Whoohoo, im excited today to be featuring one of my long time friends! She tacked her weight and won the battle with incredible weight loss, thus i just could not pass on interviewing her. i am excited to share her passion with everyone
Tell me about yourself:
I’m a workout fan. I can’t honestly say I love working out, I’m probably honestly one of those folks that do it out of vanity (lol) and sheer necessity. It makes me feel good and I wont lie, it looks good to be fit. I’d say I like the benefits and the feeling, not so much the pain lol. That being said, since I started exercixing seriously in July 2006, I dont think I’ve gone a week without excercise. Fodd on the other hand is till honestly one of my big struggle area I’m trying to get a hold of. I don’t eat very well or healthily. I seem to have found a system thats working for me for right now. But it’s def in need of a change just for longevity sake and for health sake. I’m aware of portions and what I’m consuming but I honestly could use some major improvements in the food department lol.
How did you get into working out?
I grew up in Nigeria and honestly knew nothing about healthy foods, exercise, calories, nutritional facts, etc. All i knew is i liked food, I would eat when I came to America for holidays, go back to Nigerian boarding school and drop the weight I gained just like that! Then came 2001 when I moved here after secondary (high) school, then the weight just kept piling and piling and piling… I probably went from maybe about 160-170lbs when i first came to my highest weight of 245lbs in July 2006. Between about 190lbs and the 245lbs, I would try to excersie and diet here and there, lose a few lbs and gain it all back again (and then some). It wasn’t until July 2006 that I prayed to God about it, for the strength, grace and help to start the journey to lose weight one final time and God answered my prayers beyond my wildest imaginations (as of that time. I TOTALLY DID NOT see it getting to where he has helped me get to now). I started exercising daily and cutting my portion sizes and educating myself about food, exercise and discipline. Grateful for that!
What motivates you?
To be honest, food motivates me. I love food soo much, It motivates me to work out so my great love affair does not kill me!!! lol. I also want to look good. I want to look a certain way to be honest, and I pray God gives me the grace to continue to do what it takes to care about how i look. Another motivator is family; Family is a big deal to me. I want to be that mom/wife that is healthy and able to do things with my husband, children, grandchildren etc while feeling and hopefully looking good and healthy all along the way. I want to live a life for God the best way possible and that includes my trying to take care of myself as best I can to be the best for him and others around me. Make yourself a priority and those around you that you love will benefit from that!
What is your nutrition like?
Lol. I think i answerd this already above. hmmm My nutrition is mot great. I’ll be honest. I eat white rice every day still *covers eyes* I will not advise this to anyone. It works for me because of my current state of mind and workout schedule (which is kinda ridiculous) but even i know it is totally unsustainable. I wont say too much so people dont think its okay to eat bad;y and just assume they can work it out because that is not true. For sustainability sake and so you dont yoyo up and down, a healthy lifestyle all around is best and healthiest! I try, i make efforts to be a healthy eater and I WILL get a hold of it soon. Cos i have to!
How often do you workout?
Right now; I aim to workout 6 days a week. Most weeks i succeed, But I must end up with no less than 4 days a week. When i was loosing the weight tho, i aimed to workout 7 days a week, minimum of 5 days a week and most days, I did two-a-day workouts (in the morning before work/school and again in at night after work/school before bed)
What is your workout routine like?
Right now I do a minimum 4 days a week (most weeks 5-6days) of incline treadmill (4.5miles for an hour). Then I do at least 4 days a week of muscle work; either muscle tone home workout dvd’s at home; I have different ones for abs, lower body, upper body, total body, pilates, etc OR at the gym, i’ll take either bodycombat class (mix of kickboxing, cardio and tai chi) or bodypump class (bars and weight circuit). I LOVE BODYPUMP to tone muscle. Or i go for bootcamp classes once in a week or so (I just recently started taking these). So to summarize: Cardio about 4-6 days a week and muscle tone/sculpt at 3-5 times a week
How do you measure your success?
I measure it based on if I’m able to keep up with my minimum number of days a week I set out to work out. Whatever the scale says or doest say, I keep going for my set goal of days worked out and workouts completed through the week. Sometimes the scale reflects great, sometimes it reflects terribly. I just keep going into the next week. My food success on the other hand… ummm hmmmm!!! God will help me wiht that one lol
Favorite cheat meals
Burgers, fries, Rice (I dont know if it is a cheat meal cos i eat it like all d time smh)
Advice to people trying to get into fitness?
Find the BEST way to do what works for you. Lots of people have advice, don’t ignore the good advice. Try it out, and find what works for you and what makes you the best, then do that. And you’ll improve YOUR best over time. Make it YOUR own. What works for CSG may not work for me and vice versa. Take the good advice, challenge yourself to be better than your best effort, and stay consistent with improving! If you fall off, get back on whenevr you realize. It’s a lifelong lifestyle, and think about it… what other choice is there anyways?! stay stagnant and get worse?? nah!!! Get back on it!
How can we get more information about you?
I guess you could always email me at [email protected]if you have any questions or comments directed to me, I’d love to hear it and help out however best I can 🙂
Well done Bimbo!!! very good job, keep it up 🙂