Working through the mad people

So....let's discuss the madness of Tuesday.  I woke up on time, happy raring to go and get this weight training on. Then I hit the gym and the old lady dilemma....those broads are gangsta, but I'm more gangsta...or so I think. LOL

I arrived about 9:30 because I was just piddling around the house.  I actually could have been there around 8:45, but that's another conversation.  Ha!  I get downstairs to the weight training area...crowded with the older chicks on machines chatting.  Seriously.  I get the majority of my legs done and I want to get to my hip abductors.  This woman almost knocks me down to get to the machine.  I don't know what my face looked like, but HONEY...she apologized quickly and let me use the machine. #iCant with that foolishenss.  I got finally got my arms done and then headed upstairs for my inclining treadmill time.  I did a good 40 minutes before my bladder kicked in.  I felt so much better getting things done.

Now, I'm here sleepy and thinking a nap is in order since I need to get in at least 1.5 - 2 hours of practicing before a church service.  Then...some cardio after church.  Yea...it's like that for a while.  Gotta get it done...gotta get it done.

Working through the June Challenge

Happy Tuesday!!  Hope all is well with you all in blogger land.  I was going to post earlier today, but I decided to do it after my 2nd cardio workout of the day.  I feel I can hold myself more accountable if I post later.  

Well, my 2nd cardio workout of the day is done.  With my 45 minutes on the treadmill this morning and the 45 on the elliptical tonight, I burned a combined 525 calories. (I love my Polar FT4.)  I feel good and look forward to tomorrow's workouts.  My plan is to hit the weights then get in some inclining on the treadmill for 5o.  I'm actually excited.  Yay me!!

Since I haven't been blogging, I haven't been doing the Friend Making Monday's.  I thought I would do one that was posted last week or something like that.  LOL  Enjoy and join in.

Today's Comedy

Comedy and anger....

On Wednesday's in NYC we don't have alternate side parking.  (Alternate side parking is this pain in the butt thingy we do so the streets can be swept.) This is usually my day to head to the gym about an hour later...and just mosey through my day before practicing and Mid Week service at church.

Things didn't go that way.  I can't find my iPod. *crisis music thrown in right here* I'm at a loss for words.  I've been rushing so much and I've been so tired in the mix, I just can't figure it out.  Gaaaah!!!  I can't remember if the last time I saw it was in DC, in my mom's car or at the audition I did this past weekend. *weep*  Needless to say, my house is in extra disarray because I need to see it and know that it is around working. LOL

Antywho, so I hit the gym in anger forgetting my water bottle in my mom's car (who is off to BJ's by this point.).  Seriously can anything else get crazier??  Why yes.

So, I'm on the treadmill getting my C25K in and a commercial comes on for tomorrow's Scandal. (I'm such a Scandalista.)  Somewhere in that commercial I lose where I am on the walk run thingy.  ROFL!  The next thing I know I'm running for 90 secs and walking for 60.  That is NOT the way of week 1.  LOL  Oh well...I got it in and I feel good.

Now off to practice.  Have a great day!!

the calm before the neurotic storm...

*wave*  Today...was so crazy in so many different ways.  One, I woke up with the worst pain in my leg. *sigh*  I have been waiting for the storm after the calm all week.  Monday, in between spinning, rehearsals and Bikram...I ran to take a shower and slipped in the tub.  I fell back first and my calf muscle banged into the side of the tub.  I was okay Monday, Tuesday and yesterday during Bikram on the  second to last sit up I felt my leg saying..."no more."  Grrr.

About 2 this morning, I couldn't sleep on my left side.  *sigh*  It didn't get better until about 6 and I slept like a rock until 8.  The plan was to go to a 10AM Bikram class and sweat out before weigh in.  Didn't happen.  My leg said..."Boo try it and you will be in a mess."  LOL  I stayed at home and moped.  Moped, Facebooked and watched Bones on Netflix.  Gaah!!

Weigh in...Grr....  I've been trying to do a low meat diet and eating more legumes and tons of veggies.  I gained 4 pounds this week.  Boo! Just Boo!! Needless to say, I wanted to cry.  I've been double dutyin' in the gym...working really hard and doing right.  Then this mess...Gaah!!!  Thass okay, I'm pressing on.

Bikram...  Yesterday, I took my second class and I think I fell in great like with it. Not love yet.  I sweated from beginning to end.  It was hot as all HADES, but when it was done, i felt good.  Really good.  Also, I brought some coconut water and GUZZLED it after class.  I didn't have that strange eye twitch and...did I say how GREAT i felt when it was over?  LOL

Okay...well, it is time for me to put up tomorrow's dinner...curried lentils (yea, i'll learn) and watching me another episode of Bones.  LOL

...............peace and blessings...................

I'm still alive...

I decided to get a quick post about last night before I head off to the gym.  So...Bikram Yoga.  Lesssee....I have to admit, I loved it.  My mom was so concerned for me doing this.  Oh your weight (there was a woman larger than me in the class.), oh yoga in 100 degree room (it wasn't that painful.), it just sounds unhealthy.

Well, lets start with the heat.  Yes it is hot as hell up in that room, but I'm learning to love sweating.  Sweating releases toxins.  Release, release.  I took all of my friend's advice and I survived the heat.  

What I couldn't get together and maybe it was my nerves...spend your day drinking water.  Seriously.  That's my EPIC.FAIL.  Normally on a good day I drink about 100oz. of water.  (Thank you Brita water filter water bottle.) Yesterday, couldn't get it together.  I made it through class, but started feeling strange/mild headache when the class was over.  I texted the Bikram crew and they said I was dehydrated.  When I got in, 40 oz. went down the hatch.  I hopped in the shower and called it a day.

Now...how do I feel right NOW.  I know I have muscles all over my body, but it is a good feeling.  Well, for me it is.  I can't believe how grateful that I allowed myself to stretch out.  I can't tell you all how long I've been dying to take classes.  I'm SO excited that the first day has happened.  Now, I'm planning out my life around it. Bwaah.

If you are in the NYC area Bikram Yoga Harlem has a new student special... 30 days for $30.  

.....peace and blessings.......

Uuuhrah.... :/

So...I haven't blogged in a minute.  Lessesee what happened was...LOL  I went out of town for over a week with the mom (drove to Chicago), learning 2 operas and just life.  LOL  I did fall off of the wagon for a bit, but got back on last week.  I've noticed how serious my determination this time...because my fall off time is not that long.

I skipped a couple of weeks....blah....and when I weighed in last week it said I had gained weight.  *shrug*  I'm not surprised.  I'm such a mid-western/southern girl trapped in this chubby NYC body.  LOL  I ate biscuits..tons of biscuits, home fries, fried chicken, tons of macaroni and cheese and then some.  ROFL!!  But I came back with a vengeance.

After last week's reality check, I got back on the wagon and this week at weigh-in I lost 6.6 pounds!!  Go me!!!  I'm very proud of myself because I'm over 20lbs. down.  I'm looking forward to the next 10lbs.

Now...I love these Monday Friend Making Monday's and...even though I'm a few days late, I'm still doing it.  Bwaahaaa!!

*singing* What a day this has been.....

Ha....  I'm actually quite amazed that I'm able to type at this moment.  It has been QUITE a day.

Since the mom is out of town, I'm her house sitter...and her car sitter...and her dog sitter...and her cat sitter...gardener... LOL  You get it.  Since I'm the car sitter, I had to do alternate side parking with her car.  I found a space for my car last night. *sigh*

So, this is how my Tuesday flowed....I hit the gym by 8:15 and did 37 minutes on the elliptical.  For some reason, it was difficult and I sweated like I was doing this crap in a sauna.  When I left the gym, I ran by my house to check on my cat.  Talk abut an evil broad cause I didn't spend the night at home.  Then I ran back to the mom's...parked...walked the dog and then ran and met my boy at the gym for round 2.  Yea...45 minutes on the treadmill with a wicked incline. (Go me....)

As I was walking home, I kept contemplating a nap, then I realized...nap wasn't an option.  I got my lunch done...and in my body...then I got ready to hit the road again.

I had to be at church at 3 for the funeral of Harlem's Sylvia's.  Sylvia's name is as famous as Harlem.  And she really had a funeral fit for a queen.  It started at 4 and ended at 7:45PM.  Serious I say...plus, I was in arms reach of former President Bill Clinton.  *swoon*  LOL  It was quite a powerful service.  It is something when everyone says the same thing about you...you were humble, you encouraged everyone, made everyone feel loved and respected....and on and on.  That's speaks so highly of Sylvia's character....how many people can we say that about??

Then I walked home...seriously...when I hit the kitchen this evening...I wanted to pass.out.  PASS.OUT.  But...I hadn't had dinner.  I grabbed that, walked the dog for the night and now I'm in the mom's bed feeling like Nina from Love Jones.  ROFL....

I'm exhausted, but rather impressed.  Usually when I have a day like this, I take a nap.  I made it without a nap...WITHOUT and my brain didn't die.  LOL  I just apologized to the dog in advance cause I know I'm gonna snore.

Okay...I'm done.

.............peace and blessings......

Two Points...For real??

i was reading through this week's weekly weight watchers book and in the middle they have an article called "the active life".  now on the second page of this article there is a fancy bubble with the exercise rx....  The first sentence says....

To stay healthy and lower your risk of chronic disease, we encourage you to set a goal of 14 activity PointsPlus a week - an average of just 2 a day.

For those who aren't WW-ites...points are how we work.  It's easy for me and not for others.  I like to cook and eat my own food and I can do that.  Points are even judged for our exercise. It just depends on how intense you workout.

So...I was flipping through the book during yesterday's meeting and I chuckled out loud.  My leader asked what made me laugh and I replied "Fourteen points a week for exercise?"  She looked at me and with her fabulous southern drawl said..."Honey, YOU ignore this."

LOL  Normally on a good week I earn about 104+ points in exercise. Seriously and i try to challenge myself to break the previous weeks number.  I'm competitive with myself.  I make it my goal to get at least 40-55 minutes of cardio done....5 to 6 days a week.  Some days I even double up my duty.  Like Tuesday and Fridays I do Zumba in the evening and Monday and Friday mornings I do Spinning....in addition to the elliptical and the treadmill.  This is not even including my weight training and other types of fumbling/exercising that happens. So...14 points?  LOL

Other than this funny...life has been rather normal.  I did weigh-in...gained 2 lbs. (Haaa...2 the magic number this week.)  I'm not mad.  I had an awful week...the ups and downs of wheat and the lack of exercise (only 41 points. bwaaah!).  I feel good and I'm looking forward to an interesting week coming up.  Looking towards lots of singing, exercising and living a fun life.


......peace and blessings........

Solid....Solid as a Rock, Rock, Rock....

Haa!  That's the song that got me through Spinning today.  Baaaaaabahy...lemme tell you.  For 30 minutes of the 45 minute class I prayed and sang all of the 80's hits that were being played.  I pushed myself and my body was OVAH me.  No matter how annoyed I am in the heat of the class, when I get done...I feel so much stronger.  When I got home from the gym I pushed through the ChaLean Extreme Burn Circuit 3 and the Ab Burner.  Yea...that Ab Burner....makes me want to say awful un-Christian words.  Gaaaah....grrr....  I survived.  Nothing left to say.  LOL


Well here are the Friend Making Monday Questions from All The Weigh....

Ugh...and LOVE!

off to spinning for the 1st time in a minute

Ugh is for modems breaking down.  Gaaah...grrr...pish-posh.  This past Wednesday i knew my modem had bit the dust, but i couldn't convince myself that it is real.  Sometimes i wonder about my sanity. *shrug*  I finally exchanged it yesterday and lemme say...TWC was a mess.  ROFL...a mess.  Needless to say I waited, cause I'm typing this.


So on to the loves....

1. I've survived 2 days of Couch to 5K.  Last Thursday was my first day.  I've been using the Skimble app....which is amazing when i'm in the gym.  Yesterday was harder than the first day, but i heard that was the case.  IT DOESN'T matter...i'm pressing on with this running business.  i feel so...amazed and proud of myself.
2. ChaLean Extreme...okay...love, love.  The 40 minutes don't seem like hell.  As much as i loved the woman who was my trainer, i don't feel bored or crazed with it. Looking forward to LEAN muscles in 90 days.
3. Spinning...  This past Friday the plan was to go to Zumba.  I woke up late and said..."self...you are going to do something different."  Self went to spinning.  The first 15 minutes i wanted to quit.  Then i remembered...i had to.  JUST HAD TO!  i took my eyes off of the clock and pressed on.  The next thing I knew she said this was the last hill climb and we would be cooling down in a minute. Go.me.
4. Food wise...i'm killing.  i know i'm killing.  LOL  my body knows i'm killing and i never feel like i've missed out on a meal.  Nothing like eating healthy and feeling good.
5. Weigh in wise...i'm down 13 lbs via Weight Watchers scale.  The other day i woke up and i was down 15.  LOL  I'll go with my scale...it inspires me to keep pressing on.  ROFL

Okay...off to watch the rest of Extreme Makeover: Weight loss Edition.  Looking forward to a healthy week and tons of practicing...

.....peace and blessings....

Monday a day or 2 late....

Guess what...I got my Cha.Lean Extreme yesterday.  I'm so excited that I want to do the cha-cha.  LOL  When I get in from doing the elliptical this morning, I'm going to hit it up and see what the deal is.  I'm very excited because I just want to be lean...I'm looking forward to see what will happen in 30 days.  It is a 90 days program, but at this point, I'm learning how to grasp small successes.  YaY!!!

Antywho...I see this Friend Making Monday all over the place, especially on one of the blogs that I stalk...lol....All The Weigh.

Back on the grind...

Hey...*waving*  I can't remember when I last wrote...right now, i don't care.  Just know...I'm back.


Last week after some mental back and forth, I decided that's it.  Seriously.  That's it.  This weight has GOT to go.  It would be helpful career wise and clothing wise...since I LOVE vintage fashion, but honestly, I want it gone for health reasons.  The excess baggage gotta go.  My major goal is to have 40 lbs. gone by March 2013.


So, last Thursday, I walked back into Weight.Watchers and dragged my mom with me. (She has weight to lose. The doctor told her to get on the grind as well.)  Besides my mom, my 2 dear gay friends are the only ones who know...well, and whomever reads this blog. 


How did my first week back go?  Actually it went well.  When you refocus and approach things with a different mindset, you don't see the negative.  You see the final outcome.  I know you're wondering how I did my first week... I lost 9.2lbs.  Seriously.  I was like gagging.  LOL  Did I share at the end of the meeting during celebrations?  No.


Why didn't I share?  I'm at the place now...see my product.  I'm not talking about it much, just see my hard work.  What did I do differently than any other time?  I tracked.  Every day.  I tracked.  I cooked and tracked.  Tracked and I cooked.  LOL  I didn't cook that differently...just my portion sizes.  I had tootsie rolls, cookies, cakes, fried chicken and all the rest of crap i like.  No matter what, I tracked.


On top of tracking...I exercised.  And starting this past Monday, I've been doing a 2 day grind.  I'm calling them Round 1 and Round 2.  Round 1...it is whatever I want to do...like elliptical, yoga, zumba, kickboxing, riding my bike on the green way, etc.  That's my round 1.  Round 2...well, that's my new thing...treadmill fluctuating incline, but my speed is increasing.  I want to run.  Bottom line...straight up.  That's the plan with round 2.


Well this is a mouthful and I plan to keep blogging.  Not going to say it will be daily, but it will be at least weekly.  I'm gonna leave you with this message from my WW leader today.

Peace and Blessings.....

Really a challenge....

In my last post I discussed that I was going to start the couch to 5K plan.  I'm desperate to be a runner and another good friend who is a former chubby girl and is now a jock recommended the plan to me.

So, the game plan was to start the "training" yesterday.   It didn't happen. *sigh*  I woke up majorly pmsy.  It was an awful start to an amazing LONG day.  (I ended up working from 1-9 without a break. *double sigh*)  This morning I woke up crampy and just over it all, but determined to get on this couch to 5K business.

Weeeelll...if you know the plan or don't know the plan here is a link for the treadmill.  Well, I got through about 5 of the one minute runs...and my body was like, seriously...no more.  LOL.  Seriously.  ROFL  It was quite comical, to me.  Even after the failed completed C to 5K run thingy...I ended up getting 50 minutes in on a 4.0 incline.  It all worked out.

Oh well, I will say since the last time I've attempted this plan (yea this is a take 3)...I could do more 1 minute runs without feeling like death will become me.  My knees didn't hurt.  I wasn't intimidated about tackling the plan this time. YaY me!!!

After the gym, I met up with my personal Lumberjack (my nickname for "him".) for lunch and mentioned my Couch to 5K plan...plus my desire to run a 5K.  He looks at me all serious and says..."Okay, I'm doing a 16K and in May we will run a 5K."  Whaaaaaaaaaaa????  Hunh??????  WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA??? *fainting*

Yea...so this Couch to 5K thing has become serious.  #churchpray  LOL

Grinding, Grinding....

I'm back on my grind....again.  I've been back on it for 2 weeks.  I've done 6 days a week and grinding.  LOL

So my new challenge....I want to do a Couch to 5K training thingy.  LOL  I go to the gym daily with a friend and he has a trainer who makes him do daily challenges.  I mentioned the Couch to 5K and he's down.  He can barely run a mile and he wants to impress his trainer with it.

I on the other hand am desperate to run.  Plain and simple.  I have a major gig in 9 weeks and it would be amazing if my gown was too big.  I know makes no sense, but it is what it is.  Since I have 9 weeks to learn and memorize a ton of music...I'll get my body up for a run.  YaY me!

Monday...new grind, new challenge....continuing on Weight Watchers.

(BTW...I plan on updating regularly....seriously...)

Twenty one days..

Twenty one days with...no bread, no rice and not planned...no sodas or candy or cake.  LOL

Twenty one days and I SURVIVED.  It was actually quite fulfilling to go to foursquare, plug in that I was leaving yoga and it say...You have been at the gym 3 weeks straight. *dancing*  That is a good feeling. 

And now with my good feeling...I'm going to bed so I can be on the elliptical in the am.

Peace Out!!

OOooops...

It has been almost a week and it really was my plan to blog before now.  *shrug*

For starters, I'm tired.  I mean SERIOUSLY tired.  LOL  Up until yesterday, I've been doing the gym 7 days a week and twice a day.  Yesterday my body was like...*ahem*  If you want to function, you won't do that.  LOL  And I didn't.  I do listen sometimes.  LOL

So, tomorrow will be my last day of my 21 Day Challenge.  I realized, as I was sitting in church tonight, that not only have I given up bread and rice, but unconsciously I've given up soda and candy. *go me!!*  I don't know if I mentioned it, but my trigger foods are bread and rice.  I love them...can make meals off of them...etc. 

How has that worked out for me you ask?  I feel great.  Besides being tired, I am mentally better, more focused...and I realized that I have built my 21 day habit...which is actually what I wanted to do.  I've learned that I can sit at a table with my favorite type of foccacia at Carmine's, and I don't have to eat it. #winning  LOL

As of Monday, I create a new challenge.  What?  21 Days of riding my bike. *church pray*.  My bike has been in my store room fore almost 2 weeks...put together and me saying I'm going to ride it. *sigh*  So.......the plan is to at least 3 times a week ride and 2 times a week Zumba, yes...on my Round 2 of the gym.

Now...my hanging on a thread self is going to finish watching Necessary Roughness and think about the beautiful lunch I shall make tomorrow...bread free.  LOL

Peace Out!!!

Flakin' on a Thursday Midday....

Flakin' you say?  Yes.  At this moment I had scheduled time to practice.  From 3-5 I am to practice, yet I am here catching up on Y&R/AMC, blogging and closing the box to the Weight Watchers Community. LOL I am going to start at 4.  I need to be grinding on a couple of arias and memorizing one for an audition that I have in less than a week.  *sigh*

Well, I am behind on my practicing because I took a nap.  I've been desperate for those lately.  I mean DESPERATE.  Every day around 12:30/1:00 PM, my body goes into this weird shut down.  I can't even describe how exhausted I am.  Am I preggers?  No.  It is this crazy exercise demands that I have put on myself.

For the past week, I gave myself a mini challenge as a part of my 21 Day Challenge...I'm going to the gym twice a day.  I will admit, it is fun.  I mean really fun.  EGADS...did I just say that?  LOL  Yes, it is fun.  My morning is always a basic treadmill or elliptical thing going on.  I've actually upped that up from 45 to 50.  I've upped my speed on the treadmill from 3.5 to 4.2 and my resistance on the elliptical from 5 to 8.  Yea...serious.  If it wasn't for my Booty Shakin' Mix today...I would have been shoveled off of the elliptical at 20 minutes.  LOLOL

Anyway, my evening routine has been either Zumba, Pilates, Yoga, Kickboxing, or Aqua Aerobics.  I'm actually trying to add Yoga with something else.  Ha!  You say.  I'm always up for some wicked challenge, the part is completing it.  Monday, I did Aqua Aerobics and I will say I came home delirious.  Tuesday, Zumba...and I sweated so hard that my shirt was wet.  I mean like it had been in the rinse cycle.  Ha!!  Wednesday, I met up with a friend to see Band of Horses, but my extra exercise was running up stairs in the train station and in the theater. (I know a tad crazy.)  Tonight, my plan is to go to Hatha Yoga and Cardio Kickboxing.  (Hursh....)  We shall see how THAT one goes.

Okay it is now after 4 and I seriously have to at least warm up and do some technical work on the voice.  Maybe in the near future, I will take the time and post the picture that triggered my bootay into gear!!

Peace Out and have a great day!
(oh yea...I'll let you know how the yoga and kickboxing went later.)