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'!

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!

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!

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!!