Reasons to Lose Weight

I recently put a list of reasons why I want to lose weight in my phone. I've always been a believer of making goals and keeping them in plain sight. Before the age of smartphones, I just wrote them on a paper and put them next to my bed. But let's face it, now and days, our smartphones are practically attached to us.
Try it! When you don't feel like working out, or want to reach for that donut, pull out your phone and review all the reasons why you are losing weight.
These are my reasons:

• To have a healthy relationship with food
• Healthier skin
• To be an example of what to do, rather than what not to do
• To look good in everything and nothing
• Be able to wear lingerie
• Run a mile without stopping
• Wear calf boots
• So Alex can lift me effortlessly
• Wear a single digit pants size
• Wear shorts without feeling self-conscious
• Wear cute fashion

This list continues to grow as I become more and more fit. Being able to feel comfortable in clothes is a major motivation for me. I've always felt like I was someone different inside and feeling trapped in baggy clothes has really prohibited me being my authentic self. This journey has given me more than just health, I've gained more confidence.

When Nikki told me about her list I couldn't believe I had not thought of the idea first! I mean I'm supposed to be the fabulous one and here. Nikki is totally stealing my thunder! So of course I had to write my own list to try to outdo Nikki...

Crystal's 10 Reasons to Stay on the Healthy Road:

• To Run 26.2 miles
• To wear a bikini and feel sexy in it
• To eat the muffin top, not wear it (low calorie, whole grain of course)
• To fit into single digit pants
• To reach my 100 pound weight loss goal
• To wear a little black dress and actually have it be little
• To be the Skinniest Ocegueda (my 4 older brothers are no match for me!)
• To help avoid the diabetes and heart attacks that run in my family
• To be one of the few people at my high school reunion who are actually smaller than they were when they were in high school
• To continue to amaze myself and all that I can accomplish

Crystal's Weight Loss Journey

I started my weight loss journey a year and a half ago. Like many folks I was not blessed with “skinny genes.” I struggled with my weight since I was in middle school, middle school is tough for all kids and it’s even harder when you are overweight. As most of you know kids can be very brutal and it took me a long time to realize that I had internalized the teasing I endured growing up.

So I did as many others that I know do, I became a “yo-yo-er.” I would lose 15-20 pounds and then gain them back. I tried every fad diet in the book and I never saw permanent results. You name I tried it, low carbs, no carbs, liquid diets, teas, aloe vera, anything I thought would get me quick results. I started to think that I was always going to stay at 275 pounds…

Then one day my sister in law told me to join her in a class she was taking. A personal trainer from the area was starting a weight loss competition with all of the people she trained. I am a very competitive person and I thought, “why not try it for one month? What do I have to lose?” I joined the competition and unfortunately I was no match for the two bride-to-be’s, or as I call them, “Bridezillas!” So I lost the competition, but I also lost 20 pounds in the process! And that is how my journey began…

From then I went on to participate in two other weight loss competitions and I was able to lose another 30 pounds. And at 50 pounds I hit a plateau, I wasn’t losing anymore weight, I was very comfortable blending in the crowd of the class and I wasn’t pushing myself as hard as I knew I could. So I went to my friend April for help, she is one of my closest friends and she is in very good shape. She began training me one-on-one and she pushed me to my physical limits. It was with her that I realized that I could do more than I gave myself credit for.

One day as I was struggling to run ½ a mile without stopping, I asked April if she thought I could run a half marathon. She turned me to me and she answered without hesitation and told me she knew I could! That was the day I signed up to run my first half marathon.

I have now lost a total of 78 pounds and last week I ran 13.1 miles without stopping! This journey has not only helped me transform my body, it has also helped me transform my attitude and the way I feel about myself. Although I am not quite where I want to be, my goal is to lose 100 pounds or to have a flat stomach and toned figure, I am extremely happy with the person I see in the mirror. I am very proud of myself; for the first time in my life I can look in the mirror and see the beauty in me both inside and out. Sometimes I get down on myself when I don’t meet the goals that I originally set but then I think about how far I have come and it gives me the motivation that I need to continue to pursue my goals.

It hasn’t been an easy journey but it has been a beautiful one. I am very proud of who I am and I know that with hard work and determination you can accomplish anything!


-Crystal Ocegueda

Nikki's Weight Loss Journey

This time things feel different

From a very early age, when I looked in the mirror all I saw was a short, pasty white, fat girl. As a child of a divorced family, at the age of six I found myself surrounded by two new families and I used to blame my fluffiness on the constant comparing between my three stepsisters and myself. Over the years, I allowed the five pounds I could have easily grown out of, turn into 80 pounds to lose. 

Now at the age of 30, I'm done playing victim and dwelling on the past. I've allowed that sob story to become the self-talk in my head and I'm over it! It's time for a new story. One that is empowering and worthy of telling over and over. 

It feels different this time because I've dealt with my own negativity and truly believe this time is for real. Perhaps it is age that allowed me to finally get to this point, either way I'm here and ready to kick butt!

Why it hasn't worked before

Over the years, I've gained and lost weight a hand full of times. Each time I gained the weight back, there were always friends that came along with them. I've tried a hand-full of diets: Weight Watchers, weight loss pills and starvation to name a few.
In the past I was able to lose weight simply by exercising more, but sadly, those days are over. I've realized watching what I eat is perhaps more important now, and for more than one reason.
Two years ago, my daughter was born. When I initially found out I was pregnant, the doctor said I couldn't gain any weight. (Imagine hearing that when pregnancy is the foodie's "Get Out of Jail" card.) By the time I checked in to give birth, I weighed just three pounds more than I started and at my postpartum check up, I was down 18 pounds! I loved the direction the scale was going but it didn't last long. I returned to a stressful job just four weeks later and almost instantly gained all the weight back. I was unhappy and not helping people in the capacity I knew I was capable of.

Why it is working now

A year and a half later, I finally realized the stressful job wasn't worth risking my health. I made a career change in September 2011 and instantly felt lighter. Not only is my new job far less stressful, my co-workers are much healthier people. Their tips and guidance have motivated me to be more authentic to myself. A month-long weight loss competition at work kick started my weight loss. After losing 10 pounds and winning the competition, I've realized that I can do it! While the lower number of the scale is nice, there is something that means a lot more to me. I've learned to trust myself again. No more empty promises of losing weight or doing this or that. I AM doing it!