Quit is a four letter word!

So I'm sitting here at my daughters double Dutch practice itching to get to the gym as I always am when I take her to practice and I'm so motivated by their energy! They are jumping around and sweating and having fun! So I ask when did exercise stop being fun and start being work? The short answer is it didn't! Theses little girls don't know they are exercising they think they are jumping rope and having fun! Fun is the key word! Don't think you have to do dull boring exercises to achieve your desired results! Make it fun find something you love! Part of loving exercise for me is building up to it I look at it ad something I get to do like it's a privilege and to me it is because I do have the luxury of making time for it! I look forward to it and anticipate it at every turn down to my Golds Gym app! I hit the motivation button everyday for inspiration! I'm sitting here flipping through my new Shape magazine dog earring some new weight moves and leg exercises I can't wait to use. Hey but that's just me if you love to dance do it more often and dance a little harder, if you love to shop park st the far end of the parking lot, if you have small kids race them down the block or walk to the park and run around with them! Before you know it you'll be incorporating more and more activity! Give it a try what have you got to lose...oh yeah inches!!!!

Your skinny Jeans aren't getting any bigger...

I am a clothes fanatic! I love to shop and my taste in fashion is very distinct. Now that I have a body that I love and I treat right and in return treats me right right, I wear pretty much whatever I want to and it's a great feeling! There was a time when a dressing room mirror would send me home in tears mocking me the whole way. Not any more and never again! Some people equate their goals in inches versus pounds and that is fine, whatever works for you. I did both. When there were times the scale didn't move but the pants I wore last week could no longer stay up with a safety pin I counted that as success! Do whatever you have to do to stay motivated. If the scale isn't treating you right, buy a goal piece of clothing. Something that may be a little too snug now or you see too much of a bulge in but with time eating right and exercising you know one day will fit you like a glove! Keep it hanging right in sight, don't put it in the back of the closet because you can't wear it right now! Hang it in your bathroom or on your bedroom door as a reminder of the near future and what you want. It's not impossible and it WILL happen. Once I started losing weight and got to the point where clothes weren't fitting anymore I started buying clothes at least two sizes down thinking there is no way this is ever going to fit and then when those clothes got too big I just laughed and kept on shopping! Let me tell you it's the best feeling in the world! Get that bathing suit, those skinny jeans, that cute dress, whatever it is you want, get moving and get out of your own way!

I won't know if you skip your workout...but you will!

Accountability! Yeah yeah I know you have heard that word a dozen or more times as it applies to almost everything we do in our lives but it means the most when it comes to your health and lifestyle. I like that word because we tend to lie to ourselves and make deals and then wonder why the scale isn't moving or that nemesis of a fat roll is still there when we look in the mirror. The bottom line is you have to stop the excuses and for goodness sakes stop putting off to tomorrow what you can do today! You have to be consistent to see results period! You can't go hard for a week and expect to reach your goal and go back to your bad habits. Also you gotta make it hurt. I know you have heard "NO PAIN NO GAIN" well believe it or not it's true. Don't make your workout "comfortable" if it's easy or relaxing WHILE you are doing it, you aren't working hard enough. Sure any movement is good for the body but for real results push yourself, you'll be pleased you did...you can thank me later! BTW so many of you have and I really appreciate it and I am happy to offer my sometimes crass opinions. I love it! Stay moving and get motivated!

Tasting counts

Are you a nibbler while you cook? Be careful, sampling adds calories too! If you sample the pasta to see if it's done or taste a piece of bread while you are preparing your plate, or licking the bowl and sucking icing off your fingers and wondering while you can't seem to shed any pounds then stop and take self inventory of what you are actually putting in your mouth. Even when the kids are done with their food and you are irritated because they claimed they were starving and yet left half their food untouched and you start in on what they left behind it still counts. Dump it, push it away, walk away! When you are cooking immediately put dishes in the sink or dishwasher so you won't be tempted to peel off the melted cheese left in the pan or keep a damp paper towel handy so no yummy goodness of what you are making makes it's way into you mouth! How do I know this? I have been guilty of it all and until you are 100% conscious of every bite that goes into your mouth you will never reach your desired weight. I can't tel you how many people have said to me "I eat right and I exercise but the scale isn't budging!" Maybe because they didn't think that donut at work counted just because someone offered it on a whim or the three forkfulls of someone elses entree they shoveled in their mouth at the new restaurant last night after they finished their own counted either. Hmmmm

Afraid to Commit?

Hey y'all, okay I know I haven't updated in a while but I'm back! Ready to roll! So I was watching Oprah the other day and I still wonder how a billionaire can be fat. She could pay somebody to slap the cookie out of her hand, to pick her up out of the bed for morning workouts and to make the most delicious low-calorie foods her money can buy. Well unfortunately for us we don't have her money but we do have the same resources available to us as she does. The information is there, that's all you see is the weight loss video adds and the low calorie food adds and this program and that program. Guess what? They all work! Unfortunately there are so many and this is such a multi-million dollar business because people want them to work over night, give up and move to the next fad. Well it simply doesn't work like that. You have to be committed to whatever program you choose and stick to it and I guarantee it will work for you. Give it time and don't give up, commit to make a lifestyle change. It's all I preach. Yeah we all have our weaknesses but remember you control your body. The mind part is the hardest of all. Think about how you feel about your body. Take a long look at yourself and set a goal zeroing in on a portion of your body. If your arms are flabby commit to toning those arms, if your thunder thighs are jiggly commit to taking off some inches. The good thing about doing this while you are trying so hard to focus on one area of your body surprising the rest of your body will follow and low and behold you are shedding inches and pounds in areas you hadn't paid any attention to! Sounds like a win-win to me. Now I love Oprah I'm so not knocking her because she has been so successful in the past and maintaining, which is indeed the hardest part of weight loss she just can't seem to manage. She had Bob Greene on recently with his new book something about looking 20 years younger. I felt a chill go down my spine when Oprah said Bob wrote in the book the one thing that you could not skip, with his plan was the exercise! It is such a must in weight loss and an absolute must when trying to maintain. I say that as I'm typing a whopping 7 pounds more than my original goal weight. Okay some of you say okay you are only 7 pounds more than you were when you met your goal over 4 years ago that's nothing but to me it's a big deal because once you get comfortable and say to yourself it's okay your as good as packing 30 pounds on your ass! Don't get comfortable, don't let yourself slack, stay focused always or those bad habits are waiting to seep back into your life. Commit to the thinner, healthier you!

The Results are in!!!!

Okay so I am sure you all recall the challenge I gave to my co-workers twelve weeks ago...well they followed my advice! Some more than others but they did it. They exercised they ate healthy and the pounds fell off. During this challenge I even got a promotion and was no longer in the same department with them but they continued to do well. The "Food Police" wasn't around as they called me but I still kept a close eye on them. Here are the results:

1st place Melanie 34 pounds or 15.89%
2nd place Johnnie 32 pounds or 14.07%
3rd place Cheryl 22.5 pounds or 12.64%
4th place Rick 29.5 pounds or 12.50%
5th place Lisa 13.5 pounds or 6.77%
6th place LaShawn 3 pounds or 2.08%
7th place James 2 pounds or 1%

They continue to inspire me and I love to pay it forward!

Spring Forward

As I sit here on the eve of turning my clock ahead one hour I'm feeling excited. When I say I love Spring and Summer, I LOVE Spring and summer. It's just something about a warn bright sunshiney day! If you are anything like me you want some variety in your life and when I say that I am referring to food and exercise so put those raised eyebrows back in place. I have got the hang of switching it up and challenging myself as far as exercise now I want to look for some really great recipes. I am not much of a cook. I mean I can and I definitely have my specialities but it seems so time consuming. My time is so valuable I just don't have enough time in my day so I am always looking for quick and easy but it has to healthy too and that's the hardest part! So if any of you have any light and healthy recipes to share please pass them to me!