Healthy Living with Jilisa Ghareeb: No Easy Button

Happy March!  Spring is in the air; can you feel it?

Where’s the Easy Button

The seasons are changing and you are starting to think about swimsuits, tank tops and shorts.  You want the results now. You do not want to do the work and the research. You want the easy button (do you remember those commercials?).  I believe this is what we all want sometimes (maybe all the time). Someone else to do all the hard work for us.  When this happens though the reward is not as sweet and awesome. Sure, you get an answer, but it really may not be the answer you want.  You already know that everyone and every body is different.  What works for me may not work for you.

What works for the celebrity advertising the latest and greatest may not work for you either.   You follow someone on social and see the results they achieved, and you want those same results. You start doing what you saw them do and 2 weeks goes by, and you have not lost 30lbs, you do not have abs of steel, or those tank top arms and you quit.  You move on to the next thing and keep repeating the cycle over and over again.  Instead of quitting and repeating the cycle, learn from what just happened.  Start figuring out what works for you and what does not.  It is possible that something from over and something from over there works for you.  Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.  That easy button commercials are just like the Instagram before and after’s (you know, let’s skip to the good part) you watch every day.  Neither of those are showing the behind the scenes, all the work, the reality of what it takes to get the results.

Let’s Skip to The Good Part

My journey to a healthy life has no end and honestly, I don’t even know when it truly began.  When I was younger, I had a bad relationship with myself. I wanted to be just like all those tv and print ad models I saw…. skinny.  I am not even sure I knew what that meant for me I just wanted it. But the opposite happened, I kept gaining weight and eating whatever I wanted.  I did not take the time to learn anything about health.  When I found out I was pregnant with my first kiddo in 2010, I was over 200lbs.  I lost a little and then gained it back and then gained some more. I had my 2^nd kiddo in 2012 and a couple of months later I was the heaviest I had ever been.  I started working out and learning how to eat right for me and I lost a total of 70lbs in just over a year.  That was the good part.  And this is when you saw something like “wow, that is amazing” and “congratulations” and that’s it.  You saw or heard the before and after and think that’s easy. But what you don’t know about is the hard part.

The Hard Part

I am not going to tell you that the journey is the good part, and you need to slow down to enjoy it.  Because the journey is not always good, and you won’t always enjoy it. Often the bad days will outweigh the good days. And for every step forward there will be a few (maybe 2, 20 or 200) steps back.  There will be crying, happiness, anger, sadness, and frustration just to name a few of the feelings. Let’s circle back to the start of the work part. When I started this journey, I was at my heaviest; 218lbs.  The first weight I remember writing down though was 213lbs. I hated seeing that number on paper. It made it real, and it felt a lot heavier.  Naively I thought that because I was heavy and unhealthy that as soon as I started the pounds would just melt away.  Guess what?! I gained weight in the first 2 weeks.  My body was responding to the stress of change and that caused bloat and inflammation.  What a huge downer.  I was devastated and wanted to quit (because quitting is easy but is really?).  I listened to what my trainer at the time was saying, “trust the process”, “trust and believe (n yourself, in him)”.  I didn’t believe in myself, but I kept listening and doing.  I ended up losing 7lbs and I felt over the moon about it.  It drove me to keep going.  And I did, but not without a lot of trials and tribulations.  I would do great (working out and eating healthy) for weeks at a time and then fall off the wagon.  I would lose and gain, be happy and sad and go from wanting to keep going to only wanting to quit.

My main goal when I started was to be under 200lbs and the first time I saw 199lbs, I think I literally jumped for joy.  I couldn’t believe it.  I set my next goat of 180, then 165, then 150. I kid you not I think I saw every number between 213 and 145 and some of them multiple times.  Part of the good part was reaching every goal I set for myself.  In the beginning I thought that once I hit my ultimate end goal that I would be done, and somehow magically stay at that number.  Boy was I wrong.  I have learned so much over the years and I am still learning.  Other parts of the good part were learning that I was just beginning, that this is about being skinny and that there is no end and how that is a good thing.  Please hear me when I say that the before and after’s never stop. You are always changing so there will always be a before and after.  There will be lots of good parts and lots more hard parts.  Focus on the good parts but don’t forget about what it took to get there.  It is amazing when you discover how strong you are!

Oh! and one more good part, discovering all the yummy food!

Recipe of the Month:  Healthier Mint Shake

1 scoop Vanilla Nutrition shake powder or protein powder (I use Shakeology)
1 cup almond milk
1 or 2 drops mint or peppermint extract (start with this and add more if you need)
1-2 tbsp pistachio pudding
Lots of ice (I fill my blender cup)

Put everything in your blender and blend until smooth.  Top with a whipped topping and enjoy!

Move of the Month: Modified Man Makers

This is a total body move.  One rep consists of 9 moves.  Start with no weight or light weight.

Start in a standing position with the weights at your side.
Squat
Hammer curl
Shoulder press
(unfold the weights back to your side)
Side lunge right (frame your knee with the weights)
Side lunge left (frame your knee with the weights)
Squat to put the weights on the ground
Jump or step back to plank
Push up
Renegade row with a tricep extension on the right
Renegade row with a tricep extension on the left
Jump or step back to squat position
Stand up

This is quite the move, and YOU CAN do it.  Try it once with no weights and then try with 5lbs.  Work your way up in weights and the number of reps.  Let me know what you think!

Remember there is no easy button.  The hard work pays off in dividends though.  The reward is much greater and sweeter than you even know.  All you have to do is start and I am here to help you with that!

Jilisa Ghareeb has been a Beachbody coach for 6 years.  Her favorite part of being involved with fitness and nutrition is watching her clients change and open up a whole new world.  As a coach, she is able to help others by introducing them to a change that is often scary, intimidating, and full of “what ifs” to an encouraging and inspirational lifestyle full of “I cans”. She uses her own story to show others that everything is possible with hard work and determination.  If you’re interested in reaching out to Jilisa for more information you can contact her via email, on Instagram, or Facebook.