Operation Fitness

Effectively Immediately

2010-01-21T11:39:00.003-05:00

Please note I will no longer be updating this blog. I have decided to combine my two blogs to create my new blog "Loose Lips, Cute Hips". Come join me at my new blog as I navigate through life, parenting, fitness, and just random crap.

http://looselipscutehips.blogspot.com/

Thank you to all my dedicated readers. I hope to see you at the new blog.

Makita

Meh...

2010-01-20T14:28:00.003-05:00

So I've been holding out on blogging because I'm torn one what I'd like to do. I've been toying around with the idea of combining my two blogs since my readers are pretty much all the same people or keeping them separate. I really don't know what I to do. So bare with me as I go through the "I think I want to/I think I don't want to" moments. Anyway, I haven't done shit in the workout department. I'm actually sick now and refuse to work out. All I really want to do is just lay in a bubble bath all day long and read trashy romance novels, the kind with the half naked men on the cover :D I have a physical tomorrow and then the ever so lovely well woman's exam on Friday. And since I had made those in anticipation of starting up a workout routine, I'm guessing those will push me into getting in gear. Nothing like a doctor confirming your fatassness (yes, I just made that word up....you can thank me later) to make you want to run to the nearest gym.

My Fat Ass is Back And Its Not Pretty

2010-01-08T16:59:00.002-05:00

It has been several months since I've last written. I wish I could say I had nothing but wonderful news, but nope I don't. My fat ass has come back and its not pretty. At all. I haven't weighed myself yet, but I can bet my last dollar (actually, I only have about 42 cents in my pocket) that my weight matches my fat ass....huge. I know you're thinking "girl, what happened? You was looking fabulous!" Well, I'll tell you what happened. Mainly, its a sob story and since this isn't Lifetime, I'll just cut to the chase. My Dad's cancer came back, I had a hard time looking for a job, my emotional health plummeted, and I got lazy. So to make myself feel better I called up my old friends Otis Spunkmeyer and Little Debbie. And, we all partied until the fat started piling back on. I also started a love affair with Frito Lay. It is what it is. And while I'm not ashamed because shit we all have our bad moments, I am disappointed in myself. Cause I *knew* better. Yet, I didn't care. But I guess when you are depressed, you don't care about a whole lot anyway.

So why do I care now? I don't know. I mean, I don't have any special trips planned or want to win a contest or anything. I guess its cause I look in the mirror and I'm like "who the hell is that fat bitch? EWWWW." I know you all are thinking "girl, you still look good." Yeah, okay, if you say so. But I don't feel good. My belly makes me look 5 months pregnant and my thighs rub together. Not good. Not good at all. So here I am again in a new year trying to be a new me.

Will I diet? No, I never diet. But I will get back to eating healthier and more importantly learning how to TALK my problems out instead of trying to cover the pain with food. Maybe I'll reward myself with something along the way to help me reach my goal. The first thing I need to do is get my ass on the scale so I can take ownership of the fat. And then from there I'll proceed.

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

2009-05-24T14:23:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-15T09:16:00.003-04:00

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

2009-05-14T22:36:00.004-04:00

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

2009-05-14T09:18:00.002-04:00

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

2009-05-12T23:01:00.002-04:00

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!

2009-05-11T13:35:00.003-04:00

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!!!

2009-05-08T12:47:00.000-04:00

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!!!

2009-05-05T13:54:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-24T09:21:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-24T09:02:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-23T22:27:00.003-04:00

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?

2009-04-19T13:52:00.004-04:00

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

2009-04-17T09:05:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-14T09:36:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-13T08:38:00.000-04:00

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...

2009-04-09T10:53:00.003-04:00

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

2009-04-06T23:22:00.002-04:00

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

2009-04-06T10:20:00.004-04:00

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!!!

2009-04-03T09:31:00.003-04:00

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

2009-03-31T12:43:00.004-04:00

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?!

2009-03-30T21:45:00.001-04:00

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

2009-03-26T17:01:00.003-04:00

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

2009-03-22T23:42:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-21T13:50:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-17T10:54:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-13T09:47:00.003-04:00

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!

2009-03-12T11:00:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-09T12:48:00.002-04:00

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

2009-03-09T12:10:00.003-04:00

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!!!!!!

2009-03-02T14:33:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-28T21:14:00.002-05:00

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!!!

2009-02-27T10:41:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-26T13:15:00.002-05:00

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

2009-02-20T13:58:00.004-05:00

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

2009-02-19T21:51:00.003-05:00

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.

I'm Not Pregnant Anymore!!!!

2007-12-10T17:40:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I was never pregnant. But a few months ago this kid told me "My mom is having a baby, are you having a baby too?" Can you imagine how fucking horrible it is to have a 5 year old ask you if you are pregnant?!!! It was so not cool. Of course, he didn't know any better. But still, that's rough. So I have to admit, my pooch was starting to look like a baby was growing int there (thank goodness there wasn't). I needed to get my ass in gear and I have!!! I'm doing really well. My belly no longer looks like its got another little munchkin in there. Its still not where it needs to be, but hey, as long as I don't look like it time to start planning the baby shower I'm good.

Today, I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I threw up after class a few times. I was getting my workout a little too intense. I had never taken a class with this instructor today. I don't know if I'll be able to do another class with her. But I'm not giving up. She pushed us to the edge. I just need to step back and maintain what I can do. I feel kind of crappy now though because of the intense workout.

I've restarted my No Fast Food Challenge today. I was really bad over the weekend. I ate pizza everyday. I know, I know. Makita, you've been doing so damn well. Well, not to make excuses, but I fell briefly back into the cycle after hearing about the death of a really close friend. So...I'm just going to skip over what happened and act like it never did. I think that is why I pushed myself so hard in class today. Well, I definitely learned my lesson.

I Want a Divorce!!!!

2007-12-06T16:59:00.000-05:00

So today the hubster and I were talking and I started telling him about this book I've been reading that my KB instructor recommended. So I was telling him I haven't lost weight, but I've lost body fat. So I get this idea to calculate his body fat. Turned out that wasn't the brightest idea. He has less than 9% body fat! WHAT THE HELL!!!! Of course, I know men and women differ. But, come on now! Less than 9%!!! That's crazy. However I do see how it's possible. Everyone always jokes about him being small. But he's very athletic and lean. His body fat percentage is considered equal to that of a professional athlete by the U.S. Navy. Here I am with almost 4 times the body fat he has. That's okay. I'm going to get it. I'm going to get that super, sexy body that's right for me. I'm still shocked though. Unbelievable.

So, I've also started reading "YOU On A Diet: The Owner's Guide to Waist Management" by Dr. Oz and Dr. Rozem (yes, the Oprah guys). I am really loving it. It's a fun, easy read I like the fact they understand not everyone is meant to be a size negative Paris Hilton. We all have different body shapes and structures. Come on, if you look at me its very hard to believe my weight. So I'm recommending this book. It also has a 14 day plan at the end of the book, but I'm not there yet. When I get there, I'll keep you posted.

A New Approach, Same Method

2007-12-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

Alright, so this morning I weighed myself and almost burst into tears. I've gained weight!!!! What the fudge monkey balls? So I headed on into kickboxing class, which was a real treat because I never get the chance to go on Mondays. So anyway, I was in a bit of a funk, but class got me back up to speed. The last two classes have been more of a boot camp with strength training and muscle conditioning that kickboxing. I thought I was going to die at first, but now I'm getting the hang of it. So after class I went to talk with the instructor about what's going on with my body. How can I be gaining weight when I'm doing the right stuff to tone it up. Well, to my surprise, although I think I knew this somewhere in the back of my head, I'm gaining muscle. Since I've lost a little off my waist and so much body fat I'm making progress. He says I need to kick the scale like a bad habit and pay attention to inches and body fay percentage. If I keep looking at the scale, I'm going to get discouraged. So yeah for me for knocking off body fat.

If you've been keeping up with my weight loss status then you'll notice I changed the "My Stats" format and added an "Overall Goal" section. Also, the measurements have fluctuated a bit after looking at my written journal. Some of the measurements were off. So now I'll be measuring my bust, waist, hips, and thighs. I love my hips and thighs though, but what I wouldn't give to get rid of these breasts. I know it is going to take a lot of upper body work to help this area. I would like to at least go down one band size. Just one, I'm not asking for all of it to go. I know the hubster wouldn't be happy with that one, lol. But yeah...I'm still hyped and focused!!!!

Ass Kicking Gloves Kicking Breast Cancer's Ass!

2007-11-28T17:57:00.000-05:00

I got my kickboxing gloves yesterday!!!! I am so in love with them. Even though I am not a pink wearing kind of girl, I got pink to support breast cancer research. They even came with a cute little key chain. Best of all 10% of the sale went to the Susan G. Komen foundation. I am all about finding a cure fore breast cancer. And, if I can help support the cure while kicking this fat off my body then I'm all for it. Cancer, of any kind, sucks. I mean really sucks. If I had a wish, I'd wish for cancer to be nonexistent. Okay, I'm lying. I'd wish to be a billionaire. BUT, I would give countless dollars to fund the research. Cancer has touched my family and the people I love one too many times and I am not happy about it.

So anyway, I've got my gloves and went back to class yesterday as well. Last week we were out of town for Thanksgiving. Yeah...about Thanksgiving. I'll only tell you once. Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies. So moving forward, today I did step aerobics and I did it with my gloves on. Talk about a challenge. I was throwing hooks and jabs instead of the normal arm routine that goes with the step program. I also did some ab exercises that the Navy Seals do. Now, I know why they have them sexy ass bodies. That crap is HARD!!!!! If I can find them online then I'll post them so others can suffer along with me. St. Lucia is calling me baby!

I Think I Can...I Think I Can

2007-11-19T11:45:00.000-05:00

Wait...I know I can. I can kick the monkey's ass before he has a chance to climb on my back this Thanksgiving. I can keep it together. I can continue my workout. I can do it. I can not eat a whole pie and half a pan of macaroni and cheese (the good kind too that is baked in the oven...mmmm). I can do it, I just have to stay focused. I have to remember that I am working towards St. Lucia. St. Lucia is so much more important than some candied yams and chocolate cake. I can do it. I know I can. I won't give in. If I give in then Ducan and Otis will be begging me to take them back. I can't. I can't go back to a relationship where all I was dependent on them. I need my independence. I can do it. I've got a plan. I'm going to stick to the plan. I won't care about hurting so and so feelings because I won't try their food. I'll fake a headache. Too bad, my friend already came and went otherwise I'd fake cramps. But wait...they don't know that. Maybe I can use that one. I'll coat my nose with olive oil so it'll fend off all the wonderful smells. I can do it. I have to do it. St. Lucia, I love you, keep me strong.

Makita:1 Duncan Hines:0

2007-11-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

Oooh look at me. I am doing really good resisting temptation. I'm in the process of baking brownies and I didn't even try to lick the spoon. Seriously. I'm not even thinking about tasting them. You know how it is. You have to eat one because you have to make sure it taste good, right? LOL. Yeah, then you end up eating damn near the whole pan if not all of the pan. Yep. But not this time. I purposely made these brownies with walnuts so I wouldn't be tempted. I hatewalnuts in brownies. YUCK!!!! I don't know who thought this was a good idea, but it's not. Brownies are supposed to be nice and smooth, the chocolate just melting in your mouth. Ooh, thank goodness I put walnuts in them, otherwise I'd be all over them. Wait...no I wouldn't. I'm stronger than Duncan. He better not try to mess with me or he'll end up like Otis. Otis takes a beating every Tuesday and Friday in kickboxing class. Yeah, I'm weird, I know. I like to envision my punching/kicking bag as the temptations in my life.

I'm not worried about pigging out over the holidays. I never have much of an appetite during the season, not even for sweet stuff. Its usually the driving to and from our destinations that get me. The fast food places be killing me. But this year I have a game plan. Thanks to some helpful tips from friends, I'm going to be planning out our stops and packing snacks to help me avoid wanting to munch on junk. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, is going to stop me from getting where I want to be. There is no reason why I should be dragging all this extra. I can't even blame this on the children anymore because its been 3 1/2 years since I gave birth last. So I need to get it together and keep it moving. I still need to do my ball workout today. I'm waiting for the boys to get home because they keep me motivated by copying what I'm doing. They are so silly. The other day we all got a really good workout dancing and singing karaoke. There is nothing funnier than watching little kids sing their hearts out.

All in a good day.

Another Day

2007-11-13T19:46:00.000-05:00

So I'm keeping up with the kickboxing. I am really loving the classes. Every instructor is different which makes every class different. The instructors are friendly and everyone is the class is nice. I'm the newbie and I like that I don't feel pressured to keep up with everyone else. It's gotten better since the initial class. I thought I was going to roll over and die after the first class. My entire body hurt for 3 days after the class. It was just rough. But, now its not so bad. I really need to work on my coordination though. Its crazy because they will be jabbing with their left arm and I'm jabbing with my right. I'm getting better though.

I've been doing good on the eating plan. I'm still having a hard time breaking up with Otis. He wants to try therapy, but I think its time for us to just part our ways. I'm not returning Debbie's calls so I know she must be pissed. Oh well, it's for the greater good. I did get caught by one of my kickboxing instructors today in the grocery store buying some Hostess cakes, lol. I was trying to hide them, but then she pulled out her giant bag of Cheetos. So we vowed not to tell anyone in the class what we saw today, lol.

All in all, it was a good day. I can't wait until tomorrow when I focus on my abs. Go Makita!!!

Goodbye Craptastic Gym, Hello Kickboxing!

2007-11-11T14:46:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes, I know its been a long time since you've seen me. A really long time. But I'm back and I'm ready and committed to doing this. Yes, really committed. I have to say I have been doing well though. I'm not big on fast food anymore. Little Debbie and I have broken up and Otis Spunkmeyer and I are separated. I had been managing to work out occasionally with doing step at home and the ball workout. But I haven't seen my gym in so long. Wait, I did recently go just to confirm to myself just how much I hate it. Its so damn boring, seriously. It is like the worst gym ever. I got suckered in by the price. I am still trying to figure out how I got roped into a gym that "caters" to women and focuses on bringing in moms, but don't have a daycare. HELLO!!!!! One of the main reasons moms can't work out is because they don't have daycare. So why in the hell would they join your gym and you don't offer that...wait, I joined that gym knowing they didn't have a daycare. Crap...but, its okay for me though because I was temporarily insane due to their low price.

But anyway, I'm happy to say that I've taken up kickboxing. It's really fun and a hell of a workout. Plus, the instructors are really motivating and helpful. They encourage you to go at your own pace and don't force you to feel the burn. I really liked that when I got off track, the instructor gave me personal attention to get me back on track. She was very friendly and didn't make me feel like a loser. Although I was put to shame by this lady over 60 who was kicking ass like a pro. The workout was rough but it felt good. I hear every class is different and that the core is always focused on. My stomach muscles are still feeling the workout. I'm also going to take the muscle conditioning class on Thursday nights when I can.

I decided to go with kickboxing because I'm a kick ass type of chick and it just aligned with my personality. Now, I'm not going to go off beating up random people...I actually already have a few people in mind. But it does feel good knowing that not only is this routine helping me take control of my body, but it is alway giving me the confidence of knowing I could defend myself if I ever needed to.

So why am I back? Why now? Next year is my 5th anniversary with my husband and we're planning a trip to St. Lucia. Sweet!!! So there is no way I will allow myself to drag around all this extra junk. I need to get it together because I want to look extra hot for the hubby. Plus, I'm tired of complaining about my weight. And, I want to be healthier. I'm not looking to have a heart attack before 30 or even a heart attack at all. It just isn't worth it. My kids need me and St. Lucia needs me to grace its beautiful beaches with my sexy body. :P

Gasp I Exercised On A Sunday!

2007-07-08T12:01:00.000-04:00

I'm back on the ball, literally. Last week I was at Barnes and Nobles and I just could not resist their bargain aisles. You know the ones that happen to just be strategically placed by the checkout? Well, I've been intrigued by their workout kits. A few months ago I bought the Jump Into Fitness dvd kit that included a booklet, dvd, and jump rope. Well, I liked the concept behind the idea. I was a kid once + I had a jump rope = "this should be a whole lot of fun and easy." Well, it was and it wasn't. I still use the jump rope from time to time. But the idea of putting a dvd in the kit was stupid in my opinion. I'm not going to jump rope in my living room while trying to follow a dvd. So basically I only had the book. Let me tell you now and save you some trouble. Jump roping and reading a book is not a good idea. Unfortunately, I could never fit busting my ass while jump roping into my schedule. Just never seemed to work out. So I always ending up reading the book late at night and then jump roping days later after I had forgotten what I read. In the end, I just got lazy and said "whatever". The dvd is now lost, the book is under my bed, and the jump rope is in my bedroom laying on the floor.

Okay, so back to the original story. So I was in Barnes and Nobles waiting to checkout and I saw their Ball and Band kit. I've always wanted to try the ball classes at the gym, but no, that just wasn't going to happen any time soon. The times I took just the step classes at my gym, it was horrible. They went left, I went right. They stepped up, I stepped off. So in the end I've decided for my sake and their safety, I'm only doing step aerobics at home. Back to Barnes and Nobles, I bought the kit. It included a dvd, booklet, resistance band, and exercise ball. The moment I got home, I blew up the ball, stretched out the band a little, and read through the book. Now in my mind, I was getting my exercise on. But in reality, I was sitting on the sofa eating some mini chocolate cakes. No, no... I will not feel guilty about eating the cakes. They were the little mini ho ho cakes from Hostess. They now have them in the 100 calorie packs. I like them a lot and for less than a 100 calories they are a winner in my book.

So today, I finally got off my sofa and did the workout. In my defense though from doing no exercise last week, even though I said I would, I had a lot of things going on medically so I was unable to exercise. But now I'm okay so I'm good to go. Well, the workout was crazy. In a good way. Their are two instructors, a male and a female, Mark and Dina. Mark was a nice piece of man candy to look at. Very inspiring. I did the level 1 workout for beginners. It wasn't too fast paced or too slow for me. I liked it a lot and was surprised when I started to break a sweat. The cardio section was a lot of fun. I liked bouncing on the ball while incorporating other moves like squats and stuff. The only thing I didn't like was I felt they could of done a better job explaining the core muscles to their viewers. I know what my core muscles are, however some people people don't. So if you're going to claim that it's very basic and great for beginners, then you need to start explaining things a beginner may not know. But all in all, it was fun.

I don't know how often this will be in my workout routing, but I'm definitely not ruling it out.

Alright Now...Let's Make It Happen

2007-07-01T23:51:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I know I said I'm starting this week off right. And, I am....but, I'm not so sure I'll be able to just jump right back into the gym tomorrow. I've had a lot going on last week. I've been really sick and in pain. So I'm off to the doctors on Tuesday. Hopefully, I'm not dying. I don't know what's going on with my body, but it hurts and I need to get that squared away before I do anything strenuous. So tomorrow, I am going to the gym, but I'm keeping it light. Once I know death isn't knocking on my door, I'm on my way to the gym.

This Time I Mean It

2007-06-27T13:06:00.000-04:00

Yeah, this just isn't working. I'm still trying though. I haven't done anything this week, except go walking. It's that wonderful time of the month when every woman just feels so extra special in her life. *rolls eyes* I don't do anything at this time of month. I'm really pushing it with just the walking. At least now I know why I felt so down and hard on myself last week. I should of figured it out though. So this week I feel crappy, but I'm not beating myself up anymore.

Next week it's back to the gym and to my regular workout routine. Plus, my best friend is giving me her elliptical trainer. The only problem is I live in Richmond, Va and she lives in New Orleans, La. I have no idea how I'm going to get it here, but I want it. She has no idea how to get it out of her house and to the shipping place, but she wants to give it to me. I'm thinking if she can take it apart and put it in a box, we can have UPS or Fed Ex pick it up and then deliver it to me. I swear if I get it I will use it every single day.

I really need to get my butt into gear because the hubster's high school reunion is getting closer and closer. I basically have about a month now to whip it into shape. I keep saying every day I'm going to do it, yet, I haven't. So this time I mean it. No more Mc Fatty Fat Fat. I'm going to do it. I have to before I drop dead or get diabetes or something. I can't afford to have a heart attack. If I'm gone who else is going to spread my bubbly goodness? See, so many people need me. So I'm going to do it. I will.

Sigh

2007-06-20T20:16:00.000-04:00

I just can't seem to get it together. I really want to lose weight, but I'm so not motivated to do it. I'm both annoyed and disgusted with myself. I hate looking at myself in a mirror and if I do, it's only from the neck up. I just feel fat. I can't blame anyone but myself. I haven't been to the gym since week 1 and part of that has been because my husband is technically out of town and with the boys being out of school for summer, I can't find the time. However, that's no real excuse. Especially, since I have so many workout programs here at home--Taebo, Sweating with the Spirit, Step Aerobics, Jump for Fitness, FitTV, and so many other things. There's no reason for me to be like this, but I can't help it. Most days I just want to sleep. I'm always so tired. And, I know it's because of the anemia, but I'm on iron pills now so that should be getting better soon.

But, still. I have no will power whatsoever. I might as well rename myself Fatty McFat Fat. I didn't need that extra hot dog or chicken nuggets, or McDonald's, or any of the crap I've been eating. I wanted it and I told myself I didn't care. But I did, I've always cared. I eat now and cry later. That's been my philosophy for so long. I know how to eat healthy and make smarter choices, but I don't. I give into the fat person who lives inside me that will soon break out if I don't control her. I just don't have the motivation to do so. I just want to take pity on myself. But what good does that do? Nothing, it just makes me fatter because I'm being a slump on the sofa or in bed.

I don't know. I know I need to get off my ass and move it. I know my kids and husband should be my motivation. In fact, I should be my motivation. I know I want to be around to celebrate my 50th wedding anniversary, to see my boys graduate college, to help my future daughter find a wedding dress. Why can't I get off my ass? Why am I not motivated? I keep asking myself that when I know what my motivation is, but don't know how to accomplish my goal.

*sigh*

I'm Skipping Week 2

2007-06-13T13:55:00.000-04:00

It's my body and I can skip if I want to. So there!

I just can't seem to get started this week. I am soooo tired and with the husband out of town, I'm not finding the time. I have continued to eat healthy. I backslid a little on Monday and had a hamburger and fries from McDonalds. A friend and I took a pole dancing class for exercise and we worked up quite a hunger. So we swung through the drive thru on the way home. The class was a lot of fun. I've decided to add it to my regular workout program as something fun to so I don't get bored. Plus, you can burn up to 400 calories per session. So Monday, I exercised a little at home and then did the pole dancing class. But then I ruined my work for the day with the burger and fries.

Yesterday, I was way to exhausted to do anything. I ended up going back to sleep for several hours after I dropped my youngest off for preschool. I was such a wreck. All I could do was sleep. Exercise was the last thing on my mind. Plus, the iron pills prescribed to me made my stomach hurt so badly. I ended up not eating anything yesterday except a glass of juice to take it with and a yogurt. My stomach just couldn't take any thing else. So I'm guessing I probably burned off like a million calories from sleep (hey, that was some super sleeping I did) combined with not being able to eat made up for not exercising.

Today, I'm even more exhausted. Plus, the boys are home and the hubster is out of town so I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it to the gym. But, I definitely going to try and do some step or at least yoga tonight. The iron pills are reeking havoc on my stomach again so I haven't eaten yet. I plan to just eat some fruit and something very light. A good recipe I got from Women's Prevention magazine for a delicious apple snack was

1 apple (cored and sliced)
2 tbsp of peanut butter
1 dash of cinnamon

mix the cinnamon and peanut and then spread on the apple slices. 276 calories, 8g of protein, 30g of carbohydrates, 17g of fat, 3g of saturated fat, 8g of fiber, 1mg of sodium.

I really love this snack along with their Chocoberry Smoothie

1/2 cup low-fat chocolate ice cream
1/2 cup of frozen raspberries
1/2 cup of low-fat chocolate milk
1 tbsp of chocolate whey protein powder
1/2 banana
3 ice cubes

blend well. 340 calories, 17g of protein, 56g of carbohydrates, 7g of fat, 4g of saturated fat, 6g of fiber, 145mg of sodium. If you drink it before a workout, instead of after, it'll help increase strength.

See? I like to share. I'm not stingy. So if you have a great recipe to share, please do.

So hopefully, this week will shape up better. I've still got 3 more days.

Okay, So Week 1 is done

2007-06-10T14:47:00.000-04:00

The week was successful, well, sort of. I have been working out which is a big plus. I did three days at the gym. Two days of intense walking (one of those days I was carrying around my youngest munchkin who is 29 lbs) and one day of step aerobics at home. So I've been doing well on the getting out and about aspect and staying active. But, my healthy lifestyle eating is still in the works. Thankfully, I know it's not an overnight thing so I'm not beating myself up too badly. I'm really just being lazy with the healthy eating thing. I went to the store on Wednesday and filled my cart with healthier alternatives-lean chicken and turkey, fruits, veggies, and healthier snacks. Although, if you've been to my house, you know I've got gallons of water. I'm allergic to tap water. Okay not really, I just think it tastes awful. We already eat wheat grain breads and pasta, so we're on the right track.

Someone suggested turkey bacon in a comment. Thanks! I've always known about turkey bacon and thoroughly enjoyed it until an ex-boyfriend ruined the whole experience. He was a turkey bacon whore. He loved it and ate it all day every day religiously. For some stupid reason, he assumed he could eat as much as he wanted because it was healthier than pork bacon. Yeah, um, okay genius. So when he couldn't get the last 15 lbs off,(OMG, he whined ALL the time about his weight) he complained. Well, hello Einstein, put two and two together and figure out the answer. Just because something is healthy doesn't mean you can consume as much as you want. Knock knock. Who's there? Portion. Portion who? Portion control, you idiot!

So back on topic, I'm glad I rediscovered turkey bacon. I can't remember who commented about it, but thanks and I wish you 15lbs lighter. So anyway, I'll be honest and say I've made some really good choices this week about my eating habits and two bad ones. Well, maybe just one really bad one. Saturday I went to lunch with my good friend after we did the Walk for Change campaign to raise awareness for Barack Obama. We went to Uno's and I ordered a meal that metamorphosed directly into belly fat the moment I swallowed it. I had the "Bring Home the Bacon" burger and the skinless loaded baked potato. I washed it down with a pepsi, a smoothie, and a glass of water. No, wait, I didn't drink the water because it tasted like toilet water with lemon. Please, don't ask how I know what toilet water tastes like. So I was really bad. But, in my defense I did step aerobics later that evening.

My other not so good choice, which I don't think was really that bad was going to Red Lobster. I got the Boston Iced Tea which was really just brown colored cranberry juice. I still drank it though because I knew it was a smarter choice than anything else. I got their grilled chicken on a bed of rice pilaf with the steamed vegetables. Yeah, I know what your thinking "oh that's not bad". Well, it wasn't especially since I asked for a portion controlled size. But, here's where I went bad. I stole some of my kids' french fries. Yeah, I know two sins with one stone. I stole, and then lied to them about what happened to them. Thankfully they are only 3 and 4 and can't really rationalize yet that mommy is a french fry thief. To top off the meal, my husband ordered the banana fosters cheesecake. Dude, that's my favorite kind of cheesecake. Nobody does it like Copelands' Cheesecake Bistro in New Orleans. But, this wasn't New Orleans so I shouldn't of been tempted, right? We got it to go so we could share it later. Actually, we just wanted to eat it without having the kids ask us for some. Yeah, we're those kind of parents. I wasn't too bad though, I only ate a few bites. Really, mainly the crust and the whipped cream. You know, I think I could live off the crust on cheesecakes and whipped cream.

So technically, I did okay. If you count me devouring Prince with my eyes while watching Purple Rain last night, then I was really bad. I swear I could just eat him up. Oh, Prince...and Barack...and Will...and Sawyer...and of course Derrick. *sigh*. Just one more reason for me to get sexy and healthy.

Fat:1 Makita: 1/2

2007-06-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

So far so good. I went to the gym yesterday again and it went really well. My arms were very sore from the day before, but I worked through the pain. No pain, no gain... right? I did an hour of cardio on some machine. I'm not sure what it's called but I know it's an elliptical machine. It's like a bike, except it has no seat to sit down. I know they have trekking classes using those machines, so I guess it's a Trekker? I don't know. All I know is it kicked my butt. I did the aerobics option and it was a hell of a ride. First, I went really slow, then fast, then slow, then just using my legs, then just using my arms. And then, just as I was about to die, it switched directions on me. So I was cycling in reverse. It was rough. I started panting and the only lady next to me moved to another machine. Well, shoot it was hard work. What else was she expecting me to do? Grin and bare it with a smile. Please! I was really proud of myself for sticking it out for an hour. I ended the workout with some stretches and then Yoga. I like Yoga, however I can never get the whole meditation and quieting your mind thing. My mind runs a mile a minute and it never slows down. So I always just skip that part and just do the positions.

I ended up having to grab lunch on the go which turned out to be really good. I went to Chic Fila and managed to get one of their cool wraps. I was able to avoid their oh so freaking delicious waffle fries and cooling milkshakes and tasty cheesecake. Crap, what have I gotten myself into?

So I had the cool wrap which was really good. Basically, it's a salad wrapped up to go. I got the low fat dressing and an Iced-Tea. Very tasty! So I managed to avoid all the bad stuff and not tackle an innocent bystander enjoying their food. There was this lady there who was making her fries look as if they were the best thing she's tasted in a long time. Her eyes were twinkling with delight and desire. I was so jealous. Wait, maybe she was really looking at the guy sitting across from her. Hmm...I'll have to look into that.

Today is home day. So I'm going to do some step aerobics later this evening after the boys have fallen asleep. I love doing step at home. Actually, I can only do step at home. I'm so uncoordinated when it comes to following directions that involve body movement. I've tried twice at the gym and each time I look so stupid. While the class is going left, I'm going right. They're going up, I'm going down. They're doing around the world, I'm doing the V step. I always get really lost and then the instructor always comes to stand next to me, yeah, like that makes me feel any better. So I suck in public when it comes to stepping. So I do it in the privacy of my own home where no one can see me.

So far, fat is still in the lead by 1/2 a point. Only because I gave him a head start. It's okay though because when I hit him hard, he won't know it until tomorrow. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow. But I promise you, it's coming.

Fat:1 Makita:0

2007-06-04T20:59:00.001-04:00

So I embarked on my journey to a healthy lifestyle today. Overall, it went pretty well, but I have to say fat was the winner today. I went to the gym today. I felt like I had walked into an entirely new gym. They have done a lot of remodeling in the two months I've been gone. My personal trainer looked a little surprised to see me. We talked and she's wishing me the best.

She weighed me today and it turns out I'm actually 187lbs. Correction, I'm 187.8lbs. Which in my opinion isn't bad considering I haven't been to the gym in two months. And all I've gained is 3lbs. That's not too shabby in my book. We also did my measurements. And, again I have to say I haven't done too badly. I've only gained 2 inches in my waist and 3 1/2 inches in my abdomen. My waist is 36 1/2 inches and my abdomen is 39 1/2 inches. So I want to lose 6 inches off my waist and 9 off my waist. My hips are 42 inches. I love my hips! I always have. I'll never forget when I was in high school that my secret crush, Skylar, told me "Dang girl, you've got some nice hips" *sigh*. I would like to lose 6 inches off my hips even though they are awesome. I'd love to lose these boulders I call breast, but I've grown to accept them. However, if my chest does miraculously become smaller, you won't see me shedding any tears. I'd give anything to wear a spaghetti strap shirt.

Surprisingly, my body mass index has actually gone down in the two months I've done nothing. But before I post it I need to get something straight with my personal trainer. According the scale at the gym it's 42.3%, however every other BMI calculator I've used says its 30.8%. That's one hell of a difference. Either way though I'm still considered obese. But if you ask me, as long as I can still get up and move around on my own I'm not obese. Fat, yes. Obese, no. Maybe it's just me, but when I think of an obese person I think of the people they show on the TLC channel who are so big they can't move on their own. In a way it saddens me because I know I never want to get like that. And, it makes me sad to see them like that because I know it must be hard living like that.

But back to the topic. So fat won today and I lost. But I tell you what, fat better watch it's back. I've got all kinds of tricks up my sleeve. And I'll be honest. I fight dirty. So fat consider this your warning because it's the only one you're going to get.

I'm Ready

2007-06-03T21:55:00.000-04:00

Oh, how I dined on the finest swine. I filled up today on the Meat Lover's pizza from Pizza Hut. Sausage, pepperoni, ham, and bacon...oh my! Washed down with a tall glass of Iced Tea. Oh, what a treat it was. Now, I am prepared to face my challenge of doing healthy right and leaving behind all of the unhealthy choices I have made. It's never too late to start on a healthy lifestyle. At least, I hope it's not or I'm in big trouble. I've got the okay from my doctor to embark on my journey, so I'm set to go.

I can just imagine the look on the receptionist's face tomorrow when I walk in the gym. The last time I saw her was two months ago when I so enthusiastically ended our conversation with "See you tomorrow." Either tomorrow really means two months or I'm really bad at reading a calendar. I don't even want to think about what my personal trainer is going to say. I imagine she really can't say too much considering she isn't that much of a personal trainer. Really, she's just someone who showed me how to use the machines. And, to be honest, from watching all the infomercials I already knew how to use the machines. But, she's a great person and I can honestly call her my friend. And, since she's my friend she'll most likely laugh at me at first and then give me her full support.

So to help me prepare for the journey, I rediscovered my workout clothes. I felt so bad for them, just sitting in the closet inside a box that was pushed way to the back. Hidden beneath the box was my gym shoes and gym bag. Poor things haven't seen the light of day in so long. Now freshly washed and folded neatly, they are ready to delight in my sweat tomorrow as I burn away this fatty flesh. I have to say I am really proud of them. I got them from my favorite of favorite stores, Ross, a few months ago. I stood in the dressing room for about a half an hour debating on whether they were worth the price or not. Oh who am I kidding? Everyone knows that everything at Ross is affordable and worth the price. But my dilemma was really about whether or not I really needed workout clothes that promised to keep me dry while sweating. Apparently they have some kind of fiber that is anti-sweat. I don't know, I can't remember what the label claimed. I mean, I was doing just fine with the "I *heart* NY" tee shirts and sweat pants. So I broke down and bought them. Two pair of shorts, 3 pair of pants, and 4 shirts. I wore one shirt and one pair of shorts to the gym the next day. Turned out that was the last day I went to the gym. Go figure. The clothes did feel great though.

So I'm ready to take on a healthy lifestyle. I dined on the divine swine. I've got the "go for it" from my doctor. I've got great clothes to wear that are made with some super, magical fabric that is anti-sweat. I've got a gym membership card that is begging to be used. I've got a deadline of August 5th to get my body atleast 20lbs lighter. And most importantly I've got Spirit, yes I do! How about you?

Countdown to Day 1

2007-06-02T10:20:00.000-04:00

I have two days until Operation Fitness a.k.a "I'm going to look so hot that songs will be named after me to praise my beauty and my fabulous booty." So two days to go. On Monday, fast food will no longer be apart of my regime, late night eating will be a thing of the past, and donut binges will be outlawed. No more excuses on why I can't go to the gym, or go outside walking, or "I can't exercise right now because AMC or Lost is coming on and I've got to see what happened." Nope, I can't use any of those excuses any more. Besides, it's summer and everything worth watching on tv has already had it's season finale. Therefore I have until late September to get it together and lose this weight that's been carrying me.

So my plan for today is to get as much greasy, fattening, barbecued covered food into my body as possible. Ooh and I can't forget the donuts. If I pace myself, I can probably knock back a good dozen. Okay, okay! I know that's not healthy and I'd probably have a heart attack before I could even make it to day one. So, I'll compromise with just having the dozen donuts. I promise not to scarf them all down in one day. I'll *try* to share with my family.

My overall goal is to lose 45 lbs before the end of the year. But since I have an engagement to attend with my husband in August. My goal for now is to drop 20lbs before August 5th. Can I do it? Probably. If I can leave the junkie food alone and focus on fitness I can have a banging body in no time. I'd post my weight, but you wouldn't believe me anyway. Oh what the hell! I weigh 184lbs. Yep, I do. Doesn't look like it though, does it? Thankfully (and sadly) I have one of those body frames that proportions itself very nicely. The only downside to that is no one ever believes me when I say how much I weigh because it doesn't look like it. The only thing people can notice is my belly fat. It's not bad, but it's not good either. Let's just say I won't be wearing anything tight any time soon. So my goal is to lose 20lbs and flatten my stomach. After I go to the gym on Monday, I'll post my measurements and set a goal for losing inches off my waist. The rest of my body is awesome, if I say so myself, so I'm only concerned about losing inches off my waist. To complete my package I want to tone and firm my body as well.

So my plan is to cut out unhealthy food. Well, at least for the most part. I'm not going to deny myself an artery clogging burger when my body is begging for one. I'm just going to be smart about it from now on. If I have the burger, it no longer needs to be dripping with bacon, extra cheese, and ranch. Mmmm, bacon...

What was I saying? Oh right, cutting out healthy food, exercising, and becoming more active. The boys are home with me this summer so I know we'll be out there fooling around playing. I'm going to try walking in the morning or evening on the days I can't make it to the gym. And, meeting up with friends to workout with. The biggest part of my plan is to have motivation. And to remember that I'm not dieting, I'm on a lifestyle change.

Fitness is a journey, not a destination. All I can hope is that I don't get sidetracked on my journey.

Now about those donuts...

Edited to add the "oh look at me I'm so sad because I'm overweight, but just wait until I lose all this weight. I'm going to be smiling bright, the picture will be clearer, and I'll be extra tanned and buff" picture.