Deactivated Fat Girl

I’m going to try to be as brief as I possibly can with this. I have a tendency to get a little long winded, but I have to put this out here b/c it’s going to weigh heavily on my spirit until I DO.

Tonight, I received an email (anonymously, of course) from someone who obviously follows me here as well as on Instagram. They basically said (and I’m paraphrasing) that they don’t like my shift on Instagram and that they ‘can’t believe I fell for a pyramid scheme, etc.’ Again, I’m paraphrasing, but that was pretty much the gist of what was said.

When I made the decision to turn my IG account into one that focused on health, I did it with ONE goal in mind, and that was to introduce people to better eating/health options, workout tips, and anything else that ‘I’ felt would be the push that some may need to live a better, healthier life. My goal was NEVER to promote quick fixes or push ANYTHING on anyone in ANY form, and that will remain the motto for me along this journey.

I have been a fan of protein shakes for years because, admittedly, I don’t always eat when I should. My days (in the past) consisted of waking up in the morning, blogging, answering emails, blogging, NEVER hitting the gym, and then late at night, ordering take out or going for fast food. Even though my caloric intake may not have been extremely high off that ONE meal, the fact is I was screwing up my OWN metabolism by not making it a point to eat. In addition to poor eating habits, I’ve tried EVERY diet on the market you can think of….including but NOT limited to….Extreme Fat Smash, Fat Smash, Quick Trim, Master Cleanse, South Beach, Atkins, Trim Spa, Xenadrine, Belly Fat Cure, HCG, Liquid Amino, etc., etc. The list goes on and on. But once I completed my juice, I realized that I had to do better in terms of fueling my body in order to REALLY lose the weight I wanted to lose, keep my skin clear, and ultimately live a happier life.

Several months before this, I was introduced to Herbalife by an acquaintance. Before that, my parents talked about it because they KNEW that I was trying to lose weight. Because I can ADMIT to being a part of a ‘now’ generation (you know, the ones who feel that you have to lose 30 lbs in 30 days or the ‘diet’ is useless?), I thought that the aforementioned alternatives would be better than Herbalife and so I stuck with it. Once I juiced and really began researching what I call the ‘good/better/best’ way of eating, I felt that a better alternative for me would be to take my vitamins, continue having a daily juice, make sure I work out, and at the moments when breakfast or lunch wasn’t in the plans, I could quickly mix some protein and fruit, go about my business, and not feel guilty about not having a ‘full’ meal.

I JUST recently started taking Herbalife and anyone who has contacted me about the program can vouch for the fact that I stress healthy eating and consistent activity levels because there is NOTHING about this or ANY program that is a quick fix; however, if you’ve been following me on Twitter, Youtube, or anywhere else, you know that I am a researcher. I don’t go into anything without feeling confident that I know exactly what I’m getting into. The initial thought was to simply try it for myself for 30 days and if it worked for me, I’d tell people about it. If they chose to try it, cool…and if they didn’t, that would be fine as well.

The point is…I want everyone to learn about the proper way to fuel your body. I would love it if we ALL could get in 5-6 small but healthy meals per day with some workouts a couple times per week. These are the things that I DO try to promote on my Instagram account. However, we all know that everybody’s life is not the same. Although it may have been prematurely, I introduced Herbalife to my following because I’m not a simple ‘black or white’ type person; I believe that, as with everything in life, there are ‘good/better/best’ alternatives to everything. For those of you who have time to cook and don’t mind it, who would be willing to shop the perimeter of the grocery store rather than going for junk, keep track of EVERYTHING you’re eating, getting enough water, AND working out, there will be tips on there for you every single day. Alternatively, for those of you who would like to try something different, those options will also be posted for you. No matter which route you choose, the point is you DO have a choice and as an adult, you should take advantage of that.

Don’t ever feel obligated to try ANYTHING because I promoted it. I absolutely GET that Herbalife (or any other product LIKE it) isn’t for everybody. Anyone who knows me knows that I value the hell out of my followers and their trust in me to provide them with ‘the real.’ I would never compromise that for the sake of ANY paycheck or some hidden agenda. I, personally, enjoy the products for ME; at the same time, I am learning how to eat (remember, I am NOT a nutritionist, dietician, personal trainer, etc), what to drink, different workouts, etc., and trying my best to teach those of you who are in the same boat as me as I learn. I truly believe that when you learn, you teach. If I find something (whether it’s a wildly popular option or not) that I feel could be beneficial, I’ll share it. But at no point should ANY of you EVER feel as though you’re obligated to try it just b/c I said so. Just like I never forced any of you to juice, many of you chose to do it anyway. This was a decision that YOU made based on the things I said and the benefits that I experienced. Nothing was ever forced on you and you can expect the exact same thing with Herbalife.

My goals in fitness extend far beyond ANYTHING product related. I have learned a lot and I’m eager to learn more. Maybe this entry goes against the typical business model, but know that I value my followers way more than that. I will continue posting about products, tips, motivational messages, etc., because everybody finds inspiration in different things. I appreciate your support but felt that I needed to get this out. For anyone who feels that I may not be genuine in my mission, the only thing I can do is “show” you. But this won’t stop me from teaching the things I learn, even if it may go against popular opinion.