wEIGHT LOSS p1

I lost 40 pounds in 9 months and kept it off

M Y  “W H Y"  /  T H E   B A C K S T O R Y

J A N U A R Y   2 0 1 8

I was the matron of honor for my cousin's wedding, so of course that requires bridesmaid dress shopping. That day turned out to be "the best" worse day for me. Our first stop was Nordstrom, they had a lot of dresses to choose from but only their most popular dresses in house to try on, which worked out well for the other 3 bridesmaids, but not for me. For me there was only "one off the rack plus size dress available." When the sales lady said that to me, I was stunned. I didn't think I was "that big," and to make matters worse, that plus size dress was too small and wouldn't even zip up. Then they had an assistant come in to take my measurements while I was in my underwear. I was MORTIFIED. I sat down on the dressing room floor and cried my eyes out. I looked at myself in the mirror and cried some more. I felt disgusting, sad, and depressed. I decided right then and there that I wasn't going to allow myself to be or feel that way anymore. I committed and here we are today!

V I D E O   S U M M A R Y

For those that would rather not read the post, this Facebook Live Video Susan & I filmed in 2018 sums up how I lost the weight, the products I took, the food I ate, and the formula I followed that helped me achieve my 40 pound weight loss goal. 

T H E   B R E A K D O W N

The ONLY way to loose weight is to burn more or to eat less calories than you need to maintain your current weight. That's it. Period. There is no magic pill, drink, or potion that eats your fat. There are supplements and products, like Vasayo, that ASSIST you, but the fact that you need to burn more calories than you consume remains the same. To loose ONE POUND PER WEEK you must omit 3,500 calories from your diet. You can do that by working out, eating less, or a combo of the two.

I LOATH working out and knew that wasn't going to be apart of my journey, so I chose to workout my mind instead. I created a spreadsheet to track my daily caloric intake. I did not stop eating tacos, pizza, bread, or hamburgers, but I did learn about portion size and how it's okay to eat and eat!  Below are the steps I took and the rules I followed that lead me to my 40 pound weight loss and helped me keep it off years later!

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S T E P  1 :  Figuring Out Your Maintenance Number

​To loose ONE POUND a week you must omit 3,500 calories from your diet. In order to do that, you first have to figure out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight. I did A TON of research and found multiple sites that gave a formula to help you figure that out, I then subtracted 3,500 calories, and divided it by 7 days- BOOM! I now know my daily caloric intake. I like to look at it a week at a time. This way if I know I'm going to a party or baseball game that weekend I can adjust my calories throughout the week to compensate.

T H E   F O R M U L A

(655+(4.35 x Weight in Pounds)+(4.7 x Height in Inches)-(4.7 x Your Age)) x Activity Level
​*Note: 1.1 is a safe activity level to use if you do NOT work out

You can download my excel sheet below:
There are tabs at the bottom, one of them is an Example of one of my weeks

Calorie Tracker
File Size:	483 kb
File Type:	xlsx

Download File

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1. Update your weight ONE time a week (I chose Mondays)
2. Track your calories daily to ensure you're within your weekly goal
3. Do NOT weigh yourself throughout the week. I mean it.

S T E P  2 :  ​Buy Vasayo & a Food Scale

I weighed EVERYTHING. I wanted to make sure I was eating everything I could and not a drop more. This sounds tedious, but I became obsessed, and I actually realized what I was under & over serving myself. Plus, I can now eyeball my correct serving sizes.

​I choose the supplement line, Vasayo to help me achieve my goal. These are the products I took and why. If you'd like to purchase some Vasayo products, use my ink: www.cjmiles7.vasayo.com

V3

Energy/Mood/Sugar Curb

VSLIM

Metabolism / Cravings

CORE

Vitamins & Nutrients 

I created a Facebook page where I have a Q&A breakdown about each product I've tried too. Read that here.

S T E P  3 :  Calorie Research! 

I started by looking up all my favorite places to see if they had a nutritional/calorie counter. Those that didn't, I emailed and almost all of them got back to me (shout out to Local Foods and Dish Society!). In doing this I realized I had been making a HUGE mistake! One of them was ordering a side salad over the bag of chips I truly wanted. We used to frequent Newk's weekly and I would always do half a sandwich and a side garden salad thinking that was my best option, but nay! It was not! That side salad had MORE calories than half the sandwich while that bag of chips I was secretly longing for only had 140, I was shocked! *Note: The salad did not have any croutons, but it did have a lot of cheese and their ranch dressing was very high in calories*  Here are some slight changes I made that I still follow today: Whataburger: I switched to a Whataburger Jr. meal with small fries and I only eat 1 bun (I do this with any burger and sandwich- 1 bun/bread automatically lowers the calories); Sonic: I only eat the 4 pack of cheese-sticks versus the 8; Mexican Food: I put my chip portion on the plates they provide and I only eat that. I also only eat 1 taco, instead of 2, but I add extra meat. I skip the sour cream, but not the cheese; Mod Pizza: I get a mini mod to eat entirely. They list the calories in their ingredients so I'm able to tailor it every time to my calorie goal/bank that day. ​ALCOHOL: So I'm a social drinker, and I highly doubt that's going to change, so I researched and found out that SILVER/BLANCO TEQUILA is pretty much the best invention EVER. Your body HATES alcohol, it tries to process it out of your system as fast as it can, speeding up your metabolism, which then makes you hungry (that's why you hit up Taco Bell or Whataburger at 2 am after a night of drinking), but not tequila. Tequila speeds your metabolism but also curbs your appetite. It also only has 69 calories per ounce, making it the perfect beverage. I do 1 bottle of Topo Chico (club soda), per 1 ounce of Espolon Tequila, and fresh lime juice. This drink is called, "Ranch Water." 

​S T E P  4 :  Set Goals & Give Yourself Goal Gifts!

 Pick your goal and OWN it! Why? If you’re wishy-washy on your goal, then you don’t have a clear line/direction to work towards. Be intentional. What I did: I wanted to be a size medium at Forever 21 (I know, dream big), so I went to their website, looked at their size chart, and wrote down what a medium's measurements were. Now I have my goal and know what I'm working towards. I also decided I wanted to weigh 133 pounds, so I needed to loose 40.

​My favorite thing besides the weight loss and feeling better, was picking out my goal gifts. Goal Gifts give you little milestone’s to celebrate and to keep you motivated, but please, do NOT make them food related!!  If you want a slice of cake, eat a slice of cake - YOU NEED TO SEPARATE YOUR EMOTIONS FROM FOOD! FOOD ISN’T A GIFT! THERE’S NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT FOOD! YOU ARE SPECIAL! My example: I wanted to loose 40 lbs so I gave myself gifts at 5, 10, 20, 30, & one whopping one at 40 lbs, my finish line. We were attending two wedding that year, so a lot of my gifts were clothes related (new vacation outfits, duh!). At 5 lbs I bought myself a pair of shoes, 10 lbs a dress that I have been eyeballing, 20 lbs (my halfway mark) I bought myself some Botox, 30 lbs. was another dress (and by this point I really needed the new clothes!), and 40 lbs was a $300 shopping spree to celebrate my new body. Before you say, “I can’t spend that much money on clothes!!!” I started this process in Feb. 2018 and hit my goal in November the same year- I saved $20 every 2 weeks ($40 a month) so I had $360 to spend on new clothes [which I desperately needed AND EARNED]! There 100% IS ALWAYS A WAY! Please feel free to bounce ideas off of me, I WILL help you achieve your goal gifts.

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R U L E S   Y O U   M U S T   F O L L O W !
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1). ONLY WEIGH YOURSELF ONE DAY A WEEK - And try to be consistent with the day & time.
Why? You WILL weigh more at the end of the day (especially if you haven’t pooped yet), and this entire process is to keep you positive and to see results, so please just trust me on this one. SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS! My example: I weighed myself on Monday mornings, completely nude, after my morning pee, and before I got in to the shower.

2). CELEBRATE EVERY SINGLE POUND! - And I mean SINGLE, as in ONE, because weather it’s 1 or 100, it’s FREAKING AMAZING, so celebrate that one pound, shout it from the roof tops like Monica from friends when she was engaged, “I LOST A POUND!!!”
Why? Because I would bet one hundred trillion dollars that when you gain a pound, you feel the “weight” of it, and you beat yourself up about it, so I want you to be just has happy to loose it as angry you were when you gained it… What I did: I posted about it on Facebook and/or Instagram, I told my husband who would high five me, I told my dogs who would kiss me (they had no idea what I was saying, but they sensed how happy I was, and they were happy too- I highly suggest getting dog if you don’t have one), and I would tell the sales people at the clothing stores why I was in need of new clothes. The happier you are in the processes, the better your results. Period.

3). TAKE YOUR MEASUREMENTS! 
Why? Because you might not have a lost a pound that week BUT you lost an inch (What! What!)!! Plus, clothing sizing charts are based on your measurements, not what the scale says, so this is just common sense. My example: I measured myself in the morning before getting ready for the day. I text them to myself to update my excel sheet later, but I also have them “on file” in my phone if I need to reference them (like when I’m checking out an online size chart)

​4). PICK GOAL GIFTS!  (Yep, it's a step and a rule, it's that important) 
Why? I’ll preach it again- you need milestone markers to celebrate and you need to reward yourself for the determination, drive, and success you’re experiencing

5). CREATE A THANKFUL LIST! Write down AT LEAST 10 things that you’re grateful for RIGHT NOW [I’ll wait]. Why?: Because no one can/will be successful if they live in a negative head space. Negative thoughts breed negative outcomes. Period. *Side Note: I do this every day. I write down 3-5 things that I’m grateful for that day, and they aren’t general.  Here’s an example of one of my days: 

1. Cody going back to the house and getting my work laptop for me
2. My face pores ARE smaller today, so much that my complexion was complimented!
3. Going to Teasip w/Cody & chatting with the lovelies there <3
4. Brianna wanting to know where I bought my dress!! (Brianna is my 12 year old niece) 

​6). Be REALISTIC. Vasayo is NOT Pac Man. It doesn’t magically go into your body and eat the fat you’re wanting to loose. YOU are Pac Man and Vasayo is the food/power booster pallets you eat to help YOU chomp away at your fat. Vasayo speeds your metabolism so you WILL get hungry until your body realizes that this is your new normal- so for the first 2 weeks be mindful of what you’re feeding it. Metabolism is what burns off calories. Why? Again, this is all about setting ourselves up for success. My example: I created the spreadsheet I’m sharing with you!

Calorie Tracker
File Size:	483 kb
File Type:	xlsx

Download File

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D I S C L A I M E R 

I'm not a doctor. I'm not a nutritionist. I'm not a health nut. I have no authority what so ever on this subject matter. But. I am a woman that struggled to loose weight and keep it off. I am a woman who's weight kept fluctuating up and down over the years yet these past two I've maintained without counting calories. I am someone who actually likes who she sees in the mirror. Will you have the same success? No earthly idea, but maybe. Let me know if you try my strategy, let me be the person you share your pound success with, I'll virtually high five you ever time!

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# V A S A Y O V I X E N   O N   S O C I A L   M E D I A

Follow #VasayoVixen and like my Facebook page dedicated to my weight loss journey here to track my progress!

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□I DID IT□!!! I FINALLY MET MY 40LBS WEIGHT LOSS GOAL!!!!! I'm so stoked and what an insanely great way to start my week!□□!! • I knew it would be a lifestyle tweak, but I knew working out wasn't conducive to my schedule, so I worked out my mind instead- I found out how many calories I'd need to eat to maintain my current weight & subtracted 500 calories (3500 calories less a week = A 1lb. Weight loss per week). I now understand portion size and i make better choices! Before I would choose a side salad with a light oil dressing in lieu of the chips I really wanted- well, that salad was 300-500 calories and the chips were 130/150... so I really wasn't making the better choice... I eat 6 small meals throughout the day, Drink Vasayo regularly, and I feel AMAZING! I lived off of Whataburger Jr. & small fries, mini Modpizzas, HEB ready meals, sandwiches, & tacos (these are all usually things I eat)... I did NOT starve myself. I love strawberries, tequila, & chips with salsa, and pretzels- and I STILL ATE THAT! You CAN do it, you just have to make a commitment to do it □!! *Happy Dance!* • #Vasayo Products (link in bio): V3, Vslim, Core, Sleep, Renew • #vasayovixen #vasayovictory #weightlossjourney #hourglass #weightloss #plussize #healthy #fitness #skinny #changeyourlife #feelgood #transform #transformation #goals #goalmet #ididit #soproud #yeah #congratulations #zmilesgetshealthy

A post shared by JEANNiE ZiNDLER-MiLES (@buxom_blonde) on Nov 5, 2018 at 9:04am PST

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This is by far my favorite work outfit thus far! BUT this post isn't going to be about that. Instead, it's about body image. All the new clothes i've purchased recently (which have been a lot), I bought in 2 sizes because I still see myself as the 43lbs heavier version and I don't believe the size charts. I constantly tell myself that my mirror at home is a "skinny" mirror, so be prepared to be "bigger" in photos, ect... today this dress helped me realize that I have indeed lost weight and all that dedication had paid off. Vasayo & counting calories helped teach me portion control and I couldn't be happier! I started this journey Feb. 12, 2018 and never looked back! If you're currently at odds with yourself or having a hard time seeing your new shape, I beg you to snap out of it & start enjoying your efforts! You should praise yourself as hard as you scolded #Truth • • •. #vasayovixen #weightloss #vasay #healthy #fitness #skinny #changeyourlife #feelgood #hourglassfigure #buxom #workattire #mymodcloth #katespade #bossbabe #hourglass #blackandwhite #dress #ootd #ensemble #outfit #fashion #style #benicetoyourself

A post shared by JEANNiE ZiNDLER-MiLES (@buxom_blonde) on Jan 16, 2019 at 1:23pm PST

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So there's a back story on why I love this outfit so much... Last year I was crying on Nordstrom's dressing room floor after trying on the only plus size bridesmaid dress they kept on the rack and it was still too small. I felt disgusting, sad, and depressed, but yesterday that memory got an upgrade!! My eyes swelled with pride as I pulled these jeans on & zipped up this vest- Both are from the JUNIORS Department, the vest is a size Medium (before it would've been an XL) and the jeans/jeggings a size 7 (I was a 15+ before)... I'm wearing a size 7 people □!!!! I can not express how stoked this makes me feel! I'm so happy I decided to commit to this journey- it's been an awesome one thus far!!! (Link in bio: Cjmiles7.vasayo.com) #VasayoVixen #vasayo #jeannielovesclothes #jeanniescloset • I've lost 39lbs, 4.5" in my waist, & 4" in my hips!! • • • #weightloss #vasayovictory #weightlossjourney #hourglass #plussize #buxom #healthy #fitness #skinny #changeyourlife #feelgood #feelinggood #thin #fit #loveyourself #selflove #healthylifestyle #transformationtuesday #transform #transformation #incheslost #beenie#vest #jeans #arizonajeans

A post shared by JEANNiE ZiNDLER-MiLES (@buxom_blonde) on Nov 2, 2018 at 10:41am PDT

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