Fitness Inspiration: A Black Woman's Success Story

We can all use a little inspiration now and then. It is good to know that all those mornings (or nights) in the gym will pay off one day. I promise you ladies just keep eating healthy and working out and you will get the Healthy and Fabulous body you are working for.

Fellow Blogger Dominique Carter from Lipstick Manual has shared her story with us. Enjoy!

Fly Fashionable Fit by Lipstick

My journey all started with a glimpse of myself in this picture after going for a hike with my Yorkie, Rambo.

I couldn’t believe how bloated and fat I looked and like they say a picture is worth a 1000 words. All I could see is a FAT GIRL. smh I decided right then and there to do something about it and I did. This was back in spring of 2010. I began working out by hiking every weekend at Kennesaw Mountain in Kennesaw, GA. The first 10 lbs just melted away with ease. I was loving it! Don’t get me wrong, hiking is super hard especially when you are not in shape but it was totally worth the pain. I also changed up my diet and started eating more veggies and fruits and less bread and sugars. I cut out whites all together and replaced them with brown for sugar and rice. I even felt better too! Then in the midst of the summer my weight went from 155 to about 140 and hit a plateau. I was bummed and couldn’t figure out what to do different. I guess my body got used to my usual routine. I was told by my workout buddy that she started incorporating green tea in the morning and before bed to break her leveling out so I did the same and it worked! I drank Tazo Green tea tips every day and more water to get my lil engine going. I also dabbled in a detox by Clean Start before my vacation and took this picture below on the beach in Mexico (no Photoshop needed) ;0)


Now I weigh 135lbs and subtracting. I still have about two handfuls of fluff to get rid of. lol Yes fluff that’s what I call the fat in my tummy lol So there you have it. Since I’m in transition anyway I didn’t have the woes of most women when it comes to exercise and their hair. I either wear mine flat ironed or in bantu knot outs for the most part. These two styles seem to work fine for me. Another great addition into my routine has been circuit training. I first started to mimic Zuzana from Body Rock TV after my weights in the gym. She rocks and I love her moves. Now my workout partner and I have adopted the Shape Training methods to go from an H shape to an X shape or more commonly known as an Hourglass figure. You can purchase the book online at Amazon.com. Now that the spring is near I will be exercising outdoors more often including the track, hiking and swimming. My diet consists of grass fed beef (steak), all sorts of veggies, legumes, and fish. I do indulge in treats like Italian ice cream by Talenti. I also do a lot of research by way of documentaries and books on foods. I decided to visit local farms in my area this Spring to purchase fresh and organic fruits and veggies free of pesticides. Check out http://www.localharvest.org/ to do the same in your area. I’m so excited to be on my path to great physical fitness and overall health. The most important lesson I’ve learned on this journey is that the battle of being fit is 90% diet and 10% exercise. If you cut out all the unhealthy bingeing and chemicals in foods you will be on your way to looking and feeling great! I know I do ;0)
Check out my blog at http://www.lipstickmanual.blogspot.com/