Gobble Gobble

I don't have to tell you what time of year it is! Thanksgiving is a week away. If you haven't already, make your plans for a healthy and leaner you today! Don't wait until you have to pop open your pants at Thanksgiving. I have heard it a dozen times in the last few weeks. People claiming to start or get back on track after the holidays or after Thanksgiving. Don't be one of those people! Plan to have a lean meal for Thanksgiving. Don't pile your plate high and then go back for seconds and then dessert later. Don't take home leftovers or if you are hosting ask your guest to clean you out of the fattening and high carb stuff while you hold tight to the turkey and fresh green veggies. Don't cook you greens in salted meats you are defeating the purpose. A lot of people make them with smoked turkey...no this is not a healthy option, you still have tons of sodium in smoked and cured meats of any kind. Skip the rolls, pass on the gravy. Take a tablespoon of mac & cheese or mashed potatoes instead of two heaping spoon fulls. Nope it's nothing cruel about it. You will thank yourself in the end. You won't feel miserable either from being so full. Pass on the soda and over sweetened punch. Reach for good-for-you water! Try fruit salad for dessert made with fresh fruit and fat free whipped cream instead of sweet potato pies and cakes with globs of icing. Make it a meal to truly be THANKFUL for not one that your body will regret!

Here I go again!

Just when I thought my workouts couldn't get any better, I have messed around and found another high! Belly dancing! Can I just tell you what a fabulous time I had? Well before I do as you all know I always blog about looking for new workout, trying something new, blah blah blah. Well recently I have been on this "Check out other gyms" kick. There are several gyms in my area and I have been a faithful member to my local Gold's since 2007 but "Hey you get bored." Well at least I do. Yes I change up my workouts, try some classes but the scene is still the same. So a few weeks ago I checked out LA Fitness. Well I watched this place being built last year and honestly I thought they were building a Target. The place is huge! I mean huge! However I was not impressed. It was just drab looking and not very inviting. I did, however do a spin class there that was very on point. As you all know I am a spin junkie! I even liked the bikes they had and the instructor was awesome. Didn't care for the tunes but the workout was worth it and my instructor sounded just like Karen Walker! LOL Anyone who is a Will & Grace fan knows who Karen Walker is! LOL!!! Anyway the LA Fitness was a little cheesy and their guest pass was only for 3 days! But it's all good it was free. So a friend of mine just recently joined SPORT FIT and of course I said I wanted a guest pass. This one is good for a week and I went for the first time on Wednesday night and ran like the wind on one of their state-of-the-art treadmills that charges your IPOD while you play it! Big plus! Anyway couldn't wait to get there today for the Belly Sculpt class. The instructor is who took me on the tour when I got the guest pass and she is walking motivation. She practiced law for 10 years before she made the choice to shed the weight and take on a healthy lifestyle now she teaches a little of everything and does outreach on fitness and health and I was just in awe! So the class was great, the music was great and she even had some extra sashes. I am sure that's not what they are called but you know the scarves the belly dances wear with the little coins that jingle. I bounced my hips and dropped it like it was hot and waved my arms, and rolled my mid-section like my life depended on it! It was both calming and thrilling, sensual and erotic, powerful and empowering! Folks were sweating, I was dry as a bone (you know it takes a lot for me to sweat) but I was soooo into it! I felt energized and even ran 3 miles on the treadmill when I was done! Anyway as I sit here sipping on my wine and winding down from this experience I think to myself: "What's next?"

Energized and Focused!

Those who know me know that I despise Fall & Winter and I think it's gotten worse for me over the years. I know that some people are actually treated with light therapy to combat the feelings that the dreariness of these seasons can bring. Although my bright summer sunshiney days are now gone I find the joy of exercise brings me an internal sunshine. There really is something to this endorphine thing, it's great! Fall and Winter is also a hard time to stay focused because of the holidays and covering up with sweaters and coats. NOPE NOPE NOPE! Don't fall into the trap make these seasons the time you work on your body and health the most and then BAMM break out that rockin' bod in the Spring! Did I really just type BAMM? LOL I should be getting a cut from Emeril! Nonetheless, here I am feeling relaxed after having had a great workout, updating my blog and feeling good. Since my last entry I have run another race. The Bowie 5K Run for a Cause on October 9th! Not only was it great because it was at the park right across the street from my house but I also included my kids. Hubby ran with me of course, my son was there for support (too cool to run I guess) and my daughter did the FUN RUN for kids and she ran her little heart out I was so proud. 5K is 3.1 miles and I ran it in about 32 minutes. I have not received my official time yet. Of course I have already registered for my next race the NFL 5K at the National Harbor on November 13th. I'm excited but sad too because I'm hooked and I know this will be my last race until the Spring now that it's getting colder. If anyone is interested in registering for the race go to www.nfl.com/women. Get motivated! Get moving!

57:13

I cannot explain how encouraged, motivated and pumped running my first 5 Mile race made me feel. I am still flying high and just recently signed me and hubby up to run in a 5K race (3.1 miles) just across the street from our home! I have officially been bitten by the bug. I already knew I was an exercise junkie but now a running junkie? Who knew? Not me I would have bet against it! And seeing that clock when I came across the finish line was so exhilarating and surreal. My official time for running those 5 files was 57 minutes and 13 seconds. I am going to have to play that number! The best part was that when I finished I was so thrilled I could have kept going! I felt wonderful. I smiled through the whole race pony tail swing for 5 miles (as my cuz said) it was the best! I posted my pics on Facebook and the outpouring of support and love was just unreal. So many people were inspired and said that they were going to start moving even if it was walking! I was so excited by that! It's what I tell everybody...just start moving and build it up. I always tell people don't go hard at first! That is what loses people they start out gung-ho like a maniac and are burnt out in a week. START SLOW, let it progress and build. You will feel the difference in your body, your energy, your strength, your sleep, everything! All for the better and that good feeling will make you want more. Just get it started and pay it forward!

1450 My new favorite number!

Hello All, I've been slacking all summer with my postings but I am planning to step it up for the FALL! I want to continue to inspire others and I want you all to continue to inspire me! Please share this blog with whomever you think will benefit! Anyway you may be wondering why 1450 is my new favorite number. Well it's my bib number I am wearing in my first 5 mile race next Saturday! I am beyound excited. Since taking up running I actually sweat! It's the greatest and worst thing ever! It's so weird. It's great because I feel like I'm working because I see the sweat but it's bad because after the sweat drips down my back it pools in between my legs and I look like I peed on myself! LOL Nonetheless it's great and thank GOD for pony tails! I'm running the race with my very supportive husband and cousin who have been with me all the way through my journey and have made significant weight loss stides of their own. I'm so proud of both of them. I plan on posting pics from the race so stay tuned. I also want to jazz up my blog some it's pretty dry, add some other things to the page and see what happens! The days are getting chillier and don't let your motivation slack! Wearing more clothes and coats can be the enemy to someone trying to shed weight because they are covering up more. I'm kind of all over the place with this post so I think I better stop now. Feedback is always appreciated. STAY FIT! SMOOCHEZ!

I miss my bloggers

Wow, I realized that I haven't posted in over a month! Well I've been busy, the hot, hot summer is breezing by and I have been loving it. The last few days has brought spring-like weather and I have been enjoying my evening runs. Even after walking SIX FLAGS all day with kids yesterday I couldn't resist going for a run when I got home. The good thing is hubby runs with me most of the time and it is showing on him, he is shedding some pounds. What have you been doing with your summer? I hope making changes that aid in a healthy lifestyle, moving your body and shedding the pounds you have been saying you are gonna take off every summer! Well start now! If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. Start slow...take baby steps. We always get pumped and try to go hard with the exercising or start eating like a bird then you wonder why you are tired and burned out and just give up. Take it slow, start with eating what you have been eating but less of it, then maybe hold the cheese or eliminate the juice and drink water with your meal. Make the small changes first and ease yourself into a rountine of making choices. Plan ahead! Always have something healthy to eat with you so you are never hungry and keep your motabolism up by eating a small snack every few hours. Give up processed, pre-packaged and canned foods, these are loaded with sodium and unnatural additives, yuck! Don't give in to the office donuts or eat the ribs at the 4th of July cookout just because they are there. Tell yourself you love yourself more than the hunk of cake and walk away then pat yourself on the back and not give a flying freak who sees you! LOL! Try it!

Running!

I haven't been updating as much as I would like and I'm gonna do better. I hope you all are getting fit and healthy. Summer is right around the corner with Memorial Day this weekend. Anyway you all know I am always looking for a new fitness challenge and I have found one! I have discovered I love to run and when I say love it I mean love it and I am craving it more and more. I feel that I have found my pace and comfort zone in it and the total relaxation I feel when I'm done is unreal. My only fear is future joint and knee problems I've heard such horror stories. I don't particularly like running on a treadmill but I will but I really enjoy running outdoors. I've been doing 3 miles almost daily for the past few week and get disappointed when I can't squeeze it in. I of course still love my gym routines but I just wanted to switch it up a little. When I finished my spin class on Monday I immediately hopped on the treadmill and started running. My instructor came over and he said he must not have done his job! I laughed and said I was just "Cooling down" which I was really I only did a mile!

Anyway on another note. I have been blogging for almost a year now and I am a little surprised that most of my friends and family aren't followers. Hmmm, I'll just leave it at that. Bye for now happy fitness!