Great tips for Women

And that "time of the month".
My cousin introduced me to a HS friend of hers who is an author and nutritionist. I'm friends with her on Facebook. I tried copying her status but it wouldn't let me so I just did a screen shot and I'll post it here.

What a surprise to my eyes---warning, pics are showing body parts

I recently did a biggest loser competition. Needless to say, I lost 2lbs and was NOT happy.
Today I was going through some old pictures and came across some when I used a body wrap before my cousins wedding. I figured I would take some pics of my stomach today (now mind you, I've been eating HORRIBLE!) but figured "what the heck!"
I can't believe my eyes. Pictures are worth a thousand words and I have to admit these pics say A LOT!

I had to share.

Ugh, What have I done?

I know I posted in another post about restricting your food.  I still stand by my convictions and don't believe you should unless you are led in your spirit or health wise need to.

Well, I did not hold back anything during this holiday season.  I've been eating fudge, Hershey Kisses, Taffy Apple Pizza, Baklavah (ooooooooh, the homemade Baklavah!).

I'm officially physically ill!  I woke up this morning with intentions to workout, since I haven't worked out in a week!  Well, my younger son was feeling sick and my baby girl's tummy was hurting.  I wasn't going to take them to Jazz like that and the older ones were still sleeping.  So I laid in bed with them.

I must admit, I feel like CRAP!  Pretty much how I felt before I started working out.  I am tired, sluggish, feeling yucky and my head has been fighting a headache for a few days now. I haven't been drinking water, I have even been drinking soda!  Not Diet, full sugar bad for you soda!  I haven't barely had any water.  I'm lucky if I've been getting 8 oz a day in.  I feel like CRAPOLA!

Tomorrow is Friday and I know I won't be able to go to Jazzercise in the morning but I am starting back up next week!

I told myself I wouldn't restrict myself with all the goodies and in one way I am glad I did.  I can now blog about how crappy I feel.  This isn't a place I like to be.  I don't want to cook, clean, nothing!  I want to be able to look back and see what eating unhealthy, not drinking my water and depriving my body of exercise does to me.

It's true, to loose it you have to eat right and exercise.  But to maintain it and not slip back into that "old habit" you can't allow yourself to feel crappy and keep eating the stuff and depriving your body of what it wants...Water, Exercise, Healthy Foods

January 1st I will be starting a Daniel Fast.  It is the second year of doing it.  I am doing it for spiritual reasons but I know my body needs a cleansing after all of this stuff has been put into my body.
I plan on blogging on my journey through the Daniel Fast.  I don't know where I will be posting everything because it partially is my own life journey along with my health journey.  So if you are interested in reading about that, let me know and I'll make sure I link up!

Now to re-focus and get my body cleansed and released of all this junk!  Yes, I'm still debating about doing it now or next week...I still have Pecan Pie and Baklava in my kitchen ;-)

Oh Boy!

Okay, I said I was going to blog everything I felt.  Good and bad, so here it goes!
TODAY BLEW at the technique training class!  Delayna was whining and crying the whole time I was training.  I couldn't get the moves down.  My arms are whonky little suckers that don't like to go the direction they should.  I hurt all over, I'm tired and a blubbering mess!  I came home and mopped my floors then showered.  I couldn't stop crying in the shower.  I want this SO bad that I think I'm over trying.  I am TERRIFIED of failing!
I know I shouldn't think like that.  I've talked to my BAFF (best adult friend forever....HA, I know I'm a dork!) about my feelings and she has checked me.  I'm still learning my worth and have slip ups from time to time, questioning myself.
Today was a questioning day.  Am I fit for this job?  Can I do this?  My body is so achy, will I get through it?  Why am I doing this?  Is it worth it?  Those were all the things I was asking myself while I mopped my floor and Delayna was in bed.  I was really evaluating what I'm doing.  I want to do it for the right reasons.  So I'm going to just ramble and answer my own questions right here and now...

1. Am I fit for the job?  Honestly, I don't know.  I've had people tell me that I will make a great instructor.  That I have the personality for it.  Do I believe that?  Somedays.

2. Can I do this?  Oh Boy, I don't know!  My body is SO achy from doing new routines that Gretchen put into her set yesterday I don't know how my body is going to react to all of this!  Then getting the moves down is another part.  I know I'm not going to be perfect and practice makes perfect but I'm so uncoordinated!  It's really kind of sad.  I know I'm tough and can do anything I put my mind to but doing this is a whole new level.

3. Will I get through it?  I know I will, as long as I continue to push.

4. Why am I doing this?  Now this is something that I have to keep my focus on!  It's not worth all the pain, extra time devoted to learning everything, long hours focusing on what I need to focus on, learning so many new things if I don't know why I'm doing it.  So, why am I doing this?  Jazzercise has given me something nobody or nothing could ever give me!  It has been a building block of me learning to love myself and find my worth.  Sure, there have been other things in my life that has done that.  BUT, my body image and image of myself was SO poor that I was always wondering what someone was thinking of me.  Now just because I've lost weight doesn't mean that people don't still look at me.  After all, we are all human beings and we typically will look at someone and judge them one way or another.  I couldn't go anywhere without being intimidated, seriously!  I didn't like being around people because I didn't know what their perception of me would be.
Through Jazzercise, not only has my body image changed but I have been able to make relationships and friendships with girls that go there that has proven to me that I am a likable person and my life does have value and worth.  If I can become an instructor and be able to give that to someone else, that would be the icing on the cake!  It's SO much more than just loosing weight or toning up, it's about a person becoming all they are made to be without self-doubt and questioning.  Then living a healthy lifestyle so that they can have a long life doing what they ultimately should be doing.

5. Is it worth it?  In then end, if I ultimately change a 'Melissa' then HELL YES, IT'S WORTH IT!

I will continue on and push through.  I will practice, learn and focus on what I need to.  My body will ache, I will put myself in the position to be completely fatigued.  But in the end, I know that I have a mission to fulfill!
My Pastor has a new motto and I'm 100% behind it in many areas of life.  Things may be thrown at me, obstacles will be put in my way but I'm going to do...

Be conscious

It is 6:00pm on the dot right now and I felt I needed to jump on and blog about being conscious.  There are of course a million different things you can be conscious about but right now I want to talk about your eating.  I will repeat it a million and one times, I DO NOT restrict myself from anything!  I don't believe in eliminating something from your diet because you think that is going to help you loose weight.  Some people don't eat things because they think they are bad for you.  Because they don't like them.  Because they "think" that it makes you fat.
I'm sorry but I disagree (and you may disagree with me and that is okay!).  I think that everything is permissible (to your own convictions) in moderation.  Our society has come to a place where an acceptable serving size of steak is 16 oz.  That is a WHOLE pound!  Do you know how many calories that is?  Approximately 675 calories, just for a steak that is served as a meal (this is an option at my favorite steak restaurant).  Then you add on the salad before the meal, the fried zucchini, the baked potato with butter and sour cream, bread oh and of course we have to have the veggies because after all it won't be a balanced dinner without the veggies...RIGHT!?!?!  I will be honest and tell you, that would be my dinner when I would go out!  Actually I would order the 12oz steak and I would eat it all!  I probably still could, I'm not going to lie.  Here is a picture of my absolute favorite steak meal!  I think I want it right now!

Do you know what an actual serving size of steak is?  It is only 4oz.  A 4oz Flank Steak is appx 169 calories.  MUCH better!

I have learned to eat appropriately.  There are times I indulge but I have learned that I have to be conscious.  The thing that triggered this post is I am making dinner right now.  I am really hungry!  I ate lunch at 12pm and didn't eat much for breakfast before working out.  I'm ready for dinner and I would typically grab things while in the kitchen and toss them into my mouth (popcorn, chocolate covered peanuts, a bite of cake, chips, etc).  Right now I was looking for something in the cupboard and checked myself.
When you are looking for something typically "good/healthy" to eat, you won't find it in the cupboard.  So I looked over on the counter and saw my bananas sitting there.  Sure I would rather have a bite of cake but do I need it?  I worked out today, did really good eating and will have a good dinner (Grilled fish with a salad and Quinoa).  If I want, I can treat myself later with some cake.  But at the famished moment when you are looking for something to curve the hunger pangs, cake IS NOT what you need!
Be conscious and make better decisions.  It's not always easy but it will be worth it!