MY FITNESS JOURNEY & NEW ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP

HI DARLINGS! I have wanted to write about this for so long but kept prolonging it. I have been on a yo-yo dieting journey for the last several years, and I just got sick of it. I also didn't feel like I had much to share until I got into a routine I knew I could keep up with. The thing is, I have tried EVERYTHING! Paleo, Keto, Raw, Vegan, Smoothie Cleanse, and although some of that worked, it was always too hard to keep up with it.

The rules for each one were overwhelming, and after a certain point, I would go back to my bad habits, but not just go back; I would fall all the f*cking way off. I needed to do something different so I did. Below I am sharing my thoughts and things that have worked for me but aside from that I am also announcing the new G-GROUP COMMUNITY I created here on Mimi G Style. I am so excited and hope you join me! It is a safe platform for us to share and encourage each other.

MY JOURNEY

Getting healthy and working out seemed like such a difficult thing for me to do. I dreaded it every day and would have to talk myself into doing the actual workouts. When I was doing keto, I lost the most amount of weight. Still, there was so much about it that was a pain to keep up with, like tracking macros, trying to eat a shit ton of fat and protein every day, and every recipe had so much cheese, LOL!!!! I love cheese. Don't get me wrong, but my goodness. I did Paleo for almost a year, which was not that bad; I found great recipes and immediately felt a difference when I cut out all the sugars and white flour from my diet. I was working out in the gym with a trainer and saw a difference, but after a while, I stopped again.

You have to know yourself and BE HONEST. I had to come to terms with the fact that I would easily quit or find some excuse to try later. For instance, if I missed a day or two of my workouts or didn't eat well, that was it; I would tell myself it was just not a good time, I am too busy, my schedule is too hectic, and that instead, I would try again next month. LOL! It was ridiculous. I had just not had enough yet.

We tend to do this insane dance with ourselves where we start and stop something repeatedly until we reach our limits. But, unfortunately, some people never get it; they never flip that switch. The switch that lets you stick to a routine that works allows you to let go of all the bad information you have heard over the years, ignore all the rules people have shared, and find the thing that WORKS FOR YOU!

So let me share what has worked for me!

• Low-carb meals work for me; my body responds well to fat and terribly to bad carbs. I get inflammation and will boat for at least two days. Carbs hate me! LOL

• Not consuming sugar, I mean it. I check the ingredients in everything I purchase. I have sugar replacements for my coffee and some recipes that call for sweeteners. I also found a new keto honey that I love!

• Strength training vs. cardio! I lose weight faster and feel better when I am strength training. Lifting weights feels amazing, and it burns more calories. I still do cardio for my heart health and stamina, but I won't lose as much weight or tone my body with only cardio workouts. Many women fear lifting weights because they are scared of bulking up, but that is a myth; you would have to do a lot of heavy training. Doing lighter weights and more reps will help you gain lean muscle while losing body fat.

• Portion control and easy recipes are key for me. I don't have much time, and with a family, it can get even more difficult to manage everything, so I keep my weekly recipes and meals easy and quick. For example, the kids love rice and potatoes, so I swap the carbs I make for them with salad or veggies. Keep things simple. If I feel like having rice that week or I am craving it, I eat it, give myself a small portion of rice, and enjoy it.

If your plan to lose weight or just become healthier involves a bunch of stuff you know you can't keep up with forever, then you might as well stop now and figure something else out because the truth is that this will be a change you need to do for the rest of your life and following a diet plan, restricting everything under the moon and feeling deprived is not a way to live.

Accountability! Yep, it helps me so much. My besties and I text each other a picture of what we eat daily; it helps us stay motivated when we feel like we're not alone in the journey. It's amazing how much that group text helps us all. Also, working out with someone makes it more enjoyable. The hubby works out with me sometimes and those days are always a lot easier.

So far, I have found that if I keep my carbs low, eat when I am hungry, find substitutes for things I love, and work out regularly, my body responds well. I feel better, and I am encouraged to keep going. It's been over a month since I started, and now I look forward to my workouts, and I never thought I would get there!

I started "G Group" on my site for you to join me on this journey. The community forum is a place to share what you are eating, things that have worked for you, exercises you are doing, and favorite workout clothes, or check in and stay accountable. I will be posting too and sharing all my tips and resources. This is a judgment-free zone, and kindness is a must! It is also a free private group but you must be a member to see the postings so don't worry about anything you post being public.

Please join me, and let's do this!

Mimi G