Zann’s Weight Loss Blog: Down 43 Pounds!

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It feels like I have been on this weight loss journey forever. Well I have been. Or for 18 years. I’ve started many things, I’ve also given up on all of them. Most have not worked: diet pills, thoughts of surgery, low calorie. Some have worked: Protein shakes, exercise.

I feel like I have weened out the bad and good at this point in my life. I successfully lost 250 lbs by drinking meal replacement shakes and eating one meal a day ALL ON MY OWN. Then….I gave up. My circumstances changed, and I detached myself from the program I was on. I gained nearly 40 lbs. Then I realized I was going back to my old habits and hopped onto the program again. But something was different. I felt like it wasn’t working. I was going through the routine of drinking meal replacement shakes and eating a high protein dinner, while also exercising 6 times a week, sometimes twice a day. I wasn’t losing weight. It wasn’t working!

When I started this weight loss journey for 2013… I set out to inspire. I set out to be an example of self control and show those that are struggling with anything in their lives that they could get the control back that they are longing for. Little did I know that I would in return be inspired.

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I want to introduce you to somebody that completely changed my weight loss journey. For the past 18 years, my weight loss journey has been my own. I didn’t like people involved. I didn’t like ocmments made by anybody….”what are you doing to lose weight?” “How much do you work out?” “What do you eat?” “You look great!” “You have lost so much weight!” In short, I just wanted to be left alone. Anybody struggling with their weight and really any self image issue just wants to be left alone. It amazes me the opinions that people have for things that don’t even pertain to them.

This is where my world collided with the person that changed my way of thinking when it comes to my weight loss. I wasn’t losing weight. I figured I would sign up for an “orientation” to get familar with the equipment at my gym in Bay Ridge, Dolphin Fitness. They set me up with a complimentary training session. Hey, if it’s free it’s for me. Up until this point, I had never considered hiring a trainer. Afterall, I just like to be left alone in regards to my weight. A trainer would just intrude on my journey.

Then I met Mo. I can’t even begin to explain how grateful I am for him. After one session I decided to keep him around. This is unlike me. I booked another session with him. Then another, then another….now I train with him 4 times a week.

Mo has been an excellent trainer and friend. It’d be very selfish of me to NOT share the THING that he has taught me and pushed me to be a better person in general. Even if your issue is not weight this can be pertained to real life situations.

Always Until Failure In my work outs, there is no limit. I go until I can’t go any further. I always fail. Meaning, at about 50 box squats I give out….but each time I always up my reps. Meaning, I know where I failed and look forward to surpassing that failure the next time around. If I’m in the middle of a round of planks and he sets me limit at 10 and I know I can go longer, I go longer. If I can’t reach 10….then I failed. Either way, I always fail. But on the next time around, I always succeed.

With that being said, let me give you an update on what is up with my work outs and nutrition:

1. High protein: I attempt to get in about 140 grams of protein a day through protein shakes and high protein meals. I eat anywhere 4 to 5 times a day. In fact, I eat more than I ate when I was not on my weight loss journey. I’ve completely cut out dairy. When I do eat solids, I eat chicken primarily, along with a lot of greens such as, brocolli, lettuce, zuchinni, cucumbers, peppers etc. I also dabble in the berry intake, meaning, I kill a container of raspberries every 2 days or so.

2. Excercise: I train with Mo 4 times a week currently, plus do 2 solo work outs. My favorite part of my work out is the boxing. Rumor on the street is that Mo actually knows how to box, though he’s never told me that. Mo convinced me to buy pink boxing gloves so that I can be “sexy.” Funny, I thought the boob sweat was sexy enough. I was mistaken. I do a lot of lifting. Box squats…..I hate box squats, but I do them. And I know this might not mean much to a lot of you reading, but I can do a complete sit up now! Several of them actually.

I feel stronger than I have ever felt. Beware muggers and rapists. I will lay you out.

It’s weird to look back at the past few years. I had developed a mentality of doing things on my own.
When it came to anything serious, such as my weight…I just wanted to do it on my own. I didn’t want too many hands in the pot. Very rarely do I meet somebody that leaves a lasting impression on me. That’s not to say anything about the people in my life in general….but, as far as my weight loss is concerned and my personal life, I am grateful for my trainer. He’s managed to keep me on track and help me stay focussed. He’s helped me accept that I WILL fail, BUT, it’s a matter of getting back up.

Now, I just want to train hard enough in order to be able to kick his a$$ in boxing. Stay tuned!

–Zann, 92.3 NOW