Oh Nah Nah...What's my name?

Okay after a previous week of nutritional dieting, extensive work outs, a major snow storm, and a few baby issues (Jonathan is a bit colicky) I had to weigh in. I was a bit nervous stepping on the scale because although I worked out extensively on three days, I was supposed to do five, my schedule however got side tracked with the snow storm. Another concern was that my nutritional intake wasn't the best either. After being snowbound in the house wanting to eat every second I just knew that it was going to be a major factor too. So, I step on the scale with my teenage son as my witness. I placed the dial on 150 and then I pushed the lever over to the right 14 spaces and it falls right down to the bottom. My heart leaped because that meant I had to go left which means I had lost weight...but how much? I pushed the lever to 13...still room to go..12..I could go more..I ended up balancing on 10!!! Yes I weight 160 lbs. That is a 4 pound drop from last week! Awesome. I was dancing around my fitness studio singing my favorite song of the moment.... Oooh Nah Nah What's My Name... when my 14 year old says to me...chill Mom you're not fat but you ain't no Rihanna either! Freakin' kids...I could be Rihanna right?

Ain't nothing but the dog in em!

Last night's workout for the most part went well. To take a look at the leg and ab exercises RD and I performed please reference the following blog post ( click here ). We also incorporated a shoulder routine that I have a short story about. You'll find the description of the shoulder workout after the story below.

The workout for the most part went okay except for this one little man that grated on my nerves. Let me start from the very beginning so that you have the full story. Last night I drove up to Planet Fitness to once again workout with RD. On the way into the gym I noticed a cool breeze blowing down my shirt. I felt my chest area and low and behold I did not have a bra on, not a sports bra, or even a regular bra. Now mind you I wasn't aware that I was bra less up until that point. I actually worked at my fitness studio for two hours, did a yoga class, talked to my clients and everything without a bra on and I didn't notice it. I decided to let RD know I was at the gym and then I'd figure out what I was going to do by asking her opinion. I told RD I was bra less and she immediately started laughing. Inside I was wondering if she thought I did this on purpose for the blogs sake...I swear I didn't. This was just so random! she asked what I was planning to do. Only because we are on a mission of fitness, I decided to stay. I would walk the tread mill without any uphill climbs just to make sure "the girls" wouldn't be bouncing all around. This might be the perfect time to also describe what sort of shirt I was wearing as it does matter as this story unfolds. I had on a short black fitted T shirt, with a grey tank top underneath that reached past the length of the fitted T. Being as though I had the tank on underneath I thought I was at least a little bit secure. Anyway, as my endurance workout came to a close RD and I went about our strength training routine. RD and I workout in what I call the "Dog Pound". You guys know what the dog pound is right? It's that area in any co-ed fitness center that ladies seldom venture into and men rarely want us in unless we either have hair on our chest or a doo rag on our head. I have always worked out in the dog pound (or as I also refer to it... the jail yard) for a couple of reasons.

1) This area has the barbell equipment that will allow you to place barbell plates on a weighted bar. You can use this in quite the same way free weights can be used only allowing the user greater weight bearing capacity.

2) This area also has strength training machines usually with out the nautilus attachment cables like the machines on the main fitness floor. The jail yard machines offer less assistance and greater resistance which requires you to do more work.

3) I love working out with the guys because they usually know how to "get it in" with reps and sets they way I like too.

To continue on with my story, RD and I proceed to the jail yard area of Planet Fitness to work on our shoulders. Keep in mind at this point "the girls" had got their sweat on and my headlights were now showing through the shirt. In one of my earlier blogs I mentioned having tear drop boobies (courtesy of Dr. Solomon) which may have looked tempting to the salivating man/dogs that were throwing their "literal" weight around. This one little pit bull of a man/dog got bold and decided to approach RD and me with what he felt was some helpful advice. He came up along side me (as we were working a front deltoid raise) and said "May I offer you a suggestion"...now, because I am polite and I kind of guessed what was coming...I said yes. He says, "You are not supposed to swing, (bark) when you lift those weights hon, (bark, bark), and if you have to swing (bark), you may want to lift a lighter weight, something you can handle (pant, pant)."  I simply said "uh huh" and turned away. I'm pretty sure he felt all proud of himself being that he came to the rescue of these helpless ladies that had somehow found thier way into the wrong part of the gym. He probably barked to his other man/dog friends that we didn't know what we were doing and that he had to show us the proper way to lift weights. First let me clarify that I nor RD were swinging the weights with what he was trying to say our low backs. To be perfectly clear we were getting a slight ab contraction by tightening our abdominal muscles each time we lifted the weights. This stabilizes your body and protects your low back at the same time. Also, the little bit of momentum that we were using was not because we could not lift the 5lb dumbbells we were holding,  it was because of the pulling in of the abdominals with each lift. This can cause you to rock ever so slightly back. Needless to say as a professional I was livid and as a woman/fitness enthusiast I was disgusted. I asked RD if she thought he would have given us his friendly advice if we were a couple of guys. She of course said "definitely not". Then I thought about my wet t shirt, my exposed headlights, and my rather long, freshly extended ponytail and said to myself it wasn't nothing but the dog in 'em chasing the cat at the dog pound.

The little pit bull of a man/dog that tried to help me and RD.

Our shoulder circuit (DB= dumbbell)
5 lb DB's

Front shoulder raise 10 reps, 5 sets
30 sec rest in between sets

Lateral raise with bent arms 10 reps, 5 sets
30 sec rest in between sets

Overhead Shoulder press
10 reps, 5 sets
30 sec rest in between sets

Burn out set (super set no rest)
10 bicep curls
10 shoulder press with back squeeze
10 lateral raises (straight arms)
10 front raises

Is it all about the looks?

Yes and No. Okay, I'll be the first to admit I like to look good. I mean who doesn't? Everyone knows the old adage when you look good you feel good. Well it's a timeless saying for a reason because it's true! I don't know one person on the planet that does not want to look good, if not great, if not their best. I like being able to feel good about my body and the way it looks. I like having a blemish free face and skin that glows. Hey, arrest me for liking the ability to comfortably zip my jeans without any abdominal spillage or a muffin top! Don't hate on me because I want to be beautiful on the inside and out. I know for a fact that good looks make a difference in so many ways. A person with good looks is assumed to be smarter, friendlier, wealthier, healthier and overall more desirable. American society rewards the beautiful and shames the less than average...and who wants to be less than average if you can help it? Anyway, to be totally honest it's not entirely about looks because I like to think I am not that vain and being that I am already married it's definitely not to nail down a husband. In fact, I can't stand when someone feels that you can choose to "let yourself go" or "keep yourself up" depending upon if you're married or not or if you have kids or not. If you want to look your best it should be because you want to simply feel you're best within the scope of your own mind, body and spirit. I believe looking good can trigger your mind into thinking you are having a better day. It's boosts your confidence and sense of being accepted. From a body standpoint looking good helps you to appreciate your physique all the more better so that you'll take care of it all the more better. You'll be able to keep your BMI (body mass index = your height in regards to your weight) at an appropriate level. You'll care more about what percentage of body fat is healthy for you. You'll typically want to have a pain free body as you move about your day. I believe it effects the spiritual because you can feel more accepted by others which in turn can allow you to focus more on others. Not feeling insecure about the way you look opens you up to being free to do whatever you want. You'll project that inward beauty outward that people will see upon first meeting you. Now I am not advocating being obsessed with beauty, that is not what this blog is about, this blog is just my story and my agenda to look good to feel my best. With that being mentioned I have decided to undergo a make over. For the next few weeks my mission will be not only to work my B.A.B.E program but may be to do a little rejuvenating to my skin, hair, nails and overall personal style. First up will be my hair. I started getting into hair extensions (or weaves as many call them) late last year and I like them. I like that I can sew in some hair and be about my business without having to damage my own fragile, fine hair. My good friend Daphne is a hair extension technologist and licensed hair stylist. She will be giving me microlinks which is this new technique of taking strands of your own hair and linking it to a strand of the packaged hair to extend your length. This process is not sewn in. It is a linking and clamping process that is suppose to last awhile and give you the flexibility and versatility to be able to function as if the hair is your own natural hair for up to six months. I get it done tomorrow and pictures will be posted. I'm so looking foward to this. Toodles...and make it a beautiful day!

The Weigh In - Day 1, Week 1

Today is actually Day 2, I originally planned to write this blog yesterday but I had laptop issues and I didn't feel like using my iphone to do it either. Okay, so yesterday (Sunday) was my official kick off  day for the B.A.B.E program. RD has chosen to be my Babe buddy and work along side of me for as long as it takes for us to shed our extra weight. RD met me at my fitness studio ( shameless plug ~ http://www.thewellloft.com/) around 2:30 pm so we could weigh each other in and take our measurements. We also took full body before pictures at a snapping point of a 360 degree turn around.

The B.A.B.E program follows a calorie counting nutritional plan of whole foods (divided in specific parts of carbs, healthy fats, and lean protein) and an exercise plan of 5-6 weekly workouts incorporating a total fitness regimen of utilizing strength, endurance and flexibility training.

The following are my beginning stats (Sunday, 1/23/11)

Height -  5.5'
Weight - 164 lbs  (goal weight 135-140)
Chest -   36
Waist -   28
Hips -    44  freaking inches!!!
Thigh -   22
Arm -    11.5
Body Fat - 34.%
BMI -    27.3

Okay here is the formula for me to determine my daily calorie intake for me to lose weight.
Based on my weight 164 x 10 = 1,640 (resting metabolic rate)x 1.8 (activity level) = 2,952 - 1000 = 1,800
This tells me I can eat between 1,500-1,800 calories a day and lose 2 lbs a week.
RD's calculations based on her numbers is in the same range.

Our plan is to weigh in every Sunday at 3:00pm. We will take our body measurements again after 4 weeks. If successful we should be dropping between 8-10 lbs by 2/20.

164 lbs

Bust 36 inches

Hips 44 inches (egads!)

Waist 28 inches



Taking before pictures...ugly but priceless!



Motherhood is a gift.

Jennifer Hudson

Motherhood is a gift...oh yes it is! It is a gift of bodily destruction and emotional mayhem. In fact I received a different gift each time I gave birth. Let me run down my gift list. The first gift I received was 14 years ago from my first born A.R. (I'm using his initials to spare him the embarrassment of Mom-teenager association) his gift was just what a 23 year old first time mother would want. A set of saggy deflated boobs! I knew with my teabag titties  (as my friend Robin would refer to them) that I would be destined to a life of push up bras and chicken cutlet looking replacement prostheses. Feeling like I was having a mid life crisis, I made a decision do what any American 23 year old woman that is totally immersed in her body would do, I went under the knife. I traded in my less than A size tea bags titties for a pair of full C size teardrop boobies (that's what they actually called my implants teardrop's). Thinking I had permanently dodged a body bullet I thought it was safe enough to enter into mommy hood again. 5 1/2 years later I gave birth to my darling middle child Elias Lewis. At 10 lbs 5 ounces at birth Elias Lewis gave me the instant gift of abdominal stretchmarks. Ahhh...what thoughtfulness on his behalf. Another gift for me to treasure and again show off! I left the hospital with my stomach looking like a road map of peaks and valleys made up of loose skin and underlying muscle indentations. The fix so I thought, in this situation would be to buy and use a host of body butters. I tried cocoa butter, shea butter, almond butter and I hate to admit even a little crisco. Nothing worked to eliminate these ugly tiger stripes however, over time they did diminish and at 28 years old I felt like I was already ancient enough to not care as much. I figured I keep these battle scars and live a life of one piece swim suits with the occasional tankini (thank God for tankini's).  On to present day, which is eight years later to the birth of my sweet Jonathan. My gratis gift baby or so I thought. I never thought I would have to incur anymore body inflictions but I did. Little Jonathan Xavier gave me my greatest mommy body gift so far. I am now the proud recipient of wider hips. Yay me!!!  I already had wide enough hips to begin with...do I really need more to contend with? I guess so because now 2 months later I am still wearing my maternity jeans! I can't fit into my size 6 skinny jeans, boot cut jeans or even my old reliable jeggings! So now the reasonble fix would be to buy a new pair of jeans in a different size right? Heck no! I'm embarrassed to admit but I don't want to buy double the size I was before the baby. I feel it would be some sort of commitment to buy a pair of size 12 jeans. No offense to all you size twelver's out there but I have a closet full of size six's that miss my body and my body misses them! I just secretly hope we can one day build a relationship again (sigh). All of this wondering just leaves me with one thought... When did I trade places with Jennifer Hudson?

Piece of Pizza or Peace of Mind? (pt. I)

Last night I received the following text message from my husband and baby Daddy, Ish. The text message simply asked "Do you wanna pick up something to eat or do you want me to order something?" This message was sent to me at 7:41 pm. However, by the time I finished teaching my last class and then wrapping up a client personal training session it was 8:45pm. I noticed the time and then I panicked! I knew since I did not respond to his text that Ish got take out. I also knew I would be going home hungry after my workout. Not good, so off to the gym I went arriving about 9:00pm. My gym partner in crime I'll call her "R.D." met me in the lobby and we proceeded to make a lose plan of attack. I told her we should both do endurance training for 40 minutes and then meet by the free weights for strength training. We did that and by the time we wrapped up everything with an awesome ab burn and stretch it was 11:00pm and I was starving! At home, I knew there could possibly be a smorgasbord of fast food awaiting my arrival. Could Ish have ordered a greasy quart of Chinese rice, or maybe some cheese whiz cheese steaks, could it possibly be Popeye's or KFC, both of which are two of his favorite "restaurants" (as he calls them). Whatever it was I was going to be ready. I planned to go home and march right upstairs without even a glance towards the kitchen. Yeah that's it... that'll work.  I  arrived home after my two hour workout with R.D. and there it was... a 16' pepperoni pizza innocently sitting there on the dining room table. It looked like it had made itself at home waiting for me, on the table without any regard for me having to lose 20 lbs by the end of March.  Now I don't normally eat cold pizza or even pepperoni pizza for that matter it was just the notion of it being available for immediate consumption that was watering my palate. I mean it was cold for goodness sake why would I want cold pizza??? There was however a solution for that...the toaster oven! The toaster oven is quick and it heats things up crisp. Plus, no one would know...not even R.D. I don't have to tell her. In fact, I just worked out for two hours and I'm officially starting  my nutritional plan next Sunday AND this is just a prep week. This could be my last slice of pizza for awhile. I had to think quick for I had a decision to make... should I choose a piece of pizza or a peace of mind??? End of Part I...


A picture of last night's culprit

 

A Real Woman's Body has Flaws

A Real Woman's Body has Flaws
Current mood: blessed

The Perfect Body was what I aimed for. I used to try and look unrealistically flawless and that was what I would always strive for until recently. When I was younger I wanted thin thighs, a bigger chest, and smaller hips. I was never happy with my weight and I felt I was too fat and unattractive. Well a real woman's body has flaws.

Now at 35 and two kids later I can say that I am happy with my thighs because they work and I am happy with my hips because I can walk. I was able to "fix" my chest :) and I am even okay with my cellulite because it's all mine and I own it. I workout to be healthy and the cherry on top is that it makes me look and feel better.

So if you ever get discouraged about your body and the way it looks first give thanks to God that it works and then work on it!
Peace.