Though she be but little, she is fierce!

Wow what a week! What a summer! I can’t even wrap my mind around how the time has flown by on me so quickly! Well I been back to my AKA and Junior League routine. Ironically someone on Instagram was shocked that we (Junior League) began so early lol yeah it doesn’t feel like we had much of a break especially not the membership department!

Anyway in all the busyness I made an effort to cook! Yesss chile I am back in the kitchen and I enjoyed it!!! I will add pictures below with the fixings! Most were easy quick fixes but it is easy to get bored with eating the same ole things and that makes eating out more tempting!

I hit up Trader Joe’s and grabbed some oldies but goodies but found a few new items as well!!

It’s a 3 Day weekend and I can’t waitttttttt!!!! I plan to go back to Weight Watchers and see my old WW Leader Joann! I been slacking and unmotivated I tried to say it shouldn’t matter the message is the message but for me… it does matter so she isn’t that far away so it will be worth the drive! I miss her spunk and real talk! So we will make the drive over and hit the gym (still undecided as to what though) I bee hiding from my Personal Trainer lol smh shameful! I know but remember the goal of the blog was to help a mission woman on a mission to incorporate consistency…so its part of my thing.. our thing so I will work through it.

There is a Greek Day Party and I got tickets to the Baltimore Grand Prix I have never been but seems cool enough to check out plus I got a hook up with tickets!

Ok so for the title I love Shakespeare and I always remember this quote from high school, from a Mid Summers Night Dream b/c I have always been short and feisty lol in the play Helena is implying that although Hermia seems nice enough, when she gets angry she is argumentative and hurtful. So it was like a warning that although Hermia is small (her lack of height is mentioned several times in the play) she is nevertheless a force to be reckoned with. Yeah that’s pretty much me. So I been working on that part a bit but it always reminds me that I am a fighter not in the street like the post card *slow cough* but in life. I go after what I want and I work hard so this journey to wellness as I call it is something I have to stick with so we shall see what the end of 2013 brings but I am feeling like its gonna be a great ride!!!

 I have regained a lot more than I care to admit but my goal is to lose 50 pounds by Jan 1st. I booked a super cool New years trip and I have 2 trips in Sept. Cant wait!!!!

Anyhoo life is good and I am well hope all is good for you all as well!

Use ground turkey or beef, brown meat add spices! Also add onions, peppers, and tomatoes

First boil the green peppers. I used a microwave and did 3 -5 minute sessions until they were a bit soft. THEY WILL BE HOT so be careful. Slow scoop the meat into the peppers that have been cut in half and cover with foil and bake on 350 for about 20 minutes

Uncover the peppers and add cheese and bake for another 10 minutes



I love TJ but use any large portabella muschroom caps, I washed them off then dried them

Add your fave pasta sauce! I used a new TJ one

Add pepperoni and cheese and there you go! Bake for 25 minutes on 350! The mushroom will taste like a moist tender piece of meat! So delish

I use Turkey Bacon great taste!

Now that I think about it I have posted this chicken veggie soup I learned to make while in Panama! Basically chicken, chicken broth, cilantron, carrots, corn, and celery!

NEWNESS and it is good!

NEWSNESS anddd its just ok... Needs more pineapple taste vs caramel

DELISH!!! But high in everything but I guess lower than a cocnut cake lol 6 WW points :-O

Random produce market finds!

Same with this! I add to to almost any meat now!

Ground turkey with the Mojo so soo soo good!

:-)



A diet of nutritional ignorance…

A diet of nutritional ignorance…

Hey good people! I am excited to do this post because I did a blog post about juicing before after I purchased a nice juicer from Walmart last year I gave up on it pretty quickly b/c of all the trash it created! Two bags of carrots and have half a cup of juice. Frustrating and a waste of money IMO! Well some Sorors started talking about the Nurtibullet and the fact that it grinds up everything which eliminates all the wasted trash (and good fiber) it has easy clean up and blends things up extremely well! I went on a whim and bought it from Walmart and I LOVE IT!!!  

I posted a few pictures and figured I should do a post and give some reviews and recommendations. The title came from the documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. A doctor was explaining most of the health issues in this country are based on our poor diet: A diet of nutritional ignorance. OUCH! But what you don’t know… you don’t know! The documentary was very inspiring and informative a must see!

I tried the Dr. Oz 3 Day Detox… EPIC FAIL! Lol The shakes were not good. The dinner one was the best of the lot but it was the best of the worst lol I ended up modifying that one. The plus side was I started using Kale which I was kinda scared of before lol

So far I have only used coconut water but I plan to try almond milk after the Dr. Oz suggestion and Sorors cosigning!

 A word of warning making an all fruit or mostly fruit drink will add up quickly calorie wise. I plugged in the a few in My Fitness Pal and I was shocked! So be careful!

So here goes:

Starting out Shopping List

Liquids

Coconut water –Any brand

Bottled Water

Almond Milk (I got the low calories unsweetened version)

Fruits

Apples

Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries

Cantaloupe

Bananas

Grapes

Peaches

Mangos (frozen Trader Joe’s work well)

Pineapple (canned in natural juice or fresh)

lemons

limes 

Veggies

Spinach

Kale

Cucumber

Avocado

Celery

Other items:
Ground flax seed
coconut oil
almond butter

A combo of items from the Farmers Market, produce market, and grocery store for the Dr. Oz 3 Day Detox

Dr. Oz Detox  Breakfast shake ~ 1 cup water, 1 TBsp. Flax seed, 1 cup raspberries, 1 banana, 1/4 cup spinach, 1 Tbsp Almond butter, 2tsp lemon
It was OKKKKK Not sweet but the almond butter was a nice change of pace 

Final product not pretty but lol

A mason jar! Its a great way to make a few extra batches they last 2-3 days max in here. Fresh is best!

My new favorite! Less calories!

My faves:

#1)
My new Fave is one I made this morning I just call it the Nurtibullet Cucumber #1

1/2 cucumber
1cup spinach
1 cup mango
1 pink lady apple
1/2 cup pineapple
8oz of coconut water
3 thin slices of ginger and blend!

I then take out half and add more water to make it thinner. Depending on your taste buds you may want to add more ginger but its pretty light you do not taste the cucumber or spinach but the mango and apple flavors come through nicely.
Less than 200 per serving

#2)

1 cup Kale
1 cup coconut water
14 pieces Trader Joes frozen mango
1.5 cups of blueberries
2 Tbsp ground flax seed

This is very good but comes out very thick. Again I cut all of mine in half and add a little water!
This is about 276 calories per serving (serving size in 2)

#3)
1 cup of spinach
1 cup of pineapple
1/2 cup coconut water
1 banana
1/2 cup strawberries

Very sweet and before I was checking the calories :-)

#4)
1 cup spinach
1 cup mangoes
1 cup strawberries


#5)
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup spinach
1 cup coconut water
2 apples

#6)
1 cup spinach
1/2 cucumber
1 cup blueberries
1 cup pineapple
2-3 thin slices of fresh ginger

#7)
1 cup mango
1 apple
1 cup spinach
1 cup baby carrots
1 peach
1/2 cup blackberries and raspberries * warning if you have a thing about textures do not use black berries or raspberries the baby seeds cannot be ground up thin enough to not feel them. I plan to try a bag of frozen ones to see if the same issues arises!

#8) Dr. Oz Dinner drink

1/2 cup mango
1 cup blueberries
1 1/2 cup coconut water
1 cup kale
1 Tbsp lemon
1/4 avocado
1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper
1Tbsp flax seeds

I did not have the cayenne pepper so I will say you don't need it. Avocado sounds weird but it blends in so well you cannot taste it. This came out a bit thick for me so i spilt it in two and add more plain water.


#9)
Mean Green

• Apples (granny smith) - 2 medium (3" dia)

• Celery - 4 stalk, large (11"-12" long)

• Cucumber - 1 cucumber (8-1/4")

• Ginger - 1 thumb (1" dia)

• Kale - 6 leaf (8-12")

• Lemon - 1/2 fruit (2-3/8" dia)

Good and it is healthy about 250 calories

#10)

Green Breakfast

• Apples (green) - 2 medium (3" dia)

• Carrots - 3 medium

• Cucumber - 1 cucumber (8-1/4")

• Grapes (green) - 15 grape

• Pepper (sweet green) - 1 medium (approx 2-3/4" long, 2-1/2" dia)

• Spinach - 2 cup

• Tomato - 1 medium whole (2-3/5" dia)

 I did not use the tomato but you really do not taste the pepper at all!


Ok those are my top 10 starter kit juices! I would highly recommend the Nurtibullet its reasonable at $99 vs some of the bigger more expensive brands. It gets the job done. The main upside is there is no real clean up and all the fiber you lose with other juicers goes right into you cup for all those added benefits!!

I also purchased 2 rubbermaid containers to carry the juice to work or to meetings in the evening. They were less than 4 bucks for a twin set at Walmart in the tupperware asile. Its been very helpful for me to have them handy so I didn't snack on bad foods or other goodies at meetings at night. They are not pretty so you will catch people looking at you and that green sop and wondering how you can drink that lol

Next up I will do my post on the Farmers' Market in Baltimore city! Had a great time there last weekend and found some cool items like purple peppers and white eggplants! I also got (from a friend) a HUGE... Ahhh I will save it for the psot but I am trying a few new things out to keep me on the right path and I will share them!

See ya soon!

please check in once you've tried one or two and please feel free to share your ideas!!

An echocardiogram at 38...

Well yall know I don't play hide the ball with my blog titles lol so I had to have an echocardiogram this week. An echo is basically a sonogram of the heart to make sure things are runing well. I had an abnormal EKG and so I went to a cardilogist for a stress test and an echo! Let me tell you I am so grateful to be healthy! Getting and Echo at 38 was eye opening. The pic above isn't from my actual test but looks close enough. Let me just say... I know how people up and die! Do you know how hard your heart works to pump blood around your ENTIRE body!? Its a wonder how people lived way into the triple digits in the Old Testament of the Bible! I kind freaked myself out when I heard the sounds it was making lol it  just really made me realize 1) I need to stress less 2) I need to find more constructive ways to deal with stress. Good news was my Stress Test was perfectly fine there is a extra blimp on my EKG, there was one there last year too. Better safe than sorry but freaky I tell ya to watch your heart pump it was like watch something off of True Blood! I haven't heard back fro the Doc yet and the secretary said no news is good news but I think I will call next Weds just to be safe. All my other indicators are perfect low cholestrol, normal/low blood pressure, etc. only thing.. is of course the weight... always the weight...

I skipped the gym this week until I heard from the Doc he said I should keep my Heart Rate Monitor reading between 140-155 160 max he said I can go as high as 180 but I shouldn't push it.

So alls well that ends well

What Getting Back on Track Looks Like: New Finds!

Something new and colorful

Well this has been a good week and I need to keep pushing myself in the right direction! I went to see a Nutritionist last night and while this wasn't my first time I must say meeting with her was very informative. My insurance covers this so i figured why not utilize the service! I consider myself an old pro and this but its good for more feedback and additional accountability.

I went right to Trader Joe's after our meeting and sticked up big time. To be honest I haven;t done any real grocery shopping sine my cruise. Largely due to my refrigerator dying on me and honestly it seems like every today is having restaurant week lol and of course the portions are crazy so I always have left overs. But the only way to stop that is to get back on track.

I loveee lovee loveee Trader Joe's a lot of people mix them up with Whole Foods which is a bit pricey. TJ is very reasonable and the food is good and creative and cheap! I spent maybe $40 last night on all of this stuff!

I am loving my Nurtibullet I can't recall if I discussed it last time but let me tell you it's the best $100.00 I've ever spent! I juice just about every day and it always includes spinach! I'm mostly using fresh fruit but because I get them from the produce market I really can't use that quick enough! So I am inter grating some frozen fruits light as well since winter will be here before I know it anyhow! So I grabbed frozen blue berries, mangos, and pineapples. I must say was cheaper than in the regular supermarket!

I also bought some fresh Brussels sprouts, premade salads, chicken sausage, mini portabella mushrooms, colorful heirloom tomatoes and my fave pink lady apples! Two bags actually! Awesome! I will post some of my other fines but I will break them up into two or three posts as I eat them so I can give you my taste test results. I am back on my Paleo grind. I just feel better when I eat that way. Even when I tried to do Atkins/Southbeach add in the cheese and ow carb wraps or bread my body jut feels really sluggish and bloated! I hate it! So this was a good jump start. I had a great workout with my personal trainer on Saturday I am really feeling good and ending the summer strong. I am working on 100 oz of water daily. I am getting closer to 80 or so but that last 20 is hard to get in lol I literally have to drink alllll day! LOL

Aside from that I may be the last person on the planet who hasn't seen the tv show Lost. Its on On Demand so I said why not so far so good its a little sci fi and mystery which I didn't expect. I may have to tie workouts to watching episode since I watched three last night and didn't work out lol even if  I do crunches and squats to move on to the next episode.

I was having a really good reflective journal entry yesterday about my journey. I mentioned this last time I spend so much of my life dealing with food, exercise, weight gain/loss, and everything else surrounding those topics what more could I do if that wasn't the case. I also had to ask myself who would I be if "this" wasn't my issue. So people have family problems, money problem, men problem, career problems, kid problems they obsess with to the point that THAT issue is inextricably linked to who they are. Its a source of comfort and familiarity for the person nd the outside observer. I had to really think for a minute is this my issue b/c that's what people know and expect to be my issue? Who would Cylia be if she wasn't always talking about this stuff? Would it make others uncomfortable? Would it make me uncomfortable? Where would I fit in? What role would I then play? Is  fear holding me back? Causing self sabotage? I dunno... But its good to ask these things out loud. I can say I never felt my weight held me back. I'm very accomplished, well respected, loved, and appreciated by many but appearance is always a factor no matter what. For good or bad... so again more questions as we go towards the end of the year. Anyyyhoooo back to food (lol) and exercise (lol) and good thoughts...


A total of 6 WW points plus points for a serving which is considered 4 oz this has 3 servings. So flavorful 4-6 oz is plenty





This was a great find I think its the best chicken salad I have ever had

 


Great NEW finds! Ok I have seen the pink sea salt but got it...Ok its really just cute I really didn't taste anything different lol the fresh peeled garlic is great I get a pint from my produce market but they go bad quickly and freezing them seems to kill the real flavor. These come peeled in several small punches! Love it! And ohhh so fresh!



2 Months, 1 Birthday, 7 Countries, and Dudes who only look good on paper...

Well where does the time go?! Ok that's not the best way to kick this off but my title gives the bullet points lol

Well its been 2 months! I know I've been MIA and I have gained and lost and lost and gained... What can I say! Aside from this extra weight my blood work and health are awesome 84 is my OVERALL cholesterol, Blood pressure is 117/86, Sugar, iron, etc. all great. I have a new primary care physician. She's cool I like her. Ok I like her b/c she gave me diet pills lol even though as soon as I stopped taking them I gained it all back :-/ I know no magic pills... Momma Oprah did say that!

~*~*~*

Well I am 38 and feeling greeaaattttt!!!! The birthday was uneventful I actually didn't do ANYTHING this year but after 10 years of always planning something I think I earned it! The funny thing was other people were more upset, confused, let down than I was lol buttt they got over it! LOL People kept asking... you realllyy not doing anything? Really? Well you teach people how to treat you...good and bad! They are so used to  celebrating my birthday especially on my actually birthday no matter what day of the week it is they wanted to celebrate with me lol So that's sweet! The only thing I did do besides sleep was I posted 38 quotes with pictures on facebook.. kinda my gift to the world... quotes to live by I guess. People really seemed to like that! :-) You learn a lot in 38 years! Heck in 1 year!!


~*~*~

I've been to 7...YES! 7 countries in 2 months! A Soror had her 50th Birthday on the Jewel of the Seas and we left from Puerto Rico (1) and went to Barbados (2) St. Maarten (3) St Lucia (see pic above) (4) Antigua (5) St. Croix (6)! Awesome! Every island has its own personality and I was with a really fun group so that helped as well! A week and a half later I was back in the air and on the road to Montreal for my sorority's Leadership Conference. It was nice but it was busy, busy, busy! I did meet some awesome new sorors, got to connect with ones I know but live all over the world, I learned  a lot rand I even broke down and CRIED in one of my workshops lol Oh My God howww embarrassing! I don't know what the heck happened!

Well the workshop trains you to be a trainer or presenter and we gave off the cuff presentations. Well the second or third one we were asked to paint a picture of why Alpha Kappa Alpha is important to you. I wanted to be jazzy *insert jazz hands here* so I sat there and got all poetic.. The theme I was working with was AKA is important to me because of our motto "Service to All Mankind." So I went over all the meaningful projects I've been involved in since  I became a member...   So I was all... "Picture teaching a middle school student how to balance a checkbook. Imagine donating food and clothing to a needy family for the holidays, can you see yourself  helping Fathers who are in prison to keep a connection with their children by working with them to record bedtime stories for their children... I go on and on and on and on... a decade of service to all mankind and I end my poetic painting with... "Imagine winning an Regional award named after an International president for your service and leadership and not even being in the sorority 10 years.." AND HERE COME THE WATER WORKS! I am tearing up now lol I had my WHOLE table and the Facilitator crying!!! CLUTCHING MY PEARLS!!!! OMG!!!! I had a conversation with my "Becky Sue" about it and she said I tend to go from thing to thing...goal to goal.. and kinda float above the actual acts and the emotions... I can admit that, that is true... I can be detached and she said I've probably never thought about my service...I  just go from one project to the next..again true... but that exercise gave me an opportunity to tap into why my sorority is important, why helping other is important to me and the feelings that, that generates. She suggested that being more reflective in other areas could be helpful as well. Not that she wants me crying but tap into the emotions of why I may over eat, or make a bad choice...stress? What is stressing you? Why is it stressing you? What can I do about how I am feeling that doesn't contradict my health and fitness goals...etc...

*EXHALING* But back to Leadership... I don't be doing no crying yall lol one of my Sorors in my group said "Well we KNOW you can't cry in court so its ok you can cry with us!" I love my sorors! :*-) I did come back and get 2 new journals to work with so we will see.

All in all I had a great experience tears notwithstanding lol I attended an excellent 2 part panel with the current elected leaders of  my sorority. It was eye opening to say the least. You know they ARE busy but to hear HOW busy they are... 75 calls a day, 300 emails in a few weeks, MIP request, traveling sometimes every weekend for months, still being a chapter member, having a family, being in other organizations and God forbid you have a JOB! LOL It was a lot... but they all were passionate about it and about AKA and it was just an awesome opportunity to be up close (cause ya know ya girl was in the second row lol) and personal with so many of them!  Good stuff! So there's an AKA break until chapter meeting in September! I'mma enjoy that! But I am feeling energized and pumped up to get back to bizznezz!!!


~*~*~

Dudes who look good on paper....

I hate them... ok hate is a strong word but its always IMO more of let down when you respect/are impressed by a man (and vice versa) and then you find out they lack character and integrity. And maybe I am overly sensitive to this but I really don't care for men who are married or otherwise in a relationship pushing up on me... Like... do I have a tag on my back that says my goal is to "steal" someone's man?  I don't think I give off the appearance of a woman who strives to be the OTHER woman. Hell I've had boyfriends I know I can catch a man who will want me and not need to creep around to be with me! Now I aint saying back in the dizz-aaa I might have had issues with the need for outside validation andddddd well I can rap a mean "I'll take your man.." By Salt & Pepa...lol but I'm good and grown now... lol GOOD & GROWN!

Like seriously... I really am all about the golden rule ESPLY when it comes to dating... I am not going to do something to someone that wouldn't want done to me. Maybe that damn Olivia Pope made men think professional, smart, attractive women are cool with being the sidepiece  (BTW that's the new term for mistress) evennnnnnn when THEY KNOW you know the wife or girlfriend personally... BUT MEN LET ME ASSURE YOU... IT AINT COOL! Don't test those waters.... Have some class and at the very least have some RESPECT for your wife or girlfriend to not walk that line...even a lil bit... I am sure you wouldn't like it if she did it to your frat brother... or friend...

But... glad he aint my problem.. *wiping my hands in sweet relief*

I've tapped out on the dating scene for the rest of  2013 I have some other more important goals... and its like I was sharing with Becky Sue and even on fb I feel like I spend soooo much time on "dieting" like I am always talking about it, hell got a blog about it, always thinking about everything I eat or don't eat, do or don't do! I am just exhausted of it and in the same way I am exhausted with dating... I am sooo over it... I know bad attitudes attract bad results but I been positive dang it lol and maybe its just a time of testing for me but it I have to concentrate my mental, emotional, and physical energy somewhere for the next 5 months I want it to benefit me! So I need to pick one... Love or Health.. In the words of  Mr. Joscelin Hernandez (from Love & Hip Hop Atlanta) For the rest of 2013..."Forget Love... I don't need it!"

But what I do need is to share my awesome pictures!!! I had suchhhh a great summer I know August just got here but it will fly by! I am doing a Challenge with my AKA Workout Group it is day two! Eating Clean and working on planks and jumping rope in addition to the other exercise! We have 128 Sorors participating! Awesome right? I went back to my Perosnal Trainer Charles on Monday and mannn did it hurt! Anytime I take a break.. I regret it lol so we are going back to our 2 day a week routine. I am looking forward to Saturday! My goal is to lose (and not refind any of it along the way lol) 50 pounds by Dec 31st! Totally do'able.... Don't believe me then watch!!! ;-0 ...

I'll check back soon! Thanks for the emails and textes I will do better I promise! :-)