Sisters in Sweat!



Sorors in Sweat! Me, My Personal Trainer Charles Harris, and my Soror Jacquie visiting from PA getting her 3 hours in too!!





WHEW! What a weekend! What a week! Well for the bad news! I gained 3.8 pounds! I know!! *insert sad face here* BUT in just thinking about it I had chicken wings like 4 times this week, wine, and other eating out...like lots of cupcakes... More than the law would allow! I was out every day last week from meetings, to the Janet concert, to the NPHC Happy Hour, to midnight bowling! Too much going on! But good times! Very good times!

I am disappointed but I didn't even do the minimum by journaling so on Saturday I started  there. Ironically the message at my Weight Watchers meeting was "Have You Ever Slipped?" Always on time. The take away message was to go back to basics like journaling, drinking water, weighing and measuring your food rather than eye balling portions, etc.. The second question was what caused the slip up and the main reason people gave was they were not prepared. I really didn't prepare for this week's activities at all! I winged it. Never good. And it was funny I shared it with someone and she gasped lol there have been weeks I could gained 5-8 pounds because that's how I do. My body is unforgiving. On the other hand if I do right it does right. I've never have a plateau. I either gain or lose. I remember a gym friend of mine who lost like 130 pounds plateaued for like 3 or 4 months! She was driving herself crazy to lose that last 5-7 pounds but it finally gave way to her goal. I've never gone through that. My body is pretty much like my personality what you see is what you get. No tricks, no gimmicks it is what it is... In a way I like that because when I put in the time it will pay off but when I don't the results are instantaneous...hence the 3.8 pounds I found when I was hoping for a 5 pound loss lol 

Anyhoo...We ended the meeting on the fact that you should not get stuck feeling guilty or spiral down even more rather re-group and get back on track.

Our leader Joann ended the meeting with this thought "If your eating is out of control at 10am you can get back in control at 10:01am!" I spoke about that last time and it was a great reminder.

Another interesting point that came out during the meeting was a discussion of "If I knew then what know now, I would have down ____ differently." The answers were soooo good I wrote them down. One person said that if they knew it would be harder to lose weight the older they got they would have started sooner.
I agree with that. I wish in my 20s I was more serious about weight loss. That's why I love shows like Too Fat for 15 and I Used to Be Fat ohhh the time and energy I could have saved by getting serious then! But no sense in crying over spilled fat free milk! :-)

My WW leader Joann made a good point that yes after 35 your metabolism does slow down but a lot of that is also behavior. She explained that she (at over 60 years old) is not as strict as she used to be. For example she was sick last week. She said in her 20s or 30s she would have still gone to exercise but she said Now? Nope she said she stayed in and slept. LOL So her point was we shouldn't get caught up in that issue of age and just know that yes you may have to work harder but it can happen.

Another person said "If I knew then that the compliments wouldn't keep the weight off I would have stayed more focused" I am paraphrasing but I feel her on that! She said she lost 30 pounds and people kept telling her she looked great and she started to slip and not journal, not bring food, hang out more, not work out as much, etc., etc. Sounds real familiar to me !! LOL All jokes aside but that is SO true the compliments are nice but they can go to your head and that will not keep the weight off. Its not like you don't know that BUT its easy to forget the hard work you have to put in to lose and keep weight off.

For the first time in my life I actually believed all the people who said losing weight was the easy part, keeping it off was the hard part. Its so true. Its kinda like pledging when people say the real work starts after you cross. True words. When you are on the "other side" things look so great and all you want is to be on the inside looking out but you forget the work you exhibited to be pulled into the "club" is just a preview of things to come so you gotta keep it up. I read this quote in a magazine last year it said

"Someone who has what you got, is out doing what you are not." 

Think about it. Let it marinate. Yeah then get busy.

Anyway I had a workout guest! One of my Sorors Jacquie!!! She came to workout with me for 3 hours on Saturday! She thinks all the Chizel It teachers are crazy lol and she did not like Charles coming over to give her personal attention lol BUT she yawned during class so she drew unnecessary attention to herself lol BUT she made it through and it was a great workout! It was a great visit and I need to switch more get togethers to workouts instead of eating out. Ohhh and my other friend came too! The one I mentioned a few posts back who wanted help getting back on track! So it was a good day for fellow Sisters in Sweat!! I feel good about Saturday's start and I feel focused. I wasn't perfect because I had a Day Party, a 40th Birthday party, and then a midnight bowling event. It wasn't fatal plus I had the extra 43 points from activities. Sunday I slept in then went with Jacquie to a soul food restaurant Granny's before she hit the road. I took most of it home to share with my sister and I am working on a techinique of having a few bites less than half a serving because serving sizes are like 2 and 3 times normal. A WW tip from one of the few men at the meeting so we will see. 

Monday I made the famous Weight Watchers 0 point soup and salmon and I packed lunch for Tuesday. So its a new week.
Workout Plan for the week: Wednesday- Gym Zumba & Brickhouse and Thursday-Socarobics & Chizel It!

More Photos of the Week!

Janet Concert!

Another Soror in Sweat! Socarobics buddy at the Janet concert!

NPHC Happy Hour!

NPHC DC chapter venue




A room full of sister!





New friends!

 


Old friends! Another Soror in Sweat Soror Nikki!



SHREK The Musical 

The stage how cool!

Meredith's  40th Birthday!

Midnight Bowl! 



 That's all for now! I'll be sure to check back in! :-)



March Meltdown Motivation

Yall know I declared this month March Meltdown and well it is already March 23rd!  My goal was 10 pounds this month and thanks to being sick I did drop 9.5 pounds but as soon as I could eat again I gained that back lol I will weigh in Saturday and I am expecting a loss! I am claiming a loss!!! But I wanted to share this from Essence.com its an article/photo gallery on Celeb Weight Loss! Kudos to these ladies! And kudos to Essence for getting an array of women of all sizes & ages who have lost weight. I am really impressed with these before and after shots!

I have often said motivation is overrated! I posted a blog entry from another workout person and he basically explained that motivation is overrated because it is fleeting. So what you don't feel motivated to work out; if you made a commitment to a healthier lifestyle you have to stick to it so in the end its not so much about "feeling like" or being motivated its about the long term commitment. I am not like Oprah who says she hates working out I actually like the challenge working out presents which is why I think having a personal trainer is the best thing for me because he pushes me even when I don't feel "motivated" to workout as hard as I should or workout at all. Its so much easier to eat cheesecake and drink wine! Sorry I got off track... :-)

With all that being said! Them Celeb pics are hell-a motivating lol they look goooddd! My fave was of course Janet!!! I am still high off of last night's concert! *swinging my hips & singing* 

"It's All For You...." 


Last night was the Janet Jackson concert in DC and while I didn't get a picture with her... I did get an up and close personal wave and smile from the diva herself as she left the parking lot. I am getting closer yall thanks to some shameless flirty with security! }:-) A girls gotta do what she's gotta do!!! Shootttttt I'll let him take me out for drinks sometime :-)

Some of you may know that Janet wrote a book entitled: True You: A Journey to Finding and Loving Yourself ! I bought the book a few months ago when it came out but have not had a chance to read it but I took it with me yesterday to see if I could get it signed but no such luck BUT she is here for two more nights! :-) Anyway the book is about diet, weight loss, and self esteem. So weird to think of someone as beautiful and talented as Janet Jackson having self esteem problems but as the famous poem goes "We wear the mask" I am going to read it maybe tonight on the treadmill! My Mom is in town and we are staying in DC at the hotel I BET Janet is in! But we will see!

A/w I was so sorry she only did a book signing in NY and one in LA! If I had known I would have gone to NY for the show! I am a really big Janet fan! I have been to every concert for the past 20 years! I have Janet Jackson earrings ok? And a matching necklace! I even have a life size oil painting! This love is serious now!

Whew! A/w I am operating on very little sleep but it was well worth it! I'll check back in about the book in a few weeks and give a review. I saw recipes in the back and some great pictures inside well worth it for a fan like me! Oh and some innovative and lucky young people under 20 year olds got to have a meet and greet with her because of their community service efforts. I spoke with two of them one started a modeling club in an elementary school and the other created a science camp for underprivileged children! How cool is that?! And ok they looked about 12 years old! How impressive! Sweet kids! They were so star struck it was wonderful!! Kudos Janet...Miss Jackson if ya nasty!!!  

Ok ok ok my point you (and when I say you I am including myself) may need some additional motivation or encouragement to see you through so I suggest using the Essence picture gallery as a kick in the pants! I create various Vision Boards and I have one with JHud on it! See below! So use the images to create either a virtual vision board or a cork board one! As Spring gets into gear it just reminds us of the upcoming summer and that's basically half a year gone! Of course my good ole favorite poem ONLY ONE POUND comes to mind!

As my Law School Dean would say (since luck has nothing to do with success) HAPPY HUNTING!

If you really want it its all for you....

Divine Intervention!

Sweat Equity! After 3 hours of working out that's all that's left!

What a weekend I had! I went hard at the gym and did 3 hours! I got in early to Chizel It and did Dwayne's Brickhouse Cardio class, then I did the Chizel It class with Charles, then I did Zumba! I FELT GOOD! And if I must say I looked good. Oh wait back up... I went to my Weight Watchers meeting after like 5 weeks or more and the message was about deprivation. In good news I was only up .6 so less than a pound. I spoke up in class even though everyone else was reporting major losses that I was proud to only go up .6 because 3 years ago that would have been a 20 pound gain easily! I got my bravo and kept it moving. The message was good it was about balance and being careful to not get rid of any particular food because sometimes that makes you want it more. I agree I can't do Atkins because I'll spend all day thinking about bread and chips and crap that I don't normally eat but because they are taboo I'll want them even more. Goooddd point!


Well I had a funny thing happen to me I went grocery shopping this weekend and I bought some Haggen Daz ice cream... Rum & raisin to be exact. You may recall I have Jamaican roots and so I love me some rum and raisin and grape nut ice cream; two popular flavors in Ja. Well I bought a pint and figured I can have some. Normally I buy a scoop of ice cream to prevent over indulging but I have been working out hard and I want to believe I can trust myself to eat responsibly (lol)


So anyway I was home after nice weekend and it was late Sunday night and all of a sudden I thought about the ice cream and it was about 10:30pm. I normally fall asleep by 9-9:30 or so but I was up and my mind was up to no good! I swear I literally moved half an inch and my cell phone buzzed and I check the message and it was from my personal trainer confirming our appointment for the next day. LOL I had an attitude because I felt like I was cold busted!!!! LOL Now Charles KNOWS I go to sleep early and wake up early so it was really odd to me that he would check in so late. I just wrote back "Yes!" lol In class on Monday I admitted to him and the entore class what happened and everyone laughed and Charles simply said "We are all connected!" Its funny because I often say "Thoughts have wings" because we have all had that experience when we think about someone and out of the blue they call us my old friend used to call me "goat mouth" (West Indian saying menaing to jinx something or someone and make it happen by saying it) becuase anytime I asked about someone they would end up calling her especially her ex-husband who I was not fond of lol


What made that incident even funnier was on Friday I got an update on facebook from Curbside Cupcake saying they were right next door to my job! Ok for the non greedy people this is a company that drives around DC with fresh cupcakes in a van! A very pink van called Pinky 1 & Pinky 2! lol


I went looking for my co-worker who I call the bi polar dieter because she is either on it on it, or not lol but she's small so I can't worry about her lol but she is always a good partner in dieting crime...sometimes a good partner sometimes a bad but always a partner. I was praying she was in a bad dieting mood that day to have a co-conspirator BUT she was no where to be found! Not in her office, not on her blackberry, nowhere and she is always somewhere....Finally she resurfaces and I tell her what was up and of course she is down! *Jersey Shore fist pump*


Well we race out to catch Pinky because they can only sell for a short time. We see a co-worker and he has a dozen red velvet cupcakes (YUMMY) and we stop to scold him about not sending us an email and we head over and as we cross the darn street Pinky starts to pull off!    :-O


We wave them down frantically and long story short NO CUPCAKES!!! Some law about who knows what but once they close the window they can't reopen to sell to us! Talk about mad!!!!! But all I could say was Divine Intervention from the Weight Watcher gods strikes again! NEWMAN! Like the time I wanted a candy bar but pushed the wrong button and got a darn granola bar?!? Yeah like that! lol Ya gotta laugh!


Anyway back to the workouts...Sunday I went to my old gym Brick Bodies and did the early spinning class. I worked up a good sweat but the music was kinda wack and I told her so *Kanye West shrug* I will have to bring my Ipod like back in the day I see. Music is too important in a class like spinning! Anyhoo Monday I did Chizel It and 1 hour with my trainer. My goalswas to get back to my 5-6 hour workout weeks so far we have:


Saturday- 3hours, Sunday 1 hour, Monday 2hours = 6 hours! I'mma beast! *Doing the wop*

This is a busy week! Tonight I am off to see my gifrlfriend Janet Jackson!!!! Wednesday- Gym although I have an AKA meeting....still debating it though! Thursday- I have a Happy Hour in DC and my Mom is coming to town and I may have to go back to the Janet Jackson concert if I don't meet her tonight! Friday- I am going to the theater with my friend! So worst case I got my 6 hours in and I am good.


I was down a few pounds this morning. Oh and for the record I am going back to daily weigh ins! This weekend I have a few fun things planned! The Kappas are having a "Networking Day Party" whatever that means! Looking forward to it though! :-)  I also have a friend's 40th birthday that evening, and some Sorors from a local chapter are having a midnight bowling event! Oh and that's all just on Saturday! LOL Sunday I am getting a massage had one Monday it was long overdue! I am really trying hard to get in my fluids and eat right so I can have a decent weight loss on Saturday like 5 pounds I would be so happy! But we will see!

Anyhoo have a great week!!!

And wish me luck on meeting Janet! :-)

Roll it gal...Control it gal...

I had the BEST time at the gym yesterday! I am not gonna lie my mind was playing tricks on me! First I left work a few minutes early and the bus came LATE! Not a biggie for an ordinary commuter however when you work in DC and live in Maryland 15 minutes can mean almost an hour in terms of traffic! On the way up the road I tried to keep my mind focused on the gym!!  The plan was to take Socarobics & then the class my personal trainer teaches Chizel-It! All of a sudden I was thinking about going to Qdoba! Like really thinking hard about chips and melted cheese! Out of no where! My mind was out of control! Then I was thinking about skipping Qdoba and just going home! Who would know? I could just go home like yesterday and crawl in the bed and rest myself. That's the hard part about having a long commute its too easy to talk yourself out of working out! But I have a goal....and it involves a LBD



What is a LBD you ask? See above... A LBD is a Little Black Dress...She is a little black wrap dress I bought in January. Its a size large (and for yall skinny heffas no biggie but for me a size 12/14 is real progress!) Well to be honest it fits... because it has 2 inside buttons BUT it didn't look just right when I tried it on but I refused to take it back! So of course the only other option is to get into it right?

Well I always keep a goal in front of me and I left it on my closet door so I could look at it and be inspired by it. I did that with my sister's hand me down Apple Bottom jeans and it worked. It really is a two fold approach. On one hand its literally sitting out for me to look at and lust after (lol) and motivate me but it also helps me visualize. I know I am like the worst blogger in the world because I don't use tags or labels or whatever but I did a post some time ago about the power of visualizing your goals. Beyond doing a Vision board its actually seeing yourself doing something like a speech, crossing the finish line, or looking amazing in some Apple Bottoms! 

I also did a post (may have been the same one) about the power of positive affirmations. My goal is to do them daily but I have been a little off my game. Both ideas I got from the DVD The Secret and there is compelling research to suggest that there is a correlations between using both tools as it relates to realizing your goals.

Anywayyyyyy I am working on "seeing" myself in the dress and well that helped me to keep my commitment to working out yesterday. That and my trainer Charles texting me the night before asking about me. *eye roll*

So I got it together and went straight to the gym (going home is fatal to a good plan!) and made a pit stop in the mall as a treat to myself for following through! I got some new workout gear and the girly things were buy one, get one 50% off so I grabbed a few things and went to workout!

I saw my trainer at the door and he gave me his classic greeting and I rolled my eyes and started to whine about me being sick and why he was sending me a text message with an attitude (lol) he didn't pay me any mind as usual! He said he was just checking! I said your text was doing more that just checking on my cold Charles! lol 

A/w his wife commented on how good I looked she said she could tell I was "coming down nicely." I brushed that off because I done gained back the magic 9.5 stomach flu pounds plus 2! *humph* But she said no I see it I said whatever and went to class!

Anyhooo one of my gym friends that's been MIA was there and she stopped me before class to tell me she could tell I lost some weight and looked really good! I was like really? I am still trying to lose what I gained last summer! She said well its working! I started to brush her off like my trainer's wife but then I said you know Donna just said the same thing and so did a co-worker but I don't see it but if you are saying it too I'll have to take yalls word for it lol My sister made the point that sometimes the scale is a little behind on one's actual progress and that is true. I have been back on track for about 3 weeks before I got sick last week and well my body must be shaping up or trimming down more than the scale is documenting.



Well Socarobics was great last night! Its been kinda blah lately but last night she was ON IT! I was sweating up a storm and she played my favorite song! Roll It Gal, Control It Gal by Alison Hinds!!!! Its bomb! But it made me think about controlling my mind and my thoughts not just my body (lol) it is really another form of exercise to get my mind under "heavy manners" as Jamaicans' would say. You have to be vigilant and well this journey is often about celebrating big milestones but in all honesty we all need to work on celebrating even the small victories we achieve every day. Some times its from one meal to the next or from one workout to the next! Anyway I cancelled my community service plans and I have an appointent with the gym and oh with Weigth Watchers! The weather is great and I am such a slacker I still have my bike rack on my car (lol) so I might take her for a spin haven't been riding since I did the iron Girl in August!

Have a great weekend!!! Enjoy Alison's video and move sum-thang this weekend! :-)

Roadtrip Part Deux.. What had happened was...

What a difference a week makes! I had two back to back sorority related roadtrips...yes both to New Jersey...both on Saturdays! *insert groan here* Well I packed my snacks and even brought water for me and my roadtrip partners and I dunno it went downhill fast! We left Friday evening and my stomach was finally feeling a little bit better and as we were making our way up the road I asked if we would stop and eat because I really didn't want to eat super late and it was already close to 8pm. The driver agreed and asked where we should go well I dunno what possessed me to say Hooters! Some other Sorors I hang with at convention have a get together called Wing Bowl and its a tradition and maybe because this was a conference related trip I thought about it and wanted some wings. Well we went 20 plus miles off course to the nearest Hooters.

Long story short the wings weren't even good! They were too greasy! Don't you hate when you do something like that and it isn't even good? Well we took the leftovers got on the road again and got there and called it a night. I only had 2 wings and some onion rings so it wasn't the end of the the world.

The next morning the hotel had waffles and other carbs (pastries, etc.) and I split a waffle with someone and had some juice not a protein in sight! We found the school where we were meeting and they had breakfast but it was all carbs again. That was cool since I had the half of a waffle *blank stare* I didn't even look over there. Needless to say by 11:30am I WAS STARVING!!!!! Why I didn't bring my Chobani yogurt inside with me? Or even a protein shake? I don't know yall.

Lunch finally came (at noon mind you lol) and it was sandwiches with cold cuts, pasta salad, chips, and of course cookies! I spent a good bit of time catching up with some Sorors and that made me even more hungry by the time I got in line! I took half a turkey and Swiss on whole wheat, small bag of chips, and a cookie and water. Well my roadtrip partners grabbed like three or four cookies and said they got some extra ones for me. Ok let me stop here at this point because as I was telling a friend about how differently this roadtrip was from the last one she asked me why I thought I acted differently.

I said I dunno... I am greedy. Longer story short she began to ask me if it was based in the company? She asked did I feel "ashamed" or something with the first trip because that person was not overweight vs. the people on second trip. I began to talk about an article I read that says overweight people tend to hang out together (in short) Here's the article --->  Are Your Friends Making You Fat . She stopped me short and refused to hear my point lol But the point was basically what she was saying or questioning me about my level of comfort the article said "Our ideas about what's a normal amount of food or exercise, and what counts as a normal body size, all seem to be influenced by the people to whom we're connected. And researchers believe these "norms" ultimately shape our weight." Here's another one  http://health.lifegoesstrong.com/are-your-friends-making-you-fat that article talks about solutions to combat that issue.



It made me think about my workout network and my Weight Watchers meetings and how helpful that has been. My theme has been consistency in terms of my workouts and I neglected the importance of  the company you keep because that matters too. Its funny one of my roadtrip partners is getting another new personal trainer and she asked me if I felt like we would always have to have personal trainers and I said "Oh I already know I will! Its like any other necessary expense in my life." And she agreed.  



Old Awards crew! Reunited and it feels so good to be on the other side :-)



On Sunday I may have set myself up a bit in terms of my cold because I went to a dinner with some Sorors & frat and had a great time but I was outside a little too long and I started coughing up a storm on Sunday. At the cookout I did well 2 bbq chicken wings, a little potato salad, bbq beans, and one hot dog. I could have had a lot more let me tell you the food was good! But I was meeting another Soror for dinner who I haven't seen in over a year. I could have skipped actually eating but I wanted the crabcake so I took a few bites and wrapped it up...so I could have what I really didn't need.... the red velevet cake and ice cream! We agreed we could have split it! Next time! Well I had half and took the rest home.

Monday I was feeling really sick again from the cold/flu so I skipped the gym. I plan to go tonight even though I am really tired. I am about to cancel a community service project for Saturday. There is nothing worth three missed Saturday workouts. I got to cut back...period!

So I was reading something on Oprah.com today called Think Like A Thin Person  and it made me think about my behavior and its a really good read... check it out. She talks about the fear of hunger and thinking back over the roadtrip I did things out of fear of being hungry...not that I actually was hungry. Like Hooters it was getting late and I didn't want to GET hungry and eat later. A number of the judges didn't show up so there were sandwiches left so I took some with me IN CASE I got hungry...ok really? Hungry on a 2 hour drive down 95 like I would die or something? The coach in the article makes a good point about most people who lost weight regain it something like 95% YIKES! I'll let you read it and make up your own mind about her point but I need to work on that fear of hunger thing. Let me know your thoughts....

I have fasted before so its not like I can't go 8 hours without eating I just haven't done it in a while. Maybe with it being Lent and me slacking on my prayers and journaling I can add fasting to the mix.

Anyyywayyyy!!! Its new day and I am going to face the scale on Saturday at WW and do some of the things I know to do like PLAN my meals and get some structure back in my life. I'll check back soon!
:-)

I'm one stomach flu away from my goal weight.



The Devil Wears Prada-Emily knows what she's talking about!



One of my all time favorite movies besides Sliding Door, The Matrix, & Mean Girls (in no particular order otherwise Mean Girls would be first lol just kiddin!) is The Devil Wears Prada! Hilarious! This week has been rough some how I managed to get really bad allergies, a cold, and a stomach virus all at the same time!! All of that is to say I thought of the quote from Emily "I'm one stomach flu away from my goal weight." *insert crossed fingers here* Anyway I lost 9.5 pounds in less than a week!  I guess missing Trinidad & Tobago Carnival wasn't that bad after all, you may recall I lost like 8 or 9 pounds in 7 days last year on the "Carnival Diet!" Least you ask like someone last night at my sister's birthday dinner...the Carnival diet is not a real diet but between walking down the entire city and only eating once a day on things like doubles, bake & shark, and KFC and likka to sustain us and well I came back like 9 pounds lighter and the best part was I went right back into my workouts so I re-gained like half but then lost the rest shortly thereafter!

Well I walked into work this morning and one of my co-workers told me I looked "GREAT" I said Oh ok thank you but I had a cold, allergies, and a nasty stomach virus and she said well you'd never know you look great! Ok so in thinking back I done lost 9.5 pounds since she last saw me lol I guess it was visibly apparent to her. LOL This stomach virus is no joke! I have not eaten anything since Sunday and anything I've tried will not stay down! I know TMI! I felt a little better last night and it was my sister's 29th birthday so I dragged myself out to dinner with her and her peeps it was nice. I couldn't taste anything though so I guess the cold affected my taste buds but alas I am feeling "Emily" from the Devil Wears Prada because I have not been this weight since LAST March! I keep detailed records so I am like how little can I eat and how much can I workout to at least repeat last years victory?! That's sooo wrong right?  Look if its one thing I keep saying its that I am not a health nut at all. I trade "good" points for liquor, I skip meat and potatoes for dessert, and I workout like a mad woman! I am trying to do better but I am really going to restrict myself for at least a week. Maybe all liquids except for one meal. My trainer is juicing and I have been JOKING (lol) but maybe I will talk to him about it. I am not a juicing type of person but there are benefits that's for sure. *sigh*

At this point I only need to lose 35 more pounds to reach my goal weight! Ok so maybe I am like 3 stomach flus away from my goal weight but still! RE: my goal was 50 pounds by June 1st. I can be honest I have not been disciplined with my food or my workouts like I need to be but March Meltdown has inspired me and this jolt/illness has too! lol So I need to work it! I have an overnight trip for my sorority and Sunday dinner plans with a good Soror friend who is in town so I told her I am not eating for 2 days so I can have crab cakes and dessert! lol 

What else? On the dating front...I been talking to someone new for a few weeks :-) He's cool and funny and I enjoy talking with him about all kinds of stuff. He's also older like 45 I tell ya that's all I get 28 year olds and below and 40 year olds and above! We have plans at some point this weekend... I think he is actually busier than I am and busier than Bachelor #1 lol he travels a lot for work in fact in a week he's been to the Cali, NC & Miami! Pretty cool except for when he is texting me beautiful pictures from the West Coast... :-/ Yup Imma hater!

Exhibit A

But we shall see... I been slacking on my Soulmate Secret work and it may be intentional. I need to take some time and work on that. Oh and its Lent I am giving up bad fast food and taking up daily prayer and journaling. Prayer... I been getting it in but not journaling. I will get on that though!
Well my workout plans for Saturday are a no go so nothing until Monday unless I can get it together on Sunday so we shall see.

Have a Happy Weekend!!!

ROAD~TRIP!

Ahhh nothing like a good ole fashion road trip! Well I had one this weekend for my Sorority and I am so proud of myself I prepared myself food wise and I had to share!

I posted this before in another foodie post but I said let me mention it again. Road trips are potholes in healthy habits; without proper planning! So I stopped by the grocery store on my way to meet my road trip partner and got a few things. In the past my road trip snacks would consist of pringles, snickers, and anything I could eat along the road mostly fried chicken sandwiches or something really yummy but bad for you! But I am in March Meltdown so I had to come armed!

Great road trip snack! Pretzels, grapes, carrots, and cheddar!

Safeway sells these snack packs and it was great! I got another one with caramel and apples that was a good too.
My plan was to have the quick trip up then workout Sunday but I was too tired so I rested and had dinner with a soror and her boyfriend. It was a great meal with great conversation! They are both working out and losing weight so that's a great connection to make!

Monday I was back on it and I took my trainer's Chizel It class and he mixed it up and did workout stations for teams of two! So one station you and your partner would go up and down on the step with weights, the next station run sideways back and forth, the next do chest presses on the balance ball, next station lift weights while squatting, etc, etc, there were about 10 stations and we went around twice! I AM SO SORE! I was sweating like an maniac! We did that for 35 minutes then went to a more traditional class. He said its good to mix it up every once in awhile! Ironically I mentioned that in my last post! So I guess so! We had our 1 hour session afterwards and it was nothing nice either! But I am seeing results! Some of my clothing is getting loose again! Good stuff!

I had a follow up with my Doc because I get my blood drawn every year just to see whats what and I was mighty pleased! I was down about 4 pounds from my last visit a few weeks ago and my numbers were the bomb!  I was very happy my blood pressure was 113/87 (You may recalla t one point I was on blood pressure meds) my sugar number 84 (thats been the same for 10 years), Cholesterol was a shocker only 89 (down for 110) my Vit D was lowwww so I had to get a Rx for that and my iron was very low too so I need to get on that!

All in all a good report! I know I have mentioned this before so ladies and gents know your numbers! I am not gonna lie hearing Soror Star Jones say she had open heart surgery was a lil jarring to me! She is young!!! Too young for that but all those years of being morbidly obese must have taken a toll on her young heart. I always remember how hard she would suck in air as she spoke. There would be these major gasps for breath when she was heavier that seems to have eased up a little bit now. Anyway my point know you numbers...see your doctors...all of them! You may be too tired to exercise and it isnt all in your mind; it may be medical! So check it out!

That's all for now! I am looking at a busy week and very little gym time so I need to keep on my at home options and Saturday is another longg day! But Imma make it do what it do!


My allergies are kicking my butt! I never had allergies in NY and every year I have been here its gotten worst. :-(  So I am not feeling 100% anyway good thing no appetite gotta look for the silver lining! :-) Latterrrsssss

March Meltdown!

I got a shout-out on facebook last week from a Soror who opted to have Chobani yogurt instead of something out of the vending machine! I wrote about Chobani a few months ago and she tried it and liked it! Oh and have you noticed that Chonbani now has commercials!? Love it! So it inspired me to do another post about food and getting/staying on track and sharing some new finds.


I have a confession I am very much a creature of habit. So I could eat the same few things forever and it would make me no never mind. When I eat out I tend to order the same thing over and over again. Did you ever see that episode of Sex and the City when Miranda gets mad because the Chinese Take Out lady knew her order by heart!? LOL I didn't laugh.... Well anyway... Its a rare occasion when I branch out. Which is why having a personal trainer has been great for me. In the past I would do the same workouts over and over again too and there is a lot of documentation out there that says the body need variety in order to lose weight.

Well this morning I got to work late! Well I don't have a set time per se but late for me! I was so tired after last night's amazing workout then I was texting into the night with Bachelor #1 he's funny. Anyway I was late and I was STARVING! That's the HUGE downside to exercising you end up hungry all the time! All. The. Time. I have been way off program for a minute and I got on the elevator and there were two women. One with these fresh fluffy buttermilk pancakes and the other with a small cup of Kashi cereal and low fat milk. It was like having the devil and an angel on each shoulder!

The lady with the cereal made a comment that she thought the other lady's breakfast was better. I said "Welllll" moving my hands up and down like a scale "technically I think your's is better but hers certainly looks a lot better." I think the pancake lady got offended and said something along the lines of she doesn't eat this way every day. I said "Well see there you go moderation is the key!" It seemed like that made her feel vindicated. I mean she wasn't overweight so I wasn't saying it to be funny that's real talk. Sometimes you feel like some pancakes! But that made me think I need something healthy this morning and I need to be back on program. I have not counted a point in I dunno how long! I have not journaled or even accounted for anything for weeks at this point. My last Weight Watchers meetings was over 3 weeks ago if not more!

Well its March Meltdown! My goal is to lose 10 pounds this month.



So I went to the cafeteria at work thinking about an egg white omelet BUT the line was so long so I looked into the cereals and saw my old buddy Kashi Go Lean crunch! I grabbed that, skim milk, & a banana! I had no clue how many points it was but I figured it would be a great way to start the day. I posted it on facebook and got a lot of feedback so I said it was time for another foodie post!



 On Program Breakfast! 8 points total!

Kashi Go Lean Crunch is a little sweet with a granola like taste and texture. Great by itself or in yogurt!



This is old faithful Fiber One and its no joke! It isnt great but its very filling and
I sometimes make it into a trail mix with raisins and craisins.
Normally 1/2 cup with a banana and I am good though






Salmon... I always make mine with a low sodium teriyaki if you are not a fish person I think salmon is a good start. I am not a fish person either I hate fishy fish (lol) I can have tuna out of a can/pouch but I hated fresh fish for a long time but with the right seasoning its a good healthy meal!

My EAS protein shakes! Last year this was my mid-morning or pre-work snack in the afternoon but they just kinda fell off my menu so its back! Please ignore the pens and case files in the background! :-)

Honest Teas are GREAT! There slogan is "Just A Little Bit Sweet" and they are! I add 1 pack of splenda to it! They are about 20-30 calories a serving and its a nice way to get some liquids in if water is boring you to death! My fave is the Cranberry Lemonade. I put it in the freezer for about an hour so its half way frozen! Yum!

As I get back on track I will find more ideas and post them. Try at least one new thing for March you might like it!  :-)

THE HELP

Ok WOW! Why is it March?! No seriously where did March come from?! Time is flying! Like they say time flies when you are having fun! Friday night my former boss/mentor/friend was honored by her law school's Black Law Students Association as their Alum of the Year! So I went to their banquet. It was a great event and I told her I don't fool with that school because they rejected me when I applied there for law school 11 years ago! lol I still remember calling looking for my parking pass and they were like 'Hummmm ma'am...."

I can say I pretty much get what I want/work for/expect (humming TI's song "You can have whatever you likeeee") but that was one of the rare times I didn't! I was so shocked! And disgusted! lol But I can say without a doubt God knew what He was doing when I was clueless! I thought I knew what was best but in   the end, as always, He knew better and I have no regrets! I love my law school and I had a very different and enriching experience than I would have had at the other school. I heard about pages being ripped out of books, classmates not speaking, etc. but because of that rejection I ended up in a very nurturing and supportive environment that changed my life in a great way. It was humbling but it was a moment in time I surrendered and I said "Ok God it's on you Playa I trust you!" So it all worked out...perfectly! But I still don't fool with them like that...only for her! *Putting an honorary J.D.* on my Vision Board. I don't lose! lol 




A/w well we had another Ice & Ivy Mixer, actually the same night as the banquet lol that's how I do! It was EXCELLENT! It was a great turn out again even though our private party ended up having some company but ultimately it was still lots of fun! People tend to know me as being more serious in my sorority life like I am at every meeting, working hard on my committees, thinking of new things for the chapter to do, being a member of a Regional committee, etc..work, work, work but I really said this year (and last year) my goal was to have more fun! Yes I EVEN set goals to have fun LOL but the Black Greek community is cool and I am enjoying meeting some new, positive, educated, (and handsome!) folks! Anyway it was a good night!


But it made me think about "getting help" from friends, family, etc. I was introduced to a guy and my new intro question to men is "Were you born in the 1980s?" Yeah I said it! Look I am meeting too many under 30 year old men all perfectly nice I am sure but if you were born in the 80s I just can't! Well he just made the cut...1979 lol and I told him so! lol anyway we were having a nice chat when two friends pounced in on the conversation. One starts in with "Oh she's a LAW-YERRRRR" and the other one (God bless her heart--I think) proceeds to threaten his life about five times in five minutes. No seriously...you heard me... she said something along the lines of "If you do anything to hurt her I will hunt you down and kill you." Yeah....
Sooooo the 'potential victim of a senseless crime' and I chat some more and he says he is going to leave and he gives me a hug and says he has to go but hopes he'll see me again real soon. I said likewise! So here comes friend #2 back over where I am seated and she's sincerely excited and asked "How'd it go?!?!" *insert bright eyed smile* I said "Well... he seems nice but he didn't ask for my number." *insert Kanye West shrug* A/w she looks devastated and exclaims "WHAT?! Oh my God! I can't believe that!" I smiled and turned around to my other sorors and thought to myself... Really? You are surprised? I mean he doesn't know me but knows I have one friend who thinks he has to "sell me" because I am a "LAWWWW-YAAA" and then there's you who knowingly or not... is implying I am some kind of basket case or emotional cripple who seems to meet horrible men and I am so fragile that ipso facto if he thinks about hurting me you've told him 5 times  that you will have to hunt him down and kill him.  Really? Are you surprised? Nah if I were him I'd give it another one or two times to get to know me too. Who needs the drama!? I mean but damn... people try to be helpful but its just goes to show sometimes you need to stand up for yourself and say no thanks don't need that kind of help. I should have shut her down...however she is off so I said maybe he should hear it and memorize her face just in case lol Ok ok just jokin'...




#1s are the best!



Fun Times!

But it reminds me of when on this journey people have said things like...oh don't be so hard on yourself... I couldn't be in the gym that much...Why do you spend so much money on a trainer or sneakers or whatever. They think they are helping...maybe...but asserting your self on your journey is key. I was having a call with some friends recently and one person said they wanted to lose 100 pounds and right away someone chimed in and said you don't need to lose that much! She told her weight and said nope I can and the person still insisted she didn't need to lose that much. I said its your journey don't listen to what anyone else has to say make up in your mind your goal and stick to it. See people think they are helping. The person then said well its such a big goal so break it down a few pounds at a time. Which is sage advice I said it all the time but I said you still need to know your end goal and it should be clear even if you go one pound at a time its like having a road map for a trip you need to know where you are going. That kinda shut things on that topic down.   


Anyway.. The help.. consider the source and filter accordingly based on YOUR journey and your goals...is my only point. I had a friend text me last week asking for help she was at an all time high in terms of her weight and she wanted some friends to keep her accountable and she asked me to step in on the exercise part. I said bet! Think she didn't get a text from me on Saturday morning asking her where she was? *Humph* Other lesson be careful who you ask for help lol they just may come through more than you expected!

A/w Saturday was a good day too despite not getting home until the wee hours. I made myself get up on time and get out to the gym! I went to Chizel It and did 1 hour of Personal Training with HIM. WHEW! I worked IT outttttt! Charles hates when I don't give 100% and he'll always say with (disapproving eyes) "You have to balance and not over do it I need you at your best when you come in here..." I didn't want to hear it from him so I really pushed myself! I did over 300 lbs on the leg press and its been a minute. What what! Charles really mixed it up and I felt strong. We did weights upper and lower body. I did 1 minute of jumping on a trampoline with weights, 3 minute sprints on the treadmill all good stuff! Even he had to say I was on it! :-) Fake it till ya make it! 


A/w later that day a friend of mine who was my Body Combat and Step teacher back in the day and all around awesome person had a birthday that night and I had a blast. It was at a cute tapas restaurant in Baltimore Centro! She raised funds to support the House of Ruth; as a former Domestic Violence prosecutor that is a cause near and dear to my heart. She actually use to do a 3 hour -workouts to raise funds and I used to love it! Three straight hours of sweat! I always tell her when I get my Oprah money I am taking her away from all this as my cardio instructor! In 2006/7 I lost 45.6 pounds and she was sooo instrumental and supportive of my journey and has always been she is a special person and but for exercise we would have never met! Awesome! A/w getting too sappy in my soon to be post 35 age lol the event was great! I met some new people and had a great time. I didn't think about a Weight Watchers point and enjoy their white sangria & wonderful tapas! Yummy! Sinful!

Happy Birthday!

Hummm sangria! Humm why is the picture slanted...lol

Sunday I spent the whole day in church and went to a Black History month concert with this amazing singer Thomas Beard! It was a long day but I really enjoyed myself!  SO Sunday was a rest day in terms of working out physically but spiritually I was on it!


Monday I was back at it and had my personal training session plus I took my trainer's class and I set my alert in my blackberry early so I ended up doing an extra 30 minutes of cardio to kill time! My running on the treadmill sucks though! My trainer tried to get me to go outside but I really don't like the element! The bugs, the smells, etc. No bueno! I have a Soror who is doing the Couch to 5 K program and I can't tell you how many times I have tried to do that darn program! I just never stick to it! Maybe later in the year.


Speaking of sort kinda goals I did another vision board! The Oprah version I so love that tool!!! Click Here to go to Oprah's Vision Board

Best Life Ever Part 2

Well the rest of my week is kinda hectic. I have a packed schedule but have to make it to the gym for a book signing and fitness event tonight but I'll be late. I have a lot on my plate I have two road trip two weekends in a row! Which will throw off my workout plans. I make up so much time on the weekends but when I am on the road that goes to hell. I really need to get back to WW too but that'll be another 2-3 weeks I guess. 


What else...Ohh I was chatting with Bachelor #1 earlier I felt bad he asked to be "penciled in" OUCH! But what can you do?! I think he isn't higher on my priority list because I know he isn't in the right place in life for a relationship so its less pressure basically but he's busy too so its all good. My other friend had some family issues so we've been speaking regularly and we'll see. Plus I am still "taking a break" lol 


Anyway its March and to quote one of the ladies from a workout group I visit "Its time for "MARCH MELTDOWN!"  My goal is 10 pounds this month so I got to get on track food wise and keep up with my workouts! Will update soon!! Have a great week!!!