Love and Support

I am a big believer in pushing myself to be the best when I start something.  I giver 100% in every endeavor but  getting my body 5lbs healthier this last week has been a real challenge. I feel like I'm not even giving 10% let alone 100.  So after losing my mind over Memorial Weekend and eating totally for target. I came home to watch some of my favorite You Tubers and found an AWESOME sister who motivated me back into the exercise loop.  Her channel is called Concede Nothing. She was talking about getting back to the gym after missing a few days. (LIKE ME).  She led me to another channel and blog by http://divaslimsdown.blogspot.com  (same name on YouTuber). She went down from 341lbs a little at a time and lost approx. 160+lbs. Amazing!  

These two ladies really inspired me.  I was feeling like the giant pink elephant in the room for awhile. Going to classes where I'm the odd man out I really was letting negative thoughts creep in:  that nobody understood and I'm the ONLY one my size and everyone is zipping by  me. 

See this two ladies helped snap me back to reality. I'm not the 1st person to try and lose weight. I wont be the last. I just have to remain focused on my goals. 

One very silly goal I would love to share is that I want to wear knee boots next winter.  

I know silly right. I've never worn proper all leather zip up knee boots because my calf us so large and I want a pair this winter.  When I make it will be sure to take some pictures. 

Nkenge

Holiday Curse

I do know what you do for the holidays but the holidays for me and my family is generally about two things:
1-Being with my family and friends
2-EATING


After catching up with my family and friends we tuck into some of the best food you have ever seen or eaten.  Since I'm so far from my parents and siblings I spend most quick holidays (a day off work or two) with my 
in-laws.  I love my in-laws they are the best and they BOTH can cook.  My father in law makes these cheese biscuits that I can literally eat an entire pan of.  My mother in law can cook anything. They lady could turn leather into some crave worthy.  So its Memorial Weekend and I've already haven't step foot into the gym since Thursday.  I had fried chicken and fries on Friday after work, followed by salad on Saturday( a decent day), followed by meat lovers pizza on Sunday, God only knows what my mother in law has cooking up for Monday!!!!  


So here's the dilemma:

1. Do I get up Monday and make my swim class (YES, Okay, maybe).
2. Avoid everything with gravy, grease, and fatty meat on Monday (Not going to happen)
3. Make it to the gym for at least 1hr. to make it up for the totally AWESOME meal I plan to consume on Monday.(YES, Totally doable

How do you manage the holidays?

Ribs or Manna from Heaven?

Cheese Biscuits fit for Queens

End of the Year...Sort Of

I'm a teacher. I teach World Geography to 125 hyper active 14yr old high school students who's year is quickly coming to a close.
They are losing their minds and I am quickly losing mine.  Which has led to me wanting to eat, and eat, and eat.
I am in prime craving mode.
What do you do to fight the cravings?

There is No Crying in Aerobics

Tom Hanks said "There is not crying in baseball" in one of my favorite movies. A League of Their Own" I'm sure if my morning aerobics instructor had seen me shed tears after a class she would have said the same thing. "Nkenge, There is not crying in aerobics"

I take a aqua aerobics class 3 times a week. My instructor is a 5ft tall, 40-50ish, Asian lady named Mona.

I knees are going south due to my weight and I was told that this class would be a good workout without all the impact to my knees. My 1st thought was my hair. Girls of African decent and our hair do not mix well with water.  I wanted to go ahead and give it shot so I went to my 1st class. 

Mona, scanned me up and down with narrow eyes and said "what is your name" Worse mistake ever. For the next 50mins I heard my name repeatedly. Straighten your leg, more power, faster, more, less this way that way...

Needless to say I hung in there for that class and a month more.
One class at the end o the month really broke me down and hurt my spirit.
Moaning Mona made me feel like I was the most uncoordinated person in the world. I was so frustrated and couldn't do anything right.

That day I took my shower after class and let a few tears fall for the last time. I told myself I would never let anyone make me eel bad about myself again. I was doing what I thought was correct and pushing to my personal limit. There's really nothing else any of us can do. I've keep up my classes and have found some really fun ones to replace that morning class. I will go back eventually. But when I do I will be quicker to speak my peace and get the little lady off my back.

Nkenge

The Clock is my Enemy

I think it is a C.O.N. spiracy.  My husband,the kids, even my clock is against me.
I set my clock for 430 so I could make my 530 water exercise class. For some odd reason my trusty clock that rings daily didn't go off. So I slept until 7 which in a way I really needed.

Oh well, I will be back at it on after work. KICKBOXING CLASS. At least Charles never made me cry and I'm up to one 8 pretty solid push ups.

Set Back is a Set Up for ......Better Days

This weekend I went slightly left on my meal plan. It wasn't a complete failure. I managed to avoid a simply divine smelling cake. I'm pretty sure the sweet baby Jesus kissed the sugar in that cake. I didn't even have to fight myself over the cake I just passed.
But I did eat Chick fil A. I know its not HORRIBLE it was just not on program.  I also had pizza on Saturday night, mostly due to the fact I couldn't access my kitchen.
I still managed to get up and work out so I guess it will balance out. Nothing lost nothing GAINED.

Oh I'm going back to swim class. I have to tell you the story of the little Asian lady that made me cry and quit my morning aerobic class for 2weeks.

Nkenge

Up and At 'Em

I really don't like this phrase. Up and at who? Who are a hoping out of bed to attack. This morning "them" could have stormed my house and it wouldn't have been able to get me out of bed. I still in the midst of a spring/summer head cold and simply wasn't feeling it today.  I did manage to drag in to work but forgot my carefully calorie counted lunch! So I opted to run to Chipotle to get a salad with grilled chicken. It was surprisingly light and fresh. No pictures since I gobbled it up almost immediately.

The lesson Ive learned is that I save so much time and energy pack everything the night before. I have to stick to that and keep control over what I pop in my mouth.

Spin Class

I'm still not feeling 100% but I plan to go to spin class today (beginners class). I will update this late...

Pray for Me!

********UPDATE*******

I made it through my 1st 30min. spin class. It wasn't that bad BUTT. The Butt is still in pain 3hrs later. Those seats are criminal. I would have don't much better with out the seats and the literal pain in my behind. 

I plan to take the class again this week. 

Adventures in Exercisng 1.0

Last night I went to my gym to take a cardio class. Nothing big or so I thought.  The class was called Night Club Cardio. Its described as a fun class using current music and dance moves to burn the calories.

The class was full, the music was good, the only problem I discovered is that I CANNOT DANCE.
I had no idea who bad I was until confronted with a wall to wall mirror that didn't try to spare my feelings.  I should be put in jail for murder on the dance floor. I was killing those moves(not in a good way).
The worse part of the whole thing was that my calorie counter had the nerve to say I only burned 300 calories in a 45min class from hell.

I wanted to leave after the 2nd song but waited until the cool down to bolt out the door embarrassed, dazed and confused.

Needless to say I wont be back anytime soon, if ever.

Nkenge

Weigh In

I finally am back to 90% and decided to go to kickboxing. I struggled after only a week out sick.
I survived out o breath but I survived. I was delirious by the end but it felt good to be back at it.

I has been a month and before stumbling out of the gym I hopped on the scale to see my 1month progress.

DRUM ROLL  PLEASE>>>>>>>>>>>>>

261.6 .....Two Sixty FREAKING One....


Me and the sweet baby Jesus did the happy dance. Right in the middle of the locker room.

It feels like a major milestone in my head. I'm down 10 lbs

Feels so good to say I lost 10 pounds and I never want to find them jokers again.

Nkenge

CREAM OF RICE

Ive adopted a nutritionist advised meal plan.  Its a shock to the system to put it mildly.

I planned to start the meal plan today which gave me a pass to eat what I pleased for Mother's Day. I still ate pretty healthy although I wanted the killer buffet at Pappadeaux's the line was way to long so I had a reasonable meal that consisted of a turkey sandwich and baked chips (DON'T ASK).

The only part of the meal plan I was not so happy about was the CREAM OF RICE! No, I didn't mean Cream of Wheat. I meant CREAM OF RICE! Who has ever heard of that? I thought I was reading the paper wrong. I was told it wad easy to find. but its not. So with visions of 2nd grade rice pudding in my head we went shopping. 2hours into the shopping experience and 2melt downs later( 1-mine  and 1-from the kids) Still no Cream of Rice.  I settled on the other breakfast option of good old Bran Flakes.

The one think I could not find after extensive Google searches and checking with four stores  I gave up.

(i know it exist)

Needless to say its mid-morning and I am still alive. I stomach hasn't eaten a whole in my back hunting for food. We will see how I feel after Kickboxing tonight...

Sick in Bed

With Mother's Day fast approaching I was hoping to have a peaceful well deserved break. Too bad I'm on Mom duty overtime. My entire house has a stomach virus and we are all down and out. Hopefully, I will feel better at some point this weekend s I can weigh in .

The Journey Begins...

         Growing up I was an active kid. I didn't start out chunky,plumb,thick,etc. I play sports, played outside, and wasn't allowed to consume heaping portions of junk! Somewhere along the way I left home moved to Houston and gains ANOTHER PERSON ON MY BACKSIDE.
         

         Now, I'm in for a fight to get my life and health back. 

On my oldest daughters 4th Birthday I weighted 271 lbs. I know right, I almost passed out when I saw that myself.  That number coupled what was becoming chronic pain in my knee, back, and feet prompted me to reevaluate some things like:


1. I am not thick,plumb,chunky. I'm obese and it is not OK.


2. I can conquer it(my weight)


3. My eating habits aren't the best (NOT THE WORST BUT NOT THE BEST)


4. My inactivity is going to kill me.

After the party for my daughter I we and enrolled in a gym to check #4 off that list. Since that day (April10,2012) I've been in the gym at least 5x's a week.

I started tracking every bite I consume and am actually reading all my food labels. Once check for #3. Its still on the list I've got a lot more work to do yet. I use http://www.everydayhealth.com/  and the phone app to keep track but there are plenty of other online food tracker type programs that are FREE!!

I plan to check my weight on the 10th of each month and get down at least 3dress sizes before my daughter turns 5 next April 10th.

This 1st month has been tough but I've learned a lot in such a short time and have already met some great people. I plan to share most if not all of my journey here in my online thoughts journal. Please stop by and read often.

This is the 1st steps to getting Healthy Back...


Nkenge