...because a picture is worth a thousand words...
My Progress as of October 2013
One thing I know for sure, the scale is indeed a HATER! No, seriously I have learned to not use the number on the scale as the ONLY measure of my progress. I love to use pictures as a measuring tool and as a "Girl get it together" motivator. Often times we have to see it to believe it. I, for one have seen it and I do believe that living healthy will pay off after while...that's a sermon, right?!?
Eating to LIVE and not the other way around.
Ooowee Jesus...Me at my heaviest..about 4 years ago (2010)
Size 26
A breakthrough is on the way!
Size 18
Thank God I don't look like what I have been through...
Change is possible! I am a living testimony in the making!
Be You, Be healthy, Live Alive!
Reason #126,893,000 why I need to stay on board the health and wellness train!
After reading this article on Colon Caner Prevention( <---please check it out, a must read) it spoke so clearly to me as to why I need to get fit and stay healthy. During my undergrad studies, my research focus was in cancer disparity. This was back in 2005. During this time breast cancer awareness was at an all time high. So of course my research focus became breast cancer disparity among black women. The findings were astonishing.
However, there is another cancer lurking. This one is colon cancer. After reading an article about one of my fave reality TV stars, Real (the one with the long pretty hair) of Real Chance of Love, I was shocked to find that he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
Real is young, seemingly fit, seemingly healthy but still a carrier of this aggressive disease. My prayers are for him and his family as they battle this disease.
Knowing what I know about clean eating and the dangers of processed foods or food of the devil as I call it from time to time. The public health researcher in me can't help but to conclude that colon cancer has a direct link to the foods or "foods" <--referring to processed crap, that we put into our bodies.
Think about it. The colon serves as the super highway that all of our food travels through. Most importantly, the unhealthiest foods get the longest ride on this super highway. The colon eventually leads to bowels and rectum where waste is released. The majority of processed food is simply waste.
In essence, all of the PROCESSED CRAP that is eaten goes through our colon, leaving junk behind, which can cause polyps. Polyps can eventually turn to cancer, hence the term colon cancer.
I don't know about you, but I don't want my super highway to be filled with crap and unhealthy waste. I would love for it to be filled with high fiber nutrients and living foods such has greens and other vegetables. It is foods like this that create a beautiful scenic route on our food super highway aka our colon.
From reading an article on this aggressive disease it was noted "Other risk factors include diabetes, smoking, obesity, poor diet, and a “couch potato” lifestyle." This rang an alarm SO LOUD in my head....an alarm that indicated that I needed to get up off my butt and get moving AND realize that every action has a reaction. Every morsel of food that I put in my body has to be accounted for....sooner or later.
Living foods and processed foods have one thing is common...they can both "FILL YOU UP". However the buck stops there. That is the only thing they have in common, as far as I am concerned.
Living, whole foods not only fill you up, but it goes on to nourish our bodies. Giving our cells and organs energy and life that allow our bodies to fight diseases and perform other necessary functions.
Processed foods do nothing. They simply fill you up and then take that long, junk filled ride down our digestive tract cause havoc and chaos within our bodies.
Let's be proactive!
"Eating to LIVE and not the other way around."
The key
There is good news in view. I think I may have found the key to unlock the tomb that may hold my IT. Yes, indeed. I feel a little something stirring up, Thank Ya Jesus!
Seriously, so I am back on my grind and to kick off my mojo I have tweaked my eating schedule just a bit. I am no longer eating after 6pm- 7pm. Yes. Simply that. I have tried this for just over a week now and I am so amazed at how much this is helping me to find my IT!
Keep in mind, I am still watching my portions, drinking plenty of water, and cooking and eating clean at times. I will work on the latter soon and very soon. However, I am so proud of myself for being disciplined enough to follow through on this very task. Especially since I have found that DISCIPLE is indeed the key to SUCCESS on this journey to health and wellness. I have prayed, like for real, literally prayed and asked God to give me the will power, strength and sheer discipline to concur this obesity DEVIL!
I have come to grips that this can not happen without DIVINE intervention!
Some of benefits that I have noticed so far after a week of not eating past 6 or 7
pm are:
- Increased energy, especially in the mornings. I no longer have that stiff and groggy feeling
- Increase in water in take. Get this, in order to keep that "hungry beast" in check, I guzzle down the H2O and it works.
- Better meal planning. What also keeps me going during that 12 hr + fast is thinking about the food (healthy of course) that I can prepare for the next day. I think it's a mental thing...
- Helped to understand my emotional eating habit. Being able to simply deny myself with no compromise has helped me to utilize other coping skills. Instead of eating I find myself doing my other hobbies....Dang I just categorized eating as a hobby---THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!
- More time for prayer and meditation. Yes God! Lord knows every time I see the prime time TV fast food commercials, I instantly begin to pray and I mean pray hard!
- Getting more sleep. Since I can't eat, I simply get my kiddos to bed and I follow soon after. However, the hunger pangs seem to kick in around 5am so I answer it by a workout and nice breakfast to start my day. Low carb and No wheat breakfast that is...we will discuss that one later!
"Eating to LIVE and not the other way around!"
Trader Joe's Haul
It is finally here, THE Trader Joe's that I have read about in all of the
So yesterday, I packed up the kids *PAUSE*---strike 1, this is where I went wrong. You just don't take two toddlers to a store like this, unless you are running in and running out. I feel as if I already stand out in "health nut" stores--clearly I don't fit the description of the average health nut. Secondly, although we went during SAHM (stay at home mommy) hours, I still felt some kind of way about shoppers staring at us as if they have never seen a mom and two toddlers shopping, reading labels and sampling a food ----yeah so what, we sampled the mac and cheese 3 times AND whipped through the spiced apple cider fill up station a few times--so what! I guess I have to realize that stores like this don't the average "Sam's Club" shoppers state of mind.
Health store nut's--IMO, seem to have a little arrogance about them, a bit too uptight for me and my crew (crew= me and kids), but none the less "WE AIN'T GO--IN' NO-- WHERE" (do me a favor, go back and read that in your best P.Diddy voice-thanks).
Anyway, I packed up the kids and headed to Trader Joe's! So, first off I did a little research before we left and found out Trader Joe's was housed in a historic theater building that was renovated into a grocery store. Cool, I thought as I grabbed my sneakers because I just knew this store was going to GI-NORMOUS!
Well, not so much--I kind of figured when I saw the small shopping carts-you know the bougie shopping carts, y'all know what I mean--the little ones that hold a bottle of wine and a loaf of french bread, yeah those.....So I stuff my two over grown toddlers into this thing and we roll on into the sliding doors and I hear the angles sing 'AHHHHHH' and they stop once I realize this store is NOT big at all--but don't let that fool you.
Ok, picture the biggest H-E-B or Krogers you have ever been too--now picture the "specialty food" section, yeah those 5 aisles w/ the shiny flooring and then add one frozen food aisle plus a mini- fruit and veggie section--ok there you have it, Trader Joes! Yes, it is NOT, I repeat NOT a one stop shop for groceries, like Whole Foods (I never thought I'd utter those words--I'm not a Whole Fooder). Yeah, this place is more of a specialty store for the "extras" on your shopping list and a great place for your basic healthy kitchen staples like whole wheat flour and free range eggs at an AWESOME price.
However, this store is not for name brand freaks because 90% of what they sell is their private brand --Trader' Joes. Which is ok with me.
All in all I give the store a B+.
Plus
excellent selection of free range dairy products
nice selection of unprocessed foods
frozen food selections have no artificial preservatives etc. and they taste GREAT!
nice, clean store with neatly stocked shelves
nice staff and sample ladies
mac n cheese
mac n chees
mac n chees lol
Negs
Although poultry and meats were "clean" as in no hormones etc--they were pre-packed and shipped from God know's where--I like to buy local
Same for the produce, the little they did have were pre-packed and not local. Also, there is very little to choose from
The lines were a bit long, but that is to be expected
Will I go back---for sure! We ran out of mac and cheese already. It's for the kids of course ;)
Will I bring the kids? Hell no :) For real, the place is not kid friendly--no H-E-B buddy bucks or nothing!
Here are some pics! Enjoy!
Pic 1--So they have a $2 wine section--I repeat, the have a $2 wine section! I indulged---mommy wine-o style!
Pic 2-- They have a great selection of ORGANIC frozen veggies--YES!! Also, I used the fire roasted peppers and onions yesterday for dinner and my hubby loved them!
Pic 3- We are bean soup eaters in my house, so I was ecstatic to see such a great selection of organic canned beans. I make a "slap ya mama good" Mexican 3 bean soup!
Pic 4--I got all of this for about
I hope this helps! Go see it for yourself! Tell them The Urban Health-a-nista sent ya--They won't know who I am--promise!
Eating to Live and not the other way around!
When "I Do" turns to "I Don't".....We need a REVIVAL!
Examples of food I would FIX:
Boxed Mac n Cheese
Canned Green beans
Canned Corn
Boxed stuffing
Boxed Pancakes
Heck, I even got good at it and fixed complex dishes like:
Enchiladas with canned chili and processed cheese product <--My Husband's Favorite :)
Casseroles with canned cream of mushroom that contained MSG
And the list goes on. If you notice, food that has to be "fixed" are usually PROCESSED FOODS that lack nutrients are are packed with excess SODIUM, CARBS and extra junk that are not meant to be consumed daily.
After opening a can of vegetables, I found myself having to "doctor up" the vegetable to disguise the "canned taste". This became second nature.
Thank God for a REVIVAL in my kitchen!
While on this journey of eating clean, I no longer FIX food, I simply cook food. Eating fresh, real nutrients does not require fixing because it is not BROKEN! Real food from the earth requires no FIXING, just a little TLC- The Love for Cooking!
Yes I know cooking requires time, but it is worth it.....Your family is worth it. Your kids are worth it. YOU are worth it.
No time?
Simple.
MAKE TIME!
"Eating to LIVE and NOT the other way around!"
#300Club ---Meal # 2
This could be considered lunch according to tradition, but for the sake of the #300Club this is simply meal #2. I have found that titles like lunch may trigger a signal to eat things that are not the most nutritious, especially when out of habit we may be used to unhealthy foods.
I can recall telling myself that I should eat a heavy lunch and then have "just a salad" for dinner...however when dinner rolled around I had another excuse as to why "just a salad" was not enough. It was a vicious cycle I tell you. I think this is one of the benefits of the #300Club because all meals are treated equal. There are no more "heavy lunches" "light dinners" and or "big breakfasts" they are all equal. Since they are equal, why name them.....If I called meal #2 a snack, then that may trigger my brain to want "snack" food. Although there are healthy snacks like nuts and fruit...unfortunately my mind is not there yet to equate a "snack" to a bowl of fresh fruit...Well sometimes I may, but most of the time.... nope.
Here's meal #2
I tried this egg back recipe and it was delicious!
Spinach and Mozzarella Egg Bake
3 eggs- 210 calories
A bunch of Spinach (1 cup)- 7 cal
Low-fat Mozzarella cheese- 40 cal
Large cup of room temp water
Quick and easy. I cut it into portions and will refrigerate the rest for another meal later on today.
I can recall telling myself that I should eat a heavy lunch and then have "just a salad" for dinner...however when dinner rolled around I had another excuse as to why "just a salad" was not enough. It was a vicious cycle I tell you. I think this is one of the benefits of the #300Club because all meals are treated equal. There are no more "heavy lunches" "light dinners" and or "big breakfasts" they are all equal. Since they are equal, why name them.....If I called meal #2 a snack, then that may trigger my brain to want "snack" food. Although there are healthy snacks like nuts and fruit...unfortunately my mind is not there yet to equate a "snack" to a bowl of fresh fruit...Well sometimes I may, but most of the time.... nope.
Here's meal #2
I tried this egg back recipe and it was delicious!
Spinach and Mozzarella Egg Bake
3 eggs- 210 calories
A bunch of Spinach (1 cup)- 7 cal
Low-fat Mozzarella cheese- 40 cal
Large cup of room temp water
Quick and easy. I cut it into portions and will refrigerate the rest for another meal later on today.
The 300 Club--Breakfast
As promised, I will keep you all posted on my 300 calorie meals. Remember, I am eating only 300 calories every 3 hours. I must admit, it is spring break for me and I wanted to start this on Monday but uuummmmm....yeah. I have eaten all of the wrong things this past week, but after recieving news that Dre' Diva (me) will be in THE NYC in June I knew I had to get my act together! I have to look totally fab for this event :) #TeamNYC
So here goes breakfast:
small box of cheerios (unsweetened) 120 cal
1 cup milk 120 cal
2 tbs of sugar 40 cals
1/2 large orange 25 cals
1 glass of room temp water (will do post on that later)
I will post my next meal in about 3 hours. My schedule is every 3 hours! What are your 300 calories meals?
So here goes breakfast:
small box of cheerios (unsweetened) 120 cal
1 cup milk 120 cal
2 tbs of sugar 40 cals
1/2 large orange 25 cals
1 glass of room temp water (will do post on that later)
I will post my next meal in about 3 hours. My schedule is every 3 hours! What are your 300 calories meals?
When eating right goes WRONG!
So I'm back from hibernation. Those winter months were hard on a sista, what can I say. As for progress what progress?!? LOL Well, I have progressed some but MAITAINED a whole bunch.
Bad news: My pantry looks like this again
Why this is a bad thing...well refer back to my post http://pigfeetandeggs.blogspot.com/2011/07/case-of-empty-pantry.html Yeah..so my eating clean habit has degressed alot since the holidays. It all started with Thanksgiving and went down hill from there... sad face.
GOOD NEWS! I did catch myself before I rolled <---No Pun Intended--completely downhill. Yep, it is something about once you change your mind and realize that all of the processed foods and junk food is NOT, I repeat, NOT MY FRIND. NO ES MI AMIGO!
So this weekend I plan to do some SPRING cleaning in the pantry and donate the processed food to someone who appreciates it. Also, I have also had a new revelation........wait for it......
Bad news: My pantry looks like this again
Why this is a bad thing...well refer back to my post http://pigfeetandeggs.blogspot.com/2011/07/case-of-empty-pantry.html Yeah..so my eating clean habit has degressed alot since the holidays. It all started with Thanksgiving and went down hill from there... sad face.
GOOD NEWS! I did catch myself before I rolled <---No Pun Intended--completely downhill. Yep, it is something about once you change your mind and realize that all of the processed foods and junk food is NOT, I repeat, NOT MY FRIND. NO ES MI AMIGO!
So this weekend I plan to do some SPRING cleaning in the pantry and donate the processed food to someone who appreciates it. Also, I have also had a new revelation........wait for it......
I EAT TOO MUCH!
Like seriously, I thought because I was eating This:
And not THAT:
I figured I had the green light to eat until I was satisfied. However, after doing some research and looking at my clothes size stay the same and not going down #FRUSTRATEDMUCH, it dawned on me. I had heard it before PORTION CONTROL but I didn't think it matttered, since I was eating healthy etc. I guess I was wrong. My three meals a day are going BYE-BYE. HELLO 6 meals a day @ 300calories each. This sounds like alot of food but it really isn't...Let me break it down in Big Girl Terms (No shade--hell I'm still fat--for a limited time only of course #HEYYY) LOL
SO 4real-4real:
1 spicy breast from THE DEVIL Popeye's = 420 calories
1 double cheeseburger from THE DEVIL'S ASSISTANT McDonald's = 440 calories
1 slice of pizza (panned, supreme of course) = 420 calories
Again I repeat, 300 calories IS NOT a lot of food! Especially when you are trying to stay under 300 calories at one sitting. It is ALMOST impossible to eat out (Trust, I tried & yeah, it's not worth it!) So I have come up with some quick 300 calorie meals that I will share with you next post.......I AM BACK FOR REAL THIS TIME! #PROMISE!
What are some 300 calorie meals that you can think of? Let's talk!!
Eating to LIVE & Not the Other way around!
When the number on the scale is NOT enough....
My main determinant for tracking my progress was through my clothes. If I could fit a certain size then I knew I was on track, if I came back a week letter and the muffin top suddenly appeared then I was falling off. Just that simple.
Well back in June, I purchased this beautiful Candy Red cocktail dress. It was a size 14W. It was on sale and I had to have it! The issue at that time was that I was barely getting into a 18W <only with the help of the Holy Ghost> so I knew this would be my new PROGRESS DRESS!
So I tried it on from time to time for the next 6 months and finally I am ready to show it off!
**Hit the music DJ! <Pretty Girl Rock> Sing along with me now!
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My name is Dre E and I'm so very...... |
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| .......Fly Oh My It's a little bit scary!..... |
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| ....All eyes on me when I walk in...No Question that this girl's a 10 <14w> lol.... |
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| .......Doin' the Pretty Girl Rock! |
So there you have it! 24W to a 14W GOD IS GOOD!
Go get you a Freak 'Em Progress Dress!
Eating to LIVE and not the other way around!
UPDATE: Pictures speak LOUDER than WORDS!---PROGRESS IN PICS
I'm back, just in time for the Holidays! Before I jump in with blog post, let me give you all an update!
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| Not Still in Progress! |
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| Not Still in Progress! Keep praying for me as I continue to pray for you! We are doing this thang!! Eating to LIVE and not the other way around! |
My Last 2 Piece and a Biscuit: Sighs..
Hi Friends of the Blog! So I came across this article last night and I just had to share it. It gives a list of 5 foods that can trigger a stroke. I'll share some of it with you:
1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods
Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.
2. Smoked and processed meats
Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.
3. Diet soda
Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down -- a heart-healthy goal -- it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.
4. Red meat-- I cut red meat out a while back...only on occasion if I am eating out will I indulge
This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn't healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn't exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.
5. Canned soup and prepared foods
Whether it's canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association's recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you'll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years.
No seriously, this list did bring to surface a couple of other issues for me as well. I thought about my deceased mother. You see right before having her first heart attack she was eating Long John Silvers which is full of TRANS FAT and HYDROGENATED OILS. Then when I think back to the life ending stroke that she had, I recall her last meal we had which was being Timmy Chans. Again, inferior food made with inferior ingredients. This inspires me to keep going and to continue to pass up the brightly lit chicken eatery signs <TUESDAY SPECIALS INCLUDED> and opt for my own backed chicken or what ever else I have a taste for, but the key is that I cook it MYSELF with the healthy ingredients.
P.S. The title is just that, a title. I can not honestly say that I have had my VERY last 2 piece just yet, although I don't eat it as often. Keep praying for me, hear?!
1. Crackers, chips, and store-bought pastries and baked goods
Muffins, doughnuts, chips, crackers, and many other baked goods are high in trans fats, which are hydrogenated oils popular with commercial bakeries because they stay solid at room temperature, so the products don't require refrigeration. Also listed on labels as "partially hydrogenated" or hydrogenated oils, trans fats are found in all kinds of snack foods, frozen foods, and baked goods, including salad dressings, microwave popcorn, stuffing mixes, frozen tater tots and French fries, cake mixes, and whipped toppings. They're also what makes margarine stay in a solid cube. The worst offenders are fried fast foods such as onion rings, French fries, and fried chicken.
2. Smoked and processed meats
Whether your weakness is pastrami, sausage, hot dogs, bacon, or a smoked turkey sandwich, the word from the experts is: Watch out.
3. Diet soda
Although replacing sugary drinks with diet soda seems like a smart solution for keeping weight down -- a heart-healthy goal -- it turns out diet soda is likely a major bad guy when it comes to stroke.
4. Red meat-- I cut red meat out a while back...only on occasion if I am eating out will I indulge
This winter, when the respected journal Stroke published a study showing that women who consumed a large portion of red meat each day had a 42-percent higher incidence of stroke, it got nutrition experts talking. The information that red meat, with its high saturated fat content, isn't healthy for those looking to prevent heart disease and stroke wasn't exactly news. But the percentage increase (almost 50 percent!) was both startling and solid; the researchers arrived at their finding after following 35,000 Swedish women for ten years.
5. Canned soup and prepared foods
Whether it's canned soup, canned spaghetti, or healthy-sounding frozen dinners, prepared foods and mixes rely on sodium to increase flavor and make processed foods taste fresher. Canned soup is cited by nutritionists as the worst offender; one can of canned chicken noodle soup contains more than 1,100 mg of sodium, while many other varieties, from clam chowder to simple tomato, have between 450 and 800 mg per serving. Compare that to the American Heart and Stroke Association's recommendation of less than1,500 mg of sodium daily and you'll see the problem. In fact, a nutritionist-led campaign, the National Salt Reduction Initiative, calls on food companies to reduce the salt content in canned soup and other products by 20 percent in the next two years.
sighs.........
So after reading this list, I wasn't too surprised, considering I am still eating as clean as possible (when possible). It did reinforce my plan to stay on track, and I am not going to lie, it has been hard lately. Especially since I have gone back to my old work place, and unfortunately with old places sometimes bad habits resurface. For instance, the university I work at has a SCRUMPTIOUS chicken eatery at the entrance of the campus. Since I know I still have that "2 piece and biscuit" spirit <Shame the devil!>, I make it a point to go ALL the way around the university so that I won't have to pass by the sign, because once I see the sign and then the specials...it is a wrap from there! Before I know it the next voice I will hear is "Welcome to Frenchy's can I take your order" LOL Help me Lord!No seriously, this list did bring to surface a couple of other issues for me as well. I thought about my deceased mother. You see right before having her first heart attack she was eating Long John Silvers which is full of TRANS FAT and HYDROGENATED OILS. Then when I think back to the life ending stroke that she had, I recall her last meal we had which was being Timmy Chans. Again, inferior food made with inferior ingredients. This inspires me to keep going and to continue to pass up the brightly lit chicken eatery signs <TUESDAY SPECIALS INCLUDED> and opt for my own backed chicken or what ever else I have a taste for, but the key is that I cook it MYSELF with the healthy ingredients.
P.S. The title is just that, a title. I can not honestly say that I have had my VERY last 2 piece just yet, although I don't eat it as often. Keep praying for me, hear?!
Eating To LIVE and not the other way around.
Equally Yoked: ....Maybe.
Hey Y'all! I hope all is well and your health is TOP NOTCH! I wanted to share this video that I found to be very informative. It kind of debunks the myth that obesity leads to heart disease (One point for the Home Team LOL) However, diet still plays HUGE role for the overwieght AND for the little people. Check it out, know the facts for yourself!Eating to LIVE and NOT the other way around.
The Help: And the two old white guys
So the movie was.....okay I guess. Nothing inspirational, and surely not as comical as I thought it was going to be. However there were some funny tid bits here and there, and mind you I am a pretty light hearted person that finds humor in everything, but some things are simply not funny. I honestly didn't know how popular this book was among that the middle age white female community, but after I saw the film I see why.....The film is like a Tyler Perry film, but reversed. I am not speaking of the plot or story line, but the character depiction. The way Tyler Perry brings to light the ills of the black community is kind of what this film did for the white community. The film discussed some pretty serious issues while keeping it light and funny (to some), hell they even had a Madea character in there! So, in all fairness, I understand why this is a "must see" for some women, especially white women. However as a woman of color, no as an educated woman of color, naw scratch that, as an educated, dark skin woman of color with curves, I found this movie to be a bit oppressive. Similar to what some may feel about some of Tyler Perry's films. The character that was meant for me to relate to was the maid by the name of Mannie. Mannie's character was sassy, quick tempered, hungry and weak. Oh, and she was always talking about some chicken, fried of course. The one thing I did take from the movie was the pride and dedication these black women had for their jobs as maids. That is about it......I did not appreciate how the black characters were made to be one-dimensional while their white bosses had a more clear back story. The black women had no love interest other than their love for Christ, which is good, but I am sure their life didn't revolve around solely cleaning up behind white folks. Also, the diction that was used seemed appropriate, but kind of eerie for me since I was sitting between two older white men and MAJOR side eye to the one on my left who got a hearty laugh out the being black and coffee joke 0_o Oh you should have saw their face when I finally laughed out loud, because for the most part I was playing the role in my seat as the anger fat black woman who couldn't take a joke. Well, to you two kind sirs, I apologize that I did not find humor in most of the movie, except for the chocolate pie, now that was if funny! Anyway, if you are looking for a movie of inspiration this is NOT it. Oh and my final grievance, I don't appreciate the way the whole theatre laughed out loud when they showed the Skeeter's nanny/ family maid for the first time. I don't think her appearance was meant to be comical but apparently my fellow movie goers did, especially the two jokesters on either side of me. "Tell me how you REALLY feel"......
I think I should have saw the ape movie.................
Starving Children in Africa: Raw & UnCut
So while eating a plate of homemade marinara sauce & three cheese raviolis this weekend, I found myself faced with a dilema: I had four cheese raviolis left that looked kinda like this
Anywho the serving size was like 8 ravioli's so of course I got my fair share, nothing more and definitely not anything less 8 is what I got, and I made dog-gone sure they were all whole, not broken, etc...true fat kid in me! So when I got down to the final 4 raviolis I noticed that I was stuffed, like really full.
But in the back of my head I heard both of my grandmother's voices "Guhl, you bet not waste that food, do you know there are starving children in Africa who could eat that!" And pending on which grandmother's house I was at as a child that statement could have been followed by "...And don't carry your tail in here askin' for NARE-NUTTHA piece of nothing!" and in a slight mumble you could hear granny say "...waisting my $%^&* food, you can waste your momma food, but not my food over here, not today you won't!" LOL Lord have mercy! I love both of my grandmothers!
But listen y'all, alot of parent's have this same rule of FINISH YOUR PLATE and DON'T WASTE FOOD.
Now I understand my grandparents grew up in a time where refrigerators were a luxury and the microwave was unheard of, so I can kind of see why they insisted in eating ALLL of the food given to you. And especially since having a plate of food was/is a true blessing, I understand you didn't want to waste it.
However, in today's times we have sufficient refrigeration and microwaves, so why do we still insist on stuffing ourselves in the name of these starving kids in Africa ( *DISCLAIMER: I do take World Hunger seriously, in fact I do my part by donating to various orgs for that cause. ) I don't want any hate messages talkin' about I'm being insensitive etc. etc.
Now, back to these starving kids that my grandmother's advocated for all of the time. I have found myself playing a mind game when it some to some foods. If it's a food I really like and I have had enough, but my plate was not completely eaten I would stuff myself and then have the nerve to feel a since of pride as if I did my part for hungry kids in Africa!
Yeah, that's sad, I know but I am learning that in this journey alot of my eating habits are out of just that HABITS, and bad ones at that.
Out of habit I cleaned my plate, out of habit I used to stuff myself, and out of habit I became FAT!
So I think I have come to grips with this one, and I heard a new mantra that I tell myself when I see I have food left, and y'all can use this too....this one is free lol " WASTED food is better than WAISTED food" Simply saying, I'd rather waste some food than to have it added to my waistline (which is still shrinking by the way!)
Again, let me give a disclaimer, I am not saying make a big ole plate and eat 1/2 of it and throw the other half away and think you are doing something.
I am saying if you use proper portion control you won't have that much wasted, and if you do, REFRIGERATE IT and EAT IT LATER! It will speed up your metabolism and shrink your stomach volume naturally. The key is listen to your BODY and not the VOICES, in my case not the voice of my grandmothers LOL
"Eating to LIVE and not the other way around"
Are you Pretty enough?
Yeah so this post is not a self empowerment one, although I need to write more of those, however Are you Pretty enough is in reference to your food presentation. Throughout this journey I have learned to sike myself out about alot of things. More specifically the way I present my food to myself. Believe it or not, we spend so much time in restaurants simply because our EYES like what we see. Seriously, think about it, we eat with our EYES. They are the first to say whether or not we are interested in what is on our plate. I know I am not the only one that has changed their entree at the last minute after seeing a waiter walk by with a plate that looked soo good to my EYES. So with that said, let me tell you about my trick in eating more fruits and veggies.
You know how when you are at a function with food you find yourself eating the carrots or broccoli <knowing good and well you don't eat like that on a regular basis> from the pretty veggie tray that might look something like this:
So try it! So what if folks give you the side eye for having veggie trays in your fridge, Forget them! We are trying to get our bodies right, and doing so may cause some stares SO WHAT! Stare at them while they are gulping down the High Fructose Corn Syrup and other fake boxed foods! Ok, I'm done. But seriously bring those fruits and veggies out of the bottom drawer in your fridge and put them on the TOP SHELF, you deserve it!
Eating to LIVE and not the other way around.
Instant Lipo: It has come down to this..
Exhibit A
Anyway, through this journey to a healthier me I have seen some changes. Some good, like the slight breeze between my thighs these days <It caught me off guard, I was SOO not used to that!> and the bad, like the roundness of my tush #teamMs.NewFitBooty, and then the UGLY --this dreadful sagging back fat! UUGGGGHHH the frustration is on level 10,000! It throws off my whole outfit. I am proud to say that I am the big girl with a cute tummy and not a big ole belly :) Hey I can brag a little, I have turned down too many soda pops and other sugary things not too. However, since I am still loosing weight and inches my back rolls are deflating #WINNING but they are sagging #FAIL! I know it probably sounds worse than what it really is, but I can not stand it! So I have signed up for the instant Lipo, NOOOO I AM NOT GOING UNDER THE KNIFE but I have invested ONCE AGAIN in a nice snug girdle.
Speaking of girdles, I have a grievance, soo while at a function a few weeks ago I noticed soo many women who had on skin tight tops, but NO shape wear. I mean, I know how it is, you look in the mirror holding your stomach in with that Hand over your belly like that is suppose to be the magic touch to hold it in all day LOL Yeah I used to fall for that trick, but uuummmm yeah, a girdle is a MUST have. Honestly, I thought that since I was loosing weight I could ditch those dang girdles, but I was sadly mistaken.....my rolls need support yall! Mainly the rolls in back <rolls eyes> But I must say that I am pleased with my choice to use shapewear for that issue. It has a smoother look and allows my hidden hour glass figure to peek its little head though, just a lil bit! Mind you, I am HOT as you know what, but hey no pain no gain. Oh and supposedly it will help to shape my body permanently.
Cheers to girdles all around the world!
Eating to LIVE and no the other way around.
High heels + itunes + YouTube + ankle weights = Bomb.com Workout
That's right, I was determined to get my tshirt drenched in sweat today!
So what we have here is a formula for a good time by yourself or w/ a group all while getting some cardio and lower body workout in! I heard the song over the weekend at a "function" and I am soo glad I did! I heard it before but forgot ALL about it, but it came back to my memory this morning AND the rest is history!
Here is the first video I found:
I love this one because the guy gives great directions but PLEASE don't make the mistake that I did! SO I had the dance down pack, with my heels (in my pajamas), my ankle weights and downloaded the song from itunes and I was GONE! Just to realize that this was the simple version. SAY WHA?! That was hard ENOUGH in my opinion, but my coordination skills are a bit off LOL Anyway here is the more popular version that I saw done Saturday night.
Eating Moving to Live and not the other way around!
High heels + itunes + YouTube + ankle weights =
Bomb.com Workout
So what we have here is a formula for a good time by yourself or w/ a group all while getting some cardio and lower body workout in! I heard the song over the weekend at a "function" and I am soo glad I did! I heard it before but forgot ALL about it, but it came back to my memory this morning AND the rest is history!
Here is the first video I found:
I love this one because the guy gives great directions but PLEASE don't make the mistake that I did! SO I had the dance down pack, with my heels (in my pajamas), my ankle weights and downloaded the song from itunes and I was GONE! Just to realize that this was the simple version. SAY WHA?! That was hard ENOUGH in my opinion, but my coordination skills are a bit off LOL Anyway here is the more popular version that I saw done Saturday night.
Yeah, when I first saw this one I said "AWWW HECK NAW!" but after the first couple of minutes they break it down and it was easier than I thought! #FutureProStepper LOL in my mind at least!
I did it for about 45 minutes w/ my ankle weights and I kept my arms moving to get a little upper body. You can use the wrist weights to add variety. I REALLY can't wait until the next function to do this w/ the other people!
Next Line dance: Wobble Wobble #AAAYYYYYEEEE
"Later" stood me up...
I have reached a plateau and I am not happy about it....It's time to switch it up, I mean really I have to remind myself of how STRONG, UNSTOPPABLE, LIFTED and even SEXXXXY I felt after a long hard workout at the gym when I first started this thing.
I would go in dry as a whistle and walk out drenched in pure natural sweat and I LOVED IT! Lately I have found myself missing a few dates w/ the gym and would tell myself, "Oh I'll do some pushups and cardio later" but for some reason "later" never came to pick me up for our date lol So starting today I am throwing the YMCA workouts out the window for a few weeks and getting my sweat on in other ways. I think this switch up may be the change I need to get over the plateau hump! In my Professor Klump Voice "LETS GET BUSY!" #random
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I would go in dry as a whistle and walk out drenched in pure natural sweat and I LOVED IT! Lately I have found myself missing a few dates w/ the gym and would tell myself, "Oh I'll do some pushups and cardio later" but for some reason "later" never came to pick me up for our date lol So starting today I am throwing the YMCA workouts out the window for a few weeks and getting my sweat on in other ways. I think this switch up may be the change I need to get over the plateau hump! In my Professor Klump Voice "LETS GET BUSY!" #random
LOVE THIS MOVIE!
#singing I'M SO EXCITED, JUST CAN'T HIDE IT.... LOL...(ONE HAND ON YA LOL) #goofyMUCH
Eating to LIVE and not the other way around!
The case of the EMPTY Pantry.
BEFORE
AFTER
So I go into my kitchen and look in my pantry and notice that it is SO BARE and........ I Smile! Why? Because that is an indicator that I am still on this journey of a healthier me. It is a saying that says you can tell a person's character by the company they keep. Well same goes for these pantries, you can tell a person's healthy state of mind (or lack there of) by what is on their pantry shelves.
When I first started this journey of eating clean, I had to really do a lot of soul searching and self checking. I came to realize that the way I shop, eat, and even my cravings are by habit. Here I was with a family of 3, still shopping for a family of 6. You see, I still had that mindset from my childhood. Remember I was the chubby kid in my household of 6, so anything dealing with the food I was involved, from the shopping, to the pantry organizing, and even most of the cooking once I was old enough. I can recall the feeling of satisfaction at an early age when I saw our pantries FULL to the MAX! I knew all the Twinkies, ho hos, cereals and juices where waiting on me whenever I was ready. Oh, but when the pantry was low I knew that meant one of two things: PIZZA! or Sandwiches (yuck!). Of course I would always root for the Pizza, but those sandwiches won the battle one too many times for me. So with these past experiences, and me equating FULL pantries to happiness and EMPTY pantries to not so happy, it seemed only right for me to keep my pantries full to the max at all times! I can recall in college when my pantry, which was a big ole Tupperware tub, was always filled w/ snacks and goodies!
As of today, my pantry is not completely empty like the pic above, but it is really bare. It has a couple of canned veggies, only because I don't like frozen corn or peas, the rest of my veggies I buy fresh or frozen. Then I have my tuna and oysters as protein snacks, and then my staples like flour, sugar etc. Pretty simple. Occasionally I would have a bag of chips or some other snack, but I find myself reaching over those to get my peanuts or another healthy snack. I will admit, the hardest part was emptying out ALL of that junk I had in there at first. Looking back I laugh at myself and even feel sorry for myself for thinking that processed junk was suppose to nourish myself and my family. For example, the INSTANT Potatoes, LORD help me, I had it down to a science trying to make these "potato flakes" taste like real potatoes. I mean, all that effort I could have used to boil some real potatoes that still have the nutrients and FIBER in them. Or maybe the boxed carbs like the dirty rice, stuffing, MACARONI, and even the instant sweet potatoes. Y'all I really could not imagine going back to that FOOLISHNESS! And don't think for a second that I gave up my macaroni or dirty rice, I just cook them the old school way- from scratch and with REAL ingredients! Gone are the CHEESE POWDERS OR SQUEEZE ON CHEESE CRAP! I go in there and grate the cheeses I want, and when I am feeling fancy, I may include 5 different REAL cheeses and it is THE BOMB.COM!
I CHALLENGE YOU TO CLEAN OUT THOSE PANTRIES! You will thank yourself later #TRUST #TRUESTORY
Eating to LIVE and not the other way around!
Back from Summer Blog Vacay!
So I've been away for a while, sorry guys but LIFE was calling and I had to answer. Anyway, I was very productive while on my blog vacay, even connected with a new Health and Wellness Group called A Road to Healthy with Lolita Goods. This group is AWESOME, I found it right when I started feeling a little lonely on this journey. Yeah my husband is supportive and I have a good friend I talk to daily about our health progress etc. but I still felt like I was missing something. Through the group I am able to get EXPERT and PROFESSIONAL advice from doctors and health experts as well as share the journey white hundreds of women across the country.
The website is: http://www.aroadtohealthy.com/ Check it out!!
More Recipes coming this week! Missed you all!!
Eating to Live and NOT the other way around!
P&E Quickies Presents: What's on your plate?
TURN ON THE DISCO BALL AND SHUT THE LIGHTS OFF (Yes I said shut, my granny's favorite line lol) IT'S A CELEBRATION!
We are celebrating the USDA's ditching of that RIDICULOUS food pyramid that is keeping our country FAT. Yeah I said, FAT...besides I can do that b/c I'm still in the big girl club..for now :) Anyway, here is a pic of the pyramid, just in case you forgot.
Now, the biggest issue that I have with this thing is that it puts breads, pastas, and grains as the bulk of our diet...and that is what is making us FAT. Then to add damage to insult, the majority of these items sold in the supermarket are so PROCESSED that they lack nutritional VALUE, again causing us to be FAT.
The "NEW" USDA Pyramid
Red = fruit
Green = veggies
Purple = protein
Orange = grains
It's a start. I guess. While on my journey, I could not have progressed if my plate mirrored the one above. I've shared before that I mainly eat from saucers, and on that saucer is a purple and a green. I have found it beneficial to LIMIT my carb and grain intake to little to none on some days ( no more than 20 carbs or so a day). To explain why I am satisfied with this way of eating, let leave you with this snippet from one of my favorite health books FAT to SKINNY. He Says:
FAT. As I mentioned earlier, if I ate the diet plan outlined for me in my custom food pyramid, I would be as FAT as a COW! WHY? Because I would be eating COW FOOD. Cows eat corn and grains. Flour comes from ground GRAIN.....Ever notice how sleek and streamlined the great cats are? Panthers, leopards, lions and tigers. They don’t eat COW food. They are carnivores, and they eat protein. We are carnivores as well. You’ll lean out quickly if you switch from COW food to protein.
Excert from:
FAT TO SKINNY Fast and Easy! Doug Varrieur
Eating to LIVE and not the other way around.
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