Final Weekend Weigh In: The Big Reveal!

Hi everyone! As you know, I've been working hard for the past 3 months to shed this extra weight before my trip to Miami, but even more importantly, for my health and wellness in general. My initial goal was to lose 25 pounds but I ended up losing 21 pounds. Although I didn't meet my goal, I'm very proud of myself and what I was able to accomplish. I can definitely see the difference in the way my clothes fit and I see a big decrease in my belly fat. 

I'm smiling from ear to ear as I write this, not just because I lost the weight but because I proved to myself that I really could do it. Being a mother of 4, I've been struggling to lose 'baby weight' for several years and I'm so proud that I finally made the commitment and stuck to it. Here are a few things I learned during this journey: 

1. There's NO magic pill. You have to put in the work to get the results and its just that simple. You can't expect to lose weight if you aren't willing to exercise and  eat healthy.

2. Fad diets are not the answer.  Last week I tried a new fad diet called 'The Military Diet'. It's a strict 3 day diet that I wanted to try to lose a few extra pounds before my trip. Although I lost 5 pounds in 3 days, I gained back 2 before my weigh in. It's a quick fix if you have an event coming up but it's definitely not a long term weight loss plan (in my opinion). Fad diets are for the short term, temporary weight loss but in order to see long term results you're going to have to make long term lifestyle adjustments. 

3.  Don't be a slave to the scale! The scale can be very deceiving because it doesn't show the full story. There were weeks I lost no weight and would beat myself up, even though I could clearly see a difference in my physical appearance. I was just so stuck on the scale that I couldn't see anything else. I'm learning now to judge my progress on the fit of my clothing and how I feel as opposed to what the scale says. So, no more weekly weigh-ins for me. It's stressful and can be just as discouraging as it is rewarding. 

4. Have someone hold you accountable.  Blogging about my journey weekly has helped me tremendously. Knowing I had a responsibility to keep you all updated really kept me motivated. Even when I didn't have the best results to report, it only made me work harder for my next update. Whether you're blogging, journaling, having a weight loss contest at work, find someone who will hold you accountable for your goals. It's easy to set a goal and keep it to yourself so that if you don't meet it, no one knows (been there done that). However, if you share it with someone, you're more likely to stay on track and meet your goals. Accountability is the key to success. 

When I started blogging about my journey in April, I was nervous about sharing my story with others and afraid of failing. Now, 3 months later, I'm so happy I didn't succumb to my fears. I'm more confident not only in my appearance but in my abilities to achieve whatever I put my mind to. I just hope I was able to encourage someone else to do the same. 

Thanks so much for following me on this journey and taking the time to read my weekly updates. Although I won't be weighing in weekly anymore, I'm still going to continue my healthy eating abd exercise regimen. I'll also be blogging about different recipes, work outs and other healthy lifestyle tips. 

I'll be back next week with a full report on my trip to Miami and The Mrs. Carter Show! In the meantime, follow me on twitter (@SweatHeartBoss) and Instagram (@Shopsweatheart) for motivational quotes, pics and other random foolishness (because I like to laugh). Thanks again and have a blessed week! 

Corrin K. Jones