Today we’d like to introduce you to Keyaira Taylor/Sims
Hi Keyaira, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I originally got started on my fitness journey back in 2013 a year after my son was born. I got divorced in 2016 and I was experiencing quite a bit of mental health and health issue after having two C-Sections, being diagnosed with endometriosis, and having to have a tumor removed from the top of my uterus. I gained so much weight over time and weighed more than I ever had in my entire life. It took a while before I really found my groove in the fitness world, but once I truly found my motivation, I really took off and made tremendous progress! Well, that is until Covid hit and I found myself less motivated and began gaining all the weight I had once lost back. Fast forward to November of 2022, I remember it like it was yesterday. I was asked on a date and this of course made me super excited because it had been a very long time. I found myself in the fitting room of a department store ready to try on some new clothes so that I could look my absolute best and it was a complete DISASTER! I remember staring into the mirror and just breaking down into tears because I did not like the image physically that was staring back at me. I promise you it was on that very next day I made a promise and a commitment to my children and myself that I would put in the work and I would get my life back on track and lose this weight. As we get older and our lives become busier, wearing all the hats as parents, employees, and simply as adults in this society it is so easy to get comfortable and complacent. It becomes even easier to make excuses as to why we can’t and I wanted to prove not only to myself, but again be an example to my kids and my peers that anything is totally possible if we alter our mindset and set our intentions, manifesting what it is we really want and working hard to make what we believe is the impossible, Possible. That’s exactly what I did. I minimized my bad habits and I really worked hard to revamp my entire life not just physically but mentally as well. It became all about healthy habits and a healthy well balanced life-style for me so that I could achieve my weight loss goals, not just for the moment in the now, but long term for the future. As i implemented these changes and I began to see my progress flourish and my energy shift, everything in my life also began to change for the better.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has not always been soo smooth lol! Funny enough through this process I have very much so learned what the exact definition of a “journey” truly is. There have been many ups and downs along the way. Some days I would look in the mirror and quite literally see absolutely no changes, body dysmorphia I soon learned was REAL! SOo many times I have wanted to QUIT completely and other times I would reach a certain point and say “okay, that’s good enough I’m content.” and be done with it simply because putting in that much time and effort can be super exhausting, especially when you can’t see any progression. Not to mention I’m also a girl that loves to go out with her friends and have a good ole’ time! I would have a few drinks, eat some good food, and just simply enjoy myself. I started to realize over time that I was probably over-induldging and this was actually stopping me from reaching my full potential not just on my fitness journey but in life all together. I have had to make some minor and major adjustments to those particular habits, and I also have had to learn the power of the tongue. By allowing myself to place so much ridicule and providing myself with more negative feedback than positive this was altering the way I would conduct myself on a day to day basis. My attitude would be negative, my demenor was poor, all that self-hate was just all around costing me the joy of celebrating and embracing all that I had already accomplished and it was also blocking me from working towards my future blessings. Once I let my vices go I started to see my results go through the roof! So needless to say, there have most definitely been some major struggles along the way within my journey, but I have learned on those particular days it doesn’t come down to motivation, instead those are the days that test your heart and your dedication… and you have to ask yourself… how bad do you really want this.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Right now I am focused on ways I can use health and fitness to positively impact our mental health. Hearing from my own children how encouraged they are by watching me on my journey has really propelled me to want to help encourage and train our youth as well. I knew that one of my goals was also to be an inspiration to others going through the same things in life within my community and beyond. Instilling the importance of health and fitness as well as educating all generations on ways the two can positively affect their future has really become a key point of focus in the message I want to communicate on my journey.
I am soo proud of me for simply betting on myself and not giving up in those tough moments. My hard work, focus, and determination in this incredible world of fitness have really spilled over into so many other parts of my life. My energy and spirit are in a far better place than they have been in a very long time. I have been able to set goals for myself career-wise and achieve them, I’ve been a much more interactive and energetic parent, and most importantly I have done something that I never thought I could and that’s surpassing my weight loss goal, getting in the best shape of my adult life! …which is what started all of this for me in the first place.
I truly believe that my heart and ambition are what sets me apart from the rest. I have always been soo supportive, optimistic, driven, and just soo enthusiastic about my friends, family, and life in general. I embrace change and I’m always working towards bettering myself as a parent, as a friend, as a daughter, as a sister and as ME. I know I do everything with a humble and graceful spirit, and because of these characteristics my demeanor has been an open invitation for others to comfortably reach out and ask for advice and guidance as they are eager to get started on a fitness journey of their own. I am no better than the next, my life has not always been easy, and this isn’t something someone can just hand you. Your health and fitness are probably one of the ONLY things you have to commit to and do for yourself. Change won’t happen overnight and its not enough to just simply want it… you will have to WORK for it! I just love that my journey and my story have encouraged and inspired so many people to want the same for themselves and I will always be an open door full of love, encouragement, and motivation.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Honestly I see more and more people tapping into the fitness industry every single day. Rather it be home workouts, simple workouts for fresh mothers, workouts for youth, nutrition apps, videos on healthy meal prepping, training for shows, I mean you name it and it’s out there. Because of the way society has shifted and because social media is so prevalant in our day to day lives, health and fitness are probably the most important aspects to have incorporated in the way we live. These two entities are attached to our stress levels, to our health, and to the longevity of our existence so I absolutely believe that we will continue to see some major trends regarding. My only hope is that more and more people do their research and really find the value in putting in the time and effort to get the results that are necessary long term and not just simply settling for the short term satisfaction.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fit_keyz?igsh=MWhmeGV4ZzJqbDV6Yw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keyaira.sims.1?mibextid=LQQJ4d
