What They Don't Tell You About Losing Weight!

This past week, I did an interview to promote my forthcoming album, Dosage III: The Time to B.E. and during the interview I made a comment..."I lost 48 lbs...now when people see me..they are like..hey, you look like? who are you..." Yes....I feel like that is the story my life.  I joke about it during the video, but honestly speaking, it is definitely an adjustment and was quite hurtful in the beginning (and I'm still getting used to it). Yes, it's great to lose weight...but I think...in fact, I know, that I was unprepared for people's responses and the emotions that come along with losing weight.

People don't share that side of it. They don't tell you how to adjust to getting used to a new body or losing some of your prized positions (my boobs lol...which if you know me, you know those were my favorites lol). They don't talk about the adjustment you have to make in your mind when you're used to being a certain way for years. Like your mind has to catch up with your weight-loss so you can begin to see yourself differently.  I don't think I ever talked about it on my blog...only amongst my close friends.

Imagine this, you are out on the music scene, and when people say your name...Green Tea...there are puzzled looks or questionable looks as if you are an imposter of the artist Green Tea. If I could share how many times, I've said, "Yeah it's me, I just lost a little weight,"  I think I'd be rich...or how many times I'd say hello to my fellow artist peers and they don't know who I am. ..the surprised..."oh Hey" (talk about feeling invisible).  It's not only the stares though, its the comments, "ooh your beautiful now, " its the increase in flattery, etc. all that. I was just at a salad bar of a restaurant the other day, and a guy there at the salad bar was like..."girl you tiny, put some pasta on your plate." Believe it or not that was  his attempt to pose flattery or establish small talk to get my phone #.  As my friend Nicole would say, Boy By!  So its stuff like that I laugh off, but they do have a bit of sting here and there. In fact, as an artist I stopped going out as much because I just didn't want to deal with it...the stares, explanations, etc. Afterall, I'm like where y'all been?... I just lost weight, I've been beautiful and all those other things....dang, what was I before, to y'all.  But, what I realize is that people will be people and the show will go on with or without you. So I just wanted to share that the process of losing weight isn't over when you get to your goal...it's still a journey and  a process. I'm adjusting and working towards having my mind and body be on the same page and I think that's something that isn't quite shared or talked about as often. So that's the skinny on what they don't tell you about losing weight.

Let me know your thoughts:) & please encourage others to join the blog:)

Its the most wonderful time of the year!!

Wowzers, its been  how many months since I last blogged?!! 3 months!! Geez louise, time does fly. In the last 3 months so much has changed...I've gotten married, am a step mother of 3, amongst other things... whew! So I got married this past November, and now it's that time of year again where we're embarking upon the holidays and festivity seasons.... seems like celebration after celebration!!

Now in speaking about the holidays, one lady asked me how do I stay on target or continue with my healthy living with all the cookies and pies around. She went on to ask me, could I get rid of all the cookies for her. I told her I can't get rid of the cookies but I can tell you how to eat them. She looked at me with a blank stare. LOL. But honestly that's all I can do. I don't believe in denying oneself our guilty pleasures, but I do believe in balance, moderation, and planning for them.

After all, that is how I survived Thanksgiving and Christmas, and New Years. I did indulge in my favorites, but I had a plan as to how to indulge and not feel guilty. It dawned on me that the same holidays come around the same time every year....and....i generally like the same stuff every year...not that much has changed...lol..so knowing that, I can plan accordingly.  So here are my little tidbits that have been helpful and that I'm going to use again.

Question to ask: What things am I looking forward to eating during these occasions? How can I spread the love? (meaning how can I have them but maybe not have them all in one day). *sidebar*And if your doing weight watchers (like I am), I would find out the point plus value for each and already subtract them from my target:) I would use the remaining pointplus values to eat:)

So for me...what I do is I make up in mind...is today going to be a treat myself day...if that is the case then I'm going to go with the more filling foods for that day until I get to my treat surprise. Let's use a celebration that I am looking forward to....Christmas Eve @ Mom Montgomery's!! Wee hee!! (mouth has begun to salivate already)

My highlight for that day is the sweet potato cheesecake:) ooh yum and some other sweets. lol
So on the day of Christmas eve....I'mma do a light breakfast (maybe some yogurt, a banana,  and some tea,) lunch I'll do either a filling soup and salad with fruit and water, snacks in between maybe some string cheese,  fruit, and water....  (when you eat light little things before the throw down you can make better choices...because you arent' starved lol...meaning your stomach isn't eating its lining lol)

MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE:  
not eating the entire day before you go to the shindig...that will set you up and your most likely to overeat...and its not good for you anyway.
not drinking water  (throughout day..keeps your stomach feeling full and ensures you don't get dehydrated)

Okay back  to the food plan...after I eat light..then its Mom Montgomery's house oh yeah. My plan is strategic:)
1st. plate:) veggies first (why, because they are a good foundation for the tummy and they fill you up)....and drink some water.
2nd. plate little bit of turkey, lil ham
3rd. plate  desssert wee hee...a lil slither of this. a that not a full slice...then my glory sweet potato cheese cake.  *side bar* and the thing is because i had that foundation of veggies..i won't eat as much of the cakes and pies...i will still have some but not as much.
4th plate (desserts to go)...and freeze them for later:)....that way i can always have the holiday treats even after the holidays

Last years' goal was to not gain 20 lbs (that's how much I would normally gain from Thanksgiving to new years)...and i gained 3lbs (a drastic improvement)
This year's goal is to maintain...and I've already started to prepare by doing some extra workouts lol....cuz that sweet potato cheesecake is getting in my belly lol!

I said this all to say find a plan that works for you!! Also, remember this, what you don't have this year, will be there year after year!! This will not be the last time you eat during these holidays!
If others have plans that they've used post em up!

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?
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