Excuses hold you back...

The Truth Is

2010-11-07T18:08:00.000-08:00

The Truth is... I haven't gotten back in the fitness game since August, what am I waiting for? It's just one excuse after another. I start, I stop, I'm ready, I'm not ready, I'm motivated, I'm not motivated... what has happened here?

The Truth is... I have taken a break away from the Fitness game that I buried myself in. What has been missing is that drive to do what I know I was meant to do.

The Truth is... as i stay away from the working out & eating right my mind wanders & does unnecessary thinking & worry. The carefree mindset has left my soul & filled with the everyday troubles.

The Truth is... I know what needs to be done...

The Truth is... Just as I've come to this reality, I'm sure you've all had similar reality checks regarding your passion/calling... get it together!

Simple 7 Day Challenge

2010-09-15T19:59:00.000-07:00

Yes yes yes I'm really back! I decided to at least grace my presence on my blog at least once a week. Okay, so I'm a day late but whatever...

So I decided that I needed to cleanse since I have been on leave from the gym & eating unhealthy for about 3 1/2 weeks (just needed a moment). I took an extended leave needless to say, which was no good for me what so ever. I ended up feeling sluggish, super heavy, & just... ughhh! I needed to do something about this & I remember hearing from a friend that she was doing this cleanse so I looked into it further & ended up doing a cleanse that Roots Nutrition calls the Simple 7 Day Challenge.

So if you look up toward the left, that is what you have to do for a total of 7 days. And uh no that is not me! (LOL) I cant express enough to you, if you are feeling like you need something to kick off your new eating habits & work outs, this is for you. If you are feeling sluggish (also known as lazy lazy & lazy), overweight, or constipated this will even help with all of that. I'm only on day 4 & haven't worked out & I have lost 4 pounds! I wasn't trying to lose weight, but the fact that I did says something for the diet. I will give you a brief synopsis of how my days have been so far.

I get up to start my day off with a shake with strawberries, pineapple, almond milk, ice, & the power green. I have two power cleansers with my shake also. When I'm at work if I'm still Hungry I have fruit up until lunch. For lunch I will be honest I had my salad with the chicken on it rather then after the salad. I have almonds or fruit for the in between snacks & then I follow the evening with veggies & very little meat. I take two power cleansers & that pretty much wraps up my a whole day. The thing is you go to the bathroom alot that is a good thing & a bad thing however, keep in mind it's only for a week & it will die down unless you are completely full of sh*t ha ha. So rather then say I feel sluggish or like I need to workout, eat right, or lose weight... JUST DO IT! Yep, like Nike, exactly how they say it! (LOL) Do not let another excuse keep you from being a healthier, happier, fitter you!

To get a more detailed description of the cleanse click on link below.

http://rootsnutrition.com/index-7daychall.html

Back from Hiatus

2010-09-07T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ooooook I'm back again, & I have been on hiatus for a cool minute & there's so much to cover!

Hi my friends! Well where should I began? O, I got it the surgery that had me on the outs for a very long two months. I completed my 2nd fitness show back on December 5th & placed last out of I want to say 18 or 19 girls, wasn't too happy. I felt I worked super hard & expected to do better. The pains that I were having were over looked, I thought my workout routine was the cause of me feeling the way I felt. The week prior to the show, I decided to take it easy, & I pretty much did nothing from that point leading up to the surgery date.

The reason for the surgery was a cyst that had grown the size of a grapefruit. I have what they call endometriosis, which is a disorder in which bits of tissue from the inner lining of the uterus grows inside a woman's body, outside of the uterus. With this being my 2nd surgery I already knew all that it entailed. So I had the surgery & was out of work for 2 weeks, which I must say I didn't miss one part of that place what so ever! The surgery went well & the doc's were able to salvage my ovary, yay! From that point I layed up & ate & layed up & ate & I did this for a total of 7 weeks, & no GYM what so ever in this picture! I gained TEN pounds, I went from 140 to 150, not alot to some but for some one who stayed in the gym & ate right it was just no good & I didn't feel like myself.

Finally I came back I got out of the rut the surgery placed me in I paid a trainer to get me

back on track& was feeling like myself again. I attached my before & after pics below so you can see the changes that took place from not working out for two months & eating crazy... to four months of hard training. I felt good & looked better. I saw the changes & was doing well. So will I go back to competing? Of COURSE, & I DID go back up there this past August. NO, I didn't win or place. I was last again but we will talk about that on another blog post so stay tuned...

Lastly I want to leave you with this, there will be bumps in the road to your success. Don't let that be an excuse that holds you back from getting to the top! I will continue to keep heading to the top, & I will continue to get over whatever bumps that come my way & YOU should too!!!

Before After

Do you LOVE what you do??? Hmmm do I LOVE what I do?

2010-05-23T20:19:00.001-07:00

I was listening to the radio on the way to work one day & there was a commercial on previewing the upcoming BET Honors for several people. In the commercial they played back something one of the honorees said “Find what you love to do & you will never have to work a day in your life” WOW if we all could just do that right. Do what we love! Work would be no longer!

So of course since they plugged BET honors so much I decided to watch it & I’m very glad I did. I got to know who the man behind the voice that said “Find what you love to do & you will never have to work a day in your life”. Dr. Keith Black who that day was being awarded BET Honors Award for Public Service. Mr. Black is a world-renowned neurosurgeon and scientist. Needless to say seeing this brotha up there & hearing all the stuff he has accomplished had me in ahhh. This was inspiring & made me realize some things. I want to be a neurosurgeon & scientist!!! JK, lol this made me realize that I have a passion for fitness & that is exactly what I need to be doing & working toward.

So here’s the point I’m trying to make, you find your passion that is half the battle. The rest is up to YOU! YOU have to discipline yourself into becoming the best at what you love. Thinking & talking about it is good but the follow up to these two is ACTION!!!Remember excuses are not an option & do nothing for you but hold you back!

More on Dr. Keith Black:

http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/Patients/Programs-and-Services/Brain-Tumor-Center/Our-Expert-Team/Keith-L-Black.aspx

http://www.blackhistorypages.net/pages/kblack.php

Excuses

2010-03-29T20:11:00.000-07:00

Excuses! WE all have them! So I will give the excuse, & give you an answer to every last one of them. I’ve used most of them at one time or another.

Let’s start with my all time favorite:

1.) I can't go to the gym because I will sweat my hair out.
Come on Ladies! Wrap your hair, or pony tail w/head band.

2.) When I do go it’s to crowded.
Unfortunately this can’t always be avoided, if there is a machine you are accustomed to using & it’s taken then well you move on to another machine & come back to that one.

3.) I don’t have time.
Make time! You some how make time to hang with your friends, party, etc. People make time for what they want to make time for.

4.) I can’t afford to go to the gym.
Get a DVD & work it out @ home, or go to a well light park/track.

5.) I’m too tired to go.
Once you get there this will go away kind of like you not wanting to get up for work, but you get up & you go & then you’re fine. The tiredness shall pass.

6.) I don’t like going by myself.
You came in this world by yourself & you were fine right, so get going!

7.) I don’t show results so why go.
Results huh well this takes time & there are other key components involved in your progression find out what those are, see if you’re doing all of them.

8.) I’m pregnant.
Unless your Dr. stated you are unable to work out then you can go. You can workout! Or you can take yoga/palliates or DVD workouts that they make specifically for pregos.

9.) I’m on my cycle.
I totally understand this one the first day don’t go stay home, but all those other days depending on how long yours is GO but take it easy.

10.) I don’t have anyone to watch my kids.
Bring them with you most gyms have child care & refer back to answer for excuse #3's answer.

11.) I have a bad knee/back.
You lift with very light weights or you stick with cardio on a medium level (not to fast not to slow).

12.) I have asthma.
Bring your inhaler with you!!!

Now I'm sure there are more but for the most part these are the ones I hear. So which one of these do you use on a regular??? Just remember there is always a way to get around an excuse.

The Cleanse

2010-03-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Me & a friend of mind decided to do a cleanse, not sure what the name of this cleanse is at the moment but based on your weight you have to drink either 8oz or 16oz of pure olive oil & prior to that 5 CKLS (Herbal laxative supplement) twice, one the day before & one 30min. before drinking the oil. From that day on you are ONLY to eat raw fruits & raw veggies. That’s right no salt, no meat, no sugar & no dairy. I know, harsh all the way around.

So the whole night before “The Cleanse” I couldn’t sleep, I had anxiety in a major way about drinking all 16oz of olive oil (GROSS). I kept looking at my clock thinking I had over slept. Before you know it morning came & I was sitting in front of a large tall orange cup filled with olive oil & a cup of OJ mixed (YUCK). In my attempt to take my first sip, I got just a taste, & 15 min. later I stared at this cup thinking this isn’t going to happen. I went for my second attempt were I tried to drink some OJ in a separate cup then follow with the oil, & still it was a no go. Finally, on my third attempt, I took a gulp! The taste was greasy, oily, & warm. Now I want you to get a visual of this so close your eyes & put your self at this table with me. I’m passing you the cup and you’re taking the sip of that greasy, oily, & warm tall glass of pure olive oil. I know right! Awful wasn’t it.

Now I have done this cleanse two times prior to this, & out of all of these times I was only successful once! First time was a very long time ago & I only had to drink 8oz I did fine; I got through it & the diet! Second time drank maybe half of it & ended up vomiting all of it up, however, I stuck to the diet though. Third time which I just told you about didn’t happen pretty much, but I’m currently still on the diet part of it for 7 days. I’m hoping to lose the weight I gained from not being active & eating all out of wack for two months, I’ll keep you posted on how that goes.

Why did I do the cleanse? Well my line of thinking was that this will give me a fresh start, lose weight, & a clean slate even. I can start fresh & eat right going forward. I was disappointed that I couldn’t go through with that part of the cleanse, but hey it just wasn’t meant for me to do. Point of the matter is if you want to make a change there is always another way, this just wasn’t the avenue for me. You stay determined & you do not quit you find another way to get the job done!

Making up with my BFF

2010-02-26T20:02:00.000-08:00

Sooooo here it goes. My BFF & I stop talking as much after the first week in December. No fault of mind or theirs. I guess you could say do to unforeseen circumstances it just happened that way. Then the talking stopped completely! It was hard for me at first but after a while I just seemed to get adjusted. But in the back of my head I was so disposition about it. That is when you know that this connection is important to you.

I guess I used food for comfort or as an excuse to eat. For two very long months I ate all kinds of JUNK. And I mean I went all out! Some days it was cookies, others chips etc. you know what junk is right. Basically I was just all out of wack from what I’m accustomed to eating. This lasted for to dam long.

Tuesday February 16th (to be exact), what happens? My BFF & I rekindle we talked spent some much needed time together. I must say I was happy, but at the same time it just felt weird, distant even. I’m sure as time goes on things will get better. But I wanted to just walk away & say too much time has gone by, this is just going to be it FOR GET IT!!!!!
BUT I didn’t I stayed (the whole time I’m thinking & just look at how in two months my weight changed cuz of this sh*t) & I’m going to stick it out. I’ve decided to be in this for the long haul, sounds like a marriage huh? lol

Who is my BFF you ask? Now I wasn’t going to tell you but I guess I will share the GYM! Hey! If I started the convo off that it was they gym be honest you wouldn’t have been too interested. Anyway all this to say that things happen friends fall off & it’s just like that with the gym you may fall off , but you can go back & start again may not feel how it use to but once you get into the swing of things it will be like you never left & just like how you & your BFF was before.

27 Cookies

2009-11-01T16:26:00.000-08:00

I'm telling this story to let you all know that no one is perfect & you just have to get back up dust the cookie crumbs off & try again. :)

So it was a Fri DAY October 16th, I walked into the house, spoke with the fam & chilled for minute. Next then you know I decide to have an oreo cookie fully AWARE that I wasnt suppose to be having such a thing. I said to myself 1 wont hurt so I ate it. Then I got a few more, then a few more after that, & then 6 more after that. Next thing you know I had a whole roll of Oreo cookies in my hand. By the time I realized that I CLEARLY went passed the 1 that I told myself I was going to have it was, well, too LATE for me. My guilt started setting in so I decided to count the roll & the 1/2 roll I ate to find out exactly how many cookies I had truly eaten. Needless to say this Friday night ended on 27 COOKIES...

Off Track

2009-09-27T16:44:00.001-07:00

Yep, that's right, off track eating habits! I've been going totally left field. I know it happens, you try to walk the straight line but you just seem to find yourself way off.
The focus is coming back though. I have to prepare for the fitness competition in the beginning of December. So I MUST bring the focus & the drive back. It's a switch I turn on in my head that at some point got turned off when it came to eating right lol.
So here's the bottom line, yes sometimes you will lose focus it happens to all of us. So... you get off track, get back ON TRACK simple as that.
Personally I find myself getting off track when I dont eat breakfast, don't bring lunch to work, & on the weekends when you have places to go and people to see. It's tough I dont deny that one bit. Knowing what gets you off track does help you in a way, by identifying them you now can implement some changes right? I'll answer... "right"!!
So here's my task... you try to jot down what get's you Off Track, & ways you can change these things.
The key things that help me to focus is to visualize achieving my goals over & over. I also look at those who are already where I want to be. Those are my personal two. You need to find key things that can help you keep your focus, this I must say is very important during your fitness & health goals.