October 2011 Video Update

DAY 276: P90X IS NO JOKE!!!!

Hey Folks,

This past week I did really well and lost 4.4 pounds brining me to a total of 22.8 Pounds!!!  I decided to only eat my meals and not snack at all during the day.  I guess it paid off because this week has been one of my best weigh-ins at WW.

Since I only have 3 more months until the new year I have decided to buckle down and exercise.  I am going to do 90 days of the P90X "Lean" program.  You all know how much I have been avoiding doing a regular exercise routine throughout the year.  So this is a really huge challenge for me and for extra support I have recruited several friends to also do P90X for 90 days.

This was my 2nd day of P90X and I just finished the Cardio X workout. The Cardio X wasn't that bad, but I don't care for all that Yoga mess at the beginning of the Cardio workout. Yesterday I did the Core Synergistics workout, which was definitely NO Joke. All I can say is that when I was doing the Superman/Banana I felt like I was just rolling around on the floor looking like a beached whale.

If anyone would like to join the group for 90 days of P90X, please let me know and I will send you an invite to the group page I have created for us all to share our experience.

DAY 270: Pulling Out All the Stops...P90X

Hey Folks!!!
I know I have been MIA, but I have still been actively focusing on losing this unwanted weight.  Ever since I hit 20 pounds I have just been maintaining.  I keep going to my weight watchers meetings, which offers great support and keeps me accountable for my weight.  So for the past two months I have been back n forth between -18 and -20 pounds.  You don't know how horrible you can feel when you go to weigh in and the lady says "you went up 0.40 pounds".  Now most folks will think that is no big deal, but those +.40 and -.60 pounds add up and can make or break your week.  Weighing in, going to meetings and checking in my my girl who is also doing WW  is a life saver.  If I weigh in and they said I have went up .60 pounds you better believe I am working my but off to get it back down for the following week.  The problem is once I go back down and weigh in with a loss, I guess I don't work as hard the following week and what do you know .40 pounds has snuck up on me.

So basically for the past two months I have done a great job at maintaining but have failed to lose more weight.  That means I have to face the one thing I have been avoiding throughout this entire year.  EXERCISE...Yep I'm definitely not crazy about it.  But I can no longer avoid it.  The last time I lost a significant amount of weight it was a combination of diet and doing Bikram Yoga 3 or more times a week.  I lost 25 pounds in 3 months doing just that.  So you would think I would just go do the yoga again, but I'm just not as Gung-Ho about going to Bikram as before and I don't want to waste my money.  Bikram is very expensive and I only want to sign up when I know I'm serious about it.  Shoot...I'm already wasting money on my Golds Gym membership.  I actually went a couple times last month...Woo Hoo for me…Yeah Right.  I know that is just flat out pitiful.

So I'm just going to dive right in and go all out for the last three months of this year.  My sister has done the P90X 90 day challenge a couple times.  She is currently going into her last 30 days of P90X.  A couple of her girlfriends are thinking about doing it in October as well.  So I decided to dedicate 1.5 hours of my day to P90X for 90 days starting Oct 2nd!!!

Updated Progress Pictures Coming Soon!!!

DAY 214: 20 POUNDS GONE ...Good Riddance to Yah!!!

WOOO HOOOO!!!!  Yep I finally hit 20 pounds.  It took me long enough to get there, but I am hoping I will reach 50 a lot faster now.  Since I started weight watchers in June I have lost 14 pounds.  I think losing 7 pounds a month is awesome and I hope I can maintain that momentum throughout the next couple of months.  It  would be great if I can reach my 50 pound goal before the January 2012.

I have to be honest, I haven't done much exercise for the month of July.  I still have a hard time motivating myself to go to the gym.  I am kind of disappointed in myself because I haven't been getting my "Roll Bounce" on at the skating rink.  I haven't been roller skating since June, and that is just sad.  If I did exercise I think I could have easily shed 10 pounds or more each month instead of just 7.  So I plan to get my lazy butt up and be more active this month.  I figure I can at least pull out the Wii and Dance for 1.5 hours twice a week and hit the rink on Sunday.  Who wants to hit the Rink with me?

So last time I posted here, I mentioned that I was singing at the historical Blues Alley.  I had an awesome time...the musicians were on fire, the crowd was great and I felt right at home on the stage!  Below is the audio recording of my performance...sorry no video.  But I did record a video of myself right before I left for the show just to share with you.  If you remember me being kind of blown last time I performed because I couldn't find anything to wear...well this time I found a cute sexy number to wear to the show.  Enjoy the music folks!!!

Audio recording of me singing at Blues Alley

Me the Night of the Show 

The Shoes

DAY 190: Losing Weight During the Holidays

Hey Folks!!!  Hope everyone enjoyed spending time with the family and friends during the 4th of July.  This is a difficult time of year to stay focused and eat wisely during all the cookouts and warm weather celebrations.  What works for me is planning ahead.  If I know I am going to a cookout I decide what I will eat and how many drinks I will have.  

My clothes are fitting lose and I have actually started transitioning into wearing my clothes that are one size smaller!!!  About three months ago I found a pair of pants with the perfect cut and I loved how they looked on me.  But I just couldn't seem to zip them up...LOL....yeah I know I should have put them back on the rack, but they looked so great.  I could just imagine how great they would look on me, if I could fit them :-)  So I got them and stuck them in my closet.  Every couple weeks I would try to squeeze into them and then peel out of them after I didnt' have any luck zipping them up.  Well Sunday July 3rd I slid into those pants and zipped them up.  Hey Folks, your Girl was Looking Good ;-) I will be sure to post pics next time I wear them.

I will be singing at Blues Alley again next week.  Hoping this time I have better luck with finding something cute to wear.  Wish me Luck!!!

DAY 169: Lost 7.8 Pounds in Two Weeks...It's a NEW DAY

Hey Folks!  Great News...I am back on track.  The last time I posted I mentioned that I was thinking about joining weight watchers.  Well I bite the bullet and signed up on June 1rst.  I am happy to say that I have lost all the weight I gained in May in two weeks!  The first week I lost 4.4lbs and when I weighed in today I lost an additional 3.4 pounds for a total of 7.8 POUNDS!!!!  


Even though I can't stand that commercial with Jennifer Hudson singing "It's a new dawn...."  I can't help but sing out today "IT'S A NEW DAAAAYYYYY!!!!"  I think what I like most about WW is this new concept of no penalty for eating all fruits and most veggies.  My new snacks of choice are strawberries, cherries, blueberries, watermelon, mangoes and the list goes on!!!!  I find at the end of the day I don't even end up using all of my allocated points because I have filled up on mixed veggies or fruit.

Knowing that I will be weighing in on Saturday mornings and getting a print out of my current weight really motivates me to stay on track.  It's just something about collecting that print out showing my weight going down that gives me a little natural high.

I am also extremely happy that a very close friend of mine has also joined WW with me.  I couldn't ask for a better support system.  We have been checking in on each other during the week, sharing how many points we have used and what exercise we plan to do.  We also share when one of us decided to go to Chick Fil'A or Starbucks and use up over half our points for a taste of the good stuff :-)

As I push forward in this weight loss journey I hope that I no longer see months like May where my weight is going up instead of down.  The added support from WW meetings and friends should keep me more focused and on track.

Below is an example of what I have been eating and how many points are used.

Monday, June 13, 2011
-----------------------------------------------

     Allocated : 37.0
     Earned    : 0.0
     Remaining : -3.0
     Total     : 40.0

     10.0   Chick-fil-A® Side Items Cole Slaw 1 serving (184g)
     8.0   Chick-fil-A® Side Items Chick-fil-A Waffle Potato Fries® 1 servi
     11.0   Chick-fil-A® Classics Chick-fil-A® Chicken Sandwich 1 sandwich (
     5.0   Kellogg's Eggo Waffles nutri-grain blueberry - made with whole w
     6.0   2x Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Patty

     0.0   Fruit Salad

Tuesday, June 14, 2011
-----------------------------------------------

     Allocated : 37.0
     Earned    : 0.0
     Remaining : 21.5
     Total     : 15.5

     3.5   3.5x Fresh frozen vegetables (Birds eye)
     3.0   frozen boneless chicken breast
     8.0   Lean Cuisine Chicken Margherita
     0.0   Fruit Salad

     1.0   Breyers Yogurt light

     0.0   Fruit Salad

DAY 152: I Am Still Here and So Is The Extra Weight

Well Folks I am still here and will be staying here until I reach my goal of 50 pounds.  I know I have been absent for pretty much the whole month of may.  It was a tough month to get through.  Let's see I turned 34 on the 14th of May and celebrated memorial day this past weekend.  I think I had like one good week during may where I actually lost weight, but the rest of the month I just totally blew it.  so this month I actually gained weight :-/  So you will notice that my weight loss tracker has gone back up.

Well I am not going to waste time making excuses, basically I did more eating and sitting on my behind than eating healthy and staying active.  But I do want to add that I have continued to roller skate almost every sunday at the rink and a couple a times during the week around my neighborhood with my min pin running along side :-)

This month I am going to try something totally different.  Since it appears that I can't seem to stay on track on my own, I think I am going to join Weight Watchers. 

So just imagine me standing in front of you singing "It's a NEW DAY".   LOL...SMH if you only knew how I really felt about that commercial :-P

Ways to Speed Up Your Metabolism

My metabolism needs a jump start.  The following are ways I will try to speed up my metabolism. 

Eat Breakfast:  If you skip breakfast you are missing out on calories you could have been burning if you wait until lunch or breakfast to eat.  Studies show that if you eat breakfast you won't over eat later in the day and you boost your fat burning metabolism earlier in the day.  Honestly I do skip breakfast often, so I will make it a point to eat breakfast everyday this month.
Eat every 4 hours:  By eating every 4 hours and having healthy snacks will keep your metabolism working through out the day.  It is suggested to eat 5 to 6 small meals a day.  I am guilty of having only about 2 meals a day. 
Lift Weights:  A pound of muscle burns up to nine times the calories a pound of fat does.  It is time for me to put those kettle bells to work!!
Eat Dairy:  Women who consumed milk, yogurt, and cheese three to four times a day lost 70 percent more body fat than women who didn't eat dairy in a study published in the January 2003 American Society for Nutritional Sciences Journal of Nutrition. The reason: Calcium, along with other substances in dairy, actually revs up your metabolism, telling your body to burn excess fat faster.
Eat Protein:  Eating more protein increases your metabolism because your body burns the most calories digesting foods high in fiber & protein
Drink 1 Liter of ice cold water:  The fat burning process of metabolism needs water to work effectively and the body has to raise your metabolism to burn extra calories to warm up the ice cold water. 
Drink Green Tea:  A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrates a significant increase in metabolism from regular green tea consumption.  Rresearchers concluded that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%.

DAY 123: Losing Weight at 30 Years and Older

Yeah Mon!!  I got back from Jamaica last week and I maintained my weight.  Well I gained about 2 pounds but I was able to knock those pounds off by the end of the week.

For some reason I feel like it has been a lot harder to loose weight since I started in January compared to when I lost weight several years ago.  Is it true that when you get older it is harder to lose weight?  I am not sure, but I do know that I will be turning 34 next week and I am still very far away from my goals.

I am starting to get a little frustrated from the lack of results.  I just feel like if I am making an effort then I should see better results than what I am seeing on the scale.  At a minimum 5 pounds a month would be nice but instead the scale just sits there at the same number.

Taking a look at what I have and have not been doing I have considered the following:
1.)  I might not be eating enough.  There are some days that I don't have 1000 calories or more.   Losing weight by eating a reduced amount of food contributes to a decrease in your metabolism, the rate at which your body burns calories.  A lower metabolism results in a decrease in the amount of calories burned.  I think I might need to ensure that I eat at least 1500-1600 calories a week, which should result in 1.5 pounds weight loss per week.  I also need to look into other ways to increase my metabolism.  Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/290277-not-eating-enough-calories-weight-loss/#ixzz1LLNqg9Hy
2.)  I need to get active.  I have been basically BS'ing around with doing some real exercise consistently through the week.  The roller skating is great...but I didn't go the past 3 weekends (vacation, other plans).  The last time I went skating was on April 13th and didn't do anything since then.  If I did exercise I most likely would have lost 5 pounds or more for the month of April.  This month I have decided not to drive to my job in the city and instead take public transportation (bus and metro), which requires me to do a lot more walking during the day.  It will also save me $200 or more each month :-D  I have also got some of my coworkers to agree to walking during lunch.  A lot of folks have been taking Zumba classes and I have got a couple invites out.  The funny thing is that I have filled my schedule with so many other activities like guitar and vocal lessons, that they always fall on the days that I am invited to the exercise classes :-/  I do know that weight loss is at the top of my list, so I will make an effort to fit exercise into my week.

The bottom line is that I need to exercise and I DON'T like to Exercise!  I like to have FUN!!!!

DAY 103: Taking A Vacation From My Diet...

Hey Folks!

I am really looking forward to vacationing in Montego Bay Jamaica next week!!!  Yep I am going to an all-inclusive 5 star resort for 5 days.  I am hoping that this vacation won't destroy what little progress I have made this year.  However, I do plan on enjoying myself to the fullest which includes lounging on the beach, having breakfast in bed, eating at all the 5 star restaurants and drinking all the cocktails offered at this resort.  Can I gain 12 pounds in 5 days?  It has taken me 3 months to lose 12 pounds but I fear that I could easily gain 12 pounds in 5 days.  That just doesn't seem right. 

I guess I should be more committed to staying on the diet while on vacation.  But I am sorry...I mean I just put out all this money for this vacation and I just can't see passing up on all the great food and drinks that are included at this all-inclusive.  I don't plan on eating until I'm about to pop, but I feel like just eating the average American size entree will make me gain weight.

Oh well...I am not going to stress over it while on my stress free relaxing vacation.  Just know that I will be focused and hitting it hard when I return from the islands.  I am aiming for losing 5+ pounds for the month of April.

How can I say No to all this...

Iberostar Grand Rose Hall

DAY 91: I Am SOOO HAPPY!!!

Happy Friday Folks!!!

Besides the fact that it is Friday, there is a lot more for me to be happy about.

I am Happy because I can now groove and glide on roller skates, instead of "groove/scoot/glide a little/wobble".  When I went roller skating on Sunday I decided to rent skates instead of using my old skates.  Well who would have guessed that my old skates were "Jacked UP".  All this time I was working overtime trying to get around the rink because my wheels on my skates didn't spin as fast or as long as other skates.  When I put on the rented skates I couldn't believe how great I was skating...I think I am actually close to skating on beat for most of the song!!!!!!

I am Happy because my Alma mater VCU is in the NCAA Final Four basketball tournament.  GO RAMS!!!

I am SOOOO HAPPY because I lost TWO pounds !!! 
The dancing, roller skating and staying more active is paying off!!!!  I have added several other activities into my schedule, which keep me busy and my mind focused on other things besides EATING.  This is my current weekly schedule: 

Monday...Group guitar lessons

Wednesday...Vocal lessons

Thursday...Salsa dancing at clubs and restaurants that give lessons

Sunday...Roller Skating

Now if I can just maintain that level of activity and stay around 1200 - 1400 calories a day, then I believe I will continue to lose weight.  I will admit that my appetite has increased with the added activity.  I am strongly considering getting a prescription for Phentermine, which is an appetite suppressant.  In the past I have used Phentermine for about 4 months and it helped me lose around 30 pounds.  It just made it easier to not focus on being hungry and concentrate on eating healthy and exercise.  I know that for me being "Hungry" is at least 75% mental.  When I took phentermine I felt like it turned my hunger thoughts OFF.  This time around I wanted to try to lose the weight without taking any type of medication.  Even though it is taken for a short time, I just didn't want to feel dependant on something.  But when I look at the scale and it isn't moving for months because I keep falling victim to my overwhelming cravings more often than not, well it makes me reconsider my options.  I would rather get a little help from meds now instead of having my weight get out of control and end up needing to have surgery in the future. 

Several weeks ago I wrote about how I would be performing at Blues Alley on 3/22/2011.  I was very excited to be performing, but felt a little discouraged because I had nothing to wear.  I couldn’t find anything in the stores and all the dresses in my closet no longer fit, so I was having a really bad FAT moment.  But I decided to say “F   IT” and threw on a pair of black pants, shirt and called it a day.  I was so surprised at how many of my friends and family came out to see me.  It felt great to have so much love and support, which made my wardrobe drama a distant memory.  In fact, I decided to make my attire a little more comfy by I kicking off my shoes before taking the stage for my debut as a Jazz Singer!  I wanted to share with all of you one of the jazz tunes I performed at the show. 

Enjoy Folks!!!

DAY 84: Curbside Cupcakes are Crackcakes...Just Say NOOOO!!!

Yesterday when I woke up and got on the scale I had actually lost a pound!  But I try to only record my weight at the end of the week, so I wanted to wait.  Last night I did 2 hours of salsa dancing lessons and then about 1 more hour of dancing before I left. Today I have totally blown my diet and I know that one lost pound is no longer missing :-/  Curbside Cupcakes decided to drop by my place of work today.  For those who don't know...Curbside Cupcakes is Washington DC's first mobile cupcake company.  They drive around in big pink trucks and post messages on Facebook and Twitter when they are arriving at each location.  I heard folks mention them before, but never tried the cupcakes because they didn't deliver to the Rosslyn area.  Well they just recently added Rosslyn Va to their list of locations and when I looked on the site and saw that they would be driving through today, I just couldn't resist giving them a try.  I didn't have any cash on me so I was going to use my credit card.  And guess what?  You have to spend at least $15 to use credit, which meant I had to buy half a dozen...SMH.  I ate one cupcake and gave another to a coworker.  Now I have 4 cupcakes sitting next to me whispering "come on and take a little bite, just one little taste, you know you want me, I will taste sooo good".  DAMN those Curbside Cupcakes...they should be banned from driving around pushing those Crackcakes.  You should have seen the line of folks out there waiting to get a fix of the sweet stuff!!!

(My four remaining cupcakes that keep harassing me today)

DAY 80: Roller Skating for Weight Loss

Hey Folks!!!

So guess what?  I have discovered how to maintain my current weight...WOOO HOOO!!!!  Yeah I know that isn't something I really want to cheer about since I have like 40 more pounds to lose.  But I felt like celebrating something so WOO HOO for me because I didn't gain any weight this month.  Ok, so I need to really step my game up.

This past week I have added salsa dancing and roller skating into my weekly exercise routine.  I took Salsa lessons on Thursday, which lasted for about 2 hours.  After the lessons I continued to dance for about another 2 hours.  The next day I was moving around like I needed a walker.  I couldn't believe how sore my legs were.  I plan on going every Thursday, so I will update you on my dancing skills as I get better :-)

I found a roller skating rink close to my home and they host an adult skating night on Sundays.  So I called up my Aunt who was known for living on roller skates in her youth and asked if she wanted to try her luck at skating again.  We both decided that we would start roller skating for fun and for the weight loss.  You can burn 500-800 calories skating for 60 mins and the time goes by so fast when you are laughing at yourself and having fun.  The last time I went roller skating was at this rink in Maryland and these folks were No Joke.  I mean they were moving, grooving and gliding on wheels.  Take a look at what I am talking about!

(skip ahead to about 00.50 seconds in)

Me on the other hand, I was just skating...no grooving or gliding on my wheels.  I was happy if I could skate on the beat of the song 70% of the time. 

Well this past Sunday I pulled out my old roller skates I got back when I was in high school and headed out to the rink in hopes of Uping my game to skating on beat at least 75% of the time :-)  I am hoping to look a little more like the folks above in the next couple of months.  As you can see from the video below, I have a long long way to go :-D
Enjoy!!!!

DAY 63: I LOVE TO EAT FOOD!!!!!

I don't need to deny it, in fact I am going to start embracing it.  Embracing the fact that I love to eat food.  The problem with eating food is that if you eat to much of it you will BLOW uP!!!  So how do I eat all the food that I love and not BLOW UP!  Well for starters I am watching how many calories I eat.  At this point in order for me to loose weight I am only allowing myself 1200 calories a day.  Once I hit a goal weight I will be able to increase my calories so that I can maintain my weight.   But for now I am stuck with only 1200 a day.  I know you might think that 1200 isn't enough and almost impossible to do.  Well it is possible but I need to be creative sometimes and be on the look out to find new things to satisfy my LOVE for food. 

My latest and greatest find are those 99 cent bags of Funyuns.  First let me tell you that my junk food of choice are chips, Fritos and tortilla chips with some sort of cheese dip.  I don't even buy large bags of chips because I know I will eat the whole thing in one night.  The calories are so VERY high in the chip department and make it difficult for me to fit it into my 1200 calories a day routine.  So when I saw a bag of Funyuns and it said 220 calories for 1 serving and the serving was the whole bag...I felt a tear come to my eye.  I made sure I purchased some sugar free gum so that I wouldn't make anyone else tear up also :-)

The other night I decided to try out a couple of low calorie recipes.  I had a friend over and he got to try out the appetizers I prepared.  He didn't think they lacked anything in the taste department considering they were low calorie.  I will post the full recipes and directions in the near future.

Onion Rings (155 Calories a serving)

Baked with batter made from Fiber One Bran cereal and Fat Free Liquid Egg Beater.  One large onion is a serving so you get a lot to eat with this recipe.  The one down fall is that it was difficult to make the breading batter stick to the onion.  Oh and make sure you have plenty of mints on stand by :-D

Wonton Tacos (191 per serving...4 Tacos)

Made with square wonton wrappers, BBQ shredded chicken, Sesame Ginger coleslaw mix with cilantro.  I had a little trouble with making the wonton wrappers wide enough to hold the filling.  Next time I know exactly how wide they need to be.  I loved the Sesame Ginger coleslaw mix, it created a tangy bite and complimented the spicy BBQ chicken well.  And they were so cute!!!

Chicken Taquitos (197 Calories per serving...3 Taquitos)

Made with yellow corn tortillas, canned fat-free white chicken breast, salsa (I used spicy hot salsa), taco seasoning and shredded fat-free cheddar cheese.  Ok well this recipe didn't work out for me so I switched it up.  I must have purchased the wrong yellow corn tortilla because I couldn't get it to soften up in the microwave, so I trashed the tortillas and used wonton wrappers instead.  They were crispy, spicy and very tasty treats!!!

And That's All Folks!!!


Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200: 200 Recipes Under 200 Calories

Hungry Girl Happy Hour: 75 Recipes for Amazingly Fantastic Guilt-Free Cocktails and Party Foods

DAY 59: Caught in Middle of Drive-By While Counting Calories

Hey Folks I am still here!

Well lots of things to update you all on.  My DGW day on 02/19/2011 ended up being a 4 day long food binge.  I don't know what happened...well actually I know what happened, I ate whatever I wanted for four days straight because I had a long weekend and didn't have to go back to work until Wednesday.  I feel like I am a drug addict.  I mean I was doing fine but once I got a little taste of the good stuff then I just wanted to taste a little more.  I even felt like I was doing a secret drive-by.  I had my dark clothes on, hoodie pulled low over my face and made sure no one I knew was looking as I slowly drove up to the window and placed my order..."Can I get a #5.  And make sure you SuPerSiZe it".  Yep it was a sad site to see.

So I have been in detox for the past week.  Sticking to my my 1200 calories a day and the cravings are finally gone.  I think if I don't have anymore long weekends I will be OK and not fall off the wagon again.  I have a miniature pinscher dog and she is also on a little diet.  One evening she wanted a dog treat so bad that she just kept barking at me.  It was so hilarious that I had to video tape her.  So hope you get a good laugh from it.

I am still stuck at around 10 to 11 pounds lost.  And I know it is because I am not getting up off this butt of mine and exercising.  I just can't seem to talk myself into making that trip to the gym.  What would make me go to the gym?  Maybe if I would get $100 dollars every time I went to the gym.  Or maybe if I was guaranteed to loose 5 pounds a week if I go 5 times a week.  But I know that won't happen...or will it?

Honestly I had my hopes really high and thought I would be down 20 pounds by the time March 16th rolled around.  March 16th I will be singing some jazz tunes at the infamous Blues Alley located in Georgetown Washington DC.  Despite me not being 20 pounds lighter when I step onto the stage, I am pleased that I am 10 pounds lighter and a step closer to a healthier me.

DAY 59: March Madness with Kettlebells and The PAGG Stack

Since I don't like going to the gym I wanted to create a workout that I could do at home.  After a little research I discovered that the Kettlebells give the best full body workout with minimal time involved.
If you've never heard of kettlebells, you aren't alone. Although this piece of strength training equipment has been around for decades, only recently has it caught the attention of mainstream athletes.  Kettlebells are bowling ball-sized cast iron weights with a single looped handle on top. Kettlebells range in weight from two pounds to over 100 pounds.  Read More here

I will make sure I post videos of some of my workout sessions!  Also since I enjoy the Wii Michael Jackson Dance Experience so much I will even post a video of me doing a couple of MJ moves ;-)  But I won't be letting you know when, so I guess you just have to keep checking back to see me hit a couple pelvis thrust along with a kick and quick spin!!!

I also decided that I need to start taking some sort of vitamin supplements.  Along with taking my "One A Day" multi-vitamin I wanted to add in some supplements that promote weight loss.  Last month I did the 30 day slow carb diet created by Tim Ferris.  Tim Ferris recommended taking a combination of Policosanol, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Green Tea Extract and Garlic.  When these four supplements are combined they have found to increase weight loss.  Instead of buying all the individual supplments I found a supplier who combined all supplments into a easy to take tablet.
The PAGG Stack is 4 supplements:  Policosanol, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, Green Tea Extract and Garlic.
All of the supplements work together to increase weight loss, but each does have a specific purpose.

• Alpha-lipoic acid directs your carbohydrate intake to your muscles and liver instead of sending it to your fat cells.
• Green Tea Flavanols prevents the storage of carbohydrates in fat cells.
• Garlic extract have been shown to make fat regain more difficult.
• Policosanol has benefited Tim Ferris and his other followers with increased fat loss while taking the AGG combination.

The PAGG Stack is taken 4 times a day, 6 days a week before meals and before going to bed. 

DAY 45: My Before Pictures/Video and No Chocolates for me on Valentines Day

Happy Valentines Day and I will make sure I eat a 100 calorie chocolate brownie bite for you.  Actually I will dedicate ALL SIX nickel size brownie bites to all you folks trying to remove those unwanted pounds from your life!!!!!

I did NOT like making this video or editing it while looking at my swollen figure :-)  So I hope all of you readers enjoy because I needed to throw back a few Vodka tonics (diet tonic) in order to get through this video.

And That's All Folks!!!

DAY 36...10 Pounds Lighter and Counting My Calories

Woo Hoo!!!! I finally hit 10 pounds down. I've been keeping track of my calories with the My Fitness application I downloaded on my android phone.  It's great because I can just quickly input what I am eating.  Below I added my diet journal for Friday.

So I am still slacking off on the exercise department.  I said I would work out twice a week and the week is basically over and I haven't worked out once.  Although I did break a light sweat cleaning my house :-) I don't know about you but sometimes a good house cleaning is a great workout.  I still haven't made it too the gym, which is going on over a year since I have used my membership.  I know, its pretty sad huh?  I guess there is no excuse except that I am possibly LAZY!!!

I have been drinking a lot more water, which I am not a big fan of.  I have found that if I drink it with a lot of ice then I can chug down a couple of glasses at a time.  I drink a lot of crystal light and sugar free type of liquids.  I am working toward just drinking water and only having other drinks on special occasions.

I am working on taking photos.  I don't know if I should take the all black leotard type of photo or take a photo in a pair of jeans that were my favorite pair but I can no longer button.  What do you think...black leotard or jeans?

What should I wear for my before photo?

Well That's All Folks!

DAY 31: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days...1200 Calories per Day

Hey Folks!
So guess what....I didn't loose any extra weight this last week.  So I only lost 8 pounds for the month.  Isn't that a bunch of crocket :-/  But what do you expect when you don't do any exercise.  Basically my take on the 4-Hour Body slow carb diet is that it isn't for me :-)   But I wanted to finish the diet out for the full 30 days.  Towards the end I really missed not being able to have some yogurt and an apple in the morning for breakfast.  And  I just missed having a balanced diet all together.  I feel like I need to do exercise, but i wanted to stay true to what was mentioned in the book, so I did not do much exercise during the month. 

For the month of February I will be going back to what works for me, which is counting calories and exercise.  I will consuming 1200 calories a day and working out at least 2 days a week.  I don't want to start out with some crazy workout schedule that I know I won't be able to stick with and then feel guilty about it in the end.  I am going to keep the DGW day because I think it really helps prevent you from cheating throughout the week when you know there is a day set aside just for that.


In the past when i counted calories I used the DietMinder Personal Food & Fitness journal.  I wrote everything I ate in that book.  I recorded how much water I drank, exercise for the day and daily vitamins I took.  It has an area where you can also write little notes in it about how you feel.  I sometimes look at my old DietMinder books just to see what my weight was or what I was eating ect...
This time I am going to use an application I downloaded on my phone called MyFitness.  MyFitness allows you to track your calories, water intake, exercise, weight and add notes.  You can also access MyFitness on the web @ http://www.myfitnesspal.com/

So when I leave work today I will go buy light yogurt, apples and a cart full of frozen meals.  Since I only cook for myself I am able to get away with living off of frozen meals.  It makes life so much easier...the calories are printed right on the box and takes less than 5 minutes to cook :-)

And That's All Folks!!!

   

MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

DAY 23: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days…7 Days Left

Hey Folks!  So we are three weeks in and I am down 8 pounds.  I honestly thought I would have lost more at this point but at least it is better than a blank.  Actually I am looking forward to my new challenge next month.  I will finish out this challenge and remain true to the plan described in the book and share my final thoughts at the end.  But the no exercise thing isn't really working for me and I am considering counting calories again but haven't decided if I actually will do that. 

One thing is for certain is that I do need to get active and have been putting it off for awhile.  The 20lbs in 30 days with no exercise was just another way for me to put it off a little longer :-/ 

So last week I lost 2 pounds...guess at the end of this challenge I will end up loosing about 10 pounds instead of 20.  Is anyone who is doing the slow-carb diet for 30 days close to 20 lbs? 

Sorry for not sharing more videos.  I have been taking videos on my phone but realized that the android phone will not let you email videos longer than 60 seconds.  So apparently I have to download an app that isn't free in order to post my videos.  No worries...I will figure out a work around soon enough.  I have been dreading this but I guess it is only right for me to post pictures so that I can track before and after during each month.  So at the end of the month I will post my first weight loss mug shots :-)

And That's All Folks!!!!

DAY 18: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days…Wii Dance Video

Hey All!  I am still here :-) 
Last night I cheated :-/   Yes I had three slices of pizza on a non cheat day.  So I am ready for my punishment...Let me Have IT.  Well I beat myself up about it and to top it off after I finished eating the pizza that new show called "Heavy" came on.  HEAVY - A&E’s docudrama follows twenty-two individuals facing extreme life-threatening health consequences as a result of their obesity.  So no more cheating for me...I can wait for my once a week DGW cheat day.

So doing a little damage control today and decided I needed to work out.  It just so happens that today my sister was telling me how fun the new Wii Michael Jackson Experience game is.  So after work I went to buy it and got a great 45 minute workout dancing my butt off.

DAY 14: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days…2nd WEIGH IN

Let me start off by saying I was starving last night when I left my job.  I had no idea what I wanted to eat and in the past I most likely would have ordered a pizza and some wings since i didn't feel like cooking.  Well I ended up getting a gyro salad with lentils on the side.

OK so I know all of you want to know how much weight I lost this week.  Well...if you must know I only lost 1 pound.  I really thought I would have lost at least 3 pounds but only 1...I just don't like it.  Now I hate to make excuses BUT...I am going to blame the lack of pounds being lost this week on GEORGE.  Yep, it never fails every time George decides to pay me a visit the scale is NOT my friend.  I can't stand George, he is always raining on my parade. 

Tomorrow is "DGW" day and I can't wait to have some pancakes and those rolls from the restaurant Logans.

Well I want to hear some good news.  So now it is your turn to share your progress.  Who is still on the plan and how much have you lost?  What do you plan on eating on "DGW" day?

Who Is George?

What Is "DGW" day?

gyro salad with lentils

Who is George?

I first met George back when I was about 12 years old.  Before I actually met George I would hear people talk about him all the time.  A couple of my friends had actually met him before me and would act like they were sooo grown and "special" because George was now their special friend.  Well let me tell you this...sometimes I wish I never met George.  After I met him I couldn't get rid of him.  He drops by every month and some times unannounced.  He puts me in such a bad mood at times, that most folks don't want to be around me for a couple days.  He is a PAIN in my A ...well feels more like a pain in head and stomach cramps.  And then when he is around I crave all types of junk food.  I don't know if it is the junk food but for some reason my clothes fit tight and my scale is always going up when it should be going down. Damn that GEORGE...DAMN DAMN DAMN!

GOOD NEWS FLASH
Well if any of you out there know George then I have some good news for you if you are following the slow carb diet plan.  Timothy Ferris author of the 4-Hour Body states that you should ignore scale readings in the 10 days before menstruation.  He advises that since women tend to retain much more water just before their periods to treat your first weighing following your period as your "after" measurement.  I don't know about the before thing...but I do know I always retain water during my visit with George.

What is "DGW" Day?

Dieters Gone Wild...Let the eating begin!!!!  This is the one day in the week where you eat all the things you were craving for during the week.  Cupcakes...eat it; Double cheeseburger...devour it; Pizza...inhale it; Box of chocolates...pop em until you POP.  The idea is that once you stuff yourself, you won't want to think about any junk food for the rest of the week. 

BUT....

Make sure to follow these rules:

1. Make sure your first meal of the day is not a binge meal and drink a small amount of grapefruit juice before your first DGW meal.
2. Make sure all the DGW food passes through you quickly by drinking coffee or tea with caffeine.  I know this works because I can't even finish a cup of coffee in the morning without running to the toilet :-)
3. Do some funny exercise moves right before you eat and about 90 minutes after. The suggested exercise moves are air squats or wall presses for about 1 minute.
4. Get your PAGG Stack.  In The 4-Hour Body, Tim suggests that these 4 supplements are the 4 horsemen of sustained fat loss which have a huge impact when put together:
   Policosanol: 20-25mg
   Alpha-lipoic acid: 100-300mg
   Green tea flavanols: 325mg (decaffeinated)
   Garlic extract

DAY 11: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days

Today I am going to share a recipe and my new drink of choice.

Crock Pot Lima Beans

It's time to pull out that crock pot so you can throw in some beans and forget about it.  I personally think the crock pot is the best way to cook Lima beans because I like when they explode and they become all soupy like.  It takes a long time to get them that way when cooking on the stove top.

Ingredients:

• 2 bags of frozen Lima beans
• 1 smoked turkey wing
• season to taste

Put those beans and wings in the crock pot and cook those suckers all day long until they explode!!! (8 or more hours)

My new drink of choice is unsweetened tea with lemon juice.  I love sweet tea and didn't think I would like it without sweetener.  It actually isn't that bad if you add lemon juice.  I but the bottle of lemon juice and add about a cap full to glass of tea.  Give it a try and if you just can't stand to drink it without some kind of sweetener then add a small amount of Sweet'n Low.  Try to wean yourself off of the Sweet'n Low until you don't need it...this is exactly what I did.

DAY 10: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days

Hey All!  I am still here and still sticking to the diet plan.  On the "Dieters Gone Wild" day on Saturday I was surprised to find myself not very hungry and did not have all the major cravings that i had days before.  In fact I kind of forced myself to eat certain things just because I knew I wouldn't get the chance to do it until next Saturday.

The idea of doing this blog and sharing it with people I know is already starting to work its' wonders.  Saturday I was walking in the mall trying to find something to wear to my sister's Bday dinner.  As I gazed into the window of Godiva I could almost taste the chocolate on my tongue and I almost backed up to walk into the store.  But when I looked up I locked eyes with a friend and follower of this blog.  Now what are the chances of that happening right when I was ready to go buy some chocolate covered strawberries and a box of chocolate :-)  I know it was on my cheat day, but i planned on buying a box and know I wouldn't have finished them all on Saturday.  I doubt she even realized that she saved me from consuming about 3000 calories.  So thank you Tiffini for popping up when you did. 

On Sunday I had planned on going to the 12:00 Bikram class.  I was still in bed at 10:30 and felt myself wanting to skip out.  My girlfriend Akilah called and said she couldn't make the 12:00 class but was going at 6 so I said I would do the same.  Well when 6 started getting closer I started to feel lazy and thought to myself "I'll go tomorrow".  Sent a text to Akilah asking if she wanted to go tomorrow instead and she said "No, we have to go today".  My first Bikram class since 2009 and almost 50 pounds heavier was not how I remembered it in the past.  It felt horrible to bend down and feel my stomach getting in the way of me stretching.  I have always had trouble doing exercise because of my chest (I am very top heavy), but never because of my GUT.  I couldn't even lay flat on my back and feel comfortable because my butt was lifting me off the ground...SMH...I have to get this weight off.  I think I did more sitting on my mat breathing during each pose than actually doing the poses. 

Well I am going to sign off here even though I could go on for hours.

And That's All Folks!

My cheat day meal at Eatonville:  Fried chicken, mac n cheese, greens and the smallest biscuit in the world.  Yep that is a little teeny tiny biscuit next to fork.  LOL

DAY 7: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days…THE FIRST WEIGH IN

First off I can't wait until Saturday gets here because I have been having some major cravings.  The one thing that is going to be first on my list to eat on “Dieters Gone Wild” day is the corn bread that Safeway makes.  I have been going crazy thinking about eating a piece of that cake like corn bread.  I can't believe how much food is like crack.  But I am hoping all my cravings will die down in my 2nd week.

So my first weigh in results...I have lost a total of DRUM ROLL PLEASE...5 POUNDS .  Maybe it is just water weight that i have lost, but at least the scale went down and not up.  The real numbers will start to show next week.  Up to this point I have not done any exercise, but I do plan on going to Bikram Yoga on Sunday.

My “Dieters Gone Wild” day is going to be really special since it is my Sister's 30th birthday.  She is also doing the 20 pounds in 30 days challenge, so it will be really entertaining to see how we both binge out on food and drinks Saturday night.  She planned a night out on the town, starting with dinner at Eatonville followed by drinks and dancing at the ChiCha lounge.  I will be sure to share pics and videos with you all.

There are a couple of small rules that you have to follow on your “Dieters Gone Wild” day.  I will post them later tonight.

And That's All Folks!!!

Egg whites with turkey sausage.

The book that started it all.  Feel free to purchase it from my blog because then I know you are supporting Me Ms DMV :-)

DAY 5: How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise

I didn't realize just how much the carbs really make you feel full...you know that gut busting need to take a nap feeling.  I have not had that feeling despite stuffing myself with veggies.  I guess that is a good thing. 
Today I was craving pound cake and something cheesy (cheesy pizza, cheese burger or lasagna).  I was starving on my way home from work and wanted to be able to eat some good old comfort food.  I stayed true to the plan and cooked my special Goulash...basically a bunch of stuff thrown in the pot. The goulash contained:  ground turkey, onions, corn, tomatoes, string beans, peas, carrots, mushrooms and cabbage.  All the veggies were from the can except for the cabbage.  This should last me a couple days and will be packed up for my lunch tomorrow.

That's All Folks!!!

A CUP OF GOULASH!!!!

A BIG OLE POT OF GOULASH!!!!

How I lost 25 Pounds doing Bikram Yoga

A lot of folks have been asking me about Bikram Yoga. If you have never been to a class before you should definitely try it out at least once in your life. Most studios offer discounted classes for first time Bikram students. Here is a link to the Bikram class locator: http://www.bikramyoga.com/studioLocator.php

It really does do your body wonders and you will start to see and feel results very quickly. You will sleep like a baby, have tons of energy the next day, and your skin will be looking better than ever.

Below I will share what I experienced when I was first introduced to Bikram Yoga.

Posted 1/8/2008
A Good Friend of mine kept talking about this yoga class she had been taking and how I needed to go. she had been talking about it for over a month, but I already had gym membership at Golds and didn't see why i should go someplace else when they had Yoga at Golds. Plus i never really got into the Yoga thing. I was trying to loose weight so always went for the Cardio type of stuff. Well November 9th my girlfriend called me and asked again, "You should go to BikramYoga with me 2morrow morning". I was like "You are right on time with this, I am willing to give it a shot".

So I met her at 8:00 in the morning on Saturday. I had no idea what I was in for, all I was told was to bring a yoga mat, towel, 2 bottles of frozen water, dress light(half naked) and be prepared to sweat!!!! So I walk in with my friend with an open mind. There is a small lobby and everyone takes their shoes off when they walk in and place them into cubbies. The aroma of Lavender is in the air. I see a lot of slim folks walking around with really skimpy outfits on. Anywhoooo, I take my socks and shoes off, take of my sweatshirt and head to the Yoga Room.

I walk in and this blanket of heat hits me in the face. The room is about 110 degrees and my skin already feels moist. I lay my mat down in the back row, sit my frozen waters beside my mat and take a seat on the floor. Me and my friend are whispering back in forth like 2 school girls. I notice alot of people are laying flat on there back, just basically chillen. My friend says we are supposed to do that so that are body can warm up and get use to the air in the room. It also helps relax you before the class starts. So the instructor walks in. He is a very lean man with some really small tight speedo booty shorts on... That's enough about him.

On The very first exercise we did, I almost busted out laughing. We had to breath in deep with are head pushed forward (people sounded like vacuum cleaners, I have never heard such deep breathing in my life) and then breath out pushing are head far back We did this like 10 times. 15 minutes into the class I am bending down touching my toes and a water fall of sweat comes pouring down my face, blinding my site. I peer through my lashes and noticed my legs are drenched, as if I just stepped out of the bathtub. When I stand up straight, all the blood comes rushing back to my head and my heart is pounding as if I just ran a 100 Meter dash. Several times I just had to stand there and breath to keep myself together. The instructor tells us, whatever you do, "DONT LEAVE THE ROOM" just sit down and breath, but "DONT LEAVE THE ROOM". So we are approaching about 45 mins into the class and I'm thinking "thank goodness, I am just about 'WELL DONE', and ready to be taken out of the oven". I stretch a lil harder and hold the poses a lil longer because I know we are almost done. Then the instructor says "Ok, that concludes the warm-up, now lets start Yoga". My thoughts go blank, then I regain consciousness "WHAT THE F%$@, THE WARMUP". I look over to my Girl and ask "How long is this class", she giggles and says "90 minutes".

30 minutes later I am laying flat on my back, just chillen in "Savasana" with an ice cold wet towel on my face that has been soaked in Lavender. I am soaking wet from head to toe and feel like I just ran 10 miles in 90 degree weather. The funny thing is, I feel GREAT!!!!! I always love that feeling you get after an intense workout, I just usually really dislike or don't enjoy the exercises you have to do to get to that point. But I actually liked doing those Yoga poses and I was eager to try it again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. I signed up for the Intro Month and went back the very next Day. After that I was hooked and going 3+ times a week. That's 600+ calories burned every class

THE RESULTS AFTER 4 WEEKS
After the first 4 weeks of counting calories, going to Bikram(HOT) Yoga, and writing everything down I lost 16 pounds. The only thing I could say was "WOW, IT REALLY WORKS". 12 pounds in 4 weeks and an extra 4 pounds if you exercise.

THE RESULTS AFTER 8 WEEKS
It's January 7th and I have lost 25+ pounds. I did not loose the 16 pounds in the 2nd 4weeks because I couldn't afford the Bikram Yoga during the Holiday Months. That class is expensive ($150 for a unlimited month), and if you sign up you want to be able to go to class as much as possible to get your dollars worth. So I opted out for the month of December with all the holiday parties, time off from work, shopping for gifts ect... I still continued to count my calories and even started taking Kukuwa Dance workout at golds gym, since I did have a membership :-)

Today(Jan 7th) I will be going back to Bikram Yoga, I miss it so much. Every time I took that class I left feeling like I could breath so much better, the best restful sleep, tons of energy the next day, skin looking better than ever. I just felt GOOD. I will let you know if this euphoric feeling returns after the class.

AFTER BIKRAM YOGA ON JAN 7thWow, it was sooooo Great!!!! I was running late and rushed to get there and when I arrived, the room was packed. I have never seen so many people in the class. we usually only have 2 rows of people and today we had to squeeze in a third row. The class was great and I was sooo surprised at my performance. I have lost a little more weight since the last class I took about 3 weeks ago. I could really tell the difference...I was hitting poses I never hit before and didn't need to take as many breaks as I used to.

Chillen in "Savasana"

At times you feel like a kid again practicing tumbling