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!

Baby!! YOUR A FIREWORK!

I was driving in my car last week when I heard this song by Katy Perry...the lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks... the lyrics went like :

Cause baby you're a firework
Come on, show 'em what you're worth
Make 'em go, oh
As you shoot across the sky

Baby, you're a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make 'em go, oh
You're gonna leave 'em falling down

When I heard this, I said to myself this will be my theme song for my life. I am a fire work. We are good at so many different things and we exhibit so many different colors.We are  all fire works.

That song made me reflect on the years and the times that I did not realize that I was a fire work and literally and figuratively, a spectacular sight to see.  As I have gotten older, and all through this transition to be healthy both mentally and physically, I have realized that sometimes life has so many things going on that our fires are put out or we are either doing so many other things that we suffocate our own fires.  So when we try to exhibit our fire works...they end up as duds. I'm sure you remember as a child having a great fire work only for it to fizz for 2 seconds and then its done. What is left after the fizz?  Smoke or a cloud of sadness...for some us it is depression (I hate depression!! it sucks!!) That depression sucks up our fire works, our energy, our glory, and also our motivation.

So what does this have to do with transitioning to healthy living? We have to push pass the smoke...depressive thoughts, lack of motivation, to get moving.  I know, I know...but i don't feel like it!  Let me say this...you won't feel like it sometimes...but guess what, your body has a natural anti-depressant built in it(my little friends called happy endorphins)....it just takes you to get moving to activate it. Thats right !! FREE LEGAL DRUGS!! already in your body to combat against the depressive smoke that tries to choke your life....they are waiting for your to activate them:) My question is have you took your happpy drugs today?!! If not, its  not too late...I guarantee that you will notice a difference!! *singin....cuz baby your a fire work....:)

To Gym or not To Gym that is the question!

Well it's that time of year again! The time where the gyms are overly crowded because of everyone's new year resolution to lose weight. So right now, everyone is obsessed with the gym...the gym ...the gym. They must make it to the gym. The gym is cool...I can't knock it because I love going to the gym, not so much for the machines, but for the group classes.  So I can't say that the gym is bad.  What I will say is that I believe that sometimes the dependence on a particular gym keeps us in a box of confinement.  Like, what happens if you can't make it to the gym, or its not in the budget to actually join a gym?  What do you do then? Do you just not exercise? Does the transition to healthy living cease? What do you do?

Can you fathom a time when there were no gyms? Well, there were times.  Remember the good old fashioned gym routines ( jumping jacks)  in school or just running around playing kickball, lol.  All I'm saying is that there are other ways to burn some energy then being at the gym....yet our minds are stuck on using machines. 

Since transitioning over, I realize that although machines are good to use...I get tired of doing the same stuff some times. I also realize that I enjoy switching things up and just having a fun ole time. I remember one time during this past holiday, I was shopping for grocery items, using a can of food as a weight ...lifting it up and down....lol..my boyfriend was like, only you would make this into a work out lol.  I just like having fun and using my body and my own weight. I even run from putting money to the meter to a building to escape the cold and also get a quickie in:) (workout that is). Also, when I do praise and worship at church (you'll see me doing a light jog back and forth)...I'm excited to praise God...but I also make it a workout (singing and a light jog). Then one time I used a small child to use bicep reps (the kids love it).  Lol, I use anything I can just to burn some calories....and it doesn't take much. So I challenge and encourage you to think outside of the box. What is something that you do that you can turn to a mini work-out...and it doesn't take much:) It all adds up!! Post what you've done or even some ideas...I'm always looking to add to my catalog lol!

*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!