See life and light: August 2014

All of my favorite things are combine in one post. Hair, makeup, fashion, inspiration, motivation, and photography.
I have waited so long to share this incredible makeover story with all of you. Morgan and I got together for this photo session before I left Japan.

Meet the beautiful Morgan Williams

Age: 24
Height: 5’6.5”
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC

Before: 220 pounds, Over 46% Body Fat
After: 134 pounds, Around 19% body fat

Were you always overweight?
As a child, I was at the top of the healthy weight for my height. I remember getting teased by other kids about being chubby, but it wasn’t until high school that I became overweight. From 16 to 18, I went from 150 to almost 200 pounds and from a size 8 to a size 14. Then I plateaued for a while in college, but I was hovering that dreaded 200 pound mark. I decided that I never wanted to be 200 pounds again and over one summer, lost 15 pounds. I didn’t gain any back until I got married. Then slowly but surely, I gained all of the weight back plus 20 extra! I was considered in the “obese” category at the time I decided to lose weight.

Can you describe yourself before the weight loss?
I was unhappy. When people say weight loss is an emotional journey as well as physical, they are right! I think the most dramatic change I have had is with my self-worth. Before I lost weight, I didn’t value myself. I was always on a mission to prove myself to people. Honestly, I’m sure half of my weight loss was about proving to people that I could lose weight. But eventually I gained a clarity. I know we all hate cliché quotes, but this one is truly what I came to understand- “care about what others think and you will always be their prisoner”- Lao Tzu. I had to stop letting myself be defined by other people. People will always have something to say about the way you look or what you do. But at the end of the day, all you have is yourself! You have to define who you want to be.

What does this photo shoot mean to you?
This photo shoot is the culmination of my weight loss journey and the beginning of the rest of my life! I worked hard to lose all the weight, but fitness is a journey that never ends. This photo shoot is a reminder that I achieved a weight loss goal and am starting a new chapter!

Do you feel comfortable in your own skin now?
I feel 10x more comfortable in my skin now than what I used to. With that said, we all deal with weight issues and 95% of us are not happy with the way we look. Yea, I think I look great! I would not have let you take pictures of me in an itsy bitsy bikini if I didn’t think I looked good! But I think that my self-confidence is not the same as someone who is getting back to their smallest weight. This is the best I have looked in my life, and it is the smallest I have been in my life! I have talked to other people who have lost the weight, but grew up chubby, and have gotten the same feedback. It’s the idea that you always feel like the “fat kid” no matter how skinny you are. I know I look good, but on the inside I still have those negative thoughts that I’m “too fat for a bikini”. It’s changing the negative thought recordings that is really difficult, but definitely possible! I grow more and more confident every day!

Did you have any struggles?
FOOD! I love to eat. I find that I can work out all the time, but I cannot count calories all the time. With that said, I initially HAD to learn to count calories and HAD to change my lifestyle. In the beginning, this was so difficult. I had to take out soda, ice cream, fried pickles (I’m southern!), mayonnaise, etc. and figure out how to substitute. I had to learn to drink more water, have fruit instead of sweets, other condiments instead of mayo, etc. In the beginning it is all a learning process and that is really the hard part. Now, I have learned soooo much about food that healthy eating has become a part of my life!

Did you see results immediately?
No. It took me about 6 months to really work on my lifestyle and get my motivation together. My before picture was taken in September 2012, but in April 2013 I was still about 210 pounds. Once I started really cutting the junk food and working out hard, the pounds just started flying off. There were several months where I lost 10 pounds a month!

Can you describe yourself after the weight loss?
I feel amazing and have so much energy! My blood pressure and heart rate are down, and I can walk up stairs without getting out of breath! My perspective on life has really changed through this whole process. I have let go of things that I cannot change, I have learned to value myself, and I have learned to just be at peace with everything- to not live for tomorrow, but for today.

What keeps you motivated?
Fitness is never ending! I keep setting goals for myself- I want to get stronger, run faster, and be as fit as I can be. Every time I see overweight people in the gym, I am motivated to keep going as well. I keep remembering how hard it was to work out when I had the extra weight. So, I’m glad I can inspire anyone to lose weight, but you all inspire me as well every day!

Who was your biggest weight loss inspiration & why?
I kept looking at weight loss transformation pictures. I joined tons of social media fitness pages and would find other people who had lost weight through diet and exercise. I also watched Biggest Loser while I worked out. The biggest thing I kept in my mind was that I WAS NOT ALONE! Other people are out there that are struggling to lose weight and that have been successful! That is inspiration and motivation in itself!

What is your favorite type of exercise?
Right now I’m addicted to running, but my knees hurt a lot. So, I try to run every other day. I also like lifting weights- makes me feel strong 

Do you have an exercise routine?
I work out with a personal trainer once a week, but here is the general idea of my exercise routine Monday-Friday: Cardio-Weights-Cardio and Saturday: Only Cardio. Sunday is my rest day. I mix up cardio between running, uphill walking, stair master, and elliptical. For weights, my trainer writes personalized plans that focus a lot on my weak areas.

Have you forbidden yourself any type of food?
I definitely never drink soda and very seldom drink alcohol or other sugared drinks. I live by “don’t drink your calories, eat them”. There are times when I eat fried food or have sugared deserts when I go out to dinner. But these foods would not be part of my meal plan and they would be considered “cheat foods”.

What is your favorite & least favorite healthy food?
My favorite healthy food is salmon! During my entire weight loss, I couldn’t stand eating chicken every day. Salmon has healthy fat (omega-3 fatty acids) that make the fish moist and delicious! I think my acquired love of eating fish is one of the reasons losing weight has gone particularly well for me! My least favorite healthy food is pretty much every green vegetable- I’m a carnivore, what can I say. But I’ve tried very hard to expand my horizons on vegetables. Broccolini and broccoli rabe are pretty decent.

Do you have a trigger food?
PIZZAAAAAA! This is pretty much always my cheat food! I have my favorite delivery spot here in Japan: Pizza-La. I love cheesy, salty, fatty, goodness.

A type of food that is impossible for you to say no to or stop eating?
It’s probably pizza again. Pizza is probably one of the reasons I gained weight too. But let me say this- You cannot give up every food that you eat! Depriving yourself of everything would make you miserable. I decided what I could give up. I can give up oatmeal cream pies, box mac and cheese, pizza rolls in my freezer, ice cream, soda, fried pickles, and the list goes on… But ordering my pizza once a week makes eating healthy the rest of the week all worthwhile! Decide what food it is for you that you can’t live without and don’t! But little by little, take out the foods you can live without.

What was the most recent compliment/comment about your body?
I think the best compliments I have received have been about what my body can do. A couple people have told me they were impressed by how much I ran or how much I did on the stair master. To me, that is a true accomplishment. For someone who could not run a quarter of a mile a year and a half ago, but can now run 1.5 miles in 13:21 and a 5k in just over 30 minutes- the compliments about my fitness are the ones I love to hear. I want to be healthy, strong, and FIT!

What part of your body do you like the most, & why?
I love my eyes! My eyes have always been me and will be the same at every weight. At some point in our lives, most of us will struggle with weight. I definitely think it is important to take care of and love your body, but I also like to remember that I am more than my body! I love seeing the work that I have put in to taking care of myself through the physical changes. I especially love seeing my abs beginning to emerge! I hope my transformation, my story, and my body inspire people to move towards a healthy lifestyle!

What are your future plans?
I just received my Personal Trainer Certification and applied to work with the gym in my area. Through the process of losing weight, I have utilized personal trainers. My personal trainers have motivated me, held me accountable, and helped me believe in myself. Now, I really want to do the same for others. I especially want to work with overweight individuals, as I feel they may be able to relate well to me. I also received my B.S. in psychology and am planning to pursue a Health and Wellness Coach Certification in the near future. In the future, I will be tying together coaching with personal training to motivate individuals to make sustainable lifestyle changes.

Do you have tips for others?
Absolutely. Make sure everything you do is sustainable! I tried diet pills and crash dieting. The only way to lose weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle. If you aren’t doing any exercise now, just start with a couple days a week and add a little time every week. You don’t want to start with something drastic that will fatigue your body and make you hate exercise. Also, don’t deprive yourself of all junk food. Pick what you can’t live without and little by little get rid of the rest. And my most important rule: Make sure the junk food you pick is one outside the house! Meaning…Go out for ice cream, order pizza, or go out for wings. But DO NOT keep the junk food stocked in your house! Changing your lifestyle doesn’t happen in a day. It took me 7 years to gain 70 pounds and 1.5 years to lose 86 pounds. I’d say that sounds pretty quick! You have to realize how long it took you to put on all the weight and know that it will come off over time. Remember, you can do anything you set your mind to!

Morgan is an amazing woman, she recently participated on her first bodybuilding and figure championship competition. She wants to help others achieve their goals. You can check her Facebook page Here. Follow her journey and tips and of course show her some love.

If you know of anyone that might benefit from this story please share it =)

Until next time. With love,

Tamara