588 Days! Balancing Act of Faith, Family, & Finding Time for ME

To my husband, Maurice, I thank you for introducing me to the Teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and to his Servant and Minister, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan many years ago. These Teachings have opened my eyes to see Allah (God), His Christ, and His Servant in our midst today. Not only that, but I have also come to know and love who I am. Additionally, I thank you for setting me on this journey and supporting me throughout my ups and downs. The start of your own fitness regimen led me to join you in the gym. I love you!

To my mother, Nannie, words can never express how much I love you and thank you for all of the support, encouragement, love, and motivation that you provided to me as your daughter. You didn’t just stop there. You were very instrumental in taking care of my family when I was focusing on my journey. Because of you, I was able to concentrate on my journey without having to worry whether or not my family was being taken care of. May Allah (God) bless you with many years of life and all of the blessings that you deserve. I love you, Mom!

To my children, Mommy did this for you! I wanted to do everything I could to stay healthy and be around for you as you grow up into handsome and beautiful young men and women. Mommy loves you so much!!!

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Acknowledgements

Words would never be adequate or exhausted enough to thank Allah (God), Who came in the Person of Master Fard Muhammad, the Great Mahdi, for giving me life, my family, friends, supporters, and the strength to carry on throughout my journey.

To The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan for opening my eyes to the love of Allah (God), the love of self, and the love of others.

Sister Beverly Muhammad - For the unconditional love that you have always given me over the years. Your glowing smile, love, and support were the wings that I needed on many occasions to get me through the many trials and tribulations on this journey. I knew that I had a cheerleader in you. Not only were you supportive of me, but you even started your own journey. I am so proud of you! May Allah (God) continue to bless you, my Sister!

Muhammad’s Study Group – Bloomington/Normal, Illinois – thank you for the words of encouragement and support. Also, thank you for keeping the Teachings of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan alive in our community. Accept Your Own and Be Yourself!

The Mighty M.G.T./G.C.C. – Thank you for being the mighty women that you are and for representing the image of what Allah’s (God’s) Glory and Grace looks like in this day and age. I also want to thank you for being examples of how Sisters should be good wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, and friends. We are setting a standard for the whole world to view and emulate. Stay strong My Sisters!!

David N. Beasley, Jr. – to my big brother that has been my unofficial Public Relations representative, I thank you so much for your inspiration, sticking with me over these nearly 2 years on this journey and providing me with kind and uplifting words when I wanted to just give in at times.

Lisa Moses – we became a weight loss team with the goal of being 150 pounds by your birthday in March 2010. You were there to push me along and give that big you go girl smile. Thank You!

Dr. Janine Peacher – to my Soror and Sister – I thank you for seeing the vision of this book and my desire to help others, like ourselves, which are struggling for balance and good health. You’ve provided me with great support, advice, and sisterly love. Thank You!

Carla Campbell-Jackson – to my Soror and Sister – thank YOU for always being there to support your little Sister. You and your family have made me feel like a welcomed member and have displayed your love and encouragement to me on numerous occasions. You always let me know how proud you are of me and how HE is blessing us constantly. I greatly appreciate and treasure our friendship and sisterhood.

Sister’s Stepping Up Weight Loss Team® – we’ve gone from strangers that met over Facebook® to sisters that have shared the good, bad, and ugly of our own weight loss journeys. I thank you for the love that you’ve shown me and for helping me to stay on track.

Facebook® Fans – You’ve given me so much love and support with your comments to my Facebook® entries and the sharing of your own journeys. Much love to you all!

Sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® and the Mothers of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated® (chapters from Bloomington/Normal, Illinois) – Thank you for the sisterly and motherly love and support that you’ve provided to me during this journey. Several of you have commenced your own journey. May Allah (God) bless you to reach your dreams of being a healthier New You!

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Preface

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH (GOD) THE BENEFICIENT, THE MERCIFUL.

I believe in the Golden Rule that says, Do unto others as you would have done unto you! Another similar saying that has been taught to me via The Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan is, You should want for your Brother or Sister what you want for yourself!

I did not write this book out of vanity or the pursuit of fame and fortune. Quite the contrary! My goal for writing this book is to inspire women, mothers, youth, or anyone else that is embarking, or wishes to embark, on their own journey towards better health and weight.

I am by no means a professional trainer or one that has a degree in medicine but what I do have is faith, a strong will, dedication, and personal experience on my side.

We all need help and support in finding ourselves and becoming healthier. Consider me as that friend or sister that is here to help you, not to hinder you. I will be that friend we all need that will tell you the truth about yourselves and what you are going through. I’m not here to sugar coat the details and aspects of a health/weight loss journey. I am here to share my experiences and help you with your own personal journey.

Throughout this book, I will help you to face your fears, deal with your present and past, challenge you to take it to the next level, and praise you for your successes. Additionally, I will give you a glimpse into my life and share with you my joys, pains, sorrows, triumphs, challenges, and rewards.

Come on and get ready for some tough love. We are about to commence the journey of a lifetime. Are you ready to meet the New YOU?

Your Sister,

Sister Lorraine S. Muhammad

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Chapter 1. Background

Let me give you a glimpse into my life for a minute. My background is much like yours, in some way, shape, form, or fashion. I am no different than many of you.

I am 40 years of age. I’ve been married to the man I fell in love with in college for 15 years. During those 15 years, I’ve given birth to 6, yes 6, beautiful children. Did I mention that none of those births produced multiple children (i.e. – twins or triplets)? I’ve been pregnant six times and I had all of the extra weight to prove it!

Now, here’s how my life goes on a daily basis. As I’ve mentioned, I’m a wife and mother. Not only that, but I work full-time as a Manager in an Information Technology Department and I homeschool our children that are now in the fourth, sixth, and ninth grades. Wait, it doesn’t stop there. I am active, as much as I can be, in The Muhammad’s Study Group – Bloomington/Normal, in the community by mentoring our youth at the Boys & Girls Club – Bloomington/Normal®, social organizations, Mentoring and Providing Scholarships (M.A.P.S.)® for high school seniors, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® – Omicron Delta Omega Chapter, and Jack and Jill of America Incorporated® – Bloomington/Normal Chapter. I truly enjoy spending as much time with my family, children, and friends, although time doesn’t always permit it. Occasionally, I might find a minute or two to spend some time with myself and obtain some quiet time. Like I said, occasionally!

So, you may ask, how did I find the time to start and stay on my weight loss journey? Simple…I MADE the time!

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Chapter 2. The Childbearing Years

Baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby!! Let me give you a glimpse of how joyful, and often times overwhelming, my life has been for the last 14 + years. As I’ve mentioned before, my husband and I have been blessed with 6 children.

In 1995, we were getting ready for the historical Million Man March. My husband was preparing to partake in this momentous event and little did either of us know, at the time, we were both praying that I would be pregnant before the March. Our wishes came true…I was pregnant!

When I started having children, I weighed 165 pounds. At that time, I was 25 years old, a full-time worker, and a newlywed. There were so many life changes that were going on at the same time for me that it was a bit overwhelming.

I was so excited about being pregnant. I wanted to do all I could to ensure that we had a healthy baby. I would watch and listen to the How to Give Birth to a God lecture series by the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, as well as read other books that would help me prepare for this new chapter in my life. I was getting as prepared as I could be, or at least I thought.

What I didn’t prepare myself for was how to take care of myself, from a physical fitness perspective, both during and after the pregnancy. I was so focused on taking care of the baby that was growing inside of me and making sure that I brought this bundle of joy into the world with no physical problems or conditions.

I was not prepared on how to get myself back in shape, both mentally and physically, upon the birth of our baby girl. I guess in my mind, I figured I would just snap back into shape. I thought the weight I gained would magically go away.

I knew I was gaining weight during the pregnancy, but I really didn’t put it all into perspective. The gaining of weight, from what I was told from my physician, through the reading of books, and from those that were in my life that had gone through such an experience before, was natural. Each time I would go to the doctor’s office and hear the nurse read off my weight as I stepped on the scale, I just thought to myself, Oh, that’s not bad. It’s just the baby growing. It will go away once the baby is born or Wow, this is going to be a big baby! I never really thought the weight would stay with me.

After our first child was born, like most new mothers, I found myself simply exhausted! I was up late at night taking care of our daughter. I was trying to get our lives into a routine that not only included working full-time but being a new mother, as well. I wasn’t thinking about how I could get on a treadmill and walk a mile or two. I was more concerned with how I could take a nap on the couch or when was I going to get a full night of rest.

Then, of course, my eating habits changed. I was still in the mindset of eating for two. I was nursing our little girl and just thought all of the food I was taking in was for the good of the baby. I also thought when I eventually stopped nursing, my stomach would flatten, my breasts would shrink, and I would be back to my old self. Well, that didn’t occur. It wasn’t the baby’s fault, I take full responsibility.

When our oldest child was about six months old, I found out I was now pregnant with our second child. I heard a lecture from Minister Farrakhan in November 1996 and what the Minister said in his lecture to the women in our class led me to pray to Allah (God) that I would be pregnant and would give my husband the son that he and I both wanted. Almost 9 months to the day, we had our baby boy!

Now, keep in mind, I started off my pregnancy with our first child at 165 pounds. By the time I was pregnant with our second child, I started off at 190 pounds. I didn’t lose the 25 pounds from my first pregnancy that I had planned to, in my mind. By the time I gave birth to our son, I weighed 195 pounds.

You can imagine what my life was like at this point. Here we have 2 children under the age of 2 years old. I was still working full time and, along with my husband, trying to take care of 2 young children. Needless to say, I was getting even less sleep than I was with just one child and my health was pushed even further back on my to-do-list. I was trying to keep my sanity, balance my personal and professional life, and be a good wife and mother, all at the same time.

After the birth of both of the children, I found that food became my comforter and friend. When I was up in the wee hours of the night and morning, I had food to stay up with me. I was nursing at the time and trying to keep up my energy while supplying the babies with the nutrition they needed, at least that’s what I told myself. I found all kinds of snacks (i.e. – cookies, crackers, left-over food from dinner, candy) and other food items I could get my hands on to satisfy my hunger and make me happy. Meanwhile, I took care of the babies as they cried or simply wanted Mommy to hold them through the night.

You can start to see a pattern forming here. I became pregnant and gave birth 3 more times within about a 5 year period. By the end of 2002, we had 5 beautiful, healthy children. Not only that, but my weight peaked up to 219 pounds! This was the most I had EVER weighed in my lifetime.

At this point, I was going through all types of emotions. Although I was never clinically diagnosed, I truly believe that I went through some degrees of post partum depression. I was extremely