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    I Decide: 21 Decisions Every Woman Should Make to Achieve Her Weightloss Breakthrough
    I Decide: 21 Decisions Every Woman Should Make to Achieve Her Weightloss Breakthrough
    I Decide: 21 Decisions Every Woman Should Make to Achieve Her Weightloss Breakthrough
    Ebook184 pages2 hours

    I Decide: 21 Decisions Every Woman Should Make to Achieve Her Weightloss Breakthrough

    By Kara-Sue Sweeney

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    About this ebook

    I Decide is the weight loss book you've been waiting for. Addressing the areas that most weight loss programs omit, I Decide shows you how your Mind, Body and Spirit are not only connected, but how each has a direct impact on your weight loss efforts. A perfect companion to whichever weight loss program you follow, I Decide will help you not only lose weight, but become your best self in the process.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookBaby
    Release dateDec 28, 2015
    ISBN9781682229323
    I Decide: 21 Decisions Every Woman Should Make to Achieve Her Weightloss Breakthrough

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      Book preview

      I Decide - Kara-Sue Sweeney

      978-1-6822293-2-3

      AUTHOR’S PREFACE

      Every adversity, every failure, every heartbreak carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. - Napoleon Hill

      My Story

      Ever since puberty, until about two years ago (over 25 years) I have struggled with my weight. I grew up with two sisters, both of whom were skinny minis at least in my eyes and so were most of my friends. Living on a Caribbean island, meant frequent beach trips and outings and I remember spending most of those years being covered up. I always had a small upper body, but my trouble area: hips/thighs/butt was the bane of my existence. At 18 years old I went to Boston University and instead of gaining the freshman 15 I gained the freshman 25. Much of this weight gain was probably due to a combination of easy access to foods that we didn’t have in Jamaica and the fact that any temperature below 60°F was freezing to me and so I was always layered up! When you wear sweat pants and sweaters for months on end AND eat junk food like it was going out of style AND are not actively engaging in any physical activity, you simply do not notice when you start to pack on the pounds.

      Surely, by my first summer back home, I was trying every diet fad, pill or potion as I had done during my high school years. I was not yet aware of the definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. So for the next four years my weight yo-yoed. I think I was in denial about it however, as it never posed a real issue for me simply because during most of that time I was able to get away layered up in sweat pants and sweaters in Boston. Of course I still had my periodic bouts of frustration, like when I would go back home and everyone and their brother would feel the need to make a comment about my weight. Or when shopping for new clothes, I could be found crying in the fitting room because nothing fits.

      I finally had moderate success with my weight loss struggle right after I graduated college. But it wasn’t as a result of anything I consciously did. In looking back I realize that that was the summer I spent as a waitress at two very high-traffic restaurants. Clearly the job itself provided for much needed exercise and my meals (while they probably weren’t the healthiest) were small and infrequent throughout the day as I worked a lot of double shifts. This success was very short-lived. Soon thereafter I became pregnant and proceeded to gain almost fifty pounds during my pregnancy. Needless to say the struggle and yo-yoing continued after the birth of my child in 1998 up until 2006. It was then, during a routine trip to home for Christmas and hearing yet again the constant references to my weight gain from family and friends, I had had it. My weight had reached a (non-pregnant) high of 177lbs and I determined then and there that something had to change. I had to figure out a way, the right way to lose this weight once and for all.

      During the trip back to Boston, I had a layover in Miami and I bought every health and fitness magazine on the newsstand in the airport. I think there may have been about six or seven of them. I figured if I wanted to lose weight and keep it off in the healthiest and most effective way possible, I should learn from the experts. I then decided that I could not simply read one magazine (or 7) in one sitting and expect to learn all I needed to learn. It had to be a continuous process. So I bought subscriptions to each magazine so that in each subsequent month for the rest of the year I was reading everything I could on losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle. Repetition truly is the mother of all retention. I had an hour long commute by train each way to work and so I read; no, I inundated, ingested and submerged myself in the information. Before long I started taking action. My apartment complex had a small gym and so I started going, using just the treadmill at first. But as I read and learned about fitness I began using the elliptical machine which quickly became my favorite. My diet cleaned up as well. I stopped buying sodas, chips and other heavily processed foods and began buying more lean proteins, veggies and healthy snacks. My mantra became anything worth having is worth working for. I began to enjoy my workouts, yes I said enjoy! I also realized that while I was a foodie and relished different kinds of foods, especially sweet things, I was actually able to wean myself off the sugary foods. And by the power of my mind, I was able to convince myself that the not so tasty, (but healthy stuff), could in fact be enjoyable too. I endured many scoffs and chuckles at work when I would eat my egg whites at 10am for meal #2 and was constantly making bathroom trips because of how much water I was drinking throughout the day. But I didn’t care. I saw the changes and my new eating plan coupled with my 5am gym routines six days per week were paying off. I think I lost close to 15lbs following this new healthy lifestyle and then…I plateaued.

      For the next 6 years I maintained my healthy eating, and even raised my daughter accordingly. I was much amused one morning after my daughter had a sleepover. As I was making whole wheat pancakes for breakfast, she said to her friends, they’re whole wheat, but don’t worry, they’re yummy! I was a steady 162-165lbs and wearing a size 12, not exactly where I wanted to be, but I just couldn’t get motivated enough to push through the plateau, even though I knew what to do. During this time, I relocated and moved back home. Buying healthy food became quite expensive, unless you buy local produce and meats, which is what I did. But I still wasn’t making any progress.

      In January 2011 I eliminated alcohol ENTIRELY from my diet (a BIG deal for a regular drinker like me). In fact as of this writing, I still haven’t had even one sip of alcohol. This one action caused my weight to drop even more to a steady 150-155 and while I was happy for that, I still knew I could do more. But spiritually and emotionally I was experiencing a lot during this time and I even sank into a mini depression. I felt like I didn’t have a purpose. I knew intellectually that God must have created me with a purpose in mind, but since I was unaware of what it was, I felt useless. The image I held of myself was not a very positive one. Thankfully, during my magazine reading days, I became an avid reader. I began to spent inordinate amounts of time alone with God, searching the Scriptures and reading every book I could find, all in an attempt to learn, grow and understand…me. Shortly thereafter, my purpose was partially revealed to me. I was ecstatic! All I knew at the time was that it involved helping women improve themselves and live the Abundant Life.

      I became a Certified Personal Trainer in November 2012 when I realized that I could use all the knowledge and experience I had gained over the years to help other women in their own weight loss struggles. Getting my personal training certification was a great accomplishment for me, because I knew it was instrumental in my purpose. I quickly got clients and even a career opportunity to manage a new chain of gyms that had just opened. Spiritually and mentally I was becoming a new better version of myself. But physically my body, while OK in the eyes of most, just wasn’t the body of my dreams. I was wearing size 10, but my dream was to have a physique that looked like a fitness model. This is when I realized that good really is the enemy of great. I was seeing the real me but I knew what I wanted and what I could achieve if I just determined to do it.

      In summer of 2013 I entered a body transformation contest. I decided this was what I needed to hold myself accountable and to help push me through to my dreams. I re-evaluated my diet and made the necessary adjustments. I planned my meals ahead of time. I planned my workout routines at the beginning of each week, ensuring that I incorporated enough cardio and resistance training each week. For accountability purposes I told just about everyone I knew what I was doing, so that whenever they saw me, they would ask how I was doing on the program. And it worked! Then I made a vision board. It had the picture of Hawaii, which was the first place prize for the winner of the contest. It had my name above it announcing me as the winner and I imagined myself on vacation in Hawaii. Finally, I programmed my phone to alarm every hour on the hour from 7am to 8pm to remind me to say my affirmation. I am a Christian and so I incorporated my faith in this journey as well. Here is the affirmation I recited 14 times each day:

      "I am so blessed & grateful to be enjoying my vacation in Hawaii after winning this body transformation contest, since I COMPLETELY transformed my body, by the renewal of my mind, so that now I look like a fitness model. For I do what pleases Him and therefore He has given me the following desires of my heart:

      I Am the Winner of this Body Transformation Contest

      I Weigh 130lbs and have 14% Body Fat (calliper method)

      I Wear Size 4 (top and bottom)

      Then when I recited the affirmation, I would visualise myself in a cute purple (my favourite colour) bikini on the beach with the waves crashing on the shore and the smell of the sea and the flowers in the air. It is an awesome vision.

      When I wanted to sleep in and skip a workout, I pushed through and reminded myself that after a workout, no-one ever regrets doing it, but frequently we’ll regret skipping one. I tried to encourage my friends along the way, when they saw me shrinking. Someone even commented that I looked like high school Kara-Sue. That was wonderful. But my biggest thrill was shopping in Boston that summer and fitting into size 6 jeans!!! I kept looking back at the tag to see if it was right. I’ve never worn size 6 in jeans, not ever! I did not win the contest and I only lost 6lbs. But I gained so much more. Firstly, I increased my lean muscle mass so that even though the scale only registered a 6lb weight loss, I actually dropped two dress sizes! Secondly and more importantly, I gained a new me, healthier, leaner, more confident and self-assured.

      So here I am. It’s been more than two years as of this writing and at 5’8" I am weighing in between 145-150lbs, with 18% body fat (calliper method) and wearing size 6/8. It was short of my pre-contest goal, yes, but I learned that when you shoot for the moon, even if you miss you will land among the stars. What I gained after this competition was so much more. The Kara-Sue that existed before this contest has died. The new me is more confident, has a higher self-esteem and does not worry about weight any longer. I had to first become the me I always wanted and needed to be. I had to have a mind-set shift. I had to begin seeing myself in a new light, knowing deep down that I could actually achieve this. And the best part about this entire journey is how it has spilled over into other areas of my life. I am more confident in my work, I have a higher sense of self-worth among my peers and with my weight no longer consuming my thoughts in a worrisome manner, and I am free to focus on being and doing all the things for which God created me.

      So, what about you? I’ve shared my story with you in the hopes that it inspires you. If you found anything in my story that is similar to yours, know that if I could do it, so can you. My greatest desire is to fulfill the purpose for which God created me. I believe that purpose is to inspire, inform and encourage others (especially women) to invest in themselves, find and pursue their own purpose

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