So...Are You Planning to Update Us or WHAT?

My bad, my bad. I've been on vacation from the weight loss. Sorry. But yes, all that pushing and hard work I did the last 12 weeks paid off. I WON! I am so proud of myself. And now that the contest is over, I plan to maintain my loss. I've decided to start weight lifting. No, I'm not trying to look like a female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger...seriously, who would want that? My goal is to define my muscles and tone them up. I recently purchased one of the best books I have ever read when it comes to fitness, The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess. The books is absolutely solid gold.

So this is where I am now. The pounds are off and now it's time to define them curves that I have. So you know when I get stopped by some rabid, foaming at the mouth, obsessed fan who thinks I'm Janet Jackson I can dropkick their ass into the next decade :D. Actually, I could probably do that now. But still, you know.

So I'm going to revamp my blog a little. I'm thinking I want to take monthly pictures of my body so that I can have a photo timeline of how the muscles in my body are shaping up.

Wish me luck. And, remember...Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires!

I Pushed and I Pushed and I Pushed

Actually, I started pushing last week after my last weigh in. When I realized I was only 7lbs from having lost an even 40lbs, I decided to go for it this. So I pushed myself to the max. And while most of it was for the contest, the other part was the desire to be able to say "I just lost 40lbs"! And because well who wouldn't want to try to do it if it was within their reach. So I pushed and pushed and pushed. Seven pounds is the most I've ever lost in a week. And, it'll also be the last time I do again. I don't recommend, nor endorse it. But I am happy with it. I have now lost a total of 40lbs since Feb. WOW! That is just unbelievable. And now my husband owes me $100 from a bet we placed 7 years ago when I first got into the whole TaeBo thing. He told me it was a joke and that he doubted I'd lose even 10lbs. Well, 7 years later and now he has egg on his face, lol. I can't wait to tell him. Although, I doubt he'll give me $100 over it. I have a feeling he is going to have a case of selective amnesia.

What a journey! I can't believe the contest is over. Well, actually I can. And thank goodness!!! I want to do nothing but eat an entire box of doughnuts. But you know what the crazy part is? I couldn't even if I wanted to now. I can maybe eat 1 or 2, but if I even attempt to eat more, I feel sick. I've cut sweets almost out of my diet. Save for the occasional cupcake binge ;-) or chocolate bar, I really don't eat sweets anymore. After reading a bunch of books on weight loss and shrinking your waist line, I've found that sugary foods are the culprit. So I've done my best to Just Say No. And wow, it has actually paid off. When the contest started, my waistline was at 39 inches and now it's at 34!!! Of course it went up and down for awhile. But still!!! I've gone from a size 14/15 in pants to a now 10/11!

Now that the contest is over, the real challenge of maintaining the weight lost begins...

Stay tuned!

Before and After Photos

So tonight I took my "after" photo for the contest. You may remember the one I took at the beginning. I decided to wear the exact same outfit to show the difference. The shirt no longer stretches across my body...okay, it still does stretch across my breasts. But well, what can I say? I'm top heavy and these girls aren't going anywhere anytime soon. But the point is that the shirt is now fitting loosely. If you look at the back, you can see where the shirt bunches up because it doesn't stretch across my back anymore. Sweet! Also, I had to fold down the top of my shorts so that they wouldn't slip down. How awesome is that? But, I'm really happy with my results. My belly has shrunk considerably which is making me smile incredibly wide. My arms also look slightly smaller. I think I'll definitely focus on them next to get them nice and defined. So enough with talk, here are the photos :)


Before: Taken 02/19/09





After: Taken 05/14/09

Last Day

So although the contest ends tomorrow, today is technically the last day for me as I send in my weight on Friday mornings. So today is my last day to really workout. I have a big day planned too. I've been working out twice a day every day this week. Today, I'm going to push even harder by working out for a little longer doing my workouts. I am SO thankful though that my period came last week and I don't have any bloating this week. Plus, even though I still do it, I don't have to work out on my period. I really hate doing that because all I ever want to do is sleep and eat chocolate glazed donuts....ooh donuts.

So I'm off to get my day started for my last chance workouts.

Biggest Loser (Show) Finale

WOW! I can't believe Helen won. Okay, actually I can. When they brought her out, I thought to myself "she looks really good, she'll probably win". I am just so happy that Mike and Ron didn't win anything. I didn't like those two at all. But congrats to both of them. I feel a little sad for Tara cause she literally worked her ass off along with her belly, thighs, and arms. But it took her a long time to come to the realization that she really wanted to win. Scratch that, that she deserved to win. Oh well. The biggest thing is they all changed their lives for the better.

And speaking of...so have I. This is the last week of the Biggest Loser contest with the mom's group I'm in. I don't want to sound cocky which is why I haven't mentioned my standing in the contest very much. Because honestly, it's not about swagger to me or bragging rights. Yes, I want the money. Yes, I deserve the money (as well as others working hard). And I hope to goodness that I win. I am currently number one in the contest. And I just hope I can keep the lead. I am working extra hard this week. I want to win so bad. I will not lie. I will definitely be hurt if I lose, but knowing I have changed my life for the better will be a nice comfort. And, losing to one of the other ladies will make me feel proud because they have all strived so hard. These ladies are incredible and inspire me to keep going.

Whether I win or lose, after the contest I will continue on my journey. Because fitness is a journey, not a destination. And I am enjoying the ride. I have hit my current goal of 165lbs. I would love to be 150lbs by the end of the year. No matter what this has been a great time in my life. I have lost all of the baby weight I have ever gained from all three of my pregnancies. And I have knocked off weight that was just from Little Debbie and Betty Crocker. I am so proud of myself. And nothing, not even a contest, can take that from me.

Help! I've Been Robbed!

Somebody stole the little junk that I had in my trunk! Seriously...I mean it. My panties don't fit anymore. Yes, I said my panties don't fit anymore. Stop laughing. I never had a whole lot of junk in my trunk to begin with and now I'm about to suffer from flat ass syndrome. Now don't get me wrong, I'm loving the weightloss and my new body. But nobody told me about losing my ass. And, yes I was too clueless to put two and two together and figure it out on my own. I'm trying not to complain, really. But it sucks. I've never had a big ass, but at least it was nice. Now it's starting to deflate. How am I supposed to pull off being Janet Jackson if I don't have an ass? Yeah at first people will be fooled, but then once I turn around they are going to be like what the hell! So now I have to take money out of my soon to be hired bodyguards (to protect me from the ravaging fans) to pay for ass pads. Cause I just refuse to get plastic ass surgery. Do they make ass pads in cotton? Cause you know, I need breathable material.

GOAL!!!

Just popping in for a quick post to say I hit my goal weight of 165lbs!!! I'm really proud of myself. Anyway, no time to blog today. The littlest one is sick with a cold and is MISERABLE. So I'm off to take care of my little guy.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Ooh!!!

Yes, I know! It's been forever since I've posted something. I'm sorry. Thank you to everyone who sent me emails asking what's going on. What's going on is my husband now works out of home and hogs the computer room when he isn't traveling. Last week he was out of town, but I was just too swamped with my boys and work to find the time to blog. And, then once I did get some energy, the husband came home and took over the computer room. Which drove me nuts because he has a freaking laptop so he shouldn't be utilizing the office. Okay, well...it is HIS office, but still. A girl needs to spend countless hours on facebook, blogging, chatting, and websurfing. But I digress...

Anyway, I've been doing really well. I'm still losing weight and last week I made some progress in losing inches. Which is what I really want. I'm doing very well in the Biggest Loser contest and I'm really hoping to maintain the lead because the money would be very nice. But, like I said from the beginning, it's about the money, but it's also about so much more. I'm healthy. I'm able to walk, run, climb, and wrestle without feeling winded or like my heart is going to jump out of my chest. So if I don't win (I'll cry my heart out, lol) I'll be happy because I have totally reinvented myself and that is priceless. Yes, money is nice. But being able to keep up with my boys and seeing myself growing old with my husband is better than anything money can buy.

Which brings me to the title of today's blog. NO! I'm not getting married. I'm already taken. LOL. But when I was thinking about posting something today, it's the title that stuck with me. So here goes....

Something old...I'm proud to say while I'm still a size 12, I was able to get into a very old dress that I haven't worn since after my second son's birth!

Something new...I got a new laptop. Although, it's small as crap and irritates me a little because it's so small. But I love it. The hubster bought it for me so I wouldn't have to wait on him to finish in our home office. What a guy! It's also an early Mother's Day gift.

Something borrowed... I got new books from the library, lol.

Something Ooh (as in Ooh la la)... In a few weeks, I will be celebrating my 6th wedding anniversary. And the hubster is taking me away for a little trip without the kids. We haven't been together without the kids in like 4 years so this is a very needed trip. Anyway, I picked up this awesome bathing suit that I plan to wear. I'm so excited too because I haven't worn anything this sexy to swim in since forever. And, I owe it all to the contest. It has given me so much confidence. I can't wait to surprise my husband with it. Normally, I wear one of those blob like things from Walmart.

Um....Okay? I Guess

So I just took a really quick look at why I'm losing pounds and not inches. And, well according to two sites I am either losing inches in areas I'm not recording or I'm not eating enough protein. I guess both kind of make sense. I'm not recording my bra size, but I know I have definitely lost inches around my band because I was wearing a 38 band size when I started. And now I'm wearing a 36, but even that is starting to feel loose. I suppose I should go get professionally measured to double check my bra size. As for the protein though, I'd have to double check what I've eaten the last few weeks. But, in honesty I'm too lazy to sit around remembering what I ate. So I'm just going to go with the first explanation, lol.

Roadblock

So I think I've reached a bit of a roadblock. I know none of you probably agree with me though. It seems like I can't lose an inch on anything. It's like my body has found its comfort zone. But that's not good. Cause the more I lose in pounds, the more my inches stay the same. And I want my inches to shrink. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking "Makita, sit down and shut up!!" I know, but I just can't. Plus, my body fat continues to creep up as the pounds come off. So that tells me losing inches is more important than losing pounds. I just don't get what's happening. Is it because I started a toning program and I'm trying to tone things up? Hmm...I just don't know. I guess that will be my google quest for today. Oh wait, the hubster is coming home today ;) That google quest is going to have to be put on hold. I really can't wait to see him.

So anyway, back to the drawing board for me. I know that I've been really hard on my body lately with the constant exercising. It's been the only thing the past two weeks that has kept me grounded and sane while the hubster was out of town. So I know I worked myself too hard. So next week I'm planning to take it easy. I know it can't be good for my body to lose close to 8lbs in two weeks. My middle son's birthday is next Tuesday, so I'll probably indulge some cake. Oh, but don't worry. I'll still keep my routine. It just won't be as vigorous.

Feeling So Burnt Out

I don't know what it is. But I am just feeling so burnt out today. I went to the park with my boys today and ran around with them. So that's about all the exercise I have gotten for today. I just can't seem to pull it together to exercise. I am just burnt out. I'm hoping I can pull it together before bed to at least get a 30 minute workout in. But the way I feel right now, I just want to sleep. I just want to lay down, pull the covers over my head, and sleep for days. ARGH! I hate feeling this way.


*UPDATE*
I forced myself to work out for 30 minutes before I hit the shower and went to sleep.

Who's That Lady?

Why... it's me!!!! So I was superly inspired by last week's episode of the Biggest Loser. For those of you who missed it, it was makeover week. Now coupled with the fact that my long dreadlocks have been working my nerve for awhile now. Thanks to a wonderful little guy who is obsessed with trying to grab them so he can eat them. And then add that to yesterday's fun playdate that was all about cutting hair. So badda bing badda boom...I cut my locs!!! Not all the way off. I love my locks. I've been natural for 5 years this summer and locked for 3 now. So I wasn't ready to just let them go. But I was ready to say bye bye to the length. So inspired by the show, friends, and myself I decided now was the time. Plus, it's only fitting for me to have my own little makeover session. I've lost 23lbs so far. So I think a new Makita was in order. My kids love it. My oldests are now calling me "special, new Mommy" and they love it. Now Patrick (the one who wants to eat it) is like "what the hell mom? You didn't even give me a chance!" LOL, he'll get over it!

I just wanted to share this all with you. You all are a great support system for me. :)


Before:



After:

It Feels Like Time Is Standing Still...Or At Least the Calculators Are

So it's the end of another week. I've lost 4lbs. Yeah me! But I feel like time is standing still or the calculators are. The body fat percentage is perplexing me. I've been thinking of finding a place to do the actual water test where they measure your body fat by having you sit in water. Sometimes, it's not that big of a deal and sometimes it is. That number just fluctuates and it's starting to irritate me. If I lose pounds it doesn't move or it goes up. If I lose inches then it goes down. Oh well, whatever. I'm just happy the pounds are still coming off, but I have a feeling that the majority of the weight loss came from last week's workout. I think being bloated Betty threw off my numbers. I'm still happy though. That means I am now down to the last 10lbs. Super sweet!

But now I am off to go lay in bed for awhile. I'm exhausted and could use several days of sleep. But unfortunately, I have way too much stuff to do today so that's not an option. So I'll just have to work with what I have. Until next time!

Down to The Last 15lbs

So Biggest Loser contest aside for a moment, guess what? I'm down to the last 15lbs of my current goal weight which is 165lbs. I say current because my overall weight goal is to be down to 150lbs. I'm so psyched and so proud! I can't believe I am close to being where I was before I had kids. Isn't that crazy?! I KNOW!! So I've added in some toning exercises to help tone my arms and legs. I mean, really, what good is it having lost all the weight if the flab is just there? I've got to show off my sexy body come summer. Plus, I want people to be like "damn, is that Janet Jackson over there?" Hmm...I guess I need to get started on hiring my bodyguards.

You know who is really excited, but very low key about it? My husband. He's never complained ever about my weight or body. He absolutely loves it. So where is his excitement coming from? His excitement is coming from me. He sees how happy I am now that I'm not struggling with the extra weight. Seriously, I could barely run to the mailbox without getting winded. He knows how happy I am that I can now keep up with my boys, jog, dance, and do whatever now. Also, losing weight and exercising daily has helped a lot with my depression battles. I feel good, really good. I'm so glad I decided to make this change in my life.

I can't wait to reach my goal. Well, actually I can because the journey is so sweet.

Accountability...That's What Friends Are For

And thank goodness I have friends who actually care. So last week was just horrible for me with eating. But I did manage to continue to exercise. But this weekend was a struggle. I literally had to force myself to get up and get moving. And here's where my friends came in. On Sunday, I was planning to waste the day away eating chocolate marshmallow eggs because I was sad over the hubster being out of town. So I posted how I was feeling on Facebook and one of my girls pulled me back to reality by encouraging me to get up and go exercise (thanks Jamie!). And that got me to thinking about my friends offline who encourage me to keep going (Chinelle, Sekayi, Elizabeth, Pam, Kim) and my online friends and people who follow my blog. The comments you all leave encourage me and make me feel great that there are people out there who want to see me succeed. When I log on and see "a comment awaits moderation" I get gleeful. The comments are always positive and uplifting. And that just makes me want to work harder because I like knowing I'm held accountable. If I eat a bag of chips or a sleeve of Oreos somebody is going to call me out on it. Now, some of you are just bad, lol, and ask me if I had cheese on my fries but it's all good. Cause I know you all care and want to see me around later in life and not at my funeral cause I suffered a massive coronary cause I just had to have the double bacon cheeseburger with extra cheese and bacon with the loaded fries followed by a double chocolate shake....mmm, now I'm hungry, lol.

But thank you to everyone. Thank you so much!!!

Why That Sneaky Little...

I can't believe she pulled a fast one on me. Okay well I guess I have to believe it since she's here staring me in the face. I guess this is her payback from last month when I shut her down by continuing to workout instead of curling into a ball like I normally do. Ms. Thang showed up yesterday. And she didn't give any of her normal "I'm coming to ruin your life for a few days" signs. Well, I did get the bloating, but I didn't even connect the two since I wasn't expecting her until early next week. And I did get the bitchiness, but I always have a dose of bitchiness in me so I just thought it was the same old stuff. Plus, I've had a lot going on at home so all this just bypassed me as more shitty stuff happening. But at least now it explains the whole binge over the weekend. While I'm happy to say I've given up the kool-aid and have gone back to water only and I'm not eating anymore cupcakes (but let's be real here, I'm not eating them only because I've eaten them all). Yesterday, I had a total meltdown and ate a whole sleeve of Oreo cookies along with a Kit-Kat bar. I totally needed the chocolate. Seriously. It's like a medication for PMS. Really, I'm not lying. Go look it up on wedmd.com. Okay, not wedmd because they ruin all the fun. But I'm sure their is some site out their that will support my claim.

So anyway to make up for my insanity, I worked out before bed last night. I've moved back over to Taebo. But I'm doing the beginners workout again and not the Ultimate Taebo because I don't want to hurt my back again. That pilates workout DVD I bought just wasn't working for me. Yeah, I felt the burn and all that. But it's BORING!!! So I'll just have to shelve that for now.

I'm not looking forward to tomorrow weigh in and measurements simply because I'm bloated Betty over here. But all what the hell, I earned these pounds so I don't care.

Not My Cup of Tea, But It'll Do

So tonight I tried out the new workout DVD I bought at Target over the weekend. Yeah...the one I watched while eating a cupcake and drinking kool-aid. LOL, I know. So anyway, tonight I tried it out. In my honest opinion, it was boring as hell. In my political correct opinion, it was okay. Maybe it's because I'm a kick ass type of female so I need high intense workouts. Maybe it was boring because I only bought it so I could support breast cancer research. I don't know, but whatever it is it's just not working for me. But I'm going to keep working with it, in hopes that I see some results.

I Dropped The Ball Over the Weekend

So I'm supposed to be dropping these pounds like their hot. But the only thing I've been dropping lately is the ball. I confess, I let the weight loss go to my head this weekend. On Friday, I was just incredibly baffled on how I managed to drop four pounds while not doing my normal routine. It just and still doesn't add up to me. I know, you're like "Makita! Stop stressing over those four pounds, you were obviously doing something right". Yeah, I know that. But I can't help but be suspicious. So anyway, because I miraculously lost those four pounds I got a little big headed on Friday and was like "well shit then I can eat whatever I want and still lose weight". WRONG! But did I listen? Nope, I binged on cupcakes and kool-aid all weekend. And to top it off, I ate fried chicken (mmm, it was so good too), some extra cheesy, incredibly gooey pizza, and fried corndogs and tater tots. UGH, it was like I just couldn't stop. The little bitch inside me kept saying "oh just enjoy yourself, you know it'll come off later." And dammit, I did enjoy myself. ARGH!!!! I said I wasn't going to do this to myself. I said I wasn't going to beat myself up over diet this time around.

But I just feel so bad. Especially, since I know I can do better. I let the numbers in the BL contest go to my head. I was basically gloating. And I hate gloaters. It's just tacky and unsportmans like. ARGH!!! Makita!!! And to add insult to injury, I did not work out at all this weekend. Well, I did on Friday, but on Saturday I traded in my workout to give myself a pedicure. I know! And, I fucking hate the color too. Serves me right. And then on Sunday, I spent the day whining about my hair. Somehow I've lost all my rubberbands and couldn't tie my hair back. So I used that as an excuse not to exercise. Cause you know, hair flying at a high speed can be lethal. So I did absolutely nothing this weekend, but sit on my ass ea,t cupcakes and other crap, and bitch. ARGH!!!

Oh wait, I did go to Target where I got this new Pilates workout for strengthening and firming up your body. And, I did open the DVD and actually watch it...while eating a cupcake and drinking some black cherry kool-aid. Shameful, I know.

So I totally need to refocus. I'll be damned if I throw away all my hard work now. Although, this did remind me that I need to work on weight management and how to control it after the weight has come off. Cause I sure don't want to go back to the obese category again.

I Think I'm In Shock!!!

Seriously, I don't understand what happened. Was the back injury a hallucination of my sleep deprived mind? Honestly, I didn't do very much this week. I cried, moaned, and pouted! But the one thing I did not do was turn to Otis Spunkmeyer and Ben and Jerry to comfort me because I was bummed over hurting my back. Could that be a reason why I managed to maintain my weight loss and actually lose FOUR pounds!!! Is just seems weird, and not the good kind of weird, but creepy weird. Hmmm...

So let me back up and tell you what happened after I found out about my back on Tuesday. Well, I wasn't happy with hearing that I had sprained my back again. And since the initial doctor just gave me one of those bullshit generic answers of "you need to lose weight". I decided to go to another doctor for a second opinion. Seriously, why would you tell someone who is actively losing weight to lose weight. That tells me you're either not listening or you're not paying attention. So I saw another doctor on Wednesday. But here's the creepy weird thing, my back pain had gone down a lot. Whereas the days before I felt like I could barely move, but on Tuesday as I started to get more active, the pain started to lessen. And when I woke up on Wednesday it had gone down considerably where I was able to jog for 15 minutes. So, okay now back to the doctor. This doctor was more in tune with me and while she didn't tell me what I wanted to hear, she didn't tell me no half ass answer either.

She explained that yes I had sprained my back and yes I should continue to lose weight, but I also needed to learn healthy back management. She encouraged me to continue tightening up my core, but to also relearn how to sit, stand, sleep, walk,etc. She said proper posture is the key. If I'm slouching or slumped over then my back is out of alignment and eventually that'll cause wear and tear. And since I had a previous back injury, I needed to be more cautious. She also said that other doctor was wrong to tell me to take it easy for a few weeks because the longer I stayed stationary, the longer it would take my back to heal. She said I should keep my routine, but modify it. So that I'm no longer doing high intense cardio daily, but every other day or so. And to get back into yoga.

So here I am. Now doing yoga with a modified cardio routine. I've also picked up running. I'm doing the Couch to 5K program. I'm just so happy that I decided to seek a second opinion and coming out of my slump. As soon as I got home on Wednesday, I took my middle son and youngest to the park and ran around and played with them for my cardio workout. And I also did an hour workout yesterday. The days before when my back was really hurting, I just did some brisk walking.

But still I am baffled! I was totally expecting to gain weight, especially since I indulged myself on Thursday for my birthday. But goodness, to lose four pounds! I've stood on the scale several times this morning. It really is just quite shocking. And, it's quite annoying that the stupid picture comes in rotated wrong!

Gee Thanks

I'm so upset and pissed right now. On Friday I hurt my back, so today I went in to see the doctor. "You need to lose weight". Um, really? Hmm, I hadn't thought of that. These past 6 weeks or so I've just been lounging on my ass, forget that I went to see you around 6 weeks ago to get my physical to make sure everything was okay for me to start a weight loss routine. I guess you didn't look close enough at your chart to see that I've lost 13.5lbs since you last saw me. So telling me I need to lose weight when I have been losing weight for the last several weeks just pisses me off. Yes, I realize that I'm no Halle Berry. And thank goodness I'm not! I love my curves and sexy hips. But that is neither here nor there. But the point is could you have at least LOOKED at my chart and NOTICED I've been working on losing weight and strengthening my core?

So whatever, I've got a back sprain AGAIN with sciatica. Which is not as cool as it sounds. So once again I've been told to lose weight and strengthen my core. Which I could have told myself and spent the copay on lunch. So now I've got to revamp my routine to less intense cardio program and more of a core strengthening routine. But until the back pain subsides I'm just going to walk and attempt to eat right.

Oh Back! Why Has Thou Forsaken Me?!

On Friday afternoon, I slipped and fell in the rain. I thought I was just having some minor bruising. But, today my back is still in a lot of pain. So this week I am headed to the doctor to make sure I didn't sprain it again. So instead of doing my normal routine, I am just going to take it easy but continue to at least walk 30 minutes and eat right.

23 Days Left to Donate

See now some of yall didn't hear me the first time. You know you want to donate. Your finger is just itching to type in your credit card number or write a check for the March of Dime to sponsor me. Come on...you can do it! I'm not asking you to walk the 5 miles with me...yes, 5 miles nonstop. Unless you really want to and of course I would love the company. Or you can just sit on your butt while I walk. So open up your wallets and give a $1, $5, or even 50 cents...okay, I don't think you can really only give 50 cents. But you can only give a dollar. And, every little bit helps. So come on and look to the right, scroll down a little until you see the adorable child encased in a purple frame, and click! You can do it!

FYI, if you donate more than $10 I'll send you the youtube link of me singing "I Believe The Children Are Our Future" I can't promise your ears will survive though :D

Ya'll Ain't Ready For This Jelly

Cause my body's too bootylicious for you! Yep, I'm over here singing some Destiny's Child. Hush up you Bey haters, it's not about her, it's about ME!!! So today, I finally decided to see if I could squeeze my soon to be non existent Betty Crocker thighs into an old pair of capri pants. And to my amazement I was able to do it!!! Yeah!! I'm so excited! Goodbye size 14/15 pants and hello size 12/13 pants! See, I was so excited that I had the hubster take a picture of my ass. Yeah, I know what you're thinking..."Makita, we don't want to see your ass, but since you put it up there, it does look flipping fantastic!" I KNOW!!!! And, I'm not even an ass girl. My power lives in my beautiful hips. Notice you can even see my curves starting to become more prominent! I'm so proud of myself. I need to go ahead and keep it moving and not lose sight of the prize. Yeah, I really want to win the contest. But even if I don't, I'm just more than happy with my body! I'm so proud of me!

No Measurements Week of 3/20

FYI...I wasn't able to take measurements for last week. Our family reunion kicked off the same day and I was swamped with getting my house ready. The only thing I remembered to do was weight myself. I didn't have time for the full measurements before I had to leave. But, next week I'll be back in gear!

Getting My Ass Back In Gear

So last week was awesome!!! I lost 5 1/2lbs, but not so many inches. But the real defeat was kicking Ms. Thang's ass by working out twice a day so that she wouldn't get the best of me. And I did kick her ass too. But then what did I do this weekend? I got sloppy and ate a shit load of cookies and developed an addiction to tropical punch kool-aid. I know better, I know. But I swear I had no choice. I was an innocent maiden trying to gather lunch for my village folks and all of a sudden the damn kool-aid burst man pops up out of nowhere and starts pouring kool-aid down my throat and shoving cookies in their too! I kid you not. Check the newspaper! My story is listed in the "People Who Are Lying Through Their Teeth" section.

Okay, okay so I'm planning to do better. While I won't be working out twice a day every day this week, I'm still going to give it my all and really feel the burn. Now let me get moving and go have my daily chat with Billy.

Psst...Donations to sponsor me for March for Babies is still very much needed :)

Confused, but Satisfied...I Guess

Okay so if you look to the right you'll see My Stats. Yeah for me! I lost 5.5lbs since last week. Great!!! But I don't understand how my body fat percentage didn't go down. My BMI went down a whole lot and now I am at the threshold of being out of the obese I category. So I'm super excited about that. But the body fat percentage is getting to me. I noticed I also didn't lose a lot of inches, but I wonder if that may be due in part to the slight bloating I got going on thanks to Ms.Thang. Hmm? I don't know. But I'm also super proud of myself because I worked out twice a day every day this week because I knew she was coming to visit and I was determined not to let her get the best of me. So ha ha, TAKE THAT Ms. Thang!!!

Oh and I forgot the most important thing! I am finally OUT of the 190s!!!! FINALLY!

Not Today Ms. Thang, Not Today!

That's right chile! Not today! You think you are so slick, trying to creep up on me. Chile please! I wasn't born yesterday. I'm hip to your game and I know your name. Trying to psych me out with some weight gain. Heifer, I don't think so. Trying to lure me into temptation of a threesome with Otis Spunkmeyer and Ben and Jerry. You must think my name is boo boo the fool! But like I said not today Ms. Thang, not today! I've been dealing with your bitter ass since I was 11 years old. Mmm hmm, every 28 days. So I know what's up. I know the game you trying to play on me. But I got you this time. I bet you wasn't expecting me to not eat anything salty and workout twice a day so I can defeat your bloating techniques. And you just knew I was going to reach for my old friends Otis, Ben, and Jerry. But, ha ha you were wrong. I'm rolling with new friends now. Named Chiquita, Granny Smith, and some chick who just goes by Sun Maid. So stop hating! You are not bringing me down this month. Oh no, I am not having your bull this month. So come on bring it! I'm ready. Ready to knock you back on your ass! Hmmph! Trying to mess with me, you must be crazy!

March for Babies 2009

Okay quick, everybody look to the right of their screen. Now scroll down a little bit. Keep strolling...STOP! See that cute little boy in the purple frame? Click it. Now wait for the page to load...step away from the computer...go grab your wallets...come sit back down...open your wallet...pull out your credit card...and click donate.

Great job! You've now sponsored me for March for Babies 09. A fundraising walk that funds research to fight premature births. Don't you feel so proud? I know I'm proud of you!


Wait...what? You can't afford to donate right now? Not even a dollar? Every one has a dollar! You can find that in between your sofa cushions and husband's dirty laundry because we all know men forget to empty their pockets before they put their clothes in the hamper (if they even manage to not to just leave their clothes on the floor next to the hamper). Come on, you know you want to. Yes, I'm totally resorting to guilting you :D Come on, it's for the babies

My Personal Trainer

So who needs to hire a personal trainer when you have an almost 5 year old who will gladly whip your butt into shape? Correction whip your "big butt" into shape. There are few things in life I'm not open to trying. I think I'm pretty adventurous. Okay wait, here I am lying again. I'm not that adventurous. Just mildly adventurous as long as it doesn't involve needles, sex with strangers (or anyone who isn't my husband), bridges, and a bunch of other things listed on my "Oh Hell Naw" list. So anyway, one thing I am gladly adding to the list is taking my soon to be 5 but I really think he's going on 15 son into the dressing room with me. Last Tuesday, I got a call back for a job interview. No, no, don't get excited...the job blows. So, here I am on Tuesday looking for a suit for the interview. Since I'm not fond of leaving my children outside to fend for themselves against perverts and other losers I bring them into the dressing room with me. Now my 4 1/2 month old is just precious. He's sleeping his little heart out in the stroller. But my soon to be 5 year old? Nope. Wide awake and ready to make mommy feel good about her body. "Mommy, your butt is blocking my head in the mirror" "I don't think those pants fit they look like they are hurting" "I can't see cause your booty is taking up all the room" "How come you got all those lines on your stomach? They look like tiger stripes. Are you a tiger? Are you sure?" "Your booty looks like it's eating those pants" Gee thanks son! You make mommy so proud. And of course you made the lady is the next dressing room snort with laughter.

But oh it doesn't end there. Tuesday, I forgot to workout because I was so nervous about the interview on Wednesday. So Wednesday gets here and I go on my interview and yadda yadda yadda. I get back home and after talking with the hubster, I decide to go workout. I'm in the middle of my workout when my little terror, oops, I meant my soon to be 5 year old comes in and says "Hey! You didn't work out with Billy yesterday so you need to do extra today." I pretend not to hear him and keep working. So I finish the tape and start working on my abs when he starts yelling at me to "feel the burn" and to "push it" and my personal favorite "a minute of the chips is a lifetime on the hips". What made it worse it while I was doing my pushups he thought it appropriate to sit on my back! And wouldn't get off until I had counted out five. Who in the hell was this child? Surely, not my little guy? I ended up getting one hell of a workout thanks to him and his stubborn attitude. And to top it all off once we finished he said "great job mommy, you're doing great, but you're butt is still big." LOL, kids

FIRE!!!!!!

Okay, so yes I know that one isn't supposed to yell "Fire!". Unless there is an actual fire. But, there are two things you should know. First, that rule applies to crowded places. Currently, it's only two of my boys and me at home. Secondly, this is my house so I can yell whatever I want, lol. So nana nana boo boo to you. ;-) Fire is exactly what I screamed out after doing my abs workout. It was so damn intense. And it was only 10 minutes long! I know! But me being a glutton for pain and really wanting to have super sexy abs, I'm going to do it again later today. As much as I hate working my abs, I absolutely love it at the same time.

Now of course I want those "drop dead gorgeous wear a stomach bearing shirt every day" abs, but my true motivation is just strengthening my core. The core is where all the magic happens so I need to keep it together. Plus, I don't want to mess around and get hurt again. Back in Fall of 2007, I sprained my lower back doing some questionable activities, lol. So my physical therapist explained it was all in part due to my weak core muscles. At the time, I had only 2 sons, but those two c-sections I had had weakened my core muscles. And, my back muscles were trying to compensate for that weak spot. So I ended up spraining my lower back and that shit was so not cool. It hurt like hell. So he taught me some exercises to strength my core and alleviate back pain.

So now that I have 3 boys, hence having had 3 c-sections now. It's best for me to start working on strengthening my core muscles again so I don't have any repeats of Fall '07. But damn if it doesn't burn. It literally felt like someone had lit a match and thrown it on top of my core muscles. I was feeling the burn!

So Billy...We Need to Talk

What the hell man? What.The.Hell? Why are you trying to kill me? I signed up for a workout, not a damn "let's see how fast I can kill someone" deal. Really, that new Taebo DVD I got, yeah the Ultimate Taebo one is NOT the business. Within 10 minutes I was ready to fall out and just die. UGH! Kick, punch, lunge, punch, kick is not a good routine. I don't care what that peppy botoxed skank said. Yeah, you know who I'm talking about. Ms. Botox Skank, the one with the pink tank top and the horrendous camel toe. Yeah her. She was getting on my last nerve. Jumping around like she does this crap in her sleep. Whatever.

Anyway, back to what I was saying. So you trying to kill me or what? Cause there are easier ways to get the job done. I personally prefer a death by chocolate. That's right. I'd love to go surrounded by Kit Kats, double fudge brownies, and Rocky Road ice cream. *shuddering* Wait, where was I? Aw hell, forget it. Let me just say stop trying to kill me Billy!

Sexyville Here I Come!!!

Woot woot!!!I'm so proud of myself today!. I just finished weighing and measuring myself for this past week. Take a look to the right for My Stats update for today. I've lost 3lbs in weight, .12% in body fat, .69 in BMI, 2 inches off my waist, 1 inch off each of my thighs, and 1/4 inch off my hips!!! Woot woot!

I'm so damn happy because it was so not easy this week. I've had two cakes to bake with another to bake later today. And then tomorrow I've got a baby shower to go to and then afterward we are hanging out with my husband's friend and wife. So I just need to stay mindful and keep my eyes on the prize. If I continue to be good and not stress myself then I'll arrive at Sexyville in no time. I'm trying to stay level headed and not pack my bags too soon. Now I'm off to go reward my hard work with a round of Taebo.

Feeling The Burn...And Not The Kind From My Thighs Rubbing Together

So this week I'm really feeling the burn! I've worked out every day and I'm so proud. It's only been a week, but I can already see a difference. While I'm sure I probably haven't lost any pounds, I'm quite positive I've lost a couple of inches around my belly. Yesterday, when I was getting dressed, I noticed my belt with around a little further than normal. SWEET!!!! At this rate, I'm going to look SUPER SEXY by the time my anniversary is here and the contest is over.

I found a workout partner yesterday. My friend and I are going to walk daily in the morning. And then afterward, I'm going to workout solo with my regular routines of either the aerobic ball or kickboxing. I love both exercise routines so it works out perfectly for me.

Tomorrow, I'll do my weekly weigh in and measurements to see how far I've come. Although, I'm tired as hell in the mornings because of the late nights with Patrick. I like working out because while my thighs are burning, I still feel pumped the rest of the day. Finally, I'm feeling the burn and not because my thighs are rubbing together, lol.

Biggest Loser, Billy Blanks, and Big Breasts

So today is the kick off day for DAM's Biggest Loser contest. This morning I weighed myself and took my measurements. Funny, how I've lost inches (except around my belly) while I was pregnant. I guess that crappy ass pregnancy workout DVD I bought paid off. So I think I'm off to good a start. Just slightly under 200lbs. Yeah, 198lbs. Normally, I'd be ashamed, but eh...whatever. It's only temporary. My ideal weight is in the 140s, but since I'm not willing to starve myself and live at the gym, somewhere in the 160s. So I'm pumped. All the ladies are wishing one another good luck. I hope we all meet our goals. Because in the end we're all winners for just getting out there and saying goodbye to fat.

I did my morning routine of yoga once I got up to help rejuvenate myself after a long night of "wah...I don't want to sleep in my crib...wah...I want you to hold me all night long...wah wah wah." Okay, so Patrick can't talk, but if he could that's exactly what he would say. So after yoga I took my measurements and weight. And then went and ate a nutritiously delicious breakfast of eggs and toast with a glass of orange juice. Then I took my son, Sean, to ride his bike while I jogged along with Patrick in his stroller. Okay...I'm lying, I didn't joke. I walked along. But, it was a brisk walk. So there.

So I'm off to a good start and decided to go old school and broke out my 1998 Taebo VHS tapes. That's right, I said Taebo V H S. Stop hating. Billy worked my ass. My thighs are still feeling the burn. But that's okay because Billy makes it all better. I love how concerned he is with all his little commentary. "How you doing? You feeling alright? Just take your time. I believe in you." Ha ha ha. Billy is classic. I love Billy, but Billy doesn't love us big breasted girls. Seriously, all that jumping around and "double time" reeks havoc on my girls. Not cool, Billy. Not cool. I hate to break it to you brother, but not all of us are like Sandy (the annoyingly cheerful bottle blond standing behind you to the left). We have breasts. And they hurt when they're flapped around. Yeah, yeah, I know...get a good sports bra. Like I haven't already thought of that. Do you not realize how hard it is to find a good sports bra when your breasts are bigger than some small dogs? Oh wait, you don't know Billy because you're a GUY! I digress. You keep me motivated with your workouts and I'll work on strapping down the girls.

Plain and Simple: I'm a Fat Ass

Seriously, I'm a fat ass. I mean, really, who am I kidding? I know it. So why am I continuing to live this lie that I keep telling myself. I know that I have weight issues. Every year I keep telling myself that I'm going to do something about my weight. That I'm going to get off my lazy ass and start working out. And every year I do get off my lazy ass and start working out. I even manage to knock off a couple of pounds, lose a couple of inches, and squeeze my Betty Crocker thighs into a pair of old jeans. Nice! So what the fuck?! Why can't I keep this weight off? Why can't I keep up with my weight loss and manage it? I'll tell you why. It's because I fucking suck. I give up so easily. I have one bad day and I let it snowball into a bad week, then a bad month, and then I just say fuck it and stop working out and call up my old friends Betty, Duncan, and Little Debbie. And it irritates me. I know I can do better. I know I want to do better. But argh, I never do.

Now before anyone points out that I just had a baby 4 months ago, yeah I'm aware of that. I know there is supposed to be left over weight. Trust me, that is duly noted. But I'm not talking about that weight. I'm talking about the belly fat caused by Slurpees and hot dogs, not a placenta and an actual baby. The Betty Crocker thighs, Dunkin Donuts belly, and ogre like arms are all a cause of my poor ass eating habits. This is me taking responsibility for it. I'm not denying it. Because as I said earlier, I'm not kidding anyone. Yeah, I look fucking drop dead gorgeous with clothes on, but I want to be super sexy naked. So hot that my husband is late for work every morning because he's trying to get some early morning action because he's so distracted with my beautiful body. Now of course he already thinks I'm the hottest thing walking around. But blah blah blah, that's nice. But that's not how I feel.

Soooooooooooooo, here we go again. Makita on her journey to losing weight. But this time there's a twist. I've joined a local Biggest Loser contest. Yeah baby that's right. I'm fixed to attempt to lose weight all for a contest. Whatever it takes, right? I'm actually really excited and hope I win. So I'm going to give it my all. The contest starts tomorrow and ends in May. So how am I going to do it? I'm going back to kickboxing. I'm also attempting to change my diet. I'm saying attempting because we all know Ms. Makita loves french fries. Plus, whenever I get on this whole "I'm only going to eat healthy" stuff, it never works out because I get too caught up on trying not to make a mistake. So I'm just going to go with the flow and not beat myself up. The plan is to have fun while losing weight and hopefully win the money.

So here we go again. Makita's attempt to lose weight while hoping to win the money through kickboxing. We'll see how it goes. Tomorrow, I'll post my new weight and measurements.

FYI, for those of you wondering. Since we had a baby last year, we didn't go to St. Lucia. But if this contest works out for me and I lose weight, I'll look great by the time summer rolls around. Let's hope for the best people.