WOWIE WOW WOW!

Sitting here looking at my old blog...I recently started a new blog on a super fancy shmancy website that is just far too much for me. It has way too many bells and whistles, and I'm sitting here reading my recipes and posts and wondering...why not continue here? I know it has been a while, but why not add to my original blog site? I was hesitant because all I was thinking of was "It's been a year I can't post on there!" Well, why the hell now, bring the new me and mix it with a little of the old me. 

For a while I was lost as far as my health journey goes, and it's funny...I prayed about bringing peace back into my heart and leading me into a fitness journey that would bring back satisfaction I used to have in the gym. I'm a different girl now, i'm older and am a teacher, I no longer have the time to spend hours at the gym followed by long distance runs. I was pushing myself for a while trying to fit in my old routine with my new life. After praying for direction, I have somehow fallen down the rabbit hole and realized why not mix a little bit of everything? Cardio, cleaner eating habits and weight lifting during the week when I can. I got lost in solely lifting and counting my macros...I puffed out in a way I was not happy nor satisfied with. I became pretty darn strong, but just didn't feel as good as I used to. I'm grateful for finding a happy medium. I'm grateful to stumble across my blog that I thought was deleted! It's a blessing, the perfect guide to get me back to where I need and want to be.

Things are falling into place so beautifully. I am finally feeling at peace with this specific journey! Thanks to the big man upstairs! Stay tuned for more frequent updates, recipes, workouts and everything that is JILLYFISH FIT!!!!

From my fitness adventures to yours,
-Jill

Wowza

I can't believe it's been so long since I've written. Life has been insane the past few months! I have gone from exercising and running to lifting heavy weights and counting macros- best choice I've ever made, my body has transformed immensely since making the changes I have! I do minimal cardio and eat more often- my metabolism has sky rocketed! It's crazy where life takes us...since writing I have changed grade levels in teaching, I now have my own house, and I have a boyfriend! He's literally my other half- makes me want to be a better me, and I couldn't ask for anything better...I took struggles and looked them in the eye and have flourished!

Now back to health -- here is a photo of me exactly one year ago and a photo of me now. The picture on the left I weighed LESS then the photo of me on the right!!! But which looks healthier??? I have since hid my scale, the scale will kill your self esteem- I've learned that I am not defined by a number. 

My journey: I've fought with my own self worth, with my confidence and being happy with me for who I am for what seems like forever. Growing up I saw myself as the chubby ugly kid, I'd go home and cry wishing I looked like the pretty cute girls at school, dying to be noticed. In high school I was active but knew nothing about health- that's when I started slim fast- at the age of 16. I tried what seemed like every diet. When college hit I went through some tough stuff- I got strep and wasn't able to eat and lost 5-10lbs- and that's what started everything. I started to take in only 600-800 calories a day, and doing 1-2hours of cardio every day. I slept all the time and didn't want to do anything, I hid in my dorm,  I cried. I was sad. I hated the way I looked, I'd weigh myself then eat and if the number went up I'd throw it up. It consumed my entire life...if I wanted to taste something I'd taste it then spit it out. It took a swift kick in the butt to turn my thoughts off and become healthy to think in a healthy way. I no longer diet I simply count my macros so i can slowly allow myself to eat more and more!!! I eat around 2,100 calories a day! I lift weights and do 25 min of cardio only 5x a week. 

Now this hard time only lasted about a year, It was stupid decisions I made over 5 yrs ago and am past that. 

I have nothing to hide anymore. Life is too beautiful and I'm not ashamed of my past- my past made me stronger and showed me that dieting is inpractical and unhealthy! It's all about lifestyle! 

You can get past any struggle you face! Turn off any negative thoughts and fight hard- simply do what you know is best for you- what makes you happy!

Don't judge- don't judge those who are at the gym working hard, that may be their only escape, what makes them happy. Don't judge those at the gym giving their best- despite size, they're there and trying!!! We have all faced hard times- all that matters is how you handle them, how you get out of it. 

Be a fighter- you're worth it. You deserve to be happy, and I can honestly say I've never been happier then I am right now. You deserve so much- see that, see how beautiful and wonderful you are. Enjoy life, do what it is that makes you happy!

From my past to yours-'sianara past and hello to today!

-Jillyfish

Fight

Leg/Glute day- workout:

112lbs on squats- 12reps 5sets

Lunges- 12reps per leg-5sets

Squat jumps- 20reps- 5 sets

Jumping Jacks- 40 reps- 5 sets

Ham curls- 70lbs- 12reps- 5 sets

Cardio- elliptical- 20min, level 15, hills mode. Intervals of forward and backward min per set until times up.

Good day

It takes time to see progress, it takes patience, it takes drive and integrity. Become a fighter, get what you want. Set goals and demolish them. 

Life will chew you up and spit you out. You will go through things that you will wonder how you got through it. God, goals, family and exercise are what have saved me in my life. My lowest lows were ugly- I was weak. I became strong by fighting, I'm a fighter and always will be. Don't be weak- decide to be strong and get what you want. Screw what people think and say, love what you do, love who you are. If you want someone, something, anything- take it, grab it and go, fight and make things happen. Be your own best friend, love your life before you ever decide to hand over any part of yourself to someone else. Commit to yourself and you'll find happiness. Forget your mistakes- past is the past and that's where it shall remain. love, put love in all you do- stop thinking and wholely and purely love.

Peace out

From my strength to yours.

-Jill

12 steps

There are so many things you can do to better your life. To better yourself doesn't just mean you have to come from a rough past, to be going through something negative, or to have any trouble what so ever- you can always better yourself, there's always a room to improve and there are always changes that can be made. 

"People throw rocks at things that shine." Don't let the negative things people say make you stop being the absolute best you. When you're at your peak, improving, bettering, flat out doing awesome and kicking butt, people will complain and make remarks to try to bring you back down, down to their level, mindset..."reality." Change your reality, don't let them win. Everyone will make those comments, friends or enemies. "Just eat it, who cares!" Or "Oh my gosh you're like an old woman you go to bed so early." Even "Just drink it, no one cares, don't make me feel bad being the only one!" These are all comments that have been thrown at me, and probably almost everyone. These remarks aren't mean or cruel, but the thing is that they're unsupportive. Surround yourself with people that will support you 100% that will always have your back. Some cases some people may even distance from you all because you want to better your life. It's a sad reality but don't let that alter you from wanting to be the absolute best version of you that you can be.

Here are my steps that I plan on following daily:

Love your life, love yourself- listen to your heart.

From my heart to yours,

-Jill

Be You

People tell me all the time what diets they need to be on, who's doing what weight loss program and routine, how much weight and reps I should be lifting...no, forget that, do what works best for YOU! I'm always told "Girls shouldn't lift heavy, they should lift light and do a lot of reps!" Well you know what? Some days I want to lift some heavy shit so I just go and do it! I've done my research, I've put in my time measuring, counting, weighing...blah blah blah. Now I listen to my body, eat right, splurge at times, lift what I want when I want, do cardio without following a program, and I'm extremely happy with my results. I'm not where I want to be and never will be, because my goals are always changing, when I achieve one goal I quickly move on to the next! It keeps my life fun and works! I listen to my body and only do what my body wants. Do your research on clean eating, conform it to what fits you, find exercises you love, take classes for cardio if you want something fun and motivating and also extremely beneficial, and lift some heavy shit! Today I was on cloud nine- I'm happy and love the life I've made for myself. Your body is your temple, take care of it, don't poison it with too much consumption of anything toxic, better yet don't consume anything toxic what so ever! See what happens!!! Eat right, drink right, work your ass off and be smart. Listen to your body. Watch for changes big or small. You may not see results within a day, week or maybe just something small in a month- if it feels right keep it up and you'll be there! Do you, be whatever the hell you want and be your own inspiration! 

TODAY- January 11, 2014

I have curves but am healthy. I'm happy with myself and proud of where I've come the past few months.

January 4, 2014

Not huge changes, different angles. But I take progress pictures of muscle groups and whole self. This is strictly for self motivation, to watch my cuts and gains to be able to witness my own improvement. This helps me more than anything! 

From my heavy ass weights to yours,

-Jill

It's NEVER Too Late

 

You know you've made it when you can look back and see how far you've come. Every day when we examine, and live our lives, teeny microscopic changes are occurring, that is however, if you choose to allow change into your life in the first place. It is absolutely never too late to be who you want to be. "Live a life you're proud of." Be someone you would want to know, someone people can envy because you're capable of learning from your faults and exuding nothing but a loving energy, and a positive energy. Despite the stress, don't wither, don't cower or let it get the best of you. Allowing tough things to turn you into someone that you aren't proud of is allowing those negative moments to control your life, to control you. These emotions are learned, we are born not knowing how to feel anything but happiness, actions and emotions that aren't positive have all been learned and taught throughout your life. To face this head on, to have the strength to start all over again and simply go back to the innocence and pure heart and soul is one of the hardest things one can do, to do this is something so many people are unable to do. Be one of the few to live the life you dreamed. 

"Don't let dreams be dreams." -Jack Johnson

Make your dreams a reality, and then create new dreams.

Never stop dreaming, never ever stop envisioning the future you want, when you stop building on your dreams you then begin to settle. Always want more, always move forward, never stop.

"Today is never too late to be brand new."

-Taylor Swift

Change for the better, be a good person, pour love into all you do, think happy thoughts, give compliments, be kind. Even if you have to force it, smile because eventually it'll begin to come naturally, laugh, I don't care how loud I don't care if it's funny or not, if YOU find it funny then LAUGH. Say I love you to those you love. If you're sad cry to someone who will hug you tight and give you comforting words, surround yourself with those that you can vent to in a pure way, simply by speaking not having to take a smoke, a pill or a drink in order to release anger, instead release your words and your energy, once it's all out you will feel so cleansed and feel a strength and clarity you didn't know existed. Believe in karma, good things come to good people. Be good and you will be blessed. Be you. It's simple. Smile.

Remember being fearless doesn't mean not being scared, it doesn't mean not having fears. Fearless means moving forward despite your fears it means not letting fear and being scared hold you back. It means trying even if it leads to failure, it means taking failure and trying again and again and again and never giving up. Be fearless.

From my happy cleansed heart to yours

-Jill

"Perfection" 7

A broken and sad heart can come from anywhere, it can come from friends, family, marriage. Emotional pain can hurt so intensely that it seems impossible to overcome, it causes a fog, confusion, disorientation from reality v.s imagination. But then, in the midst of the pain something happens, something clicks, and you feel something unexplainable and then you simply begin to heal. When you heal and become whole again, you heal in a way that feels even more beautiful then before the pain occurred. You become a better you. If you fight and believe in happiness, then you will have the happiness. We feel that pain for a reason, we go through things for a reason, reasons we may not ever see or understand. We heal and we have a choice, to let that pain consume us and bring us to become someone we would never even recognize, or to allow the pain to become a positive influence on our lives. To allow it to make us invincible and strong, to realize what it is we truly deserve, to allow ourselves to enjoy and appreciate the tiniest things. If someone causes you pain, then distance needs to be made. If someone is making your heart ache rather then smile, then something is wrong and this is not okay. Being happy is simple, find what and who brings those butterflies to your stomach, who slaps a sappy smile on your face. What makes you happy? No matter how silly it is, do it. Do what makes you happy, don't think about money don't think about the consequences of every little thing. Take a leap of faith, let whatever hurt you in the past bring happiness to your future. Let your mistakes make you a stronger version of you. Trust that every detail of your life happens for a reason...trust this and the pain of loss wont sting so badly. Trust that every itty bitty occurrence is planned and that every occurrence and encounter has a purpose whether you see it or not. It's so beautiful and can bring so much peace into your heart once you trust in this plan, you don't need to know every step of your future to know that you'll be okay, just like you don't have to see the wind and air to know it exists, we simply trust and allow it to be what it is. Do this. If you feel love, and happiness embrace it, enjoy every single second, think about every piece of emotion that the love and happiness is allowing you to feel. It's such an amazing high. Learn to banish the negative energy from your past, holding onto any bad feeling is simply allowing the past to control your future. Forgive, even if an apology was never made.

 

For the past few days, I cant stop smiling. I can't stop appreciating every little thing in my life and every encounter that I feel so blessed to have made. I vow to remember this feeling and to embrace it despite what happens in my future, I want to remember what it feels like to feel so much inner peace and so much appreciation for every single aspect of my life. I am beyond blessed, because I choose to see it that way. Don't think of what you don't have, appreciate what is right in front of you. View everything in your life as some sort of blessing, choose to see things this way and you will feel the amazing and flawless happiness that I feel so incredibly grateful to be able to have felt lately.

"All I feel in my stomach is butterflies, the beautiful kind, making up for lost time taking flight, making me feel right."

From my butterflies to yours,

-Jill