Someone please pass the Emergen-C

All I want to do is breef through my nose. Please. Purty, purty please.  And maybe get in 1 last workout before vacation because while Sheila's bathroom break push-ups are good for the upper back, arms and shoulders - I still need to sweat off these carbs I've ingested over the past 4 days.

I am the worse person to be around when I'm sick. I'm cranky and snotty (more so when I'm sick).

And the most terrible thing is that I leave for my HS reunion on Thursday. Flying is going to be a biatch if I can't reign in this head cold TODAY.

Actually, that's not the most terrible thing...Recently, there seems to be a rash of departing grandparents! WTH! Is there some sort of shuffleboard party or Grandparent convention going on in Heaven?  Well, I sure hope my Grandma is having a blast eating Doritos, drinking a beer and having a smoke.  My fondest memory was not my most shinning moment. But she made me smile with her wit and charm. "Baby, we've all had ______ at some point in time". Geez, thanks Grandma. I feel worlds better knowing I'm not the only one who wants to kill her ex-beau for passing on those nasty buggers and thank goodness I had her smarts to get rid of his ass!  I know! It's totally gross. And let's not talk about the time she took me bra shopping...oh the shame, the horror.

I'm trying to think of the good times and not dwell on the sad times, of which I can gratefully say there weren't many. I will not feel guilty about listening to my parents and keeping my plans to attend the reunion vs heading to Detroit for the funeral (I am never good with funerals).

To Erin and Sheila - I am very sorry to hear about your loss. Let's hope there's one huge party going on in their honor!

I've got news, Yo

Forget the other post I have sitting in my drafts about strangling my inner sloth. I think he went on vacation anyway.

I've got some news for ya.  But keep it on lock until it's actually official please. I've gotta tell someone because I'm about to burst with excitement. I did, of course, tell my folks and a few close real-life friends...and now I'm gonna tell you.

So I did a post a while back about My Fella's opportunity to relocate to and a follow-up to that post that had me spitting nails.  So consider this the follow-up to the follow-up.  I am so truly thankful for the dinner I had Sunday night (you can read about that when I finally post Inner-Sloth) because my buddy had an insightful convo with my Fella.

Ok, if you haven't guessed by now - he accepted the position.  The one in Denver!!!! I totally did 4 knee tucks on the track on Tuesday in the heat in super tight pink shorts (who the hell told me to buy those damn shorts anyway). Thank goodness I doubled-up on the sports bras - no black eyes or boob damage - cuz this chickie never jumps - ever!

Anyhoo....I will consider it official when he goes for training. It just goes to show that keeping the faith does pay off in the long run.

We are the champions!

Yesterday, I felt truly victorious and it didn't entail my winning bid on ebay.

After thinking about getting back on the bull, I did manage to seat myself upright. I am *thinking* about my meal plan for the next week. That's a start.  And, I've made a mental note of what's in the fridge and still edible! I've even thought about what to make for dinner tonight = Mango and black bean salad topped with salmon.

On the workout front, I've challenged myself to have 1 80-minute workout this week.  I'm still lacking 5 minutes on that challenge.  My usual workouts consist of a class (Zumba or Turbo) and if the class is only scheduled for 45 minutes, I will arrive at the gym at least 20minutes prior and get on the treadmill. No wonder I've plateaued.

A FB friend posts her workouts and times. I noticed that she works out for 80minutes at a time, usually doing interval training on the elliptical. Hmmm.... I hate the elliptical. Actually, I don't hate inanimate objects, I'm just not coordinated enough to use that machine. So I stick with the treadmill or bike. I found my inner Macho Man Savage (that's the new nickname for the voice(s) in my head) and decided that if this woman (who I don't even know) can last 80 minutes in the gym, so can I. CHALLENGE!!!!

I tried Monday and lasted 60 minutes (15 treadmill/45 Turbo).  I tried again yesterday. 75mins (getting close). 15min walk to the gym carrying a 6-8lb bag (freaking bag was heavy, next week I will carry my backpack), 35 min Turbo, 30 min Strength. I will try again on Saturday for 40 min strength and 60 min Turbo. Next week, I plan to have 2 80-min workout days.

There is conflicting information about the amount of time spent working out, high vs. low intensity, full-body vs. target part strength training, how many days to workout, etc. But it all boils down to putting in your best effort for each workout. Some days it may be 30mins of high intensity and some days may be something different. My thinking is that if I allot 80 mins to a workout at least 1-2 days per week, I can get in cardio AND strength training (which has been a goal for a hot minute).

Do you set a time limit to your workouts?  Do you combine strength and cardio on the same day?

You looka like...

Not a man as Ms. Swan would say....



But apparently I look as if I've lost weight or more people are noticing or I'm finally wearing more size-appropriate clothes. Whatever it is, it's flattering.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the bank...One of the College employees (I see her every now and again in the cafeteria) stopped me and asked how I lost so much weight. My answer to her is simple, eat right and exercise 5 days a week.  Her incredulous look is the same I get from most people: "you mean, I've got to sweat 5 days a week?"

Um, yeah honey...sorry.

Actually, I'm not sorry. I did mention to her that it's easier to stay committed when you find an workout that you enjoy. It doesn't mean being in the gym 5 days a week unless that's what you like.

Having said that stuff about commitments, I've been slacking. BIG TIME. I've realized that I was all gung-ho over Clean Eating and making meals plans. But then something went all wonky and I fell off the bull, so to speak. I thought I was holding on the horns, but apparently not strong enough to ride it through to submission. (Hook em Horns)...

Ok, ok enough of the Longhorn lingo.  Can someone say A trip East is needed STAT?!

So tell me...how do you stay on the bull? 

Thanks for all the fish

Actually, thank you all for your comments on last week's ramble action.

And in the words of a 1990s Feel-good rap song...we're all in the same game!

Let's play the blame game...

Or not.

There's a 3-part series happening over on The Root that has me a bit miffed because it's just full of BS excuses as to why more Black women are overweight vs. the rest of the population and that they can't figure out how to combat it.

It's been about 2 hours since I wrote this first sentence which gave me time to mull it over (and finish reading the series).  I guess what set me off on a tangent is that the author doesn't want to hear that this obesity issue is attributed to "eating too much and moving too little"; that weight gain/loss is directly tied to our emotion states.

Ok, let's say LaShaune's been a size 14 girl ever since I can remember. The lowest weight for me was 135 my freshman year in college (way back in the day) and that was only because I had to meet weight in order to maintain my ROTC scholarship (I never made the 132 weight requirement). LaShaune was an active girl throughout HS and college, playing tennis, faking the run for ROTC, etc. I suffered a traumatic event in college and moved back home with family. I still played tennis after working through my crap in 1991-1992. Woo hoo, got a call to move to NYC in 1997. Moved back to Houston in 2001, finally stepped on a scale - 191 (I think).  Joined a gym, got a trainer, got down to 173 (or somewhere close). More crap happened compounded by back issues and finally surgery in 2005 - moved to 203 (my highest weight). Entered a weight loss study, dropped to 165 at the end of the study (learned diet and exercise and emotional support/control).  Now, I'm working towards getting to 150 (the magic number).

Yes, I've suffered abuse. Yes, I've been depressed (did I mentioned I moved back to Houston from NYC - who the heck moves FROM the best place in the US?). Yes, I've seen a therapist. Yes, I've talked with girlfriends.  Yes, I've been on medication for my depression. Yes, I've done diet pills, weight watchers, joined and dropped gyms. Yes, I'm Black and female.

Let's face it - losing weight is hard as hell! Staying motivated, eating the right things, not overeating when stuff goes to pot or just hanging out friends.  It's not easy...

We ladies, regardless of melanin content, deal with stress, abuse, depression, daily life in various manners. And to say that Black women have it worse than others just continues to compound the issue that we're somehow wired differently from the rest of the human race. I think it's a total crock of crap and that Black women need to wake up and realize that if we don't start taking care of ourselves, that being "thick" really isn't healthy, we will end up 6 feet under. I think we've bought into the Vogue idea of beauty and lost sight of what's really important - not being diabetic with high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

I'm not here to be a size 8 squeezing into a pair of Calvin's like Oprah did way back when diet pills hit the scene. I'm here to learn how to be healthy and hopefully impose that healthy attitude on others.