Vibrant Virginia

04/03/2024

How brain tumors and cancer affect my life.

31/01/2024

Happy 1st Year Fit Journey to me! On January 31, 2023, I decided that I would fight for my life, to fight brain tumors and cancer, and to move my body even while facing chronic illness.

I began my journey wearing a very tight 18/20 (I should have gone up a size) and a Men’s XL Tee. My waist was more than 44 inches. I weighed 198 pounds on my 4 foot 10 inch frame. My body fat was more than 50%. My visceral fat was more than 19.

Today, one year later, I am a size 4, wearing an XS Missy’s or XXS Petite sweater. I’m 117 pounds, 29% Body Fat, 7 visceral fat, a BMI of 24, and a 27 inch waist.

This next month I am going to be celebrating my journey and sharing what I have learned.

I would like to answer any questions that you have. Please drop them in the comments.

27/01/2024

Hello! I’m celebrating my birthday today! It is my wish to be able to help others live their best physical lives. I would greatly appreciate if you would follow my fitness journey on social media. And, I would also appreciate if you would share my information with others. You can find my social media information in this post.

Thank you.

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/vibrant_virginia?igsh=a3p3ZWxodDlvejc1&utm_source=qr

Facebook
@ Vibrant Virginia
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095139804023&mibextid=2JQ9oc

TikTokvirginia2
https://www.tiktok.com/.virginia2?_t=8jNxa5A5rb9&_r=1

Website
vibrantvirginia.com

YouTube (videos coming soon)

https://youtube.com/?si=PkXWlYNRaTc_WBl_

20/01/2024

Are you reaching your healthy lifestyle goals? If not, what is one action that you can take? Could you drink one more glass of water? Could you go to bed 30 minutes earlier? Could you say no to the office sweets? Could you exchange your toast for fruit? You have the power to change your life!

18/01/2024

Want to be able to improve your walking time? Try this one technique: walk at your normal speed for 5 minutes, then slightly increase your speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Return to your normal speed.

I used this technique to achieve one of my long-term goals this month: to walk 1 mile in 20 minutes or less. I actually achieved 2 miles in under 40 minutes. I held onto the rails of the treadmill for a good a portion of the time, but I was motivated to move my body.

This time last year, I couldn’t walk across a room without being out of breath and in severe pain. I became motivated to improve my health when I realized I was 198 pounds on my 4 foot 10 inch frame, and I couldn’t see my feet or tie my shoes. I knew that only discipline and motivation would help me improve my life.

Now I hope to inspire you to reach your goals.

Tell me in the comments what you’re working on in your life. 🫶🏻❤️🫶🏻

16/01/2024

Enjoying my breakfast on this cold winter day. I cannot believe that I am able to eat 2 ounces of berries and keto cereal without fear of my glucose spiking for hours. This has been a nine month journey, thus far. I still have work to do to reverse my insulin resistance. I’m thankful for my Continuous Glucose Monitor. I have dropped 20% body fat and 77 pounds. It feels great to know that I can learn my body’s responses to food. If you would like to try a CGM, use my code for a discount: https://gr3f.co/c/52517/31moG .

05/01/2024

Exactly! I’m thankful for being able to move my body. No, I’m not an elite athlete, but I’m being the best version of myself.

This❤️❤️❤️

I do because I can, and I can because I do.

31/12/2023

OMG! I saw this and couldn’t stop laughing.

31/12/2023

Tips to strengthen your quads and stabilize your knees. These are beginner exercises. I will post another video with slightly harder exercises. What exercises would you like to know more about?

22/12/2023

Love my dogs! Leia and Padmé are great cuddle buddies after a workout and a walk. Do you have any pets?

18/12/2023

You are stronger than your fears.

13/12/2023

I’m struggling with accepting my grey and silver hair. I would prefer to keep coloring my hair to its deep dark brown. I feel like I look older than I should, but finances limit my choices.

I started using positive affirmations: I love myself. I am beautiful.

Have you experienced times in your life when you struggled? Let me know in the comments.

13/12/2023

What is your favorite morning drink? One of my favorites is protein coffee. Here is the recipe: 11ozs hot coffee, 1 scoop unflavored Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, 1/4 cup Elmhurst Milked Almonds Unsweetened. Use a frother to have a foam top. Drop me your favorite drinks in the comments.

02/12/2023

I’ve experienced many firsts this last year: taking full body pictures, wearing athletic leggings and tops in public, working out in a gym, and smiling at myself in the mirror. Learning to accept myself is the best gift to give not only myself but others who care about me. Are you on a journey of self love and acceptance? What tips can you share to help others? See the comments for some of my tips. 🫶🏻

17/11/2023

Face-to-Face Friday. I have officially lost 75 pounds and more than 30% body fat. The first two pictures were snapped today at the park. The third picture was taken June 2022. And, the last picture was captured in June 2017.

Dreams can become reality.

06/11/2023

We all need moral support in our lives, especially when we think a task is insurmountable. I thought having brain surgery and living in my overweight body was one of the hardest seasons in my life. My daughter Gloria-Anne, who is in this picture, would drop by the house almost daily to have a cup of coffee and discuss weight lifting, nutrition, and spirituality. She would encourage me not to give up hope for a slimmer, fitter body. GloGlo would tell me that answers would come, and my life would start to improve.

I left Oklahoma to travel to the Mayo Clinic in May 2022. GloGlo and my eldest daughter Zoë agreed to take turns looking after my dog and house while I received medical care.

GloGlo would video phone me every day to discuss her workouts and show me her muscles. She was prepping for her body building show. And, we were planning to start an IG page about fitness for disabled people.

I didn’t make it home for her competition, but I did get to view it via video phone.

I was so proud of her!

We celebrated her birthday in August 2022. A few days later, she left for a trip with her boyfriend to go to Texas. GloGlo never returned home.

She was found dead in her car on a backroad.

Law enforcement can’t prove who murdered her.

It took a year for her headstone to arrive. Today, we decorated the headstone for the first time.

Not only is it for our daughter but also our grandson Max. He died from SIDS when he was a month old. Max was GloGlo’s whole world. She wasn’t sure what to do with her grief until she started lifting weights.

Body building became her therapy, and GloGlo began to live. She used her platform to raise SIDS awareness as well as encourage women to be proud of their natural bodies.

I write this post in honor of my daughter and grandson.

I choose to honor their memories by being an encourager for others, and, yes, that includes you.

Love yourself. Be good to yourself.

I’m here if you need encouragement.