Keyaira lost 103 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Keyaira lost 103 pounds by embracing healthy habits and a healthy mindset. This proud mom rejected the limits that society tries to put on mothers. She also overcame post-partum depression, anxiety, and a toxic marriage. Check out her journey.

My Motivation: Before starting my fitness journey, I wasn’t in the best state of mind mentally or emotionally, and certainly not physically. After having my son, I suffered heavily from post-partum depression. I had terrible anxiety, as well. I was in a very dark place with no energy to wake up in the mornings or even get out of bed during the day. Eating wasn’t something I was focused on at the time. When I did indulge, I would BINGE and eat past the point of a stomach ache.

My motivation came from my children. It also came from mothers like myself, who were suffering from the same things I was going through. More importantly, they were also suffering from the demands of not only being a first-time mother but the demands society put on us as mothers in general. I.E., Being told that you’re a mom, and you can only focus only on your children. Being told that you must give up on your “unrealistic dreams” and become more practical. What does that even mean!? I think the worst part (as if that wasn’t enough) was being told that because you had a baby, your body will never be the same! The constant struggle of trying to figure out not only who I was as a woman but who am I now as a mother weighed heavily on my heart.

At the time, I was also part of a very toxic marriage. With all these issues, I knew that if I stayed in the same state of mind and the life situation, there was a strong chance I may not be here, in the long run, to figure out either one! I wanted to be there for my children. I wanted to play, to run around, to nurture, and just be involved. I wanted to be able to be there for them as they needed their mom to be. A terrifying thought that crossed my mind many times during that year that I didn’t want to be here anymore because of how I felt. I knew I could no longer allow my mind to be clouded. I made the ultimate promise to not only my kids but for myself that I would fight for my life. On that day in 2013, I started my own 60 Day weight loss challenge.

Inspiration: My will to continue on my journey through those times when I was SO ready to give up came from those who constantly doubted my ability to succeed at what I set out to achieve. This included my own self-doubt. Those doubts sounded like, “Hey, you made it this far. That’s good enough. Just enjoy yourself now.”, or “That’s not a very realistic goal. People who look like that are the lucky ones. It’s not meant for normal people to do that”. Or my favorite, “You’re a mom, and you’ve had two C sections, so that will never go away!” My spirit is way too competitive. I was driven to prove not only myself but to others who were looking to me as their inspiration that anything is possible.

I’ve utilized social media to an extreme and made this a complete lifestyle change. I surround myself with like-minded people. I follow people online who do the things I do or want to do. I follow a ton of nutrition pages that have given me ample amounts of excellent, healthy meal ideas.

I promise if you put your mind to it, you can do it. This is the fire and fuel I use to keep going when I want to give up. M kids look to me, and they see me as their strong mom. There is no way can I let them down now!

Eating Habits: The nutritional part of this journey is probably the most complex for me. I know that I’m not just doing this for today or to reach a finish line. This is something I am doing for life. I have found ways to give myself balance when it comes to eating.

I tried many different eating plans, from the Infamous Keto Diet to meal prepping and carb cycling. All have had varied and very positive effects on my body and health. With time, I have found healthy and delicious choices that I can substitute for all the fast food and things I found myself addicted to. I still meal prep and maintain a pretty basic diet throughout the week.

I know that an even balance is the key. I treat myself to whatever I want at times. I have completely cut out sodas and fast food. However, I work hard enough that if I want it sometimes I’m gonna eat it! LOL. Again, a healthy balance is Key!

Workout Routine: In the beginning, I was your typical “Cardio Queen.” I ran about 1.5 miles a day and incorporated some light to moderate basic HIIT workouts into my routine. This consisted of things like jumping jacks, jumping rope, some planks, push-ups, and burpees. I would end my workouts with light core work. After completing my first 60 days, I was introduced to the world of lifting. I began incorporating strength and resistance training, as well as some CrossFit into my routine. I completely loved the change. That’s when I really noticed not only that I was dropping weight and building a body as well! About two years ago, I dedicated more time to my workouts, going from about three days a week to 5-6 days.

Through the years, I’ve had so many people reach out and ask me what I do or how I did it. I knew that I wanted my journey to not only be about my physical body. I wanted to find a way to give back and inspire others with my story. I recently started building my own brand KEY2FIT. I also do personal training independently as a way to uplift those who suffer from depression and anxiety. This has led to me working out twice a day, five days a week.

Weight Loss: I started my Fitness Journey in 2013 at 290 pounds. Today, I weigh 187 pounds. I’m still going hard in the gym, at home, or outside at the track to transform my BODY AND MY MIND. It doesn’t matter where it is; I’m there!

Most Important Lesson: We were all created to run our own course and set our own path. Trying to keep up with other people or with the ideas and views of society will always hold you back from your full potential. It’s not a race to see who can get there first. As long as you stay focused and put in the work, you will see results because you worked hard and put in your time.

Advice: Taking pride in not only your physical image but your health and self-worth, and making YOU a priority… this is the one thing in life that no one else can do for you. As you make changes and put in that work, you’ll see yourself transform. You’ll start to feel empowered because you know in your heart of hearts that you made it happen!

Weight loss, weight gain, toning, whatever it is… you have to want to do it for you because BAYBEEE, it takes a lot of self-discipline. There will be times when you want to give up. If you are doing it for other people, those are the times when you may fall short. Do this for you. Go for it, Baby Girl, because you are WORTH IT💪🏾.

Instagram: @fit_keyz