Newest Endeavor: Figure Competition

So this year, I have blasted my goals. I hit my weight loss goal, I trained and ran in a half marathon, I followed my passion and became a personal trainer, and I found my calling in life. My newest endeavor for 2011 will be to compete in a figure competition. I am super excited to get this process started and see what my body is capable of. I decided that I was also gonna blog my progress and feelings as I go through the diet and training.

I have had training buddies tell me that the diet is NO joke. We will see. If you want to follow along in the life of an amateur figure competitor, be looking out for my posts. I start my diet January 3rd.

SUCCESS!

I cannot explain how great it feels to actually start seeing the fruits of your labors. Sometimes my body goes through phases or plateaus where it holds on to weight. It happened at 159 lbs, then it happened again at 149 lbs. I was stuck on those numbers for 3 weeks. But I didn't let that frustrate me, I just kept pushing and I finally broke through the plateau. Well this week I have again busted through a plateau. I weighed myself this morning and I am now 147! This is so great to me because I am now close to my high school weight. What is even better is that I have now lost 25 lbs since dating my boyfriend! Who loses weight when they start dating? Isn't it usually the other way around.

I tellya, results are addicting! I am aiming for a bodyfat percentage of 25% as my newest goal...I still have quite a ways to go to hit that. But I am up for the challenge.

Weigh-in Wednesday

Alrighty, I haven't posted in a couple of weeks. I haven't had much new going on. I am staying extra, extra consistent in my workouts,but for a couple of weights I hadn't seen any movement on the scale. Some folks might have gotten frustrated by that. Some folks would have just eaten some ice cream because it doesn't really matter anyways. I choose to re-evaluate things and do some tweeking.

Working out is my offense...my attack on the fat and weight. Eating right and a clean diet is my defense. Now my offense is pretty outstanding. I am in the gym 6 days a week and I definitely push it hard and to my max. Where I needed some improvement was in my defense. I decided to start cutting a few calories here and there. Instead of using one cup of orange juice in my pre-workout smoothie, I started using half a cup of juice and a half a cup of water. I usually eat oatmeal and eggs after my workout. Instead of using milk in my oatmeal, I switched to water. (I still use maple syrup and a half a banana to flavor it.) Then at dinner time I cut down on the carbs. Now I am far from a carbophobe, I love carbs. But I just cut down at night. The result of these few tweeks was 2 pounds lost! YAY!! Last week I was at 154, today I am 152.

I input my calories daily in my bodybugg system. I probably overestimate my intake just to be on the conservative side, but I think I get an average of 2100 calories per day. So I am not starving myself by any means. I just try to keep it as clean as possible and stay aware that food is fuel.

Taking a step back...

So I didn't do Weigh-In Wednesday this week. And it wasn't that I forgot. I am very aware of my weigh-in day every single week....actually ima go ahead and admit, I was getting obsessed about my goal number of 150 lbs. On Wednesday I woke up as usual, went to the potty and jumped on the scale. I weighed 153...and that was exciting because I was down 1 pound from the week before. (The obsessive part soon followed.) After I had a glass of water and chilled out for a second, I jumped on the scale again. This time to my befuddlement I weighed 154! How did I gain a pound in the course of 10 minutes? I of course attributed my "magical" weight gain to that glass of water. (Told you I was obsessing.) So I told myself that I would just re-weigh myself after my workout that morning...and I did. I still weighed 154! This process kinda continued until today (Friday.)

I hadn't told anyone that I was obsessing about my magical number until today. I was on my way to the gym with my boyfriend and I told him. And I told him that I wanted to stop it. I want to enjoy my journey as I watch my body change. Because honestly when the number that I expected didn't show up, I was disappointed in my performance. And I didn't appreciate what I had accomplished.

Some of my accomplishments that I am proud of:

• I have worked out 5-6 days a week consistently for months now.
  
• I have noticed a considerable change in my clothes.
• I have motivated others to join me in this healthy lifestyle.
• I am happy and energetic.

I gotta recognize that this is a never-ending life-style. If I keep focusing on that number, then what happens after I hit that number? I am not saying that I am gonna stop weighing myself. And I am not saying that having a goal is bad. I am just not gonna focus or obsess anymore. And I plan on celebrating the small milestones and highlights.

I know that this may sound exactly contrary to what I said in the beginning of my blog posts about having a goal, but I am learning myself along the way. This blog of mine is my trial and error. I am NOT an expert on any of this. And the real learning comes from experience and making mistakes. The point is to try something!!

Have a healthy weekend...leave your thoughts and comments.

LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday

No change on the scale today. But this is my typical pattern. I seem to be losing about a half a pound a week, which is good for me. I am happy with my results. I am happy because I eat like I am NOT on a diet. I eat for real life. It is crazy when you have a healthy lifestyle people assume that you eat only salads and Lean Cuisines. Well I am here to testify that you can eat pizza, cookies, and ice cream. You just have to be smart about it.

Lemme go ahead and be completely honest. I love to eat. That is why I workout so much. I workout 6 days a week and this tends to make me VERY hungry because of all the calories I'm burning. If I didn't eat as much as I did, I would be an absolute mess. The important thing is learning how much fuel your body needs to effectively run and what fuel works the best.

Learn to track your caloric intake. If you don't have a Bodybugg that tracks your calorie burn like I do, check online for the approximate burn for various activities. There are so many resources available to get you, and keep you, on track. It is up to you to make that happen. Now what I need to make happen is seeing that 153 on the scale next week. I was slightly bad last week. And starting today, not next week, I am cleaning up my diet so that I can hit that goal. What are you working towards? How are your goals coming along?

LaQuesha

3/3: 159
3/10: 159
3/17: 159
3/24: 158
3/31:158
4/7: 156
4/14: 155
4/21: 155
4/28: 155
5/5: 154
5/12: 154

Crazy in love...and losing weight

My boyfriend has a saying regarding relationships that is very profound, he says that one person in the relationship can't be a crackhead while the other one goes to church. Basically, both people in the relationship have to be on the same page. This is the exact same philosophy that we bring to our health...we are both very health conscious. I don't think it would work if I were sitting around eating cake all the time, while he spends 2 hours a day, 6 days a week in the gym. One of us would end up sabotaging the other. He would nag me to put down the cake. I would want him to quit spending so much time away. Two opposite agendas won't work.

Thank goodness me and my guy are both passionate about our health and taking care of ourselves. When we started dating a year and a half ago, I was 172 lbs. I was a regular in the gym before I met him, but I didn't push myself and I didn't have a very clean diet. As of right now, I weigh 154 lbs. I have lost almost 20 pounds since dating my man. Who can say that? I mean, don't folks usually gain weight when they start dating someone? You nab that person, you start eating out more. You start cuddling and sleeping in instead of going out. You honestly just get comfortable and don't try as hard to impress folks because you snagged somebody. I know this happens because I have seen it in others and I have seen it first hand in my life.

The healthiest thing you can do is bring your significant other along with you on your healthy lifestyle. There are a couple other couples at our gym and it is the awesome-est sight. You see these other people wanting to keep their sweeties healthy. And there are only upsides to having a healthy lifestyle. You get to watch your guy/girl sweating it out at the gym. Your boo will keep that body tight and sexy. You will (hopefully) have a longer time with this person because y'all are staying healthier together. So love your significant other enough to stay healthy for them...and hopefully they are doing the same for you. That is waaayyyy better than any other present they could give.

LaQuesha

(I have included some before and after pics...one is from November 2008, the other is from may 2010.)

Weigh-In Wednesday

So I am finally under the 155 lb mark. I am at 154.4 lb. So for those of you that have not been watching the progression since March, it is as follows.

3/3: 159
3/10: 159
3/17: 159
3/24: 158
3/31:158
4/7: 156
4/14: 155
4/21: 155
4/28: 155
5/5: 154

Ima just use whole numbers from now on with my results.

The way I see it, I should hit my goal by the end of June. It took me 2 full months to lose 5 lbs. It will probably take me another 2 months to lose those last 4 lbs. Just to be clear, I am not not a strict, starve myself type of diet. I eat when I am hungry. Some days I feel like eating pizza or ice cream, and guess what?? I do it. My goals are more for the long term. So in reality, my weight should stabilize here...well that is what I am hoping. My rational is, since I am eating like a regular person now and still losing weight (albeit slowing), I should be able to keep it off as long as I don't go crazy and start binging. (I highly doubt that I will start binging, because errr ummm, I ain't throwing away alla this hard work!)

Anyways, Ima keep pushing to get to that magically 150. Then after I squash that goal, it will be time to find something else to accomplish!

LaQuesha

Why do people wait so long???

We all, especially women, notice changes in our bodies. We have to because if we change too much, our clothes fit differently. We start to feel differently. So I am wondering, and wish that someone would actually answer me, why do people wait so long to get their health on track?

I was in the ladies' locker room last week, and I saw this lady getting dressed for her work day. I wasn't all out gawking, but I caught glimpses of her in the mirror without being very obvious. This lady had soooo much extra skin, like a deflated balloon. You could tell that she was really big and that she recently lost ALOT of weight. She was also an older lady. So not only does she have all this extra skin, the fact that she is older means that her skin just won't pop back into place...it has been so stretched out for way too long. This older lady's body is probably along the same lines that many people our age will look like in the near future. I mean just look around. We are all carrying around waaayyyy too much weight. And folks wanna act like they are happy and comfortable wearing all those pounds, and that is fine. But just as soon as the real dangerous aspects of all that weight start becoming apparent, then folks will scramble to lose it.

But why wait so long? Why wait until you are having real health problems, or until your skin is so stretched out to start making changes? That cannot be a very comfortable way to live. I personally do not know...so I am guessing that having alot of extra skin and weight kinda makes things challenging in life. If you are actually reading this, you probably have that motivation to make a change, and actually continue with healthy choices. But maybe have to nerve to bring someone along with you on this journey. Help someone else to not make that mistake. We should all work to encourage someone else...I am doing my part. Will you??

LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday

UGH! So no real movement on the scale to speak of. I am still 155 lbs. (This is the third week in a row.) Maybe I am hitting a plateau again...who knows. I wasn't that bad this week with my eating, but I did kinda re-vamp my workout. Maybe next week I will hit 154. Regardless, I gotta stay in the game...hopefully you guys are doing the same.

I don't have much more commentary to speak on right now...I am sure that writing feeling will hit me in a couple of days. Until then, keep pushing y'all. And make sure that you recognize that even though you don't see the results you want immediately, your long term health is the most important goal :)

LaQuesha

Game Plan for the week...

Hit It Heavy

"Muscle tissue growth is only stimulated when pressure is applied to it. If you use light weights and do rep after rep, your muscle will never have the stress applied to it that it needs to respond too. This means that although you are eating cleaner and on a reduced calorie diet, your muscles will not grow.

Many dieters lighten up on their weight because they feel heavy is needed only during a bulking phase, and women dieters especially don't want to lift heavy for fear of getting bigger rather than smaller. These are myths to say the least.

Women should not shy away from heavier weights because we do not have enough testosterone to get the physique of a bodybuilder."


http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/5_fat_loss_workouts.htm

So for the last couple of months, Jaiz (my boyfriend and workout partner) and I were doing lighter weights/more reps. And we both feel like we got weaker. This week we are changing it up. A lot times you gotta go back to the drawing board, evaluate what is working or not working, and re-calibrate. Do not be afraid to change. And definitely learn how to research new things and try them. Just remember, keep track of everything, you will not learn what works for you if you are always winging it at the gym. People that are successful in the gym do not just wander in the gym without a game plan. Plan before the game. Know which body part you are focusing on for the day. Know which exercises you plan to do that day. And most importantly, just do it...don't try...just do it!! (Yes, that warranted repeating.) Good luck peeps! Happy sweating.

LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday (even though I am quite aware that it is Friday)

Ok so sue me, I am waaayyyy late with my weigh in results. I did weigh in on Wednesday, I just didn't take the time to write it up. It would have been a quick write up though because I did not have any movement on the scale. I still weigh 155 lbs. I am ok with no weight loss, because hey, I didn't gain any weight. My goals are to lose the weight and keep it off. I am not trying to lose weight ridiculously fast and just gain it back. (Cause I have already gotten rid of all of my size 12 clothes, so buying more is out of the question!)

One thing I learned about myself over the last couple of weeks is that the mental aspect of working out is so powerful. And your physical well-being can likewise affect your mental. Our bodies can be so sensitive. I was pushing and pushing and pushing to the point that my body kinda rebelled against me. That could be the reason I didn't lose anything this week. Supposedly stress is the enemy of weight loss. So keep your head together and get rid of those things that are not keeping you happy and healthy. (That could also be your own way of thinking.)

After I came to the conclusion that running 6 days a week was probably a bit too much, I became so much more relaxed. I also decided to focus on "time ran" instead of how fast I finished 4 miles (or whatever my goal mileage of the day was.) I jogged today at an easy pace. I was relaxed and comfortable and still finished more than 4 miles in 45 minutes. Just changing your mind set just a little bit can have huge benefits. Try it. Try psyching yourself out by just changing something small. You would be surprised how much it can help. Good luck peeps. Hope you are well on your way to your goals also.

LaQuesha

Ima tell the truth...

Ima tell the truth, my ass is exhausted. Monday and Tuesday's workouts were brutal for me to get through, I did it, but I was so dragging. For the last couple of weeks, I have been running 4 miles a day, 6 days a week. Now a little background, I just started running about a month and a half ago. I used to dislike running and I also didn't think I could run...but I guess I was wrong.

I was super duper excited when I finally busted through my plateau. I could not get under 159 lbs for anything. I was working out 5 days a week. I was eating fairly well. I was doing everything I thought I should be doing, but not seeing the results. Well once I started running, I started seeing results. Man, I was excited and motivated. I was going keep a-running and a-running like I was Forest Gump. Results can be addicting. Well, that excitement has waned some. I actually started feeling it last week. I know now that I have not be giving myself enough recovery time. I can tellya, if you are tired, you will give a lackluster performance at the gym.

And while I am telling the truth, ima go ahead and tell the whole truth. Not only were my workouts going down, so was my whole disposition. I was tired at work today I kinda felt like I would breakdown crying...and for no particular reason. And now that I think about it, I had a moment like that last week. Mannnn! Rest is so important. Lack of sleep and lack of recovery time can jack up your body and your spirits. So please take it from me, workout hard when your there, but take the time to allow your body to heal. And listen to your body. I was not listening to the bright, flashing warning signs that said "sitcho butt down."

I have decided to run 4 days a week, not 6. I will make sure to report back on how I am feeling after a couple of weeks of this new approach. I may not lose a pound a week like I was doing, but I bet I will stay motivated to work harder when I am running. I still plan on working out 6 days a week, but my cardio will be some lower impact cardio like the elliptical or yoga.

Hey, if you are in reading distance of this blog...leave your mark!
LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday

YAY!!! I am officially out of this slump. I am seeing changes in my body. I feel good. Life is freaking awesome. One thing I have found out about myself is that I am motivated by results. Once I actually started seeing the changes, my workouts have getting that much more intense. It is the complete opposite of a plateau slump. Getting through that slump is the hard part...it does require some determination and hard work though. What does NOT work is crying, self-pity, or quitting. Get over it and get moving.

I can only speak of things that I have personally experienced, and I am getting closer and closer to my goal. What are your goals? And what are you willing to do or sacrifice to get there? I can testify that it is NOT easy once you hit a certain age. If you have allowed yourself to get way too big or out of shape, you are gonna have to work that much harder to rectify that. If you keep putting it off, the situation won't get better, it will only get worse. Then you will have to correct the past issues, and whatever you tacked on to the back end (pun intended...hehehe!) So write out your goals and figure out how you can get there. If you need some help, please feel free to comment and ask me. I will respond to questions. (Actually questions are nice because it will give me topics to write about :) Anyways, until next time....LaQuesha

4/14-155.6 lbs
4/7-156.4 lbs
3/31-158 lbs
3/24-158 lbs
3/17-159 lbs
3/10-159 lbs

WWQD (What would Quesha do?)

I am on FB trying to motivate people just as much, if not more than I am on my blog. As of right now I reach more folks that way. Recently I had a friend a friend post a comment on my page that made me chuckle. She said, "I know you don't have gym roll call on Saturday but I want you to know that I got my butt spanked this morning at Ballys by Peter who thought he was Justin Timberlake teaching my Extreme Urban Moves class!! I thought of you the whole time!!! I need a "WWQD" wristband to look at every time I am about to walk out of those classes that continue to kick my rear end!! LMBO!!!" This comment made me laugh out loud. But I really think a WWQD bracelet would be freaking awesome! (And it would be a definite ego boost, not that I need that!)

Most folks that know me know that I am all about health and exercise. Some kind of way it ends up being a topic of conversation all the time. It is to the point that folks that I work with make it a point to tell me when they have started working out again. I have friends telling me about their weight loss progress. I even have people at the gym asking me for advice...and I am not a trainer. Honestly, everything I know is from trial and error, asking for help, and my own research. So I am happy to pass along whatever nuggets I have gathered over the years. And I think that having a WWQD bracelet would really help the folks that ask me for help.

I think people tend to act right when they know someone is watching over their shoulder. This can go for anything in life, especially for things that it is easy to kinda cheat at if you are allowed to: work, relationships, taxes. But if you know someone is watching your moves or checking in on you periodically, you would be more apt to fly...right? So even if I don't have any bracelets to hand out that say "What would Quesha do?", just having that on your brain would (hopefully) help you make better decisions...hopefully. (But I know that no one is perfect, I know that I am not.)

Let me just tell you a few things that Quesha would do:

1) I work out 5-6 days a week. I have a workout partner, but even if he isn't with me I still work out. You know why? Because he checks on me, just like I am virtually checking on you.
2) I watch what I eat, but I am not so strict that I will break down crying at the mere sight of some cake. I still will eat my chocolate or sweets (which is my weakness), but in moderation. I will eat bread products, but I run ALOT so it burns off instead of turning to fat! One tip I got from the "Biggest Loser" last week, that I plan on implementing in my life is: have a strict diet Monday and Tuesday, be moderately strict Wednesday-Friday, and kinda splurge on the weekend, (but don't totally ruin all of your progress because that would be totally silly.) This will give you some flexibility and it will allow you to still enjoy your favorite foods.
3) I keep track of everything. I write down my workouts. I track my food intake and calorie burn. And I track my weight loss and body measurement progress. I do all this to know if I need to re-vamp anything or to pat myself on the back when I am doing good.
4) Most importantly, I am honest with myself. At the end of the day, the only person that really matters in my journey is me. So I cannot and will not lie to myself. That would defeat the whole process.
So that is just about everything that Quesha would do. Let me know what you think...leave a comment if you passed through so that I know I am not just talking to space =)

LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday

You gotta love results. Without actually seeing some positive results or hitting your goals, you can get frustrated or discouraged. I haven't gotten frustrated personally because I see my workouts as a way of life, not a quick fix. The reason I have goals is to have something to reach for and a way to hold myself accountable. It also helps measure my progress...and just imagine how you feel when you watch your goals being smashed.

My personal goals are to get down to 150 lbs and to be a size 10. Well I went shopping last Friday, and I am proud to say that I am a true size 10. I can even fit size 10 jeans. I even gave all of my size 12 clothes away, because I do not plan on going backwards.

I probably won't hit my goal of being 150 until late spring/early summer, but I am well on my way. Running, I tellya, is blasting these calories. If you really, REALLY wanna start to see some results...I mean really, start running. I know that I have lost less than 3 lbs in a month, but my body looks and feels so much different.

Next week, (or the following week), I will get my body measurements and report back. I try and get measured every 4-5 weeks. I bet I will see some inches lost...my clothes tell me so.

4/7-156.4 lbs
3/31-158 lbs
3/24-158 lbs
3/17-159 lbs
3/10-159 lbs

Alrighty peeps...keep your eyes on your long-term goals. I hope that you actually made some. And don't get discouraged by a set back. Y'all can clearly see where I have had weeks of zero weight loss, and I workout hard. So it happens to all of us. Just be healthy and happy.

LaQuesha

Priorities, Priorities, Priorities!

Now it would be silly for a homeowner of a dilapidated, "falling apart from the inside out" house to put a new roof on it and give it a brand new paint job. That would just seem like a waste of time and money. If the foundation is crumbling, if the electrical and plumbing need fixing, why would anyone worry about cosmetic fixes like paint? This seems like a silly, unlikely circumstance, but people do it every single day with their bodies. Check the correlation.

People will go out of their way to get their weaves done, their weekly haircuts, or 6-week relaxers. People will spend a whole paycheck on a shopping spree. They have the latest, most trendy 'fits with all the best accessories. Nails: check. Shoe game: proper. Make-up: check, check! All the cosmetic, outwardly stuff is taken care. But their insides are completely jacked up. What is the purpose of dressing up and staying stylish, but at the same time allowing your body to just break down? I just don't get it. People put so much emphasis on ish that doesn't make sense to me. Maybe someone can explain it. I just figure I would rather be healthy and fit and just wear Target clothes and accessories. That is just me.

I really wanna know...maybe someone can explain it to me. How can one validate allowing your body to just break down...and a slow, painful break down at that? Wouldn't it be better to feel better just from the inside out, as opposed to cosmetic fixes? And how fleeting is that feeling when you are dressed to the nines, hair fresh, but can't make it up 2 flights of stairs without having an asthma attack? There is a better way peeps. Take control of your life. Make your body and health the priority. You will feel so much better for it.

LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday

Well er ummm...got on the scale today, and there was no change from last week. I am absolutely sure that it has everything to do with those 2 cinnamon buns that I had over the weekend. Well, I have had a clean diet this week thus far. I am really trying to make up for last week, and just clean myself out. I may sometimes cheat, but not usually so much in one short time frame.

Highlight: My clothes are fitting terribly. My work clothes look saggy. And my jeans look pretty bad. I need to buy some clothes like yesterday. I am wearing suit today that I bought about 4 years ago, and I look so sloppy. Well, I will be hitting the mall this weekend. Fingers crossed that I can fit a size 10 pair of jeans. (That was one of my goals.) I will report back.

LaQuesha

You Ain't Gotta Lie Craig...

Why do folks lie? They lie to themselves and they lie to others, but I wanna know, why lie? Why do folks make New Year's Resolution year after year after year only to give up by February? Considering I am but an invisible pixel typing a blog and considering your personal trainer or motivator cannot go home with you every weekend and babysit, the only real person that you have to be accountable to is YOU. And folks cannot even be honest with that one person.

Let me just tell you, I am a terrible liar. If I slip and go get some fast food or some chocolate, I will tell on myself before anyone even asks me about it. And trust me, I am far from perfect. Actually, in full disclosure I must admit I ate two home-made cinnamon buns this weekend at this bed and breakfast where we were staying...and yes I said TWO! I could not help myself. And for the first time in years, I had some KFC...we were hanging with family out of town and I was very lax with my diet. But since I am honest with myself, I know that I fell off, and I gotta get back on. That is the awesome part. Everybody falls down. The difference between successful folks and failures is that successful people will acknowledge their short-comings and fix them. People who continually fail to hit their goals don't even reflect on where they went wrong, so they NEVER self-correct. They just think that are doomed to be that size (whatever that size is), they feel that they are gonna be just like everybody else in their family, they think that diets just don't work. NO! It ain't the diet...It ain't the genes...It is you!

It is challenging to lie to yourself. But many people do it constantly. They do it by rationalizing the problem. Blaming someone or something else. Or just throwing their hands up and saying EFF it. If you really, REALLY want to change, you gotta start with yourself. Be honest and set realistic goals. The key really is to have realistic goals. You did not put that weight on in one month so why you think it is gonna melt off in one month? It is a journey, and the journey is full of twists, turns, forks in the road, and cinnamon buns. The journey is not a straight line so just get that through your head from the onset. You will get to the Land of Healthy Living like the other healthy folks, we just all have our own maps and compasses :)

LaQuesha

Weigh-In Wednesday

So it is check in day!

A lil background...I got a Bodybugg, (a calorie tracking device), for my graduation. Along with the device there is an online goal management program that I use to make and track progess of my goals. For those of you that have not read, my goal weight is 150 pounds. And each Wednesday I will be weighing in and posting my weight...this keeps me accountable. My goal was to lose a pound a week...ummmm, that has NOT happened so far. My week to week tracking has been...

3/10- 159 lbs
3/17- 159 lbs
3/24- 158 lbs

The great thing about the Bodybugg program is that I have to input my food intake. I have found out that I really like to eat. This new awareness allows me to change my behavior. If I really want to lose the weight I either have to: A) eat less or B) burn more. It is quite simple.

I think my first 2 weeks, I was still learning myself. Now I think that I have this down...cross your fingers. Hopefully next week I will be another pound lighter too...I will keep you posted.

Feel to comment with your goals and progress on Wednesday's too. We can all hold each other accountable!

LaQuesha

DIET!!

I want to let you know that where I am has come from years of tweaking things and small changes here and there. I did NONE of this overnight and you would probably go crazy trying to cut everything out at once. But what you have to do is make a decision in your mind that this is NOT a short-term diet, this is a life-style change. I know that you may hear people say that over and over, but it is so true.

First of all, make sure that you are eating real food, not laboratory created food that really gives you empty calories. For example, go to McD's website and just look at all the ingredients that are in its eggs or chicken nuggets. You would think that there should only be eggs and chicken, right? Not so much, in fast foods they use a lot of artificial flavors and preservatives.

Second, you have to plan your week of eating in order to be successful. If have kids and you work, plan accordingly otherwise, you will fall back into what is easiest and what will get your kids fed as quickly as possible.

Third, do NOT buy tempting things for your house. I know as a parent, you probably want to give your kids snacks and such, but don't buy that. You gotta train them to like fruits and real stuff, just like you gotta train yourself. It will easier to avoid temptation if you just don't even have it at home. Examples, I haven't bought bread in a couple of months. I never have cookies or snack foods. And it isn't that I don't eat sandwiches or chocolate, it is just that I make it a lil hard on myself to get to so that it is more of a treat.

Fourth, just eating an orange or bagel is not acceptable for a breakfast. Eat! Trust me when I say that I eat all throughout the day. I just make sure that it is good fuel for my body. I do cheat every now and then, but that is more the exception than the rule.

Example of a few things that I always have on hand:

1. Oatmeal. I buy whole, quick oats in the big container, not the little packages. (Those are full of sugar and artificial flavors.) I hook up my oatmeal with a banana and some pure maple syrup or whatever else I like to make it taste good...and it takes just as long to cook as the packages. Oatmeal will keep you full for a long time, and it isn't as loaded with calories as other breakfast foods.

2. Eggs. I eat real eggs almost everyday. But I do a lot of weight training, so I need the protein.

3. Tons of fruits and veggies. When I go grocery shopping I will buy a bunch of frozen veggies, not cans because they have a bunch of preservatives. If you have frozen veggies, you will always be prepared for quick and easy meals. Fruit doesn't store for very long, so you will have to buy it once a week. But I personally have at least two pieces of fruit a day...if not more.

4. Brown rice. This is a good, slow burning starch. Try to ween yourself off of white stuff, (white rice, sugar, flour.) Think brown...it is a process. I usually hook mine up with some chicken broth or some chicken bouillon to give it some extra flavor.

5. Chicken breast, ground turkey, and fish. I personally don't eat pork or beef anymore, so I keep the freezer stocked with other stuff. And with your frozen veggies and rice, you should always be able to come up with a quick meal.

I will warn you, buying real food will cost you more. But at the same time, you will be sustained for longer. And if you are not used to cooking, just start getting used to it. Cook up a bunch of food on Sunday or put veggies in ziplock bags for snacks. Buy a lunch bag and containers from Target and use them.

STAY AWAY FROM HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP!!! It is in almost everything these days. It is a lab-created "sugar" that keeps your body craving more sugar. If you need sugar, buy pure cane sugar or raw sugar. You really gotta read labels. If the ingredients looks like a science experiment DON'T BUY IT!

Ok, I think I have typed a novel...pick and choose what is helpful. But like I said, don't try and do everything at once, because you may get frustrated and just quit. And if you do stop for a lil while...just start back up the next day. All of us have those days where we slip.

LaQuesha

Why I do what I do...

I never set out to be a motivational speaker or a cheerleader for health and exercise. It just kinda happened one day. You know how when you are happy, you want everybody to be happy...or when you find the perfect man/woman, you want all your friends to have the same thing...well I guess that is how I developed my passion for health.

Being healthy is an absolutely conscious decision. Many people want to talk about all the reasons why their health is where it is. I want to challenge you to figure out why you want to be/stay healthy.

Excuses for ill-health:

1. I don't have enough time.
2. Healthy food is too expensive.
3. My kids drain my energy...keep me up too late...have too many activities.
4. All of my family is big.
5. I have bad knees/thyroid problems/"the pressha."

Reasons to be healthy:

1. I want more time with my family.
2. Buying medications and bigger clothes all the time is too expensive.
3. I want more energy to play and keep up with my kids as they grow.
4. I want to help my family change.
5. If I lose this weight maybe my knee pain/thyroid problem/"pressha" would subside.

Make your decision. Either you are gonna make excuses or find reasons. Regardless, it is your choice. No amount of talking from me, your doctor, your kids will ever help until you make the decision to act. And it is such a shame that it will probably take some life threatening incident to make most folks change their habits...but maybe, just maybe, someone will read this and prevent those issues.

LaQuesha

Why are you here?

There is this big dude at my gym. He is just a large mammal. His name is Brian and he is one of the trainers. He and a couple of other trainers at the gym do a bootcamp with a group of people. For the people who have made the conscious decision to actually workout with these people are knowingly submitting to some form of torture. But these trainers actually help get people to their goals...and they are hilarious, at least to me because I am just an onlooker. But I definitely take pointers from them.

When I first started working out there, I was in utter amazement because this group is LOUD. You can always hear grunts, screams, and folks barking orders...and people pay for this! But a few sayings that Brian has definitely stays with me. He says, "This is the weight room. This ain't the break room." And if folks are just standing around talking he says, "Get her phone number or email address." And these two statements are the basis for my commentary. Why are you coming to the gym if the only thing you are doing is socializing or standing around? You can burn the exact same amount of calories snuggled up at home in your bed. If you gonna make the conscious decision to wake up, get dressed, eat a good breakfast, and hit the gym...MAKE IT COUNT! Just going to the gym does not mean anything, you actually have to do the work.

It amazes when I see people just leisurely strolling strolling on the treadmill. Ain't nearly broke a sweat, and probably won't in the 30 minutes they are on it. Not even a drop of sweat on their brow. Why even come? Why waste the gas?

What is even sillier are the people that work out with the trainers and whine and complain the whole time. Clearly you needed the help, otherwise you wouldn't be paying this person almost $50 a session, so why would you fight them the whole session? I see people negotiating with their trainers: "Can I just do 7 reps, instead of 10 right now?" or "This is too harrrrdddd! (In a terribly whiney voice.)" or "How much longer?" Sorry ladies, but women are notorious for these behaviors. I see women crying and stuff and I just wanna yell, "MAN THE EFF UP!" But women are way to sensitive and wanna have a hug fest at the gym and talk about feelings. I just want them to try. Men will at least try to do the workout without so much complaining.

The folks that come into the gym and just half-ass it, actually do more harm to themselves than good...in my opinion. These people are actually thinking that since they are "working out" AKA showing up to the gym, they can eat that extra slice of cake or that whole Chipotle burrito. They justify eating more or bad things because they did their sad leisurely stroll, that they considered a workout. I can speak for myself on this one because I have gained weight even while consistently working out. The thing is, food should be fuel. And if you are not actually using that fuel, maybe you should not keep filling up your tank...that why the tank is overflowing into all available compartments of the car. So if you gonna be there, make it count and break a sweat.

LaQuesha

My 700 Calorie Burn Day...

Now that I have my Bodybugg, I can track which workouts are most effective. I have found that running completely blasts calories to oblivion. Yesterday my workout partner, (Jaiz the boyfriend) and I did a cardio day of running. In 40 minutes I burned 450 calories. Clearly I wasn't being all cutesy and walking, while holding on to the handles. We were actually jogging for a while, then running, then all out sprinting for a little while...so this workout was quick and intense. When I figured out how many calories I could burn by running, I decided that that would be my cardio from here on out.

My daily workouts usually consist of weight training, 30 minutes of cardio, abs, and stretching. I am able to get all of this in in just about 2 hours. When I say that we are very structured with our workouts, I mean VERY structured.

Mondays are chest day.
Tuesdays are back day.
Wednesdays are shoulders and calf day.
Thursdays are biceps and triceps.
Fridays are leg day.

So you see, we have a plan. There is never any just walking into the gym all willy nilly and trying to figure it out on the fly.

Anyways...onto today's workout. I killed it today for real. (Giving myself a pat on the back.) Last week we changed the workout up just a little. We are now doing 21 sets of 5 reps on different weight training exercises...and yes, I just said 21 sets. I am not sure if we are crazy or not, but so far I am still alive and kicking :) I did 3 different workouts today of 21 sets. Now I am not using really heavy weight. I am using weights that are heavy enough that by the half way point I am getting fatigued, but can make it through. If I am not tired halfway through, then my weight must not have been heavy enough. The important thing is to know your body and actually try and push yourself. Until you are truly pushing yourself, you will never know what you are capable of.

I also managed to get in 2.75 miles today on the treadmill in 31 minutes. I am aiming for 3 miles a day, but time kinda got away from me today...We will see if I hit my goal later on this week. Stay tuned...

LaQuesha

Must Haves...

A few must haves of mine:

1. Goals- I want to be get to 150 lbs and a true size 10 in jeans. (I can size 10 dress pants now.)
2. Journal- I record my workouts everyday. I also record my weight and measurements periodically. If you really want to to be accurate, you may also want to record your food intake.
3. Diet- This is very, very important. Please remember that food is your fuel. You have to eat. I eat when I am hungry, I do not starve myself EVER. Actually I eat at least 4 meals a day. I do not eat fried foods, fast food, pork, or red meat. I do eat a lot of proteins, fruits and veggies, and good carbs. Figure out what your body really needs to function properly and efficiently.
   
4. A plan- I have my gym bag packed with my workout gloves, journal and pen, earphones and music, and whatever else is necessary. I am also consistent with when I eat, sleep, and time that I workout. (I am not a robot, but your body does get trained to do what you want.)
5. Proper Gym Attire- The gym is to sweat, not for a fashion show..y'all know what I mean. (I'm sure that you have seen those matchy-matchy women.) Anyways, make sure that you have proper shoes, sports bras (as applicable), and clothes.
   

Bonuses:

1. Workout partner- I have a workout partner, (my boyfriend.) While our workouts are somewhat different, the important thing is we keep each other motivated and hold ourselves accountable.
2. Bodybugg- I have a Bodybugg from 24 Hour Fitness, which can be bought from their website, that counts the amount of calories that I burn. This Bodybugg also comes with an online program where you can monitor your calorie intake. Basically I am able to watch what I eat vs. what I am burning. This is awesome because I am able to make adjustments as necessary. While the Bodybugg and the online program may be kind of expensive, a sports watch that monitors your heart rate may do similar things. (A few ladies at the gym wear those sports watches. I have not personally tried them out.)

Make a plan, have some realistic and attainable goals, and actually hold yourself accountable. This is your life and your only body...take care of it. We are about to enter this journey together guys. What are your goals??

LaQuesha

My Journey

I did not just wake up one day and decide that I was going to be a health freak. I also did not have health fanatics for role models that taught me what I now know from an early age. Everything that I know now came through trial and error, research, and asking questions. It is not reasonable for someone reading my journey to up and think that they can accomplish what I have overnight. It would probably drive you crazy. But small steps, if you are serious, will get you to your destination.

I have been a regular in the gym since my college years, so it was never a big deal for me to get in the gym. Where I actually needed the help was having a goal and changing up my eating habits. My boyfriend told me that not having a goal was like sailing with no compass or map. That really stuck with me and now I set goals and actually track my progress.

(For full disclosure, I am gonna do what many women would NEVER do. I am going to share my weight progress. Maybe showing exactly what I do and my exact results will help someone else.)

As of December 1, 2008, I weighed 172 lbs and I am 5'1. And I just weighed myself this morning and I weighed 157...I am honestly very excited because I had been hovering around 160 lbs for months now and I finally busted through that. (I don't want to get too excited though, I could very well be tricking myself since I haven't eaten today...but we will see.) Each week I will weigh in and post my results on Wednesday. Tracking your results is of ultimate importance when trying to hit a goal. It has been very helpful for me.

Anyways, feel free to follow my journey...post your thoughts, feelings, or questions...or just take a few tidbits here and there.

LaQuesha