Recap!

Workout: I had a wonderful workout weekend. This week I will start taking the stairs when possible. I have always avoided the stairs because they make me tried but that is only an excuse. This weekend I saw this elderly lady (80) working out on the stair master machine for at 30 minutes at a high pace. She but me to shame so I am inspired and will be working on my stair master moves.

Eating: Still enjoying my organic food. I had two birthday parties this weekend and I enjoyed all the good stuff but in moderation. I wish more restaurants offered organic dishes but I know that would not be a money maker for them.

School: Last week was my first week of summer school and let me say it was a very interesting week. It was only the first week of class and the professor had to kick two people out class for disrespect. I had no idea that Anthropology could bring so much anger out of people. The professor was teaching us about evolution and how we evolved and it upset many people in the class that believe God created earth. She asked us to "suspend our belief" for 8 weeks and be open to evolution and many in the class did not want to do that so a few decided to argue with her and that caused her to kick them out of class. I have no idea what is going to happen this week but I hope we can get through class without kicking more people out. I believe in God because that is how I was raise but I'm very interested and open to learn more about the evolution theory. Most of my friends believe in God as well but they do have questions about the bible. I had some wonderful conversations about evolution with my friends and a little shocked to find out how much they know about evolution. I love learning!

Garden: My garden started growing last week. I started a new blog to track my garden. It has been fun and it's really cool to see food grow.

Recipe Request: I have a ton of kale and I have no clue what to do with it. Do you have any good recipes for kale? Thanks and have a great week!

Focusing on the Insides!

Yesterday was my first day of summer school. The subject is "physical anthropology". I decided to take this class because I want to learn and add new words to my vocabulary. The professor and most of the people in the class are very interesting. There was a lot of interesting questions about why different cultures do what they do.

I finished college over 20 years ago and my degree help me get a great job and that job has allowed me to travel and that is a good thing. But, now I am in school to learn without the pressure of needing to finish so I can get a job. Now I can take the classes that I am interested in like anthropology, history, psychology, human development, biology, chemistry and so many more. When I am in class my brain is like a firecracker just sparking and bursting off with knowledge. I love the knowledge.

Exercise and Eating news: My body is sore after all the workout classes from last weekend so I need to pump up my stretching routine. Eating is going very well and balance.

Blood test results: I saw my doctor yesterday and she was very pleased with my recent blood test. All the numbers came back within normal range and some better than normal. She was very pleased to see that my kidneys are doing very well. I am always worry about my kidneys because I had a third of my kidney removed because of a cancerous tumor. So all my hard work over the past year has paid off on the inside. Lower cholesterol and blood glucose is what I was trying to achieve and I did it. Sometimes it not how you look on the outside but how the inside is working.

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Checking In!

I had a great workout weekend. Zumba is my favorite work class. I love the moves and the energy that it gives me. Zumba is a class that bring out the smiles.

Nothing else going on this week but relaxing and school.

Friday: Kickboxing and Boot Camp

Saturday: Kickboxing and Zumba

Sunday: Boot Camp and Zumba

Goodnight Fat Girl vs Skinny Girl!

Yesterday I got all my gardening supplies and seeds. The seeds, soil, and compost are all organic. So, I am very excited about starting my garden. Last night I planted beets and tomatoes. Today I will plant cabbage, beans, broccoli raab and cauliflower.

I am feeling I little guilty about posting this morning. My blog is going in a different direction. Fat girl vs Skinny girl is no more. When I started this blog almost a year ago I was in this major battle with myself. I was confused on how to reduce my weight, what to eat, how to exercise, how to live life as a fat girl. The first and most important thing I did for myself was to toss the scale out. That scale brought me heartache and pain. When I looked down at the scale and saw the number of an obese lady it made me feel like a failure. One day I was talking to my friend of 20 years about it and she changed my life. She told me that I was not a failure and she had never seen me fail at anything. My mom had to second that and she has known me since I was born ;-). It felt really good to hear that and I ran with it.

Over the past year I have learned to love myself, take care of myself by eating healthy, reducing stress, getting more sleep, taking more vacations, getting toxic people out of my life and feeling good about all my choices. My life is so much better since I started my journey and in the end it had nothing to do with the weight. I have to admit that since I started this blog I have lost a total of 22 pounds which is not bad at all. My belly is smaller and my body looks leaner. This journey was about me believing in myself and realizing that I am a okay person. I have a great family, great friends and a wonderful life. It's about acceptance and that is what I have done.

So, this might sound like a farewell post but it is not. I will still be posting but not about my failures but about my successes. My future post will not be how I need to maintain but how I am living. Melissa, (Getting healthy with Melissa) left me a comment and she said that I was in a "good place" and I thought about how true that comment was. It feels so good to be in a good place and being able to recognize it. Sometimes we need to just stop and ask ourselves are we in a great place.

Before I end today I would like to thank all my blogging friends and this community. It has been a blessing to be part of this world. My plan in the future is to put the name of my blog to "bed" and introduce the new name. Thank you Fat Girl vs Skinny Girl and goodnight!


Organic news! let me tell you how eating organic can make you "starve yourself". Around 11:30 a.m. my stomach started to talk to me but I did not have anything to eat at work. I was suppose to only be at work for 2 hours so my plan was to eat at home. Okay, two hours turned into 4 hours and my stomach was really hungry. So, I went to the office refrigerator to see if I had any food left over from earlier in the week and of course I did not. But my coworker and dear friend had an apple in there but it was not organic. I pick it up and looked at it and thought it's only one non-organic apple, go on, eat it. (little Adam and Eve thing going on in my head) I could not do it because I though about all the chemicals that was used to grow it. So, I poured a big glass of water and told myself to wait until I go home. I was very proud of myself for waiting and not giving in. I am also happy to write that next week I will be visiting one of the organic farms here in San Diego county that provide the veggies and fruits that I buy. This will be my first time to a farm and I am very excited. My grandmother had a huge urban garden in Houston during the 70's and 80's. She dug up her front yard and grew fresh veggies year around. She would also share with her neighbors and she inspired them to plant their own gardens. So in the middle of a low income neighbors you could see gardens in every direction. It was the most beautiful sight to see. Love you grandmother!

Question of the day! What place are you in today?

The weekend is here!

I am looking forward to working out this weekend. On the schedule tomorrow is kickboxing and boot camp. My mind and heart can not wait to get my heart rate up. My muscles have recovered very good.

Eating is going well. Still 100% organic and eating smaller portions. That $18 chicken (2) I bought last week taste really good and taste different from the non-organic chickens. I will be able to eat off of these two chickens for about 2 1/2 weeks. Tonight I went meatless and had black beans, rice, and broccoli. It was very tasty.

Last Friday I had my yearly mammogram and they call me back on Monday stating they saw a few spots and ask me to come back on Wednesday for more films and an ultrasound. Well, today I found out that I had two benign cyst under the breast which was not related to the breast. So, my breast are okay but I need to see my family physician for a complete exam on Tuesday. My doctor is not worried but she just want to check it out. Three years ago I had a cancerous tumor removed from my kidney so my doctor do not want to take any chances when they see something that is not right. It's always scary but I feel blessed to have insurance and the wonderful doctors that have taken care of my in the past. To all my blogging friends please take care of yourself and if you feel pain get it check out.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and I will be checking back in over the weekend.

Old Routines and Friends!

Okay, the earthquake last night felt like the "Big One" but it was only rank 5.7 on the earthquake scale. It hit at 9:36 p.m. The house rocked, rolled, and dipped. It felt like the floor was fall in. It lasted about 10 seconds but it felt like 10 minutes. When you are in an earthquakes seconds can feel like minutes. We had a 4.9 on Saturday and that one rocked the house pretty good as well. Today we talked about it for most of the morning at work. I hate when a earthquake hits during work because my office building is on rollers and that just intensify the movements. Earthquakes are part of California and that will never change.

So yesterday was my first day without going to the gym and I have to say it was really nice. I was able to come home earlier and clean my kitchen really good. In the past I have always been to tried to do anything after work and my workout. So coming home even to clean is not bad at all. Today, I was able to clean my bathroom and scrub the floor by hand. It smells really nice and looks very shiny. I was even able to talk to my 87 year old grandmother to catch up on all the family drama back in Texas. So my new schedule have some wonderful benefits. I will have a cleaner house and a happier family.

For lunch I went out with a friend of mine that is expecting her 2nd bundle of joy. She just found out the she was having another girl. She is totally a girly mom so I was expected her 2nd to be a girl. Okay back on track, after lunch my stomach did not feel so good. I had a cup for tomato soup (gourmet style) and a slice of basil and cheese pizza. The food was not organic but it of good quality. I have notice in the past few weeks when I eat non-organic food my stomach hurts really bad. I am not sure if there is a true correlation but something is not right.

Orange Tree: My friend has two orange trees in her backyard so this will be my source for oranges and they are organic. She also has a lemon and lime tree so that will take care of the citrus. I have a few more friends that have plums, peaches, and apple trees that I can go shopping off of anytime of the week. This will help reduce my organic budget a bit. The nice thing about living in California is the abundance of fruit trees in the area. It's also nice to have friends that will share.

This morning I informed my workout friends that I would not be working out with them during the week and to my surprise they seemed really happy about it. They wanted to make a workout change as well but they felt obligated to stick with the old routine and the group. Most of them agreed that it was getting to be a little routine and boring. So in the end they will go their own way and we will meet every once in awhile for a bike ride or hike.

That is it for now!

Question: Do you have a routine that is getting old?

Thanks for the comments!

Thanks for the comments. It feels really good to have completed something for the week.

Most of my thinking came from listening to the media and reading health books stating I need to workout everyday. It's not always realistic to fit the everyday workout in. So in the end I have to do what is best for me. The weekend workout is for me.

Thanks again for the comments. They mean so much.

Completed My New Workout Routine!

All done with my workouts for the week. I walked out of class this morning feeling really good. So the next four days I will be able to focus on relaxing, eating healthy and my new work hours.

It so nice not to worry about getting a workout in after work. There will also be no guilty days or excuses for not working out. I will continue to write about the good and the bad of my new workout routine. I don't see anything bad about it at this time.

My new workout will include two 45 minute cardio classes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with four days off. So far it is working out very well.

Wishing you all a great week!

Changing Up the Workout Routine!

Went to the gym this morning for two hours. I did two cardio class that really kicked my butt. First was turbo kickboxing and the second one was Zumba. I felt really good and satisfied with myself.

This week I have to make some changes when it comes to working out because my work hours are changing. Before I was able to workout during lunch but now that is out. Since I am two tried to workout after work I have decided to get my workouts in over the weekend. So, Friday, Saturday and Sunday I will be taking two 45 minute classes per day and that will cover me for the week . I should have thought of this sooner. So much easier and no pressure to rush out of work. Also, no guilty feelings for not working out during the week. I never enjoyed working out before, during or after work but I did it because it had to be done. Working out on the weekend is enjoyable.

This morning I woke up feel skinny in the belly and legs. It has to be my new eating habits. I eat very small meals and I don't think about snacking between meals. Like I said earlier this week eating organic will help you drop the pounds. Overeating is not an option when you are eating 100% organic.

Yesterday I walked out of whole foods with a full bag of organic groceries for under $40 bucks($38.66). I had ground beef, ground chicken, beef shanks, oranges, peaches, apricots, bananas, spinach, kale, carrots, onions, potatoes, green peppers, popcorn, cornmeal, beans, milk, cheese, eggs, bread, flour, and butter. All certified organic. I could not believe the price when I saw it myself. It put a smile on my face. So, that is it for the next two weeks.

I notice that Trader Joe's has organic veggies but they come from Mexico and the certified organic seal is not on the packaging. I can not buy food grown and processed in Mexico even the non-organic foods when I was buying them. Yes, Whole Foods is very expensive but their organic foods are locally grown and labeled with the certified organic seal. I am still researching how foods become organic, so far I am pleased with the processed. I am in the process of also understanding farm-raised seafood. Some website states it's not a good process. Whole Foods states their seafood is farm-raised but organic. I will stay away from the seafood for now until I am satisfied with the process.

So that is my world for now.

My tip of the day! Make every moment special for yourself.

Giving UP! Non-Organic Foods

Today was a great day here in gloomy San Diego. The month of June always bring clouds and the misty rain. It's okay with me because sometimes I get tried of the sun.

I got up this morning and walked for about 30 minutes. It was great and refreshing. My head was clear and ready to start my day.

After my walk I had organic old fashion oatmeal w/organic blueberries and organic milk. Truly certified organic and local. For lunch I had organic chicken thighs over organic grilled carrots. Very yummy! I never thought eating could feel this good.

My coworker ask me to go out with her so she could pick up lunch. She offered to buy me lunch but I happily declined. My plan is to eat 95% organic and leave 5% for going out on special occasions. San Diego is a very healthy city but we do not have many organic restaurants yet. The only 100% organic restaurant that I am aware of is the one in the airport. Well, I am not going to the airport to eat organic. I will be flexible but I will tell you now that eating out is not very appealing to me since I have made the transition.

Like I said yesterday there is no stress about what I am going to eat or shop for. Heck shopping is made easy and I love it. I have to say that today I went to Costco because I heard they had organic meats and they did but only whole chickens. So, I did the math and decided on two whole chickens that cost - don't scream because I did not $18.15 for two yes two organic chickens. It did not hurt one bit and I was very proud of myself. The cost per chicken was $9.25 each and I will cut them up into 10 pieces (I cut both breast in half which will give me 4) which will make each piece worth .93 per piece. So I have 20 pieces of chicken plus the backs for stock. The butcher told me that the organic beef goes really fast so I would need to be at the store first thing to get organic beef. I will do that.

The nice thing about eating organic is that I do not look down on people that eat non-organic foods. But when I was on a diet and eating non-organic foods I would look down on people who was eating unhealthy foods like greasy burgers and fries. It is the weirdest thing and I can not explain it.

Since I have been reading about eating organic foods I have a new love for foods and a appreciation for its purpose. In the past food has always been my enemy and I did not really enjoy it because I blamed it for making me fat. All that has gone now.

This weekend my plan is to continue to educate myself on eating organic and producing my own foods. I am going to get some exercise in every morning and evening by walking for 30 minutes.

So that is the plan! To all of you have a wonderful weekend!

Shopping organic and making the transition! Going organic can be expensive and that is because most people want to continue to buy non-organic foods. For the transition to be cheaper you need to go 100% organic. Just leave the non-organic foods in the dust. If that is impossible just start with the small items like milk, eggs, butter, jams, apples, etc. As you continue with the transition you will notice the extra dollar will not hurt as much. For me it cost less because I gave up buying the non-organic foods. Good Luck!

Going Organic and Loving It!

Three weeks ago I decided to only eat foods under the certified organic label. It was time for me to take a real look at what was going in my body. So I eased myself into to it and now my kitchen is 100% certified organic. I has been wonderful and not as expensive as I thought.

I ask my friends to come over and take everything in my cabinets and freezer that was not organic. I have to admit that it was so shocking to see how many bags of non-organic food was carried out of my house. It had to be over a $175 worth of food.

Also, I have lost 6 pounds since I made the change and that has been the most rewarding of all. The weight reduction is because I am eating less food. When you go organic you think about what is going into your body and how much you eat because of the price of the food. You will not overeat when you eat organic. I have also notice I will buy 4 organic apples and cut them in half instead of buying 7 of the conventional grown at the cheaper price. Everything I eat is measured.

Going organic has limited my choices and I think it's better. If it's not organic it will not go in my body. It's nice to go in the store now and not feel pressured by the advertising of non-organic. It's easy for me to say no. Food just taste better and overall my grocery bill has decreased because I am not buying all the processed junk. Yes, it's true my bill has decreased. I am measuring out my organic meats like chicken, ground sirloin, and ground chicken to 4 ounce servings. I am also eating less meat so that helps a lot.

I have to say eating organic chicken is so different for the conventional chicken. It taste meaty not like rubber. The organic beef taste like beef with less fat and water. I was even able to find organic ice cream that was very creamy and tasty.

So that is what is going on with me this week. I am on my way. I am also going to start a garden this weekend so that will be another way for me to stay motivated. Eating and living healthy.

I have to give a shout out to my friend that has been feeding her family of seven (7) 100% organic for over 3 years now. Please believe me this wife and mother is not rich. Just a working middle class family in America making the choice to truly eat healthy. Thanks lady for motivating me for all these years. I finally did it at 100%. It can be done!