How I lost 50 lbs in 6 ½ months.

Let's flashback really quick. October 2013. I remember I was sitting on my bed in my room, with a plate on my lap, totally clean after getting my second helping. I felt grossly full. I felt disgusting from all the food I just ate. I felt disgusting knowing that the amount of food I just ate was way more than I needed to eat. I felt awful because I had gotten to such a great place a year before that, and now I was back at square one. No exercise, eating whatever the hell I wanted. Busting out of my jeans. Tired. Upset. Disappointed in myself. I started crying because I realized all the hard work I had put in a year ago was completely gone. I was so mad. I had been blaming my environment for a year and no matter who or what I blamed it on, it was me that was eating that food. On top of this, I was living with my parents, doing a job I wasn't that passionate about, not making that great of money for being a college grad. I just didn't feel like I was living to my full potential. I felt stuck, in a rut, and I needed something to get me out.

Left: 2012, after working hard to lose weight. Right: 2013, after gaining it all back.

I was on Facebook one day checking into a group my friend had invited me to called Get Fit 2013. I saw a post from a girl saying she was running a challenge group and if anyone wanted to join, to let her know. I didn't know this girl, but the words challenge group interested me. I had never been a part of a group before, and I needed a challenge or something to get me going on this journey again. I told her I was interested. After chatting back and forth, I decided to join her Eat Clean Train Mean group that started in October. She told us to weigh in, take our measurements and our before pictures. I was mortified and embarrassed when my boyfriend handed me the phone to look at my pictures. How had I gotten to this place?? Nonetheless, I was changing once and for all. I told my challenge group that this was it. It was the last time that these measurements would be true for me. I was ready to go.

I loved having the support of the challenge group throughout that month. I loved to check in and do the daily challenge question. I was sometimes the only person responding on some days, but I just loved the accountability of the group. It gave me something to work on everyday and think about. After that first month, I was down 11 lbs. I couldn't wait to keep going with my journey, so I decided to add in a fitness program - Focus T25 - and keep my results up. It was then that my coach Lauren asked if I had ever thought about coaching. Now I kind of had a bad taste in my mouth to be completely honest. As most of you know, I had done Advocare the year before, and though the 24 Day Challenge helped me to lose weight, I sometimes felt pressure from the people above me to step way too far outside of my comfort zone than I was ready for. I felt like I was selling those products, and felt bad telling people about them because my main prerogative was to get to the 40% discount level. I didn't have a lot of guidance when it came to that business. I just wanted to get the discount, which is why I did it. Once I reached the highest discount level, I stopped talking about it because I didn't feel the need to share it with anyone anymore. After my not so great Advocare experience, I told Lauren I would be a coach for the pure reason that I wanted my Shakeology cheaper, but as far as actually coaching goes, I wasn't so sure. She told me that was fine, and continued to support me through the holidays as I joined more of her groups. For the first time in years, I LOST weight over the holidays. How does that even happen???

October 2013 to December 2013

I was loving how much progress I was making just from having support and accountability. I loved the friends I was making in the challenge groups, and I loved that I felt like I had support for once in my life. I was already sharing with people my love for Shakeology - the nutrient dense superfood shake that basically eliminated my junk food and Taco Bell cravings. I wanted everyone to know how great this stuff was! Lauren came to me again and asked if I had thought more about becoming a coach? I looked back at the last few months being in these groups and the positive results I was getting. I felt motivated, inspired, driven and excited. I WANTED to share about Shakeology and T25 because they were getting me results! And I thought that running my own groups would be kinda fun. So I told Lauren I was ready to start this coaching thing for real. She signed me up for the next Coach Basics class and I was off. Through coaching, I have met so many incredible people on our team that have become such great friends to me. I feel like I have a family behind me that is always there to motivate me when I feel done. I LOVE to tell people about Shakeology and challenge groups because there is nothing I believe in more in this world. Unlike Advocare, never ONCE do I feel bad for sharing my love for these products or feel like I am selling anything because this is what works for me, and I want to help others get results like I have. How do I do that? By recommending what has worked for me and helping to support them 100% of the way. I am a coach, not a salesperson, and that is why I love what I do.

As I continued to share my story, work through different programs and coach others in my own groups, I realized that I had a passion for this. I had a passion to help people reach their goals and get in shape. Seeing my challengers post, "I'm down 10 lbs, I can't believe it!" makes my heart full. And seeing emails from people saying that I have inspired them is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Being a coach has kept me on track because I want to set a good example for everyone that felt like I did 6 months ago. No matter where you were before, or where you're at now, the one thing you can control is where you are going.

So after several programs and challenge groups, here I am, 7 months later, down 53 lbs and for the first time, completely excited about life.

This opportunity to become a coach wasn't an accident. This is my calling and what I'm meant to do with my life. I'm not meant to be unhappy, overweight, sitting at a desk, staring at numbers all day, feeling unfulfilled, unmotivated, unhappy, never able to travel or go on a single vacation with my boyfriend, buy nice things. I am meant for more. I am meant for the life of my dreams.

Devin and I have been together for almost a year and a half now and we have never been on a vacation together. That kind of makes me sad. But lucky for us, I've already earned an all-expenses paid trip to an all-inclusive resort in Cancun for 5 days and 4 nights. I guess thats a pretty great way to spend our first REAL vacation together :) All because I love to help people and it makes my heart full to do so. No gimmicks or tricks...I work hard, and I get rewarded for it. That is the kind of work I personally like to do. Not the kind of work where I bust my ass at a job for over a year just so that I can MAYBE get a $1 raise - which, oh yeah, equals out to be an extra $40 a week. Awesome, thanks for the tank of gas. I work my ass off everyday because I want to help people just like Lauren helped me. Look at that picture above. Do you know how amazing it is knowing that I was able to change myself from that to THAT?? I couldn't have done it without my coach, my team, my challenge groups, my Shakeology and my trainers. And now, I want to pay it forward and help others realize that they can change too. I am no different than you. I am just like you. I just decided to say YES when my opportunity was presented to me.

So, back to the title of this blog. How did I lose 50 lbs in 6 and a half months. I think you all know the answer to that by now. What you may not know is that what I have gained is so much better than what I've lost. I have gained a passion to make a difference in this world. To make lives better. To inspire and motivate people. And by doing that, I am in turn designing the life that I want. I don't have kids yet, but when I do, I swear to you all right now that I am never putting them in daycare. My parents both worked and it sucked going to that place everyday, or coming home to a nanny. I'm not doing that to my kids. I want to teach them the importance of being healthy. I want them to also enjoy their youth and take them on vacations. I want all of the things for my future kids and my life that 6 months ago I didn't think were an option for me. I have gained dreams, goals and HOPE that my life is just starting.

Are you happy with where you are in life? Be it your health, your finances, your relationships, etc. If not, what are you going to do to change it?? We all have the power and ability to have the life of our dreams. Focus your energy on what you want in life, and you will be attracted to it (The Secret). Stop wishing, and start doing.

If you are interested in learning more about what I do as a coach, shoot me an email at alexaeatsclean@gmail.com!