Now this is not an infomercial on a weight loss pill or a lap band that magically sheds pounds. haha! I am writing this not to gloat, but to share my story on how I became happy and healthy and shed 17 pounds to be exact since January. A lot of people have asked me what I have been doing so I figured I would write it on here so I can refer people to this post! My juice cleanse post is actually my most viewed post, so I figured that a lot of you out there want to get healthy and am wondering different methods to do so. I hope to inspire someone to get healthy, like I inspired several people to go on a juice cleanse!

It all started in a very embarrassing way: I realized during winter break that I wasn’t fitting into my winter coats anymore! And when I brought home a dress for a wedding, it didn’t fit when it came time to wear it. It was my favorite dress. How shocking and sad I was =(. I knew I had to do something about it once I came back to SD and away from the abundance of food during the holidays. Also, its funny how heartbreak can lead you to look at yourself and want to be better and channel all your anger, sadness, loneliness into something. For me, it was to get fit and be skinny like I used to be 2 years ago. Luckily I interned in a building that had a gym spring semester!
Jan-Feb: So the FIRST thing I did was RUNNNNN on average 4 times a week, 3 miles a day, on an incline of 4.0. I did this for about 4 weeks. There were 2 weeks where sometimes I ran twice a day, once at lunch and once after work, for a total of 5 miles. I did some machine weights. I did 100 crunches a day. I became sort of obsessed! It was definitely VERY HARD in the beginning. I would come home and sleep at 10pm and be sore. I felt like this for 3 weeks. It was sort of an escape for me! Then it became easier and easier. In addition, I did my 3 day juice cleanse! It really taught me that I really didn’t need that much food and it really was an invigorating experience. That lesson has stayed with me since then.

Feb-Mar: The SECOND thing I did was buy a Groupon for a month of unlimited Corepower yoga. I had done the free week last October, so I sorta knew what it was like. I didn’t really like it, but I did it to get toned and flexible. I went 5-6 times a week. I did Hot Fusion and Yoga 1.5 exclusively. I didn’t like the 2 or the Sculpt classes because I figured if I am going to run 3 miles a day, that was enough cardio. So I did this in conjunction to my running. I did another 3 day juice cleanse from Extract Juice Bar in SD. There is a Groupon deal for it! $50. So cheap! I was eating a lot more salads and protein (egg whites, protein powder, chicken) By now, I had lost 10 pounds!!! (stepping on the scale becomes an obsession sorta! hahah)

I went on Spring Break and tried to eat until I was full, and exercised when I could. I went to Miami feeling better about myself, but I knew the trip wasn’t the end of my fitness obsession. I came back and realized I had dropped another 5 pounds! Yee-haw! I came back and signed up for 24 hour fitness too so I can continue to have a place to run!

Fast forward to today, I am now a member at Club Pilates! I like the community feel of the studio, or maybe pilates in general? Everyone is so helpful and nice and the teachers/students are always so friendly and helpful. I dislike it because IT REALLY MAKES YOU SORE!!! There are a lot of core workouts, which means A LOT of planking. But I can already feel some of the results. It definitely tones you up very quickly!

So basically there is no secret to weight loss, but working hard and persevering through the whole thing. Definitely try supplementing your cardio with an extra type of workout that focuses on other parts of your body. My metabolism has gone up! I don’t overeat. I can even hike without dying!!! Now that I am at my ideal weight, I have been wanting to firm and tone up! I plan to continue running and to continue taking that extra fitness class, like pilates and barre. If anyone has recommendations for Bay Area fitness studios, let me know! Currently I am looking at the Dailey Method and the Bar Method. I plan to give barre classes a try! When I come back to SD during the fall, I have another pilates Groupon lined up and plan to try Bikram!

Here are some recommendations I have:

Protein: Trader Joe’s Designer Whey! (I drink it with soy milk and chia seeds after I work out or wake up in the morning.)
Lifting gloves: Saranac b-grl just4me gloves off Amazon.
Shoes: I just bought my first pair of Nike Frees! [But in the past I have been running with Asics]
Hair bands: Sweaty Bands. [I have a really really small head, so even these sort of slip, but I am abnormal and it will not slip for you]

I hope to inspire someone out there to get happy and healthy! Let me know your exercising regimin and your success stories! ❤