Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: A Funeral for My Fat
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://afuneralformyfat.com/
CITY: Federal Way
STATE: WA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://brokeandchic.com/5-minutes-with-sharee-samuels-the-voice-behind-fitness-blog-funeral-for-my-fat/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born c. 1990; married.
EDUCATION:Master’s degree, 2015.
ADDRESS
CAREER
School psychologist.
WRITINGS
Author of the Funeral for My Fat blog.
SIDELIGHTS
Sharee Samuels is a school psychologist who has also become a blogger and a fitness expert. Samuels once weighed 256 pounds. Not happy with the direction in which she was headed, she changed her eating habits and began exercising. In an interview with Christian Gollayan in the online New York Post, Samuels said that at the age of seventeen “I just never felt like I was the person I saw in the mirror. … It made me feel insecure, and I didn’t want to put myself out there when it came to dating.” Over a period of five years, she lost 118 pounds. The result eventually was the book A Funeral for My Fat: My Journey to Lay 100 Pounds to Rest, published in 2016.
Samuels says it takes time to lose weight correctly. She says that it’s not just a case of losing the weight but of changing how you think and doing away with unhealthy habits. In an interview on her Funeral for My Fat blog, she writes: “NOTHING about my relationship with food was healthy. That is why it needs to take time to lose weight. All of those un-healthy eating habits do not go away just because you lose weight. … You have to REPLACE them with healthy habits. and you can not do that with a six month get-fit-quick plan! You need to learn healthy habits if you ever want losing weight to be a permanent thing. Replacing bad habits takes time, it takes months of dedication, to accepting the new healthy YOU and adapting a new lifestyle … that is why its worth it! You can not treat it like a race. … There is no end to a healthy lifestyle … only a journey to a fitter and happier you.”
Samuels feels that it is also important for people to know that it doesn’t have to be expensive to lose weight. People don’t have to hire personal trainers or buy expensive food. Samuels herself is a vegan, and the vegan lifestyle has a reputation of being expensive, but Samuels shows in the book how to do it on the cheap.
A Publishers Weekly reviewer was impressed by the author’s story and her journey to lose weight but was less impressed with the book itself, commenting: “Filled with episodic incidents of food shopping and food packaging, it is low on entertainment value and notable events.” On the 40 Plus Fitness Podcast, a reviewer wrote: “Sharee is a big proponent in knowing yourself. … Knowing yourself allows you to take your own path to health and fitness.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, June 6, 2016, review of A Funeral for My Fat: My Journey to Lay 100 Pounds to Rest, p. 78.
ONLINE
40 Plus Fitness Podcast, https://40plusfitnesspodcast.com (September 2, 2016), review of A Funeral for My Fat.
Funeral for My Fat Blog, http://afuneralformyfat.com (April 3, 2017).
New York Post Online, http://nypost.com/ (July 6, 2016), Christian Gollayan, “This Couple Helped Each Other Go from Fat to Fit.”
Sharee Samuels Home Page, https://www.shareesamuels.com (March 15, 2017).
5 Minutes with Sharee Samuels — the Blogger Behind Funeral for my Fat
POSTED NOVEMBER 4, 2014 BY AMANDA RAYE IN HEALTH + FITNESS
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I’ve admired Sharee Samuels for almost two full years. I found her by accident while looking for fitness blogs on Tumblr and she instantly became my main motivator for eating right and exercising. Sharee’s blog is called Funeral for my Fat and her motto is “I wear black when I work out, It’s a FUNERAL FOR MY FAT!”
funeral 4 my fat blogger
Over the course of five years, Sharee has lost over 118 pounds by changing her eating habits and sweating it up. Her highest weight was 256 and she has kept it off by maintaining her vegan diet and doing an array of different exercises including Zumba and Insanity. According to Sharee:
Losing weight is a science, not magic. You have to eat right and work hard to see results.
Since her inspiring weight loss, Sharee has gotten a tummy tuck (to get rid of excess skin) and has been a People Magazine cover girl. Pretty impressive!
Here’s the main reason why I love Sharee — she lost the weight and got fit on a budget. She didn’t have a fancy personal trainer working with her, and even though the vegan lifestyle is known for being pricey, Sharee found a way to do it on the cheap. sharee samuels weight loss
Did I mention she’s the sweetest girl ever?! Be sure to read my five minute interview with Sharee to see for yourself. Below we discuss fitness, fashion and beauty!
What are the three things you can’t leave the house without?
1. My cell phone. With all my social media accounts, I feel really lost without my phone!
2. An extra hair tie since I often get annoyed with my long hair.
3. Snacks! My husband can tell you how I can turn from a ray-of-sunshine to a rain cloud in 2.5 seconds when hunger strikes. So I always make sure to pack some apple slices or a cliff bar when I’m on the go.
What are a few of your favorite workout gear brands?
I love Old Navy and Under Armor!
Have you noticed a dramatic difference between budget workout clothes and the more high-end gear such as Lululemon?
No. To me what matters more is the style, cut, and waist band size. I have a pair of $15 Old Navy crop leggings that I’ve had for over three years that I love! I find they work just as well as my more expensive Under Armor leggings.
Shoes are what is most important to pay extra for — your feet are important!
What do you do if you only have 20 minutes to workout?
Workouts are ingrained in my schedule, but that doesn’t mean I always want to do one…but very rarely do I have the excuse “I don’t have enough time.” But if I was in a crunch for time and didn’t feel like taking a rest day, I would do some sprints with push-ups.
I would sprint for 30 seconds, drop down and do 5-10 push-ups, and repeat. Sprints are a great way to get your heart pumping quickly!
What’s your beauty secret weapon?
I love the tanning products from Jergens since they provide a great streak-free tan. I always feel my best when I have a nice glow!
You have amazing hair! What products do you use?
I don’t use anything super fancy. I use the volume enhancing shampoo and conditioner from TRESemmé as well as their volume mousse. I keep it simple and I think that’s how my hair stays healthy.
What fashion trends are you obsessed with at the moment?
Skinny trousers, blazers, peplum shirts, and pencil skirts. I love the smart office look!
What are your favorite Instagram accounts to follow?
I like IG accounts that post before and after photos. Train to Amaze is a great account! I also like Bender Fitness. Melissa Bender posts amazing workouts and she’s very inspiring.
Has your weight-loss journey helped you in other aspects of your life such as your career?
My career is just beginning! I am entering the final year of my masters program which consists of a year-long school psychology internship position. Weight-loss did not aid me in the school psych field, but it did help me find a second passion — teaching fitness classes!
I would love to own a gym to help other people transform their lives and I believe my psych background will come in handy with that. Once my masters is complete, I can figure out my plans.
funeral for my fat progress
Who are your favorite fitness bloggers? Let us know in the comments below!
QUOTED TEXT: NOTHING about my relationship with food was healthy. That is why it needs to take time to lose weight. all of those un-healthy eating habits do not go away just because you lose weight…you have to REPLACE them with healthy habits. and you can not do that with a 6 month get-fit-quick plan!
You need to learn healthy habits if you ever want losing weight to be a permanent thing. Replacing bad habits takes time, it takes months of dedication, to accepting the new healthy YOU and adapting a new lifestyle 8)
that is why its worth it! you can not treat it like a race…there is no end to a healthy lifestyle 8) only a journey to a fitter and happier you.
** A Funeral For My Fat: My Journey to Lay 100 Pounds To Rest**
Available in stores and online now! Get your copy today (link at the bottom of description)
My name is Sharee, I am 27 years old and over the course of 5 years I lost 121 pounds, by following a vegan diet and hard work!.
My highest weight I ever reached was 256. I will never see that number again. I wear black when iI work out, Its a FUNERAL FOR MY FAT.
Height: 5'8
Highest weight: 256
Current Weight: Bikini Competitor status, but I range between 138-148.
I can not answer every question (although I try my best to answer as many as I can!!) So please check out my Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) tab for possible answers to your questions.
My blog is loaded with healthy food ideas/tips, staying fit while busy tips, a getting started guide, workout ideas and TONS of other information. I am here to share my story and help encourage you on your own journey to health & fitness.
INSTAGRAM: @funeral4myfat
Author Site: shareesamuels.com
FAQ
Do you have a twitter? SURE DO!!! follow me @Funeralformyfat
Facebook? facebook.com/funeral4myfat
Instagram? @funeral4myfat
Do you post video’s of you sharing your journey? I DO! My youtube channel can be found HERE
How old are you? 26
Where do you live? I live in Tacoma, Washington- Near Seattle.
What is your job? I am School Psychologist
Can we attend your Zumba/Fitness classes? I currently teach to staff members only in my school district. But I do occasionally teach at events in downtown Seattle. During the summer months, I am able to teach more often. So stay tuned for posts of special events.
Progress pics? I have a whole page so check that out! But here is a pic
What is your starbucks drink and how many calories??
110 calories.
Are you in school? No. I graduated in 2015 with my Masters degree in School Psychology. But when I created this blog over 4 years ago, I was still working on my bachelors in psychology.
Will fruit make me fat? NOPE. Eat it all. ALL the time always. Any form. no difference. I talk about healthy eating and what that looks like on my “clean eating 101” page.
Do you use a heart rate monitor? I have used a few different kinds.
Polor FT4 and FT7
Garmin Vivofit and Vivofit2
Fitbit CHARGE HR
How did you lose so much weight? I did an interview with trimmed and toned, and I lay out in detail my weight loss guide form start to where i am now. check it out HERE
I injured my _____ what workouts can i do? When it comes to working out and injuries, ask your doctor. I know NOTHING about workouts with injuries.
I am feeling these symptoms ________, what do i have? Go see a doctor. with illness and injury.
I feel sick, can i still workout?
What workouts can i do if i do not want to go to a gym? check out in-home workout programs. found at beachbody.com or check out some zumba videos! in-home programs are like a gym in a box. comes with everything you need! I also post some ideas on a workout page HERE
I want to lose weight FAST, why did it take you 5 years? When you think about your favorite foods..what comes to mind? Veggies with hummus, fruit platters?? If you’re anything like me its more like this: fried chicken strips, mac and cheese, pizza, cheese cake, rocky-road ice cream…NOTHING about my relationship with food was healthy. That is why it needs to take time to lose weight. all of those un-healthy eating habits do not go away just because you lose weight…you have to REPLACE them with healthy habits. and you can not do that with a 6 month get-fit-quick plan!
You need to learn healthy habits if you ever want losing weight to be a permanent thing. Replacing bad habits takes time, it takes months of dedication, to accepting the new healthy YOU and adapting a new lifestyle 8)
that is why its worth it! you can not treat it like a race…there is no end to a healthy lifestyle 8) only a journey to a fitter and happier you.
What do you do for workouts? My workouts have changed over the years as I continue to set new goals for myself.
My current goals are centered around body building. I started competing in bikini competitions in October 2015. And I fell in love.
I have a coach that create individualized workouts and nutrition guides for me and my goals. I weight train 5x a week with added cardio.
Prior to body building, I loved the in-home workout programs INSANITY. Zumba will always be my favorite too! I still teach a few days a week.
I want to try Insanity, but i am not that fit…can i still do it? OF COURSE! insanity is not easy FOR ANYONE. Even the people in the workout DVD take breaks, its all about dedication. And knowing when to push your body and when to take a breather. My number one tip: FOLLOW THE MEAL GUIDE. if you’re gonna commit to one of the hardest programs out there…might as well go all on and give 100% its only 60 days. you can do it!
What is Insanity and where can I find it? Insanity is High cardio- Max interval training system. With this program you will push yourself TO THE MAX for 3 min, and have 30 seconds to recover, and repeat! Its a 60 day program that comes with its own easy to follow meal guide. The program can be purchased at: beachbody.com
Do I need rest days? YES! Think of your body like a garden and resting is the water. Your garden NEEDS that water one day a week to grow on the rest of the 6 days. Water your body, rest! I take 2 rest days a week (sometimes 3 if my body is really needing it) I just focus on working hard and listening to my body. It’s a skill you will develope. So for now, give yourself a set number of work days and AIM for that number every week. Rest means rest. NO workouts, not even light ones. Don’t rob your body of it’s time to grow!
How many calories do you eat a day? Depends on what my current goals are. But I always eat between 1,700-2,200.
How do you lose weight eating so much? My workouts are VERY hard! If i eat too little, my body would starve. By eating clean, and 5 small meals a day, my metabolism is able to burn at at high and continuous rate so I eat more.
How many calories should i eat a day? Check out my ‘” eating enough’ tab found HERE, i talk all about eating the correct amount, and what that looks like.
Can you make me a meal guide? No, i am not a dietitian or nutritionist. but i have a general idea for food found HERE that you can easily use to create your own meals.
What is your “dream” body for yourself? skinny with muscle!
Why are you vegan? I found that for me it was healthier. I lacked self control, and what better way to teach it then forcing my self to eat only healthy things. I can honestly say it was the best decision i have ever made <3 I have a Vegan question page HERE How do i “eat clean” and what does “clean eating even mean!? This question is so common, i created a tab and a video where i explain it ALL. check it out HERE What do you eat? My Grocery list can be found HERE and my food journal info can be found HERE Do you have loose skin from losing so much weight? I do, I talk about lose skin and stretch marks in detail HERE How often do you weigh yourself? I weigh myself once a month. I want to focus on the process (working hard and eating right) not a number. The long time between weigh-in’s allows me to see 2-3 pounds loss per weigh-in, and i NEVER see the fluctuations of water weight and hormones. Do you Take Supplements? Yes. I take BCAA, Glutamine, B12, and Creatine (plant based). I also take vegan protein powder. My fav vegan brands: Orgain Vega Protein Energizer by Rainbow Light Are you in a Relationship? I am married to the love of my life. We have been together for 4 years. We got married August 11, 2013. What do you do if you have an day when you are so hungry you cant stop eating!!? I try and figure out why i feel so hungry, is it because I have skipped a meal for that day, did i not eat enough the day before, am i stressed, PMSing….all of those things lead to me feeling like i’m starving! So to deal with it, i drink crystal light. and if i am still hungry, i either reach for a cliff bar or an english muffin with peanut butter. two things that are packed w/ protein, fiber, and carbs. things that will fill me up! How do you stay motivated? I remind myself why I started losing weight in the first place! What matters to me more, the food i have been craving for a couple days…or the body i have wanted for years! CHeck out my motivation page HERE. How do i beat cravings? No matter what i do, i cant lose weight. WHY NOT? Will my boobs shrink from weight loss? Yes they will. Breast tissue is mainly fat, so when you lower your body fat percentage your boobs will shrink. Mine went from a 40DD to a 34B/C (depending on the bra brand) How do I lose fat in my _____ (insert body part)? There is no such thing as spot treatment. Think of the fat in your body like a swimming pool. When you drain a swimming pool the shallow parts will drain first, and the deeper ends take the longest to end. The places in your body that have the most stored fat will take the LONGEST to show results. To kill the fat on your body you must do cardio and work on building muslce. Muscle burns fat just from being present on the body 8) Where can I find vegan recipes? I use this website: Vegweb.com I start school. How can i lose weight at school! How do I know what my Goal weight should be? So only a DOCTOR can tell you for sure what a healthy weight should be for you, but this can give you an idea: What are some healthy easy swaps i can make with my food?
BIO
Sharee Samuels is the founder of the popular “fitspiration” blog Funeral for My Fat on Tumblr. She was featured on the cover of People (January 2014), profiled again in People for the magazine’s Half Their Size: The Ultimate Diet Guide (July 2014), and has also been featured on Good Morning America, E! News, EXTRA, and OMG Insider.
Sharee holds an Education Specialist degree in School Psychology and is a National Certified School Psychologist. She is a full time school psychologist and lives with her husband in Federal Way, Washington.
QUOTED TEXT: I just never felt like I was the person I saw in the mirror. ... It made me feel insecure, and I didn’t want to put myself out there when it came to dating.
This couple helped each other go from fat to fit
By Christian Gollayan July 6, 2016 | 3:27am
Modal Trigger This couple helped each other go from fat to fit
From 2010 (left) to 2013, Sharee Samuels and her partner Andre lost more than 115 pounds. Brian Hansen; Yuen Liu Studio
Eleven years ago, when Sharee Samuels, then Sharee Hansen, was 16 years old and weighed more than 250 lbs., her boyfriend told her he was concerned about her “health.” She took his comment as a dig at her figure. They broke up soon after.
“It didn’t feel good,” Sharee, 27 and a resident of Stanwood, Wash., tells The Post.
After another horrible breakup in her senior year of high school, Sharee took some time off from dating to focus on herself and her fitness, which she documents in her new book, “A Funeral for My Fat: My Journey To Lay 100 Pounds to Rest” (Skyhorse Publishing, out now).
In it she describes how she hit rock bottom at age 17 and found herself tipping the scales at 256 pounds.
“I just never felt like I was the person I saw in the mirror,” Sharee, who wore a size 22 at that point, says. “It made me feel insecure, and I didn’t want to put myself out there when it came to dating.”
By her junior year of college in 2009, Sharee had successfully slimmed down to 220 pounds, thanks to Zumba and clean eating, but she still wasn’t looking to date — until she met a health-and-fitness major at the library named Andre Samuels.
“He was really charming and thought I was really cute,” Sharee says. And, like her, Andre, who weighed 260 pounds at the time, was looking to lose weight. He was impressed with her fitness goals and, a month or so into their relationship, the two started going to the gym several times a week together. She’d go to a Zumba class, he’d play basketball.
“It made working out that much easier and that much more enjoyable,” she says. “If I dated a superfit guy at that point, I’d see it as a motivation, but I don’t know if it would have worked out as well.”
Unlike Sharee’s past boyfriends, Andre never made her feel insecure about her body.
“I’m a girl, and you know, sometimes you wonder if a guy thinks you’re attractive, but he’s always been so supportive of me,” Sharee says.
Sometimes you wonder if a guy thinks you’re attractive, but he’s always been so supportive.
- Sharee Samuels on her husband
Instead of talking about her figure, Andre compliments her on her fitness.
“He’ll say that he’s so proud that I can run faster than [he can], or if I finished a really grueling workout,” she says.
In May 2013, the 5-foot-8-inch Sharee reached her goal weight of 140 pounds. She and Andre got married three months later at the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle. Sharee wore a bikini in public for the first time on their honeymoon in Mazatlán, Mexico.
“At first I felt exposed, but now, if it [is] socially acceptable to wear a bikini [anywhere] in public, I’d do it!” Sharee says. “My husband loves it.”
Andre, now a 29-year-old assistant principal, also debuted a trim new body at the wedding. He’d shed 35 pounds since they first met. Sharee appreciates her husband’s physique, but is quick to note that they love each other at any size and fitness level.
“We have so many things in common, not just fitness,” says Sharee, who now works as a psychologist. “I didn’t marry him because he was my gym partner; I married him ’cause he’s the love of my life.”
QUOTED TEXT: Filled with episodic incidents of food shopping and food packaging, it is low on entertainment value and notable events.
A Funeral for My Fat: My Journey to Lay 100 Pounds to Rest
Publishers Weekly. 263.23 (June 6, 2016): p78.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Listen
Full Text:
A Funeral for My Fat: My Journey to Lay 100 Pounds to Rest
Sharee Samuels. Skyhorse (Perseus, dist.), $24.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-5107-0492-3
"I was so tired of being overweight," blogger Samuels (Funeral For My Fat) writes as she recounts her battle to lose weight, one she eventually won. Building on the subject of her successful blog, where she shared her story, "before" and "after" pictures, and advice with thousands of followers, Samuels has penned a retrospective diary detailing how she lost 100 pounds in five years. Samuels writes of struggling with her weight from age 12, and of feeling she had hit rock bottom at age 17, when she weighed 256 pounds. It was then that she adopted a vegan lifestyle and became a Zumba fan. Readers will undoubtedly sympathize with Samuels's struggle to shed excess pounds. Unfortunately, this personal account comes to resemble a home movie in book form. Filled with episodic incidents of food shopping and food packaging, it is low on entertainment value and notable events. However, readers should be able to find some inspiration in Samuels's persistence in sticking with her goals until she achieved them. (July)
QUOTED TEXT: Sharee is a big proponent in knowing yourself. ... Knowing yourself allows you to take your own path to health and fitness.
September 2, 2016
in weight loss by allan
A funeral for my fat | Sharee Samuels
September 2, 2016
40+ Fitness Podcast | Better Health and Fitness in your 40s, 50s, 60s and Beyond by Allan Misner | Head Personal Trainer | Host 40 Plus Fitness
A funeral for my fat | Sharee Samuels
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In her book A Funeral For My Fat, Sharee Samuels chronicles her 100+ pound weight loss over a five year period.
Self Love
One concept that Sharee recommended was for you to write a letter to yourself. This letter should demonstrate the strength you have and the love you have for yourself. Documenting this self-love is valuable because you are able to go back and read this letter to yourself when you're down and out.
Find something you love
Sharee also recommends you find something you love. For her, workout out was a drudgery, and she could never motivate and push herself. That was until she found Zumba. She loved Zumba and that helped her stay motivated and on track with exercise.
Know yourself
Sharee is a big proponent in knowing yourself. She knows she is not one who can handle moderation. Therefore she can't approach food and have just one chip. She now focuses on her strength, which is planning. Knowing yourself allows you to take your own path to health and fitness.
Plateau
Sharee uses an acronym – EFFORT to break through a plateau.
Exercise – Are you doing enough? Are you doing too much?
Food – Are you eating too much? Are you eating enough?
Focus – Are you focused on your goal?
Organization – Planning and setting yourself up for success.
Rest – Are you giving your body the rest it needs? Are you resting too much?
Time – Are you rushing the process? Do you have realistic expectations?