Dr. Geneva lost 50 pounds

Dr. Geneva lost 50 pounds. After years of traumatic losses, she became a mother at 41 through adoption. She became concerned about how her health and energy levels would affect her ability to parent. Her sons are her motivation. In the course of transforming her life, she has run in twelve 5k races and two half marathons. Check out her journey.

What was your motivation?
I became a Mom to my adopted children at age 41. It was a very late start to my motherhood journey. After years of traumatic pregnancy losses, it was finally my turn to become a mom! It didn’t happen the way I planned it, but I wanted to get it right. I grew concerned about my health, quality of life, energy levels, and overall ability to parent my boys as I continued to age.

My boys are my motivation. They keep me strong, alert, and active. They take great pleasure in asking how many miles I ran for the day. They cheer me on at every one of my races. I do it for them, and I also do it for me. Weight loss and increased physical activity have positively impacted my self-confidence and overall emotional health. I have a Ph.D. in Counseling, I run a mental health private practice, and I teach at a University. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that I can’t truly be helpful to others if I’m unable to first HELP MYSELF!

How did you change your eating habits?
In order to make the necessary changes to my body, I first had to determine what was making me unhealthy. As I began the journey, I realized that the food I ate was not only killing me, but it was also the root of my long years of infertility. I did the one thing I never thought I would ever be able to do: I eliminated sugar, pasta, rice, bread, and potatoes from my diet. I came to grips with the fact that these foods were not conducive for weight loss. I also researched methods of eating that are connected to my blood type and phenotype. In this search, I discovered that the consumption of chicken (yes I said it, chicken) is not right form my blood type.

Tell us about your workout routine.
I initially started my workouts with Shaun T’s CIZE dance videos. Then, I went for a walk in the local park with my kids one day and realized that I enjoyed walking in the park. The next week, I dropped the kids off at school and decided to go for a stroll in the park. I continued to do it every day during the week (at a very slow pace of course). Eventually, I found myself walking for more extended periods of time. My husband made me a 6 hour “Dirty South – Atlanta” mix, and I walked to the pace of each of the songs.

I started out walking 3 miles to running 5 miles. After several months, I received encouragement from one of my clients to register for a 5k race. I was terrified because I felt inept. I spoke to my husband about it, and he encouraged me to go for it. Well, on a very cold Thanksgiving morning in 2017, I ran my first 5k. After that, I was hooked. Since then, I’ve run in 12 – 5k races and 2 half marathons.

What was your starting weight? What is your current weight?
My starting weight was 197 pounds, and my current weight is 147 pounds. My height is 5’2″.

When did you start your journey? How long did your transformation take?
I started in January 2017. It took 7 months.

Is weight loss surgery part of your journey?
No weight loss surgery.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
As black women, we have been socialized and trained to focus on the needs of others, while neglecting ourselves. We’ve received generational messages that our validation is established in how well we care for our children, our families, our spouses, our homes, and our jobs. All while never really learning the value of proper eating, exercise, and self-care. We construct our regular “to-do” lists to meet the needs of everyone around us, and we are often last on the list. I’ve learned that it’s okay for me to make myself a priority. To take charge of my physical health so that I can be a good mom, a good wife, a good friend, and a good therapist. I’ve found the thing that works for me, and I hold it sacred. I don’t let anyone or anything interfere with the time I need to engage in self-care. I’ve also learned that it’s not selfish to do this, but it’s actually a sign of wisdom and growth. Yes, I may be the oldest mom with a toddler in pre-k, but I darn sure don’t look like it, and I surely don’t feel like it either.

Instagram: @drggray