Charlene: Before
Charlene Bazarian: My weight gain, like many women experience, had been gradual: a few pounds in college, a few more in law school, and then after I got married, got pregnant, and after I had my first son, I hit an OMG number of 208 pounds. I had treated myself to a day of beauty at the spa before my son's christening and was mortified when I had to return to the desk and ask the receptionist if they had a larger robe, as the one-size-fits-all robe was lying. That was my "aha moment."
PS: What's your favorite way to work out?
CB: I joke that I discovered weight training like some people find religion. Any other time I had tried to work out, I had only tried cardio-based workouts and found weight training was truly the device I needed to make changes to my body. I now mix in weight training daily to some cardio and also some flexibility workouts like yoga and gyrotonics, which have been great to deal with some lower-back issues. I've also been taking Latin and ballroom dance lessons and just love it!
Charlene: Before
CB: I try to consider myself an active person. I start each morning with 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of ab/core work, and then 25 minutes of various weight training, hitting different muscles on different days. Later in the day, I will get in some cardio with either a fast walk, bike ride, or some cardio equipment. I made myself a general rule that if I want to watch a favorite TV program, I'll put it in the DVR and then watch it on my exercise bike. Once a week I work out with a personal trainer, as you truly never push yourself as hard as you do with a trainer. In addition, I try to hit 10,000 steps a day and 20 flights of stairs on my Fitbit. I also try to plan social activities that are activity-based, whether it's dancing, a bike ride, or some Sunday mornings a friend and I will jog stadium steps at the local high school.
PS: How do you keep workouts exciting?
CB: I try to mix up my workouts to keep it fresh and interesting. I'll try a Zumba class, gyrotonics, a hot-yoga class, and have an amazing library of home workout DVDs to keep myself interested and my muscles guessing what's coming next. My favorite DVDs are by Cathe Friedrich; I find her workouts rival my sessions with my personal trainer!
Charlene: After
CB: I lost 96 pounds and have kept it off.
PS: What was the first big difference, other than the number on the scale, that really made you feel proud and excited?
CB: After I lost the weight, a few girl friends messaged me on Facebook asking me how I did it, and I began giving them advice on what worked for me. I began commenting if they'd check in at restaurants, about what they were ordering, or they'd text me and ask me what to order. I would try to encourage them to bust any excuses why they couldn't work out. As they began losing weight, several of their friends started messaging me as well, and I created a Facebook page dedicated to giving diet/fitness tips and sharing healthy recipes and overall fitness inspiration called FBJ Fit. I know my journey has encouraged a lot of people, so I try to live up to it by continuing to make the right choices. I think having been on both sides of the spectrum gives me an appreciation for the struggles of one trying to lose weight and the work and effort put into being a fit person. I think everyone has a vision of where they want to be physically and mentally, but getting there can be a complicated road. Through social media, without any sort of judgment and by using nurturing but firm advice, I try to help others set a strategic plan for achieving their own fitness goals. I feel tremendous joy in coaching others by sharing information and encouragement that I wish I had available to me when I began my own journey. I try to use this persona to be a champion for living out loud. I've learned many lessons the hard way and from repeated failures, but I'm thrilled that I'm no longer on the sidelines of life!
Charlene: After
CB: I got an accurate scale and entered my weight every few days on a little spreadsheet I created. I tried to set small minigoals, as it seemed overwhelming to consider such a large number of pounds to lose. I also have a friendly competition with my lifelong best friend; to "keep it honest," we text each other our weight once a week. Now that I'm at my goal range, I give myself three pounds and buckle down when I'm out of range.
PS: What's a typical day of meals and snacks?
CB: Breakfast is almost always a Luna Bar, a cup of coffee, and some cran-water (100-percent cranberry juice diluted with water, lime juice, and a smidgen of Stevia). Other days, I'll choose two scrambled eggs and some sautéed kale for breakfast. Around 10:00 a.m., I have an organic shake. For lunch, it varies; sometimes it's a large bowl of broccoli slaw or salad with some tuna or grilled chicken. Some days, it's a bowl of "fat flush" soup (ground turkey and lots of veggies in a tomato base — one of my favorites!), or some days it's oatmeal with some whey protein and fresh berries. Midafternoon snack can be a brown-rice cake with some peanut butter and banana or some almonds. For dinner, I like to stick to lean proteins (chicken breast, fish, bison), complex carbs (sweet potato, brown rice), green veggies (kale, salads, and broccoli), and healthy fat choices (avocado and salmon).
PS: What's the range of calories you eat per day?
CB: It is probably 1500-1600 calories. Since losing weight, I don't count them as much.
PS: What are the healthy staples that are always in your fridge?
CB: At any time in my fridge, you'll find broccoli slaw, kale, Luna Bars, Muscle Milk Organic Protein Shakes, eggs, a variety of things for salads, and berries. The cabinets usually will almost always have steel-cut oatmeal, a variety of nuts, and quinoa. Some healthy snacks I treat myself to are RiceWorks Sweet Chili Brown Rice Chips (they're like gourmet Doritos! Delicious!) with some guacamole.
PS: How do you strategize for meals out?
CB: I always (always) try to check the menus online before I go out to eat, so I can plan ahead what choices I want to make. It's easy to get caught up in the hubbub of social activity to order something that "sounds good." I also try to choose restaurants that offer overall healthy choices. Seasons 52 and Legal Seafood and sushi restaurants are often my suggestions for dining out. I also send the waitress away with the bread basket and "order like Sally" (from When Harry Met Sally) and ask for light on any oils, double veggies instead of a starchy carb side. I always take good care of the server to show my appreciation!
PS: What advice do you have for anyone starting out on a weight-loss journey?
- Remind yourself, "You're no busier than a fit person." We're all busy.
- Make your workouts like brushing your teeth, something you just do without question.
- Always plan: keep a Luna in your pocketbook for emergencies, check the menus online before heading out to a restaurant, bring a healthy treat you enjoy when attending a party.
- As a general rule, unless it's cauliflower or a White Chocolate Luna Bar, if it's white, don't eat it.
- Think of food as a choice and not as a reward or a punishment. You don't "deserve" a decadent dessert, nor are you "depriving" yourself if you don't have it.
- Don't get comfortable with some success. There's no finish line or touchdown dance. As I was losing weight, and every time I went down a size, I would only buy one pair of jeans, one pair of tan pants, and one pair of black pants. I wouldn't spend a lot, and I would tell myself, "Don't invest in this size, as you're not going to be staying here for long."
- BLTs count: bites, licks, and tastes add up. And sips do, too (so try your best not to drink your calories!).
- Recognize the saboteurs. You'll need to be able to resist the "just this once," "just a taste or bite won't hurt you," and even the "you're no fun anymore" from some of the people closest to you.
- Switch up your routines regularly, and chose something you genuinely enjoy! I love taking Latin and ballroom dance lessons, running stadium steps with my girlfriend on Sunday mornings, going for bike rides with my boys, and taking walks with my 85-year-old neighbor (she's my inspiration, and I can barely keep up with her!).
- Eat foods in their lowest common denominator: think orange, not orange juice, and shop the outside aisles of the supermarket; it's where the least processed foods are.
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