I thought the experience my sister has had over the past months was worth sharing. It is without a doubt a great success story with simple guidelines to follow. This is not saying the effort wasn’t great. No, the will power to break through the barriers she had in front of her obviously took a great deal of fortitude. It did not shock me though that her success was/is progressing as quick as it has. She went after her goal on all fronts. Most people try to just change their diet, or just their exercise and then they usually get frustrated. Kiki went after it with her diet, exercise, sleep, and lifestyle all the while maintaining her relationships in her life. That is pretty exceptional if you really think about it.
Here are 20Qs to outline the Journey she has partaken on, but really it’s just scratching the surface obviously of what went into this, but I think the main take away is she has commitment, community, determination, passion and being open to learn and change. Enjoy!
Kiki left and Jen right “before”.
Jen left and Kiki right “after”
20Q’s with K
EB: How much weight have you lost to date?
Kiki: I have lost 78 pounds from October 2nd till present day(interview was a week ago).
EB: What would you say was your typical day like before you started losing weight?
Kiki: My typical day would usually pan out like this; I would get up in the afternoon , yes afternoon ( what the heck was morning time?) and eat. I’m sure looking back it was probably a salad of some sort …I’ve always loved subway salad, still do. Then lay around until work started at 3pm. I’m a bartender/manager at a restaurant/bar in Lorain, OH. Literally from the time I would walk in to work until my shift was over I was constantly eating. All of the customers at my job always ask to include us in the partaking of shots if they would do one …so not only was I eating constantly, wings, mozzarella sticks, fries etc…(geez,even writing this I’m like, ugh fatty!) Lol, I was drinking as well…5 to 6 shots I’d say per shift and I work 5 days a week, you do the math. On some nights I’d stay out w/ my buddies. I’d come home, go to bed, wake up. Of course usually feeling like crap, and start all over again.
EB: What is your typical day like now?
Kiki: Now I wake up at 7 or 8 every morning. I must say the sunshine made me realize I was not a vampire. I take my B-12, fish oil and flax seed. Then head to the gym and hit it hard. Come home and eat, usually some sort of salad. Yes, I can’t help it, I love salads. Now, my salads consist of health greens like, spinach, kale, romaine and all green vegetables. Then I’ll do things around the house or run errands. I have so much energy now it’s insane. Go to work.
Now, please let me voice how awesome the staff at my job and customers has been w/ my new lifestyle. The chefs are willing to work w/ my diet. I just pick out what I want and they make it for me. Customers don’t ask if I would like a shot anymore. The support has been amazing. I typically drink water or tea through the day as opposed to the 2 liter of diet coke I was drinking a day. After my shift I’m home, wind down for an hour or so, then bed. And believe me it’s a very different rest I get these days, it’s a good deep resting sleep. I wake up full of energy and ready to go.
EB: What was it that motivated you to change your lifestyle?
Kiki: My motivation, 3 things:
First and for most, our father being diagnosed w/ stage 4 lung cancer. Holy crap, I mean what a life scare. I’m not getting younger that’s for sure. That was my first real scare into getting my ass in gear. And comments my father had made along the way about my weight. Lol, he always knew just what to say. Then I’d leave the house, or the room and my brothers would lay into him( btw, I have a smile on my face right now) and say, don’t say things like that to her about her weight. Lol! Thanks boys! But in reality it’s what I needed. Reason 2, I was looking through photos of a trip I had taken to Puerto Rico and St. Croix. Ugh…my god, who ever told me I was cute in a 2 piece lied to me. (I was lying to myself). Reason 3, I am a singer in a band called “less than 88″ we got booked at the house of blues in October 2012. We found out October of 2011. There’s more than 1 band, so I was looking up the other bands on youtube. The lead singer of one of the other bands is smoking hot. She actually looks like a personal trainer. I was like…yeah, I’m not going to be the fat kid following that.
EB: What was the most painful part of this process for you?
Kiki: The most painful part is Dad not being here, so I can hear him say how proud he is. I know he is…I just wish I could hear him say it. I was lucky he saw me at least lose close to 40 lbs. And he was so very, very proud of his Kell Kell booger.
EB: Usually people get hung up after about 6 weeks of changing their diet/workout, what kept you motivated?
Kiki: I think I didn’t get hung up on the so called “6 week” rut because I have so much drive to do this. It wasn’t for anyone but me. I’m a very strong person, when I want something and I want it more and more it just becomes me.
EB: I would venture to guess that your new diet is your new way of life since you have not regressed and continue to improve on your goal. What is the one thing that sticks out the most between then and now?
Kiki: Yes my diet is definitely different now. For the first time in a really long time, I know what it feels like to be hungry. I let my body tell me when I need nourishment. Before, I was just constantly eating because I was bored or it was easy to do at work. It’s really what’s distinct between then and now.
EB: What diets have you tried during this journey?
Kiki: Through this journey I think my eating habits or “diet” has pretty much come from the help of my brother, Butch, or as u know him E.B. and help from asking questions to some of the body builders at the gym, and simply my own research. I did try a female stack. I think it helped, but as my dear brother Butch would say it’s a whole bunch of hocus pocus well expensive hocus pocus. But it worked for me.
EB: What exercise regime have you been doing/tried?
Kiki: I absolutely love Kettlebell exercise and the cardio classes they offer at my gym I change up my routines. I take power kick and Zumba, step and I do weight training. The instructors are just very amazing, they workout insanely hard so we do too! I’ve befriended a couple of them, they’re watching me meet my goals in absolute amazement. And I thank them w/ all my heart.
EB: Have you been doing this alone or have you had friends join you?
Kiki: My best friends Jimbo and Jen also have joined on this journey. It is awesome to have such a support system. I think the best thing about this whole thing is watching Jimbo transform his body back into the machine it used to be.
Jimbo was in a motorcycle accident a couple years ago that almost took his life. Shattered his ankle and broke his femur which was replaced w/ a titanium rod all in his right leg. Being there the whole time…rehab, learning to basically walk again, seeing his daily pain and the limp he has due to the ankle injury. Now!!! He’s at full range workout and running on the treadmill. I’ll never forget the first text I got from him how emotional and exciting it was to conquer this huge accomplishment! His limp is pretty much non-existent. Watching his transformation is truly one of the best things I’ve gotten to be part of! He’s lost 48 pounds and is now starting to bulk up.
And I’m also proud of Jen, she works hard and has lost a little over 20. She’s a great support to all we’ve been doing. She calls me coach lol and when she gets irritated w/ my workout she calls me “Eric” haha.
Jimbo “before”
Jimbo right “after”, brother left.
EB: Would you say that was a large or small part of your success?
Kiki: I’m not sure if there’s one specific thing that is part of this success. I believe I’m blessed w/ all the support from my family and friends around me. I think as unfortunate as it is, my dad getting sick really opened my eyes to wow, I only have this one body and one life. I better get my ass in gear. Now I wake up every morning and love getting that good workout in, the rest of my day is just positive and happy.
EB: What is the coolest experience you have had during this journey?
Kiki: The coolest experiences I’ve had in this journey is…well to be honest it’s the reaction of people when they see me. I recently overheard a couple debating if it was me or a woman who looked liked me, but a way better in shape than me. Lol, or I could be the sister and when the wife finally said “Kiki?” I said “well hi” she freaked out. She couldn’t believe it! It’s such an overwhelming feeling of “Hell yeah, I’m doing this!” And being part of cool things like dancing at the Cav’s half time show in front of 20,000 people! Such a rush! I try to involve myself in whatever I can.
EB: What is your new favorite food vs. your old favorite food?
Kiki: I’m not sure if I have a new favorite food. I love salads, like I’ve said. Love all vegetables and meats. I just like food! I’m lucky I like all the healthy stuff!
EB: What is your favorite cheat meal?
I guess my cheat is a drink here and there. I like wine. It’s yummyJ. I don’t really give myself a cheat meal because I like what I’m eating.
EB: What type of diet do you like if you need to bust through a plateau?
Kiki: If I feel like I’m getting stuck? The diet I like is no bread, no sugar, no dairy. Lost 10 lbs like it was nothing. I did it for a month then got off it. I gained no weight.
EB: You have reached 78lbs lost, what is your next goal?
Kiki: I just hit 80 lbs lost today!
EB: Obviously you have rocked this out and I have no doubt you will reach your next goal, once you reach your magic number, what is next?
Kiki: Since the 80 lbs lost I’m really thinking about getting more serious into physique training. I’ve been talking to a trainer named Walter who actually was the one who told me about the no sugar, no bread, and no dairy diet. He just won a competition for body building. And he’s willing to help me, which is amazing. We’ll see what happens after that. I’m just taking the ride w/ an opened mind.
Walter
EB: What advice would you give to others who are looking to change something about them?
Kiki: All I can say is, and this may sound cliché, but anything you put your mind to, you can do. It’s how bad you want it. I wanted it, I took it, embraced it and now I’m living it. It was easy for me to start this, wish I did it earlier in life…well, I wish I was paying more attention to how I let myself get. It’s fun to shop now for clothes! I’m wearing sun dresses for the first time in my life. It’s very empowering for me to feel so feminine.
A big congrats to you and best of luck on your future endeavours. Im positive you will be successful no matter the challenge.