Thanks For The Award!

Thank You Claire! I really appreciate you acknowledging my blog by giving me a 'sweet friend' award. Your encouraging words mean so much to me. My blogging friends mean so much to me and my road to a better me. Claire thank you again for being my blogging friend.

Getting better: Still nursing a cold but with plenty of rest and sleep my body is getting back to normal. I decided to make a small pot of chicken soup and I have to admit that the congestion in my head has cleared up. I have to admit that chicken soup works and should always be part of the healing process.

Absent from the gym: This is rare for me but I want to have a pity party about not going to the gym this week. (Give me 5 seconds, okay 6) It's sucks and I am so jealous of all the folks that made it to the gym this week. I just need to smell it and feel all the energy that comes with the gym. I am sure everybody at the gym would really appreciate me not coming in to spread my germs but I miss it so much. The gym has been a true friend and about 60% of my life for the past 7 months. All my friends talked about their workouts this week and how strong they feel. I loved hearing their stories but man it was really hard. So, getting back to reality my plan is to give my body what it needs to heal so if that means passing up the gym this weekend that is what I will do. I might go out to the beach tomorrow for a little walk and fresher air. I love walking on the beach because it brings me so much peace.

Question of the day: How long have you gone without exercising since you started your journey?

Fitting In The Seat Again!

My first day back in school was wonderful. The first thing I noticed when I set down in the front row was that I fit in the seat. Over two years ago I could not fit in the seat because of my belly. Going to school at the age of 41 is so rewarding. It means more and I am doing it my way. So the count down is on - 1 week down and 13 more to go.

I am a girl with a cold! I have not been in the gym since Saturday because of a cold that I am fighting. I don't want to expose others so I am going to keep my germs home until I feel better. I am lefting weights between naps so all is not lost.

Wishing you all a happy week!

Balancing Act!

Just checking in! Schools starts tomorrow so I need to prepare for my challenges. This will be a true balancing act between getting my education and living a healthier life. I welcome the challenge!

I will have more to say in a few days! All have a wonderful week!

Opportunity Cost!

Today I thought about the meaning of Opportunity Cost and how it relates to me living a healthier life. Now for all of you folks with your business degrees please forgive my comparison. This is my world and it can be a little strange sometimes. According to Wikipedia-Opportunity Cost is the value of the next-best choice available to someone who has picked between several mutually exclusive choices. The opportunity cost of the decision is what you had to give up to get what you want. I made the choice and the sacrifice to live a happy and healthier life. The following are the top 3 best choices for me to reach my goal:

Cost of designing a health plan: Having a monthly plan defines who I am and my direction. I gave up a life of living out of control which contributed to my poor eating habits.

Cost of going to the gym: Going to the gym helps strengthens and build my muscles. By focusing on these areas of my body it helps me reduce my weight. I gave up the freedom to say 'no' to the gym which caused me to gain weight and look like crap in my clothes.

Cost of not binging: By changing my binging behavior it helps me enjoy all foods without feeling guilty after eating them. I gave up the behavior of overeating because it was time to stop the out of control eating habits.

It is very important for me to remember that an opportunity can cost. Not living a healthier life will lead me back down the road of guilt, sorrow and distractions. For me that is a road that must stay close. It is very important for me to review my health plan everyday because it reminds me of the cost of living healthier.

Question of the day: What would be the cost of going back to your old ways of living? Has it been worth the cost?

Thank you all for responding to my questions. Your comments help me see how others feel about their journey. I don't feel like I am the only one going through this. It really helps!

Improved LIfe!

Thanks Melissa for the blog award. It's was awesome to be thought of. You all have have been so inspiring to me and my journey to a smaller and better me. Thanks so much!

When I first started this blog back in July of last year my goal was to reduce me weight. Know my goal is to be a better and healthier person. I can not believe how my life has change since July: First, I am so happy with myself as a person. I don't beat myself up everyday like I did in the past about being overweight. If you look back at the earlier months you will really see my struggle with myself. Second, I stop making excuses and I do what need to be done to live a healthier life. Third, I am a planner and I stick with the plan for a healthier me. Before I would just ignore my so-call plan and do and eat whatever I wanted to eat. Lastly, I take time to reflect on my accomplishments and say to myself "good job lady - you did it". The secret for me was to take the time to understand my habits (good/bad) and correct them if I need to do so. Yes! I had many things to correct about myself. When I first started I was a fulltime job but know I am a parttime job. Sticking with the plan makes life a lot easier. Thanks to you all for being so supporting all these months.

Exercise: It's crazy raining here in San Diego but I made it to my weight lifting class. The class was full dispite all the rain. I was in the 100% club.

Eating department: Okay! I have been binging on the homemade bread for a few days. I got it under control by slicing the bread and freezing it. There is something about frozen food that turns my binging behavior off. I make my lunch sandwich with frozen bread and by the time lunch comes around it is nice and soft. So, don't worry it's all good!

My question of the day: How has your life improved since you started your journey?

Have a awesome day!

Smaller and Stronger Ballerina!

Being a ballerina: Today I was thinking about the first day I walked into my ballet class. When I looked around the room and I saw all those young skinny ladies warming up for class my heart starting beating out of my chest. For a moment I felt like running out of that place because of my lack of ballet experience, age and size.

When the ballet teacher arrive I asked him if I was too big for the class. He looked at me and said no - not for this level. That was good enough for me. As I turned to look at myself in the mirror I started to smile at myself because I could not believe I was taking a ballet class at my age and size. This took guts and confidence and I completed the 16 week course with flying color and a ton of respect for myself. I proved to myself that I could do leaps, run, roll, and balance myself just as well as the skinny girls.

So this semester I will be signing up for ballet level II just to push myself a little further. I am sure the teacher will be surprise to see me at my new size. I can not wait to see how high I can leap now that I have dropped the weight. Everyday is a new challenge in my world

Exercise tomorrow: Weight lifting and Kickboxing
Exercise Sunday: Cycling

Go San Diego Chargers!

A Flower For You All!

Pick your flower! This picture is dedicated to all my blogging friends. I just want to say thanks again to you all for the wonderful comments on my post yesterday. All your comments touched my heart because you all proved to me that we are doing this all for different reasons.

It was nice to read how many of you started out going to the gym to reduce your weight but changed direction. I can tell you all love it and understand why exercising must be a part of our daily life. Thanks to you all again.

Question of the day: How do you support a friend that hates to exercise but need to reduce her weight because the doctor told her too? Little history. Today my friend doctor told her she has high blood pressure because of her weight. The doctor would like for her to reduce her weight by 60 pounds with the first 10 pounds gone by June of this year. I have given her suggestions but she just shoot them down. Her #1 excuse is - no time. I told her to start walking but she don't think that will work. I can not think of anything that will help her. I told her that it will take time and work.

So, I am calling out for any suggestions. Thanks!

The Real Reason for This!

Yesterday in class my new weight lifting instructor gave us two phrases of advice.

First: It takes hard work to look pretty.

Second: Our workout will be easier if we reduce our weight.

He was brutal but he seem to really care about us. This guy has a real passion for exercising and getting the job done.

He did something I have never seen before. He called all the folks up to the front that was hoping to gain weight. Yes! gain weight. I was surprise to see how many people walked up front. He told them that their workout will be different. He gathered them and started them out on their road to gaining weight. I noticed a few nervous and fearful faces. But after a few moments that all changed and the class turned out to be a lot of fun for us all. It was interesting to see all the different exercises for folks trying to gain weight.

I thought about these folks after class and realized we are all at the gym for different reasons. Some are there to bulk up, reduce weight, gain agility, build strength, improve stamina, fit in that new dress or just find a place to relax. We all have a reason for working out.

After class I felt inspired and motivated not to forget my reasons for working out. This is something I must think about everyday and plan for it every week. My reason is very clear - reduce the fat on my waist, legs, and arms. If I don't think about my purpose the old habits will return and I will gain the weight back. I can not go back!

My questions of the day: What is your real reason for working out/going to the gym?

Lyricgirl Salad Sandwich!

Last night I made homemade applesauce bread in my bread machine and I just had to show it off. Since I am on a budget my plan is to make my own bread because I love eating sandwiches for for lunch. I will call this sandwich: Lyricgirl Salad Sandwich-made with:

1 slice of homemade applesauce bread cut in half
shredded purple cabbage
shredded carrots
mix baby greens
purple onion sliced thin
1 slice of ham
1 slice turkey
1/2 slice muenster cheese
1 tsp cranberry chutney
1 tsp whole grain mustard

Mix all veggies with whole grain mustard
build sandwich - spread cranberry chutney on meat

It's the perfect sandwich salad for the day. Enjoy!

Applesauce bread recipe for the bread machine: 1 1/2 pound loaf

This order:
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg - beaten
2 tablespoons, unsalted butter
3 cups bread flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar - optional - The bread is sweet with it in
1 tablespoon gluten -optional
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - I used pumpkin spice
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons, SAF yeast

Set machine
Medium crust
Program Basic or Sweet Bread cycle

Pampering my self: Yesterday was my scheduled massage. I had no clue how sore my body really was. The first 15 minutes was painful when the therapist put pressure on my body. She worked on my hip and butt cheeks for 45 minutes because of all the knots. After the massage I felt like a cloud looks. I was so scared to walk because I did not want the pain to come back. After dinner out with my buddy I came home and soaked in the tub for 1 hour. I had a good night rest. This morning I woke up sore but not in pain. Once I start moving around the soreness went away. I would like to thank God for giving me the funds to pamper myself twice a month. I don't know how I went so long without doing it. It's worth every penny.

Workout week: Today, I did not workout because I wanted to stay in my massage mode. This week workouts will include free weight training, weight lifting cardio, yoga, and Zumba.

Food this week: This week I will re-introduce rice into my diet because I want to work on my binging behavior. I found that Trader Joe's carry frozen brown rice that is packed by serving size. This is what I need portion control and the rice is very tasty. I decided not to binge just enjoy in small amounts. I can do it!

Hoping you all have a wonderful week!

Pamper Yourself!

Yoga is the word of the day, tomorrow and Sunday. This weekend is all about relaxing at the spa and reflecting on the first week of 2010.

I hope you all have a wonderful and safe weekend. Find 1 hour this weekend to pamper yourself because you all deserve it.

The Skinny Folks Need Us!

First thing first! Sorry if the picture scares you guys. I really need to go on a photo shot.

Second thing 1st! You guys are so awesome with the comments. My dream is for all of us to plan a reunion somewhere in the U.S. like Scottsdale, AZ or Chicago, Ill so we can finally meet. We can all stay at a 5 star resort and just have a blast.

This morning I felt like a 99 year old lady as I rolled out of bed. I had the hardest time walking. When I arrive at work my coworker ask me if I was okay. I told him just sore muscles no pain. Here is my question of the day: Is being sore the same as being in pain? Can I call soreness pain? Forgive me I was raised by goats! Strange question but I need to be educated.

Yoga was my true friend today: It was my therapist, boyfriend, girlfriend, and my happy place. The first 15 minutes are the hardest but after that my body was rolling. There was no pain or soreness after class.

Skinny folks need us: Don't be afraid to workout with extra weight on your bodies. We all deserve to workout. I have to admit that I am the heaviest person in all my classes but I am a motivator for the skinny folks. I spoke about being a visual motivator when I started this blog. When skinny people see heavy folks they work harder. It's hard to admit but for me that is my motivation as well because I have to look at myself in the mirror everyday. The difference know is, I am my own cheerleader for myself and I love myself more. The skinny people in my classes are very friendly and encouraging. They love to come up to me a say "great job and keep it up." I have learned a lot from skinny people like: It's takes hard work and dedication to stay skinny. So I would like to encourage my people to get out there with the skinny folks because they need us!

Have a great day!

Being in Balance!

Today I got my butt kicked in my weight lifting class. My instructor returned after being gone for 2 weeks and she was ready to kill us. This lady is all about cardio because that was the focus for about 30 minutes of the class. I can tell that the other instructors focus on lifting so my heart was out of shape. Today my body is very sore and broke down. Tomorrow is yoga so it will be a rest day for me.

Being in balance: This month is all about finding a balance when it comes to workout. By adding yoga and pilates to my routine of weight lifting and cardio it gives my body time to rest and lengthen my muscles.

Feeling less pressure: This month I feel less pressure to double up on my workouts because my body is getting leaner with more muscle mass. I still need to workout five days a week but now it feels like a nice routine and part of my life. There will be shake-up classes but not as many.

Feeling good about my eating choices: I don't feel the urge to binge. This is good news for me because it means I have changed my bad behavior. Pasta and rice is still on my no-no list only because of the way I feel after eating them. I feel bloated, tried, gross, and unhappy. It's not worth all the drama.

Still pampering myself: This weekend I am schedule for an 1 1/2 massage and my body is in need of one. Pampering myself is a gift that I give to myself twice a month. If I have to pick up cans and bottles to pay for my massage that is what I will do. This is a requirement.

Workout schedule for the month: 5 Pilate Pulse classes, 8 Core Central classes, 8 Weight Lifting classes, 4 Zumba classes and 4 Yoga classes.

So that is my life this month!

My Happy List In 2010!

Five things that will make me happy in 2010:

1. Not being diagnosed with cancer will make me happy in 2010.
2. Becoming totally debt free will make me happy in 2010.
3. Not losing my job will make me happy in 2010.
4. Getting rid of all the fat on my belly will make me happy in 2010.
5. Finishing six college courses will make me happy in 2010.

My 1st happy goal is out of my control but I can do things like not getting stressed, eating healthier and getting a doctor check up to stay healthy.
My 2nd happy goal is totally in my control and that will be done by the end of April. Debt free for life!
My 3rd happy goal is to continue to work hard and be a great asset to my company. My heart goes out to the folks that are unemployed. Stay strong!
My 4th happy goal is in my control as well. Workout 5 days a week and watch my portions because that will get the job done.
My 5th happy goal is in my control. I have used all the above as reasons for not going back to school but that is all over. My goal is to get my degree in two years. No more excuses!

This list is in order of importance. The list is short because I do not want to overwhelm myself. 2010 is about keeping life simple but getting the job done.

Question of the day: Have you made a happy list for 2010?

Pilates in 2010!

Pilates in 2010: Today was my first Pilates class of the year and it was wonderful. My plan this month is to take 3 Pilates Infusion classes per week. My goal is to work this belly and inner thighs off. The instructor was a former dancer and his body was build like one. He was very lean with nice muscle tone. The class was not the traditional Pilates class and I was okay with that. We did a ton of ballet moves that focused on the abs. Some of the moves challenged me but I hung in there. My plan was to do a weight lifting class right after but the Pilates class was the perfect full body workout. I took a 4 hour nap when I got home.

My post is short and sweet tonight!

What I Learned In 2009!

Inspired - I am so inspired and ready to make 2010 the best year of my 41 years on this earth. I am on a run away train with no brakes. My plan is to run through all the road blocks and over speed bumps. Yesterday, I informed my friends and family that the road is open so hop on. In 2009 I learned so many things about myself and tested the waters of change. In 2010 my goal is make things happen and see results.

What I learned in 2009:

1.- I learned in 2009 that I did not have the support of some of my friends. It hurt but I got over it.

2. - I learn being honest with myself was going to be the key to my success.

3. - I learned to recognize distractions.

4. - I learned that putting a plan on paper was a great way to hold myself accountable.

5. - I learned and accepted my binging behavior and stop it.

6. - I learned to pamper myself because my body deserved it.

7. - I learned that weight lifting is a great way to drop weight fast.

8. - I learned to put myself first and not feel guilty about it.

9. - I learned to love myself no matter what happens.

Dumping Toxic Friendships: I also made a decision not to hold on to toxic friendships because that is bad for my health as well. Yesterday, I was able to get the last toxic person out of my life. There has only been 2, thank God. I will call her "grudgegirl". She invited me to her New Years party yesterday and I told her I had plans. She snobbishly said "okay that is strike 2 for you" and I said "no let's make that strike 3 on you". I informed her that true friends don't put strikes on one another. As I look back she has been toxic for many years but I put up with it because I did not have to see her as much. She is known for holding petty grudges and judging others. So, I politely wished her a Happy New Year and made up my mind that she has to go for good. There is no purpose or room for her in my life. I felt wonderful because I honored myself. Like MJB sings "No More Drama"!