mytam302’s BodyBlog

Today WaynesWorld  and renew1  made post Friday as to why some women of color
 give excuses about their fitness based on their hair.  I must confess it was a
difficult experience, for me to to deal with the  transitions of my hair and various
looks because society isn’t ready to embrace the kinky, curly, wavy, knotty, nappy
hair we can have.  The first pic is how I wear my hair now (twist, twist-out).  The
2nd pic is a style I had the nerve to wear to work.  One of my Asians co-
workers said I looked like I had a ball on my head.  The Caucasians looked at me
like I was going to start something and pull a weapon out of my afro. 
My  comrades threw up a fist sign and said “Power to the People”.   Amazing how
our hair styles can cause different reactions to different people.  Now the last two pics
(last Summer) were from when I decided not to wear wigs,  weaves, extensions
and a  ponytails anymore (BTW,I did not wear that afro and those puffs in public). I
look now and it’s funny, back then, it was difficult time for me.  So the next time you
hear a woman of color give excuses about her hair and working out (not sure about
the other excuses), just be patient with her and understand she needs time to self
actualize to  embrace her  health and especially what she decides to do with her hair! I had a two year journey
and still trying to work it out!!! LOL!!!! 

This weekend, I’m going to visit my parents; they live about 25 miles from me.  My father had surgery out of state and my mom is on a eating/fitness program that she asked me to help her with.  My mom is doing realy well, she has already lost 10 lbs.  I get to measure and weigh her and do her hair when I go visit.  I need to rest my eyes on my father he’s getting up in age.  He also wants me to look over his will- I pray my emotional eating don’t take over me.  I’ll pack my food for my visit and make sure I pack an extra healthy snack and bottled water just incase things get uncomfortable.  Have a great weekend!

What is going on??? Yesterday was donuts on the bins, today peanut butter cups! Good and strange thing- I’m not tempted… I’m doing right by my body because I’m feeling good, fit and healthy from choices I am making. Last year I would have been the primary person grabbing the freebees. This was how I slipped the first time. This year, I am choosing to commit to mastering the basics of good habits from October 22, 2009 until Nov 22, 2009 prior to the holidays. I have decided to commit to my health and do the following:

 1) eating clean wholesome natural foods 90% of the time;

2) eat 5-6 small meals a day;

3) working out at least 5 days a week (weight training with cardio) and

4) Drink at least 100 oz water a day.

I will also commit to not eating “white stuff” (flour, bread, sugar, white potatoes, etc). I’ll start here. If I master these good habits before the holiday festivities, my good habits will guide my choices when temptation knocks at my door during “family fun and food celebrations”.

A ‘thoughtful’ coworker just put an assortment of dunkin donuts on the bin across from for all to enjoy…..  I opted for my meal 2-Protein shake and carrots. Great workout this morning, my body is loving how i nuture and challenge it. No cravings for simple carbs here; my body is satisfied.  Bad habit, I’m gonna break you.  My goal has greater purpose than this moment of self gratification.  My desire for my next healthy meal is over whelming! Woohoo, go Tammy! go Tammy! go Tammy!

Today’s activities Exercise log:

Worked my legs and abs: Side run and squat 2x around aerobics room, leg extensions, standing calf raises, glut kick back, 30 mins of cardio.  I basically did two sets of 15-20 of each.

Food Log:

M1: breakfast bar, apple, 8oz goat milk,coffee

M2:Choc rice cakes & almonds

M3: Chicken, asparagus, sweet potato small

M4 1cup chicken soup

M5 2 oz salmon, 1/2 grape fruit

Started the Michael’s Ultimate Detox & Cleanse today to clear my system and jump start my program. Have to cut back on processed foods, increase water intake with the cleanse.

Hey look I can fit in these 12s!!!    Uh, not! 3+ more inches off the hips is what I need!  This is the frustrating part of my weight loss journey.  These pants belong to my god-daughter age 24.  She lived with me a few years before she when off to college about 6 yrs ago.   I have been holding on to them determine that one day I would get in them since she did not want them anymore.  Hey almost there, right?  I have lost a lot of weight going from a 16w/18 to a ‘stuck between sizes’- not quite a 12 but not quite a 14 and not too many 13 sizes fit these hips either LOL!.  Yeap, I’m stuck it is a good frustration; I’m still motivated to keep doing the right thing.  These are the pants I will use to determine my next goal since my weight is not moving like it did in the past!  As my friends on bb.com mentioned, don’t look at the scale, just focus on the way your clothes fit! With these slacks I will see if they are right LOL!!!

My 3 year old granddaughter Parys decided to put on her mother’s glasses, climbs on the loveseat, to find a sweet spot and just be.  No expression, no reaction, just a patient moment.  Parys wasn’t posing; she was just waiting for her mom to finish doing whatever she was doing so that they could go outside and play.
Sometimes our best moments are not when we force things, but sometimes they happen naturally if we can just find our sweet spot, wait and just be!
Like Parys, I want to ‘work my agenda’ but frustration comes when it involves something or someone else.  I could make things worse by throwing a tantrum, getting upset, binging, stressing out, etc.; however, now I’m old enough to realize that it will not make things happen quicker because I have no control over them.  So I have learned to just find my sweet spot by using meditation, prayer, exercise, laughter, love, etc., rest in the disciplines that I can control and ‘just be’ until it’s my moment to shine like a Diva!
 

It’s good to be back from vacation.  Went to CN, DC, NY for a family reunion.  The family was nice and not food pushers.  I really, really tried to pack low carb wraps with tuna, fresh veggies, fruit, protein shakes and opted for salads when going to fast food restaurants… it did not last tooo long.  Especially at the cookout when there was food every 2 ½ hrs. Ribs, hot dogs, tacos, potato salad, pastries, clam chowder, cake, pasta salad, chips, fried chicken, fried fish, etc, I can go on and on.  I did my best, oh well.  I did opt to go low carb prior to vacation however my carb spike lasted 3 days straight because of the food choices I made based on what was available.   I did get a chance to workout once however.  My supplements were off schedule as well.  So I just decided to focus on enjoying the family and fixing things when I got home.  I still haven’t weighed myself.  I don’t think I gained more than 2 lbs however I know I had a setback.   I’m glad to be home and back on schedule.

Today my senses were heightened with my 6 am cardio session.  I used the treadmill and the elliptical for a total of about 45 mins. I pushed myself just enough to feel that sexy burn travel up my calves, then to my quads and thighs; when I felt it in my gluts, I kept the intensity there until  I was ready to let it go!   When I finished my cardio, I did walking lunges (about 20) all the way to the stretch machine.  It felt great; it felt sexy… Today I have on sandals with 4 inch heels, my calves are flexed and my bubble is sitting high; I don’t walk today, I glide intentionally…; (reflection) that was a sexy workout…. 

The gym closes at 10pm. Although I have a long day, I think I’ll go back and get some more (smile).   

I’ve received concerns about loosing my bubble during my  ‘get my life back’ journey.  Well to those that are concerned, it will be very difficult to loose the bubble because it’s in my genes.  My granddaughter is very slim and she filled her pampers out when she turned 8 mths, not her fault, just an ancestry trait LOL!.  Some people were born with long beautiful hair, tall slender frames, gorgeous lips, deep sea blue eyes, olive skin that tans perfectly; but me?  I was born with straight teeth, hips and a bubble.   See J-Lo has a cute little bubble, Beyance has very curvy hips.  I unfortunately/fortunately have both.  Basically my bubble has hips and I can’t do anything about them but make them the best that I can.  I can only do cardio 6x a week, stretch them out, break them down and rebuild the glut muscles by doing squats without weights, walking lunges, hip flexors, kickbacks, etc., and see what happens.  Hopefully my ancestry genes will be good to me as I travel this journey to lose another 30 lbs or so.   Sista Big-bone is not here to stay however the bubble is!!!