How She Did It: Tasha shares her weight loss journey

Hello all! Jess and I have been looking for inspiring well~being warriors to share their journey with us. We found one! LaTasha Anderson is a great inspiration for ALL.

Tasha's Journey

Name: LaTasha Anderson
Age: 31
Weight loss: 124 pounds so far! Yay!

A little about yourself: 
I am a second grade teacher that loves to laugh and spend a lot of time with my friends.
I LOVE to travel and read.
If I can do those at the same time, even better!


What was your turning point?
Three friends and I decided to do a 6 month weight loss challenge during June 2011. Winner takes $250! Since I am a sore loser AND I love money, I was determined to win!
I lost by 0.2 percent!!! I was crushed, but looking back, I received so much more!


When and How did you start your healthy journey?
I actually started my journey in January of 2011.
I won a one year gym membership in an auction & decided to use it.
I began by going to Zumba 2-3 days a week. I had lost about 25 pounds by June 2011. Then when the weight loss challenge came about, I increased my Zumba workouts to 5 days a week and started to watch what I ate.
That's when the weight literally started to melt off. 


 How do you feel now vs before making healthy changes?
I had a ton of energy to begin with, but I am like the Energizer Bunny now!
I have also made a whole new network of friends due to working out and that has been the BEST! After losing so much weight and sticking to my new lifestyle, many of life's obstacles seem easier to overcome.


How have you overcome some of the challenges that you have faced during your healthy journey?
I feel that you HAVE to be committed! You can not come in half hearted. You have to be READY to make a change.
Prayer helped A LOT when I was ready to throw in the towel!
My hardest challenges have been vacationing. I LOVE to travel, and it is SO HARD to exercise and eat healthy when there's no gym or grocery stores on hand. Fortunately, I found ways to get my exercise in and make healthy choices when trapped in the land of sugar at Disney World!


How do you maintain your current weight and health? 
I workout 6 days a week. 6 days of Zumba. 5 days also consist of an additional 30 minutes of cardio and 45 minutes of weight lifting. 4 days also consist of 2.5-3 miles of walking on each of those days.
My diet consists of anything I want to eat. I just make sure that I use moderation and get in at least 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.
For example, I LOVE pizza! I would eat 3 pieces at a time. NOW I eat one piece and have a salad as a side and a fruit for a dessert. I still get my pizza and my body is happy!
I also drink PLENTY of water and eat plenty of protein since I workout so much.

What are big motivators that you use on the days that you don't feel like eating healthy or exercising?
My main motivator is my body. It is so used to working out that it just feels like it needs to be working out, not laying around. I just don't feel myself if I miss a workout or two.

What advice would you give for someone struggling to make healthy lifestyle changes?

Number 1: FIND WHAT MOTIVATES YOU! If you do not have motivation or something to strive towards, your journey will be difficult. For me it was money and the need to win. For my friend, it was her children. It's easier if you have something to push you towards your goal.
Number 2: EAT WHAT YOU LIKE, BUT USE MODERATION!!!!
Number 3: DO NOT KEEP UNHEALTHY FOODS YOU LOVE IN YOUR HOUSE. If I want a treat, such as Oreos, I'll buy some. I then take out about 6, put them in a Ziploc baggie, and take the rest to work or a friend's house. I satisfy my craving without sabotaging my hard work. You can't overeat if it's not there!
Number 4: FIND SOMEONE ON THE SAME JOURNEY! It helps to have someone who understands what you are going through cheering you on. 

Thanks again for sharing Tasha!
If anyone else would like to share their weight loss journey let us know.