Inspiration is essential for our journey and fortunately, it can be found all around us. Can a 235 “fat girl” become a 142 lb winning fitness competitor? Or a 40-year-old corporate woman become a hot swimsuit model? Or a 307 lb man become a marathon threat? Of course the answer is a definitive yes, but did you know that the examples of these kinds of amazing transformation are practically endless?
Once I started looking, I’ve found them virtually everywhere—online, in books, in real life. One of my objectives at this site will be to locate and share with you inspirational stories, the real-life proof that anything can be accomplished when the will is great enough.
Todays inspiration is Debi Straley, a mother who at age 41 after a summer of weight gain, decided she was going to get in the best shape of her life. In the video here, Debi talks about what motivated her transformation—“You have to get mad at yourself. You have to get mad at the fat.”
A big part of Debi’s focus has been on “clean eating.” And, she recommends Tosca Reno’s book, the Eat Clean Diet. When you listen to her video and hear her say that maybe she’s started to eat too many “egg whites.” Don’t be alarmed. You don’t need to go as far as she does in cleaning up your eating if you’re not planning on becoming a swimsuit model. Still, general clean eating principals are essential in order to make great progress in transforming your body. They include:
- Eating 5-6 small meals per day
- Drinking a lot of water
- Always eating breakfast
- Cooking healthy meals
- Packing healthy meals
- Making healthy choices when dining out
- Eliminating refined sugar
- Eliminating alcoholic beverages (or significantly limiting them)
Debi’s Training philosophy is “consistency and intensity,” and she believes that almost any exercise program with those two elements will guarantee results. It is significant to note that Debi’s own training consists almost exclusively of weight training, and she admits that she does little cardio, after discovering running was not something she enjoyed.
Making sacrifices and having flexibility to adjust are critical to success because, as Debi says, “It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.” Check out more of Debi’s videos at the “workitoutfitness” channel on You Tube and get inspired at what the will can accomplish. Then, if appropriate, get mad at the fat!
