Update: Rhonda has dropped 45 pounds

Update: My Sigma Gamma Rho soror Rhonda has dropped 45 pounds.  That’s 25 more pounds since we featured her story back in December 2013.  I asked her to share with us about how she has transformed her body.  She has shared in depth about what step she’s taken to lose body fat, tone and gain muscle.  Her weight loss transformation is amazing and she looks great. Read her update and check her our on Instagram: @massrhoyalty22

Since my last update, I am now down a total of 45 lbs. The most noticeable change over this last year is the muscle I have put on and the body fat I have lost. I am so excited to share with you how I accomplished it!

I Prayed

You have to stay connected to your source, if you don’t, distractions and excuses will creep in and dominate your journey, and ain’t nobody got time for that mess!! Tell God the desires of your heart and He will give them to you.

I visualized how I wanted my body to look

Visualizing how you want your body to look is so very important. Save a picture from Instagram in your phone or cut out a picture from a magazine and place it on your vision board. No matter how you do it, keep the vision of your new body alive and in the forefront of your mind.

I Believed in myself

This is a tough one. You have to believe in your ability to succeed. Speak positivity over yourself every day, no matter what you are going through. Thoughts become things, so think great thoughts about yourself.

I lost the excuses

There will ALWAYS be a reason not to accomplish your goals…there is NO EXCUSE good enough to excuse away your happiness. Buckle down, dedicate yourself, and go get the body you want! YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE WORK YOURSELF! No one can do the work for you.

I was consistent… I trusted the process…I kept going

If I can say one thing about being on my overall fitness journey that has totally changed my approach to succeeding it’s this…you have to trust the process. If you don’t see the results you want to, trust the process, if you are seeing results, but not like you imagined, trust the process…so what is the process? The process is the actual biological and physical change that your mind and body is forced to go through with body fat reduction and muscle sculpting. Your biology has to catch up to what your mind sees and what your body does, so be patient, don’t give up on it, be consistent and trust the process!

I CHANGED HOW I THOUGHT ABOUT FOOD

I looked as food as fuel to charge my training instead of comfort. Here are the guidelines I came up with and use.

1. Eat according to your fitness goals: Employ good calorie deficit habits in direct correlation to the weight you want to lose.

2. EAT CLEAN, EAT CLEAN, EAT CLEAN: If it didn’t have a mother or if it didn’t come from the ground… don’t eat it more than once a week.

3. Eat a vegetable with every meal: Tomatoes, avocado and mushrooms are awesome at breakfast

4. Drink water with every meal: Water will be your servant if you allow it. It will be a magic potion for your muscles and flush fat like nothing else you consume.

5. Never, ever overeat: Overeating is the #1 cause of obesity. Stick to your portion sizes like you stick to a budget.

6. Protein is your ally: Whether its whey, veggie, soy, egg or meat protein find one that works for you and your lifestyle and make sure you get a sufficient amount of it each day. It cuts cravings and keeps you from unwarranted snacking.

7. Enjoy your food: Don’t allow food decisions to stress you out. You can eat healthy and still enjoy your food, find great recipes that you enjoy making and eating.

8. Eat foods that will encourage BM’s: Yes, it’s a sensitive topic, but moving your bowels is a VERY important part of fitness. Most people who are overweight carry at least 5 lbs of bowel waste. So if you aren’t moving your bowels every day, you aren’t eating the right foods, or losing weight.

9. Eat your heaviest meal early in the day and your lightest meal at night: Having a big breakfast/lunch and a light dinner will jumpstart your metabolism
10. Meal Plan/Prep: Those who fail to plan, plan to fail. Prepping your meals for the week on Sundays will take the guess work out of what you will eat if you have a busy lifestyle. It prevents eating off of your plan and keeps you honest when hunger strikes.