Slender, Sexier, SO-healthy Sanni 2009 and Beyond

"To feel 'fit as a fiddle', you must tone down your middle."

~ Unknown

So after finally a month of being more consistent on Spark People for good.. I can say I am finally in a groove. And thought it was time to detail my goals so I know specifically what it is I am going to accomplish over the next 6.5 months (till my 30th birthday).

A little background...

I was a dual athlete all four years of high school and for my freshman year of undergrad. While working full time and in school for my master's at 24, I started reclaiming my athletic body by going to workout faithfully, everyday on my lunch break for an hour. In doing so I trimmed off near 50 pounds I'd packed on during my stagnant years. I also went on to get certified in group fitness.

I moved back home to Chicago for a job opp in 2006, fell in love, got with my partner, got comfortable, gained weight, had a baby in 2007, let my certs lapse and here I am. lol While, I haven't gained all my previous weight back, I am certainly not my previous weight and I aim to get back to that and better.

I love my body/frame because I wear my weight extremely well. People rarely know that I weigh as much as I do, unless I tell them. I know I have a lot of hidden stallion-like muscles under this thickness. I will bring em out, and KEEP em out, before 2009 comes to a close to enter my 30s with no extra weight upon my heart and soul.

There are a total of 28 weeks and 5 days to the day of my born day and exactly 29 weeks to my anticipated weekend celebration. My goal is to be met and maintained by my bday tho. If I consistently lose a simple pound or two a week, I'll be at my goal weight. Sounds simple enough right? lol It's gonna take mad determination, calculated movements and strict by-the book seriousness. I am ready. I haven't felt this ready since 2004 when I got tired climbin up to my 3rd floor apartment and knew a change needed to come and quick. Luckily, I am not as in bad of shape as I was then... so failure this time is not an option.

Goal weight: 138-140... I would like to be 140 pounds or lower. Until further notice. I was 125-130 in high school, so I think 140 is a good, realistic weight to shoot for (in 2006 before I started gaining I was 10 pounds heavier). After accessing my physical appearance and how I feel, IF I want to get back to my high school weight when I get there, I'll work on skimming away those last 10. But we'll see. I wanna keep my assets if you kno what I mean. I was also a B cup in high school and nobody wants that. lol And by nobody, I mean me.

The Program:
Eat five to six small meals a day, drink more than eight glasses of water and workout 5 days a week.

• 8+ glasses of water a day
• 5+ servings of veggies/fruits a day
• 5 days of at least 45 minutes of cardio
• 3 days of strength training
• Track caloric intake and don't go over it; try best to get all the nutrients I need
• Have a healthy breakfast of SOME sort, every morning
• Award myself to the goals
• Surround myself with positive people who know my struggle and support me

Basic Goals

1. Weigh less than 140 pounds
2. Get body fat to 20-22%
3. Get Fitness Certifications
4. Start personal training and fitness instruction business

My 2009 G&R (goals and rewards):

Goal: Weight 165 *~*Achieved: ???
Reward: Get thigh tattoo sleeve expanded..

Goal: Weight 150 *~*Achieved: ???
Reward: Mini shopping spree

Goal: Weight 140 *~*Achieved: ???
Reward: A trip to an exotic place I've never been

Goal: Body fat 25% *~* Achieved: ???
Reward: New workout gear (bras, shoes, shorts, yoga pants etc.)

Goal: Size 10 Pants *~* Achieved: ???
Reward: ACE Certification

Goal: First 5K Competitive Race *~* Completed: ???
Reward: Small weekend getaway

Please check out my fitness/health blog where I talk about my struggles, share articles and eventually client consultations:
http://glamourousglutesgamsandguns.blosp
ot.com

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it."
~ Plato

"Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it."

~ Plato

Analyze. Strategize: The Intro.

I found my fit girl "crush"... a 35-year-old single mother of two in St. Louis who lost like 50 lbs., got certified as an ACE personal trainer, is now a fitness writer and currently training to be a fitness model. At 35, she changed the game and took on a new job totally unrelated to her two degrees. In the midst of all the adversity she faces, she ventured out.. it inspires me and makes me ashamed. Ashamed that I am SUCH a procrastinator. When the eff did I get sooo stagnant? So lazy? SO careless. I was in my iPhoto just staring at pics of how this...*pinches self* came to be. And then I sat my period-laden butt up all week eating everything under the sun... real rude like. It's like I know what I want and continue to ruin and/or delay my destiny
...

WHY?!

So now I'm reflecting.

The other day I was lookin at myself in the mirror impressed with progress. I swore I saw a shrinking waistline... and then I sabotaged myself. I must, must, must do better. I am currently developing a new strategy in my plan of attack.

10 More Tips for Your Wellness Journey

Easy Ways to Get Healthy

-- By Carrie Myers Smith, Health & Fitness Writer

Looking for more ways to become a healthier you? Here are 10 great ideas you can use any day, every day.

1. Drink a glass of water. Water is an essential nutrient for life. But beyond that, you just plain feel better when you’re well-hydrated. More energy, brighter eyes, healthy skin and a decreased chance of headaches are just a few of the benefits you’ll glean from drinking up!

2. Go for a walk. There’s nothing like a nice, brisk walk to relieve stress, give you a boost of energy and get the brain cells working again!

3. Call a friend. Do you have a friend who you know is going through some tough times? Why not zip off a quick note or give her a call and offer encouragement to her. She won’t be the only one who feels better!

4. Journal. Keeping a diary or journal has been shown to be a stress reliever. Seeing a quandary on paper can also help you uncover concrete solutions to it. Take a moment to write down a problem you’ve been encountering and get ready to resolve it!

5. Soak your feet. Your feet literally carry you throughout your day. Do something kind for them. Kick your shoes off and give them a good rub down. If you can, take a few minutes to soak them. Cover the bottom of a basin with marbles, fill the basin with warm water and sprinkle in some Epsom salts and a few drops of your favorite essential oil. While soaking, glide your feet over the marbles for a mini-massage. After you’ve soaked your feet, slather on a rich re-hydrating cream.

6. Send a thank you note. Has someone done something nice for you and you have yet to really thank her? No time like the present! Send a nice thank you note now!

7. Eat a snack. If you find your energy waning between meals, eat a small, healthy snack to boost your brain back into action. Combining a whole grain, fruit, or vegetable with a protein: nuts, nut butters, low-fat dairy products, seeds, soy products, lean meats, fish, or poultry will give you a sustained energy boost to get you to your next meal.

8. Chew a stick of sugar-free gum. There’s nothing like a clean, fresh mouth to make you feel refreshed all over. But when you can’t get to your toothbrush and floss, chew on a piece of sugar-free gum instead to give your mouth and body an invigorating zing.

9. Organize your space. Whether it’s at the office or at home, clutter can make you feel sick – literally. Get rid of what you don’t need and organize what’s left. Take a few minutes right now to clean up your space.

10. Take "five." Allowing your body to run on a constant adrenaline rush, which happens when you’re in continual stressed-out mode, wreaks havoc on the body. Take several breaks throughout your day to simply breathe, pray, or whatever it takes to bring your body down to neutral.

Source

Remember The Goals

I spoke to someone who actually successfully completed the ChaLEAN Extreme program and she told me that she lost 12 pounds over the 3 months and a few inches... that is awesome in the sense that it's 12 pounds she didn't have on her frame three months prior. Perhaps I am an overachiever or just seriously misunderstanding what the program is supposed to do. OR it has me thinking it will do something it simply won't. However, instead of trying to figure out which, I have to figure out what I can do to maximize my results. In a perfect world, I would lose two pounds a week over the 12 and end with at least 24 lbs AND several inches. But in order to achieve anything close to that, I'm going to have to utilize those recipes she shares in the food guide, cut my calories down to 1400 (I was previously at 1550 max). I have to utilize those calories better by eating more less calorie/fulfilling foods.

Gotta remember my goals. And figure out the best way to execute to make this work for me. The words "results not typical" keep flashing in my mind... I want my results to be untypical as well dammit!

Now during my day, I wear my little "I Play For Keeps!" bracelet to remind me to make best decisions all day long to be regret-free come workout time.

While I am doing the workouts (almost done with my first full-week ~ yay!) I know now I must add some more to my plan. Cardio. The circuits get my heart rate up. Which is great... and "muscle burns fat" but I need to be doing some cardio too, I feel. And there's only one workout in the week that incorporates some actual cardio into the workout (Burn Intervals). But at the same time, the workout itself is enough house activity, so I have to figure out something to do. I want to incorporate bike rides three times a week... but that's gonna need the weather to cooperate. It's been a rainy Chi-Town lately. But perhaps I can plan for bike rides and walks and Turbo Jam can be my "rain site." :-)

And I just have to push myself.

Currently, when my lifting is getting too tough, I chant little things like, "push..." or "I can do it..." "Sweat breeds athletes..." Perhaps a little lame to some.... but a big motivator to me.

This has been a long-awaited fight that I have postponed for nearing three years... it's bitter for me to even be here again... BUT I am here. I can either deal with it now or never address it and deal with the affects of it later. I choose to fight now... while I still have the energy, drive, motivation and great health to attack it. Furthermore, I want to keep all those traits. I don't want any of them to deteriorate.

So, it's these verbal cues and different visuals that are gonna help me through this. Around my house, specifically at my desk in my study where I sit often and perhaps decide not to get up to workout... near my sun's sweets section of the cupboard and on the fridge to name a few... I place little index cards with drawn statements like:

• I want to get stronger!
• I want to be a lean machine!
• I want to have more energy!
• I want to feel/look like myself again!
• I want to LIVE and be healthy for sun!
• I WILL reach my goal!

• 

That Terrible Feeling
Every time I eat some fast food or something not particularly good for me that's not included in my meal plan... I feel disgusting and disappointed with myself afterward. I mean, literally. It goes too quickly. It's (sorta) tasty going down, but not filling at all. But it's quick, easy and gets the job done for the moment. But oh when it's done... I just feel so guilty. Like a person with a conscience who cheats on her partner and afterwards gets those bad feelings like, "that was a mistake.... I should not have done that." That feeling (and my finances ~ not a lot of overhead to be wasting money on an unfulfilling meal) has been stopping me from going into a fast food restaurant or drive-thru. It's these little victories that let me know I just might be back. No, scratch that... that I am back.

Are you hurt or are you injured?

~ Coach "The Program"

I loves me some residual pain.

I know that when it's happening, my muscles are woooorking.

It's not that injury, "oh my word, that HURTS!" pain but, "oohhhhh yeah, that hurts sooo good!" :)

It's nice to be back... so long as I keep remembering the goals and visualizing myself successful.

I will be an athlete again!

Tomorrow morning I am biking to Washington Park (as promised) while my sun gets his haircut and goes shopping for his birthday stuff with Daddy.

OH and thanks for being here to hear me journal about these trials... just think soon it will be about my client meetings and classes! :)

"I get it in!"

"If Your Core Is Weak, Nothing Else Can Be Strong"

The Core is the center... make no mistake my friend, if your core is weak -- you are weak! I don't care how long you have been riding a bike, how lean you are, how fast you are or how quick you can climb. Your core strength and durability is the lifeblood of ongoing cycling strength and performance. ~http://www.cyclo-club.com/public/department163.cfm

So here I am at the third workout day of my five-workout day plan... the day calls for two workouts: Burn Intervals and Ab Burner. The problem I ran into when I first started the program, I was so exhausted that I would not do Ab Burner. But today, I did the intervals, ate some breakfast, rested, later ate lunch and then did Ab Burner. It was shorter than I originally remember; only 10 measly minutes and I could only get through five of them. I was totally disgusted with myself. I've always said my core is just a disgrace. I wish I could excuse it on having a baby two years ago, but that would be a lie since it was weak before then... and I know it takes time and patience and everyone is always telling me I need to exercise (pun intended more patience. But it's hard... especially when damn near starting from scratch. 

My Wii Fit even tells me in my balance tests that my posture needs work. I will be shifted to the left some days, the right other days and then some days I have PERFECT posture, but to me, I am standing awkwardly. Isn't that odd? Have you ever experienced this? A strong core helps keep your body aligned properly and is helpful in all fitness levels and activities. With optimal alignment, your fatigue is likely to hold off longer as you get stronger. Hence why it's imperative for runners and swimmers to learn/practice good form... it helps then endure through the race by keeping fatigue at bay. Have you ever seen someone running in the park with arms and legs flailing like a chicken? They look flushed and in pain and tired like they're gonna pass out? Yeah, bad posture leads to bad form... which leads to fatigue. 

So even though I only got through five minutes, I'm gonna keep the faith that toward the later part of the month I can get through all 10 minutes. Because the core, is not just about abs -- thank God! My core is gonna get stronger with all the strength training that goes along with this program. Our core is actually comprised of our upper back and shoulders (aka as the head carriage) gluteals (pelvis), obliques and our abs. This workout thankfully works all of those. In my defense, Chalene does a more advanced ab session for that 10 minutes, but it would be nice to get through it. At any rate, it's over now. And tomorrow morning is a new day for the kid. 

Off to take a shower and a nap... I feel pretty good... even if I am down on myself right now. So used to being fit and really good at this stuff. It just caught me off guard to not be able to finish it. I'm highly competitive. Apparently, even with myself. 

Simply put, a strong core is equivalent to overall health... and I want to get there. 

Have a productive, strong workout today! 

My Dangerous Kitchen

After a little prodding from Spark People, I decided to inspect my kitchen. I needed to clean out my fridge anyway because I had to figure out a comfortable temperature setting because it was freezing things. So I took this as a time to really examine what I had going on in my fridge, my cupboards and beyond. 

And they were right, I did have a lot of hidden pitfalls in there. Sour creams, sugar-based juices etc. And then there were not so bad food, but I still bagged them up. Like non whole wheat pasta and cereals and my white rice (gasp!). Yep. I did it. I finally, finally figured out a way to make brown rice that I am comfortable with and it doesn't taste God awful to me.  

"To have healthy habits and a healthier lifestyle, you first must live in a healthy environment.

This is so true. I had already jump started this by making my workout closet. An organized place where I keep all my workout/fitness equipment so that it is always accessible and right there when I need it. I needed to take the same approach with my kitchen where the "fuel" is. Because I can be gung-ho about getting in shape, eating healthy... but unless I arm myself properly, I am sure to fail. I avoided eating late last night... my will power was strong but everyday isn't that easy.  

So I took stock to see what was going on in there.

Starting with the fridge, I threw away sour cream, all the spoiled fruit and veggies (obviously... shoulda been eating that!). I threw out the the ranch. Kept all my oil-based dressings though.

Start with the fridge and pantry. Focus on replacing sugary and high-calorie foods with whole grains and lower-calorie alternatives.

Spark People suggests:

• Learn to read food labels
  
• Buy a sturdy cutting board for all the fresh veggies you’ll be cutting up
  
• Get plenty of plastic bags and containers for portioning out prepared foods and storing healthy leftovers
  
• Collect healthy, quick recipes
  
• Toss out all those pizza coupons
  
• Get a few drinking bottles for keeping cold water in the fridge
  
• Put a bowl of fruit and granola/breakfast bars by the back door
  

The one's in red, I'm working on... 

And while we are still in the kitchen...

... learn where to spend your weight loss dollars. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, it takes more than reading a book or joining a gym. It really takes a lifestyle change of consistently picking up good habits and chucking old habits to the curb. Exchanging habits takes some time, so the smartest thing you can do is to make it easy on yourself. That means making it easy on your pocketbook too.

Here's a quick glance of what's in my kitchen.... and a couple recipes I adore... you're welcome lol

• quality knife
  
• vegetable peeler
  
• measuring cups
  
• scale
  
• calorie handbook
  
• portable containers
  
• snack size baggies
  

Here's how I reorganized my fridge: (pics to come)

• threw out fatty unhealthy choices
• washed and placed veggies at eye level
• made it convenient to eat healthy

Here are my healthy alternatives I brought in:

• butter spray, squeeze and Can't Believe It's Not Butter vs. actual butter or marjarine
  
• string cheese & individual cheese snack blocks
  
• egg whites - quick source of protein (I bowled and froze the egg whites from actual eggs... cheaper than buying them already separated.
  
• tuna packets (easy to just top on a bed of greens, no draining fuss)
  
• oil based salad dressing sprays (1 calorie per spray) 
  
• tofurkey slices (found some really good vegetarian lunch meat)
  
• fat-free yogurt, strawberries, apples
  
• low-fat cottage cheese (still not a big fan of this stuff but much like the brown rice movement, hoping for a revelation!)
  
• whole-grain/wheat pastas and starches 

How I organized my cupboards... What's in it? 

• high fiber/low carb whole-wheat bread
  
• cereal (high fiber/low cal)
  
• oatmeal packets
  
• put all snacks in separate snack bins (raw almonds, calorie snack packs, teas, etc)
• whole wheat pasta
  
• pre-packaged ingredients (dried cranberries, crushed almonds etc)
  
• sugar free chocolate pudding
  
• sugar free Jell-O
  
• Cool Whip
  
• whey protein powder mix
  

Waldorf Salad Spin-Off

1-cup green apples

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup crushed almonds

1-cup fat free yogurt

1 dash lemon juice

Sweet Treat

Sugar-free chocolate pudding

Sugar-free strawberry jello

1 Tbsp Cool Whip

1/2 cup fresh strawberries

Still Pushing Play

Rest Days Gone WILD!
Tuesday was my rest day... and it started off pretty good. Well, actually it started kinda off because my initial plan was to go for a leisure bike ride to Washington Park. But the weather interceded on that plan. It also interceded with plan B: to do my light errands on foot. It wasn't the worst thing in the world since I really should have been letting my muscles calm down from Monday, especially the first week back into these very intense workouts. It really is important not to overdo it... now when I consistently get through three weeks of them, perhaps then it will be OK to do a little more activity on Tuesdays and Sundays... but yesterday, I probably should have done SOMETHING because the day somehow turned into an emotional eating day. I worried myself into a frenzy about some personal issues and before I knew it had eaten two honey buns... "Well, CZ, why do you even have honey bun's in the house?!" I don't know, dear reader... I don't know why I even bought them. *lowers head in shame*

And then around midnight I added to the mayhem... when I should have been asleep, I ate a pizza puff and fries made in the comfort of my own oven. The good news at least is that the fries are gone. And I have vowed not to buy processed, already made cut potatoes for frying again. lol But instead try sweet potato fries/chips made in the kitchen. I still have pizza puff's.. they're not as bad as you might think though: 400 calories. What I usually do, is cut it in half. Give half to the boy with pretzels or calorie pack chips and eat half for myself with a big salad full of veggies and light dressing.

So yes, yesterday was a mess. BUT, bad associations spoil useful habits. Those damn fries were badly associated with my freezer! And today is a new day...

Burn Circuit 2... kicked my butt! But this day has started off a lot more awesome than Rest Day. I woke up on my own will at 6:24 a.m. Then after about 7-10 minutes of getting my eyes to focus, I headed downstairs to get my day 2 on. And I drenched sweat for that lil 38 minutes.

I could feel every muscle working and some reps were just plain difficult to get through, but I did. Those of us who workout have all had that moment at some point. You feel so fatigued and exhausted... every weight, even your lighter sets, feel like they weigh a ton. But we can either quit or PUSH through. You always have to push through. Unless you physically feel like you are experiencing a problem: heavy chest, heart rate way too abnormally high, working out through the "pain" to push past your boundary and comfort level cause that's what's going to make us stronger. Not just physically, but mentally.

I stopped for a couple brief (10-15 second) breathers during the workout when I felt like it was too much. Serial workout enthusiasts (myself included even though I am just getting back on the scene) can sometime feel guilty about doing this but it.happens. You can do that, or you can also slow your pace (pausing in between sets for lifting). Try a new exercise... doing the same exercise over and over can really get boring. I worry about this having to do five of the same workouts, five days a week for four weeks. I will try to combat any boredom by upping the weights to keep challenging myself. That will distract me from the fact that I am doing the same routine.

Morning Workouts
My morning workout, I've learned is a great, great motivator. I get it out the way in the morning and feel determined to be great the rest of the day. Not to eat too much or poorly because it will counter effect all my good work. If you can workout in the morning I would seriously give it a try and this is coming from one of the most NON-morning people ... ever. But it beats doing whatever the hell I want all day and then trying to workout later in the day and it barely puts a dent in what I ate or drank. I feel my muscles working... feels good and I wanna keep that good feeling going!

Make sure you motivate yourself... because you are the one that has to ultimately do this for yourself. And I will need a lot of motivation. I am in the hardest stretch of my workout: four consecutive days. One (today) down. Three to go!!!

Off to have a nice bowl of cheese grits, my daily vitamin, and a 1/2 cup of skim... do your best today. Log your food, workouts. You deserve it!

cheese grits, sprinkled with chopped turkey
bacon bits, paprika and cayenne
brendan brazier strength training

Don't Wait for Life-Changing Events

I always feel really silly when I (re)start a workout. Because I feel SO.GOOD when I am done. It's weird that I stopped in the first place. So today was official day one. My schedule is different than when I started the program. Now, I workout Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday doing the Chalene Extreme. Tomorrow is a rest day, but I am currently mapping out a safe route to bike in the a.m.

And now, after a healthy breakfast of Cinnamon Pecan cereal smothered in skim milk lol, I am snackin on frozen sliced strawberries. It wasn't planned for them to be frozen, but my fridge is a beast. But I actually kinda like them like this... kinda feels like a frozen treat. Might be on to something!

I did my workout at 8:30.. later than I planned to and my sun was up which made it more difficult cause he would try to crawl between my legs during my squats to be cute and problematic lol BUT I made it through it and I felt great... I'm also finally, finally using my SPARK PAGE and I'm not going to leave it unused again. It's also an app on my iPod Touch, so now there's absolutely NO EXCUSE for me not to track my stuff, get on it. What's ironic? I created my Spark Page almost a month to the day that I created this blog. Sense a pattern? So here we go... also there are several friends I actually know who are members also, so there's that accountability again. I must get it together ya'll... for me.

You know what I was thinking about yesterday? How complacent we women get in relationships. We fall into these new people who we're loving in this new euphoric state, but what I vow to do NOW, from this day forward (well I had already vowed, but now get to put it to the test) is to continue to keep/get myself together. Just because we're seeing someone doesn't mean we should stop our goals, dreams and plans. If anything, that person should make you strive harder, they should motivate you...

I did a little background on myself and everytime I've gotten fit, accomplished something it was after I'd left a significant relationship. Even when I got fit in 2005, it was after a breakup the previous fall. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. In general, it's human nature to have epiphany's after major life changes/decisions... but I'm not gonna wait for something life-changing to happen before I do something to counter...


I am going to MAKE LIFE HAPPEN.

Dinner tonight...

Marinated broiled chicken breasts (low-sodium soy sauce, garlic powder and onion power) basted while broiling.

Sauteed asparagus in olive oil with red/white onion, celery, garlic and red pepper... pan sprayed with Pam olive oil

Brown rice

Sept. 10, 2007....

In 6 days, it will be June 10... three months from two years ago when I started this blog. And healthwise, I have accomplished very, very little in comparison to what I was supposed to have accomplished. But I did a lot of thinking and self evaluation in April and May, and June, the start of a new season (summer) is always the best time to bring fruition to ideas and goals.

When is it time to really stop bs'ing and get in your right mind?

Life as an adult is soooo routine, so wouldn't it be smart to make it be the BEST routine for you vs. letting the day waste away without accomplishments? I vow to make the most of my routine days. Life keeps on passing us by... we have to do better.

I mean, as we get older our health (by nature) deteriorates. So it is only smart to get on the good foot and get ourselves together. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, some positive and uplifting and some not so positive (i.e., what's the point of trying to recertify myself in fitness when other people in the business my age have been consistently doing it for years or are much younger than me?) But I can't be discouraged by those kindsa thoughts... if anything I need to prove to myself that I can finally finish this task... I mean seriously, if I count my original payment plus each $25 delay fee, I have probably paid near $800 to take this damn test in all... lol funny but incredibly... sad.

I was telling a couple of my favorite homegirls that by 30, I really need to have it completely together. With a "new" relationship on the horizon, I still do all the things I was once doing as to not lose myself. I am still getting out the house. Still very active with my Meetup.com groups via community service, health and fitness, professional groups and sister circles. So when I can steal away (and I have been making time to make sure I do) I have been doing that. I get so caught up in family life sometimes, and how to maintain it for my youth, that I forget that there are sooo many things I want to do. Still... at the "old" age of 29 and some change.

There's ... something more that is supposed to be done while I am here. On this earth. Less dramatically, in Chicago. I just have to focus. I completed The Master Cleanse... the one act that calls for serious, serious focus and determination. Surely I can change the path I am on to be even MORE positive.

So I have a plan of action for the next three months: that starts today. Well, really yesterday (June 3).

• Tone up / Lose 15 lbs. And keep it off by making time to work out 5 days a week.

• Study for my exam. Take the test. Pass. :) And look for teaching jobs for the elderly, youth, water aerobics etc.

• Love more... worry less. This is easier said than done but doable still the same.

• Fix my diet. Consume more fruits and vegetables.

• Stick to the budget. With the kids going on summer break, I will be on a very tight budget but if God willing, I will be able to still have a suitable "income" coming in but one that will also allot me the time in my schedule I will need to really get myself (back) together.

But hey, I can post all the bullet points in the world but only a PLAN will make sure I adhere to them. So I will post everyday on how I stuck to the plan that day be it my food intake, my regimen and my good thoughts.

Moving on... but not really:

I love Special K cereal, and was thinking about this Special K Challenge over the weekend. Not so much because I think it's the end-all, be-all of healthy weight loss, I realize it's not... but I was thinking of trying this out for a guinea pig purpose... but I mean, well, if I lose an inch (or six pounds) off my waste that would be cool too. They guarantee at least an inch on the commercials and I must admit I am rather curious. The "challenge" has undergone some slight tweaks since they first introduced it years back... I do remember trying it before but it didn't quite stick. I think because then they didn't have other flavors and I couldn't put sugar on my cereal cause that wasn't part of the plan. Hence why it didn't work for me at all... but now they have snack bars, protein shakes, waffles and a bigger variety of cereals. I was thinking of making a little test experiment out of it... I mean, I've done The Master Cleanse for 1o days... so everything else should be simple, right? lol And I was thinking I could use my Fat Smash detox guidelines for the one meal a day to really drive it home.
What say you?

I debate and debate about it, but I really do need something to shock my system while I am doing my workouts. Working out and eating whatever is not a good balance, but I've found (based on my 2005/06 get fit plan) that when I worked out, filling myself with better for me foods I had a lot more energy. Um, yeah, I know, duh!

I do like Special K, but in general I am not a cereal for breakfast person. I know if I am going to be my best healthy self I need to get over that. BUT since I can't make/won't spend time in the kitchen making egg white omelets and thangs everyday, I need to find a delicate balance. SO I bought some Special K Vanilla Almond and Special K Cinnamon Pecan :)

A nice huge salad some days for lunch or days where I have cereal & fruit for lunch I can make a big bowl of sauteed spinach (my sauteed spinach is fye (fire)!) or red beans and (brown) rice... so long as it's part of the fat smash menu. I think I might be able to make it! My baby's birthday is June 15, so I think that's a nice round numba to see where my progress is from today. Tomorrow, I will resume my Chalene Extreme... and stay the course this time... for real. Utilize that book of yummy recipes she suggests. I'm such a loser sometime... stop spending money on these things and not getting the full benefit, crazy!! *rolls eyes at self*

It's all so frustrating really to know that in 2006 when I returned here, I was extremely fit and still looking to lose like 20 pounds trying to adhere to industry standards... this is where my new recentered self will come into play... keeping me grounded in reality.

So, a typical day will go like this:
Times are estimates and will vary obviously... but the GOAL is to try and stick as close to the times as possible to not only create a rhythm and habit that my body is used to, but also make sure I utilize all the time in my days, positively and wisely.

6 a.m.: Morning rise and prayer
6:30 a.m.: Workout
7:30 a.m.: Breakfast
10:30 a.m. Snack 1
11:30 a.m.: Sun's nap
Noon: Study
1:30 p.m. Lunch
4 p.m. Snack 2
6:30 p.m. Dinner
7:30 Sun's bathtime..
8 p.m. Sun's bedtime..
8:30 p.m. Study/Blog/Unwind

As I said, I'll post daily and make sure to live life in betweek eating lol Trips to the park, store, zoo, cleaning, etc. I just didn't feel it necessary to get into details as far as those were concerned. :)

What can you do/tweak to make your routine work more positively for you? Can you really commit to something for 30 days? 60 days? 90 days?

ETA 6/6/09: OK, so I decided NOT to do the Special K challenge BUT I have had breakfast the past three mornings... I will have it tomorrow as well directly after my morning workout. Yeah!