2019 ACHI AWARD

When it rains it pours, a common phrase used (usually) when bad or unpleasant things happen consecutively. Today, I want to flip this idiom on its head and with a positive connotation of when it rains (blessings) it pours (even more blessings)…don’t believe me?

16 days ago I received the Health & Fitness Award from Atlanta ACHI magazine during their 2019 annual gala. I was honored and excited but a part of me wanted to know who nominated me

In late February 2019, while sorting and deleting emails from my inundated spam folder, I came across an email dated early February 2019 that informed me about being nominated for an award. The email was also an invitation to the nominee luncheon that was happening here in Atlanta in less than 24 hours on Sunday Feb. 24th. At first, I thought the email was a hoax considering this here day and age of “You have won $1,000,000 if you send xyz…” I also found 3 more emails from January informing of the same and since my Sunday afternoon was open, I reluctantly decided to sacrifice my Sunday afternoon binge of “The Widow” (netflix) to attend the nominee luncheon and figure out what it was all about.

The luncheon turned out to be a great session of networking and bonding with beautiful, strong African American women as we shared stories about why we are passionate about what we do. I learned more about ACHI, a sisterhood organization with chapters across most cities in the US, their vision and purpose. The luncheon was a beautiful celebration of us and I left feeling truly uplifted and motivated to keep working and changing lives, despite not knowing who nominated me.

Nominee Luncheon Feb. 24th 2019

March 25th was the Award gala where I showed up with no expectation but filled with gratitude to have been considered. They did mention at the luncheon that only half the nominees would win an award and I wanted to be there to cheer on these amazing ladies. Winning the award was a shocker. I barely remember walking on stage, or my speech was because I didn’t prepare any…that’s how unexpected it was 🙂 I remember driving home with the nagging thought how did this happen? who nominated me and why?

The very next morning, I got a call from Dr. Fletcher, founder of ACHI magazine and organization. She congratulated me on my award, complimented how great I looked and my great speech, the very same one I barely have a recollection of. She then asked if I would be interested In being featured on ACHI Magazine Spring/Summer Cover. They were going to feature 2 ladies on the cover but she and her team agreed that I would be a great addition. I was stocked and was adviced that the photo shoot was scheduled to take place 6 days later. I hang up feeling like I was in the twilight zone or the matrix…nothing was making sense…but I was flowing.

The photoshoot was 3 hours of playing dress up and having fun. I received the cover (above) this morning and was deep in thought, overflowing with gratitude for ACHI opportunities, blessed to be able to do what I love while changing lives when my thoughts got interrupted by a phone call…

It was Annette who I hadn’t talked to in about 8 months. I met Annette in 2017 through a mutual friend that also happened to be her Doctor. He wanted me to help her lose weight because she had tried for so long and just couldn’t succeed and it was negatively impacting her health. Annette was overweight and a diabetic (type 2 with an a1c of 9.5), knee pains, back pains, and a few other issues. I worked with her for 4 months, created her weight loss meal plan, coached her and was able to help her lose 34 pounds (17 kilos) by simply changing her eating habits. By the time she lost 15 pounds (7 kilos), her knees and back had stopped hurting, by 34 pounds (17 kilos) she was off insulin and restored to health. She continued to lose another 31 pounds (16 kilos) in 5 months totaling 65 pounds (32 kilos) over 9 months and has kept it off for over a year. Annette is not on social media, but today she received ACHI magazine’s newsletter and saw the cover with me on it and remembered that she nominated me in October 2018 which warranted the phone call. She was so excited for me, I for her, her new life and also happy to finally know where the nomination came from and why 🙂 someone that had totally escaped my mind made all this happen for me.

You see, in 2017 Annette was sick, sad – semi-depressed, a loner that felt as though her conditions were a jail sentence. She is now a happy, energetic, fun woman that is excited about life. She changed jobs, and just met the guy of her dreams and she couldn’t stop thanking me for believing in her and holding her hand when she failed to succeed on her own. We were both in tears as we caught up and when I got off the phone I found myself thinking and wishing that people could truly understand weight loss for what it truly is…

Weight loss is more than a vanity measure. It is an act of self-love, self-improvement, self-appreciation and wanting better for ourselves. It’s becoming healthy, disease free, getting off medication, feeling energized, happy confident…it’s becoming the best version of ourselves, who we were meant to be so that we can fully live the life that God intends for us, but only if we are good stewards of what he has given us (our bodies/health, our lives, talents).

As I take a moment to smell the roses and celebrate ACHI wins whose culmination was a magazine cover that reconnected me to Annette, I want to dedicate my 2019 ACHI Award to you as you strive to be or stay healthy.

Healthy living is a long term commitment to self, an insurance policy that pays off as we age. Do not tire. Stay Committed. The person you become during the journey is worth fighting for…I believe in you, you got this! Say this with me “I GOT THIS” – yes you do – Say it again and type it in the comments below “I GOT THIS” and believe it 🙂

 

 

 

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