Living with NO EXCUSES - The story of Jackie.
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SUCH an inspiration!!!
This lady is out there getting it done and living with NO EXCUSES!
And if this picture isn’t enough to inspire you, then maybe the words from the woman in it will. Here is the reply from Jackie herself (pictured) in response to all the Facebook comments (some positive, others negative) when this very same photo was shared on the Swim Bike Mom page – just had to share.
“Thank you Swim Bike Mom for posting this [picture of me.] I am humbled and proud to be an inspiration and actually quite appalled at how some of the posters are treating this. I used to weigh 415 lbs. [and] walking to the mailbox was a struggle. Some people don’t just ‘let themselves go’ …[they] have actual medical issues that prevent normal every day activities. Say what you will but I got off my ass and did it.
And I consistently do it. I do it for me, not you …and I inspire and amaze myself every day at how far I am able to push my body mentally [and] physically. I feel bad for people who can’t look at any picture of ANY athlete and not be inspired.
Honestly, hearing how this photo has inspired folks, I hope it goes viral! I want everyone to know that it IS ok to be any size and still compete. I am comfortable enough with myself to truly appreciate any praise I get from athletes who [have] finished while I’m still out there encouraging me. Triathlons are truly the only sport I have ever been involved in where people genuinely care about others…I am proud of myself, my unbelievably supportive teammates at the Atlanta Triathlon Club and those online like Swim Bike Mom who takes this for what it is. Inspiration for anyone to get out there and do it. If I can inspire just one person, then I have fulfilled my purpose.
I don’t hear [the] negativity, only the passion I have in my head and heart to achieve anything I set my mind to. I would encourage anyone to watch my progress as I train for the Half Ironman in Augusta on September 30th. Many people half my size wouldn’t even dream of trying to even enter such an event. But I’M DOING IT! First, last, dnf, at least I started and will continue to follow my dreams…. FOR ME.
I hope that all of us encourage others to be their best and are proud that ANYONE attempts these activities. If you can’t applaud every athlete, especially those of us who it takes twice as long to finish and twice as much effort to move twice as much weight across the line, then I feel sad for you that you can’t appreciate the beauty in life and everyone’s journey. FYI the day after this race, I swam the Ridges 5k open water swim from GA to NC… so anything is possible if you put your mind to it!!! I wish all of you good luck and hope to hear about all of your successes (and not so successes on your journeys) as well!!! -Love, Jackie”
Frozen grapes. With a taste just like sorbet, frozen grapes make a tasty snack! Just rinse some grapes, toss them in a plastic bag, and throw them in the freezer. Hours later, you’ll have a chilly, low-calorie snack. 1 cup of grapes equals 62 calories.
Tabouleh. This classic Middle Eastern salad is made from bulgur, tomato, parsley, lemon juice, mint, garlic, and salt. Make your own or pick up some from your local deli. A cup is approximately 150 calories or less.
Cinnamon apple. Sprinkle an apple with cinnamon for a treat that tastes like apple pie, but with only 70 tiny calories and no added sugar.
Water. Don’t forget about hydration! If you’re going to be in the sun, it’s critical to make sure you’re replenishing your water supply whether or not you’re splashing around in the waves. Unless you want a midday headache, that is. Drink iced cold water, iced tea, coconut water, or sparkling water to rehydrate.
This month, Beachbody adds a new product to the Shakeology line: Chocolate Vegan Shakeology. Taking cues from its sister vegan Tropical Strawberry Shakeology, the new drink features several groovy new superfoods, including moringa, coconut flower nectar, luo han guo, Himalayan salt, and konjac. In order to tell you all about them, we took a page from Darin’s playbook and sought out the best possible source: Darin. But unlike the Shakeology Hunter, we didn’t have to traverse the globe to do it. Here’s what he had to share.
Coconut flower nectar—the blood, basically, of the coconut tree. So it’s not coconut water powder; it’s from the tree itself, coming off the flower of the coconut. You literally cut where the flower would come out and this liquid comes out. The interesting thing about coconut flower nectar is its very low glycemic index. It has amino acids, it’s got brain activators, and so it’s got this whole array of other qualities. It’s just incidentally a sweetener.
Gazpacho is a traditional soup from the Andalusian area of Spain. It is generally made with a tomato base and can include onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and stale bread to thicken it. It was served memorably in the Spanish film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, where the suicidal heroine blended her gazpacho with a bottle of sleeping pills and accidentally served it with hilarious results. Gazpacho can be made in a blender (though we recommend omitting the sleeping pills), or for those with knife skills, it can be made chunky style, with the vegetables diced into small pieces. The ingredient list can be as varied as both your imagination and your produce department allow. Try steering toward fresh vegetables and low-calorie ingredients. If you want to give yourself a protein boost, you can garnish the soup with some chopped, boiled egg white or diced lean ham.
