Makeover series (Jennifer Moltan)

I really enjoy sharing empowering stories from amazing women with all of you. I might just have to turn this hobby into something else. The possible ideas are endless...For now here's another wonderful makeover story.

Meet Jennifer Moltan from Gulfport, Mississippi. A mother of two sweet wonderful kids, married to a sailor, and living in Japan. She's 33 years old, super funny and down to earth.
Jennifer did a 30 day challenge based on a Paleo diet and won for most noticeable changes in a before and after photo. The prize Jen won included a photo session, hair and makeup. She has lost over 20 pounds, and continues working hard to lose more. I hope you enjoy her makeover.

Before-After

Medical history of Diabetes, High blood pressure, and Cholesterol run in her family. She decided it was time to make some changes and started exercising and eating healthier.

Next are a couple more questions I asked her.

Has food played a big role in your weight loss?

HUGE. If you want to lose weight it's 80 percent of what you eat and 20 percent exercise. You are what you eat. I'm a coke.

What part of your body do you like the most and why?

My hands because they feed and clean me.

What is your favorite exercise?

CrossFit. I love the challenge.

There were pretty flowers all along our walk to the park where the photo session took place.

What was the most recent compliment/comment about your body?

My friend told me my legs were looking more defined in muscle.

What keeps you motivated?
When I flex and see how awesome my muscles are. CHA-CHING!!!

 I think that B/W pictures give an old glam look. Kind of makes her look like a famous movie star don't you think?

Do you have tips for others?

Eat well and exercise. Your body will thank you later for it.

One of her favorite quotes "You have to take the good with the bad, smile when your sad, love what you got and remember what you had... Always forgive but never forget, learn from your mistakes but never regret, people change,things go wrong, just remember, life goes on…" ~Unknown

Thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read. If you like these series or anything else you find here please feel free to share.
I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions or suggestions please comment below.

Until next time.  

With love,

Tamara

Makeup series...

If you missed my post on Morgan's incredible makeover story you can read it Here.

Today I would like to share the products and tools I used to style Morgan's hair and makeup. Oh, yes, I did that too ;)

 Even though I'm not a hairstylist I did managed to create some beach waves on her hair.

She's model material don't you think? 

Same hair and makeup just different lighting. I used a gold reflector for this shot.

Let's begin with the tools I used for hair:

-Hair Brush

-Hair Spray Sebastian Shaper

-Curling Iron (I own the 1inch from Hot tools)

Celebrity hair stylist Sherri Belanger wrote about blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons on her blog. I learn great tips from her site.

Makeup:

-For foundation I mixed Mac Full Coverage in NW20 and NW40

-Eyebrows Lancome pencil in Sable

-For eyeshadows I used Soho and Behind The Counter from the Too Faced Loves Sephora palette. I received this limited edition palette for my birthday from my sister and is no longer in stock :( but, any soft purple and taupe color will do.

-From the same palette I used the blush, Who's Your Poppy? You could also use Nars in Orgasm.

-Lips Mac lipstick  in Creme D nude and Mac Creme Sheen Glass in Boy Bait.

I hope you find this helpful. Thank you for stoping by. Until next time.

With love,

Tamara

Before and After Makeover!

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

"Memorial Day" Makeover Edition.

Hey everyone,

Let me start by wishing you a happy Memorial Day weekend. today's post is very special to me as it marks a new phase in my life.
Since I was a little girl I have loved to do hair and makeup on others. Making others feel beautiful has always touch my heart in a very special way. I remember how my aunt will have me color her hair and I would do hair do's and makeup on my cousins. I'm not a hairstylist but I do love how they can transform even the most unmanageable hair into perfection. I have always loved the pictures in magazines because everyone always have perfect hair, makeup, nails, wardrobe, accessories, lighting and a perfect location. When I started to take pictures I wanted for my pictures to look just like those in magazines. The more I read about photography the more I understand how photographers and makeup artist are each others best friend, and that's how I decided to become a makeup artist. 

I would love to work doing photo shoots involving makeovers. I dream of collaborating with photographers, hairstylist, makeup artist, and wardrobe stylist to help deserved women get their dream photo shoot. Wouldn't that be fantastic?! I might need the help of Oprah Winfrey or Ellen Degeneres to make that happen LOL. Meanwhile I have decided to start doing it on my own. Yeah, you read that correctly.  As I move from place to place I get to meet amazing inspiring women. I decided to start using the talents God has given me. The spark started when I read a quote that said "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." That's when it hit me I'm here to help others. I'm here to help women see the life and light inside of them, so it may shine from the inside out. 

I met a wonderful and beautiful woman not so long a go. She wanted to do a photo shoot and wanted me to do her makeup. Once I heard her story I knew instantly that I wanted to do it, and I asked if I could feature her here on my blog. I want to share a little bit of her story with all of you and we both hope her story inspires you in many ways.

Meet Justine Insonia
Age: 36
Height: 5"6
Birth place: Denver CO 
Occupation: Administrative Assistant/Personal Trainer
Weight before: 180 pounds 



Where you always overweight? 
No, I was extremely skinny in high school and all the way up to the age of 26. I started gaining weight in 2006 by drinking beer and eating chicken wings, pizza, burgers, pasta and list goes on...

Can you describe yourself before the weight loss? 
I wasn't ever happy the way I looked, when I went shopping for clothes the things I wanted would never look right on me. I was confident to a point but I would always hide my feelings about how sad I was about my weight.

What motivated you to lose weight? 
I was tired of gaining weight everyday and I knew it was a choice I would have to make. If I would not have made the decision back in January 2011 to stop living unhealthy I would be over 200 pounds by now for sure. I knew I wanted to be fit and healthy because you can't get any younger but you sure can decide how you want to get older!

What would this photo shoot mean to you? 
It is a turning point in my life, this photo shoot will always remind me of how hard I worked to get to the level of fitness I am at today, and to never let myself slide! I want to show to all those people who are just starting out on their path to a healthier self and fit life, that it is possible and every step you take towards your goal counts!! Don't stop fighting for you dreams and goals!!!

Justine at 128 pounds now…

Do you feel comfortable in your own skin now? 
Absolutely, I would have never ever put on a half shirt for a photo shoot and now I feel so good about my body. I'm proud to show people what I have accomplish and all the work I have done to get here.

Did you had any struggles? 
I've had many, many struggles. I started weight loss plans many times and they worked out for maybe 2 months and then I was right back to where I began. It was the eating habits that had to change and that is the hardest part.

Did you see results immediately? 
Absolutely not, it took me at least 1 month to begin to see any changes and they were small, I never got on the scale because it will mess with your head so stay off. As soon as I stopped the treadmill, elliptical, and picked up the weights I saw results faster than ever before. You will not get bulky, you get cut and sexy!!!

Did your family support you in your weight loss journey? 
Oh, yes! My husband has been so wonderful, he is an amazing Chef and when I decided to eat healthier he started cooking healthier for the family. Everyone encouraged me everyday on my journey to a healthy fit lifestyle!

Can you describe yourself after the weight loss? 
I am more social and happy to go places! I feel amazing, I rarely get sick or have headaches (which was an issue before). I love how having a healthier lifestyle has impacted other aspects of my unhealthy behavior, like drinking alcohol. I rarely drink now because I know it will interfere with my workout and the way I feel the next day. I think clearer, I have more energy and I love waking up everyday!

What keeps you motivated? 
The way I feel now, looking at pictures of myself before and knowing how unhappy I was behind that smile. What motivated me the most was the comments from people that tell me I inspire them and have helped them to know that it is possible, it is right there you just have to go get it!

Who was your biggest weight loss inspiration & why? 
I don't have 1 particular person but I will have to say watching the Biggest Loser.

What is your favorite type of exercise?
CROSSFIT it has pushed me beyond my limits and has shown me there is always more to achieve!

Do you have an exercise routine? 
I do Crossfit at 5am almost everyday of the week unless my body tells me otherwise after Crossfit I will do my weight training routine.

Monday: Chest & Biceps & 30 min Sprints.
Tuesday: Legs.
Wednesday: Back & Triceps & 30 min Sprints.
Thursday: Glutes.
Friday: Shoulders & Traps & 30 min Sprints.
Saturday: Functional Workout meaning tabata or interval training.
Sunday: Rest Day.

Have you forbidden yourself any type of food? 
Sugar that is the worst thing to set you back.

What is your favorite & least favorite healthy food?
At this point I would honestly have to say I do not have a least favorite healthy food, and my favorite healthy food is Kale Chips!!!

Do you have a trigger food? 
Mexican Food enchiladas smothered in cheese!!!

A type of food that is impossible for you to say no to or stop eating? 
My husbands fruit tarts!!!

What was the most recent compliment/comment about your body? 
Someone told me I look very fit and I like that word "FIT" not skinny but they noticed I am strong and healthy!

What part of your body do you like the most, & why? 
I will have to say my face because I see the true happiness radiate from my smile and my arms because I am starting to get some GUNS =)

What are your future plans? 
My family and I are currently living in Japan and we are two months away from moving back to the U.S. I'm going to college to become a nutritionist, and plan on being a full time personal trainer.

Do you have tips for others? 
YES, it does not matter how much you work out, if you do not change your eating habits you will not get your full potential to the surface! When I first started losing weight a friend and I were talking and I said "if I can only get to a size 7/8 I will be happy". My friend said "yeah, I don't think I can see you any smaller", but now I am a size 2/4, anything is possible. Think about it, is that candy or french fry going to make you happy? Maybe for a moment but after you eat it do you feel bad? Believe me once you start changing your eating habits you will not crave that food anymore, there are a lot of addictive things in the food that are not healthy for you and that is what keeps you coming back. Once you eliminate that from your body you will start craving the good and clean food! Make up your mind just make that decision to live healthy and happy not for anyone else just for YOU!

Doesn't she look like the Mexican actress Maria Felix? Check some pictures of her here and let me know if you think so too.

She also served 4 years in the U.S Navy and her husband is also an active duty member. Thank you both for your sacrifice and service.

Did you like this post? If you did, please share it with others. Someone out there might be needing to read this. 

Until next time.

With <3

Tamara