Today I am featuring one of my guest contributors, Dana Bufford. As you may know by now, by following her television show "Cooking & Looking Good", or reading my guest contributors page, Dana has lost over 70 lbs. and went from a size 18 to a size 8 by exercising and changing her eating habits. Dana and I have known each other for a while, and I have watched her transform from what she was to what she is today. I am sooo proud of her and what she has done and she is definitely one that inspires me. Here is her story.
Describe your weight loss journey in 5 words.
Very hard but endless rewards.
What inspired you to commit to living a healthier lifestyle?
I was inspired by the people in my life that also needed to make a change. Some of my friends and I had been talking about making a commitment for a long time, and I felt like i was strong enough to pave the way and be an example.
What has been your biggest setback thus far, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest setback has been time. As I continue to peruse my dreams and advance in my career, time is my biggest setback because more scarces by the day. I have had to make time to cook and to exercise. I have even had to make time to plan to cook and exercise. As my days become busier and my schedule begins to fill up weeks at a time I know that it is so important to make time for the things that helped me get to this place in my journey.
Your biggest success?
My biggest success has been seeing the change in my personal growth. I can now talk about my weight struggles and face them head on instead of hiding them with a joke or a smile. Of course, going down several dress sizes and over 70 lbs has been a GREAT success, but i honestly feel like without the success of mentally being prepared for the journey, I don't know how far I would have gotten.
Are there any specific exercises that work best for you? What are your favorites?
I love the Arc Trainer, Its a cross between an elliptical and a stair stepper. It burns a lot of calories without hurting your joints. I l just love it! I also have a love hate relationship with planks...lol! They can be very uncomfortable at times but they are a great way to work you core and tighten those hard to tone places. I have seen great progress by incorporating planks into my workout and I will definitely be bikini ready next summer!
What were the biggest changes you made to your eating habits?
The biggest change I have made to my eating habits has been taking time to think before I eat. A major success in my journey came when i was able to plan out my meals and prepare them ahead of time. This gave my to opportunity to think before I ate. As time becomes more precious, I have to become more creative with food choices. Taking out the daily fatty food choices and adding in more healthier ones came more natural because I was able to think about what I was putting into my body before I got too hungry to think.
On an average day, what do you eat?
On the average day I drink a protein shake for breakfast along with cup of greek yogurt. For lunch, I usually have a protein, like turkey, chicken, salmon, or shrimp, a green veggie and a cup of greek yogurt( i loooove Oikos fruit at the bottom Greek yogurt). I also love to snack on almonds, string cheese and Supreme protein bars ( especially when I have had a great workout that day ). My dinner is usually similar to lunch with the exception of greek yogurt. A few times a week a try different types of low calorie desserts to satisfy my sweet tooth.
What inspired you to create "Cooking and Looking Good"?
I began to substitute different foods that I loved to make them healthy, but still give me the same taste as the good foods that I always ate. As I began to create recipes I began to lose weight. I saw old classmates, family members and friends that would comment on how much weight I had lost and they would ask me how I did it. I told them about the recipes I had been creating and one day decided to create a cooking show to show the world how I did it. At the same time, I hoped to inspire others to make the change as well.
What is your ultimate weight loss or healthy living goal?
I just want to be healthy and stay strong in the fight for a better life. It took me a long time to realize how important I was and how important my health and strength is in the large scheme of things. Being overweight is a sickness that you don't realize you have until its been with you for years. I have taken one step after another to reach small goals that have turned into a big goal of 75lbs and have taken me from a size 20 to a size 8. My goal is to continue this journey to be the best person I can be spiritually, mentally and physically. At the same time I always want to inspire and help people to realize their worth and their ability to reach any goal they set for themselves.
Any words of advice for those looking to begin or are already on the journey to better health?
A big piece of advice I love to live by is always remember to love yourself. When you have made the commitment to love yourself, you will make time to do what is right for yourself. Make time to plan your day including your meals, and your activities. With a great plan, there is no room for failure.
Here is a before and after collage of Dana!
Be sure to catch Dana on her show "Cooking & Looking Good", and also here on MBBL where she will be featured on the second Monday of each month giving us some of her great recipes!
Stay Motivated!
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