9.09.2011

Truth Is...

WARNING: This is my first post and EXTREMELY long so I can get you up to speed! If you want to get to the TRUTH now, scroll to the bottom. -KEF


Hi People!


Its me KEF <3! For several months now I have been thinking about creating a blog. I thought about a lot of topics over the last couple of months. I pondered doing life as a single mom, a post-grad limbo blog, natural hair, and a dating blog but the posts either were never finished, or never published. Though all of those things are HUGE parts of my life, I just couldn't get the "right" posts and pieces. A couple of weeks ago my old pal Becky (you know her as Bee Wade, check out her AWESOME makeup blog http://beeyoumakeup.blogspot.com/) asked me if I had any fitness tips for her as a new mom, and suggested that I start a fitness blog to post those tips. She gave me the boost of confidence I needed to start, and my creative juices started flowing but there was one HUGE problem.

Truth is..

TRUTH IS I started my journey at 207lbs in September of 2009. It took me a whole summer to get it together and my journey stemmed from this picture :

This was Graduation night May 2009. The year my girls Chya, Vee and Chaunte graduated from Oakwood University. When I saw this picture a couple of weeks after graduation I cried so hard because I felt like I had just seen myself for the first time. Of course I knew that my clothes were XXL instead of the Mediums that I had worn pre-Mia but I thought that I was "carrying it well" as everyone had been telling me. My posture was bad, my cups were spilling over, my arms were covered but were a huge mass of flesh. I had become the 'Big-Girl-with-the-pretty-face'. The second blow was that I WAS WORKING OUT! Every single day I  sacrificed my lunch break at work to get it in at the gym! After Mia was born I bought Power 90 and got a gym membership to get my "sexy" back! I was working with the coaches at my gym, I had even become a vegetarian and but still I looked and felt like a big blob. I talked to my coaches and they put me on a strict plan, revamping what was already in place with the goal of looking amazing for graduation 2010.


Weight-Loss Revamp Sep 2009

 Over the course of the year from September 2009 until September 2010 I lost 21lbs (weighing in at 186 lbs). That is almost two pounds a month. (I now know that is possible to lost twice as many pounds a month in a HEALTHY way which I will share next time). During that year I ran into some more snags with Oakwood and didn't get to graduate in 2010 either. (SUPER SENIOR!!! hehe) I transferred and moved to Nashville in May and had a devastating breakup that got my butt into high gear once the dust settled. I got a new coach, Coach Christian. He is a fitness model, a body builder, and a personal trainer who has a passion for helping people with their weight loss goals. I told him why I wanted to lose my weight, when I wanted to lose it (Graduation 2011 and my friend Ellen's wedding was my new goal), and that I had already lost weight but it was coming off slllloooowww. We talked for about 45min and he introduced me to a website http://www.myfitnesspal.com/. This website became instrumental in my weight loss and my path to eating right.

This is when all of you reading this (if we are Facebook or real friends) started to see the changes. I was posting all of my losses, daily exercise, and food logs. My Facebook wall and inbox became flooded with questions and comments on my weight loss and how good I looked. It even spilled over to my job. After I won 'Member of the Month' at the gym and posted my success story, my work inbox had questions, comments, and requests to work out with me at the employee gym. I was happy to share what I learned with everyone and being held accountable motivated me even further. I started to become interested in dating again, was shopping like a mad woman, started having a normal 23 year old's social life...and I started to get cocky.

Going to see Marsha Ambrosius April 2011

Graduation Picture April 2011

Ellen's Wedding with my bestie
In these pictures, in contrast to the other photos above you can see a significant change. By February 2011 I was down to 166 lbs from September until February in just five months I had lost 20 more pounds which had taken me a year to do the year prior. Starting in February after visiting my BFF in Cali and attending my friend Ellen's wedding, I started to slack off due to cockiness. I started eating like I KNEW I wasn't supposed to, and cut my five times a week workouts to three, sometimes even none. In April of 2011 three weeks before graduation, after receiving my graduation application and it being approved, I was told that I needed two more classes to graduate. That devastated me to my core, I had spent over $1k on a venue, catering, pictures, invitations, and all the things that come along with graduation. I sunk into a deep depression and didn't care ONE BIT about what went into my mouth and that I wasn't exercising. I was definitely not practicing what I preached and knew that no one would know my little secret...BIG SECRET, unless they came to Nashville.

So let's fast forward to now.




The Truth is... I am THREE pounds away from where I started in September of 2010 (183lbs)
The Truth is... The reason why you have seen INSANELY long workouts posted, is because I'm working hard to get the weight off.
The Truth is... When you slack off in diet and exercise it is 100x harder to get back on it
The Truth is... a moment on the lips is a lifetime on the hips! (If you don't work it off)
The Truth is...I was a size 8 in February and I am a size 12 again now
The Truth is...I feel like a fraud
The Truth is...This is very embarrassing but also humbling for me to be able to share this
The Truth is...my face is still skinny that's why all my recent pictures have been head shots.
The Truth is...This weight IS going to come off and I WILL get out of this hump and I WILL reach my goal of 145 lbs..

I am just a young woman, who is not an expert but I do feel like I have tools to help myself and you! We can get to wherever you want to be together! I will offer encouragement, tips, exercises, updates and pictures on my progress, product reviews, challenges and I will share my secrets to success.

Have a fit-abulous day!!
LET'S GET IT!!

#teamfitness
#operationbrickhouse

@KEFlove87
http://www.facebook.com/kendaelise

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/LGIFitness2K11

8 comments:

  1. Kenda, I have to say that I support you 100million percent!! it takes GUTS and humility to be transparent for the purpose of helping and encouraging others...and let me tell you, you have definitely encouraged me!!! I am 65 pounds down with about the same to go in my weight loss "journey". The struggle is REAL and I'm so glad you're willing to open up and share, it is appreciated and cherished!!!!

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  2. I'm sooooo proud of you! We fall down, we get up. We fall down, we get up. The key is in the getting up. Love you, Mommy.

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  3. Def tear'd up when I read this!"I had become the 'Big-Girl-with-the-pretty-face'." YES ALL THE WAY!!! I hate that so much! This hit me hard!! Thanks for...just you!

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  4. @Starr 65 pounds?! That is freakin awesome!! Wow! When I get everything together I would definitely love to do a spotlight on your progress and it can be posted however you are comfortable! Keep it up Starr! GET IT!!

    @Mommy thanks for you support! You're the best Mizz!!

    @Bee I probably wouldn't have done this if you hadn't suggested it!I knew being all the way transparent would touch at least ONE person and I am glad you felt where I was coming from. I want to feature you too!! Thanks so much for your support!! LET'S GET IT!!

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  5. I am do encouraged by this!!!!! I know it isn't easy because I have tried to loose weight also! I love the concept of being a fit, fine, and fabulous mommy!!! I have started eating right and exercising and am down 11 pounds!!!! Now I am still not down the 40 lbs that I want to be but I only have 29 more to go!!! I think that it is super encouraging when you see others do it and you join forces! I don't believe in diets because they DON'T WORK!!!!! LOL I believe in lifestyle changes because diets are temporary and a lifestyle change is forever and I don't feel forced I just make better decisions!!!! Lends thank you so much for sharing this journey!!!! You are touching people and changing lives!

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  6. Kyla I am so happy you are encouraged!! That is definitely the aim of this blog!! WOW!! 11lbs girl?! You are more than 1/4 of the way there that is so good! And you are so right it HAS to be a lifestyle change in order for it to work! Diets are meant to be broken because its unrealistic to do it long term!! You got it figured out girl! Can't wait to see your results you put hard work and dedication in to everything that you do so I know this will be no different!! Thanks for stopping by Kyla!! xoxoxo

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  7. Oh, I'm so proud of you!! It took alot to share your struggle & feelings! You are the most determined/dedicated person I know, and I know you will succeed! You really are fit-abulous!

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