Recently, I had the opportunity to interview Jessica Key, author of
Confessions of a Buddafli: Relationships, Food, and Self-Esteem and I am sure as we head into the spring season, you will find this to be a refreshing piece.
Jahzara Bradley: With spring here what advice do you have for people who want to lose weight?
Jessica Key: Losing weight is not something that happens overnight but it is something that is achievable on purpose. For everything in your life you have to have a plan. If you plan on working in the morning you have to lay out your clothes the night before or make a decision in the morning. Even something as simple as brushing your teeth and flossing has to be an established plan an routine. If you are interested in losing weight the first thing you need to do is plan to do just that. Capturing the mind is the hardest thing about losing weight. You have to make time and schedule time to add meal prepping to your daily routine as well as at least a 30 minute slot for some type of physical activity. I always encourage people to meal prep for breakfast and lunch 2-3 days a week. It can seem overwhelming to meal prep for an entire work week and meal planning is not something that should be considered as an extra task. Starting to make healthier choices and planning to be successful should be a part of our regular routine. If you plan to succeed from the beginning you will have much more success.
Jahzara Bradley: What words of encouragement do you have for people who have tried everything under the sun in order to lose weight but still struggle?
Jessica Key: I have been there and done that! I have tried nearly EVERY diet out there. I’ve been successful and I’ve failed. What worked for me and what I still do to this day is live in moderation. I weigh in monthly so that I am not attached to the scale and I celebrate my 1 lb loses as much as I celebrate my 10 lb losses. Losing 1 lb a week is the equivalent of losing 52 lbs in one year. Most people can’t see past the 1 lb to know that success is on the way. Don’t give up. And if you ‘mess’ up don’t beat yourself up. Just because you have a ‘bad’ breakfast doesn’t mean you have to have ‘bad’ lunch and dinner. Every day is a moment for you to start over on your journey. You don’t have to be bound to anyone’s perception nor the negativity you speak about your own body. Don’t give up. Anything that is worth working hard for is worth having. There were some months that I only lost 2 lbs and other months that I lost 6-8 lbs. Either way I didn’t give up. Also and most importantly please don’t forget that muscle weighs more than fat and that inches are very important. I always encourage people to get their favorite pair or jeans or a dress and base their weight loss on how well or loose that outfit begins to look on you. Weight loss is more than the 3 numbers on the scale. And again DON’T give up nor beat yourself up about those 3 numbers.
Jahzara Bradley: When did you begin your weight loss journey?
Jessica Key: My weight loss journey started in January of 2016. And no it was night a New Year’s Resolution, lol. The truth is that in years previous to 2016 I had lost weight and fallen in love and dramatically stopped eating right and all workout routines. After ending that 2-year relationship I realized that I had gained over 75 lbs. I was 319 lbs. I looked in the mirror one day and realized I was not the same person I was when I went into the relationship. It was more than physical it was mental. So at that moment in January, I believe is was the 12th, I looked in the mirror and decided to make a change. I decided I wanted more than my life than to enjoy the next piece of pizza or the next slice of lasagna. I wanted to live.
Jahzara Bradley: What things have you learned since you've embarked on your journey?
Jessica Key:Since I made the mental choice to change my life I have learned so much about myself. I learned that I can dance, well kinda, lol. I started doing Zumba as a ‘try something new’ 6 months into my weight loss journey and discovered I liked it. It was something I could do without thinking hard. I didn’t have to come up with my own routine and I made friends that encourage me to continue to come to the class. Ironically, January 20, 2018 I became a licensed Zumba Instructor. This is something I never thought I would do or even be interested in doing but I did it. Over time I’ve found that to even say the words, ‘weight loss journey’ is to really be saying lifestyle change. I’ve learned that I will never fully be ‘cured’ from overeating or overindulgence. It is a choice that I choose to make every day. I don’t want to be bound to food because of having a bad day or even because of having a good day. I want to live beyond my next meal.
Jahzara Bradley: Do you have advice for people whose weight tend to yo-yo, meaning go up and down?
Jessica Key: If I could give one piece of advice about yo-yo-ing in weight I would say, Keep Pushing. There is no way to control the environment around yourself. If you work in a high stressed job or have a stressful relationship that will inevitably play a huge roll in your weight loss journey. Stress will not allow you to lose weight OR will enable you to lose weight but the key is consistency. If you find yourself at a plateau you have to make a conscious effort to push yourself through that plateau. What that means is that you will have to increase your cardio or decrease your food for a number of days in order to shock your body to get to the next level. I know it is easier said than done, BUT don’t be overwhelmed with the yo-yo. Be mindful that you lose weight based on what you are eating as well as what your are not eating. Continue to make healthier choices and switch up your routine in order to push through your plateau’s. As an added piece of advice be sure to do 7 day challenges. That could mean no soda, French fries, or sweets for 7 days in order to shock the body. That’s always helped me push through.
Jahzara Bradley: What foods are absolute no-nos?
Jessica Key: An absolute no-no for me is body shaming and negativity. NEVER do this. When I look into the mirror I always make time to let myself know I am beautiful no matter what size I am. It took years for me to get to this point so I totally understand if it may take you some time. But I speak life to my body and to my being every day because I know what it felt like to be depressed and suicidal and I never want to put myself in that head space again. Life hurts sometimes and can be overwhelming but I have to ensure that if everything around me is falling apart and shifting that I am the foundation and the one thing that will continue to motivate me to be the greatest and best at loving me.
Jahzara Bradley: What is something that people would be shocked to know about you?
Jessica Key: I can play the drums, lol. Who would have thought! Growing up in the church you had to be a jack-of-all-trades. So when I wasn’t singing in the choir I was playing the drums.
Jahzara Bradley: How did your spirituality play a role in your weight loss?
Jessica Key: God was a huge factor in my weight loss. I would cry some days when I just wanted to overindulge and would pray that God would touch my mind to know that he was more than enough for me and that I didn’t have to be bound whatever I was craving. I would pray before eating a meal and ask God to help me not to eat it all in one bite. I am honest with myself and my relationship with food and when I started my journey I told God that I needed him to be with me on this journey because I knew I wouldn’t make it without him helping me one meal at a time. God loves me and even something as small as how much of this chicken spaghetti should I eat is something that he cares about because he knows I care about it. Food is everywhere we go and it will never stop existing so I have to learn how to co-exist with it without completely losing myself.
Jahzara Bradley: Tell us about your book and how we can get it.
Jessica Key: Confessions of a Buddafli: Relationships, Food, and Self-Esteem is the autobiography of my life in 85 pages. It also includes 13 poems. Whenever I tell people it is 85 pages they are always shocked. I don’t think it takes all day to tell a good story or for that matter a true story. My book discusses my journey from elementary till 2016. I talk about being dark-skinned and overweight my entire life. I was 196 lbs in the 6th grade and graduated weighing 303 pounds from high school. I take readers on a journey through my own words. Although times got dark and I was full of hurt, pain, and even hatred; I still succeeded in life.
If you would like to purchase the book can do so at the following:
www.buddainspired.com/bookrelease
Amazon http://amzn.to/2DosnQb
Barnes and Noble http://bit.ly/2GNdIRv
