Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Confessions of a Cake Lover ...

I confess, I confess, I confess!! Christmas got me! I fell off the wagon!! LOL!
You see  on Christmas morning I have this ritual with one of my moms (yes I have several)... that the morning of Christmas, we normally have dessert for breakfast and tea. During that time we sit and talk for hours and catch up on life. I enjoyed it immensely....the convo and the desserts. I was like I'mma do good. I got one slither of home-made carrot cake, and a banana, with my tea. Great! that was good until mom offered a lil slither of sweet potato pie (home made again). Hours later I had another little slither of carrot cake, a slither of home made lemon pound cake topped with a lil bit of home made vanilla ice-cream. DELICIOUS! By that time it was like 2 pm.  Unlike before, where after doing so bad i would normally binge...I decided that I would do better the next meal and eat lighter....and I did.  I had alot of veggies and seafood for  dinner:) to even it out:) The seafood was awesome too:) (My boyfriend's grandmother makes these shrimp stuffed with crab...OMG!!) So I will confess that I did have alot of desserts...but I still won the fight...cuz i didn't stay down:)..finished strong lol!!

I think next year..I'mma sugguest we get a slice of cake for breakfast but have our talks in another room. Its when the desserts are just sitting directly in front of you, that I got weak......it was calling me ..it just be calling me lol (New Jack City ).

Post some of your holiday stories)

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

I'm in love....

I haven't always been this size or this weight....but I tell you this, no matter what size or weight I've been, I always "worked" what I had.  In fact, I  had "worked" it so much, that I forgot I was even overweight until I actually saw pictures lol.   What I'm saying is this...transitioning to a healthy lifestyle is more than just losing weight and eating healthy, its a frame of mind! Its an attitude.  Before I shed the pounds, I made a conscious effort to 1. Be happy and 2. love all of me (even the love handles). In my size 10 I trained myself to love me...in my size 4 I'm still training myself to love me....every bit of me.  I have found that happiness and my attitude were just as important as working out and or making healthier food choices. My happiness and attitude of commitment were like the glue to keep things together and the fuel that kept my engine going.

I remember hearing this little quote in junior high school, " Your attitude determines your altitude." I don't know about you...but I'm soaring:0) ha ha ha I'm my own jet!! and the banner reads in big letters: I'M IN LOVE WITH ME!! how about you!

Post your comments!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

ROund 2!! 1-2-3...R U OUT FOR THE COUNT!!

I just finished searching the internet  (google can find almost anything:) for an excerpt from one of my fellow artsy colleagues, Olu Butterfly. I remember doing a show with her and she performed this piece called, Can I Go Back to Your Place. The poem talks about returning to a past love that ended horribly....pretty much going against the grain of logic.  Check out these excerpts...


go back to your place
as if it would be provided
a restraining order
against my stalker: loneliness
back for a second helpin
of fatback soakin in lard
with a side order of bacon, egg&cheese
after i just had a heart attack
is you crazy?

 can i afford to incur more debt
to reenter rehab
to pick myself up
like a flat furry animal
by the side of a highway
& reinsert myself
into rush hour traffic
 
Her words really capture what is approaching us in the next couple of weeks, a decision as to whether we are going to let  unhealthy living return and have a seat at our tables (ha ha food can also be our lovers too).  So many at this time think that since they went out of control for Thanksgiving that they might as well continue on the downward spiral..which I like to think is synonymous with Olu's line "pick myself up like a flat furry animal by the side of a highway a reinsert myself into rush hour traffic."  Just last year, and the year before that, and then some, was how I did things. I ain't lyin! I felt so bad after Turkey day that I was like I might as well continue and I appeased my sadness and guilt for more cake (my love lol).  But that was the old me:) Now I find that at any time, we can stop, make a decision, and do differently. You'd be amazed as to how much a little change will change the outcome of a situation. So I just wanted to encourage you that its not over. At any time, you  can stop, decide to do something different, and get different results. So what say you..?

Are you out for the count? ..or are u getting back in the swing of things:) tee hee!! Lets gooooo!!! Post your comments:)

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Somebody almost walked off with my stuff!

Excerpt from poem featured in the movie For Colored Girls Only....

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff

somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff 
not my poems or a dance i gave up in the street
 but somebody almost walked off wid alla my stuff
like a kleptomaniac workin hard & forgettin while stealin
 this is mine/this aint yr stuff/
now why don’t you put me back & let me hang out in my own self
somebody almost walked off wit alla my stuff 
& didn’t care enuf to send a note home sayin 
i was late for my solo conversation
 or two sizes to small for my own tacky skirts

I was having a conversation with one of my sisters, Aiysha, when we were talking about the line from the movie, For Colored Girls,  "somebody almost walked off with my stuff." It got me thinking about this journey towards healthy living and how when we subconciously let unhealthy living literally walk off with our stuff!!

 What do I mean? Think about this----

Obesity/Unhealthy living is highly associated with depression------  
"Somebody walkin off with my joy."

 Being overweight is associated with a low self-esteem----
"Somebody walkin off with my confidence and self-esteem and didn't even tell me?"

Obesity is associated with premature death and sickness and disease-----
"Somebody has sentenced me to an early death and didn't even leave me a note"

So many things we can put there, its crazy. In fact, I didn't even realize all the benefits of transitioning to a healthy life style until I actually did it.  It wasn't until I actually saw results that I made the decision that I was not gonna let unhealthy living walk off with my confidence, my self-esteem and most of all my life. I WANT MY STUFF!!! ALL OF IT! In fact, right now I am redeeming the time from when I allowed unhealthy living to steal my stuff.

My question to you--Are you going to willingly let something continue to take your stuff!!!

Post your comments

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Surviving Thanksgiving!! What did u learn?!!

So I have good news, good news, good news!! I survived my first Thanksgiving! I did it!
I did the weigh-in check after Thanksgiving and found that I hadn't gained any pounds! Zero!!
I remained the same!! I don't know about you but that is great news knowing that I have had cake, home made ice-cream and a deluctible log roll of some sort (My boyfriend's daughter made it and it was delicious) in addition to the traditonal Thanksgiving foods.

I tested my little program to get in extra exercise and the two meals before the big meal and it worked.  What is the most interesteding, is that last week was filled with challenges. Prior to me making my food and workout plan, I had sprained my ankle in Step class the Monday before Thanksgiving.  I thought I would be okay, but found hours later that I was in severe pain and could not walk. You don't realize how much you appreciate your legs and feet until you are crawling to and from the bathroom.
Althought I was in pain, my thought was WAIT!! Thanksgiving is coming...I need to work out. So, I decided that I would contine to find a creative way to work out even though I had hurt my ankle. Check this out! My sprained ankle did not stop my committment to healthy living:



It payed off. In addtion, to doing that work out, I also did a pre-Thanksgiving work out as well. Which I had sooo much fun doing it! I love dancing:) Tee hee and it was fun:) woo hoo! Check it out!



So my question is Thanksgiving has come and gone...what have you learned:)....what can you do better...cuz guess what Christmas is coming!!!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Thanksgiving: Avoiding the holiday 15lbs!

So, one of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving!! I love the fellowship with the family, but most of all I love the cakes and pies. In fact, I live for  Mom Montgomery's stuffing and her cakes and pies. Homemade carrot cake, poundcake, sweet potato cheesecake, sweet potato pie, cobblers, brownies, lemon bars....MY GOD!!  My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it! I know that desserts are my demise lol!!

But its Thanksgiving....shouldn't we be allowed to go all out and just eat until we can't anymore! Well that was my old way of thinking! In fact, that line of thinking had me gaining at least 15 lbs over the course of Thanksiving and Christmas!



(clappin like Sherman from the clumps *cakes and pies, cakes and pies)! Thereby, creating the cycle in January of the perpetual new resolution to lose weight! lol! Not this year!

 Am I going to eat cakes and pies! Yes! The difference is that I am going to plan to include them and I am not going to binge. I knew THanksgivng was coming so I 've been devising a plan as to how to enjoy what I love and yet stay on task:0)
 1. Getting in some extra work-outs (though I just recently sprained my ankle, I'll be creative)--im storing up some free calories with these extra workouts (calories for my cake lol)

2. preparing to eat 2 small meals before the thanksgiving feast (breakfast: like eggwhite little cheese,  and fruit), and  (lunch:soup, crackers, and fruit)....then thanksgiving
---don't starve yourself for thanksgiving..you end up overeating..and feeling uncomfortably stuffed.

3. make two plates- 1 with some of the stuff.  Then 2nd plate with the other stuff for the next day... that way you're splittin the calories and still eating everything lol.

Last thing, that I'm going to hold close to my mind is that I got a closet full of 4s...and I ain't buyin no other sizes lol!

Lets brainstorm and come up with other helpful suggestions:) Post em'!

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Planning to Fail!!--Keepin Fear in the Closet!

I remember the first time I went shopping to get some jeans after I loss weight. I had continued to wear all of my 10s and 8s which were falling off of me. So I thought, okay, I can't belabor this any longer and I went to buy a couple of pair of jeans.  So I tried on the 8s (too big) and then I tried on the 6s (still too big). I was like what in the world is going on! I had on a size 4 and they worked and I still had room (OMG). No stomach rolling over and no suffocating from holding in the stomach. I couldn't believe it, I now wore a size 4. From a size 10 to a 4.

I didn't want to believe it at all. In fact that day, I bought several pairs of jeans courtesy of Macy's sale (tee hee). You'd think I would've bought all 4s, right, but I didn't. Instead  bought 1 size 6...just in case I gained weight (and I felt a lil uncomfortable with wearing a 4).  I was talking with one of my girlfriends when I realized that I was scared. I kept the 6 because of the fear that I would  gain weight or just fail at healthy living. In fact, I kept a lot of stuff in my closet, because I was scared of failing. I thought that if I gained weight at least I'd have those clothes for cushion. Then I realized that I control what is to be and not be-- I determine rather this is a permanent lifestyle or not. I'm controlling this.

So last month,  I decided that this is permanent lifestyle for me and actually went through my closet and packed things up to go.  As I packed up things that were too big, I decided that this is my life and I will not be ruled by fear in any manner and most of all I will not be planning to fail.  I feel free!

Think about the things we've done and how we have unconsciously and sometimes consciously planned to fail.  We let fear rob us of our ultimate super power, our ability to choose. What are you choosing today or is fear deciding for you!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

B. E. (Being Empowered): The Tipping Point!

B. E. (Being Empowered): The Tipping Point!: "I was in a training with a group of ladies and they were sharing about their tipping point--the point where they declared enough was enough ..."

The Tipping Point!

I was in a training with a group of ladies and they were sharing about their tipping point--the point where they declared enough was enough before transitioning to healthy living. Some said it was their doctor telling them that their health was at stake, other said it was a glance in the mirror, pictures, etc.

I remember my tipping point ever so clearly. The day where I'd said enough was enough came the latter part of January of 2010.  It was January 22, 2010. I had a show and I released my 3rd album, Beautiful Weirdo, and I thought I looked good and sounded good.  However, good ole facebook pictures have a way of telling a story exactly how it is.  My good ole friend facebook had pictures of me performing at the show. I almost took a double take. I was like is that me?!! Thats not how I thought I looked.  I was shocked and embarrassed that in my opinion, I looked a hot mess! In this one picture there was an emergence of a double chin and that was my tipping point. My double chin and the realization that although cute, I was now a fat girl.  So that was it. I said ENOUGH!! I was tired of losing the war against healthy living and decided that instead of just doing nothing that I would do something about it. Also, another incentive was that I was embarking upon the milestone of turning 30 and I did not want to look like that entering another decade.

So that was my tipping point. Everyone has their own. What was yours? What is yours? When will you get to the point where you say enough is enough and do something about whatever it is, even if its just a small change. I started with just a small change. I added physical activity consistently for at least 3 times a week....and I just kept doing that. I wanted to master something and after I was able to master the activity of 3x a week I added small changes to my food. It's a process, but mine all started with reaching my tipping point and saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!








Post your comments about your tipping point!

Monday, November 1, 2010

There's A Fat Person INSIDE Me!!!!

I was reading an autobiography when a passage jumped out at me. It said that that within every fat person there is a skinny person waiting to unleash themselves; and on the flip side with every skinny person, there is a fat person inside waiting to eat up the land.

I laughed out loud when I read that, because I can relate wholeheartedly to it. At the top of February/March, I was 162 lbs (stackin and packin:) and now I waver between 123-124.6 which is cool. But, just because I lost that weight doesn't mean anything. I tell you there is a fat person inside of me who is just waiting for me to get lax so he can finagle his way back to the forefront.

In fact it happens to the best of us. We start seeing results...were losing and feeling great...then we celebrate with all the things that were our demise! Most of us call it cheating. It starts with I've been doing good, so I'm entitled to this or that. Its a viscous cycle that can go on and on if you let it. 


I've come to realize that you can never get too comfortable. I work hard to keep my fat person on lock. I still work out, plan and monitor what I eat, and use Mr. Scale as my friend. In fact you'd be amazed how many people look at me like I'm crazy when I ask the waiter/waitress for the menu and the nutrition facts. They often make comments like, you're skinny (I HATE BEING CALLED SKINNY), you don't need to watch what you eat. I beg to differ!!! Just because you may have accomplished a certain goal doesn't mean that temptation isn't still lurking around.  I call the temptations little monsters that are trying to help the fat man in you out! Be vigilant and have your guard up! Keep Mr. Fat man caged in. Our life literally and figuratively, depends on it:)

Share your thoughts! Share what are your monsters that try to let your inner fat man out!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

I'mma Have My Cake and Eat it Too!!

Have you ever wondered the meaning behind the proverb, " you can't have your cake and eat it too." Well its a figure of speech that means that you can't have it both ways  or you can't have the the best of both worlds....you have to choose one or the other. Well I was using the phrase one time and I thought...why can't I have my cake and eat it too. In fact, I want my cake and I'mma eat it too!! LOL!!

You see, I've realized that what has helped me to be consistent and stay on target as it concerns transitioning to a healthy life style is the fact that I can eat cake!! I can eat my favorites: McDonald's ice-cream cone, crabs, key lime pie, etc.  Yes, I eat all those things and I love them. I'm not on a restrictive diet...in fact, I hereby banish the word diet from my vocabulary. I think the word diet will be synonymous with a curse word from now on.

In my transition to healthy living, I include the things I like in moderation. I don't eat them 24-7, but I do eat them. This inclusion  of the things I like keeps me from going overboard.  I started including the things I like in my transition to healthy living, because I realized that when I constantly deny what I want....when I actually get it, I tend to make up for the lost time that I had been denying myself.  So I said enough with that! Instead of binging on sweets, I have one little sweet a day and that works for me:)

Its funny I remember telling one of my friends when she said I'm not doing any carbs right now and I've been losing. I was like thats good that you've been losing, but you will fail. I couldn't even grab the words to stuff them back in my mouth. I wasn't trying to be mean or anything although it sounded that way. I went on to share that we are living....we are not doing a temporary plan or fix to lose weight...can you live without carbs for the rest of your life? some probably can, but most people can't.  So why start something that's not realistic... lets find a plan that we can actually live with.

But we do that all the time. We try to do a quick fix to make it happen.  I know I have. A certain event will motivate us to lose weight or a certain outfit..and then we're back on the weight-o roller coaster.... well the ride stops here! I believe it is possible to have your cake and eat it too...may take some planning!! LOL but its possible, cuz I'm doing it now!

Thought of the week: When I have denied myself the things I really enjoy...what was the  end result? How can I have my cake and eat it too?
 Share your thoughts and Post your comments

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

The Fall!!

 I remember when I had first decided to be celibate. It had been two years and then I slipped up. I felt awful horrible and that I had let the world down. I remember telling my parents (yes I told them) and feeling so terrible. I felt so horrible that instead of quitting, I felt well hey I've already messed up, I might as well just keep on going. I remember when I came back to my father and told him it had happened again right after the first encounter...he told me, "Tekeah just stop." Simple words that registered.

How many times have we committed to doing something, but then we fall off the wagon. The fall we take can be so devastating at times that we quit and just give up. When I had fallen that time...I wanted to give up and quit and felt like I could never succeed at being celibate for more than 2 years...so why even try. But my father provided a simple solution just stop and try again.

As it concerns our eating, we may have a ruff day, but we don't have to stay off. We can just decide to try again, have a fresh slate at the next meal, or start again the next day. It takes much more energy to try again then it is to give up. Listen, even a dead fish can go with the flow. So I encourage you, that if you feel like you've gotten off...its cool.don't stay there...try again. It's simple: Just Stop and try again.

Post your comments...let me know your thoughts..and share some stories where you got back up:)

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

2 Write or Not 2 Write-- that is the question?!!

Its amazing the very power that's in such a little thing as writing. Not long ago I reviewed my planner's over the past several years. You see in the beginning of each planner, I put down the goals to accomplish for that calendar year. I found that the things that I took the time to write down are the things that I accomplished.

Some of them stayed on there from year to year, but eventually were accomplished non the less.

Let me share a personal side bar. In 2008, I made a list of the things that I wanted in my future mate:)....like no smoking, family oriented, saved, speak in tongues, job, etc. Wouldn't you know that this year I crossed off the last item of my future mate list.....in fact, that's what made me go back and look at some of the others things I've written. I realized that the very things I had written, I accomplished them.

I say all this to say that it is proven that the things we write down, we accomplish. We can use this in many areas and I do. Like as it concerns my eating and exercise, I set goals at the end of each week for the beginning of the next week. So on Sunday, I'll set goals like: eat 2-3 veggies a day, drink more water, exercise 3 days a week. etc . Sometimes throughout the week, I feel like I have forgotten them, but when I go back to look at them I realize that I have accomplished them. Subconsciously, I think your mind programs them in...lol.

Challenge of the week: set 2 or 3 goals for the week and then come back and review them. What goals have you set this week! Let me know your thoughts! Post your comments.

Monday, October 4, 2010

*Rolls Eyes* Not today!!

I must say today was a rather long day. I don't know if it was the weather  (very dreary beginning of fall day mixed with cloudiness and rain sprinkles) or what it was, but today I didn't work out this morning. Yes, I said it, I missed my window of time for my work out in the morning. So I went on through my day saying...I'mma work out when I get home. So now, I'm home and you know what....I really don't feel like it. I really just feel like curling up with the Cowboys blanket ( the winning team) and going to sleep.

But just like I challenge others when the going gets rough...I'mma put myself on a challenge. I will work out today, and not go on what I feel, because its what I do. I can't be tossed to and fro like leaves in the wind just because the season is changing (fall is here) or because of my feelings. Its so easy to give way to your feelings though...especially when your a woman...we have extra emotions lol.

I'll be honest with you, I'm probably one of the  most emotional people ever lol. In fact, the major aspect of my job is that I get paid to feel and to empathize and to understand people's feelings (I'm a therapist:). What I realize though is that your emotions can you get you in trouble if they aren't managed properly. You can end up in unhealthy situations because of your emotions: mentally, socially, and physically.  So how do you work on this?!!

YOU TRAIN YOURSELF!!! TRAIN YOURSELF TO NOT BE MOVED BY YOUR EMOTIONS!

So even today, when I don't feel like working out because I'm tired and I want to quickly go to my cowboys blanket. I work out. This is something small, but if you can achieve this small feat than you can use this in other avenues of your life like with your job, kids, mate, etc (when your asked something you don't feel like doing). I don't know about you but I'm determined to be empowered so the transition to living a healthy life style is like a piece of cake  (ha ha no pun intended). So I'm off to the treadmill...with the goal of getting past 10 minutes:) Lets do this!

Challenge of the week: Select one area, could be  exercise, work, school...and complete the task even when you don't "feel" like it! Let me know your thoughts and feelings:) Post comments!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Get Motivated With an Inspiration board!

I believe one of the baddest chicks in the game is Jada Pinkett-Smith. I heart that chick! She's a mother, wife entrepreneuer,  her body is smokin! Because I strive to be all those things: a mother, a wife, a sister friend, have a smokin body, with a smokin man:) (got that check!)...etc. I have a pic of her on my refridgerator to let me know that its all possible.


Now what does Jada have to do with transitioning to healthy living? She's a picture of what can be.... a principle that we can use throughout our journey. I have a pic of Jada, but taking a picture of ourselves, how we wanna look, or even things we want to eat, can be a part of our inspiration board. An inspiration board is helpful for us to strive for our goals and also note our progress. I tell you we are easy to point our areas of improvement, but most times we don't acknowledge our growth and or areas that we've improved. So it's helpful to have visual aids.  So the inspiration board is a very helpful tool:).

Challenge of the week: get a poster board and get crackin...add some pics of how you used to be, what you're striving to be ( I cut off peoples head in magazines and put my head on them lol) take a pic of some clothes you want (that new bikini), include veggies, exercises etc...get creative:)!! Post your comments

Monday, September 20, 2010

Changing the scale from enemy to friend

My relationship with the scale is an interesting one. We've had our ups and downs....like any other relationship. A lot of downs and a lot of avoiding. Lol! I liken it to that friend who will call you out when your in denial. Sometimes you don't even when to talk to them after they've called you out. I ain't lying! Lol! Those kind of friends get on your nerves, but you know you need them cause they want nothing but the best for you. Though you know they have your best interests at heart that still doesn't stop you from getting upset/hostile with them and or denying the obvious. The scale is the same way. The scale although we don't want to believe it wants the best for us! It wants us to be healthy...that's why it confronts us with the truth! Lol! And when it does we fight it! I did..I'd simply avoid that machine when I knew I was on a downward spiral lol! Yup, Mr. Scale got ignored! But when I was doing well we were tight lol I'd get on Mr. Scale with no problem! Well I've done some modifications with my relationship with Mr. Scale. Instead of him being my enemy, he is now my accountability partner. I commune with him at least 2x weekly. One for my weigh in and the other in the middle of the week just to monitor my progress. Mr. Scale keeps it "real." Because of the accountability piece, I no longer avoid Mr. Scale but have a better relationship with him:). It really helps to track your progress as well as certain patterns (like certain times of the month, you may be heavier or if you had a trying week you may have indulged here and there).

Challenge for the week: if you don't have scale I suggest getting a digital one (more consistent). Get your baseline weight at the top of the week (naked) and write it down and then weigh after one week (on the same day of the week..naked of course). Any changes?!! Let's discuss:) post Your comments!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Get movin!!

I tried the gym over and over when I first started. I had even paid for a years worth of a gym membership...but still didn't go! Then someone voluntarily paid for my monthly gym membership because they knew I wanted to lose weight... Still to no avail. I didn't go.

You see when I went to the gym..seeing all those machines overwhelmed me. I didn't know what to do or what I should be doing. So I just stopped going until I tried group exercise classes. I love group activities:) In those classes, I felt like I was dancing and I felt safe with the other ladies in the class. Step class is my absolute favorite! I'd add my own little extra moves to it!! You couldn't tell me I wasn't @ the club! Lol! After while, I started looking forward to the classes and now I'm studying to get my certification in group exercise lol!

So find what you like to do to get you going! Just move! Think outside the box.. You could dance as a workout (that's something you can do at home), go skating, use your steps to your house/apt., play the wii, basketball, dance like a crazed fool for 5 mins...it really doesn't take much:)...just a commitment to get moving!

Challenge for the week: choose your favorite 2 songs:) play them back to back and dance hard for the entirety of the songs!! Let's discuss! Post ur comments! Need an example...lol.check this out

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

I Don't Have Time To Work OUT!!!

For years & years, I believed I didn't have the time to work out. I was a 40+ hour work-a-holic as a social worker. I bent over backwards for everyone except me. Left me drained, tired, moody, and irritable amongst other things. When I got home all I wanted to do was sleep. Work out?!! Puh-leeze!

So what changed.

I found out that physical exercise is the best anti-depressant, de-stresser, and self+esteem builder! You see, when you work out, biologically, your body releases happy endorphins...you get more energy and you improve your mood

Let me tell you a quick story. I was heartbroken when one of my good friends said they didn't want to be my friend anymore. I was angry and hurt. I used my workouts as a catalyst to de-stress and generate some happiness where I felt low. It really helped me get thru that period. I was less angry and more stable emotionally. I noticed the change! I'm like hey this is cheaper than therapy lol!

So let's find time to increase our happiness and de-stress ourselves!

This week's challenge: Try this experiment! When your angry do a quick 20 min workout...bet you forget what you were angry about! Lol! Post your comments!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Something's Eating Me

My journey to healthy living did not  happen overnight and or turn on one day like a light bulb!! I wish I could say that I woke up one morning and said you know what, I'm tired and I'm going to just eat and live right. I didn't. It was over time that I realized that something literally was eating me...and I used my eating/ lack there of to cope with it.

After failing repeatedly with this thing. I analyzed every failure and set back..after all, I am a therapist, so I did some introspection. I've been really doing some serious self-discovery over the past couple of years. From my self discovery time, I noticed a pattern from re-reading my journal entries, poems, songs, etc. I found there was a specific time that I gained weight the most....in the winter. I found that during the  winter I was most likely to eat all the stuff I had worked so hard not to eat throughout the year. I was most likely to get involved in unhealthy romantic relationships, spend unnecessary money, etc. Needless to say I was most unhappy....and so i filled it with something unhealthy thinking that it would make me happy.

There's a term for this....and a lot of women and people overall do it. Its called emotional eating. When our emotions are stressful or when we're going through, we sometimes eat or don't eat which adversely affects us.  We eat cause food is good...so good at times and it helps us to cope with what is eating us. I'll be honest with you, there are certain foods for me (cakes and pies:), that i feel like i'm having an orgasm (ooh the coconut cream pie shake from Sonic! My God!!)...its just that good to me (sorry, but I'm being honest..u can bleep out that part lol). So I've been trying to do a better job at realizing when I'm emotionally just out of control...cuz that's when I go hard for sweets and whatever I can put my hands on. I haven't arrived yet, and am still working on it.  But self- awareness is key and learning how you cope with stuff helps you to be able to change it.

So here's this week's challenge: If you can journal for a week do it:) if you can only do 3 days do it.... do what you can.  Just jot down your feelings and what you ate for the day. Thats it...and lets discuss the findings (post your comments)

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

The world's Cheapest Gym: The Jump Rope


 I guess you guys thought I was playing when I talked about  using the jump rope for my dose of daily activity while I was in Atlanta attending the International Soul Music Summit. Fortunately, a fellow artist, Mr. Kenny Wesley, was there to record some of my morning regimen. Check it out!

Will you take the jump rope challenge for this week?
-5 min in the morning
-5 min in the evening

Just for 2/3 days...come on what say you?!!!

leave your comments and let me know your thoughts about the challenge etc:)

Monday, August 23, 2010

On the road...

This past weekend, I attended the International Soul Music Summit in Atlanta and let me tell you, I was a little nervous about the trip.  I wasn't nervous because I was going to meet other indie artists and would have to be ready to promote my craft on the spot...nope that wasn't it. No, the first thing on my mind was how am I gonna stay on track healthwise?  I thought about that 11-12 hour car trip to the ATL. I thought...I'mma miss my group exercise classes (thurs & fri) and then there's the food piece. Trapped in a car for an 11-hour ride to and from...how do I keep focused with all the twizzlers, chips, etc?

Before I let my anxiousness get me in a tizzy, I planned. I know that planning:) decreases anxiety:)

Since I've started this healthy living journey, I decided that when I go on trips and or on vacations, I take my workout clothes and my trusty sneaks with me...so even if I just go walking its movement/some type of activity. This time, for my trip, I took my workout clothes, my sneaks, and a jump rope (i.e. the world's cheapest gym). The jump rope gets ur heart rate up and its easy! Before you know it, your heart rate is up and your sweating like a cow lol! You should try it! I plan to put some movement in throughout my day!

Now for the food. I packed alot of snacks:) fruit, carrots, lean meat, english muffins, drank a lot of water etc. I like crunchy foods:) so I kept health crunchy things on hand:) It worked. While others were snacking on twizzlers, salt and vinegar chips...I had blueberries and my lil weight watcher mint chocolate cookie crisp:), and fresh veggies and I was A okay:) The people I rode with were like dag you came prepared:) yup (not to mention I took up some space lol)!! I planned to not go off the wagon during the trip by being unprepared!

You know sometimes any change in our schedules can throw us off:) but learning to adjust and switch up here and there helps out; (be flexible).  And its easy to say we don't have time for a gym workout...but we can use simple things like a jump rope to get in some physical activity or the steps out front :).  Also, if you know whats coming, plan ahead! Keep a stash of a piece of fruit or a healthy snack in the car:)

Challenge of the week: choose 1 or the other:)
Get a jump rope and do 5 min in the morn and 5 min in the evening:) workout out.. the time adds up:)

or

Plan ur snacks for 2/3 days:)

Let's discuss (leave your comments)

Monday, August 16, 2010

NEW Blog B.E!!

I'm just an average person (not really average lol) who found herself battling this same issue for years---> the issue of the yo-yo diet. Since I can remember, I 've never been skinny and I've always had an ample supply of butt (buttocks for the prim and proper lol) for myself and for others. So since high school, I have done that tug of war with the scale.

I was 130 lbs leaving high school, 145 lbs my sophomore year in college (Lets go Pitt!), 145-150 lbs thru my grad school years up until the age of 28. Then I reached my highest weight ever at 162 lbs at the young age of 29!!! For me, the 162 lbs and the emerging double chin was enough for  me. Don't get me wrong, I was still cute but I had come to terms that I was the weight of my grandmother when she was 62 years old at the tender age of 29. I didn't like the direction I was headed in. Most of all, I didn't like that I had failed at being consistent and that often times I would quit....I'd go for a while...be good...avoid eating sweets...exercise for a month...and then when I didn't see the results fast enough..I QUIT!! I went back to what I was doing before and this cycle repeated forever!!

 Many of us have been in that situation, so I figured  I would write about my journey and the things I learned along the way in hopes that maybe it would help or inspire others to be empowered to take charge of their own journey.  You see, my favorite flower is a sunflower and what I like about sunflowers is that you can add a little dye to the water and it'll change the color of the sunflower:) (thats how we get the reds, the blues, the purples, etc)....so pretty....so thats the goal here...add a little change here and there and witness the beautiful difference of becoming your own unique sunflower:)