The “Keeping It Real” Process/Philosophy 

First, let me just tell you guys that I’m down 50lbs overall. I am in the process of wrapping up another round of Keeping It Real since December 1st.  I use this process as a way to reset my system a few times per year to prep for key races. I use this process to maintain my healthy weight as well. Who am I? Oh yeah, My name is Tadris Parker the founder of the Keep Calm And Run To The Best You Program. Also known as “Coach”. I also started a weekly health podcast called: Keep Calm And Run To The Best You (The Podcast). In fact for those that came to this post to hear this weeks episode click links below. For those that love to read……. Please read on as I tell my story, then go back and listen to podcast to hear the best of 2019 from members themselves.

My journey started at 217lb. I didn’t know that my weight had crept up to that much weight. I found out when I ruptured my patella tendon in 2009, and had to have surgery. 

During my recovery, I started reading runner's world magazines, with the thought of returning to running when I heal up. I purchased a book called run less run faster. I followed the beginner's program for a 5k race. In my late 20’s early 30’s I could not get a sub thirty minute 5k to save my life. I ruptured my patella at the age of 35 and now almost 38 years old, I had the courage to sign up to my first 5k in probably 5 years. I got a time of 26:21 and I couldn’t believe it. My weight dropped down to 185 as I was tracking my food choices with the myfitnesspal app. This transformation took place in March 2012.

The Setback 

By December I was back up to 207lbs. How? I hated running in the summer heat so I took a break. Then football season came in the fall and I fell prey to the unhealthy foods during football season. Before I knew it, I was trying to get running again to get the weight off in the cold. In December of 2012, my wife who had gastric bypass surgery about a year earlier wanted to lose more weight. She wanted to focus on keeping the weight off and wanted to try a meal replacement program. I was intrigued and said: “I want to help people get healthy and maybe this can help me start a business all while helping you become healthy also.” 

They told me in order to sell the products I first must take them to know how I feel about them. I was like, cool. My Journey really began in Jan 2013 and by June I was 185lbs again. Counting calories and drinking meal replacement smoothies. I needed another level of discipline to get to 175lbs.  I cut back on sugars and got to 175 eventually. It took a while. Funny thing is, in myfitnesspal app I had a goal of 165lbs, but never truly believed I would get there for some reason.

January 2013 - June 2013

Then in March of 2018, I was introduced to the elimination process called Whole30. I went on to try it in April. I only lost 7lbs the first 30 days taking me from 181-173 but it felt amazing and felt like I lost way more than 7 pounds. I did not take measurements, but that’s where you could really see a major difference. I hopped on the scale the following week of my 30 days, as I kept eating this way, and I lost another 6lbs lost. That’s 13lbs in 5 weeks. I was so excited. 

Now I’m in the 160s and can’t believe it. Later in 2018, I did another round but this time I incorporated Intermittent Fasting and the magic really happened. I noticed I had fewer cravings, less brain fog and everyone kept complimenting me about how young I was looking. When I jumped on my special scale it showed that my metabolic age dropped significantly. My skin cleared up, my visceral fat in the belly continued to shrink. January 2019 I was heading to Florida for the Disney Half Marathon and before I left I jumped on the scale. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I saw 161lbs! Guys I even begin to tell you how great I felt. I stopped using meal replacement smoothies after my first round of Whole30 in the spring of 2019 and  I no longer count calories. On this happy day, I had to open the myfitnesspal app one more time and input in my weight. I wanted to see the app say: “You’ve reached your goal!” 

My 30 Day Result (April 2018)

My January 2019, Disney Half Marathon Race @ 161lbs.

In 2019, I had no choice but to bring what I was learning to members of our group. I showed them that by keeping your nutrition real when they ate and picking smaller eating windows throughout the day can change your life. Some promote intermittent fasting as a way to eat whatever you want every day. However, let me be the first to tell you. NO!!!! Running alone does not help you KEEP the weight off. Intermittent Fasting alone will not bring your metabolic age down or the visceral fat down. It does matter what is on your plate, your fork and then ultimately in your mouth. When I introduced the Keeping It Real method to our members Jamie Burke took me up on our 1st 7 Day Challenge. Jamie went on to lose 2lbs in 7 days. Those 2lbs turned into 12lbs that month, which turned into 50lbs for 2019. Chris Ballard took me up on the 7 Day Keeping It Real Challenge in March and went on to lose 6lbs in 7 days, 13lbs in 30 days, and is maintaining a 30lbs weight loss in 2019. Meredith down 28lbs in 2019. Tina Ellis lost 9inches during a few months of the process. Late 2019, best friends Nicole & Kristin, from October - December lost over 40lbs between them. 

Jamie Burke (Down 50lbs in 2019)

Chris Ballard (right) Down 30lbs In 2019 & Have Sister Lisa Running Races!

Tina Ellis Down 9 Inches, 10lbs and Running Better Than Ever!

Meredith Down 28lbs In 2019 & Ran AC Half Marathon

Helped Katie Ayers Run Her First Half Marathon In 2019

Assisted Our Online Client Danielle Selassie Run The 2019 Chicago Marathon

Ed Brown Trimmed Off 30lbs In 2019 And Ran AC Half Marathon

Kristin Not Only Got Her Best Friend Nicole To Join Challenge & Between The Two Lost Over 55lbs From October 2019 - December 2019, She Also Got Her Husband Ben & He’s Down 20lbs. The Two Of Them Ran Her 1st 5k Together November 2019

Nicole Roe Is Down 30lbs From October 2019 - December 2019

The Power Of One:

Meet Sandra Martinez!

I’m proud to announce that last week, we wrapped up another 7 Day Keeping It Real Challenge. Sandra Martinez was featured on episode 28 of our weekly podcast. Sandra was super shy to be on the show. After the episode was done recording, Sandra told everyone in her family to jump on and listen. Her family did listen and jumped into our challenge. Sandra herself joined the challenge, and she lost 5lbs. Sandra’s fiancé Danny hopped in and lost 7lbs. Sandra’s daughter in California joined and lost 3lbs. Sandra’s niece Jasmin in Colorado jumped in and lost 7lbs. Last but not least, her sister Luz also in Colorado lost 11lbs!!! GUYS THAT’S 33lbs in one week for this family. Shout out to you guys for an incredible week. One person’s decision can change the world. Sandra’s decision to overcome her fear and record our episode on helping families with autism become healthier changed a lot of lives. Thank you, Sandra, Luz and your whole family for creating memories that will last a lifetime. Great job to you all. 

Luz Martinez Lost 11lbs In 7 Days & Daughter Jasmin Lost 7lbs!

So What is Keeping It Real?

Although K.I.R. has inspired by Whole30, we must remember that we are a walk/run training program first and foremost. We realize in order to help our beginners go the distance and avoid injuries, what they eat is important. We recommend walking or running 3 days a week. We encourage you to give intermittent fasting a try. Cutting back on your eating window to only 11 hours or fewer. When you open your eating window keep your nutrition real, unprocessed food choices. To take your health to the next level try eliminating these problematic foods from your diet for 30 days. 

1. All Grains (Nothing causes more inflammation in your body than this cheaply made food choice) Sandra is very petite, her a Lisa Keating also low 100’s but when they eliminated grains from their diet they still lost weight. In Sandra’s case 5lbs like I mentioned. 

2. All forms of Sugar ——-No sugar substitutes either (Sugar is so addicting and also caused tons of inflammation in the body) 

3. Soy - So many studies show the effects of soy and of course, you can find some articles that support soy. Find out for yourself how your body responds to it. 

4. Legumes - Beans, beans, good for your heart, the more you eat the more you fart. No one wants to smell that first off and secondly, that bloat is uncomfortable. This includes peanuts. 

5. Alcohol - I read that SOME Alcohol is actually really good for you and does not contribute to weight gain…… But here is the thing Alcohol also lowers your inhibitions and causes you to over snack or indulge in not so healthy food choices. 

6. Dairy - I mean who’s not lactose intolerant anymore….. added sugars to dairy and if you eat a piece of cheese tell me that’s not going to lead you to want to eat half a pound. lol

Then you reintroduce those food groups one at a time. Allow 3 days to pass before reintroducing the next food to see if your body has a reaction to what you reintroduced. 

Keep Your Nutrition Real by eating freshly made food from home not processed. Make real cooked meats and seafood. Make fresh veggies and you can even have potatoes. For a little sweetness in your life, bite into an apple, banana, strawberries or blueberries. Yes, fruit is good and you will be able to enjoy the sweetness now that fake sugar is out of the way. If you must purchase a food with a label on it like tomato sauce turn it over and read the ingredients. The ingredients should only be 2-3 items and things that you can pronounce. Unfortunately, this is the reason I never returned to the meal replacement smoothies. Soy and countless other sweeteners and things I just couldn’t pronounce. (For Recipes head over to our website, I created a NEW PAGE called: Morning Motivation (Read List) All of my transformative books that I’ve read on there for you to grab a copy. The Whole30 Fast and Easy Cookbook is a great book to keep in the kitchen. Here you can also find a copy of the Whole30 Day by Day Journal, helping you understand how you will feel each day in the process of eliminating sugars, etc. https://www.runtothebestyou.com/morning-motivation-read-list

Now with learning how individuals like Jamie, Chris, Meredith, Nicole, Kristin, Sandra, Danny, Tina, Cassandra, Jasmin, & Luz all lost weight in 2019 following this process. 

Can you see how this can help you with your runs and overall health in 2020?

By implementing Intermittent Fasting and not over-fueling your body all day long, allowing you to have less brain fog, better focus, and a flatter tummy, can you see how this can enhance your races and overall health in 2020? 

Can’t see it? Imagine a lighter you, a stronger you based on the mental strength that it takes to turn down sugary foods in favor of the healthier option, imagine when you look down, there is less of you……. You have greatness within you, my friend, I see it in you. Step into it!  Take a moment to close your eyes a visualize this. Go ahead and do it now. As you opened your eyes….. Did you picture yourself 6 months from now, 12 months from now? What else did you picture? I can be yours. 

Those are dates in the future obviously but the future starts with one decision today and that’s to start. You can jump totally in by joining our online or local 5k training programs.

Watch Our 2019 Year In Review Video

Sign up for our Run a 5K program designed to help beginning and returning runners break into a fun and sustainable running routine!

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