Losing 20 in my 30's

cocosandswimwear
Mar 5, 2017
2 min read

If you've been following our travel stories you know I've been on the road for some time now, and let me tell you, dieting while traveling just isn't an option for me. Yes, it's an excuse, but I strive for balance and trying local foods is a big part of the experience for me. I have managed to put on a few pounds with all the noodle, rice, carb-mania of South-East Asia; thank God for the fruits and veggies!

However, my weight gain didn't start at the beginning of this trip, it started about a year before that when my graduate studies, work-life, personal-life threw me for a loop and I lost control of my balance. I have always been somewhat active, sometimes more active than others, but it's always a constant wave of ups and downs. At the end of 2014 I had reached a good balance of health fitness, family time, school and work. It made me feel energetic, confident and it gave me a positive outlook on many aspects of my life.

Here is snapshot of my initial "transformation". This was achieved through doing the nine-week Insanity program and a healthy diet:

Being healthy for me is not only about physical health but mental health. This past 1.5 years have affected me not only with my clothes not fitting, but my headaches and low-energy days have increased as well. I am turning 30 soon and my metabolism isn't getting any faster from now on, so I decided to make a decision and make it public to hold myself accountable.

I am a junkie for home video workouts and home guides. Since I am on the road, I brought a couple of DVD's with me just in case. My plan is to do a mix of one of these videos and another guide of body-weight exercises. My diet will wait until I get back home, but for now I need to be active to try to maintain, increase my energy levels, and avoid this continuous down-spiral way into my 30's. I have done it before and know that it is possible.

The first step is believing in yourself. Repeat affirmations of things you want to do. The second step is a plan of action. For me, it is these home videos and guides. The third step is executing this plan. This is where this blog will come in handy! I will continue to post travel updates but I will mix it in with updates on my fitness journey.

Above all of this, it is important to remind ourselves to love every step of the journey. Even the beginning of it when we take these not-so-glamorous "before shots". Let's be our own competition and motivation. Let's do it for a better version of ourselves. Don't quit. Don't give up, and of course, don't stop wearing your bikinis!

Last but not least, remember that happiness looks gorgeous on you!