Happy New Year - 2010!

Happy New Year 2010!


Thanks for being my blogging buddies!

Soft post today!

San Diego was hit by 2 earthquakes this morning. The first one hit around 11:30 a.m. (5.2) and the 2nd hit a few minutes later (4.9). It shook the office pretty good and it caused us to evacuate the building. I hate the feeling of earthquakes but that comes with the package living in California.

After the earthquake the day went fast. Yoga was great and very relaxing.

I will end this blog on that note.

Getting Back On Track!

Today I had to talk with lazygirl about how easy it was to get back on track after Christmas. We talked about our weaknesses over the holiday and what we need to work on before next Christmas. Like I said yesterday my weakness was not controlling my portions. I let my boundaries down in that area so that is going to my focus for the up coming year. I can not use the holidays, birthdays or other celebration as a excuse to overeat.

Easy to get back on track: I believe it was easy for me to get back on track the day after Christmas because of my healthy outlook on life. Over 5 months ago I made a decision to eat healthy, exercise, stop justifying my bad habits and make a monthly plan. Putting my plan on paper has help me get back on track to a healthier me. I still have plenty of work to do in 2010 but the grass is getting greener everyday.

Exercise class today: I had weight lifting today but the instructor focused more on cardio. No complaints from me at all. The workout was tough and it made me sore but that is okay. I am still doing the time because I did the crime. Tomorrow is yoga and I will welcome it with open arms.

New blog: The day after Christmas I started a new blog call "My Life On A Budget In 2010". I decided to create this blog because I need to focus on my spending and saving habits. I have decided to attack my budget the same way I have attack my weight. The same mistakes I made before I started this journey I made with my budget. My mistakes include: not being honest about my saving and spending goals, getting distracted, overspending, not planning, putting my heart before my pocketbook, and not valuing my money. It's the truth and there is a link between obesity and bad financial decisions. So, I am on a budget and my goal is to pay all my credit cards off by the end of April. It feels good to be in control of my health and money.

Education: I was able to registrar for 2 philosophy classes that start next month. I will tackle school the same way I have my weight. It's about balancing it all out with no excuses.

Question of the day: Have you notice a link between obesity and poor spending habits?


Know that my weight is under control I feel the need to get my finances in order. It's a strange connection for me.

I did the crime so I must do the time!

I did the crime so today I had to do the time! This morning I woke up feeling a little larger around the waist. Since I tossed my scale out I had to try on a dress that fit very loose last week. Well, the truth was revealed - a 1 inch waist increase from last week. It wasn't just the cake and ice cream that caused my waist to increase but all the other good stuff and the lack of exercise over the past 2 weeks. My legs and arms did not gain so that made me pretty happy.

I did not feel bad about my increase because I have a healthy plan and outlook on weight. So I decided to go to the gym this morning for a run and this evening for a weight lifting class. I am back on track and I feel totally in control . It's about growth!

Eating this week: I have cut my calories back and returned to my food boundary list. This morning I had oatmeal with dried blueberries and lunch was a turkey sandwich with spinach. I have no problem returning to healthier foods. I realized that my weakness was in the portion control area. I have to admit that my overeating caused my waist increase but I believe by reducing my calories and exercising my waist will decrease within one week. I have work to do!

Exercising this week: This week exercise will consist of 2 weight lifting class, 2 cardio classes and 1 Pilates class. Next month I want to continue to work on my core so I will schedule plenty of classes that focus on the belly.

Question of the day: How did you do in the portion control area? Did you notice a weight gain?


I would like to thank you all again for being my blogging buddies. I wish you all success in 2010 and many years to come. We can all do it!

Out of My System!

It's all over! It's all out of my system! Good-bye to Christmas 2009 and hello 2010!

It's time to move on and look forward. This week I will be planning my goals for next month 1/1/2010-new decade. Next year I plan on setting some new goals that will send me over the top of my previous goals.

One of my goals is to return to that place in the picture -
Puerto Rico. So Robigirl get your passport ready!

Questions of the day: Do you have any 2010 goals?

"Drinking up Life"

Every part of me made it to the gym today. Oh how much I love the gym. I decided to catch a late weight lifting class and it was well worth my time. I really enjoyed the instructor teaching style. She focused on the belly and back fat. Those two areas are my trouble spots. Since this was my first time in this class I decided to set up my weights and step platform in the back of the class. The class was very small because of the holidays. I noticed no one person wanted to stand in the front of the class. So we started and instantly I felt out of place. The back of the class is not for me. I decided to move up front and it felt like I was the only person in class. I think being in the back of the class gives me permission to lag in my workout. When up front I am forced to pushed myself 100%.

Shaking up my workout in 2010: This morning I enrolled in a fencing and soccer class at my local community college. Both classes will run for 14 weeks and they meet 4 hours a week. Okay, fencing has always been my dream but soccer just came out of the blue. I signed up for this class because I want to run and this is the only class that will challenge me in this area. Signing up for classes like this is normal for me according to all my close friends. They think I am crazy but they love my ambition. So I will be a 41 year old running around with young adults. I can not wait.

Encouraging words: I would like to encourage all of my blogging friends to make a list of everything you would love to do before you get to old to do it. Don't wait because you might not get the chance to do it. Two years ago my doctor told me I had a cancerous tumor on my kidney. I could not believe cancer because I was only 39 years old but I had it. My life, my past life and my current life flashed right before my eyes. The first thing that came to my mind was - OMG! I'm not ready to die yet. The second thing that came to my mind was - OMG! why not. I realized that I was not afraid of dying but I was not ready to go. So I ask myself why are you not ready to die yet. I thought-I have not done all the things that I wanted to do in life. So that day my life changed for every. Two days after my surgery to removed the tumor and a portion of my kidney I decided to make a list of all the things I wanted to do. I got to work on doing all the things on my list. This list included things like: taking a ballet class at 280+ pounds, learning Spanish, learning to snorkel, learning to play the piano and guitar, etc. I can go on and on because I keep adding every month. I believe that the tumor was the best thing to happen because it put my life in motion. I realize that waiting to do something was not an option. I truly believe I am living a full life now. My message to you is to live your life now. I look at life like it is a tall glass of ice water-"drink it up"! Don't wait for money, or better weather, or to get skinner because there is no time for that. Make it happen. "Drink it up"!

Exercise tomorrow: Another weight lifting class.


Question of the day: What are you putting off ? What would you like to "drink up"?


I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Shaking it up in 2010!

I did not set one food in the gym today. It was my plan to do so (but-I hate that this word is in my vocabulary). I refuse to given an excuse so I will just end it there. Tomorrow is weight lifting.

Looking forward to January:Today I was thinking about my workout plan for January. I want to shake-it-up really good. My plan is to add more Pilates and swimming classes to work the core. Running will also be part of my routine next month. I signed up for a 16 week Fencing class at the local community college that starts the first week of February. I have never taken a Fencing class but it looks challenging. Benefits of fencing include: increase stamina, reduce stress, tones and defines the body, helps develop muscles, improves flexibility and coordination. It sounds like the perfect class.


Question of the day: Are you going to shake-up your workout routine next year?

Have a wonderful day!

Good and Bad Emotions! Food Triggers

All done with my deliveries. I have to admit that it is nice to have a cookie free house again. Those cookies stirred up so many emotions - good and bad.

Good emotions: Keeping my tradition for the ones I love.

Bad emotions: Feeling guilt and shame because I did not want to bake this year. I have to admit that I have not felt these two emotions in over 5 months. Today I made a promise never to allow guilt and shame to enter my life again. My connection to food can be very emotional. I am very happy that these emotions came out because I need to deal with them to create a better me.

New traditions: My goal next year is to come up with a new tradition that has nothing to do with food at all.

Trigger points: PrettyWoman wrote on my blog about food triggers. I have to agree with her that there are foods that will set my binge radar off. I ate 4 cookies yesterday and to my surprise I did not feel the need to binge but the feeling of guilt appeared. The feeling of guilt - it was the worst feeling but I talked my way through it. The cookies also made my body feel sluggish and gross. Maybe the sluggishness triggered the guilt because I did not feel guilty until my body started to responded the sugar. It's confusing! My goal is to stay away from these kinds of food.

Back to the real world: My plan is to work out everyday this week. I can not wait to workout tomorrow.

Question of the day: Do you have a food that sets off your trigger point?

My trigger foods are rice, pasta and cheese. I can binge for days on these three foods. My goal next year is to work on my binging behavior when it comes to these foods. I would love to bring these foods back into my house again. If you have any tips for me please share. Thanks so much!

Baking in the name of Tradition and Love!

Today I baked in the name of tradition. Yes! Those are cookies but let me x-plain. Early this week I received 3 calls from three of my friends kids (young adults) asking me "are you going to bake up your world famous Christmas cookies this year? We have been waiting for them since last week. My heart went to mush because I have known these young people since the ages of 3, 9, and 12 years old. I could not believe that these kids know ages 20, 25, and 30 still wanted my cookies. They said it has been a tradition for them and they look forward to my cookies every year. So of course I could not disappoint my kids. I thought this is not about me and my diet but about my tradition that I started many years ago all in the name of love. The meaning of Christmas is my tradition that I have given to others.

My trip to the store: This time the trip was different because I thought about all the people that love my Christmas cookies and the tradition. I realized that people depend and look forward to traditions and they miss it when it's gone. So when I was tossing the sugar, flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, oatmeal and chocolate chip in the cart I was not thinking about myself but about my love for family and friends. I can not run from that.

Baking experience: At home in my kitchen I turned on our local Christmas station and pulled out the KitchenAid mixer and baking pans and start making cookies. It was the most wonderful time ever. I was really baking with love. The house smelled so good it made me think about my childhood traditions and how much I looked forward to them. It feels like Christmas now.

Delivery in the name of Love: Tomorrow I will finish baking and make my deliveries. Thanks to my kids for showing me what Christmas is all about this year.

Spa day: Going to the spa today for a 1 hour massage. I need it because my body is still sore from running uphill this week. Can not wait!


To all have a wonderful weekend!

Slow Climb with a Fast Fall!

Big Thank You: I would like to thank you all for commenting on my shrinking shoe size. You guys confirmed that I was not crazy after all. I can not believe I was a lady with fat feet. Fat finds the strangest places to call home. Once again thanks!

Uphill running was a downhill struggle: Today I found out how hard it is to run uphill. I set my treadmill on a 4 incline level and started the run. Let's just say, I was down after 28 seconds. The incline kicked my butt and took me out for the rest of the day. I think I have met my match in the exercise department. Running uphill is a major challenge and I want it to be part of my workout routine next month. After my uphill down fall I decided to run on the treadmill for 10 minutes without stopping. It went very well. I ended my run at a mile. My next run is scheduled for Friday.

It's time for me to rest my body so I will end here.

Question of the day: Have you tried running uphill?

To all have a wonderful day!

Smaller Shoe Size! Flipping Off

Many things to write about today. Fatgirl appeared again!

Shoe size: Yesterday I was walking to work from the parking garage when I noticed my shoes slipping off of my feet. The walk was very hard and uncomfortable because I had to hold my shoes on with my toes. When I made it into the office I took the shoes off to examine them. The shoes appeared to be okay and they had there shape. My coworker walked in and I told her about my shoe issue. She informed me that my shoes are probably to big now because of my weight loss. I look at her like she was crazy and said please explain. She said the belly is not the only thing that shrinks. So I decided to try on another pair of shoes and found that they are big as well. I could not believe this because I have never lost this much weight. I guess it's time to buy new shoes because all my work shoes are flipping off my feet. This is very strange but it is real!

Running uphill: Yesterday I ran on the treadmill with two of my buddies for over a mile. My friend told me to run on an incline but I decided to do a little research on running on an incline before I tried it. I wanted to know the benefits of running uphill and man there are many reasons to run uphill. I read uphill running is similar to weight training. The gluts, hamstrings, and calves are the targeted muscles when running up hill. Tomorrow I will run on an incline to see how my body reacts to it.

The return of Fatgirl: So I blogged about baking my famous Christmas cookies for my family and friends this year. My plan was to bake with no worries of binging. For 3 days I went back and forth about baking. One side of me did not want to bake because of my new healthy life and the other side was like bake for the ones you love. I was being pulled in both directions and I started to feel guilty about not wanted to bake this year. Baking has been a Christmas tradition for over 10 years and I loved it up until this year. So I decided to but my healthy feelings aside and bake because it's for my friends. I went to the store and tossed apples, bananas, pears, grapes, and veggies in my cart. When I got to the baking section my heart started to beat really hard and I felt like a "dead man walking". I stopped in front of the sugar and frowned-toss in cart, stopped in front of flour and frowned-toss in cart, and I stopped in front of the chocolate chips and frowned-tossed in cart. As I was walking away from the baking sections I felt mad, depressed, and once again guilty for thinking about buying this junk food. As I turned the corner it hit me - you don't need to bake those cookies to show your family and friends how much you love them for the holiday. So, I called up Skinnygirl and she told me to grab the fruits/veggies and get the heck out of that store. I abandon that cart full of junk foods and ran out of the store after paying for the healthy foods without looking back. It felt amazing! Fatgirl was trying to come back in my life through the cookies. It was a battle that I have not had to deal with for months. Skinnygirl gave me alternatives that had nothing to do with food. My plan is to give flowers with a nice card. I realized that I am a different person this year and I can not ignore the fact that I am a healthier person. Fatgirl is not dead but now I can battle it out with her as long as Skinnygirl is on my side. I do not want to scare my blogging friends away when I talk about my battle between Fat girl and Skinny Girl but these two are part of my life. Skinnygirl is 98% me but Fatgirl is still around to cause problems. If you would like to understand my battle you can refer back to my July and August postings. It took me about a month to figure them out.

Question of the day: Have you had a reduction in shoe size?


Have a wonderful day!



Question of the day: Have you noticed a reduction in your shoe size?


HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!

Just running in!

Run Schedule: This week my plan is to run 3 days. I like to set the treadmill at 15 minutes and workout like this: walk 5 minutes, run 5 minutes and sprint 5 minutes. It's one heck of a workout. Running is not as hard as I thought. It is a mind game. I don't feel as sore as I did when I first started so that is a good thing. I will run Monday, Wednesday and Fridays. My schedule will also include 15 minutes of spinning and 15 minutes of upper body workout.

Night sit ups: My sit up routine has gone from 20 to 30 nightly. My tummy is toning up and to my surprise my back fat is melting off. I hate back fat.

Signing out!

Shrinking Closet! Another Goodwill Run

Another "Goodwill" run! This morning was my 4th closet and drawer clean out. This time I have over 100 article of clothes to donate today. This donation is bitter sweet not because I have to give up these larger sizes but because Sunday I heard that our local Goodwill and Salvation Army shops are low on plus size clothes. This is not good for the county but if there is a need I am happy to donate.

In my area town there are less obese people but when I travel to the rural areas I see more obese people and the reason for the demand. I love my area because over 75% of the people are in shape and they appear to care more about their health. There are 6 fitness centers and the YMCA within 1 mile of my house. This area offers many healthy style restaurants and grocery stores. I think the area matters.

Sabotaging your health: My coworker formally known as "lazygirl" decided two months again to follow in my foot steps to live healthier. Her goal was to eat better (set food boundaries) and exercise. She has lost 12 pounds since late October and she looks really good. She is exercising but for the past 2 weeks her eating has been off. Yesterday, she wanted to justify her reasons for eating badly but I told her that I did not want to hear her excuses. I told her that she was a "health sabotager" (that is my new word-not in the dictionary) and I did not want to participate in the crime. Lazygirl loves to talk about her failures and she seem to have them all the time. For her, when things are going well she gets afraid and do something like eating a bag of cookies or fried tacos so she can feel good about herself. I told her that she is the most annoying person and her failures are getting on my nerves. This comment might sound mean to people who don't know me but my friends know that I love them. I am honest when it comes to life and bad behaviors. I believe if you don't know wrong that it is not your fault but if you do and you continue to make bad decisions it is up to you to own your behavior and make it better. Lazygirl knows better because of her weight reduction, higher energy level and better sleeping patterns. So when I heard that she was sabotaging her health I got angry because I care. I told her to regroup and stop with the bad behavior and come back to me in 3 weeks with a new out look on life. I also told her that she need to design her own plan because my plan is designed around my needs and life. I have owned my past behavior and my health design for a better me. Making a plan is "lazygirl" problem and that is why she named herself lazygirl. I think being lazy is one of the top 5 reasons why obesity is growing in America. So, at this point lazygirl has to make a decision not to be a health sabotager. She agreed with me and hope to stop the behavior soon.

Weekend plans: Going shopping for Christmas this weekend for my family and friends. I want to get it over with because next weekend is going to be crazy around here. I have a short list because most of my friends want my world famous cookies. I don't think it will be hard for me to bake cookies because I know the recipe very well so I will not have to taste test them. I will limit myself to 4 cookies this year. I am also making some gifts in a jar like: hot cocoa and snowy trail mix in a bag. Can't wait for Christmas!

Exercise plans: Off day today. Tomorrow running with my new stop watch that my best friend got me for Christmas. It's in my top 10 of best gifts ever. Its very high tech and it exercise my brain just to get it to work last night. Got it! Thank you my friend.

Question of the day: Do you have an all time favorite Christmas gift?

I have a few:

Orange Huffy 10 speed bike - age 12 - I had it for 1 month before some person stole it from in front of the grocery store. That was the last bike bought by my mom. It was my fault!

Metal Roller Skates - age 7 - Old school skates with the metal wheels. Scary to think about.

Tiffany necklace - age 39 - My friend bought it for me after my kidney surgery to remove a cancerous tumor. The necklace is in the shape of a kidney bean. It touched me heart.

To all have a wonderful and safe weekend!

The Scale Is Trash Again! Tossing It Out For Good

Today was a lovely sunny and cold day. No rain or power outages in my area. All the down trees and other debris has been removed. The day started and ended on a very happy note.

Putting the scale in the trash: Today I want to talk about how important it is for me to stay off the scale. This morning I woke up feeling very skinny so I decided to jump on the scale. It showed weight (muscle weight) gain of 5 pounds. I was numb to the number because I new the weight was not fat. It was from muscle because of my two weight lifting classes per week. But, what if I was not aware that my body was heavier because of the muscle. I would have been crushed so that is why I don't rely on the scale numbers. My clothes tell me all that I need to know about my weight. My clothes are still falling off and I look so lean and tall. Lifting has been the key to my success. So I tossed the scale out for good. It's out of my house and my life. It's not needed anymore. The mirror will tell me. My family and friends will tell me. The scale is trash and is not my friend!

Exercise today: Lifting was good today with all the lunges. My instructor went off again on us like a crazy women. OMG! The lunges and squats hurt so bad. All the folks in class had mean faces but we all pushed hard.

Exercise tomorrow: My run day. I am going for that mile again. Doing a few sprints made the routine tomorrow. My friend is going to run with me. She is a skillful runner so I will have a little competition. I have seen her run for over an hour so she will push me.

Eating factor: That area is going very well. I am not sure what to eat before and after a run so if you guys have any suggestions please share. A coworker told me to eat carbs before my run and protein after the run. My plan is do research it tomorrow.

2010 Vacation: Very excited because in March I will be sailing off on an 8 day cruise to Mexico. This is not my first but it feels good to have something really cool to look forward too. The difference about this vacation is, it is not an incentive for me to drop weight like it has been in the past. My health and life was the incentive for me to go on my journey. It feels good!

Monthly awareness: Living a healthy life has to be for you. No other person or thing should be my motivator. Realizing that I had to design my own workout and eating plan for it to work was key. Yes picking up a diet book or magazine was the easy way but it was not my plan. This has been an experience for me and my life is better for it. It's about owning it all.


Question of the day: Have you had an awareness since your journey begun?

Thank you all again for being my blogger friends and leaving comments. Your comments help me on my journey.

Take care and have a wonderful week!

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor winds, nor snow could keep me from the gym but the power outage did!

According to the singing group Tony!, Toni!, Tone! - "It Never Rains in Southern California" well let me tell you. Today we had rain, sleet, wind, snow (San Diego mountains about a 40 minute drive) and wind. The temperature is about 53 degrees. This heavenly mess started around 3 a.m. and has not stopped one time. The rain at times was coming down in sheets. We all looked and felt like Mr. Birdie today!

There has been over 300 car accident report and 300 that has not been reported. All day at work I could hear people screaming while running to their cars. The emergency services have been running back and forward all day. If I sound like a complainer please believe I am not but this city only see rain about 6 days out of the year and most of the time it comes down at night. We need the rain and I have enjoyed watching it from the window. Thanks to heavens for bringing us rain but why a power outage.

Rain vs. Gym vs. Power Outage: Okay, I was not going to allow rain, sleet, winds, or the snow keep me out of the gym today. My mind was on it and ready for it until it happen. The 'Power Outage' 30 minutes before my class. All the lights went out in the area and the gym is not on a back up system. I screamed.................no, no, no. It took me a moment to come back to myself and move to plan B. I decided to go home pull out my jump rope and 8 pound weight and exercise. It was fun and after that I hopped on the couch for a rest. I think the power outage was a blessing because I needed to get off the road so it all workout for the best. Lesson learn is always have a plan B & C during rain storms.

My 20 crunches before bed: I have been doing 20 crunches before bed for about 4 days and let me tell you that my abdominal are getting strong and my belly is flatten out. I am shock how fast and easier the routine is getting. Tonight my plan is to do 25 + 1 for the road.

Loving the runner in me: Saturday I was so excited about my run. My plan was to run 8 minutes without stopping and I did that plus more. I ran a mile in 17 minutes. I walked about 4 minutes of the 17 and I sprinted 3 minutes as well. I love sprinting and it was easy. Running is my new love. Side Bar: The shoes are working out great. No shin splints or blisters. These are the best shoes ever. My next run is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Exercise tomorrow: Weight lifting

Question of the day: How do you stay motivated to do exercises during the winter months?


Thanks for your feedback!

New Respect for Food! Letting My Boundaries Down

Wow! You guys like to run. I really enjoyed reading all your comments and I feel more inspired to continue running. I am still on a runners high so thank you all again.

Today I woke up and felt the new runners pain in the back of my legs. It was a good feeling and my legs felt toner and stronger. I actually wanted to run again this morning but I don't want to over work my body. Taking time off is important for the body and I have to remind myself that every once and awhile.

Massage Day: The nice thing about today was my scheduled 1 hour deep tissue massage. It was what the doctor, the mother, the father, and the holy spirit ordered. Sorry for going a little crazy for a moment. Heather is her name and she was amazing. She massaged every sore spot that I had right out of my body. When she was done I felt no pain at all. She used her entire body to work the knots out. I recommend you guys find the time to treat yourself to a massage at least once a month. You guy deserve it. I am a member of Massage Envy and I have to say that it is the best investment that I can give myself. The membership is $49.00 per month and that includes 1 prepaid massage per month and any additional massage per month cost $29.00 each. The massage techs are good but it took me about 3 months to find Heather. It's a great way to pamper yourself on a budget. I also treat myself once a month to a Vichy Shower and massage at one of the local resorts. Now, the Vichy Shower is the very best and very relaxing. You will feel clean for about 3 days.

A.M Workout: Today was my weight lifting class. The instructor focused on toning the butt and legs. I don't want to think about doing squats and lunges until next week. Tomorrow is an off day.

Ice Cream - You'll Scream: Yes! I must admit to all my blogging friends that I did it. I let my food boundaries down and had 1 cup of chocolate ice cream w/nuts. It was not a moment of weakness or emotional eating. I just wanted to enjoy the taste of ice cream for 20 minutes. This was my first taste in over 4 months and yes it was really good and so amazing. It was a little sweet but that is because I have been off of sweets for a long time. The difference this time is that I had no guilt and after eating it I was satisfied. I instantly thought "I don't need to eat ice cream again for another 4 months". I love this feeling, eating without shame! This is a true sign of healing and respect for food.

Question of the day: How do you pamper yourself?


Thanks again for all your comments. Have a great and safe weekend.

The Runner in Me!

First, I would like to send out a big thank you to my blogging friends. Your comments mean so much to me and I cherish all of you so much.


Today was a great workout day because instead of doing Yoga I decided to hit the treadmill for a run. This of course was not planned but this morning I felt the need to run. It was a desire deep in my soul.

Okay, I have to admit that my feet have not touched a treadmill in over a year and running has not been part of my workout on a regular basis. OMG! when I hit the treadmill my heart started to sing a very happy song. My goal was to run for only :30 seconds - okay I can see the confused looks right about now but that was my goal. My workout buddy had the shock and awe look but she said okay, "I support you and and your :30 second run". Okay here we go! I started the run and before I knew it :30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minute, 5 minute had gone bye, bye. When the time hit 6 minutes my face lit up like fireworks on the 4th of July. I thought, "Wow! me running without stopping, without being out of breath, without feeling like passing out, without giving up. No not me but yes it was me and I made it to 7 minutes with stopping. The first 3 minutes was a walking warm up. I could not believe my eyes and my workout buddy was very happy for me. My day was totally made and what a high.

Now to the serious runner 7 minute is nothing but to me that was like running up Mt. Rainier. My plan going in was to set the timer at 10 minutes, walk for the first 3 and break the last 7 minutes into :30 second run/walk intervals. But to my surprise I ran for the entire 7 minutes. So, I have decided to run every Wednesday and increase my time by 1 + minute. My goal is to run for 15 minutes without stopping. I will be running out of my comfort zone for the month.

Today as I was surfing the Internet I came across a beginners running schedule. The picture is above. According to the chart I am at the 4th week beginners level because I ran for 7 minutes. I will continue to follow this chart for 26 weeks in hopes of running a race. According to the chart at the end of 26 weeks I should be running 120 minutes without stopping. I am up for the challenge. Just for fun I included the running shoes that kicked it all off today. These shoes are very light and comfortable. I feel and look like a true runner!

The Food of Life:
-Breakfast: Oatmeal w/dried blueberries and milk
-After workout: 2 boiled eggs and apple
-Lunch: Shredded Brussels Sprouts w/chopped turkey
-Dinner: Steamed red potatoes with broccoli

Nightly Exercise:
-20 sit ups
My plan is to do 20 sit ups every night this month. Last night was rough but I made it.

Question of the day: How many minutes can you run without stopping?

Good things come slow - especially in distance running."
- Bill Dellinger, Oregon coach

All have a wonderful and powerful day!

My Life On Paper! New Month,New Plan

New month comes a new plan. I went back and forth on how to tackle the month of December. My first plan was to overload myself with double class per day but I thought that would be real crazy so I tossed out that plan. My second plan was to design each week around a workout theme like: 1st week would be all about cycling, the 2nd week week would be all about boot camp, 3rd week would be all about aqua and so on. I have to say that it sound good in my head but it looked crazy on paper. So after destroying a few trees I decided to keep my workout this month very simple. My plan was to focus on basic workouts that included agility training at least once a week. I also wanted my plan to be manageable for the upcoming holidays.

My life on paper: I am a true weirdo but I love to see my life of paper. Putting my life on paper holds me accountable to living life. I like to divide my life into 3 categories: exercise/health, social, and future. You might notice that exercise/health comes first because when my health is good that means my social life and future will be good as well.

My workout plan:
Monday-Core Central x 4 days per month
Tuesday-Weight Lifting x 5 days per month
Wednesday'-Yoga/Pilate's x 5 days per month
Thursday-Core Central x 3 days per month
Friday-OFF
Saturday- Agility Training x 3 days per month-includes:line and z drills, sprinting, jumping rope
Sunday-OFF

My monthly exercise goals:
-reduce my waist by 4 inches
-increase weights
-15 minute abdominal workout before bed
-improve speed
-improve stamina

My monthly food goals:
-continue to control my portion sizes
-limit my cheese intake
-add new vegetable per week
-add 1 meatless night per week

My monthly pamper goals:
-2 deep tissue massages
-4 hour day at the spa - Christmas present to self

My monthly social goals:
-Christmas plays
-Flower photo shoots
-Fun with friends and family
-Continue to blog

That is the plan for month. I like it!

Question of the day: Do you have a plan for this month?

I would love to hear your feedback! Have a wonderful day.

Back to Reality!

Back to reality from the Thanksgiving Holiday. I hope all my blogging buddies had a joyful holiday.

There was a ton of food but this year it was secondary. Just spending time with my friends was the primary reason for the day.

This years Thanksgiving was very special to me because my mind and body was in the right place. I was blessed to attend two Thanksgiving dinners this year. The first dinner was at 1 p.m. and the second was at 6 p.m. I ate very healthy at the dinner #1 and saved dinner #2 for dessert and wine.

On my way home I thought about how bless I was to share my Thanksgiving day with so many wonderful people new and old. I had just shared my day with over 50 people between the two houses. This year the meaning of Thanksgiving was about being with people that love and care about you. It was about sharing the years happenings and the future. This year I thank God for my family and friends.

Today was my first day working out since Tuesday. It felt really good to be back in the gym and I did not gain a pound. Tonight my plan is to make out my workout schedule for the month of December. My workout goal is to focus on agility training. I feel the need to run so most of my classes will include some form of cardio. I can see a ton of boot camp classes in my future :-).

Well, that is all for today. All of you please have a wonderful day.

The Lion In Me!

I have been a lion for the past three days but not in a good way. Major cravings for dark chocolate. I ate 3 pieces of Dove dark chocolate promises but it did not work. These cravings are overwhelming especially when there is no reason for the cravings. Since the answer was not there, I decided to do 10 jumping jacks and 10 push-ups whenever the craving flamed up. Let me tell you the craving pass very fast when exercise is involve. I can not give in because I have done it so many times in the past. My life is different and I can afford to return to my old habits. Life is good and I don't want to mess things up.

I will not blame these cravings on hormone changes, emotions or that time of the month. If I did that I would be justifying why it is okay to eat the junk foods. The most important thing I have learn from this craving battle is that taking one bit will lead to 50 more bits. For me this is very dangerous. The Dove promise satisfied me for only 5 minute but after that I wanted more. I had to find a solution. Exercise will kill the cravings.

Clothes: This morning I put my size 16 pants and they fell right off. Unbelievable experience! Since I stop eating white rice and pasta over two months ago the weight has fallen off so fast. It's time to go shopping again. Wow! maybe a size 12/14. I have not seen those sizes since I was 14 years old. I have gone from a size 22 to 14 in 4 1/2 months. The average person would not believe me but I did it with better eating habits and exercise. It feels really good.

Hair: Yesterday I decided to cut my hair really short. I mean really really really short. Very close to the scalp. I wanted to be free from the hair and all that it stood for. 'I am not my hair!' As I watched my hair fall to the floor I thought to myself 'freedom at last!' What a weight lifted off my shoulders. As I walked to the mirror I could feel the cool air on my head and a big smile came to my face. The person that looked back in the mirror at me was new, fresh, happy, peaceful, light, bright, and full of love with self. It was a new day. My friends and coworkers love the new me and a few said 'I wish I had the guts to cut my hair'. Believe me it takes a strong person to do it. You have to believe in yourself and not worry about what others will think or say.

Pressure cooker: I used my pressure cooker for the first time yesterday and man is it fast. I was able to cook white beans in 20 minutes and beef cubes in 15 minutes. Very tender and yummy. Add to your Christmas gift list.

Exercise tomorrow: Weighting Lifting

Plan for the week!

Nothing much going on with me just wanted to check in with my blogging friends. To all please stay strong during this Thanksgiving week. Continue to eat healthy and workout. We can and will do it. Good luck friends!

Eating: Review my boundary list and stick with it. Watch my portions, and drink plenty of water.

Exercise: Sunday - Wednesday all cardio workouts. More energy burns more fat.

Sliding into the Danger Zone! Emotions vs. Control

Today I took a much needed rest from exercising. My body is in recovery mode now and it feels good.

Today the office was full of excitement because my director return from her 6 month maternity leave. All day I could hear chatter and laughter. Our boss is very smart and pretty hip. She is not a micro-manager and she allows us to be creative when it comes to our job. I really like that about her.

But trouble was brewing: For the first 2 hours of the excitement all I could think about was eating something. So, I grab a cheese stick, next I grabbed a slice of multigrain bread and after that I was thinking about going out to eat something really yummy, you all know what that is like. Yeah! comfort food. No! I said to myself get a grip on yourself. I set back in my chair and ask myself, "why are you behaving this way?" It was the excitement in the air. In the past I have associated happiness with food so because I was happy to see my boss I wanted to celebrate her return by eating. I was in the the danger zone of letting my food boundaries down. Man, my boss stirred up my dormant emotions. She was on leave when I decided back in July to get the weight off again for the last time. It's weird but I have an emotional attachment with her. It's time to get it under control.

The confrontation:After I confronted myself with this behavior all my cravings went away. I realized that it is okay to celebrate without eating. This is a huge awareness for me. So for lunch I ate my homemade sandwich with turkey, spinach, cheese, shredded carrots on multigrain bread. My coworker has named my sandwich the "orange slider" because I like carrots on my sandwich. My lunch was really good because I made it and I enjoyed the rest of my day. Just call me "crazyemotionalgirl".

Emotions: I must be in control of my emotions at all times because they will make trouble for me. Being happy and eating was always partners in the past. I never turned to food when I was sad. Now that I look back, I guess I was always happy because I am/was obese. No more eating on emotions for me. Asking questions is the key to success.

I am/was obese?-That is the question. I don't see myself as obese now. My friends don't see me as obese now. My doctor don't see me as obese now. So, who am I now? I have to say that I don't look fat anymore but I do have the belly rolls when I sit down. For sure there is still more to work to be done. My dress size is 16 and pants 18 as of 4 weeks ago. This is not the end for. This topic is still in the air so I will revisit it in a few weeks.

Questions of the day (emotions vs. food): What emotions do you associate food with? What do you do to control it?

Thanks for your feedback. It's nice to know that I am not alone.

Exercise tomorrow: Weight lifting and Capoeira

Giving Permission!

Hey guys I survived my weight lifting class this morning. I realized why the class has been so hard these past two weeks. With the addition of Capoiera and step aerobics I am not giving myself time to recover for my weight lifting class on Tuesday. My legs felt fatigue from my Capoiera class last night. I could not get them to work this morning for the weight lifting class. You talking about jello legs. I was showing signs of frustration during class because I was so tried. I even contemplated walking out but I did not want to give in to the fatigue. As I tuned out the instructor I thought about why my body was so tried. I turned to my 29 year old friend and said "no more step aerobics on Mondays", it's time for me to make a choice. Capoeira and weight lifting takes priority because the benefits are better for my body this month. I realized today that I am not superwoman.

Doctor's check-up: Today when my doctor saw me she almost fainted because of the my weight. She said "you look so skinny and much taller". She ask for my secret. I told her no secret just food boundaries and exercise. She wanted to know more about my food boundaries and I told her that I cut out all the junk, fat, and processed foods. After checking my ears she told me not to deprive myself of all the bad stuff. According to her, it's okay to eat a small bit of pie or ice cream every once in awhile. I assured her that I was not depriving myself of those things I just had no desire to eat them anymore. It was funny to hear her give me permission to eat junk food. She is very sweet but no junk for me.

Permission to eat: For the past few days I have heard so many people giving themselves and others permission to eat any and everything because of the holidays. This is how it sounds "it's okay to eat that because it's the holidays". The media loves to give us permission but later tell us how wrong it was for us to do it. Sadly, I have read that a few bloggers are giving up on their health journey because of the holidays. They are writing about how hard it is to stick with their health plans during the holidays. I just want to tell them to stay strong this will pass. My instructor told us 2 months ago that the average American will gain between 8 - 15 pounds (give and take a few) between Halloween and New Years. Those numbers are disturbing for the obese community. I don't want to go down that road again so I will give myself permission not to overeat and stay away from the foods with no nutritional value. I am looking forward to the holidays and all that comes with it.

Exercise: rest and relax tomorrow

Question of the day: Will you give yourself permission to eat any and everything? Why?

Have a wonderful day!

Mr. Heartburn Pill! No Thank You!

I would like to send you all that commented on my last blog a big thank you!

Food: Yesterday I added pork ribs to my boundary list. I cooked a small slab in the oven and after eating them I had to ask myself "why did I eat that?" I hate that question! I put them on the list because after eating (3 ribs) I felt stuffed, bloated, tried, and greasy. My body did not like them so they made the list. My system has changed over the past 4 months so that is why these types foods are being added to my list. I also believe that listening to my body is really causing me to stop eating these foods.

The other day I saw a heartburn commercial and the actor was holding her stomach because her belly was upset and on fire. The commercial was recommending a heartburn pill that will help stop the burn and allow her to continue eating. Well, I thought "okay take this pill that is a chemical because it will solve my problem." This is silly information. My body is rejecting this food for a reason so why continue to eat it even with the heartburn pill. No, thank you Mr. Heartburn Pill! For me I had to laugh because people will do any and everything to continue to eat the foods that the body is rejecting. One thing I have notice since I started listening to my body is that it never rejects fresh veggies, fruits, lean meats, and whole grain foods. I think my body is the smart one in the house!

Exercise: I did a 45 minute step class and 1:40 minute Capoeira class. My balance and strength has improved so much over the past month. I have to give it up to my Capoeira class. This class has been a wonderful addition to my workout program. Tomorrow I have "crackgirl" weight lifting-class in the morning. I think she will go for blood because next week is Thanksgiving. It will be a kick butt class.

Question of the day: What foods have your body rejected?

Causality of Obesity! Dedication Story

I want to dedicate my blog to the passing of one of my dearest friends of 15 years Dwight. He passed away Thursday evening from heart and kidney failure at the age of 53.

He was my Dboy aka Bigboy. Dboy was a victim or causality of what we are all blogging about "obesity". I met him in the Cardiology office were I worked in 1994. I remember that first day well because I was ordered to bring two scales in the exam room because Dwight was coming in that day. I ask "why two scales?" and the doctor said because he is big boy. I could not wait to see him because I had never seen a person that needed to be weighed on two scales. So he arrived and the only thing I noticed about him was his huge smile. Not his big body but his smile. This guy weighed 650 pounds but his smiled weighed 1000. He was the most polite man I had ever met. I had no idea that day we would become the best of friends.

Over the years he struggled with his weight and always wanted to reduce it but he had no idea how to. He was on all kinds of programs but they all failed in the end. He was not a good candidate for the gastric bypass because his heart was so bad. I encouraged him to join the YMCA and take water aerobics which he enjoyed but he would always have health set backs that would take him away from exercising. Dwight always told me how much he loved me and appreciated my help. He would joke about our friendship stating "I never thought I could love a girl that I have never kissed or held hands with" but that was our relationship. He was like a big brother to and I enjoyed talking with him.

Dwight stopped living life on July 16, 2007 when he left his house for the last time to go into the hospital because of kidney failure. His hope was always to go back home but that was not going to happen. He was being keep alive but he was not living life. According to all his doctors obesity was the cause of his health problems that lead up to his death on Thursday. Dwight was a fighter because he was not ready to go. He had big dreams like traveling, seeing his son's graduate from college, attending their weddings, meeting his grandchildren. He even wanted to get married and have more kids of his own. Well, he will have to watch all of that from above now.

This is my message to you friend: Thank you for being my friend and brother. I am so happy that you can rest in peace now because you deserve it. Peace and love always my friend.

In loving memory June 17, 1956 - November 12, 2009

My 4 Month Weight Reduction! & A Funny Story to Share.

I would like to say thanks to all of you for commenting on my post yesterday. I cherish you all so much. I forgot to share how much I have lost so far. As of today-4 months later:

Weight loss: 28 pounds
Fat lost: 15%
Dress size: down from size 22 to 18/16-belly 18/legs 16. Yes, I have a neck now according to one of my coworkers. I still like her!

This is a wonderful accomplishment for me because I have struggle for so many years not knowing what to do. In the end it was my job to do the research and design the plan that was right for me and my life. That is why it is working.

One of my set backs in the past was going back to my same bad health habits thinking I could maintain the weight that was loss. This is why it so important to look at weight lose as a life change not a diet.

Here is a funny story that happen today: My friend that I will call "Tgirl" invited me to lunch. As we set waiting for our meal she told me about this new diet that her friend was on. She explained how her friend loss 40 pounds without exercising. So, being curious I ask "Wow! how did she do that?" She said her new diet included foods like grilled chicken, salads, oatmeal, veggies, no fats, or sweets. And not eating after 5 p.m. I said "Oh! she is eating healthy" and my friend said (this is the funny part) "No! she is on a diet." I said is she planning to go back to her old bad eating habits? and my friend said "Yes!". So I said "well I think your friend should hold on to her larger pant sizes because she will gain all that weight back and maybe more". My friend looked at me with confusion and said "well I am going to try it her way for awhile." I realized at that point she was not ready to her what really need to be done. So, our food came and we talked more and laughed even more. I love me friend but now I can understand why she struggles so much with losing weight.

Just from that conversation I learned why obese people struggle with weight. It's because we think eating healthy is a diet and it is something to do when we want to lose weight for a special event or to fit in a smaller jean size. We don't think long term and a diet of healthier eating should be our standard diet for life. I will call it the Healthy Life Diet that includes: healthy carbs, proteins, fruits, veggies, and less sugar/fats/salt. Eating this way will keep the weight off for life with a few needed changes and exercises. It blows my mind to hear that someone would go back to their old ways of eating and risk the chance of gaining the weight back. We have to look at healthy eating, portion control and exercise as a way of life. But as my friend said "it's a diet".

Exercise today: Weight lifting-my regular instructor went to London for 2 weeks so we had a new lady. She was really good but not as crazy and hard as the regular instructor. This lady worked us out soft but we still kicked up a sweat. My body is still trying to recover from my Tuesday slam class so having it a little soft was okay with me. I have Capoeira tonight so I am sure my body will be needing a well deserve rest tomorrow. I will be in the bed until noon.

To all have a wonderful and safe weekend.

Designing My Own Plan!

Over four months ago I set out on a mission to eat healthier, lose weight and blog about it. It has been an incredible journey with many highs, few lows, plans, changes, and rewards. Before this journey started I took a week to find out why it has been a struggle for me to lose weight. So, I came up with a few reasons for my 20 year struggle:
1. I was not committed 100% to losing the weight.
2. I did not have a weight lose plan.
3. I did not have a weight lose goal.
4. I did not understand the connection between food and living a healthy life.
5. I did not understand which exercise plan was needed to lose weight.

I reviewed my struggles and decided to go deeper inside: It hit me, I needed my own weight lose and exercise plan. It was important for me to take time to research the health benefits of eating healthier and exercising. There are many diet plans that have been designed by others and geared towards their needs. It's so easy to pay someone else to plan my health goals but will it really work for me long term. No is my answer. It has been proven that "what works for you might not work for me". I realized that this is my body and I know it better than anyone out there. It was time for me to take ownership of my health and believe in it. My goal was to make my own plan and stick with it.

It was time for me to do the work so I started the research: My plan was to find the benefits of eating healthy and exercising. My focus was to learn how protein, carbs, cholesterol, sugar, fats, and salt affected the body. During my research I learn to listen to my body to find out how my body react to food. After eating I waited for my body show signs of bloating or other not so nice sounds. So I had to focused on my burping/gas action. Don't laugh but this is how your body tells you what it like or dislike. Now I eat foods that my system likes. No gas or burping on this plan.

My next goal was to educate myself on how to be active but have fun as well: During my research of different types of exercises I found that obese people must lift weights and do cardio to reduce body fat. Muscle relaxation is important as well. I had to design my exercise plan in a way that included: cardio, strength, toning, balance, and relaxation. The design needed to include exercises that would take me out of my comfort zone. My plan was to take classes that build my confidence as well as relax my mind.

The best of all is the benefits of pampering myself. This is just as important as eating healthy and exercising. I had to find ways to reward my mind and body for all the work. Pampering myself is like giving myself a paycheck but in the form of a massage or body treatment.

My advice is to come up with your own plan by listening to our body and researching the benefits of living a healthier life. Make a decision to write your own diet plan that includes good food, exercise, pampering, and goals. Planning it requires living it!

Good luck to you all!

My Instructor aka Crack Girl Is Crazy!

My workout today was a total beat down. The instructor -aka- crack girl kicked our butts. OMG! it was so hard that I had to call "cut" before the end of class. Crack girl had us go from lunges to squats, to jumping jacks, to skips, to around the world and back all in 3 minutes. We did that for the first 45 minutes of the class. It was so hard that even the best of the best had to step out the room for a few minutes.

Even my 100% girl was out of breath and dizzy. She ask the instructor "hey what are you trying to do to us?" crack girl just gave her a smile and said "next move". Lazy girl was in the class as well trying to keep up. She thinks the instructor is crazy but she loves the class. She is working out and enjoying every bit of it.

My body is still smothering and very sore. Between this class twice a week and my Capoeira class three times a week my body is asking for rest. These are some demanding classes because every part of the body is being used. I am very happy to report that I did 7 girl push-ups today without taking a break. That is a milestone for me because I have not had the upper body strength. Capoeira is helping me gain upper body strength.

Speaking of Capoeira: in class we worked on our defense moves. We did a ton of stooping, squatting, blocking, and grabbing. From what I can tell "women fight dirty" and the guys let us know it too. I practiced with the guys because they appeared to be sweeter. Every class is pushing me further and further out of my c-zone. This class really builds confidence.

This is it for today! I need rest. Enjoy your day.

Tomorrow exercise: Yoga

Tomorrow post will be: Making your own health plan

Simple and Healthy!-My American plate

This was my dinner and it was delicious and very simple.

Lamb meatballs:

1 pound ground lamb (makes12 meatballs) freeze well.
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder

Mix well and shape into flat meatballs. Bake in a 350 oven for 15 minutes.

Mixed greens bag mix (collards, chard, mustard's): boiled in salted water for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes.

Breakfast was 1/2 cup of rolled oats w/milk.
Lunch was multi-grain toast w/apple.

Simple cooking and happy belly. I don't feel guilty about not following the American plate guide to a larger me.

Simple and healthy!

The American Plate is Out of Condition!

Old Eating Conditions: I was thinking about how Americans have been conditioned to eat: We have been encourage to eat 1 meat, 1 veggie, 1 starch all at one meal. I was looking through a few magazines and noticed how all the plates had the same theme as the one I talked about above. Even our holiday plates have the theme which is pushed on us by the media and grocery stores. They tell us it's tradition so don't break it. And right after the holidays the media that has told us for 2 months to eat start showing the half shots of fat folks walking down the street asking "why are Americans so fat?" It's all crazy to me!

Let's take the typical American Thanksgiving plate: Turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce. Okay, this is my question: "Why is all that food encouraged at one setting?" It's the holidays I am aware of that so let's exclude the holidays. What about all the other days. Can a person just eat veggies one night and the next night eat meat? Why do we need to eat 3 to 4 types of food on one plate? I understand balancing it all out but it's a lot of food being consumed in one setting. Can we spread it out over the day?

The plate above was taken about a year ago before I saw the light. It was a typical plate for me and most of my friends. As I look back at that plate I think to myself, why! Too much food for one person and that is why I weighed 285 pounds and walked in a size 22 pair of jeans. Know that plate would look totally different. I would eat the salad and the meatballs only. So for the past 2 days I decided to eat 1-2 foods per meal. Here is my example:

New way:
Breakfast: 1/3 cup Rolled -Oatmeal w/milk
Lunch: Grilled chicken w/banana
Snack: Cheese stick
Dinner: Broccoli

Old way:
Breakfast: 1 boiled egg, 1 slice multi-grain toast, banana
Lunch: Grilled chicken, 2 red potatoes, spinach
Snack: Fruit w/ cheese stick
Dinner: Meat, starch, veggie

I don't like the condition of the American plate and I will not feel guilty for turning my back on it. They want us to eat to much food even if it is good for us. According to one of the food pyramid websites we should consume 6-11 serving of grains, 3-5 servings of veggies, 2-4 servings of fruit, 2-3 servings of milk/cheese and 3-2 servings of meat/beans. So much food for one person in one day.

The new way works for me. It looks like I am starving myself but my belly is very happy. I believe in making it simple and healthy. My food theme this month was Mediterranean dishes but I decided to ax it because the recipes called for a lot olive oil and spices. I really want to stay away from all the oils. So I will try this style of eating for the rest of the month and write about it often. It should be about quality not quantity when it comes to the American plate. This is just my rant for the week so please forgive me.

Exercise:
Yesterday I attended my second Capoiera class and it was very challenging. There was a different instructor teaching and I have to say his style is tough but fun. The first hour-half was all warm up with a few tricks. I did mini cartwheels (Au'), back-crawls, side slides, and back kicks. All of these brought me completely out of my comfort zone. I had the biggest smile on my face because I could not believe I was doing these moves. We did a ton of core and arm work. I had to stop to catch me breath a few times during a few of the exercises but I got right back into it. The class is amazing. I have another class tomorrow with the focus being on the spiritual side of the art.