Good evening everyone!
Something I have been meaning to put on the website, is my before and after pictures.
Funny, how it keeps slipping my mind isn’t it?
Mainly, because I will admit, I hate looking at my heavier pictures. It just isn’t fun to me. It is scary actually. Some people say that the heavier pictures motivate them, but for me it just makes me feel sad for that person. Because I know I wasn’t happy with how I looked and felt. I was binge-eating, then starving myself, and absolutely miserable every day.
Of course, once I finally started to look for my heaviest picture, I could not find it. I only have a few pictures from that time, and damned if I know where they are….! lol. So here is a ‘sort of before’- I think I was about 140ish pounds (my heaviest is 147 pounds). I am 5’4″ tall to put it in perspective for you. I don’t weigh myself anymore, but I know I am maintaining my weight based on how my clothes fit. See my before and after page for my journey.
Well, now that’s over with I feel much better! I have surely come a long way from those university days of junk food, late night binges, and unhappiness!
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Do you ever wonder what secrets Celebrity Trainers are hiding up their sleeves? Well, look no further!
I found this Q & A session from Allure (love that mag!) Magazine, with ‘Seven‘ from Bally Total Fitness in Miami- she gives you the dish: (My comments are in italics after each answer for fun :D)
Q. What’s a typical session for your female clients?
A. We start with 30 minutes of intense cardio as a warm up, and then move to weight lifting. For women, doing cardio first is a must–it gives you lean, defined muscles. I finish each workout with ten minutes of yoga. [That’s one long ass ‘warm-up’…lol]
Q. Do you change it up before a client’s red carpet event?
A. I add ten minutes to her cardio and more workout days to the week leading up to an event. We also focus on muscle groups depending on the style of her dress. If she’s wearing strapless, we work on defining her shoulders, and if she’s wearing backless, we do extra back exercises. [Makes sense to me!]
Q. What activities do you recommend on the “off” days?
A. Do what you love: Yoga, kickboxing, jogging, or even just a walk in the park with your dog. Anything that keeps your muscles moving. [I wonder: aren’t off days supposed to be off days….?]
Q. What’s your best move for abs?
A. Lie on your back, raise your arms and your legs up to the ceiling (so you look like a ‘U’ shape from the side. Keep your chin up to the ceiling at all times. Exhale and reach your fingers up to your toes, counting from 25 to 1, inhale on your way down. In the same position, reach toward your left toe and then alternate to your right, counting from 25 to one in each direction. Do three to four sets of each every day. [This hurts and it works]
Q. Best butt move?
A. An old school squat gives the fastest results. Stand at the bottom of your staircase with your feet hip-width apart. “Fake sit”?just a booty tap?on the second-to-last step, then stand up. Do 20 reps and at least four sets. [Yesss, finally someone who agrees with me!]
Q. Your best tip ever?
A. Get a calendar and mark huge red X’s on workout days. This makes reality set in faster than you think, because you have the bad days staring you in the face. Reality can be the best motivator. [Good tip, but I would put a huge smiley face instead of an ‘X’….an ‘X’ seems like you did something wrong!]
Q. How do you motivate your lazy clients?
A. I tell them to suck it up! I remind them of their goals and why they’re here to see me. They’re always grateful at the end of a workout. [I would appreciate someone telling me to suck it up…I really would! Instead, I have to tell myself to suck it up. Oh well, it’s free I guess. :D
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Cleaning up some of the domestic O.S.G. ‘blog chores’ of the day:
1) Ok guys…..this is quite sad and embarassing, but I have received ZERO……zilch…..nada…. entries for the Lululemon ‘It’s In The Bag’ Contest! hahaha…..! So….if you submit a photo of your horrible, ugly, and worn-out workout bag/lunch bag and/or work/school bag….tell me why you need new ones….you could win! And as it stands right now, your chances of winning are pretty damn good! If I get one entry, the bags will go to that person, easy as that!
2) Also, don’t forget to email me your personal success story ([email protected]) and tell me how you have improved your health, fitness, mental well-being, etc etc…!
I will feature each story on the blog (yes, you will be famous! hah). You are welcome to submit pictures too. :D
It only has to be a few sentences if you’d like so don’t feel like you have to write a huge life story. Let’s keep this blog personal, inspiring, and most of all…F-U-N!!!!
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“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change.”
~Bill Phillips~“Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being,
while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it.”
Plato.”
Here is a picture of my husband, Eric, and I from highschool, 8 years ago (Yes, we are high school sweethearts!):
I am off to bake Eric’s coworker Reese Pieces Cookies since he is buying tons of my fundraising items for work!
Aww Angela! My husband and I were high school sweethearts too and dated 9 years before getting married a few months ago!
By the way, your before is still beautiful! Congratulations on making such a big change in your life though!
Wow! Great before and after pics. You look wonderful. Congrats on all of your hard work!
WOWSERS!!!!!!!!!!! The before and after pics are amazing!!! After 2 kids, I feel like your before picture right now……my goal is to look like your after picture in a couple months!! I was that small before and I’m determined to get pretty darn close again!! Thanks for the incentive!!!
Forgot to mention…..you and your hubby are adorable and look so peaceful and happy together.
You look great! I am 5’6″ and have been wanting to lose weight since I jumped from a size 4 to a size 10 in the middle of high school. I’m now 24 and sick of the time and energy that I spend being unhappy with my body I have all of the knowledge, but keep giving up.
Was there a moment that you just decided to lose the weight? What was your diet and exercise routine like when you were losing?
You look great. Thanks for sharing your experiences! I just started reading your blog yesterday, but I love it so far!
Sweetie you look great!! How in the world did you lose the weight and keep if off? You are my inspiration!!
wow!!! what a change!! you are a HUGE inspiration for me! thanks!!! :)
Good job on maintaining your weight, Angela. You look truly fit and gorgeous now. :)
Ange, as someone who has known you offline for 6-7 years I can say that you should not be ashamed of those before photos. No matter what weight you’ve been you have always looked beautiful! I know that it obviously feels great to be on this side of the weight spectrum but never beat yourself up over what you were in the past. Now is what matters and you are treating your body well and you can tell by how fit and healthy you look (and probably feel!). We’ve been through it all together!
AMAZING photos!!!! You’ve come so far!!! Fabulous!! :-D
Leah sounds like a great friend. :) Thank you for posting your “before” and “after” photos. You were beautiful before and you still are! And I loved that Q & A from Allure! But I agree with you – isn’t an off day supposed to just be an off day?
They may have been encouraging some mild activity on your off days because in reality, we need 30 minutes moderate-vigorous activity a day to prevent chronic diseases, 60 min. a day to maintain weight, and 60-90 min. a day to maintain a weight loss. That’s what my personal nutrition text tells me. :) (This activity can be met by things like house cleaning, brisk walking in a mall, or from a far parking spot to your building, etc.).
OH! And I did a couple memes today. You should check out my blog and do the second meme, the “nudder meme” that Miss Marie tagged me in. :) I think it’d be fun to see your answers!
wow- you look amazing! you should be so proud!
Sometimes i hate being a prersonla trainer because when i read stuff like this I immediately feel the need to set the record straight.
30 minutes is not a warm up, and warm ups are not supposed to be intense- thats the point.
yes off days are supposed to be off days. your body needs rest!
Kelly Turner
www.groundedfitness.com
I agree- your before pictures are not so bad! But I do understand the bad feelings looking at those bring up. I have never been “heavy” a day in my life- (the only time I got up to the 140s was when I was preggers and then i was only 141) but there were times when YEA I was not at my best or close to where i wanted to be..
GOOD JOB for making your goal and maintaining that. You look incredible!!!! Definitely an inspiration to me!!!
I can’t believe I haven’t seen this sooner (yes, maybe I’ve been under a rock!)! My weight loss is very similar to yours; I’m 5’2″, my highest weight was 147lbs, and I’m recently maintaining about a 30lb loss. And you just reminded me I need a tan. :)
You are such an inspiration to me. I am a french college student who moved to the US at the age of 17 for a year. I gained around 35 pounds that year. Blame it on all the junk food easily available in this country.. and being homesick didn’t help either. It’s been a few years now but what followed was a long journey. I lost almost 30 pounds since then but also became obsessive over what i ate, becoming a “binge eater” along the way.
Even though i would love to lose another 5 pounds i am now trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. “ditch the scale and free your mind” as you would say.
I don’t binge as much as i used to and i know I am on the right path. I’d like to thank you for all the good advice. Your lifestyle is inspirational and a real motivator.
Wow you look amazing! You’re beautiful before and after but i applaud you for finding a healthier lifestyle and getting yourself to a level where you feel comfortable in your own skin! Again, you look just fabulous!
I just discovered your blog a couple weeks ago and tonight I stumbled across this page. I will say you and I are like two peas in a pod. To see you do a post like this truly inspires me to keep my faith. You are beau-ti-ful! Keep up the great work and thanks so much for unknowingly helping me out tonight.
~leah
Wow what an inspiration! I’m the same way about my “old” pictures. I’ve lost about 35 lbs since my heaviest weight of 190 (I’m 5’9″) and I still would like to lose about 20 more. It’s a slow process because I’m doing it the right way (I’m surrounded by people who think low-carb and diet pills are the way to go, I beg to differ) but I know that I’ll eventually get to where I want to be. Thanks for sharing your story, it really does keep me motivated on the bad days.
Angela,
I have been visiting your site over the past couple of weeks. It really is inspirational. I can relate to you in several ways. I, too, struggled with body image issues and have been recovering from an eating disorder. Now I have found my way to an appreciation of my body and what it can do. I am in the midst of training for a half marathon (your pages on running are great!). I definately know what it is like to look at the before pictures of that sadder time.
Congrats on everything you have done. The bakery seems to be a great success (as are you)!
Well, just wanted to say hi. It’s nice to meet you.
Hi Angela,
Your blog inspires me everyday! I just recently tried green monsters and I signed up for a running program and 5k in Feb.
I am going to start the whittle my middle challenge tonight!
I have a question: where did you get the black shorts in the photos? I have looking for shorts that I can wear running that aren’t too short or loose.
thanks!
michelle
wow!! you are such an inspiration to me!!! i really enjoy your blog and how genuine you are.
Hey! I recently started reading your blog and love it! You are such an inspiration. I am trying to get over my disordered eating and trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Keep up the amazing work. I always look forward to your posts.
Angela,
Thank you so much for sharing as much as you do (and for responding to my email last week- the lentils were fantastic!)
My heaviest weight was 187 (and that was after I had finally gotten the courage to get on the scale). I’m now at 136, but my lowest was 131. I’m constantly playing with my diet and workout routine.
I love that I’ve found your blog and that you post so much information about workouts and what you eat. I also like reading all of the blogs that you reference.
You look great in both your before and after pictures. I know it takes a lot of guts to share something so personal. I still have not found the cajones to post my pictures on my facebook, though I carry them with me to show people that take my kickboxing classes.
Keep on keepin’ on! You are an inspiration :)
K
Hi Angela!
I’m so happy I found your blog! I have been trying to become vegan since January and you have helped me so much! You CAN be a regular girl and a vegan at the same time!!!! I went through a similar journey as you. I was obsessed with exercise, calorie counting and body image Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your good advise, exercise routines and recipes!
(Oh yeah, I also love Green Monsters, I’m trying to formulate my own version to submit! Hopefully I will come up with something yummy soon!)
140 pounds is within a healthy weight range for your height, so it makes me feel sad that you would post it as though it’s something shameful and disgusting. Relative to my height, I am in a similar weight range to your “before” picture, and I don’t want to consider my weight something embarrassing or something that I need to fix. And I actually think your before picture is really nice.
Hey Gen, I’m not saying the weight is unhealthy if that’s what your body is meant to be at. Obviously, everyone is different. 147/148 lbs (my highest weight) wasn’t healthy for me because I was binge eating all the time and completely miserable as a result. I think I look nice too, but since I was miserable all I see is how unhappy I was each day. Once I recovered from my ED, my weight returned to my natural weight, which is where I maintain it without dieting. I believe in being at a weight where I dont have to count calories or diet. Im so glad to hear that you are at your happy weight too! You can read my before and after page for more info.