The Dirty Thirty’s

Dont even ask me what happened. I dont know. what i DO know is that there is another 30 something birthday right around the corner. I also know that I am about 8 lbs heavier than my last blog post.

 My new years resolution was to fix that. So in true AMINA fashion, I am doing p90x, partnered with running 4 times a week (small runs, no more marathons for me) and hitting the gym and sauna 2-3 times as well. Now I know this sounds a bit extreme, but I am not eating oatmeal for the next 2months. I am eating lean meats (and some fatty ones every now and then, damn those lamb chops were good). But I am in ‘decent’ muscular shape and excellent aerobic shape, so I am going to do one of those hollywood/grammy/wedding day workout plans. You know, where J-lo or some dancing with the stars star talks about 3 hours a day… yep thats me for a couple of weeks. Just stoking the fires in the furnace… then back to normal:)

 looking forward to reading your progress as well folks

Hi. My name is Amina. I am 31 years old, and apparantly I have never been stressed out. Before now. I mean dont get me wrong, I have been sad, suffered lost, struggled a little bit, but I guess it never was official. I would see others who had difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite and other things when they were stressed out, but not me. I could always just lay my head down and instantly sleep, no matter where. And I never, EVER had a loss of appetite.

 Enter 2008.

My mom has not been in great health. Her sister (my auntie) broke her foot. Her brother had a pace maker installed. All in ONE WEEK! I have been living on airplanes, trying to get runs in here and there, and when I am really lucky actually get to a gym (its times like these that Ballys doesnt sound so bad).

For the first time, ever, I have tossed and turned at night, thinking of all I have to do and during the day not only have I been too busy to eat, I havent really wanted to. I find myself forcing myself to make lunch, and picking at dinner. But the biggest thing, which I realized is actually a good thing, all my sweet cravings have taken a flight to sugarville. I havent had a cheat dessert in I cant remember when. I have been tempted with various sweets, but to no avail. After one nibble my tongue all but rejects it!

 Anyway, its been a long past few weeks. I am back at home, with no travel insight ( I HOPE) and actually got a good workout in today. I jumped on the scale yesterday just to see what the damage was and to my happiness and delight, I was at 156. I thought for sure with the Gym Absence I would have gained weight… I actually lost some. Sadly I am sure I actually just loss muscle. So now that I am home, and able to go back to the gym, I hope the sweet cravings dont resume, and the stress levels go down. But I like the weight going down, lol.

Let it go for 2008.. 
There are people who can walk away from you. 
And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk.
I don’t want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone. 
When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. 
The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us.
[1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can’t make them stay. 
Let them go. 
And it doesn’t mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you’ve got
to know when people’s part in your story is over so that you don’t keep trying to raise the dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s dead.
You’ve got to know when it’s over. Let me tell you something. I’ve got the gift of good-bye. It’s the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye.
It’s not that I’m hateful, it’s that I’m faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He’ll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don’t need it. Stop begging people to stay.  Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something that doesn’t belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to…… 
LET IT GO!!! 
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains ….. 
LET IT GO!!! 
If someone can’t treat you right, love you back, and see your worth….. 
LET IT GO!!! 
If someone has angered you 
LET IT GO!!! 
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge…… 
LET IT GO!!! 
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction……
LET IT GO!!! 
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents
LET IT GO!!! 
If you! u have a bad attitude…….
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better…… 
LET IT GO!!!
If you’re stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him…… 
LET IT GO!!! 
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship…….
LET IT GO!!! 
if you keep trying to help someone who won’t even try to help
themselves…… 
LET IT GO!!! 
If you’re feeling depressed and stressed …….. 
LET IT GO!!! 
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling
yourself and God is saying “take your hands off of it,” then you need to…… 
LET IT GO!!! 
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2008!!!   LET IT GO!!! 
Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then .  LET IT GO!!! 
“The Battle is the Lord’s!”

(from Khadija… thanks girl!)

So the question has been raised… am I Muslim. Just to put it out there in case anyone else is wondering and so that I dont have to review this in the future. Yes, I am a muslim. I am (obviously) not the radical Muslim that you read about in the newspaper. To believe that is the only way to practice a forgiven and highly popular religion is pure insanity, but that is what the media would love to have you believe. That is what some extreme Muslims would love to have you believe.

However, there are countless Muslims throughout the world, who like me, work out, wear make up, swim in our bikini’s, date, have the ocassional glass of wine (some are alcoholics), and live normal productive lives without the thought of blowing anything up or savoring virgins in the afterlife. But if thats what you would like to believe of us, than as the Quran says… to you be your way (of belief) and to me be mine.

If on the otherhand, you are smarter than a 5th grader and believe in interfaith communities that strengthen the world, be sure to add me as a friend and no religion and politics are not taboo topics to me:)

So the question has been raised… am I Muslim. Just to put it out there in case anyone else is wondering and so that I dont have to review this in the future. Yes, I am a muslim. I am (obviously) not the radical Muslim that you read about in the newspaper. To believe that is the only way to practice a forgiven and highly popular religion is pure insanity, but that is what the media would love to have you believe. That is what some extreme Muslims would love to have you believe.

However, there are countless Muslims throughout the world, who like me, work out, wear make up, swim in our bikini’s, date, have the ocassional glass of wine (some are alcoholics), and live normal productive lives without the thought of blowing anything up or savoring virgins in the afterlife. But if thats what you would like to believe of us, than as the Quran says… to you be your way (of belief) and to me be mine.

If on the otherhand, you are smarter than a 5th grader and believe in interfaith communities that strengthen the world, be sure to add me as a friend and no religion and politics are not taboo topics to me:)

So the question has been raised… am I Muslim. Just to put it out there in case anyone else is wondering and so that I dont have to review this in the future. Yes, I am a muslim. I am (obviously) not the radical Muslim that you read about in the newspaper. To believe that is the only way to practice a forgiven and highly popular religion is pure insanity, but that is what the media would love to have you believe. That is what some extreme Muslims would love to have you believe.

However, there are countless Muslims throughout the world, who like me, work out, wear make up, swim in our bikini’s, date, have the ocassional glass of wine (some are alcoholics), and live normal productive lives without the thought of blowing anything up or savoring virgins in the afterlife. But if thats what you would like to believe of us, than as the Quran says… to you be your way (of belief) and to me be mine.

If on the otherhand, you are smarter than a 5th grader and believe in interfaith communities that strengthen the world, be sure to add me as a friend and no religion and politics are not taboo topics to me:)

So, its officially my birthday and I turned 31 today. Yikes! My 20’s are a fleeting memory….

 My fitness goals of last year have not yet been accomplished, but I am working on them a little harder right now. Give me couple months.

I have been moving since Saturday,  and the past few days has been a mish mash of eating to go food, unpacking, shopping for the new place and sleeping on the floor. So after taking a week and a half off from the weights, I am excited to be headed back to the gym again. I have kept up with cardio, but thats been close to it.

I signed up with BigStew and he has me on a new program, so I have a new diet and a new workout plan, both of which I am STOKED about. So I am off to begin my new routine. I am looking forward to posting progress….

So I realized that it wasnt just a bad night. It was a bad week, all last week I lifted heavy, ran hard, and ate like crap. But as I reflect its been a whole month of that.

The weight is actually the same despite 2-a-days and excessive cardio.

My relationship just self destructed

 and I am hungry

I am going to run… the really cool thing about cardio is that if you push really hard, the tears look like sweat