Move2Losefitness

Here I stand...

2011-12-17T18:52:00.000-08:00

My how time flies!! It has been 6 months to the date that I worked as a full time employee in corporate America. Life has been many things for my family and I but still I rise! I have learned so much, and thoroughly enjoy each day as it comes; in prosperity as well as the hiccups I have encountered along the way.

My business... I AM THE BOSS!! I simply cannot get enough of that statement. I have completely switched gears from my original business plan. My intention was to lease a building and teach Zumba along with other group fitness classes. Long story short, I'm NOT going to do the "building thing" right now. I have been teaching Zumba as an independent contractor, meaning that I travel to teach at different locations, people pay me direct and I'm good to go. I have ran into a few snafoos with people trying to "be in my pocket" when it comes to my classes. NOTHING burns my butt more! Miss me with that one immediately...

I'm keeping my business simple, because being stressed out is NO LONGER an option when it comes to how I make a living. I did that for 11.5 years and in the end that company put me out like yesterday's trash. I am pleased to share that I'm currently working on plans for an even more successful 2012. I've still got A LOT to learn about being my own boss but I will say this..."I'm learning!"

My kids...they're so happy that mommy is home for them. I have given them quality time like never before. I feel more patience with them and they seem more relaxed-it's hard to explain but just know that this SAHM thing is awesome!!

I'm going to make sure to post more often on my blog. So much happens so quickly in my life but just know that I sure do appreciate your comments and feedback!

and if I don't post again before next Sunday...

Mizcardio4lyf~

The ups & downs of the workout buddy~

2011-08-25T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'm a fan of the "workout buddy". The person who keeps you accountable, works out with you faithfully, and completely understands the ups and downs of your weightloss journey. Ohhhh...the WB is an awesome part of a person's fitness plan. I encourage people to team up with another person but I also offer a word of caution as well. Not long into my weightloss journey, I teamed up with someone who had similar weight loss goals. We talked fitness often, swapped recipes & helpful websites, and were a great encouragement to one another thru it all. I'd even go so far as to say that we grew closer outside of the weightloss realm. As luck would have it, we both met our weightloss goals...BUT! my "buddy" began to gain the weight back while I maintained. I noticed a distance that my "buddy" placed between us and eventually there was no communication about fitness or anything else;I was really hurt. I finally confronted my "buddy" and I was told that the embarrassment of having gained back the weight is why the friendship was severed. My attempts of encouragement fell on deaf ears, I was crushed, but I kept going anyay. Now I know this story doesn't exactly make you want to rush out and team up with someone, that is 100% NOT my intention. The bigger picture here is to KEEP GOING no matter what!
Things happen, and priorities change, so you have to make up your mind to keep YOUR focus even if someone else loses thiers. As the other half of the fantastic fitness duo, it IS your duty to TRY to help your buddy get back in the saddle but there has to be a limit to that or you'll soon find that you begin to backslide yourself. You can lead your buddy to the treadmill and even turn that sucker on...but you cannot make them get on it so keep that in mind. I'm not saying to cut someone off if they miss a workout but geez...if EVERYTIME it's time to workout they're MIA, you might need to consider going solo.
Choose your buddy wisely...working out with someone with similar weightloss goals, and a mirrored tenacity when it comes to diet & exercise should be your goal. Now I know this is going to sound crazy but it's also a great idea to team up with someone who is physically a little farther ahead of you. They will challenge you without even trying! Don't be intimidated by someone who runs and you can barely walk a mile, especially if your goal is to one day be a runner! Guess what, NOBODY who runs, actaully started out running...how bout them apples?? *smile*

By now, you should know that I blog about different perspectives when it comes to all things fitness & weightloss. It's one of those things that is personal to the individual so you want to tailor it to fit your needs as closely as possible. For some folks, the workout buddy has been an amazing and rewarding experience and to those individuals I say...ROCK ON!!!!
But then there are those of us who weren't so lucky with it an that's okay too. Besides...who can be a BETTER WB to you than YOU???

Mizcardio4lyf~

2011-08-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well, on July 31st, I completed my second licensing to teach Zumba. It was super fun and exhausting at the same time but I'm happy to have completed it. I am turning my focus to completing more certifications in the fitness industry. There are a million and five things that I must do to open my fitness studio, and I'm DOING THEM...but in the mean time I am soaking up as much fitness knowledge as my brain can handle. I have registered to take the exam for AFAA (Aerobic & Fitness Association of America) September 9th and I've been a studying maniac. I am still a practicing personal trainer so I'm very familiar with what I have been studying but I feel like I'm actually back in PT school at this point. Those days were super tough. I swear I was "quitting" every week *LOL* I'm so glad my husband was a level headed fella and kept me focused on the bigger picture; he wasn't about to let me quit!
I'm now knee deep in negotiations with my building and it's been an emotional ordeal for me. One minute I'm all excited because things appear to be moving smoothly. The next, I'm blind sided by what appears to be a "setback". Uuuugggghhhhh....I'm just ready to get on with it and open my studio already! This process is teaching me something that I DO NOT have much of....patience.
I'm thankful for it all because I know that on the day of my grand opening I'm going to look back on this process and appreciate the day even more. ..

Mizcardio4lyf~

I am the boss~

2011-07-25T18:11:00.000-07:00

There's just something about the above statement that makes me giddy. I'm a natural born control freak and I don't apologize for that so I guess it just seems fitting that at some point in my life I should be my own boss. I've had a lot of people ask me if we're OK since I quit my job in June and I am able to confidently say, "We're better now than when I was working". When you've got Gods favor over your circumstances, it just works out that way and your job is to testify to folks and enjoy the ride! I have now been home, and an entrepreneur for a month and a week and I'm just as happy today as I was on June 17th. I think the biggest joy is that my time is now MINE. I don't have any idiots micro-managing me and harasing me about some pointless "busy work". My days are now filled with my daily personal workouts, errands for my business, and time spent with my kids.

My business is coming along just fine. I found a great location and I'm negotiating a contract with the property owner...things are working in my favor so far! I applied for my business license last week, and should hear back sometime this week. Once I'm approved for that license, I'm good to go. My awesome hubby drew up a great floor plan for the studio and I've got folks in place ready to make it happen. As soon as I legally can, I'm gonna post pictures of my spot. I've never done anything like this before and I'm amazed at all that goes into starting a business. What's more surprising to me is how easy it has been in spite of all of that goes into starting a business =D

For those of you out there who are on the fence about making your own career dreams come true, let me just say this..."DO IT NOW!!!" I am so proud of my little fitness empire that I'm building and one day, yall are gonna see me on that show"How I made my first million". watch and see...

Mizcardio4lyf~

When it IS ok to lose weight for someone else~

2011-07-11T20:48:00.000-07:00

I have always felt that weight loss is a very personal matter. I tell my clients all the time that you have to want to do it for YOU and nobody else. There is, however, and exception to this rule.

You are happily going about your "single" life and then suddenly you meet the man of your dreams. You date (and eat), get engaged (celebrate & eat), get married (eat some more), buy a house (eating gets worse), have a couple of kids (cravings make you EAT!), and suddenly you realize that you're heavier than you've ever been. Now of course, your supportive spouse is still very much in love with you, the compliments have not stopped and he assures you that he'll love you no matter your weight. Now I love the scenerio I really do, but the only thing that bothers me is that there is a chance that your weight IS an issue for your spouse and he just doesn't want to hurt your feelings. I can remember a time not long after I hit my goal weight, I asked my hubby if he was glad I had lost the weight. When I say that I had barely gotten the question fully out of my mouth before he answered, without hesitation, "YES"...I was like huh?? REALLY??? So I then asked him why he never said anything and he said he was trying to figure out a way to say something; poor dude. Can you honestly picture any man in his right mind telling his wife he wants her to lose weight???? I can't picture a man who likes having teeth! I'm sure Jason wudda caught 5 accross the lips for telling me something like that. *giggling* The truth is, I KNEW I needed to lose weight, I wasn't no dang on size 18/20 when he met me and unless he had expressed a sudden interest in plus sized women (WHICH HE HAD NOT), I realy should have been on my weight loss grind a long time ago. Like it or not, I'm a relatively honest chick. MOST fuller figured women are not so because they really want to be. You're heavier than you wanna be so you start to complain about your belly, thighs, blah...blah...blah. The sexy nighties that you used to shimmy into have been replaced by jogging pants and big baggy t-shirts. YOU don't even feel sexy so how in the world do you think your man feels?? If you happen to be a sistah who is proudly rocking her curves then this post ain't for you; BUT... if you are on a diet every other week then it's seriously time to take action.
Oh and fellas, don't be so quick to show this post to your girl...especially if YOU'RE sporting extra around the middle yourself. News flash, women like muscles! Yall like to look at Beyonce'?? Well Tyrese is looking good to us! Fellas yall need to tighten it up too...

Ultimately I lost weight for a healthier me but I also did it for my husband and there's nothing wrong with that kind of a motive. You are a representative of your spouse and vice versa so why not look your very best? If you met him/her at a smaller weight then it's even MORE important to get back to how it all began. Team up with your Boo today. Go for walks after dinner each night, take turns cooking healthier meals, support each other as you BOTH find your way to a healthier lifestyle.

I'm not saying that packing on a few pounds means that your spouse is somehow secretly wishing you to lose weight. What I AM saying is that the fact that they haven't commented that you need to lose weight doesn't mean he (or SHE) ain't thinking it...

MIzcardio4lyf~

When words hurt~

2011-07-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know when or WHO decided that it was cool for people to openly (and without warning) comment on someone's weight. I can remember an incident right before I decided to start my own weght loss journey where a "well meaning" person slapped me on my butt and hollared, Wooooooooo!" Now let me help you understand that I was at work, and there was several people around when this person did that to me. I was MORTIFIED!!!

WORDS HURT!!!I don't know how to make it more clear than that...it is NEVER cool to comment on someone's weight even if you call yourself "just playing". If you happen to be rocking a slamming body then I'm happy for you but it doesn't give you license to speak on someone else; you don't know thier story or thier pain. My feelings were hurt and the sheer embarrassment of that incident made me just that more determined to make that person have to one day comment on how fantastic I looked after I lost the weight; of course that never happened...LOL But I was proud that I didn't allow that hurt to sentence me to a life in a body I was not happy with.
For those of you struggling with your weight, and you're ACTIVELY doing something about it, don't you let the ignorant comments of others sway your efforts. I was watching Joyce Meyer one day and she said, "People who hurt you often do so because they can't see past thier own pain" I have since adopted this philosopy when it comes to people and the hurtful things that they might say or do.

Weighloss is very personal, and emotinal highs and lows come with the territory. You will often find yourself on the receiving end of unwanted advice, and comments from people who are not qualified in ANY capacity to offer it. Just smile and nod....that's what I do!
You are NOT a failure...

You CAN lose your belly...

You will NOT look like a crackhead if you lose any more weight. (tha has got to be THE MOST ignorant comment ever utterd by a human being.)

You are NOT doing anything wrong if you're not losing weight as fast as "so-in-so"

You also don't have to be a size 4 to be beautiful. Marilyn Monroe was about a size 14 and she is STILL considered the epitome of sexy. If you decide that a size 14, 16, or 18 is your goal size and your doctor says that you are in good health then ROCK ON!!!!

If no one else has encouraged you lately, please allow me the opportunity to do so now. You CAN have the body you want; let the unwanted comments motivate you to get to the next level in your weighloss journey! Pray for them, they're hurting in some form or fashion trust me!!

Love you like I love cardio!
Mizcardio4lyf!

Issues of belly fat~

2011-06-26T17:59:00.000-07:00

1st off, that is NOT a picture of me, however, there was a time that it could have been. I must say that of all areas to lose weight, the belly has to be one of the top areas that my clients complain about; both men & women. I'm thinking it runs a close second to the thighs and butt. My hubby has a little nick name for the big belly, he calls it "booty do". He says it's when a belly sticks out farther than when your "Booty Do" Kinda funny but the reality of "booty do" is NOT. For one thing, carrying extra fat around the midsection puts you at a higher risk of developing several life threatening diseases. The words, "LIFE, and THREATENING should have your attention.
"Hello?? Is this thing on????"
Ok so for the ladies...you've had kids...Yes, I know...for some of us the belly does linger longer than others. You ladies that can pop out kids and strut your stuff in a bikini the following month better count your blessings! I am a mother of three and I can say from experience that losing the belly is not impossible. It may be tough for some, but just cause you've had a kid (or kids) is no excuse for you to claim a big belly for the rest of your life. The one thing that I can tell you about losing the belly is that it has absolutely nothing to do with crunches; it's about what you're eating. Sorry, but you might as well get up offa the floor now if your diet is wack. I'm not going to debate which eating lifestyle is best, I'll just say that if you clean up your eating, the belly will come off. Exercise does have its place. It tones as you lose so please DO NOT think I'm telling you to NOT work your abs. I'm a low carber for life and I have witnessed my own belly whittle away the longer I cut the sugar, increased my water intake, and didn't eat junk food.
Fellas, the "beer belly" is not working for your lady. I challenge you to stop drinking for 30 days and see if you don't notice a differnce. Just like yall see eye candy from the scantily clad chicks, we see hot bods too; do us a favor and tighten things up. As the head of the household, you all (especially) should be demonstrating healhty living so that the family follows your lead.
Belly fat might take longer to come off, but believe me...IT WILL COME OFF.
Be patient...stay focused...be determined to get that belly off at this time in your life. Kids or no kids...

Mizcardio4lyf~

I did it~

2011-06-23T22:00:00.000-07:00

Well, after over 11 years with my so-called stable job, I did it; I walked away! Last Friday was my last day and it was a day mixed with many emotions. Above and beyond it all, I was happier than I have been in a long time. Then I was sad because I have been working with many of the same people since the year 2000. I can't lie and say that I wasn't also nervous about walking away from a stable paycheck and top notch benefits. I have a son with Epilepsy, and bills to pay so no longer having the comforts of both is A LOT to digest. BUT-----GOD IS ABLE! I have been doing a lot of praying, fasting, and seious thinking over the past several months and to be quite honest, I was absolutely miserable at my job and it wasn't getting better with time. Ya know, it seems kinda crazy to me to continue to go to a job that you wake up hating EVERYDAY; and for what? Money, benefits, vacation time that they wanna hassel you about if you try to take a day off?? I got to a point where I decided that I wanted a LIFE more than a tenure so walking away was not all that complicated. I am blessed to have a plan B, one that has the potential to sustain my family far better than that "job" ever could have. My decision was just that, MINE, so I still got mad love for those that remain in Corporate America. You gotta do what works for YOU, but that journey was at an end for me so here I am and glad to be here.

I am now at the tail end of my first week as an entrepreneur and it feels amazing. In addition to quitting my job, I also had to relocate from Kentucky back to Michigan. My house is a wreck! Bags, and boxes all over the place. 2 of many things that we have now listed on CraigsList. I'm also adjusting to being a full-time SAHM to a 4 & 7 year old. So far, it ain't half bad! I'm loving the idea that my time is just that...MINE! Make important business calls in my PJ's while I'm making my kids breakfast; how cool is that? It has been my dream to be able to be home full time by the time my daughter started school, and guess who is starting kindergarten this fall? I will be able to take her to school for the first day and be there when she gets home. Mission accomplished!

Okay so on to the business. I thought I had locked in on a location but that fell thru so it's back to the drawing board! I was mad at first but I have re-grouped. God has something better for me so I'm keeping my eyes and ears open for the location that HE had intended for my business. On Tuesday I had a meeting with an awesome lady who is going to team up with me on some things for the business. She has the experience that I am lacking and is willing to take me under her wing- I am in complete awe at the people that I am meeting each day.

I have pre-registered for my next Zumba certification at the end of July. I'm also about to get things in order to get my AFAA certification and the ACE is next!
It's also time to get my body back in tip top shape. Relocating and the stress of all of this transitioning has not helped me focus on the very best of eating habits and exercise. I feel awful because it's been a minute since my last good workout. I strive to be relatable in my blog so here you have it folks...I have slip ups too!! The cool thing is that my body is very well conditioned and it doesn't take long at all for it to snap back after a hiatus. I've set up my schedule to help me balance my day and it will definately include several hours of exercise. I'm excited about that!

Things are on the move for me and Move2Lose fitness so don't blink or you might miss something great!

Mizcardio4lyf!

Don’t think, just drink~

2011-06-14T06:57:00.000-07:00

Your body needs water daily…and LOTS of it. I happen to be one of those fortunate people; drinking plain water comes naturally to me so I can down 100+ ounces of the clear stuff daily without batting an eye. For others, it’s a challenge and I have heard some rather creative ways that people try to justify their water intake. Coffee & tea consumption does not count as water intake for my clients; while I do whole heartedly support many of the health benefits in both of these power drinks, NOTHING compares to a glass of plain old water. Water is one of the BEST known natural appetite suppressants; more times than not, the grumblings that people mistake for hunger pangs, is actually your body’s need for water. Unfortunately, the overweight person needs more water than a thin one. Larger people have larger metabolic loads. It is believed that water is the key to fat metabolism; therefore the overweight person needs more water.

So what about water retention? “If I drink a lot of water, I retain water and feel bloated. My stomach feels huge and I weigh more!” The best way to overcome water retention issues is to give your body what it needs -- plenty of water. Only then will stored water be released. If you have a constant problem with water retention, excess salt may be to blame. Your body will tolerate sodium only in a certain concentration. The more salt you eat the more water your system retains to dilute it. Again, diet plays a BIG part in weight loss; watch your sodium intake. *and high levels of sodium is not just about salty foods. Read labels!*

Please stay away from water pills people!! (I know all the tricks trust me) Diuretics offer a temporary solution at best. They force out stored water along with some essential nutrients. Now besides the fact that losing essential nutrients is NEVER a good thing, your body will replace this lost water at the FIRST opportunity and guess what… the condition quickly returns.

Bottled or tap? I’ll leave that up to the individual. I know many people who will fight to the death over their Britta water bottles, and or their bottles of Evian. Those are all fine by me, it’s one of those matters where both sides have great arguments and supporting studies. In general I drink tap water. Besides the fact that it has nutrients such as fluoride, let’s be honest, it’s cheaper and convenient! I’m a water bottle junkie, especially personalized ones. I’ll fill my containers in the morning, throw em’ in a cooler with an ice pack and I’m out the door! Every now and again, I do like to splurge and get a Fiji water but I can assure you, it’s only because I think I look super cool carrying that squared off looking bottle. #imjussaying…

If you do opt to rock a water bottle, please…please…PLEASE…clean it thoroughly with HOT soap and water daily! I watched a documentary on water bottles a few years back and was blown away at the bacteria found in water bottles daily. Ecoli being one of the most prevalent! There’s a lot of backwash going on in your beloved water bottle on a baily basis and simply rinsing it out with some more water will kill none of the germs. I try to wash my bottle out with soap and water before I refill it but if there is little time then I make sure I do it at the end of the day. I also replace my bottles every 6 months, I have no scientific reason for the number, I just do it after I go to the dentist. *shrug*

Glowing skin & nails, a happier colon are a few more out of a host of reasons why you should be sure to hydrate your body often. Water is not optional in weight loss, it is key to your success and can make life so much easier in general. Please remember this is if nothing else:

If you wait until you’re thirsty to drink a glass of water, you’re already dehydrated!

Mizcardio4lyf!

A picture speaks a thousand words~

2011-06-09T12:17:00.000-07:00

The process of losing unwanted pounds and getting fit is almost always a daunting one. There are highs, lows, and everything in between. I’m such an impatient person. Whatever it is that I want, I want it yesterday! So you can imagine how badly I was waiting to see some results when I weighed over 200lbs, wore a tight size 18/20 and wanted so desperately to see the single digit sizes again. For most people, the numbers on the scale show a loss pretty quickly in the beginning. Usually the first drop is water weight coming off but it’s still a happy feeling when you are ready to LOSE. You will get to a point where the numbers won’t budge, or worse, they start to RISE again. (see my previous post about throwing out them scales) You’re going to need some sort of sign that all of your hard work and sacrifice has not gone unnoticed by your body. *enter the camera* I was not a big fan of the camera when I was bigger. I’d usually hide in the back or be the one doing all the picture taking. (sound familiar to any of you?) One day, I can’t remember why I did it but I took a “before” picture and every few weeks I’d take another. After a few weeks of this I had them side by side I saw changes! Talk about an ego boost. People were telling me they could tell I was losing weight, but “I” wanted to see; did I mention I’m a control freak too? =) From that point on, pictures became a regular part of the weight loss drill. I have pics at every stage of my weight loss and I STILL look back at them to this day! I can still remember how I was feeling and what was going on in my life at the time when I look at many of the pictures. We all have those, “I feel fat” days and the pics will usually give you the “pick me up” that you will need to go on. You don’t need anything super fancy; a cell phone pic will do if that’s all you got. I don’t care how bad you hate taking pics, take at least one when you begin your weight loss plan; you will be SO GLAD that you did! Remember how you feel when you take the picture, and then put it somewhere to remind you of a place where you will NEVER be again!

Mizcardio4lyf!

Try something new~

2011-06-08T11:21:00.000-07:00

My muse for the name of my company really tells the tale of how I lost weight. I know a lot of people think that to lose weight you simply go to the gym, eat right, drink a bunch of water and the weight will come off. This thinking is absolutely correct, BUT….there are so many other ways to lose weight than the machines at the gym. When I was trying to lose weight in 2007, I had a gym membership but I was too embarrassed to go, and the machines bored me to tears anyway. One night, I saw an infomercial for a cool chick named Leslie Sansone advertising Walk Away the Pounds dvds. I was looking at it laughing to myself because it looked entirely too easy to have any type of weight loss effects. Well I’m here to tell the masses that I was SADLY mistaken! Not only were her vids effective, but they put a whooping on me something terrible! Who knew that I really COULD walk away the pounds?? Hence, the birth of my business name because all you gotta do is MOVE and it clearly DOES NOT have to be on a treadmill in a gym in order for you to LOSE!

Today I’d like to encourage you to try something new in both eating habits and exercise. You may be surprised to discover that the exercise you least expected to work might be your breakthrough body changer! Hire a personal trainer for a minimum of 6-8 weeks and if you do then please make SURE to clean up your eating and do what he/she says to the letter. Our job as your trainer is to work the heck outta you, not coddle; sorry but it is, what it is. If you have a trainer that won’t push you past what you can do on your own then you are wasting your valuable time and money.

Another suggestion is to try some form of group exercise. Some of my favorites are: Yoga, Spinning, and Kickboxing. You want to get your heart rate up and sweat!!! Ladies, this is NOT the time to be worrying about your “doo”. Get some braids, or buy a wig and take care of business.

I wish you the best in your new fitness discoveries! There’s so much out there to try.

Mizcardio4lyf~

A change has come~

2011-06-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

I was on hiatus from my blog last week, did yall miss me cuz I sure missed yall!

Sometimes I have to step back and kind of “see where my head is”, so to speak. I am, by nature, a multitasking maniac so I’ve always got a million things going at once. Now that I have started my business, and I’m commuting between states to see my family, I’m even MORE on the go! I did some thinking, made a few decisions, and I’m pretty pleased with the outcome. A little over 3 months ago, I made the decision to stop eating meat. I honestly didn’t think I’d make it thru the first 30 days and when I survived, I decided to stick with it. The next 60 days were tough for me. At first I thought I was doing pretty well but then I got to a point where I felt like I was starving to death and that was NOT the biz! Once I got past what to eat, I started experiencing a whole new issue. Fructose Malabsorbtion; who knew too much fruit could make you sick? *look it up and you’ll see what I was going thru* As soon as I backed off the fruits, all the issues I was having stopped. A decision had to be made and fast! My biggest obstacle, and I knew this going into my vegetarianism lifestyle, is that I don’t like a huge variety of veggies, and those that I do like I only like raw. I commend folks who live a complete RAW lifestyle, some days; momma needs some heat on her food! Okay so after painful deliberation, I have started eating meat again and the process has been interesting for me. We’ll just say, my body has been “adjusting” to processing meats again. I never said I disliked meat, and having been extremely successful with Atkins, you can imagine how hard NOT eating it has been for me. I have had chicken and beef so far and every bite has been pure heaven! I missed it something terrible, I didn’t know it when I wasn’t eating it but now I realize how yummy a great burger is!! *LOL* I am my biggest critic and the decision to go back to eating meat was about as difficult as my decision to wean my daughter before she turned 1. The guilt was something awful! I’m not one to quit anything but my awesome hubby helped me to see one of the things that I honestly believe; ‘EVERYTHING AIN’T FOR EVERYBODY.” I’m proud that I made it the 90 days, which was HUGE for me! I will buy organic meats though, it costs more but I’ll pay for more quality food. I highly recommend that everyone step out of your comfort zone at least once and give vegetarianism a try. If it works for you great, if not, then at least you’ve tried something new. As for yours truly, it feels good to be back to my old self; a Hello Kitty loving diehard carnivore!

It's getting closer!!

2011-05-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

Time is winding down for me and my studio! I’m all set to meet with a potential CPA for my business. My single biggest fear is missing some tax deadline and having the IRS breathing down my neck about it so obtaining a really good CPA is at the top of my “to do” list. The first potential CPA I spoke with left me feeling quite discouraged and confused. I’m sure different entrepreneurs have different ways they like to approach matters of finance. I have decided that I want to be front and center when it comes to ALL matters of finance regarding my business. M2Lose fitness LLC is not a side hustle so I can make some quick (tax free) money. It’s not just a name that I chose and then stuck LLC on the end of it to make it look more important. It is a real live REGISTERED business and that means if ANYTHING in my books ain’t kosher, regardless of who’s keeping them, DEZ is in trouble! So I wanna know what the heck is going on at all times. I also don’t want to be one of those people who wake up and realize that someone had been embezzling tons of my hard earned money for years and I didn’t know it because THEY were keeping my books. The company I am meeting next week appears to be a company that understands they are working FOR me. We shall see!

I can already see a few mistakes that I have made thus far. Nothing earth shattering but things I am learning. This stuff will remain private but what I can say to those interested in starting your own business is this; you WILL mess up some stuff. Some mess ups will be bigger than others but the thing of the matter is to LEARN from it and keep moving. I have NEVER done anything like this before. I don’t have a business degree and nobody has helped me do ANY of this. Now let me make it clear…. I wanted it that way. I want to be an encouragement to the everyday average chick, with little to no business experience, that if you get fed up enough, you CAN start a business all by yourself! You don’t have to be scared if you don’t have a degree and you don’t have to worry if you don’t have a lot of start up money. If you have a solid plan, and are willing to do the research, then dagnabbit you CAN start that business-I sure did! I want to also be a role model to my children.

I confide in my husband A LOT- I ask, and value his opinion because I know he’ll tell me the truth. I’m sensitive, and get mad at his suggestions sometimes but I honestly trust him so he will forever be front and center with the moving and shaking of the studio. He was the one who gave me the draft for my awesome logo, he has been with me looking at potential locations for the studio itself, and he’s got my back no matter what happens with the studio I love you for that Mr. Houston-thank you! I also have an awesome realtor, Reginald Perryman; (ritzrealtydetroit.com) not only is he a client but he has gone above and beyond the call of duty with helping me not only find a location for the studio, but with all things business in general. Networking has been a powerful tool with starting my business. You can’t be so scared that somebody is going to “steal” your idea that you don’t talk to people. I’m not saying share your business plan with everyone you meet but you’re going to need a few people to be able to bounce stuff off of because, as the business owner, you WON’T have all the answers.

I am in a really good place right now. I can hardly believe that almost losing my job last year gave me the courage and drive to make my business happen! It feels good to know that very soon I will be the boss. I’m tired! I have had a job since the age of 14 years old. I’m tired of the corporate games, people taking my stuff off the printer, politics for getting time off work, and working like crazy to make a company rich and then the few pennies raise I get is eaten up by the raised insurance premiums the company is charging for my healthcare. No more waking up thinking of a good excuse to call in or driving to work hating the day before I even get there! Thank the Lord I’m almost done with it all!!! I’m no longer angry. The “mad at the world” ship has sailed and now I have moved on to being grateful for all the different experiences that corporate America has exposed me to and I will keep my feelings front and center as I hire my staff and work with people in general. My dream is to be able to make a living doing something that I TRULY love. Not many people can say that but I’m excited to get to the place where I’m finally one of them!

Mizcardio4lyf!!!

Do yourself a favor and get rid of your scale~

2011-05-24T15:52:00.000-07:00

You know the drill…you workout and eat clean all week. You’ve been extra devoted to your water intake, you haven’t had any salt, and you’ve managed to get to bed before 10 every night. Kudos to you!! Tonight is weigh in night at the gym and the scale is SURE ot show a huge loss this time! You proudly step on that scale and to your surprise, you’ve GAINED 3lbs. GAAAASSSSPPP!!!! How in the world is this possibe? Your mood instantly tanks and instead of a gruesome workout you merely walk on the treadmill at a moderate pace for 20 minutes and then stop at the local Baskin & Robbins for a scoop to try to console yourself. You get home and it’s .99 day at the local chicken joint so you grab a thigh and some fries. I mean why not…you gained 3lbs so you might as well take a break today and tomorrow

“get back on the wagon”. ßPersonally I despise that phrase to no end

Never mind that your clothes are falling off of you, you’re blood pressure medication dosage has been cut in half, and you’re wearing your wedding rings on a chain around your neck because they need to be resized; THE SCALE SAID a 3lb gain so that settles it!

Scales are evil, period! Unless you’re in some kind of a seriously structured fitness program with doctors, & dieticians calculating things for you every step of the way, the scale is usually the single biggest deterrant to a weight loss program. I recommend to all of my clients to put very little stock in what the scal says because there are factors (many that have NOTHING to do with actual weight gain) that can cause the numbers on the scale to rise. Please, Please, PLEEEEEEAAAASSSEEEE don’t get all excited and proudly proclaim that “muscle weighs more than fat” and THAT’S why the scale is showing a higher number; muscle & fat weigh about the same so that ain’t it…

Try using a tape measure instead because inches don’t lie. Make sure to use the same tape measure each time and be very careful to measure at the same spots to prevent misreadings. There are countless outlines on the internet about the “proper” way to meaure different body parts so I will let yall hash that out for yourselves.

How do your clothes fit? Of alllllllllllllllllllllllll the ways to validate TRUE weight loss, I believe in my heart of hearts that THIS is by far the most accurate way to keep score. If you could barely get a pair of pants past your knees in January and in November you have them up over your hips, it’s safe to say that some weight loss has occurred and you should be proud. We all have that one outfit or item of clothing (FELLAS YALL DO TOO!) that we would feel so accomplished if we could get either “back into it” or we want to buy it to rock it because it looks so fly! Get the item, buy the outfit, and put it somewhere you will see if OFTEN. I know people who have gone so far as to nail stuff to a wall. Now I want you to focus on shrinking into that outfit and ONLY focus on that task. Set a date and try it on; I don’t care if you can barely get it past your ankle or your wrist, try it on. Be aware of how you feel in this item of clothing. Are you sad, disgusted with your self, angry, or super psyched to lose the weight once and for all? Whatever the feeling is just allow it to happen for 5 minutes and not a second longer. Now take the item off and the challenge begins. Each month on that date, you go back and try it on and see if you notice any changes. If you do, no matter how small, get excited and be proud of yourself. If you keep your focus, at some point, you WILL get in that outfit, and proabably shrink right up out of it too!

I wish you all the VERY BEST of luck with your outfit challenges~ now toss them scales and lets see some outfit shrinking into!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I’ll start! These are true pics of me shrinking into and right out of a really cute Roca Wear jumper I snagged at a thrift store for $6!! When I frst saw it I couldn’t fit it but it was such a great deal I bought it anyway. When I did squeeze into it, I was wearing a body shaper and I was miserably stuffed into it. It took some time but I DID lose the weight ang get into the jumper. Then, I kept on losing weight and the darn thing got too big for me so I blessed a friend with it and she was thrilled!

Rest days aren’t suggested..THEY’RE REQUIRED!!!

2011-05-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

I’m all about hammering it out in the gym for as long as it takes me to exhaust every seed of energy that I have in my being. I will lift until my arms are too weak to even lift my water bottle. I’ll crunch until a small chuckle will send pain shooting thru me so bad that I will avoid being around anyone or anything funny. Yes, that’s how I roll when I workout. I do that because I know that at some point I’m going to do the most important thing that I can do for my body. Give it a rest..

Please ~ Please ~ PLEASE, for your own safety, take time where you do ZERO exercise. On your rest day (s) I recommend scheduling some sort of deep tissue massage, and or soaking in the tub with your favorite relaxing bath salt. Or, hit the whirlpool at your gym. Really pamper your body because, if you’re on your work out game like you SHOULD be, then you’ve put it thru HELL. Let your rest days be your extra push to really “bring it” in the gym (or however you exercise). I teach Zumba and it’s very taxing on my feet so at least once a week, I have an appointment to have reflexology done on my feet and I even use some extra relaxing socks and foot lotions! You can get some really good deals at local massage schools by the students who need people to practice on. My goodness I have had some of my BEST massages from students! When I was in PT school, the other part of the building housed a massage therapist program and I was ALWAYS volunteering for them to practice some new technique!

DO NOT feel guilty on your rest day if you have stuck to your exercise schedule. You have earned it and your body needs the rest and pampering. Recovery is probably more important than the exercise itself because over exertion WILL set you up for an injury. If you get hurt then guess what? You can’t exercise. If you can’t exercise then guess what? It’s going to be that much harder, if not impossible, to maintain your hard work thus far. Is it worth the risk to NOT rest? I don’t think so.

Your rest day should NOT be your cheat day. You won’t be doing anything to help offset the extra calories you will consume from your cheat (s) Instead, this needs to be a day when you make extra sure to eat nutritious foods and drink lots of plain water. Give your muscles a rest and your stomach a break if you’ve fallen off the wagon a time or 2 or 3….

Do not fool yourself into thinking that skipping your rest days is giving you some kind of a bonus in your exercise routine. At some point, the lack of rest will catch up to you. You DO NOT want to see that point…

How often you rest, depends on how often you exercise to begin with. I’m a machine lately so I only rest 1 day a week but when my studio opens I’m sure I’ll increase the rest days so as not to wind up in someone’s ER. In the beginning, I think it’s a good idea to rest every other day until your body shows that it can handle fewer rest days. If you are feeling pain and or sheer exhaustion please take time to fully recover. Your body knows better than you what it needs so please listen to it.

Having a banging body is not the biz if all you can do is rock a hospital gown...

Chill out so you can work out!

~Mizcardio4lyf~

Schedule your workouts~

2011-05-19T11:17:00.000-07:00

Many of us are on the constant go, go, GO! We work, we have kids in afterschool and or weekend activities, choir rehearsal, spouses who need our time and attention... Maybe you’re working OT right now or all of the above at the same time? Amidst all of these “to dos” we find ourselves not getting our workouts “to done” and the easiest way to remedy this gap in the schedule is to actually schedule time to work out. Yes, you need to make an appointment to get some sweat time in or it probably won’t happen. You know how you have that standing hair appointment? You’re dead tired from working all week, the kids done got on your LAST nerve, every bill in the house is past due with a shut off notice and you got payment arrangements on the payment arrangements. You and your spouse or significant other are on the verge of splitsville, BUT!!!!! thru all of this, you manage to squeeze out the moolah and the time to get that hair DID. I’m not knocking getting the doo done, I’m just saying, you should have that same tenacity about getting fit as well. Your workout time needs to be a “deal breaker” time just like back in the day when momma-nem was watching their “stories” I know yall remember that. You were all but banned from the house until the program went off. I don’t care if a tornado was ripping down your street, you better not come in that house making no noise when the stories were on! You feel that shutter while I was telling the story? Yeah, that’s how your family (especially your children) and friends need to feel when you are working out.

Make it reasonable and consistent so that it’s easy to stick to. If you know you can barely drag yourself out the bed after you’ve hit the snooze an HOUR after the time you were supposed to get up, please don’t schedule AM workouts. And don’t be feeling guilty because sister/brother so-in-so is up at dawn practicing Yoga for an hour. That’s THEIR thing, you have to find YOURS. There is nothing written in stone that says an AM or a PM workout is any better than the other. Yes, there are benefits to both but you have to get it in when you know you can and WILL stick with the program.

I’m not kidding when I say write it down either. I LITERALLY mean, go buy a big ole’ calendar or dry erase board that is ONLY for your workouts. Use colorful pens or markers and chart the days and times that you will work out and if you miss an appointment write that too. People are naturally driven by charts and graphs, I don’t know why but they are. If you can SEE what the plan is, it tends to help you stick with it. Also make sure to post the schedule in a high traffic area so that you have a constant reminder of your workout appointments. It’s also a good idea to keep a journal of what you eat for a period of time. Chances are, you'll discover that you eat stuff and don’t even realize you’ve eaten it. A food journal will help put things in perspective for you and will give you a starting point to clean up your diet as you start to exercise more regularly. I had to keep a food journal when I was in PT school and it blew me away! I got to the point where I didn’t want to eat ANYTHING bad (even on my allowed cheat day) because I didn’t want to have to write it down. It’s like a big note telling on you and nobody likes getting notes sent home right?

I want to see some calendars popping up in some homes real soon. You can do it! Just write the vision.and make it sweat~ *yall get the picture*

Mizcardio4lyf…

"But I can't help it" ~ oh yes you can!!

2011-05-17T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today's post is going to be short and sweet. Stop it with the excuses to yourself. The one thing in this world that you DO have complete power over is the choices you make in your day to day. Yes there are always circumstances that tempt, and even challenge, but at the end of the day, the FINAL decision is
Y-O-U-R-S...can you hear me now? YOU, and YOU alone are in control.

"But it was food day at work" Did somebody put an oozie to your head and make you eat the junk food?

"But I fogot my breakfast/lunch at home and it was all they had" I don't know an office cafe in this world that doesn't have at least a salad bar.

"But I didn't have time to pack my lunch last night" But you had time to be up at all hours of the night watching TV?

I'm not very good with people's excuses when it comes to losing weight. Remember, I too have traveled along the dreaded weight loss road and it was not easy for me. I started out wearing a tight size 18-20 and in the end I was rocking a very comfortable size 7-8. I am a mother of 3 and at the time, my youngest was under the age of 1. I worked fulltime, was in PT school and the things I was studying was hard. I had tests every Monday and insane chapters to read in between. I had EVERY reason in the world to backslide but it was my CHOICE to stay the course. If you're waiting for your life to become perfect so that you can "focus" and lose the weight then you have just sentenced yourself to a life of obesity; and THAT my friend may be shorter than you think given the many dangerous illnesses linked to being overweight. Just stop it already with the excuses because that's what they are...EXCUSES.

Get inside of your own head and understand exactly why you eat the things that you do. Are you afraid of something? Are you upset about something? Are you bored? There is always a reason for doing the things that you do and if you want to break the cycle of bad eating you gotta face yourself and REALLY know what you're dealing with. Pray about it, ask GOD to give you the strength to take better care of the body he has blessed you with. If you really think about it, after you eat junk that you eat to make you "feel better" you really don't. I usually feel physically bad and then the guilt sets in to compoud the physical bad feelings.

Commit to yourself today to stop with the excuses and do something about your weightloss and health as a whole. Only YOU can make the changes but you have to be strong and face yourself, no matter what it is, with GOD, you can overcome all!

~NO MORE EXCUSES~

Small Changes add up to big results~

2011-05-16T10:29:00.000-07:00

When you set your mind to lose weight you’ve also got to set your mind to begin eating differently than you already are; permanently. Exercise without changing your eating habits will make it very difficult, if not impossible, to lose the weight. Personally, I think people over think their meals. Yes, you want to plan ahead and even prepackage your meals and snacks but this should not be a long drawn out process. We live in a “microwave” age. We want things fast, cheap, and convenient so trust me when I say that weighing yourself down with heavy thoughts about complicated meals is NOT the way you want to go when trying to lose weight. Keep it simple and you will be able to go the distance and see your way through to achieve your weight loss goals. You don’t need a degree in dietary science to plan your meals and you certainly do not have to pay the high prices of the meal home delivery plans. Disclaimer: It is NOT my intention to speak against anyone who has chosen to hire a dietician or pay for the meal home delivery plans. I just think you’d be happier losing weight au natural and using THAT money to pay for your new wardrobe of smaller sizes once you start shrinking. =)

One last note-you can’t make your meals so boring and bland that you don’t look forward to eating. Unless you are super disciplined to the maxx, good ole’ “baked chicken and broccoli” is only going to last for so long. Make an effort when preparing your better food choices. Good for you, should also taste goods to you!

Okay so let me offer some suggestions because I get a lot of emails asking me what to eat INSTEAD of the bad stuff.

Instead of: A big bag of movie theatre butter microwave popcorn

Try: Plain popcorn, then spray on some of that zero calorie butter spray and season your kernels with sea salt or parmesan cheese (The kind in the can), & a little pepper. You'll love it I promise...

Instead of: A salad drowned in ranch dressing and cheese piled so high you will need a glass of prune juice later. (and don’t act brand new because yall know we like that ranch and cheese on our salads!)

Try: Using a teeny bit of blue cheese instead of American or cheddar (it doesn’t take much of the stuff to flavor a salad) add cranberries, sunflower seeds and ditch the ranch dressing for some olive oil instead. Yummy!!!

Instead of: Snickers bar for a snack

Try: Almond or peanut butter and organic applesßand yes I mean organic. Have some fruit minus all the chemicals that remain after your 2 second rinse under the tap.

Instead of : A cheeseburger and fries

Try: A veggie burger & seasoned sweet potato fries you will wanna slap somebody because it tastes so darn good!

Instead of: A cold bottle of soda

Try: A cold bottle of water with a sugar free drink packet added to it. Lipton and Wyler’s are my two favorite and they both have some slamming flavors!

Instead of: A heavy dinner-whatever that may be.

Try: A bowl of high fiber cereal with soy milk

Instead of: Homogenized milk

Try: Soy or Almond milk- I’ve been anti-cow’s milk for a few years now but I’ll let you do your own research as to why you may want to consider NOT drinking it.

And my personal favorite~

Take your favorite fast food dish and before you take one bite, put half of it up for the next day. You simply MUST allow a cheat day but you don’t want to destroy a week’s worth of great eating with one day of maniac eating. Long John Silver’s is my cheat just so you know. Also, on my cheat day, I make sure to get a good workout in and I drink a little extra water than normal for me. It kind of helps to balance things out in my opinion.

C’mon people, let’s make time to eat some decent food. Yes, organic food does cost more. But I’m sorry, it’s not like you’re getting a bargain when you refill all of that high costing blood pressure medication that you have to take because you’re overweight and your poor heart is straining to move blood through your body. Organic food even tastes better! Try my suggestions for 30 days and see if this stuff doesn’t work!

Until my next post..

LOVE ~ PEACE ~ & YUMMINESS!

Your tredmill; the remix~

2011-05-14T19:17:00.000-07:00

You know the drill. You decide to finally commit to losing weight so you rush out and buy a treadmill with all the bells and whistles on it. You change your eating, buy a cool water bottle and for a few weeks you and your treddie are one! Ahhhh but the inevitable happens, day by day "things" pop up and you spend less and less time on your beloved cardio machine until the day comes when it is reduced to a holding place for the clothes you don't feel like hanging up. Soooooooooooo many people say that treadmills are boring. Well I say....NONSENSE! Your treadmill is what you make it. if you get on it and simply walk at the same old pace for any length of time, well YEAH...it will be boring. I would like to share a few things that I do to keep boredom at bay.

1) Turn off the TV~ unless you have some kind of a video of a super exciting moving landscape, you'll be more focused on the movie and less on burning calories. Focusing on the movie will usually equal a slower walking/running pace. That is so NOT the plan!

2) Move your treddie near a window. There is just something about staring out the window, even on a cloudy day, that motivates me on my treadmill. No matter what the weather is like, there is always something going on out there and the "goings on" will more times than not, get YOU going! Ditch the corner and get near a window.

3) Put together a great play list of some up tempo music. Everybody has those few songs that when you hear them you're like, "ooooooooooo that's my jam!" and you start moving to the beat. Once you get a "to die for" play list set up, get some good headphones; this is NOT the time to hit the dollar store people! You want your music to sound GOOD-turn up the volume and let the music drive you! I'll share one of my play lists with yall at the end of this post. Yes-I have more than one play list. I'm a very busy fitchik.

4) Change the incline more than once during your workout. There is no law that says that once you set the incline to a certain level, it has to stay there for the duration of your workout. I like to move the incline up and down several times during a session on my treddie. I refuse to allow my body a chance to get used to a certain level and it also doesn't allow me a chance to get bored with the level either.

5) Change the pace more than once during your workout. see #4

6) Walk backwards on a slight incline. It will feel awkward at first so keep your pace slow and allow time to get comfortable walking this way. Don't look down, look straight ahead, with your stomach pulled in and DO NOT hold the rails of your treadmill. Focus on your walking form. You should dig your heels in as you walk and push off with your toes. You have NEVER had a lower body workout like this trust me when I tell you! All I can say is, try it for a while and tell me if you don't see some results.

7) I hope I have been able to breathe some newness in your treddie workouts. You spent good money on the equiptment so you might as well get your money's worh out of it right?
I promised yall a peek into one of my playlists. Well here are a few songs that get my blood boiling-

S&M- Rihanna
Tambourine- Eve feat Swizz Beatz
Phenomenon - LL Cool J
Temperature- Sean Paul
Tightrope- Janelle Monet
B.O.B.- Outkast
Don't Stop the Music- Rihanna
Carry Out-Justin Timberland feat. Justin Timberlake
Hoodie-Omarion
Gimme That-Ciara
Buttons- Pussycat Dolls
Deja Vu-Beyonce
Move Your Body-Beyonce ft. Swizz Beatz

Enjoy!

~now put your clothes away

and

go show your treadmill some love~

Getting more sleep~

2011-05-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

Back in the day I had tons of me time. Time to shop, time to hang out with my friends, time to watch TV, or just to simply sit in solitude and gather my thoughts. Ahhhhh but alas…I got married, popped out 3 kids and the days of “ME” time are few and far in between and when I do manage to get some me time it usually comes at the expense of sleep. The only time I can get that time for DEZ is usually late at night after the kids are in bed and then comes time for my “wifely duties” ßgrown folks talk! Nighttime is my absolute favorite time of the day because it’s quiet-and living in Kentucky, it’s even more quite than when I was in Michigan. It’s not just quiet out here, it’s really peaceful and pretty! I’m ready to go home but I’m going to miss the peacefulness of the blue grass state. I love to snuggle up in bed and watch a good movie. BUT!!! Doing so usually makes me want to snack and veggies just ain’t the same as microwave popcorn and a soda; I’m just being honest here. Not only that, my days are jam packed nowadays. I’m still working full time and it’s SUPER stressed at my current job for more reasons that just the work itself. When I get off work, I have 2 boys to attend to, then there’s my Zumba rehearsals, and research for my business. I’ve got calls to return because I’m not allowed to have my cell phone on during business hours. I miss a TON of important calls because of this and by the time I get off work, most of the places are closed! REALLY????

So I decided to go old school like momma used to do; I can only stay up late on Friday night. Saturday is optional because I hate being sleepy for church on Sunday. I’m past the whole “gotta go out on Saturdays” thing; been there, done that. Shoot, even when I call myself trying to hang out, I’m sleepy by 10 pm so I might as well stay home. *LOL* My plan was tough at first because the day I decided to take my butt to bed at a decent hour, I promise you, every great movie that ever was created was on TV that night. I set the DVR and took my butt to bed anyway. By the third day I felt so much better in general; happier even!

Your body needs sleep plain and simple. Sleep is time for your body to recharge and heal from the day’s events and if you’ve had an extremely taxing day you might need to go down a little earlier. You know how you can tell that a child is sleepy because he/she is acting up and after the nap all is better?? Well adults are the same way! Get more sleep and watch your blood pressure go down. Get more sleep and watch the numbers on the scale go down. Get more sleep and see how much better you feel in general.

It all starts with a bedtime ritual that you must adhere to no matter what, and give yourself a definite bedtime too.! I stop eating, turn off the TV, and all my electronic devices at least an hour before I go to bed and I also shower or bathe with some kind of chamomile shower gel or soap to help set the sleep mood. Reading is also a great way to unwind and relax your mind; ok my Nook is the electronic exception to this rule =)

Spray your sheets with calming bed spray, light calming scented candles, and dim the lights. Routine is EVERYTHING and just like we use stimulants to rev us up in the morning i.e. coffee, we need things to calm us back down at night. One more note to my married peeps; get your “relations” in a little earlier as well. It might sound funky but if you’re well rested then you’ll have the energy to handle your bizness and that’s better than half doing things in the middle of the night because you’re beyond exhausted and stressed! I hope this post helps somebody in one way or another because it sure has done marvtastic things for me!

~@^_^@~ Sweet dreams to all ~@^_^@~

I got some help~

2011-05-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

I have been MIA for far too long, this I know. I’ve been beyond busy with getting things in order with my fitness studio but also I’ve been stagnant with my vegetarianism. No, I haven’t caved and resumed eating meat, but I’ve done the very thing that I caution many of my clients not to do. I’ve been skipping meals!!! *GAAASSSSPPP!!* There I said it. I’m so proud of my choice to consumer more veggies and nothing that has flesh or parents but the fact of the matter is, I have no clue how to go about this for the long haul and because I’m the only one in my family doing it I’m on my own to get help. Yesterday I did some research and found some on-line support and by the day’s end I was getting advice from other folks who have traveled along the road I’m going down this very minute. I’m a HUGE fan of on-line websites because as long as I have my Evo, I can take it with me everywhere I go. I feel so much better. I went grocery shopping last night and really took my time with buying food to eat. I bought small quantities of everything because I know I get tired of eating the same thing really quickly. I’m also happy to say that I am now liking fruit! Specifically apples. I’ve never been a big fruit eater so I’m looking forward to seeing if the “nature’s candy” can tame my sometimes, ferocious sweet tooth.

As for my exercise, I’ve had to pull back on my Zumba a bit because I live in an upstairs apartment and I’m sure my poor neighbors want to strangle me when I’m practicing in the wee hours of the day & night. So I have gone back to the complex gym to work out. It’s great because the weather has spiked and everyone is outdoors walking & running and I get the equipment all to myself! *YAY* I’m still doing Zumba but just not as much or as intense as I want to out of respect for my lower level peeps. No one has complained, but I’d like to keep it that way =)

My business is coming along just fine. Everything is in order, I’ve set up my business account, and I’m meeting with an awesome CPA in a few weeks! I have decided to find a different embroiderer to do my shirts because the lady who I was working with isn’t good with deadlines and dang it, my time and my business is valuable!!! I’m not asking anybody to do anything for me for free and if I’m paying my money then I want a decent turnaround. So I’m on the prowl for somebody new. *sniff* I really liked her work too. *sniff*

My website is also done but I’m not ready to release the link because I don’t have my building secured. I’m really kind of mad at myself because with my calculations, my site will be live for a good 60 days prior to me even having a building and I don’t know if that is really a good thing or not? It looks awesome though! My team did a really great job on it! I’ve got some other great news about my business brewing but I’m not ready to release those goods just yet. Ahhhh but on June 6^th another MAJOR step is being taken so stay tuned people…

Business Update~

2011-04-27T21:58:00.000-07:00

I have been MIA for a few weeks now...so much has been going on in my crazy world. I'm now on the final countdown to a major part of this transition with my studio. I'm set to meet with my realtor in a few weeks to check out some potential locations for my studio but I'm pretty sure I've found "the one" already. As exciting as all of this is for me, it's also a little scary. My business is going to be MY BUSINESS and not my hustle, meaning this is going to be my new full time gig. Yes, I'm on the verge of leaving the comforts and security of my full-time job of over 11 years to follow my passion. The very thought shakes me to the core but it's a path that I HAVE to follow. I'm simply miserable with my current career and I am no longer willing to settle when I know GOD has equipped me with the ability to do so much more!

I have a company building my business website and I have also established a business Facebook page. It's move2lose fitness studio and my logo is also there
hmmmmm...I think I'm going to also get set up on twitter as well. I'm trying to take advantage of the maximum on-line exposure available to me. My business cards are almost done too *smile*

To anyone reading my blog that is miserable in ANY area of your life, I say to you....FIX IT! You, and only YOU can do so. Don't let fear, doubt, finances, naysayers, or the devil tell you otherwise. I'm a living testimony that you CAN change your circumstances if you'll only step out on faith and TRY.

Raw eating...

2011-04-14T17:34:00.000-07:00

With warmer temps fast approaching, I plan to take FULL advantage of my vegetarianism and increase my intake of fresh fruits and veggies. Winter months tend to make people want to indulge in warm, filling foods. Holidays heighten the temptation of adding lots of fried, fatty foods as well as luscious sweet treats. I cannot tell a lie; the past 4.5 months in Kentucky my eating has been all over the map and I don't mean that in a good way either. My decision to begin my meatless and organic journey was about the healthiest thing I have done since our relocation. My biggest challenge at this point is "what the heck am I supposed to eat?" I don't know one person who doesn't eat meat. It's not so bad, when hubby and I began low-carbing in 2007 I was in the same boat so here I go again, researching a healthier way of eating. :o)
I have been scouring Barnes & Noble.com looking for an easy to follow raw eating ebook to put on my Nook. Today I think I may have found a winner...
I'm checking out a sample first to see what I think but so far the book seems pretty good and is within a reasonable price range.

I also began buying veggie food products. All winners!! Friday I bought the pepper jack slices and I'm in heaven!

I picked up some meatless meats that will allow me to continue to enjoy some of my favorite common recipes. Yuuuuummmmmmm.....

I'm thrilled with both as they are extremely low in fat and calories, have zero cholesterol, and high in protein. *2 thumbs up*

The clock is winding down for the opening of my fitness studion and because I will be one of the main instructors of classes I am beginning a very rigid exercise schedule. My daily schdule is about to become EXTREMELY taxing on my body so I'm getting ready now so I don't end up in the hospital from exhaustion come August. I'm ready for it. I have been craving some good Zumba and spinning but I refused to join a gym to be able to participate! I'm the kind of person who will "do it myself" if I can't get what I want the way I want it. This is going to be way cooler because I'm going to make a living doing it now. GOD is so good!

The juicing vegetarian in me~

2011-04-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I started a journey over a month ago and have been living meat free since that time. Yes, there are times that I do miss fried chicken and or a good old fashioned cheese burger but now that I have a better understanding of the treatment of the animals that I used to eat...all I can say is, pass me some soy! I’m not trying to convert anyone and I still hang out with my meat eating counterparts. This is something that you have to want to do on your own for your own reasons so I’ll leave all the meatless rallying up to other folks. I am NOT a vegan nor am I shooting to be one. The proper definition of a vegan is someone who does not consume anything that has parents and they also don't support animal-harming industries. I still like and eat eggs and fish. If you want to get technical, you can call me a lacto/ovo vegetarian because I don't eat meat but I do eat dairy and fish (I could eat chicken and still be considered this but I'll pass on the yard bird too). Personally, I'm not all into the labels, I'm just a chick that will pass on meat :o) Plus, I don’t like for people to give me that, “the poor thing can’t eat meat” look when it’s time to break bread. I CAN eat meat, I simply CHOOSE not to.

One of my new staples is natural veggie/juiced drinks in the form of smoothies. The type of device that I use is the Healthmaster (Montel). The darn thing is pricey but has turned out to be an awesome investment. I started my juicing journey with a juicer that would kick out the skin and only give off the juice in my fruits and veggies. Still a good device but the digestible fiber is found in the skin of fruits and veggies and that is such an awesome addition to the mix of the drink itself. *pardon the pun* So, the search began for a juicer/blender that could whip me up some tasty juice drinks AND include the digestible fiber; if you have constipation issues the digestible fiber will set you straight. One of the main reasons that I started juicing is because, as odd as this may sound coming from a newly found “vegetarian”, I don’t like to eat very many fruits and vegetables. I know, crazy right? Just to make it more interesting, the veggies that I DO like, I only like them raw. Truth be told, most of the veggies that we eat lose their vitamins when you cook them.Juicing has been a win/win for me because I can drink the very same veggies that I would NEVER eat. Beets, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, peppers…all the good stuff is now happily a part of my daily intake. I don’t really follow a specific recipe book, although I have been fortunate enough to find a free smoothie book on B&N.com and added it to my Nook. My goal is to make the most vitamin packed drinks I possibly can, most times this means it ain’t the tastiest thing in the world and it sure don’t look very appealing either. Enter the stainless steel water bottles. I made the mistake of putting my juiced goodies in my fabulous see thru pink water bottles and allllllllllllllllllllll day I had folks asking me, “What the heck it that?!” All of my drinks contain some kind of organic greens; spinach, arugula, kale, greens, broccoli…no matter what I mix with it, the drink is always green in color and people just don’t drink green colored drinks. I don’t mind sharing my lifestyle but most times it’s more trouble than it’s worth (most well meaning people try to convince me how I NEED to eat meat…it’s really sweet!) so now my goods are concealed in stainless steel bottles.
I’m going to try to make an effort to post some of my juiced drinks for those of you interested in juicing but don’t really have an idea of what to drink. It’s really fun to come up with the recipes, especially when it actually tastes half way decent! Please keep in mind that the goal is not to have a super sweet drink that lacks many vitamins. The one thing I recommend you to ALWAYS have in your drinks as a base is, some kind of greens i.e. spinach, kale, broccoli etc. I also prefer frozen organic fruits over fresh. It’s easier to buy and store in bulk and the frozen fruits makes the drinks cold which eliminates the need to use ice, which in my opinion, waters down the drink. Make sure to drink your juice as soon as possible, the longer it sits, the more nutrients it loses.
I hope this has shed some light on the subject for those of you considering juicing. There is no right or wrong way to do it, just get a good device that does what YOU need it to, get some fruits/veggies and whip up something tasty!
P.S. You can mix vitamins in your drinks! I add vitamin C powder to my drinks daily.

Business update!!!

2011-04-05T04:53:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday, I got word back that my business name is available so paperwork has been sent for filing my business name as an LLC company, along with my EIN number request and other stuff. I also got the first 3 drafts for my logo at 4:45 this morning; YES I was up and praising God when I saw them! The logo design company nailed the logo on the first try!!! I'm playing around with different color options because the colors they used looked rather "flat" to me. Up next...to find the building where it's all going down! *pics coming*

Can yall beleieve this??? I'm actually DOING this thing! On my own, with very little savings, and ZERO formal business training. I'd like to drop some encouragement in somebody's belly today. Quit making other folks rich, working a job you KNOW you detest. If you have an idea to start your own business, pray about it FIRST! If you get God's blessing, and HE tells you it's time to start that business then RUN LIKE THE WIND and make it happen. Trust me when I say that I am seeing God's favor in so many areas I wanna painch myself to make sure I'm not dreaming. (and yes I meant to spell it like that. yall know how your granny used to say the word "pinch") If God says your business is going to happen, then get ready because it WILL happen. Don't worry, quit making excuses, quit being scared, just MOVE!!

Signed,

Dez...business owner :o)

Health tip of the day~

2011-04-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST EVER… The whole point of breakfast is to skip the fast. Most people eat their last meal for the day between 6-10 pm and by the time you eat the next day it’s somewhere between 7-9am. So your body has had to go for a good 8-9 hours without food! Trust me when I say that you're body is more than ready for some vittles, in spite of what YOU may think.

I recommend eating something within 3 to 4 hours of rising. Skipping breakfast is a great way to guarantee you’ll over eat later in the day. Your breakfast doesn’t have to be super big or elaborate, but you definitely want it to be nutritious. Hitting your local fast food spot is not ideal. There are all kinds of “on the go” oatmeal and breakfast bars that are far better suited.

Some great breakfast ideas for your to try:

Boiled eggs

Fruits

Oatmeal

Breakfast bars

Cereal with soy milk

Yogurt with granola-beware of the fruit at the bottom yogurt. Many of those are jam-packed with sugar that you DO NOT need.

Personally, I prefer to make my own breakfast because I KNOW what’s in it. I’m not a fan of processed foods but you gotta do what’s best for you at the time and when I find myself unable to prepare breakfast then you can best believe that I’m grabbing something off this list instead of hitting the golden arches. *sorry but I gotta keep it real*

Small changes make big differences on the scale so make up your mind to stop skipping the most important meal of the day…TODAY :0)

The Logo~

2011-03-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

Well, earlier today, I submitted the rough draft of my logo to a company to complete the finished product! The name/logo is the essential calling card for a business and I intend to keep it 100% professional. I will have 3 sample designs on Tuesday, I can't wait! After I get my logo the way I want it, I'm all set to send it to the government to make it my official Trademark. Anyone contemplating starting a business has GOT to check out LegalZoom.com. I have been up late at night on LegalZoom.com for a few months now. I called the customer service department this afternoon and the representatives were awesome. They helped me understand things in the business world that I needed to know in order to be successful. Research, Research, more research...and Research some more.
did I mention research???????

This is exciting and exhausting at the same time. I'm officially turning my hustle, into my Business. Praise God for the next level!

Clean up your mouth...and I'm not just talking about your language~

2011-03-30T19:12:00.000-07:00

I am a self-proclaimed dentist scardy-cat. I had a bad experience at the dentist at a very early age and from that point to now I have been completely terrified of going to the dentist. Unfortunately, that fear has caused me some serious dental woes. In 2007, while I was losing weight and getting in shape, I was also busy getting my mouth in tip-top shape. I was blessed to find a hilarious Italian dentist who is a magician with dental tools. The guy did a filling on me without numbing me! True story; it was my 2nd wedding anniversary and I didn't want my mouth numb when my husband took me to dinner. Dr. Thomas Mannino DDS is amazing with his craft. If you're interested in visiting him drop me a line and I'll give you his office number to make an appointment!
Flash forward to 2008 after 2 extractions, 2 root canals, 4 fillings and a crown, my mouth was finally "stable". Meaning, I can now go to the dentist without him finishing a dental nightmare that he couldn't complete at my last appointment. My cleanings now take 5-10 minutes! I don't like being there as it is so the less work the hygenist has to do the better. Let me get in and get the heck outta there! I have added a few tools to my dental routine that keep the cavities at bay.

The Rinse(s)

I now use a pre & post rinse in addition to brushing. Dr. Mannino reccomends the purple Listerine rinse because of it's flouride. I personally think it tastes way better than the others so I happily swish the germs away! I love the pre-rinse with whitening, it keeps my teeth looking vibrant. To anyone who thinks the white strips are a gimmick, I'm a witness that the Crest white strips work! Buying them from a dentist is more expensive but the peroxide level is higher than the over-the-counter strips hence whiter teeth.Of course my awesome dentist told me that too! I used the strips once in 2008 and again in early 2010 and my teeth are bright as can be. I have noticed a bit of sensitivity in my teeth after the whitening. It is a side effect of the strips sometimes. Just thought I'd put that out there cuz it ain't like the commercials are gonna say anything.

Floss~

The biggest tool to help reduce the cavity creeps from tearing your teeth apart. I use the regular floss in the AM & PM and I use floss pics during the day and when I have down time. Yup, I'll be watching TV with a floss pick doing my thing. Don't laugh, them picks are the reason why the last time I had my teeth cleaned it took less than 10 minutes! You can get these babies at the $1 store, this is one of those products that works just as well no matter how much or how little you pay.

People, dental problems can trickle down and affect other areas of your body. Make an appointment to get your teeth cleaned and get a thorough x-ray of your teeth. DO NOT assume that because your mouth doesn't hurt that you're teeth are healthy. If you're tossing back Orajel like it's a part of your daily recommended diet, you need to get to a dentist and handle your business. Also, I learned that some recent studies show brushing directly after eating is not as healthy as you may think. It's actually best to floss and rinse your mouth with clear water. If you just HAVE to brush, you should wait at least 30 minutes.I read that somewhere so this is DEZ talking and not my dentist.
What are you waiting for? Get to a dentist TODAY. Brushing is beautiful.

Meat free is for me!

2011-03-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday everyone! Well, I’m trying to tell myself that anyway. I’m like Garfield, I hate Mondays…

I was on a bit of a hiatus over the weekend; my husband & daughter surprised us and came down for a visit on Thursday evening. They’re leaving today while I’m at work. The baby and I still get emotional when it’s time to say goodbye. I don’t think that will ever be easy for me. The weekend was great, we were out and about shopping and exploring the city. The biggest part of my weekend was yesterday because I celebrated 30 days of meat free eating! I have tried it many times in my life time and never seemed to make it past a few days. Yes folks, you read it right, I have gone 30 full days without meat! There was one day I did have shrimp fried rice but my goal is not to eliminate fish completely. How cool is that? I have also been eating organically but not 100% with that.

I have had a lot of people emailing asking what I have been eating. LOTS of salads, LOTS of juicing with my Healthmaster by Montel, baked potatoes, fried rice, and water out of this world! My skin looks amazing!!! I’ve never had complexion issues to begin with but I can say that my face glows; I’ve had folks tell me that an I think I can see it too. I have also noticed fewer gray hairs on my noodle too.

I’m all about keeping it real but I know people are gun shy about the subject so I’m going to touch lightly on it. The goal of bowel movements should be to have one after every major meal. I was experiencing some “issues” with clogged pipes but this way of eating has eliminated all of that; including the gassy and bloated feelings after eating sometimes. I can’t tell you the last time I had a hot flash; yes… I started having them and they ain’t fun! And menstrual cramps and bloat has been at an all time low for yours truly!

I know you’ve been wondering….have I lost any weight? The answer is yes. How much specifically I don’t’ know but I can definitely tell you that all of my shirts are loose, my belly bubble has significantly been reduced to my sheer delight. Anybody looking to get rid of a belly need to give this way of eating a try! My pants are all saggy and I have moved my belt to the next notch. The only exercise I have done is my walking and a few days on the elli machine when we had rain.

So there you have it folks…I survived 30 days without meat and I plan to keep at it. If I ate any meat at this point I’m sure I’d get sick. I don’t wanna go vegan; I like my dairy and that has been 100% organic. I plan to have seafood as a treat but my goal is to eat at least 75% raw. We shall see how the next 30 days work out!

Weight on it…

2011-03-25T07:57:00.001-07:00

One of the best kept secrets of weight loss among women is weight training or strength training; they’re really the same thing but women seem to take “strength training better.” I have heard countless women say, “I don’t fool with weights because I build muscle fast and muscle weighs more than fat so I’ll weigh more” or my personal favorite, “I don’t like to use weights because I’ll bulk up and look manly” Today, I’d like to attempt to give a different perspective on both statements.

Muscle DOES NOT weigh more than fat. If you take 5 pounds of fat and 5 pounds of muscle, they’d pretty much weigh the same. Muscle is denser than fat and takes up less room, hence a slimmer silhouette as you gain muscle and lose the fat. Also, muscle burns more calories because it is more metabolically active which explain why some people can eat more than others and not gain weight. Their metabolism is probably through the roof! I’m working on becoming one of those blessed folk!

Now as far as the “bulking up” statement; you know the ladies you see in the fitness magazines that have allllll the muscles? Those bodies take A LOT of time in the gym and a super strict diet. Unless you’re pushing some serious steel for hours on end 5-6 days a week as well as eating tons of steel cut oats, chicken breast, and veggies it’s safe to say that you don’t have anything to worry about. Weights are such a win/win for a woman. Weight lifting and not simply cardio alone can help prevent osteoporosis related fracture. As a matter of fact, there has been studies done that have shown that weight lifting over time can not only help prevent bone loss but can have a hand in building NEW bone. How cool is that? Postmenopausal women especially need to get cracking with the weights; women suffer bone loss at a much higher rate than men.

Weight/strength training doesn’t mean lifting a gazillion pounds at a time. I believe anything that involves slower, steady movements with a nice resistance falls under this category. I said RESISTENCE people. Put them 2lb baby weights down and feel the burn! If the day after a strength training session you aren’t at least a little sore, you didn’t’ do enough. You want to aim for a nice soreness the day after a workout. It’s a sign that you have broken down the muscle so that it will begin to rebuild itself a little bigger; bigger is better in this sense. Now if you’re ready to check yourself into the ER after your work out, pull it back some. Exercise should always be functional.

I have been nic- named Mizcardio for obvious reasons but I make it a point to include weights in my workouts. I always alternate muscle group workouts. One day I will work upper body, and the next I’ll work lower. It’s absolutely vital that you allow your muscles at least 24 hours to recover from a workout. Personally I prefer to do my strength training before my cardio for a couple of reasons. In my mind, if you’re worn out from an hour of cardio, how the heck are you supposed to be able to push a decent amount of weights? You know that burning you feel when you lift weights? That’s lactic acid building up in your muscles. Cardio increases the circulation of fresh blood through your body and reduces that build up. I tend to feel “achy” after a weight training session if I don’t follow it with cardio. I can do sore but “achy” just annoys me and it hurts! There have been studies that have also proven that cardio after strength training burns more calories and I’m always out to get the most bang for my workout buck.

Try some weight today! Start out small and build from there. Kettle bells, a weighted exercise ball, strength bands, a Bowflex machine, dumbbells or a full blow weight set- give up some of the cardio and give resistance a try.

PS. Please stop walking with ankle weights on; you’re going to do damage to your knees, ankles, and hips. Ankle weights were never designed to be work while walking or running. If you want to add some weights to cardio, try a weighted vest or walk on a more difficult terrain. If you change the terrain in which you walk, please also be sure you’re wearing proper shoes.

Clean up your prayer life~

2011-03-24T07:23:00.001-07:00

In September of 2010 I had the bottom pulled out from under me. A job that I had been faithful to for over 10 years announced that my department was being outsourced and our sister company in Kentucky would absorb the work. The announcement was made 09/29/10. We were offered and option to “follow the work” but that would require relocation to the new state and the kicker was…the start date was 11/29/10. My husband and I decided that it was our best option for me to follow my job and so here I am, over 6oo miles away from him and our daughter trying to make this thing all work. People give me that “you poor thing” look everyday and tell me, “I honestly don’t know how you do it.” My answer is simple…I have cast my cares on the Lord. It’s funny because I’ve never considered myself a super spiritual person, well not in the sense of what I was raised to believe what being “super spiritual” meant. During the first 2 months, I cried all day every day. I was very angry, and felt alone. My friends were a great comfort to me but it was still torture in many ways. One day I decided to try a fast and really pray; God must be trying to tell me something. Within a matter of days I had many answers to my questions. I’m not saying that it will always be like that but in my case I got a response quickly. The tears dried up and I felt a sense of peace that I hadn’t felt since the move. In addition to my fast I listen to Joyce Meyer all day at work every day and I began reading this book every morning before I started my work day.

For the last month, I have my clock set for 5 am and I pray for as long as it takes to get it all out. I pray for my husband FIRST and then many others. I’m not saying that everything is roses but what I am saying is that God is doing just what he promised. He took some bad stuff away and the stuff he left, he has equipped me with the ability to manage it. *PRAISE GOD*

Cleaning up your eating shouldn’t just begin in the kitchen. The WORD is spiritual food and far too many Christians are seriously malnourished. Get yourself right with God and pray. No fancy words are needed. No special clothing, music, or rituals, just humble yourself to the Lord and open up to HIM. You haven’t been to church in a while? Well get up and go! Get back to Bible study, give an offering instead of passing the basket; put SOMETHING in there on Sunday.

Forgive some folks. Are you wondering why you are having difficulty in certain areas in your life? You may need to let some stuff go. Pray with your spouse and your children. Pray for folks who you KNOW don’t like you. Pray for YOURSELF.

Make up your mind to renew your walk with God in addition to your fitness walk.

Pick your poison~

2011-03-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

When you make up your mind to shed some pounds, one of the biggest decisions will be the HOW of it all. My goodness, there are so many weightloss options on the market today, there is bound to be something that will work for you. Structure is powerful! To make a blanket statement, "I'm on a diet" is a recipe for failure in my opinion. You need to be specific about what your plan is going to be. One of the BIGGEST obstacles for my clients has been, "what the heck am I supposed to eat to lose this weight?" Yes, exercise is important, but what people don't understand is that what you put IN your body is far more important. You can do 1,000 crunches a day for months on end, but if you're breakfast comes from McDonalds, lunch from the office cafe', and dinner is a $5 Hot N Ready, you're simply waisting your time. Clean up your eating with a structured eating plan and see what happens.

Please don't dive into a new eating plan based soley on the success of others. Yes...be inspired to want to make a change in your life but be honest with what you can and cannot do; you might not have the same drive to pull off a particular eating / exercise plan. Everything ain't for everybody! I'm the first in line to give JHud mad props for her weight loss success with Weight Watchers. The chick looks awesome! I have seen soooooo many people run out and sign up for the plan KNOWING they can't afford the monthly cost of it and thoroughly annoyed with the portion control needed to make the diet work. Do your homework before you embark on a new way of eating and base your final decision on what YOU can commit to for the long haul. If you know you don't like meat, I don't care how excited you get looking at my weightloss pics, Atkins will not be a good fit for you.

Finally, DO NOT alter an already structured eating plan and still run around telling people you're following it. If you're going to go with the Fat Smash plan then please follow the directions. Don't "tweak" it and call it the Fat Smash "remix"...and then get mad when you're not losing the weight. People are excited to try new things, especially if they see it working. On the same note, if you're having little to no success you might be giving the plan a bum rap. Not cool if you're doing your own version of a particular plan. Follow the plan to the letter, there's a reason it works based on the rules you MUST follow. Atkins is successful because of a chemical reaction your body has based on the foods you reduce from your diet in a given time. (YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE UP BREAD FOREVER) Ketosis/Lipolysis will not occur if you're busy sneaking bread into the diet when you're not supposed to.

I would like to encourage you to make a decision today to change your eating so you can meet your weight loss goals once and for all. You can do it!! Spring is right around the corner and if you're anything like me, you've got a closet full of cute summer stuff you caught on sale last fall that had BETTER fit come May! *smile*

When it comes to eating plans, be like a postage stamp. Stick to one thing until you get there...

Exercise ~ Schmexercise!

2011-03-21T16:11:00.000-07:00

My name is a Dez and I'm a cardio junkie. Ahhhh but please understand that this is something that has progressed over the years within me. In the beginning, when I weighed 205lbs, it was all I could do to make it up a flight of stairs without passing out! All I could do was walk. Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds dvd's were my initial ticket to exercise success.

Then, as I began dropping the weight, I was able to move into Billy Blanks Tae Bo dvd's. Talk about a killer workout!

From there I moved into running on my treadmill and time on my elli machine. What I don't want to do is give anyone the excuse..."But I don't have a gym membership or a treadmill so I can't exercise!" Nope...I'm not buying it. If you can walk, you CAN exercise. Remember this guy?? He lost weight by simply walking.

During my 30 days of meat free and organic eating, I decided to take things back to basics and begin walking. I am living in Kentucky right now and the one thing this state is NOT lacking is hills. I happen to live in an area with a nice walking path and hills with my name on them.
Check it out...(taken with my phone)

Everyday after work, I come straight home, change clothes, and hit the pavement. As much as I want to sneak in a nice trot, I am determined to simply walk a brisk walk instead. I didn't think I'd feel anything but I was sadly mistaken! Armed with my ipod Touch and my thoughts, I have tackled my hills faithfully 5-6 days a week. Some days, I walk and pray, somedays I get in a good cry, but EVERYDAY I come back feeling exhilarated from my walk. I would like to encourage everyone to get up and take a walk today. I'm tired of seeing fat dogs! If you're s single parent, get your little one a bike and walk along side him/her. You can listen as your child happily babbles on about this or that. You can lose weight and bond with your child, it's a win/win!
Lace up those tennis shoes, get out there and WALK!

Clean Eating~

2011-03-20T19:54:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for the next "BIG THRILL" where my fitness and or diet is concerned. My hubby had me watch an awesome documentary on Americas food and the things "they" don't want us to know. It's called "Food Matters" If you haven't seen it, PLEASE check it out. You will probably be horrified as I was and decide to make a few changes in the things you put in your mouth. I came away not wanting to eat another bite of meat EVER again. I also decided I wanted to give eating more raw and organic foods a try.

This is my new favorite place to shop! And I love it because the staff knows the products they are selling. Yes, organic foods are more expensive than non-organic foods but the way I see it, you'll pay up front for better food or you'll pay on the back end because of the chronic conditions you have from eating all the garbage foods. The latter of the two is usally more expensive because of all the doctor co-pays and expensive prescriptios. Oh, and don't forget all the refills on those scripts! I stand not in judgement, you gotta go with what you can afford, but please be honest with yourself. If you are eating out 3-4 nights a week, and going out to lunch everyday, you can cut that out and afford to buy some decent food.
I have noticed a drastic change in my complexion, my mood, hair & nails...this food is awesome! Please believe me when I say that organic foods even taste better than the other stuff. I made a 30 day commitment to myself to try an organic, no meat eating lifestyle. I'm on day 21 I think and I can see this as a permanent way of life for yours truly. I encourage everyone to at least give it a 2 week trial and see how you feel. You might surprise yourself...I sure did!

In the beginning~

2011-03-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, there was a cool chic who woke up one day tipping the scales at 205lbs. This was too much for her to handle since she spent all of her life as the skinny chick. Three babies and a divorce later, she was more than "big boned" or "thick in the waist" she was FAT. There, I said it. I had been in denial for far too long and something had to be done! I had no energy, my feet hurt, I worked full time, and my size 18/20 clothes were screaming, "Lady get the next size up!" In 2007, the Monday after Easter, my husband and I started a low carb lifestyle. It was actually more easy than I thought it was going to be. I lost 15 pounds the first 2 weeks...so you can understand why I stuck with it as long as I have.

One year after I began my weight loss journey, I had lost over 50 pounds and dropped an amazing 11 dress sizes! I enrolled in a school to get certified as a personal trainer. It was pretty intense but in 4 months I was offocially a Certified Personal Trainer. In May of 2010 I got licensed to teach Zumba. 2 weeks later I had a fitness studio contact me about teaching Zumba. I happily accepted and enjoyed teaching until I had the bottom pulled out from under me. My full time job of over 10 years was eliminating my department and I had 2 months to decide what to do. I did contimue with the company but I have come to the realization that my love for fitness is my passion and I am going to pursue THAT and not this crummy job. Soooooooooooooo...I'm setting the wheels in motion to open my OWN fitness studio in the summer of 2012. I wake up everyday saying..."This will be the last company I EVER work for." The very thought gives me goosebumps. I feel everyone should follow their passions and I plan to lead by example.