My Workout Blog: “Sun is shining. Weather is sweet. Make you wanna move your dancing feet.” Bob Marley

OMG what do I say? I really don't have an excuse or reason why I have been MIA this long! All I can say is LIFE IS GOOD! Its been a busy but fun summer and on the working out front I am doing well! I am still about 17 pounds away from goal and I am sure the Fall will prove to be a good time to knock that goal out the water.

I am still doing Krav Maga but in all honesty its only been sporadically. *Face of Shame* My workout buddy has been under the gun at work and I am teaching again, traveling, and well to be honest partying! I am back to doing spin classes and man oh man I forgot how good a workout spinning is! I haven't seen't a Weight Watchers meeting in months even though they are still taking my money every month! What a waste! I been backsliding on My Fitness Pal and I really have no excuse since I can get it on my Blackberry! Unlike in the past I took some time to figure out what was going on and here's what I think the problem is... I feel really good right now. That's not to say I shouldn't be happy about feeling good but I think I have been getting a lot of compliments lately and my head is filled with accolades and kudos and well my drive and focus are slightly off. This is somewhat common and I have experienced it before but this time I am taking time to take stock of where I am and at the very least maintain my workouts and watch my calories so I don't regain those 13 pounds...Ok I am talking around the point...

Let me break it down. So I mentioned some time ago that one of the historically Black fraternities, Omega Psi Phi would be hosting their Centennial Conference in DC and honestly when my sorority turned 100 years old I was so busy working on committees I was too tired to really enjoy the celebration. My plan was to make up for lost time since the Ques (Qs) are known to party hard! lol

I planned to go to three parties they were hosting and have fun! And boy did I! It was wall to wall FIONE Black men all shapes, sizes, colors, ages, professions, etc. it was amazing! These men as a group are pretty manly men so they are not wishy washy or bashful about their intentions so let's just say most women left with very big egos and new friends after that weekend! Me included!

So with that in mind I must go back to the ability to hold onto "The Why" as relates to my goals. I wanted to look better, feel better, and be healthier and attention and flattery don't hurt but its not the be all to end all in terms of my "Why" so time to refocus! But its kinda like when you start dating and you both get comfortable and the weight creeps on unless you are vigilant about your plan or you can lose focus.

Felt good & looked good! :-)

Anyway it was a blast and I met some interesting men and enjoyed myself! It was also a good time to hang with my Sorors and some of their friends and bond and boy did we! It was a great 4 day weekend and all I can say is that was a once in a lifetime experience and I am glad I was able to enjoy it! The down side (depending on how you look at it lol) was the only exercise I got in was lots and lots of dancing! Dancing until my hair sweated out! Whew! Biz Markie DJ'ed one party and well nobody beats the Biz! In fact I partied with him twice in one week! More on that later!

Anyway Monday finally came around and because my Personal Trainer Charles keeps a watchful eye out for me on facebook I knew I could not go in slacking on my workout. He switched it up and we...I... started on the stairs, the dreaded stairs! I tried to protest but he just asked "Are you whining?" Ok so I did promise months ago never to whine after hearing one of his other clients bitch and moan non stop and I asked him "Do I sound like that?" And he just said "Sometimes, yes!" LOL

So I shut up and did 10 rounds on the steps at 50 steps a piece which was.....welll you can do the math! What a way to START a workout! So we also hit the weights I easily did over 200 pounds on the leg press, did some chest presses, worked with the medicine ball while doing leg lifts back and forth the length of the gym, ran on the treadmill for 3 minute intervals non stop (Go me!), and lots and lots of ab work! I came so strong Charles even had to say I was putting in good work! That's our deal though I bring 100% to every workout so I had to ignore the lingering effects of the Omega Conclave and keep it moving!

I also made it to the National Bar Association's Conference in Baltimore and had a good time. I got a chance to have breakfast with my Sorority's International President and that was awesome!! Well it was me and like 15 other members lol but still AWESOMMMEEEEE!!! And jokes of all jokes I ran into some Omegas at the darn conference! I asked how in the world did they just come from DC and go straight to this conference?! They are cut from a different cloth that's for sure!

Tuesday night one of the big attorneys in the city had a party with Biz Markie & Doug E. Fresh! Same one who did it like 2 years ago :-) That was cool and like at the Omega party I was right up front jamming! This little Bronx girl must be doing something right is all I kept thinking!

Doug E Fresh, Fresh, Fresh!

Sunday my sister and I went to see Jill Scott in DC! WOW what a show! DJ Jazzy Jeff was on on turn tables, Doug E Fresh was the hype man, Anthony Hamilton was the opening act, and Jilly from Philly ended it with a bang! Last May I did a post about how much weight Jill lost, she said her new look was called "Slim thickness" lol I loved that! Welllll she has gained some of that back but like all of us when you try to get some goals done exercise takes a back seat but she still looks good! Get it Jill!

Jilly from Philly

Anyway the week was so busy I can't even recall everything but I know I made it to Spinning class on Saturday and Heavy Bag on Sunday and got a great workout. Last week was pretty hectic too since I am teaching again and Beres Hammond came to town and preformed at Rams Head Live! I let class out a little early and headed over and I get to the door and can't find my driver's licence! Now some of you may recall the Motor Vehicles Administration has me on a list of people who keep getting replacements so I must go to the Headquarters if I lose my licence again so that was no bueno! I was kinda freaking out and the security guard saw my AKA keychain and said he'd show me some Phirst Pham love (he was an Alpha) and let me slide *WHEW* P.S. I did locate it in one of my cute purses that went to all the parties!

Beres on stage

A/w (here's where we segway into the dating update :-) so I dunno why the idea of meeting men didn't enter my mind since it was a reggae concert and all but a sista was NOT on her A game at all! I was too tired I guess from the 2 weeks of madness so I went right from work! Anyway my sister and her friend were upstairs but I like to be downstairs so I stood by myself near the steps and enjoyed a good view without being crowded. At some point I saw a guy that looked like the guy I spoke about (greatest couple that never was guy) and I was saying to myself "I knowww he didn't come here and not say!" but when he got closer I realized it wasn't him. So anyway the show is going on and on and mind you its a Tuesday so around 11:30pm I texted my sister and said "Uncle Beres has until 12 midnight then I am gone!" She agreed and about 10 minutes later a wave of sickness hit me!

I mean I felt sick like I was going to up chuck and pass out! I only had 1 drink and well I just tried to calm myself down and get my mind together to leave. So I turned to walk away and a guy behind me asked if I was leaving but it was so bad I could barely speak. I just smiled and shook my head hoping I didn't throw up on him! It was BAD! So I take a few more steps and another guy walks in front of me and says hi & introduces himself and I said hi back and he just happened to stop me exactly where a huge air conditioning vent was located and I felt better almost right away! :-) yes he was cute lol soooooo I stayed and we talked yadda yadda yadda he asked for my number yadda yadda yadda we went out last Sunday! We had a good time he's really sweet and funny and has a cute accent! He loves reggae and seems really cool & down to Earth!

I went to a cookout the Omegas hosted on Saturday and stayed with my Soror that night and Sunday afternoon we went for Ethiopian food at a place called Abol which was a first for me! It was really good we ordered a beef dish and had to use a wrap like bread to eat it with.

Yesega Alcha we’t ( Mild Beef Stew )
Tender beef cubes and carrots simmered in a sauce of oil, onion, ginger and turmeric.

A/w we stumbled upon a concert and enjoyed some good reggae music..although we later found out not a one of them peoples was Jamaican! LOL

What is the world coming to when a reggae band has someone from St. Kitts, Trinidad & Tobago, and even St Louis and not JA?! That's madness! LOL But I guess it just goes to show Roots & Culture is world wide! Anyway they were good *scheups* Proverbs is the band's name *eye roll* another Ethiopian band was coming up but it was already 8pm and I had to drive back home so we called it a night. We had fun and plan to see each other again. My schedule is so crazy and I have to workout this week. Looking ahead this what I got going on:

Weds- I went out with my friend Nicole to 13.5% Wine Bar we had a great evening filled with Wine & Food! I'll post another time!
Thursday-Eddie's spin class & weights
Friday-Hanging with the Sorors
Saturday- An Alpha cookout in the afternoon & a date with humm gotta think of a code name for him :-)
Sunday- Early morning is the Iron Girl Triathlon and I am going to cheer the Iron Moms on as a proud Alumnae!
Monday- Charles!!!!

See how fast that went by and only one dang workout! Balance, balance the never ending quest! Well Monday is a new week and I am really not going to stress myself its the middle of August I'll start a new vision board and set some goals and make a schedule and get back into a routine. Fall is usually a good time for me so 17 pounds gone by Turkey day is my goal! They are starting a stair climbing challenge at work and I joined! I still plan to do the New York Road Runners Empire State Building Run Up at some point so maybe this will push me into getting that done in 2012!

Okkk and that fast I did a quick google search and I am going to do this Feb 2012 for charity for Team For Kids! Funds raised by Team for Kids members allow NYRR to provide free or low-cost school- and community-center based health and fitness programs to children who would otherwise have little to no access to regular physical activity. Currently, our programs serve nearly 100,000 children each year in more than 400 schools and community centers in New York City, nationally, and in the Cape Town region of South Africa.

Cool! I'll keep you posted! :-)

Anyway below are a few more pics! Enjoy! I promise to be back soon!