A shout-out! Holla if you hear me!

We've all been on some sort of diet or eating plan before...or we're on one now. I've done Weight Watchers, South Beach, Body for Life, Fat Smash, Extreme Fat Smash, Pastor Deborah Dukes Accelerated Weight Loss Plan, you name it. And each time (except for the last which wasn't exactly my fault), the weight came back on. Why? Was I not committed enough? Maybe. Was I just too greedy. Probably. Was it because I didn't have a support system? DEFINITELY!

Here's a thought: In a study of women trying to lose weight, getting support accompanied an improvement in the participants’ ability to control their eating and choose lower-calorie foods.1

While I was sucessful on some (WW for sure), and others sent me running to the ER, one thing has remained constant. Having a support system is IMPORTANT! Ask me how I know....I don't have one now.

Weight Watchers does promote getting support in a group setting, but if you don't personally know anyone in the meeting, it's hard to make a connection with someone who will hold you accountable. And that's what I need. Someone who knows me. If I call them and tell them I've had a bad day, they will know to coax me off the edge of the ledge, and will tell me to not turn into the next McDonald's thru I see. They will know to tell me that I have a big, white dress to get into in 78 days and to get my butt to the gym, even when I DO NOT want to go!

My closest family members and friends try to stay relatively healthy. They work out and they eat right (at least some of the time). But most of them are in NC while I'm in MD. And without this support system, I can honestly say I'm floundering. I know sometimes you have to pull your ownself up by your own bootstraps, but at this point, I'm so stressed about the wedding, work, and how to keep the lights on, that I don't even know where my boots ARE!

Just know that if you have a weight loss buddy, and they are hanging there with you every step, that you are well on your way! So this is just a shout-out to all of the good weight loss buddies of the world. Keep it up! WE NEED YOU!

(From the WW website) 1Wolfe WA. A review: maximizing social support—a neglected strategy for improving weight management with African-American women. Ethn Dis. 2004 Spring; 14(2):212-8

Better late than never!

So I'm not doing so well with updating my blog. Let me update you on what's been going on.

Last week was just REALLY busy. Then on Monday, I finally was able to go to a class at the gym. Guess what I chose: BOOT CAMP! It felt so good (and believe me SO BAD) to be able to participate in a class again. I go home, exhausted and funky, eat dinner, then sit down to study some of my PMP stuff. I notice my a muscle in my neck getting tight, but I try to massage it out. By the time an hour has passed, I can't turn my head to the left at all.

The Progression: I tried a hot shower, ICY HOT, heating pad, ice, massaging, you name it. NOTHING WORKED. The muscle just basically kept getting tighter. I couldn't sit down, stand up, or lay down. I mean you could feel the knots! So I told Rodney I'd wait until 2 am to go to the ER if I was still in pain. That was at like 1:10. By 1:15, I was like let's go. So after the normal waiting at the hospital (including 1 HOUR just to wait for my initial meds), I was walking on a cloud, and relatively pain free (thank you Jesus for Valium and Naproxen). UNTIL I WOKE UP THE NEXT MORNING. I hadn't planned to go to work anyway, but let's just say today is Friday and this is my first day back. I'm feeling much better (managed to go to Step class last night); just a few twinges here and there. And I still have a few Valium left if I feel like I'm relapsing.

Needless to say, with only working out 2 days this week, and being stuck in the house with nothing but food, my scale is not looking too good. But I'm back on it this week, and I hope to see some big losses soon.

I was going to write a post about the NY Post's cartoon, but I think it's all already been said. It wasn't called for, and we have to start speaking up people. If we just let this slide, IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN! So if I need to grab my picket sign, let me know! :-)

Ciao for now. See you in the gym.

My quads and hamstrings are KILLING me!

Okay, so not so good with this blog thing so far. I was just too exhausted last night to write anything. I did have a good workout though...10x10 walking lunges and situps (10 of each 10 times). Then I did a 25 minute walk on the treadmill. I'm feeling it today.

Dinner was excellent last night. Had turkey andouille sausage with peppers and onions with a huge side salad with fresh grated mozzarella, and some tomato cheddar soup. All things we got from Eastern Market on Saturday. Don't have a picture. I was WAY to hungry, so we said grace and dug in.

Found out this morning that the Crossfit Foundations class we were hoping to start on Monday is full, and we won't be able to start until 2/24. At least I can do step or something next week. SO EXCITED to be back in the game!

More later on the haps from today.

OK, so the rest of my day SUCKED! I won't go into detail. Let's just say right now I'm truly done with work, working out, and people (I won't list names, but you know who you are...LOL). I'll just have to start my life again tomorrow because I'm on my way to bed.

After I watch T.I.'s new show that is. I "heart" him...LOL

Weaping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning!

First Post - In the beginning

Okay, so I decided to start blogging about the working out, food, and the overall craziness of my life. This should prove to be very interesting.

Rodney and I took a trip to Eastern Market in DC yesterday and got all kinds of good for you food (and some not so good for you snacks for the ride home). I'm impressed that we were able to spend so little and get so much. So unlike the regular grocery store. We will definitely keep that up this year. I can't wait for the summer when more of the fruits will be in season. Although, the blackberries and blueberries we got look delicious!

Here's a picture of what I ate for dinner tonight. The chicken came from Market Poultry at Eastern Market. Baked chicken with diced tomatoes, with a side of brown rice, a side of greens, and light Cranberry juice to drink (along with a huge cup of water!). Talk about yummy deliciousness!

Rodney and I will start Crossfit workouts next week, hopefully. But I'm starting to do some Crossfit type workouts on my own just to up the anty on my fitness. The one I did tonight was KILLER. I warmed up by run/walking 1 mile, then did 5 push-ups, 5 squats, and 5 sit-ups for 10 rounds. (Was supposed to be 20, but a sista was TIRED!)

I plan on doing this for the rest of the week, to see 1) how my ankle does, and 2) to see the effect it has on my weight loss. As for my diet, I'm cutting back on the carbs (but not cutting them out totally...I don't want to end up in the ER again) and the amount of fruit I eat, as well as upping my protein. My veggies intake is pretty good anyway, so I've just got to keep that up.

Please continue to check my blog out for pictures from the first Crossfit session, and just the randomness of my life. I'm sure you'll be thoroughly entertained.