The Latina mom who lost 45 pounds and discovered self-love

"I was never comfortable with my body. Despite being a short girl, I always felt big because of my weight. Ever since I was a little girl I dreamt of losing weight, but I was never able to do it.  I would start many diets, but I would quit after one week, I would eat a lot of fast food at any time and I would eat whatever I wanted whenever I felt like it, without any remorse.  I would never drink water; if I was thirsty, I would drink sodas, canned juices or energy drinks. Even at 3 am, if I was hungry, I would raid the fridge and eat whatever I craved at that time.  I would also arrive home very late to make pasta with salsa, bread and soda right before going to bed. And, because I worked at a club, I would be tempted by my worst enemy: ALCOHOL.

The transformation in me is more than physical; it is mostly a deeper appreciation for who I am.  I discovered that I now love myself; now I do recognize the reflection in the mirror. Not only because of what I see on the outside, but because by changing my lifestyle I also changed my self esteem and learned to love myself.  No I know I can fight for my dreams and that I am completely capable of turning them into a reality.  Before, I did not trust myself, was not consistent, organized and did not have any patience; for me these are key traits to be able to lose weight.  Now, I am the queen of mirrors and sometimes those skirts, shirts and dresses that I could not even try on, are too big for me.  I am a free woman and now that I am 45 pounds lighter I feel I can take on the world.

As it says on the Yes You Can!™ weight loss plan  the first thing you have to change is not what’s in your fridge, but what’s on your mind.  The transformation has to be mental first, then physical.  Make that anger you feel when you can’t do certain things because of your weight work for you!  Use it to help you move forward! Don’t get obsessed, don’t compare yourself to someone else, don’t get frustrated if someone else loses weight faster than you. Every day is a step and every step is one day you are moving towards your goal. I love the Healthy Lifestyle that Yes You Can! has taught me."