have a real conversation with them, let them know exactly what you need for them to support you. Once you are strong in your will it wont be as hard to turn down tasty treats, and once you are at a place that it wont cause a back slide or binge you will be able to have small quantities of those treats!

I know it may sound nice on paper and you are thinking yeah whatever Ryan, you can say that all you want but you don't know how they will react. Well, no I don't know them, but if they really love you they will want you to be happy, and if you're not happy with the way you feel in your current state they will help you get to that happy place, you just have to be straight with them and hold strong to your convictions!

photo credit:www.myrecipes.com -uniquehealthandwellness.com 

New side by side!

I finally took a few miniutes to make a new before and after side by side! I will post another post soon, but just wanted to get it on here!

Also if you are not currently following our Facebook page please come visit!
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/pages/Majors-Motivation/167362933372655

Better Than Vegan Dinner Party

Justin and I are constantly getting asked how we have achieved and maintained successful weight loss.  The actual equation for weight loss is simple, eat less and exercise more. However there are literally thousands of diet plans, eating guidelines, diet programs that come with a diet, book stores have aisles dedicated to only weight loss and weight loss cookbooks. You can't turn on the tv, open a magazine, get on Facebook or twitter or even fox news with out hearing about the latest trend in weight loss.

Justin and I chose an approach that many would see as extreme, but it has really worked very well for us. I could talk about plant based eating for hours, I love to educate friends and family about our lifestyle because not only have we had great successes with watching the number on the scale drop, we just feel better!

Justin and I are blessed with amazing friends who are willing to try new things, so we hosted our first dinner party since moving to VA, and we served all Better Than Vegan food.

What is BTV, you ask? Oh I am glad you did! Justin and I coined the term when we first began the Daniel Fast in January 2012. The Daniel Fast is a 21 day partial fast where you eliminate all meat, dairy, added sugar, white flour, yeast, and any chemical from your diet. You essentially eat only fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, and water to drink. This is meant to take your focus off of food and place that focus on the Lord and using your body in service to Him. It is meant to take that idol of food out of your life, and allow you to worship only Him.

In the first few days of the fast it isn't all smiles and happy feelings, in fact it is terrible. As you go cold turkey eliminating all of the processed junk and chemicals from your diet your body literally goes through a detox, and you are like a drug addict during detox...it isn't pretty. Justin coined the term Worse Than Vegan, because at least vegans can eat bread.

But just as alcoholics come out of the detox feeling better than ever and loving their new addiction free life, so did we. We began to feel lighter, in control, closer to each other, and most importantly closer to the Lord. We were able to take the control back from the food that had reigned over us for so many years. After the 21 day Daniel Fast was over, we decided to keep going. So Worse Than Vegan became Better Than Vegan. And not only does BTV encompass the diet we choose, it also gives us the freedom to eat other things in small quantities every once in a while. So you're thinking oh, they never eat meat I couldn't do that I love steak too much...so do we! So every once in a while, about 3 times a year, Justin and I will go out to dinner and eat a steak. But it is no ordinary steak, oh no.....it is only the best of the steaks because we are not going to waste our night out and our time of abstinence from red meat on any old steak. It teaches you to really appreciate it when you splurge. We also have added back in a few things like shakeologey (which is very close to being BTV), honey, coffee, red wine, beer, and the occasional margarita! The difference between the way we treated the things we have added back in now is that it is in small quantities.

 So onto the story of the party! Justin's friend at work, Dani, has been wanting to add in more plant based foods into her diet, but she didn't know where to begin in preparing them. We had been talking with her for months about trying to come down and hang out on a weekend and we would cook for her. Well life in VA is insane and everyone is always very busy so it had taken us forever to get that day planned. Finally we both had a Saturday that would work, and we decided to have everyone over that we had wanted to have come over for months! So the BTV dinner party was born.

I absolutely love being a hostess! It was so much fun to watch everyone mingle and meet and new friendships being made right in my family room! We had several friends from church with their kids, my friends Ashley and Jeff from the gym and their 3 handsome sons, and Dani and her boyfriend! It was a blast!

We had red and white wine, some beers from the local brewery, and here is the menu:

Major's homemade salsa, guacamole, corn cilantro salsa, cowboy caviar, and a hummus I buy at Costco with tortilla chips, cracklesnacks (veggie crackers that rock), and pop chips to dip for appatizers.

Then we had oven roasted asparagus, grilled veggie kabobs, amazing grilled portabello caps, and quinoa with tomatoes and green chilies.

I made a fruit salad, and Justin was going to grill pineapple for dessert but we were all so full from the main course we forgot to put it out!

We also had about 10 kids at the house so we served them hot dogs (yes all beef) and they had an ice cream bar for dessert where they got to choose the toppings.

All and all everyone liked the food, and had a great time! I am already excited to plan the next dinner party. Justin says it needs to be a bring your own meat party to off set this one....we shall see!

Thank you to all of our friends for coming and having an open mind about the food!

Oh and check out my fun outfit I wore to the party....My mom got me this outfit for Christmas! I love it!

 

 

Happy New Year!!!

I cannot believe it is January 2nd! It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time passes by as an adult. Maybe it's after you have kids, not sure, but I do know that it was just January 2012 and now here we are a year later! I would like to celebrate a year of blogging as Major's Motivation!! While I haven't blogged as much as I would have liked this year, I am setting one of my goals for 2013 to work on the blog at least a couple times a month!

I started off 2012 with a hangover and tight jeans, and I am happy to say that 2013 did not begin that way! I started off 2013 with a clear mind, a bowl of oatmeal, and cardio & weight lifting with my husband!

This entry I would like to discuss goal setting with you. It seems that everyone and their dog, mother, aunt, and pet hamster are setting new years resolutions and posting them on Facebook and twitter! Don't get me wrong I am all for putting those goals out there for the world to see...that's what started this blog! But I have an issue with the new years resolution.

I understand that a new year starts and symbolizes new beginnings for people. But why do we have to wait until Jan 1? And why the resolution... I will resolve to make an entire 180 in every aspect of my life on January 1st and by January 7th you're over it! Believe me I have made this mistake year after year. I would vow to get on a budget, eat right, exercise, read my bible, spend time really talking to my husband, and then I would wake up a week later over drawn in my checking account with a bad diet, right back where I started....so in the Major house we do not make new years resolutions.

 Justin and I set weekly and monthly goals. Most of the time they are the same, a family goal, a goal for our marriage, a goal for Major's Motivation, and a fitness goal. Sometimes they repeat and a lot of the time the have to do with prayer, reading my bible, amount of workouts, and they ALWAYS have a deadline.

That is the problem with the resolution....it is too broad! We will find a way to cheat ourselves out of achieving the life change we desire on January first because there is no timeframe to hold us accountable! To set good goals you need to be SMART!  Setting SMART goals is something I learned years ago and started applying, this is also something I teach my clients to do, and encourage them to continue with weekly. Paul J Meyer talks about SMART goals in his book, Attitude is Everything.

photo from http://dreamchoosers.com/s-m-a-r-t-goals


So I encourage you all to take a few days to reflect on your 2012 resolutions...what happened? Maybe they really stuck, maybe you achieved that complete 180...but if you're like the majority of those people who take up all the elliptical machines and parking spots at the gym the first 2 weeks of January and then disappear never to be seen again (until next January), you need a little help setting those goals.

Then spend some time in prayer, find out what God is leading you to, his plans may be way better than your plans!

And finally find someone to really hold you accountable. My husband is that person for me. I am that person for my health coaching clients. Find someone who is knowledgeable and that you can trust. And it usually helps if that person has walked through your struggle....if you need help with weight loss find someone who has been there and done that. If it is financial accountability find someone who has achieved financial freedom (I recommend the Dave Ramsey program, we are no where near finished with it but it has done wonders for our bank account and marriage!). If it is reconnecting with your spouse, talk to a family counselor or trusted friend who will positively encourage you.

No matter what your struggle may be, there is someone out there who has walked through it. When I was obese I used to wonder why I couldn't just be skinny like the other girls. I would ask God to give me a different metabolism, a different body type. But now as I look back on those years as the chubby kid, the obese teen, and morbidly obese young adult I know that I had to walk through that so I could come out victorious and teach others that there is a better way!



Check out www.beachbodycoach.com/ryanmajor for more info on workouts and shakeology!

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!

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!

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!

March Measurements!!

We all know what the first of the month means....M DAY!!!

I have neglected this blog a little in the last couple weeks because I thought I had hit a really annoying plateau. I stayed right in the same 2lb range for 2 weeks and it is so frustrating. I weigh myself more than I should, and I am pledging to yall that the excessive weighing stops today! From now on it's once a week!

I would like to recognize what happens when you are nearing the end of your weight loss journey and entering in to maintenance. When you start out very heavy and add in diet and exercise your body will release a lot weight quickly and you will love seeing those high numbers on the scale. As you lose more and more you will stop losing as much quickly. Part of it is the building of muscle from time in the gym because muscle weighs more than fat, and part of it is science. The best thing to do is focus in on diet and hit it hard in the gym! Do new exercises, try other stuff, keep that body on its toes and guessing!!

Check out this article...for more info. http://www.dietbites.com/Diet-Ground-Zero/3.html

So I kicked it up in the gym and focused in on my water intake and low and behold while there wasn't a drastic change in weight this month, I am pretty satisfied with my inches lost. I know I am toning up, and I feel myself getting stronger. My endurance is better, I can lift more weight in BodyPump, and my flexibility is at an all time high! So here are the stats!

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

6 lbs

3/4 inch from the Bust

1 inch from my waist

Hips stayed the same (grrrrr)

1/2 inch from my right arm

1/4 inch from my left arm

1 inch from my right thigh

1/2 inch from my left thigh

3/4 inch from my neck

 

1st week of January 2012

 

                                 Feb 1st 2012                                                               March 1st 2012

There is a great blog by Drew Manning about plateaus and yall should read it. If you haven't been following his story start now!!!! http://www.fit2fat2fit.com/2012/02/plateau-breakthrough/

Being Obese is NOT a death Sentance!

I will say that on this journey I am always amazed at how many people share my struggle. However I guess I shouldn't be amazed when more than 1/3 of US adults are obese. When I tell people I used to weigh over 300 lbs I always get a "No Way" or "Your Kidding", but really I mean what are they going to say, 'oh yeah I can totally tell you used to be morbidly obese'.
I have found myself reaching out to people everywhere I go, and letting them know it's okay and that we are all struggling with something. But I always try to encourage them, and let them know that yes they are in a place in their health where they have a lot to work on...but they have an amazing gift...and that gift is the ability to make a change. Stop those behaviors that got them where they are now, and create a new reality for themselves. Being obese is NOT a death sentence, but it can be if you do not take a stand against your own addictions and bad behaviors.

When I listen to people tell their stories of reversing diabetes, coming off of 6 or more prescriptions, reversing their chances at heart disease, being able to run and play with their children, and accomplishing goal after goal, I am instantly rejuvenated! I love knowing that people are not only setting goals, but making real and long lasting life changes. Refusing to sentence themselves to an early demise because they can't say no to Twinkies and night after night of movies on the couch. Trading in TV time for a run, swapping fried chicken for steamed veggies. Ah! I am so excited for all of these people that have the opportunity of their lives right in front of them.

Yes when we start out on our weight loss and getting healthy missions it seems like we have soooooo far to go, but rather than looking at it that way think of it as the beginning of the rest of your life. A better life, a life where you are not a prisoner in your own skin!

That's me 2nd from the left, 6/23/05...I gained about 50 lbs to get to my heaviest before I took a stand!

(http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html)

Scary new ideas!!!!

I am in a women's bible study on Monday night, and in our lesson we were talking about when the Lord brings us to something he wants it to be hard. He drives us to be dependant on him. Then I watched the sermon from Pastor Daniel (www.visitlifepoint.org) and he was talking about the same thing. When you have an idea or feel the Lord telling you to do something and you think...'there is NO way I can do this' it's a pretty good indication that it is God.

So a few weeks ago I had one of these moments. I felt compelled to become a personal trainer and teach group exercise classes. What?! Me?! I still cannot believe these words are coming out of my mouth, er fingers to keyboard.

I still feel like I have a long way to go in my on fitness, but I also know that I want to help other women like me. I want people to know that it is never too late, or too much weight to lose. It can be done! I want to inspire people, and teach them what little I know. I want to share my experiences with them and help them learn from my mistakes!

I am so excited and terrified about this new venture that I was very tentative about sharing it with people, let alone putting it on here. Because then it becomes real. Then I must follow through!

I hope I can do it, I know I can't do it alone. I will be leaning heavily into God and this will require a ton of prayer!! My hope is to become certified by the end of the summer if not sooner!! EEEEP!

I Hate Self Hatred!

What is up with our society and the way we are taught to view our bodies? Why is it that only 1% of women love their body, according to Self Magazine? Also found in Self, 75% of women admit to being competitve about weight with their friends! Why is it that no matter how much weight I lose, how many times a week I hit the gym, or how many calories I count there is a part of my brain that tells me I am not good enough? Why do I look in the mirror and still see a girl who weighs over 300 lbs? We have these images of women who are air brushed about a zillion times over shoved in our faces 24-7. We put these insane expectations out there in the universe for ourselves, and we are just as guilty of putting them on our friends, mothers, sisters, and worse...our daughters!

Well I am here to tell you that you are good enough. You should value yourself enough to take care of your body. I have mentioned before that my faith is an intrical part of my journey to being healthy. As a Christian I am a daughter of the Lord, a co-heir with Christ. I deserve to roll out the red carpet for myself. The Lord loves me enough to bless me abundantly with all of the things that I need to achieve my goals, who am I to tell him that I am too busy, the diet is too hard, or that I just flat don't want to do it?

As I struggle with my own self image daily, I know all of these things listed above. It is still a struggle. I still have to ask the Lord to let me see myself as his precious child. That my worth is not wrapped up in the number on the scale or the size in my waistband. As I look in the mirror at my body I see all of my battle scars, the saggy skin from my years of being morbidly obese, the stretch marks from carrying a miracle inside my womb, the scars from my laparoscopic gastric bypass, and my ever shrinking breasts that are finding their new home after nursing the baby for 9 months. I know that these things are beautiful in their imperfections...but I have to ask the Lord to remind me all the time of this!

So what can you do?

Let me ask you a question, do you value food more than your body? Do you value watching television more than your life? Do you think that facebook is more important than being able to run with your kids?

Of course you would rather not look at these things in this light. It is convicting to think that by saying that you could 'never give up coffee, chocolate, pizza, (insert your own food vice here) you are actually saying that you value these foods, tv shows, or websites more than your own well being.

I totally get it, because I used to think exactly like you! I would diet and try to get around limitations. While on weight watchers I would save up points so I could eat pizza. I would justify my time spent on facebook or watching tv while my 6 year old played outside alone.

I am here to tell you that you owe it to yourself, your kids, and most of all the Lord to take care of the body you are living in. The Lord has given us 1 body to live in, and as a Christian it is our duty to take care of that body so that we are healthy enough to share His message with everyone we meet.

Think about this as you go through out your day. When you have a chance to work out and don't, what are you spending your time doing? Is that more valuable to you than your life? When you pick up that doughnut, is that Krispy Cream more valuable than lowering your risk for heart disease?

I have adapted this idea into my daily life. Each time I consider 'cheating' or eating something that isn't allowed I ask myself if it is more valuable to me than myself, and it works!! Remind yourself each day of your successes, and most of all Pray about it. You are not strong enough on your own, accept it and ask the one person who can help you, the Lord!

5 Days Until M day!!!

At the first of the year I had Justin take my measurements. I was feeling like knowing the number of lbs lost was not accurately reflecting the work I was putting in. Knowing that as my fat and muscle will change in my body my weight will fluctuate, I wanted to make sure I was able to see the results each month. M day was born. I am actually really excited to take my measurements on Tuesday, February 1st.

I will be posting a photo, pounds lost this month, and inches lost. I would love to hear how your month went as well!!

Again, I am a totally open book, please do not hesitate to email questions and comments!

This week was a particularly hard week for me in the gym. I really felt the intensity of my workouts each day, and by today I felt exhausted after my trip to the gym. I am really pumped to see the results! I will post the results Tuesday Afternoon!!

What Motivates You?

What is that one thing that you just can't get out of your head? That one thing that when you wake up in the morning it just won't leave you alone?

For a lot of us we are very good a quieting that thing. We can block it out, rationalize it, and try to make ourselves find other ways to satisfy that one thing. For some people it might be a wearing a bikini that first summer day, or for some it might be receiving a second look when you walk past a group of guys, or is it to make all of the haters have to eat their words, or maybe you're a parent who is making sure you can run and play with your kids, or for some it may just be feeling better.

 For me, that one thing is competition. I LOVE it! I thrive on it! I have always had it in my life one way or another. Growing up it was competing at the horse shows, then in my career it was being at the top in sales. When I became a stay at home mom there was no one to compete with except for myself. I might be a little crazy for needing this, but it makes me work harder.

I love taking fitness classes at the gym. Each week I take at least 4 of them. I like having the instructor there to make me push myself, and help me with my form. I had a really good schedule going until the first of the year when my Gym totally redid their classes and switched to mostly Les Mills classes. I was bummed at first but now I love them!! I usually take the c/x works (core strengthening) class followed by a spin class on Monday, Yoga followed with 30 min on the elliptical and some weights on Tuesday, Bodypump on Wednesday, Yoga or Spin on Thursday, and BodyFlow with more elliptical fun on Friday. I will usually run after yoga and then do a little work with weights after. But this is where the competitiveness that I thrive on can become an issue.

You know how they always give different options for different levels in these classes. Yeah, I have a problem where I HAVE to try the hardest one. This goes for all of the classes with the exception of yoga...there are just somethings I don't think my body will ever be able to do. This is one of them...http://www.mizozo.com/health/07/2011/01/most-powerful-yoga-poses.html

Today this issue became very apparent. I was taking a BodyPump class and this was only the second time I had taken it, and the first with this instructor. I was next to an older woman who is always at the gym the same time I am. Her age is not a factor, this lady is super fit! On the other side of me was a girl a little older than me, but you could tell she was an athlete. Behind me was a less disgusting John Gossling looking dude with huge arms! This was going to be fun I thought, I am going to really push myself. Usually I try to be next to the most experienced person in the class so I will really have to work. Well, bodypump is not the place for this theory. I was dying. Arms shaking, legs quivering about 20 min into the hour long class.

I learned today that while being competitive is a good thing, I need to be more competitive with myself than with the people in the class next to me. Will I begin to practice this? Probably not. But in the morning when my muscles are screaming, I will wish I had!

For more information on the Les Mills classes that I talked about in this blog go to http://www.lesmills.com/


Please let me know what motivates you!