Everyone Has a Day One...

... and sometimes multiple! 🤷🏽‍♀️

Helloooo my LIVely fransssss!!! It's been so damn long since I've sat down and written a blog post. I can't believe the last time I posted was six months ago. There's been so much going on in my life, mix that with a little bit of writer's block (🥴) and woooosh there goes the time.

Anyways, it feels good to be inspired to write for you all today. It's currently a Saturday evening and I'm in a hotel room awaiting my next 3 day trip which begins tomorrow.

On the last leg of my last trip I decided as soon as I got off the plane and checked into my hotel, I was going to the gym. It's been about a month and half since I worked out last. In my last post "Year In Review," I told you all that one of my goals for 2022 was to re-align myself with my wellness goals. Though I've tried hard to remain consistent, there's been so much change and obstacles that have kept me from truly committing to this goal. No excuses, it's just life. However, I'm not giving up.

For those of you who have known me a while, you probably know that I first began my wellness journey when I was a freshman in college. I would workout 3, 4, even sometimes 5 days a week with some friends but my diet was still terrible. Sometimes I would leave the gym and walk down to the McDonald's that was conveniently located at the bottom of the hill from my school. 😂 I didn't even truly know what to do in the gym, but thankfully I have a lot of athletes in my life who assisted lol.

First Private Transformation Picture

My primary goal was to lose my double chin that I had and tone up. So I began my journey and I was very consistent in the beginning, I started to see results. So I kept going for a while and shared my results on social media with the following picture.

First Public Transformation Picture

Shortly after this picture was shared, I joined my sorority and during that time I learned how to have and maintain a more healthy & balanced diet. Soon after I crossed I was at my thinnest and probably healthiest I had been in my entire life. I had just turned 20 and I was feeling and looking amazing!!!

May 2017

However, after crossing I got very complacent. I took all the hard work and dedication that I put in for granted. I was drinking & partying a lot, not eating well, and definitely not sleeping enough. I fell off not only with all the things I learned about healthy nutrition, but also with my commitment to working out. Gradually I started gaining weight back, feeling slow and sluggish. I didn't notice it much at first. I finished out my college career without getting back on track.

Later when I started my first "career" job as a restaurant manager, my job offered gym membership reimbursements and I decided to get back into the gym. Not because I noticed any weight gain, just to maintain a healthier lifestyle. So in January of 2020, I got back in to the gym 3-5 times a week but made no changes to my diet. When the pandemic hit and the whole world shut down I was so upset because I had just gotten back into my groove with consistently working out and I was slowly seeing results. However, I had my mind convinced that there was no way to continue working out with no access to the gym. EXCUSE.

At this point, you might guess that I have a slight issue with disciplining myself. 🥴 Guilty as charged lol. I have always struggled with self-discipline and maintaining a routine. As a kid, I lacked structure and consistency and that carried over to my adult life. It's something I'm working on even now at 25 years old.

However, when I finally decided in my mind that the pandemic was going to be around for a while and that I would not have access to the gym, I decided to give home workouts a try. I started out with utilizing the Nike Training App which was recommended to me. I used a program called "Ignite & Inspire" by Kristy Godso. This program was beginning, intermediate, and advanced friendly. She gives different modifications for each workout to match any level of fitness that you are capable of. I've done this program twice since and I love it!!! Definitely recommend this program for anyone looking for a place to begin or even just something new to incorporate in your current workout plans.

At the time, I was also was introduced to Herbalife Nutrition. I was committed to their wellness plan and saw results beyond any I had ever achieved prior. My health took a huge turn for the best. I even was a distributor for a while with the company. Although I took a step back from that, I still love and use some of their products. My favorite 'til this day is their Protein House Blend Iced Coffee mixed with their French Vanilla Formula 1 Meal Replacement Shake. While I was a distributor I learned a variety of different healthy snack options, meal prep ideas, and more.

Though my journey with physical wellness has been anything but linear - I'm still extremely committed to it and as long as I get back on the horse when I am able, I still feel like a winner. I'm a firm believer that you never fail unless you completely throw in the towel. I'm still learning every single day about proper ways to workout and nutritional wellness, and I will never stop learning and growing through this journey.

Life is about learning and growing. I will never be scared to embark on a journey to better myself because it is always me vs me. I don't compare my journey to anyone else's because I don't know what their life is like and they don't know mine. So if I fall off 9 times, I will always be sure to stand up, dust it off and keep pushing on the 10th time.

If you're reading this and struggling with starting a wellness journey, I have a bit of advice.

1. Go for it.

2. Don't be afraid to fail.

3. Don't be afraid to ask for help. This is super important and I'm BEYOND grateful for all the people who have assisted me in my journey.

4. Don't compare yourself. Remember the journey is always you vs you. No one else nor their results matters to YOU and YOUR results.

5. Research - workouts, meal plans, nutritional information.

6. Budget properly; eating well is expensive.

7. Find a supportive community to keep your motivated.

8. GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No matter what your wellness goals are, they are obtainable! I hope reading a bit into what my journey has been like will somehow motivate you to either start your journey, get back to your journey, or keep going. We're all just trying to do the best we can for ourselves. Don't let the unrealistic idea of perfection cloud your path.

Until next time,

Liv A Little ♡