Is this real life?!

WHOA its been so long since I blogged! Since going full-time with my coaching business, its been harder for me to make time for my blog but I am done neglecting it because I know so many people visit and want to hear how my journey is going! I can happily say that its going AMAZING and I really just cannot believe how far I have come in the last year.

So let me paint a picture for you so you know what September 2013 looked like for me. I had lost 55 lbs the year before but when I moved back with my parents it was harder for me to eat right, I used that as an excuse, fell off the wagon for a year and gained 53 lbs back. I was completely addicted to Taco Bell and fast food to the point where I would smuggle it into my room after work, eat in silence, then eat dinner with my family on top of that and not let them know I had just scarfed a cheesy gordita crunch, crunch wrap supreme and bean burrito in my room. I remember getting a second helping of dinner one night and inhaled it and felt disgusting afterwards. I bawled to my boyfriend about how pissed I was at myself for losing all my progress. I never went to the gym, made excuses like I was too tired and didn't have time when really, I just HATED the gym with the passion of a million burning suns. After trying and failing SO many different times - WeightWatchers, Advocare, personal trainer, counting calories, etc. - I just figured I was destined to be 230+ lbs. Nothing worked before, nothing was going to work, I needed to accept it.

But then I met my coach Lauren. We connected randomly through Facebook and she talked about these "challenge groups" she was running. She said it was like having an online support system, there were daily tasks to keep you on track, and even prizes! I was depressed and desperate, and even though I thought nothing would ever work, deep down inside I wanted something to work for me SO bad. So after months of going back and forth about it, making up excuses like not having money and just not committing, I found that all I ever thought about was how bad I wanted to lose weight and be happy with myself. When that thought consumes your mind 24/7, its hard to ignore it. I bit the bullet, bought my challenge pack and signed up for the group. It was scary, I thought this was going to be another failure but I wanted to try anyways, I had nothing to lose. My exact message to her on September 18, 2013 was "my goal is to have an awesome transformation Tuesday picture to show off one of these days!!!"

The group was exactly what I wanted and needed. I never realized until joining that group, having that support and accountability from others going through this journey also that support was what I never had before. I had no one to hold me accountable or push me on days when I didn't want to push myself. I never knew how important that support and accountability was, and once I had that for the first time, I found myself being more committed than ever before. I lost 11 lbs in that first group and felt amazing. I couldn't stop!! Being in that group in October 2013 changed my life, kickstarted this journey for me and was what I needed to finally be successful.

Fast forward a year and my life is different in every way.

• I no longer live with my parents, I have my own apartment and space to live, workout and eat clean in

• I am no longer 233.6 lbs, but 165 lbs

• I don't work a corporate desk job that didn't fulfill me, I work for myself as a coach helping others reach their goals without a boss, PTO, 9-5 hours, 1.5+ hours of commuting

• I no longer wear a size 16 but wear a size 10-12

• I feel great when I look in the mirror, rather than avoid them at all costs

• I am engaged to the love of my life!

• I make more money than any job I've had before

• I have a passion inside me to help others and feel like I have a purpose in life

• My health is a priority to me, and no longer an afterthought living on the back burner

• I am no longer hoping and wishing for a Transformation Tuesday, but my actual transformation has been selected out of thousands as being the most inspirational this month which won me $1000

October 2013 - September 2014

It is amazing what can change in a year just by taking a leap of faith and going for what you want. I didn't know if this challenge group would work, but I wanted it to work for me so bad which is why I said yes. If I had been scared and kept letting my excuses run my life, I would still be living at home, unhappy, unhealthy and who knows where. I'm so glad I took that leap of faith. It was scary but it was worth it.

For anyone out there who feels or has felt like I did a year ago, I hope this post just shows that you CAN get to where you want to be. You have the power in your hands and its not hard to do, it just takes consistency and time. If you are willing to put in the time and effort, then you will get rewarded for it in ways you never know. I have never felt confident about myself until now. Not because of how I look, but because this journey has been hard and I have proven to myself that I can do anything I set my mind to. THAT is something to be confident about. Stop wishing for what you want and start working for it. YOU are the only one who can make it happen. Where do you want to be a year from now?? The decision is yours.

Email me if you want to get started on your journey, I would love to help you get to the place that makes you happy, healthy and confident! Hit me up at alexaeatsclean@gmail.com!