MY PERSONAL STORY... Gains... Losses... Gains

On the left is when I weighed 246 and had just moved to Atlanta. I had lost 29 pounds on the right and was feeling like YEAH!

My story of my struggle really spans my whole life. I started my life in a military family. Mom stayed home and cooked every meal and pops did his military thing. So my brother and I never had an issue with weight. We were the typical kids who played all day after school. But when I was about 10 they divorced. So now my mom had to get her hustle on and get a job. This is the point where we started eating all kinds of fast foods, Chinese fried rice, cakes and snack cookies, and everything that was processed. It accommodated her new busy lifestyle, but bwoy... we got FAT... me and my brother.

Then I remember in the 10th grade, I took a personal fitness and weight training class. After running so much in this class I started to lose weight. I was like, really? And it felt great. I knew this is what I needed. So I tried out for the basketball team and made it. Was I good, not really. But I kept losing weight and looked awesome!! So I was hooked, until the next year when I had to get a job at Taco Bell. I had to quit basketball. Now I had easy access to all the wrong food. All my gains were lost and I continued to feel it every time I had to up the size on my work pants.

Throughout college I would go to the rec center and exercise some times. I knew I should do it, but didn't really have a consistent plan for it. So whatever gains I made were quickly lost in the studying and pizza and Applebee's chimi-chimi cheese cake desserts. I was gaining weight but I did not understand how to take control. I knew it was happening but I didn't stop to make a plan for my health. I remember my senior year working full time at Taco Bell closing shift, working a part time gig as a camera operator, and going to school full time. It was a heavy load. I was stressed. I was kinda depressed too. I started suffering from anxiety issues and was advised by a school counselor to join a sister to sister support group that really helped me get through the rest of the year. It balanced me, but I still continued to gain weight.

So after I graduated I remember going home to work. I started working on my weight. I would walk/run the track for about 3 miles. I was eating Wheaties for breakfast daily. Then someone from the community asked me about coaching little league softball for some girls age 8-10. I was like, sure. The season lasted maybe like 6-8 weeks. After this was over, I don't know what prompted me to get on the scale but during that time, I managed to lose 8 pounds, and I wasn't even trying. I understood that staying active is a huge part of losing and maintaining a healthy weight.

I moved to Tampa and started a career in Television and Film. I remember gaining weight once again. Ughhhhh. So this time I remember jump starting my weight loss by juicing veggies like cucumbers, beets, greens, and some other things. I lost 8 pounds in 3 days. I was like wow... I feel so fresh and so clean all down on the inside. I ended up losing about another 15 pounds and everyone at the TV station kept telling me how they could see the gains. I was like YEA!

So then I decided to pursue my Masters in Entertainment Business. During this time in school I ballooned up to 246 pounds. The heaviest I had been. I was so depressed. I could not believe I really let myself go. I needed to lose weight and make it a part of my life. So that's when I came up with the whole concept of my Big Boned Fitness® regimen. I started a blog and with the dance skills I had, I started creating little workouts. I wanted them to be fun and sexy. I wanted to walk away feeling WONDERFUL!! I graduated with my degree and since I wanted to teach others this new workout regimen, I got certified as a Primary Group Fitness instructor with AFAA. And I was 246 pounds at this time, but I knew my fitness.

It took me about 8 months but I got a job in Atlanta. I moved here with every intention to launch my brand here. I got hooked into the local People TV station and started airing workouts and dieting clips on my show Big Boned Fitness TV. It took me about 9 months but in between working and living, I lost 29 pounds. I was like... I knew I could do it!! So I made an entrepreneurial move that set me back 4 years. I wanted to launch my production business and start networking and got an office space in Atlanta. Along the way, I got into a relationship with someone who needed many things. He had so many things in his life that needed repair and I went to work. I helped this man get huge boulders of his back, but in my need to feel needed, I lost focus and stopped moving forward with my brand. And I lost everything I had built for myself here in Atlanta... my car... my apartment... my full time hustle gig, my office space, and my relationship. And it took 4 years before I was completely restored. I mean like... I'm living out of hotels, office spaces, subleasing apartments for months, and sleeping on homegirls couches. It was a LIVING HELL... but I kept it moving. I came to Atlanta for a purpose.

So now here I am restored and I still have this desire to create a place where obese, seriously overweight, and morbidly obese folks can come together and openly discuss issues that affect them when it comes to fitness. During those 4 years I gained exactly the same 29 pounds I lost. So I'm starting over, but with a better attitude and a low tolerance for #bullshit. So if I seem a little on edge it's because I'm not going back to the place where I started. I've been there and it is miserable. I'm working to reach my goals. I refuse to let in any more distractions. Only opportunities. So now let these 21Day Challenges continue... I'm rolling into challenge 3 and I'm enjoying the ride rediscovering me again. So until I finally arrive, I will Live, Eat, and Exercise today for a better me tomorrow!!

Muah! Much Love from KararD

---