From Fad Diets to Nutritionist

Sharisse Dalby is a lovely and busy wife and mother of three boys---eight-year-old twins and their four-year-old brother.   As a Holistic Nutritionist specializing in sports nutrition, vegetarian diets, and family nutrition, she is a beautiful picture of health!  But, it wasn't always that way.  She experienced the same struggles of weight loss many experience.  She learned from her struggles and that gave way to a profession in Nutrition!  Read on to be discover her honest retelling of how this transition took place.

How did you come to realize you wanted to change your lifestyle? 

As a teenager I was overweight and it took a toll on my body, lifestyle and self-confidence, which quickly led to clinically diagnosed depression. Through my faith, I found a renewed and deep meaning for my life. I felt a passion brewing to learn how to care for the body God gave me. Admittedly, I started with fad diet after fad diet, but eventually found my way into a healthy lifestyle that I felt was honouring to God.

What is your motivation?  How does your faith come into play?

My motivation is my faith and my family. After having my twins, I was determined to give them the healthiest start I could, and that led to a complete and permanent lifestyle overhaul. My faith is the foundation of why I do what I do! God gave me the desire and resources to become a Holistic Nutritionist and the passion to educate families and children to take care of what God provided them with.

Risse and her family

How do you include your family in your food preparation, cooking and shopping for nutritious foods?

My kids have always been included in our healthy lifestyle. And, let’s face it – I have boys and I want them to know basic kitchen skills, at least! They help me go through the flyers each week to find the healthy sale items, plan our meals, write out our grocery list, grocery shop and prepare the food. They all have a passion for food and love being in the kitchen and being able to enjoy the fruits of their labour!

Fresh pressed juice!

What are your some of your favorite go-to foods? 

Some of our favourite go-to foods are larabars, veggies and hummus, fruit, yogurt and berries, apples and almond butter and trailmix – just to name a few!

How has your view of yourself changed since starting your fitness/nutrition journey?  

I have learned where my worth and value lies – not in the size of my clothes, shape of my body, stretch marks from kids, weight on the scale – but in my Saviour who created me for a purpose … to bring Him glory. I don’t live a healthy lifestyle because I hate my body, I do it because I love Jesus!

If you could sum up "clean eating" in three statements, what would they be? 

Clean eating is eating whole foods – the foods that God gave us, an experience of healing, energizing and renewing and a balanced plate for optimum health.

BIO:
Sharisse Dalby is a Holistic Nutritionist who specializes in sports nutrition, vegetarian diets and family nutrition. She is a mom to 8 year old identical twin boys and a 4 year old boy. They love to help out at church, eat food and sign up for family running races, bike races and triathlons. Check out her website for recipes, tips and services at www.holisticnutritionwithrisse.com. 

Fabulously Fit Mom: How she lost 40lbs, kept it off, and is keeping her family healthy!

Meet Tara Bialek.  She is a gorgeous wife and a inspirational mother of three beautiful kids.  She has her own business and on top of that, she takes time each day for God and for fitness.   We first met through Instagram.  I loved how her love for God glowed through her posts and I enjoyed her HIIT workouts!  Recently, I had the privilege of asking how Tara got to where she is now in her fitness journey.  Read on and be inspired! 

How did you come to realize you wanted to change your lifestyle?

When I was in college at the age of 20, I was caught in the college life of staying up too late, partying and being super lazy. I was also lost. I didn't know what I wanted to do when I grew up and felt depressed about the weight gain that I experienced in my first few years there. I remember walking into my favorite store and not being able to fit into the largest size there. I was at a low. I felt like I was in a hole and couldn't get out. I went from being an active athlete in high school to 30lbs overweight and lonely a few years later. After that store incident and a bad breakup I knew it was time to do something. I started walking around campus and eating better. I researched about nutrition and started incorporating what I was learning into my life. I also started doing home workouts like TaeBo and the "OLD SCHOOL" Firm videos. I was too embarrassed to go to the gym, so I did what worked for me. AND it worked. About 6 months later, I lost the weight and was looking into nutrition programs because I was so interested in learning all that I could and helping people live a healthy lifestyle. I transferred schools and got my Bachelors in Nutrition and Dietetics and then went on for my Masters in Education so I could teach!

What is your motivation? How does your faith come into play?

​My motivation now is my family. I want wellness to be a part of their lives...part of their foundation. I want to live a LONG, healthy life with them and experience every part of life with my family. Before, when I was originally going through my weight loss journey, I was doing it because i wanted to look good. Yes...that's the added bonus of feeling GREAT, but now I do it because it's my time to push myself and get my endorphins going. I feel amazing after and have a totally different mindset for the day. 

My fitness and the WORD are those things that are a non negotiable for me. They need to be part of my day somehow. God has changed the way I look at health and fitness. It was first all about ME and now its about taking care of the body God has given me, showing others that wellness is important and loving people right where they are. God has given me a platform now to use what I have learned and what He is guiding me to do, to help share His love with the world. My mission, my purpose is to share His love---and what better way to do it then to help others learn to love their bodies and feel good in their skin? Love them right where they are and every step of their journey.  

How do you include your family in your fitness journey?

​Fitness and nutrition is a part of ​me now. My husband actually now LOVES working out from home with p90x3 and Bodybeast. He's totally changed his tune about home workouts and has lost 40lbs! My kids are always joining in and we make "moving" part of our lifestyle. We swim, walk, play outside all of the time, ride bikes together and hike. It's just what we do. I want to make it fun for them!  

What are your three favorite go-to exercise moves?

​My favorite go-to workouts would be HIIT workouts! I love the high intensity intervals of high knee jogging or skipping (jump rope) for 45 sec and then doing squats for the next 45 seconds, alternating between a strength move and cardio move. The workouts are 30 min and I feel awesome after. I burn a lot more than hitting up the treadmill and lifting after. That's boring to me. I wouldn't be able to sustain that. I actually tried the gym and went for years before I was married and see much better results now from home workouts!

How has your view of yourself changed since starting your fitness journey?

​I honestly think the reason why my view of myself has changed is because I am growing everyday in my faith and I see how much God loves me.  I find my identity in Him and He thinks I am beautiful.  I definitely struggle with this and have so much in the past but everyday I ​ask God to show my how He sees me.  I don't ever want to find my true identity in what others think of me. If that were the case, I wouldn't be able to share my journey on social media like I do.  If I didn't put myself out there and be vulnerable, how would I help people?  How would I be doing what God has called me to do?  God is stretching me and showing me how GREAT His plan is for my life so everyday I renew my mind with His promises and how much He loves me.  That change of focus and mindset  is what drives me to be healthy and share it!  

If you could give one fitness tip, what would it be?

I tell my clients that it's so important to CHANGE your mindset in order to create LONG TERM change in your health.  They need to see how much they are valued and how amazing they are as they go through their wellness journeys.  I always recommend a book like the Compound Effect or Crash the Chatterbox (depending on their faith)  to help them on their wellness journey.  Changing your MINDSET is the most important tip that most people leave out of the fitness equation but if you don't....chances are you will never believe you are worth it and you won't give your health priority over most things in your life.   

If you'd like to see what Tara is sharing to inspire others on social media, you can follow her on Facebook here, or you can follow her on Instagram here. 

American Heart Month: A Heart for Bernice

Hi friends!  It is American Heart Month.  Just a few days ago was "National Wear Red Day."  As much as I appreciate that awareness being spread, I have a bigger request than wearing red.  This request is to help support a friend's immediate need of a heart transplant.  She is in need of quite a bit, but the reality is every dollar helps!  Even if you can just give five dollars, I would ask that you do so!  Any help is much appreciated!  Thanks in advance for your generosity!


CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT BERNICE

Here is an excerpt from her GoFundMe page:

"This fund is for an incredible young woman who needs a new heart immediately. Her name is Bernice Lopez and she is on a waiting list for a heart transplant. Bernice is a loving, caring, single mom, who is full of life and wants to live. In 2008, she had breast cancer and survived. She currently works from her home and loves being a mom to her two young sons, ages 10 & 12. 
Bernice's heart is currently working at 5% and the doctor's are amazed that her organs haven't begun to shut down. She is truly a miracle and her faith in God is what sustains her. Within the next 2 weeks she will be undergoing surgery and is hoping to get a new heart as soon as they find a match. With her surgeries she will not be working and she will be in the hospital anywhere from 30 days to 6 weeks. This whole situation has been very overwhelming and she needs as little stress as possible.
With any donations that are given, Bernice will be able to focus on her health, provide for her boys while she is in the hospital, cover meidcal costs and medications. She will also be able to to stay as close to the hospital during her recovery. 
People always ask, "how can I help?" Well, here's a perfect, tangible way that would make a huge difference in someone's life. PLEASE DONATE! Any amount will help! If eveyone does there share, it will take a burden off of Bernice, (a burden that no one should ever have to carry alone).
May God richly bless you for any contribution you make and please continue to pray for complete healing and recovery in Bernice's body. She is God's gift to us and we treasure her...

Bernice's Favorite Scripture:

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. Psalm 139:14 NKJ"

Fabulously Fit Friend: Nicolle Lost 117lbs!

I have this friend that has always been in my life for almost as long as I can remember.  My first sleepover was at her house.  Her dad and my dad were in a couple different worship bands together.  We have gone to church (three...maybe four...completely different churches) together most of our lives.  In the last few years I noticed she was shrinking.  She was eating healthy and making changes in her life to improve her fitness.   She strived to keep the right spiritual mindset throughout this journey.  Nicolle is truly an inspiration!  She lost a total of 117 lbs.  Here is how she did it!

How did you begin your weight loss journey?  What made you desire change?

I was honestly pretty overweight my whole life and I was never aware how obese I really was. Occasionally people would bring up dieting and eating healthier but I attributed my size to bring big boned with slow metabolism since a lot of my family are the same way. When I was 19, a coworker suggested going to curves because she had been really wanting to lose and asked me if I would be her accountability partner. Honestly, going to the gym never had crossed my mind previously because again, I attributed my size to just "how God made me." I was shocked when I went to curves and was weighed and measured for the first time in a LONG while at a whopping 261 lbs. I'm so thankful for God blessing me with that coworker who challenged me and made me aware of how unhealthy I was.

What changes did you make to start to see results?  Did you set goals?  If so, what were they?

I signed up for curves the same night I was weighed and measured. It was really helpful having an accountability partner to start my weight loss with. I had no previous experience with exercise or eating healthy but at first it consisted of going to curves and having Lean Cuisines for lunch---but no other changes. The weight started coming off pretty quickly at first probably because I had so much to lose and my original goal was being under 200 or no longer being a plus size.

Where did you look for encouragement and help when you needed it?  
 The coworker I had was again such a blessing and she really was turning me to scripture. She made me aware of gluttony being a sin and not taking care of myself was not bringing God glory as my body is a temple to the Lord. God definitely provides strength during the times I needed it most.  At one point, I started to take weight loss to the extreme and working out became and idol. It was important for me to remember "Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7, 8 ESV) I had to be in the Word and not sacrifice my prayer time and time with The Lord for exercise because that was not God glorifying. 
How long have you kept it off?  How are you keeping it off?

It's been a long time. Since I started losing I haven't put any back on (with the exception of 5 lbs here and there) I no longer go to curves or eat Lean Cuisines but I made staying fit a lifestyle. I have to make conscious decisions to stop when I'm full and not have cake every single time someone offers it. At work I go walking around the building every break. I pack my own healthy lunches and snacks instead of eating out. I go out hiking with friends or do workout videos at home. I try to stay active and am much more aware of my body and the decisions I make with food. 

If you could give the readers three tips for getting healthy, what would those be?

1. Remember that our chief end is to glorify God (and enjoy Him forever) and that aspect applies to your healthy lifestyle too. Don't forget to honor The Lord in your habits and seek Him for the strength you need.
2. Make a lifestyle change. You can't fad diet just to go back to eating bad every day after you lost the weight.  You are going to gain it all back if you do. You need to make conscious efforts to have self control, make smart food decisions (but also be realistic and realize you still can have pizza or cake sometimes too).
3. Be active. You don't have to be in a gym for 3 hours a day, but work it into your schedule. For me, it's walking on breaks at work, hiking with friends, workout videos, or for days that I'm so busy and I dont have time to set aside to exercise, I will honestly dance while I'm cleaning the house. Find something to do to stay moving even in small ways.

Old Goal Met, New Goal Set!

My last post stated that I wanted to reach 3 minutes in a forearm plank by the end of the summer.  I surprised myself.  I've now surpassed that goal by a whole 2 minutes and 15 seconds.  I planked (accompanied by my sweet, fit friend Natalie) today for 5:15, beating yesterday's time of 5:03 (below).  I honestly feel so amazing after doing these planks.  By 5 minutes, my arms are shaking, but with each day, I feel myself getting stronger.  So, my new goal that I made for myself 9 days ago was to do 120 minutes of planks in 30 days.  I have planked a total of 48 minutes in those 9 days and am going to keep chipping away at that goal.  I have 21 days and 72 minutes to go!  I find it goes faster if I do the planks with someone, watch some Netflix on my phone, or listen to a sermon to make the time go faster!

My hubby joining me for a plank!

Fabulously Fit: Mother of Five Inspires!

Natalie and her kids!

A few years back, when Obama was running for his first term, I reconnected with a high school friend, Natalie, through some really great Facebook discussions about the president-to-be. Through several more Facebook messages and posts, we discovered we were both moms and somehow had a lot more in common than not! Through the last few years, this mother of five, who, like me, had a skinnier twin---although her twin is identical, inspired me with her weight loss and fitness journey. I tell people about her all the time. She inspires me that much. Natalie is an Army wife who's husband is often out on deployment. She's a twin herself, and a mother of not one, but two sets of twins and a singleton. Despite all this, she makes fitness a priority. I had the privilege of asking Natalie a few questions about her fitness journey. Read on and be inspired!

How did you come to realize you wanted to change your lifestyle?

Twins! (Natalie is on the right.)
I'm a twin and my twin sister doesn't have any children. I used to look at her unchanged body and have "weight loss wishes". I yo-yoed for years because while I loved the feeling of working out, I didn't care for the discipline of fueling my body right. I ran marathons, attended workout classes and even became a group fitness instructor. My friend Ryndee led a Turbokick class that I loved and she and another instructor friend, Alex, would put me on the mic to lead sections of the workout. I loved it! I loved to motivate and as an instructor you want to go all out and encourage the class to do the same. I still wasn't my sisters size but I was content until after a class one day. A woman that, at the time, I thought was much larger than me, thanked me. She thanked me for my excitement and for "representing for the BIG girls."  I was floored. I was thankful that she appreciated me but I didn't realize that she identified with me for my size. I was large. It happened slowly over time so I didn't notice. That was my "Aha!" moment of "something's got to give!" How do I live and breathe the gym and still not have results that reflect the scale or my pant size? Am I working out just to eat poorly? I needed a change and like the wait gain, I created that change slowly over time.

What is your motivation? 

No more cropped head shots!

 My motivation came from every picture I untagged online and from my friends cropping photos automatically because they knew I was unhappy with my size. They were sweet and loved me enough to take the same shot from different angles a number of times. From having to sit out in the hot sun because I wasn't going to dare get into a bathing suit during the summer. I saw how much my kids loved working out because I loved working out and wanted them to love eating clean because I love eating clean and now they do. I'm their parent, their first teacher and still had a lot to learn. I am strong in my faith and realized that that this wasn't entirely a vanity concern, or a health concern. Spiritually, I was not honoring God with my body. How was I going to motivate more than just one person in a class if I wasn't giving my all to acquire results that inspire?  All of these things continue to motivate me to keep going. 

 
How do you include your kids in your fitness journey?

No excuses!

I workout from home for the most part. My kids workout with me. I use them for added weight when I plank and encourage them to keep up with me as I punch, kick, jump and did drills in the living room. Sometimes I wait until they are occupied to workout. If they don't see me exercise, they ask if I did. Talk about accountability! I turn on the music and dance with them to keep them active on rainy days (it also tires them out for a nap). When weather allows, we head to the local track or hiking trail. My kids are totally awesome. I see a lot of my workout moves become their dance moves. They don't know the difference because all they know is that working out and dancing are both fun.

What are you three all time favorite exercise moves?

Natalie (at right) in her element.

I'm heavy bottomed so I enjoy the rewards of mixed martial arts. Plus, it makes me feel like a really cool ninja. Round house kicks really define the and trim down the legs and back kicks lift the bottom. I absolutely love lunges too!  I'm a sick person---any kind of lunge is welcome. I have powerful legs and love to push them. When weight training, I really enjoy the clean and press. I see the results quickly and every time I press and I smile. I feel empowered doing that move.

Have you gained a sense of identity through your fitness journey, apart from being a mom of five? 

I have gained my own sense of identity in every way possible. I'm not the "heavy twin," the "twin with twins," the "one with the kids," or the mom that puts all of her efforts into the health and appearance of her children while neglecting herself. I used to do that---have my kids looking great while I was in oversized clothes trying not to be noticed. Now my kids' kids' will look at photos and see that I was a tall and hippy woman that wore her frame with pride. I won't be a floating cropped head in photos anymore. I now have a successful business from home doing what I love, inspiring and motivating others. Keeping others accountable is what keeps me accountable. I have the pleasure of witnessing their fitness. I have made so many sweet friends while on this fitness journey. My heart is full. My children now have a healthy mom that is home when they are and still manages to add to the family's income. I strive to remain to be that woman people want to identify with. The one that took back her life and started living for the glory of the Lord. 

If you are interested in seeing Natalie in action as a fitness coach, please visit http://www.facebook.com/LikeMyCoachNatalie.