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!

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:)

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)