Tag: health

Ep 38: R.un | WBRN RADIO

Ep 38: R.un | WBRN Radio [ 37:10 | 46.08 MB ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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As someone who has never ran consistently, I needed help keeping pace. After doing some research, I found out that music at 83 BPM is good to keep pace with steps, and with the correct stride will result in a 8 minute mile time. So I made this mix to help me and ultimately reach my goal of a 16 minute 2 mile run. It’s only 37 minutes long, so if you run for longer than that, play it twice lol (Actually if you run for longer than that you probably don’t need help with pace). For novice runners like myself, I hope this helps!

Tracklist
Lil Wayne feat Corey Gunz – ‘6 Foot 7 Foot’
Young Joc – ‘It’s Goin Down’
Big Sean feat Nicki Minaj – ‘Dance’ (Remix)
Rihanna feat Chris Brown – ‘Birthday Cake’ (Remix)
Big Sean feat Jay Z, Kanye West – ‘Clique’
Lil Jon feat E40, Sean P – ‘Snap Ya Fingaz’
Wiz Khalifah – ‘Black & Yellow’
Kelis – ‘Bossy’
Master P feat Fiend, Silkk Tha Shocker, Mia X, Mystikal – ‘Make Em Say Ugh’
Jay Z feat Kanye West, Rihanna – ‘Run This Town’

#bern200 – The Marathon Continues…

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It has been 699,840 minutes, or 11,664 hours, or 486 days, or 69 weeks (rounded down), or 1 year 3 months 29 days since I decided to take control of my life and health. When I started I wanted to go from 380 pounds to 250 pounds in a year, but once I saw how quickly I was losing weight, I decided to set the bar at 180 pounds in a year. I still haven’t hit that goal, but I’ve passed a number of unimaginable milestones since last March 10th. Each one motivates me to work even harder. This fitness journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and the more I progress the more goals I see for myself.

Around the year 2010 I was at my heaviest, weighing in at over 400 pounds. I had so many health problems that I disguised as normal everyday occurrences, keeping denial as the roadblock to my life of fitness. There wasn’t one specific incident that made me want to change my life; a collection of situations, embarrassments, and disappointments over the course of 4 years lead to me deciding enough was enough. After numerous failed attempts at losing weight I made it my mission to work out and eat right EVERY DAY with no days off.

Three months in, I lost 68 pounds and was overjoyed with happiness. Not a single day or meal cheating, and an hour of cardio each day made this transformation possible. Afraid of the “inevitable” plateu, I started introducing a few carbs back into my diet each Saturday morning. I didn’t want to entirely fall off of the wagon, so I ate two biscuits just to balance things out. Staying consistent helped me progress.

By the time October 2013 rolled around, six months into my diet, I lost 130 pounds and hit my first goal of 250 pounds. However, this month I moved to El Paso from Los Angeles. With new surroundings, it was hard to keep up my routine. Also, being around new people meant lots of eating out and socializing, which slowed progress of my diet.

Holidays came and went, and while I continued to work out consistently (though not every day), the food I was eating wasn’t the best for weight loss. In addition to my lack of eating discipline, I started lifting weights as well. From October 2013 to May 2014 I only lost an additional 25 pounds.

Discouraged, I decided to give my body a restart and get back to the strict routine I had at the beginning of my journey. In June 2014 I participated in the Whole30 diet, which is famous for detoxifying/resetting the body, but fell short in staying consistent after 17 days. Though I didn’t complete the whole 30 days, the results of my efforts were incredible, as I was less bloated and had more energy. I was ready to get back on track.

That brings us to July, where I’m back to lifting and cardio 7 days a week, and a structured strict eating plan which includes an 80/20 Paleo plan with a protein shake for lunch. No junk food, fast food, fried food, alcohol, or anything else that will slow me down. I hope to be below 200 pounds by my 30th birthday in October.

Since starting last March, I’ve accomplished things I have NEVER dreamed of, even when I was younger and in my then peak physical form. I ran a mile in 9 minutes, I can do more than 1 situp lol, and I can bench press more than I ever have. My waist is smaller than it was when I graduated from high school (when I was 190 pounds) and I feel GREAT.

The moral of this story? Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency is still the only way to conquer your tasks, and although you might fall off every now and then, you can always get back on. But STAY THERE; don’t let your slip-ups undo all of the hard work you’ve done. Take 4 weeks to get yourself in a routine, STICK WITH IT, and don’t cheat. You’ll see how easy it gets, over time.

I’ll end this with one of my favorite quotes.

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.

MOTIVATION MONDAYS: ‘The Weight Is Over’ Video Talking About Losing 150 Pounds In 12 Months

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What a difference a year makes. On this day exactly one year ago I decided to commit myself to a better lifestyle and put in the work daily to regain my health and control of my life. There have been numerous obstacles over the past 12 months, but I am happy to say that I’ve lost 150 pounds (so far). Check out the video below as I talk about my struggles and progress, and I also say goodbye to my beard.

#bern200 – Moving The Weight: April Lost 65 Pounds With Healthy & Fun Habits

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It took me a long time to get the strength and courage to make the changes essential to live a healthier life. I consider myself very fortunate to personally know a handful of people that decided to take control of their health. ‘Moving The Weight’ is a series that will feature success stories from friends that have motivated me on my weight loss journey.

 

Name: April Marie McDonald
Age: 25
Height: 5’5″
Before: 230 lbs.
How I gained it: I was raised in a house filled with Coke and Little Debbies and with no knowledge of a healthy lifestyle
Breaking Point: When I realized that my physical health was going to prevent me from living the life I was intended to live.
How I lost it: In the past three years, I have worked out more than I have ever worked out in my whole life. I have also learned about healthy eating and have changed my habits completely without depriving myself. Mike Nicholson’s hip hop fitness at Phlex Fitness in Gahanna Ohio has also been my saving grace ever since I discovered it in March of 2012. I also see my my daughter as my greatest motivation and I want her to grow up knowing how important it is to be healthy.
Current Weight: 165
The hardest part about losing weight is: Self control when it comes to food!!!!!
My advice to those trying to lose weight: Don’t give up!!! Find something you love doing that makes you active and keep doing it! Don’t eat junk all the time! Imagine how much happier you’ll be when all is said and done.

Follow April on Instagram http://instagram.com/ayeeeeeepril and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/april.mcdonald.58

 

#bern200 – Week 35: 135.6 Pounds Gone, 64.4 To Go

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“We travel, some of us forever, to seek other states, other lives, other souls.”
― Anaïs Nin, The Diary of Anaïs Nin, Vol. 7: 1966-1974

Nothing that is worth having is easy. Anything in life worth doing is going to be hard, and the reward will always outweigh the struggle. This is why so many people would rather take the easy way out and settle for what’s given to them than to fight for what they want. I don’t fault anyone who thinks like this, because it is an idea that is perpetuated throughout society. Every desire that individuals have for wealth, health, love etc. is accompanied with the want of obtaining these goals through the shortest path possible. However there is no quick fix to obesity. I knew it would be a long journey and I have been as relentless and persistent as possible.

Over the past 35 weeks I’ve managed to get into the habit of eating breakfast lunch and dinner at set times by preparing my meals and snacks ahead of time. I’ve fought temptation by reminding myself that any actions against my routine would only be a setback. I’ve had my fair share of cheat meals / days off from the gym. I take small breaks knowing that I’m not quitting; I’m only delaying my dreams. I also work twice as hard after my breaks from the gym to make up for lost time. However I never lose focus on where I want to be in life.

When speaking to others about my journey, I often compare it to climbing a mountain. By climbing and moving forward, I get closer to my goal each day. Stopping to take a break just delays the outcome, and going backwards by cheating on my diet just puts the goal further away. I am the only person on my mountain, meaning that reaching my goal isn’t a race to see who can get there the fastest. I am the only person that lives my life, and I have to constantly focus myself on where I am in the moment and where I want to be in the future. We control our own destiny, and where we want to be in life can only be managed by the effort we put in daily.

It is this kind of mindset that defines the #bern200 journey. Whether it’s weight loss, education, finance, or relationships, we can not compare ourselves and our goals to where others are with their own goals. We walk our own path; climb our own mountain. To quit now would be the same as wasting the past 7 months of my life, and when you get to my age you have to make each day count lol. So whatever you’re pursuing in life, do it wholeheartedly with the intentions of getting there sooner rather than later. Life is a marathon; pace yourself, but keep going!

#bern200 – My Daily Diet / Exercise Routine

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The most frequently asked question I’ve come across has easily been about my diet and my exercise. Often times people struggle with losing weight because they have a hard time controlling what they eat, as well as setting a meal/workout schedule. This is understandable, seeing as how most overweight men and women get this way for eating whatever they want, whenever they want, and combining that with little to no exercise. It was a struggle, but for the first 12 weeks of my journey I followed a very strict meal / exercise plan, and after the first 8 weeks I made it such a routine that it became second nature. I initially researched the Paleo diet, but I found something that I was comfortable with and that I could do 7 days a week. Hopefully this helps one of you out on your journey.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, nutritionist, trainer, or any type of certified anything (besides DJ). The following is just a list of what I did to get where I am today. Please consult a physician / doctor before changing your diet / starting a workout routine. I will not be held responsible for anything that happens to you as a result of following this same plan (unless you lose weight and feel great; I take full responsibility in that scenario).

Breakfast
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8oz water with lemon
4 eggwhite omelet with jalapeños / mushrooms
3 pcs nitrate free turkey bacon OR 3 chicken sausage links

Workout
1 hour cardio (800-850 cal burned on the Elliptical)

Between breakfast/lunch
1/4 cup of raw almonds or small red apple

Lunch
8oz Baked chicken breast fillet
1 cup romaine lettuce/salad

Between lunch and dinner
One red apple or one banana

Dinner
salmon
6-8oz salmon or tilapia fillet
1 cup steamed broccoli or cooked spinach

Throughout the day
A gallon of water

RESTRICTED FROM DIET
processed sugars
starch
dairy
alcohol (actually any drinks besides water)
red meat

Excluded from the diet is fruit juice as well. The reason for me is because there is a lot of natural sugar in 100% pure orange juice, and I was trying to avoid that. I have added tofu to my diet to make up for the lack of calcium intake, but this routine totals about 1300-1500 calories consumed. What do you think of this diet? If you’re a nutritionist, what would you add to this diet?

(note: the above picture of breakfast is two servings of egg whites, 2 large eggs)

#bern200 – My Top-Secret Strategy To Lose Weight Fast!

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SPOILER ALERT: THERE IS NO MIRACLE SHORTCUT / SECRET TO LOSING WEIGHT. Since March 10th I’ve lost 130 pounds, and it had nothing to do with a revolutionary diet, secret supplement, or extreme workout routine. As with all things in life, shortcuts are not the answer when it comes to losing weight. You’ll either end up with no results, or immediate results that are easily reversed as soon as you fall off of the “lose weight fast” routine. For me, the “secret” to losing 130 pounds so far, and on track to lose another 70 by March 2014, is dedication.

Persistence through adversity is the difference between those who start, and those who finish. Most people that try to lose weight fail because they go into it with a ‘microwave’ mindset. The need for instant results is why fast food restaurants are so popular (and why most Americans are overweight in the first place). Think about it; it takes years to get 200 pounds overweight, so in order to reverse this process, it will take more than 2-4 weeks of effort. Those fad diets are appealing because they promise instant results, but you’ll gain the weight back quicker than you lost it as soon as you go back to your normal, unhealthy lifestyle.

What’s so hard about dedication? I would be lying to you if I said I didn’t struggle with sticking to the plan. I don’t enjoy going to the gym every day, eating the same meals every single day, and restricting myself from going to social events knowing that I may consume something that’s outside of the guidelines of my diet. However, my struggle with weighing over 400 pounds was much more challenging. I know that every step I take is progress every day, and no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, it’s one step closer than I was yesterday. I make a conscious effort to put in the work every day and to dedicate myself to making a change, because losing weight is one of the rare things in life that is 100% up to the person.

Dedication works best when you have a goal in mind. Those moments when you want to quit, whether it’s with weight loss, school, your career, a relationship, or whatever else, is when you need to think of your ultimate goal. Your desire to want to achieve that goal must outweigh the temporary struggle you’re going through when you want to quit. In the beginning there are days that I wanted to cut my workout time in half, but I knew that the additional 30 minutes of cardio a day would add up to several more years of living life healthy.

Whatever your goal is, the secret to success is dedication. Being dedicated to your goal and visualizing yourself crossing the finish line will make your temporary frustrations, struggles, and hard times less severe. It’s all about the bigger picture. What does dedication mean to you? Leave a comment below.