{real life}

Real Life.

Up's. Downs. Good. Bad. Love. Hate.

I am always so grateful for what is thrown my way in life. If it's a negative, I do everything I can to find the positive in the situation. Not everyone does this, and it's not always easy to do of course either. But I hope this chapter in my blog inspires you to see that everything really does happen for a reason.

I find some very amazing and inspiring people in my life on a regular basis. It is amazing what unfolds when you really start to ask the Q's.

That is what Real Life unveils.

Meet Crystal. Shes a mom of 3, married, and has always put others in front of herself (like most moms and wives). Her story inspires me. I think it touches me mostly, because I have seen her through the changes she has made, and it pushes me to fight even harder in my own personal battles

Here is Crystal's weight loss story.

"Not wanting to be in family photos, not playing with my kids, always being tired, and not ever wanting to do anything was not enough (to make me try to lose the weight). It was finally when... I was saddened by my son coming home from school saying:

'Mommy, kids are making fun of me for having a FAT MOM'.

My son cant help how I look, only I can!"

Crystal had low self esteem during this point already, but after hearing that, she knew what she needed to do. She reached out to people who she felt that would give positive reinforcement. She needed to hear that she could do it from someone besides herself-her only support system. The people she reached out to gave her things to read, books to listen to, and the courage to keep going even if she "had a bad day and went right for the bad food in the middle of the night". These people became her 'comfort food'.

Her realization of what had been happening all this time, came after examining herself during her transition to a healthier lifestyle.

"... I cant believe how much of my life I have wasted, the people that I've pushed away, the memories I have not made with my kids."

Now, she feels happiness from the new people in her life, the memories she is making with her children, and the new person she is becoming.

Crystal has created a lifestyle that works for her, with inspiration from the books she has read. The book,"Skinny Bitch" a New York best-seller(http://www.skinnybitch.net/) , is what Crystal kicked off her weight loss with. She took bits and pieces from the author's words, and adapted those into her daily life. Creating a menu of items that she enjoyed has helped her maintain a healthy diet.

"A normal day of food is... a banana, 1cup cinnamon burst cheerios with 1/4 cup coconut milk, 100% whole wheat bagel thin with 2oz of protein, 1/2 to 1 cup of mixed fruit (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, grapes, orange or banana) 16 reduced fat wheat thins, carrots, peas, asparagus, parsnips, red potatoes, 2oz of protein, spinach with mushrooms and tomato, oil and vinegar, and lots of water."

Working out at least 5 times a week at the gym and busting a move to Zumba (an amazing & fun work out in itself), keeps her on the uphill climb to her weight loss goal of losing 108 lbs. I know that it has taken a bit to find what works for her, but I have no doubt that she will keep fighting this battle.

After my interview with Crystal, I concluded something out of her answers that I found very inspiring.

Sometimes people just need you to listen. They want to tell you what their emotions are, they want to hear themselves say words that sound so crazy in their own mind just for a form of release, they want to know and feel that someone cares about them in a way that requires nothing physical or demanding. Sometimes no words, can be stronger than just any words. That seems to be when I learn the most, when I hear myself talk (or type, like this blog has done for me).

Its hard going through the world as it is, but to feel like you are going alone without anyone asking where you are going and how you will be getting there....., can be damaging.

AJ