One YEAR Anniversary!!
It is official. Today marks the one-year milestone on my transformation! I am so proud of myself. I have worked out everyday for the last 365 days. Yes, that means holidays and days where I felt under the weather. I wonder how many people can say that?
I just can’t stop writing how proud I am of myself. I know it sounds egocentric and narcissistic. Okay, I will stop now with the self-love.
Yesterday, I went to Busch Gardens for the first time. I don’t like roller coasters and they don’t like me. I NEVER could fit in the seats. Also, I was terrorized that I was going to die. I also never been on a roller coaster that went upside down.
Well.. until today! I put on my big-boy pants and just went for it. I have a fear of rejection. Whether it comes from people or my butt not fitting in seats. This fear causes great anxiety in my life. When I sat my tush in the seat and it fitted… MAGIC! I was like “I have this.”
Are rides worth it? Does 30 seconds make up for an hour in line? I don’t know! I am glad I rode rides but it wasn’t like the best thing ever. Glad to experience it but I rather do other things with my time.
Speaking about long lines. I was in line for a haunted house attraction. The wait was over an hour long. After waiting 10 mins in line, I saw people step out of line to leave. I turned around to two girls behind me and told them that this shows our character. Are we the type of people in face of tribulation to quit and walk away? or are we the type of people to endure and persevere under harsh circumstance. I think that is why I have been successful this year because I have the ability to dig deep and bring myself out of darkness into the light.
Tomorrow, I start my week long diet. I bought 20 dollars worth of fresh fruits and vegetables to hopefully last me 2 days. I know for certain that I will be eating a ton of apples everyday and I won’t mindlessly snack after work. I most likely won’t even stay up after work. I will probably get the most amount of sleep this week because I don’t want to feel hunger pains.
This colon cleanse work best when you are not starving. I predict that I will most likely have that feeling all day. Ugh, I am nervous but excited at the same time. just like riding a roller coaster.
~LaRell
So… When I gave you the ‘Jocktober’ challenge I forgot to mention how scary gyms can be. I mean, it is another world. It doesn’t matter what job you have or level of intelligence. To get respect, you have to use proper techniques. However, being new to the gym is very intimidating especially if you encounter the four types of these people.
Jocktober Begins with this new vlog :)
My Dallas Trip
My Trip to Dallas
I just want to give an overview of the trip before I get into the specifics. I loved my weekend away from Va. It was relaxing, amazing and I really can’t think of words to describe it.
Air Flight
Okay, so remember how I made a big deal about me fitting into the seats. Back Story: A couple years ago I was on a flight in which I couldn’t snap my seat buckle in. I hid the belt under my shirt to not make a scene. I was embarrassed and felt like dying. On the plus, travel motion makes me sleepy so I got to hide the reality away in my sleep.
Fast forward to today, and a 140ish pounds lost. The first sign that I knew I would be okay was the seat in the terminal. When I sat down I had room to my left and to my right. I was excited to finally sit in the real seats. When I boarded the plane and I sat down, the first thing I did was snap my seat belt.
It clicked!
With extra slack too. I had to tweet the photo immediately. If you are reading this and you saw a strange, yet happy, black man take a photo of his crotch before take-off, you now know why.
Can I be honest with you? Okay, so I fit in the seat- check. But the real test was to see how I would do when I am sitting next to someone. In all of my 4 flights, no one sat next to me. In 3 of my flights no one sat in my row. Where was this luck when I was fat? Really guys I finally prepare myself and I get rewarded with the gift of row privacy.
Anyways, I am extremely happy that I can fit width wise in the seat. Now for my legs, this is a different story. Dear Airlines, some people are over 6 feet tall. Some people need leg room. Thank you for your non-consideration. ~Love, LaRell.
Goodbye Diet
I totally told my diet to See You next Tuesday, literally. I returned to Roanoke on Tuesday and that’s when my diet returns, supposedly. I told you guys about my friend, who is like a brother, Micah. Our friendship is basically surrounded by food. When I was a sophomore, us and two awesome chicks would sit in an all-you-can serve Caf.
This is my first time in Dallas and I wanted to get the full experience. This means I am going on the Texas Diet. This diet is full of Tex-Mex, BBQ and everything unhealthy. I ate out practically every meal. I had my first Whataburger sandwich that weekend. I basically didn’t care what entered my mouth because it was my break from my diet.
Now, I am paying for all of that. My metabolism is HIGH and it wants me to eat more and more food. But it’s not the good food that I crave; it is the greasy, buttery food. It also doesn’t help that the weekend I come back to Roanoke the Greek Festival is alive.
Okay readers, I am doing a new diet starting October 1st. I need help to find out which diet to do. This is where you guys come in. Tell me of a good colon cleansing diet and I will try it out and see if it works. The worst thing is that I have an oral food allergy so I can’t eat uncooked veggies + fruits.
Color Me Rad 5K Run
This is what you guys probably want to hear from me about. I trained for 2 months for this race. Let me tell you, that training was pointless. This race was not a race but a party. There were kids, kids in strollers, people walking and people lightly jogging. Since I run 3 miles every weekend on the Roanoke Greenway, I ran past these people like no one else’s business. The tempo of runners was so slow that I ran around people like a real life FROGGER. There were stations were people got blasted by colors and some stations I ran behind because there was a line, a hold-up of “runners.”
The best thing about the race was that I got to see my friend, Brittany. I wrote on my Facebook wall that I was going to Dallas this weekend. She encouraged me to run this race. I accepted but forgot to actually communicate back with her to see what time she was going to be there or when her heat began.
I was about 2/3rd done when a woman tackled my side, It’s Brittany! ((no b*tch) sorry I had to…) Anyways, I slowed down and chatted with her for a bit and she commented on my weight loss. She was another person who hasn’t seen me since the start of my transformation. It is weird seeing people of the past see me because I physically changed. I feel like a Pokemon metamorphosing to the next level.
I had fun at the 5K but I really want to run a serious 5K race now! They are fun, exhilarating and endorphin-releasing good times. I ran the 5K in 32 minutes which is a really good time for me. I am thankful for all the training because I know I can run if a zombie apocalypse ever happened.
The next day I was in my college town for a visit. I asked a friend to go running / jogging with me. You see it’s running to me but jogging to him because we ran at my pace. We ran 4 miles, the longest I ever ran. After our exercise session I was dying. I can’t believe how physical I have become in less than a year.
I started my diet October 14th 2011. I have one more month to make it a year. A former roommate (who was my BEST roommate ever) asked me if I really lost weight. He was extremely happy for me and asked me how I feel. I told him I am scared. I am scared for my future - if I can hold the weight off and I am scared on the change in my life. How will I readjust to something that has been a constant in my life? I always been the fat kid or the overweight guy. It is hard to comprehend my body now.
Yesterday, someone asked me what my body shape was. I had no idea how to respond to that. I texted my BFFs and one said ‘LOL idk any more’ and the other said ‘average’. I never been ‘average’ so in my head it’s not making sense. I am totally confused.
For now, goodbye. But seriously, If you know of a weight loss diet or colon cleansing diet send me the information to LReynolds@WDBJ7.com. Thank You so much :)
Dentist Day
Okay, so I haven’t been to the dentist in 5 years. My braces were removed the summer before college and I never returned, until today. I know, I am horrible. What makes it worst is that I did not have the best oral hygiene growing up. Literally, every cleaning turned into, “We found another cavity.” I have had my fair share of cavities growing up.
So I walk in today feeling nervous because I don’t know what to expect. The last year or so I have been doing a BETTER job at brushing my teeth daily. I had positive thoughts that I was only coming in for a cleaning… NOPE!
The Dentist workers (I dont know their actual job roles, Ortho-hygienist Enthusiasts???) forced me to take an X-Ray of my teeth. When that X-Ray hit the black light board my heart dropped.
Holes, Holes-Holes…HOLES holes, Holey holes! My teeth looked like the landscape from the Shia Labeouf movie, Holes. I had like over 15 cavities or “dental repairs.” Some were bad, but a lot were small gaps.
I felt horrible. I wanted to just crawl in a dark-cold place and just meditate of how much of a failure I have become. I blame my fat self. I blame the 3 dollar southern style chicken meals at McDonalds. I blame Tacobell. I blame the Arnold Palmers at Sonic. But mostly, I blame myself for allowing all of that food to enter my body.
After hours of drilling, sawing, numbing, poking, gargling, spitting, and cleaning, my top left side is repaired. I have to come in later to do the top right and another to do the bottom.
When the assistant was cleaning up the station she asked me if I drink soft-drinks. I responded with a No. She was shocked and thought I was lying to her. She then went down the line of asking if I drank, coffee, tea, Gatorade and I denied the intake. She said she couldn’t believe that I only drank water. (before I continue, remember I have not been to the dentist in 5 years. I have spent 4 of those years drinking all the bad stuff but lately I have been clean)
For Proof I showed her a picture of what I looked like a year ago. She was stunned and she immediately sought after her phone. She showed me a picture of herself at a bigger state and we shared a genuine moment.
When former fatties come together or share stories, it is like an indescribable power that overtakes you. You share this special bond with a complete stranger. One moment I hate her because she is causing so much pain in my life, or mouth, and the next we are almost tearing up because of the fight to stay healthy.
That moment, that special moment, I really wish I had given her my information. I wish I had a business card or just a simple card that had the information to this blog so that we can stay in touch.
I am going to ask you, my readers a very simple question. Do you think I should carry cards with my blog information? It will be a simple way for people to have access to the link. Write your opinions or simply email me at LReynolds@wdbj7.com
If you have any topics or questions that you want me to discuss please send them over to my email.
~LaRell
236 lbs Weigh-In
This past month has been crazy! I lost 9 pounds which is awesome. I also have been carrying around a secret. A few weeks back, I decided to plan a trip to see one of my best friends in Dallas, TX in September. I posted this on Facebook and another friend asked me if I was interested in a 5K run. Without much hesitation I signed up. This 5K is a color run. Its called ‘Color me Rad’ the website is right here. Basically, for the duration of the 5K, I will get bombarded with different colors and at the end of the race I will look like a rainbow flag had thrown up on me.
A 5K is a little over 3 miles. That is 3 miles of running/jogging/walking. I am striving to avoid the later. I don’t run! I love my elliptical, I use it practically everyday. How am I suppose to RUN 3 MILES???
A workout plan!
Friends advised me to follow a simple schedule to get my body conditioned to run for 3 miles. Its called ‘the couch to 5K running plan’ which will get your body in shape for a race. In 2 months, you are transformed from a couch potato to 5K marathon runner.
Good plan, But will it work for me?
Two weeks ago, on a Saturday morning, at 8am I decided to run… OUTSIDE. Now, I have ran on a treadmill before and I usually run a mile, walk 10 minutes, then run the remaining 3 miles. I am dead afterwards, but I can do it.
I get out of my car and I use this amazingly awesome iPhone app, Nike+, to track my mileage. I just start to run / jog around a local Roanoke park. I am running…doing my thing… trying to catch my breath. I am determined not to stop and walk.
I am chugging along and I hear ‘I completed 1 mile’; I feel great. I finished that mile in 10:30 something. Okay, you have to understand where I am coming from to fully understand this. In PE class in high school, I could “run” a mile in like 16 minutes (with me running the curves and walking the straights). So I am overly impressed with my time.
Apparently, its a ‘thing’ to run at the park on a Saturday morning. Who knew? There were so many other runners with all different shapes, sizes and ages. They were my motivation to keep going. I see a shirtless guy and I am like, ‘I can’t wait to get that body’.
I did it! I ran 3 miles without stopping. I completed it in 33 minutes. This is Cray-Cray because I was going to train so hard for this 5K but now I know I can complete it in a decent time.
Today, I ran 3 miles and completed it in 34 minutes so i am staying on average in my run. i know the first run wasn’t a fluke. Also, I am running on a trail that has few incline shifts. I just hope the one in Dallas / Ft. Worth is flat.
I am training hard so I can kick this 5K in its…
for now,
~LaRell
I’m Pregnant, Man
I seriously think I am pregnant some days. Yes, I know I can never, technically, be pregnant therefore I wouldn’t know what pregnancy is really like. I am basing the below on watching shows like ‘Secret Life of The American Teenager,’ ‘16 & Pregnant,’ and ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ (Kourtney stays forever preggers)
*Food Cravings*
Just like any other pregnant woman, I have the strangest cravings. One month all I crave is cinnamon, and then guacamole, cookies n’ cream, and finally buffalo ranch. Its like I crave something until my taste-budsget sick of that flavor.
*Frequent Urination*
Okay, this is totally my fault. Ever since my diet all I have been drinking is water. I drink a lot of water each day and that means more trips to the bathroom. It does compare to the levels of pregnant women, though…
*Back aches*
Oh yes, my back hurts all the time now. I blame it on my sleep. Fun Fact: when your fluffy, you have cushion all around you. Now imagine going to sleep with a natural cushion surrounding your body. Sleep is wonderful.
Now imagine that fluffiness is gone and your are sleeping on top of your liver and spleen. YUP, you will get back pains because sleeping becomes a nightmare (see what I did there) and you have to sleep in weird positions just to fall asleep
One the same note, I commend the thin people on the world for their abilities to sit in a chair. Sitting on my bum becomes more and more difficult as my cush over the tush dissolves. I can feel by bones scrape the wood on chairs. Sitting is not fun anymore…
I had it good… those were the days :(
*Emotional Wreck*
A wise person once said,
“Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don’t shoot their husbands”
-Elle Woods.
Eating better, getting runner’s high, gives you this positive outlook on life. You feel and act better. But then there is the crash when everyone is so annoying that you just want to hit them in the eye. I wouldn’t say I am a violent person. but some days, if thoughts could paint, I would be Picasso.
Also I become so indecisive. I am worried about my future and my future self. If I should eat that food or not. Is it okay to consume or resist. AHHH!!!
*Stretch Marks*
So apparently I forgot that I have stretch marks all over my body. You see, I have stretch marks on my stretch marks. I was a huge balloon, like the ones in a parade. Now, I am slightly deflated and my stretch marks are like rivers of a map on my body.
Every night, I cocoa cream it up. I have to do it to try to keep my skin tight and to help the marks fade. Also it helps prevent new ones from embarking. Fun Fact: If you lose weight fast (guilty) you will get new stretch marks.
Skin is a meanie and you have to treat it nice or it will be viscous to you.
*Raspberries*
I am hoping none of my coworkers are reading this part. I feel that ever since I started eating healthier, my farts have gotten…poisonous.
Shocking, I rarely eat pinto beans. I once ate those beans during dinner break and I felt like that woman’s stomach in Alien. Something was going to pop out of my stomach and it was not going to be pretty.
I am an offender to some of the top gas-producing foods:
Green Beans
Corn
Onions
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
I feel like my *raspberries* are worse when I eat healthier foods then when I ate McDonalds / TacoBell last year (in which they are garbage to begin with).
I have been on this lifestyle change for 9 months now. I may not have a baby, but I am bringing a new life into the world, my own.
~LaRell
Always Look To The Future
I Look at the picture above and think how crazy my life has turned in the last year. Now, before I start, I have to say I didnt start my weight loss / transformation until October so it hasn’t been a year yet.
Continuing on, last year at this time I was unemployed, eating my feelings and pretty much miserable because I was unemployed. I had a life decision to pursue the news industry or go into the entertainment industry. I was leaning more to entertainment and had plans to move to Los Angeles. The picture was taken at the Newseum in Washington, Dc. My visit there reignited my love for news.
Fast Forward to today and I am living the best of both worlds. I work at a news station while writing entertainment blogs. My health is like AMAZING! Considering how unhealthy I was just a year ago, it is so surreal to look in the mirror or stare at new pics.
This post may not be all about weight loss or fitness but its a reminder that we should not box ourselves. You can do anything if you put your mind into it. this could mean weight loss, or a new career, or even a move to a different environment. You are the change in you and you can change who you are. Nothing will stop you unless you let yourself stop you.
Ignite. Empower. Dare… yourself to achieve your dreams
~LaRell
