Bzzz Bzzz

Long before the R&B diva made her song about lemons, sugar and water, I was making lemonade out of the lemons that life throws my way. The situation with my car is no different.

Yes, I miss being able to get around whenever I want, and the independence that comes with having a car. Yet even in this situation I have found positive points.

Since my accident on April 29th, these size seven and a halfs have covered a LOT of ground.

Between the bus, train, and these feet...I've been gettin' places.

I wish that I could say that I have lost weight as a result of all the walking, but I haven't stepped on a scale in WEEKS, and the clothes don't seem to be fitting any looser than before, so...who knows.

But my Fitbit...oh, my beloved little Fitbit. It has been overjoyed by all the 10,000 step days that I've been getting in. I gotta tell ya...I love the feel of this little gizmo buzzing on my arm when I finally hit my daily goal.

Interestingly though, my body has actually gotten used to getting the steps in and if I have a day where I am too sedentary, I find myself restless...agitated.

It happened that way this past Sunday.

I went to church, then to the store and came home. I was really done for the day. Sat down on the couch and was about to binge watch my new favorite TV show (which is actually ELEVEN years old...but NEW to ME). I tried. Really, I did. Finally, I told my daughter to get her shoes on because WE were going for a walk.

We did just that and when we returned home, I felt so much better. All that pent up energy had been released during my stroll through the neighborhood and only then could I rest.

So apparently, I have surpassed the 21 day mark of something becoming a habit and I think the daily walking has become a "lifestyle." Who knew?
Now I just have to be sure to stay as active as I have been once I get my car repaired in eight more days.

Now, Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you have a Fitbit? If so...let's be "friends".

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Because I'm Worth It!

How is it that the time goes by so quickly between my blog posts, yet days at work move like molasses? Can someone please explain that to me?

Well...between my last post and this one I've made some changes. Changes to ME.

Anyone who's seen me lately has clearly noticed how much my weight has BALLOONED. I get it, and I don't get it.

No...I haven't been watching what I eat (like I should), and I haven't been physically active (like I shoould). Yet...I've never diligently watched what I've eaten, nor exercised regularly but since February, I have really packed on the pounds. Good golly Miss Molly!

Finally, I decided that enough is enough. I can not gain another pound...not ONE. And I can not KEEP all these pounds that I have.

So...

Last Monday I started back with logging my food on My Fitness Pal. Good, bad or otherwise...if it goes in my mouth, it goes onto My Fitness Pal. Knowing my body as well as I do though, I know that logging my food simply is not enough. Some folks can lose weight simply by changing what they eat. Not this chick. I've got to MOVE if I want the numbers on the scale to MOVE.

So in order to get myself motivated, I bought a FitBit. I know...they're pricey, but I figured that I was investing in ME...and I am certainly worth such an investment. So it was money well spent.

I got it on Thursday and I'm still learning my way around. The toughest struggle has been with accepting friend requests (for some reason the requests aren't coming through), and in sending friend requests. When I try to send it looks like I am inviting them to TRY FitBit. That's not what I want at all. They already KNOW about it. I just wanna be part of their "fitness network". I'm gonna keep playing around with it until I figure it out.

Good news though is that yesterday I earned my first "Sneakers Badge" for getting in 10,000 steps, and today I am on my way to doing the same. At this moment I am at 9,324 steps. Easy to do on a weekend when I am able to freely move about. Not so easy Monday through Friday when I'm locked in a cubicle. We'll see how it goes though because I am DETERMINED to get fit and get rid of this FAT.

I've visited way too many hospitals in the past year and I've seen a WHOLE LOTTA sick folks. I don't want to be one of them, so I've gotta do all I can to keep myself in tip-top shape. As it is right now, I am not on any medication, and don't want to be...EVER. The best way to make sure that happens is to take care of this body that God blessed me with.

How 'bout you?

Let the DIALOGUE begin: Do you have any fitness devices that help monitor your activity? If so, which one?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Registration is now OPEN!

So today was pretty exciting for me.

Those who know me know that I joined a running group (Black Girls RUN!) almost 2 years ago. This group changed my life by getting me OFF of the couch and ONTO the pavement. Before BGR! I never ran, jogged, walked...NOTHIN'. Well, all that changed VERY quickly.

In addition to the weekly runs that we do in our local neighborhoods, we also do group races together. At this moment I couldn't tell you how many I've done because I'm tired and don't feel like checking. What I CAN tell you is that there've been more than ten.

Anwyay...My goal THIS year was to do 14 races in 2014. I just did my first one last Saturday. Only 13 more to go...or so I thought.

Now anyone who participates in running races, 5K, 10K, Half (13.1 miles), Marathon (26.2 miles) knows that the fees to enter these races can get pretty hefty. So, I was trying to limit mine to races that were only $35.00 or less to enter. That was until...DISNEY!

This morning registration opened up for the Disney races. My plan this year was to participate in different races than I've done before. I hadn't done Disney yet and usually by the time I decide, registration is CLOSED. Not this time. This time I got it and I registered for the 10K. Paid a pretty penny for it too.

Occasionally we can find a discount code for a race...not with Disney. With these races, you pay FULL price. So yeah...there you have it. This one race registration has now taken the place of 3 or 4 other races that I would've done this year. Oh well. What's done is done, and now I begin training so that I can get my pace to a level that will NOT have "the bus" scooping me up. I would be sooo embarrassed if "the bus" had to pick me up because my pace is too slow to finish in the allotted time.

In all of the excitement I also learned an interesting lesson.

Disney is able to charge FULL price for a race BECAUSE THEY CAN, and because they know that the demand is high...people WANT to do a Disney race. We wait by our computers for registration to open as if we were waiting for the hottest concert tickets to go on sale. With demand like that there's no need to offer a discount. Disney is WANTED.

I realized that this is how single women anticipating "Mr. Right" should view ourselves. We are WANTED, so there's no need to EVER have to "offer a discount", as in...lower our standards or our values.

When the man who is WORTHY of being with us comes along, he will see our VALUE and do whatever it takes to be with us. It's as simple as that. But as long as we "offer discounts", lower our standards and values...men will offer a discounted version of themselves.

I can't speak for all of my single female friends but I can and WILL speak for myself and say that I don't want a discounted version of ANY man.

And I'm not speaking in terms of financial status. I am speaking in terms of a man who comes to me with his BEST, which in turn will result in my offering the best of ME. NO DISCOUNTS! As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for", and that's all I'll say about that.

Now, Let the DIALOGUE begin: For those of you who participate in races, what's the MOST you've ever paid to enter, and which race was it?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

Gettin' it in!

Once again, as I was about to lay my head on the pillow, I remembered my COMMITMENT and the fact that I had not blogged yet today. So, this one'll be short and sweet.

Today I participated in the "LA Big 5K" which is kind of the precursor to tomorrow's big race, the LA Marathon. No, I'm not participating in that one. At least not as a runner. I have signed up to volunteer at a water station although that's lookin' a little shaky right now because I'm not sure if all the road closures will allow me to even get there. And I hate being stressed when I drive. Driving to a place that I'm not even sure that I'll be able to get to is my idea of stress.

But I do have the runners on my mind and in my prayers tonight, and have a few friends who are actually doing the 26.2 miles. They are true inspirations for this chick who only "wogs".

Now, Let the DIALOGUE begin: Have YOU ever run, walked, jogged in a marathon, half marathon, 5K, or 10K?

Talk to me!

Til next time...

On your mark, get set, GO!

URGH!!! Do you know what that is? It's the sound of me having to come an log back on to the computer after I was all ready for bed and had just knelt down to pray before I crawled into bed for the night. Then I remembered my commitment and the fact that I hadn't written a post yet for today. So, here I am. Tired as all get out and have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to go do the LA Big 5K race that I signed up for. In a nutshell, I've become somewhat addicted to this racing thing. I love being a part of the "running community" and I love getting shirts and medals. Oh, and I love the fact that I can even COMPLETE a 5k. This time last year I was sittin' on my couch doing zilch. So as the commercial goes, "I've come a long way baby." So that's about it. I love walking/wogging/jogging...whatever you wanna call it. And in just a few hours I'll be "doin' my thang." Let the DIALOGUE begin: Name something positive and/or life-changing that you are doing TODAY that you weren't doing this time LAST YEAR. Talk to me! Til next time... *Good night*