Day 113 - Weigh In Day

I gained, but not really....

I have been blogging for awhile and we have established a connection and I feel like we can take a leap in our friendship. Everyone knows that women gain weight from water because of....you know. So I feel like I lost this week, but it is masked by water. I'm hopeful.

Day 109 -- Late Weigh In Day

I actually weighed myself Thursday, I just haven't had time to post the weight in to the blog,

sorry. I lost a few ounces and I know that i need to work a little harder.

Today was actually the first day that I have prepared a meal. I haven't cooked anything since the two Monday's ago when I cooked a huge pot of chilli. That was probably a contributing factor to my weight gain. I know that I need to get better about preparing my food, especially with Thanksgiving around the corner. i wonder if going back to preparing multiple meals on Sunday would significantly change my eating patterns. Ummm...what kind of process do you use to control your eating?

Breakfast:
Sausage
Biscuits

Lunch:
Turkey Chilli

Dinner:
Chicken
Spinach
Brown Rices

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Day 104 - Up and at 'em

My husband kicked me out of the house tonight so I had no other choice but to go work out. After a three day weekend filled with pure laziness, I was looking for any excuse not to work out tonight. It is really cold here and I wo use it as an excuse, but he just told me to put on a heavier coat lol. Oh well! I really didn'as trying tt have a good reason not to go, so I went and I enjoyed it.

On a side note, I have some really great news! My sister is going to start going to the gym! Wait I am jumping ahead...She asked our little brother to help her work out so I hope this means that she is going to gym. I am going to stay on her until she goes. I will keep you posted on her progress.


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Day 99 - Weigh In Day

It was bound to happen sooner or later...I have gain this week. I gained 1.7lbs back up to 240.5 lbs, but I am not at all salty about it. I had gotten complacent and I wasn't pushing myself hard enough.  This happened the last time I lost weight. Instead of working harder when the pounds dropped, I just slacked off. I stopped working out as much, then I stopped going to the gym. Then I gained all of the weight back.  This is just the wake up call I need to get the fire back burning.  Watch I am going to come back better!


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Day 98 - Slimming Down

Oh boy am I tired tonight. Bose had us do kickbox cardio with weights. I would hate/love to be in her body works plus abs class. She had us doing burpees and planks most of the class, and I actually could do some of it. I was proud of myself. I am so clumsy; it felt good to be able to do those without falling. I am glad i got a really good work out in because I was soo bad at lunch today. All that talk about cheese yesterday made me want a grilled cheese for lunch lol. It was tasty too. I have no shame.

I also noticed that my back is getting smaller. Check out the before and after pic. I love it when you can see the progression. Don't you?

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage


Lunch:
Grilled Cheese
Fries

Dinner:
Baked Chicken
Carrots

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Day 97 - Mac and Cheese

I make a pretty decent mac and cheese. Matter of fact, on Labor day i was teased by my cousins because I didn't make any mac and cheese for the bar-b-que. As I mentioned yesterday my family has already started planning the Thanksgiving festivities and my mother-in-law made sure that my mac and cheese is on the menu.

My mac and cheese is not for the lactose intolerant, nor is it for the person who is having a lifestyle change. So in the spirit of trying to be healthy I went searching for some mac-and-cheese options that would satisfy everyone and I came across some recipes on Cooking LIght. I am really excited about the three cheese recipe, and if that doesn't work I have 11 others to choose from lol, I will try this out this weekend and let you know how it went.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
Grilled Chicken
Potatoes

Dinner:
Turkey Chili


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Day 96 - Happy Holidays

The holiday are just around the corner, so know , that that means...food, food, and more food. My family is already planning the festivities. Not because they want to enjoy the time with their families; they want to eat lol. I am nervous about how I will handle myself this holiday season. There is so much temptation with the amount of food that is available. I hope I can contain myself.

While everyone is planning the amount food that they are going to eat, I am going to plan the type of food that I am going to eat. So for the next few weeks until Thanksgiving, I am going to research so low fat, healthier alternatives to some of my favorite Thanksgiving meals that I will share with you. Feel free to share with me as well.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
Chicken
Rice

Dinner:
Turkey Chili


Like my page on Facebook at facebook.com/bettermehealthylee, and if you enjoy what you read follow my blog and share it with your friends. I can always use the additional support!

Day 92 - Weigh In Day

Let's get down to the business for my gladiators that are waiting for Scandal. I have lost again! Down 1.1lbs from last week. I am going to keep it moving.

Breakfast:

Oatmeal

Sasauge

Lunch:

Chicken

Rice

Dinner:

Turkey Chilli

Day 91 - Lessons Learned

Yesterday marked the 90th day of my lifestyle change and I thought I would take some time to reflect on the past 90 days.

It has been 90 days since I have eaten McDonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Bar-B-que, Popeyes, and my favorite Dominoes. I use to drink a 32oz sweet tea from McDonalds every day, and my husband and I would "treat" ourselves to Dairy Queen twice a week. Now I cook fresh vegetables and bake or grill everything I cook, and I might "treat" myself to sweets once a month. I still have a ways to go to have the best eating habits, but I think I have come a long way and I get bored easily. I will have a bright idea, go strong for a while, and stop doing that idea as suddenly as I started. As you know there were times when I wanted to stop or took a break, but the bottom line is I am still going strong and I really proud of the fact that I staying the course.

When I started the change I made the decision to hide my journey from my family in Houston. The plan was to show up at Christmas 25-30lbs lighter than I was when they saw me on Memorial Day. (Truth be told I wanted to rub it in my sister's face who proclaims that I am the biggest thing walking the earth even though we wore the same size in clothes). It was a very easy to hide my journey even with the blog. My siblings barely use Facebook, and my mother can barely send a text lol. I was moving along losing the weight, but something felt off. I couldn't share my victories or my defeats with my family. Here I am motivating others around the world to lose weight, and I wasn't helping my loved ones who are ALL over weight.

I finally decided to tell my family. I even have my sister thinking about joining gym. Then it hit me, the true meaning of my journey is to share my experiences with others and hopefully motivate them to live a healthier lifestyle. Next I am setting my sights on my cousin, who is now the biggest she has every been in her 41 years of living. I will let you know how successful I am at changing her heart.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal

Lunch:
Beef
Tomatoes
Lettuce

Dinner:
Chicken
Squash
Corn

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Day 90 - I'm so bad today

Sooooo I know you are not suppose to laugh at people while they are working out, but I had to laugh today. I was in Zumba today, and you know that Zumba is basically a dance class. Our instructor tries to incorporate traditional exercises, but for the most part we are just dancing. I didn't notice her at first, because she was behind me. What made me pay attention was the instructor walking over to her to try to help her with the steps, something she rarely does because she just lets us do our thing. I have to say I have never seen anyone dance that bad. It was horrible. I am talking Kevin James in Hitch bad. I know I am so wrong for this but I can't help it. I found myself watching her for the rest of the class. She was keeping up with the steps, it was just her rhythm was way off.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
Rice
Chicken

Dinner:
Spinach
Squash
Chicken

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Day 89 - Check Me Out

Sorry about missing the post yesterday, but I had a verrry long, fun weekend. I was one of the judges for the Miss Teen Chicago pageant. It was time for me to wear my new smaller sized clothes. I had a ball this weekend. The girls were awesome and I made some great connections. Look at some of the pictures from this weekend's event.

I also have another non-scale victory. Jason is trying to learn to cook. Yes! The hubby is cooking for me. Now when I come home there is a meal on the table. Isn't that nice?

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Day 85 - Weigh In Day

I lost again....down 2.4lbs down from two weeks ago. I am 2 lbs away from 20lbs down. I hope that next week's weigh in will be that day.
 

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
White Chicken Chilli

Dinner:
Cereal (It was so late)



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Day 84 - Lessons Learned

It is so easy to be lazy isn't it? I could come home and lay in the bed, not work out hell not go to work lol. Could you imagine not caring about what you eat or how you look. Just overweight and happy right? But the truth is you will never be happy like that. You will always want to do better, be better, and be healthy. That is not the life you want. Right now I can't paint your toenails because of the weight, wear certain shoes or clothes, or do fun activities. This past week I spent time thinking about the possibilities for a better quality of life has led me to my only lesson learned.

DON'T GIVE UP - It is OK to stop and take a break, but you have to keep going. Last week was a make or break week for me. I could have stopped doing my blog all together, but I decided to get back on the horse. The journey is long and hard. I just got to stay the course.


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Day 83 - Happy Tuesday

My coworker said I look smaller te he he he. I am really excited about that. I love it when other people start to notice the changes in your body. I have the privilege of being a judge for the Miss Teen Chicago pageant this weekend coming up, and l have spent the past couple of weeks looking for the best outfit and I am happy to say that I am officially a dress size smaller. I can't wait to wear my new outfit. I will post pictures so that you guys can see how fine I am lol.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal

Lunch:
Chicken
Salsa

Dinner:
Turkey Patty
Salad


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Day 82 - Back at it

I almost died today...not really, but it felt like it. Serves me right going two weeks without working out. Granted I was sick the first week, but there was really no excuse for the second. I really didn't feel like going to work out today. I had gotten into a lazy slump and I felt myself backsliding into my bad habits. So I forced myself to get up and go work out.

I will tell you that it felt good to be back working out. I felt like I released a lot of tension and Bose, the instructor, is always very motivating.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal

Lunch:
Steak
Tomato
Cabbage
Carrots
Brocolli
Feta

Dinner:

Brisket
Red Beans and Rice

Snack:
Cereal


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Day 81 - Get your mind right

I am so sorry, but I needed a break. I had to take a step back and remind myself why I did this everyday. The pressure of trying to do the right thing was getting to me and I lost focus on me. Unfortunately, that meant that I complete slacked on the ab challenge and I the lifestyle change. The good news is this was exactly the thing I needed and I am totally refocused on improving my quality of life.  Scouts honor this time!


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Day 74 - Eye Opening

According to the U.S. Office of Minority Health, 4 out 5 African American women are overweight or obese. That is a very alarming statistic! Then I thought about it, most of my friends are overweight. Matter of fact, every woman in my family, other than my fifteen-year niece, is overweight. The only adult woman in my family that wasn't over weight was my Aunt Linda that passed in May. She was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer 4 years ago, and was given months to live. She worked hard to increase her life span by changing her lifestyle and maintaining her healthy eating habits. The doctor always told her, she managed because of how healthy she was physically. It provided additional motivation to get healthy and stay healthy. I don't want to be another statistic and don't want others to be either.

I think I am going to start focusing on changing that statistic. Will you guys help?
It is my mission to recruit 5 women to join me in getting healthy and staying healthy. Starting November 1st, you could take the steps to improving the quality of life. I know it is hard, I know you are scared, and I know it seems so much easier to stay overweight. Trust me I know exactly how you feel. Many people don't know what it means or how it feels to be overweight. They don't understand the pressure that it puts on your body and your mind. Now is the time for change. I spoke with my sister, and I am hopeful that I can get her to join in on the journey. Hit me up if you are willing to join in as well.


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Day 71 - Weigh in Day

I am down again! Woot Woot. It was probably due to my poor appetite while i was sick. I hope that i can keep it up fot next week. Until then...

Day 70 - I'm back and I feel much better

If I have said it once, I have said it a thousand times. It really does suck to be sick. I have been dealing with coughing, sore throats, and congestion since Saturday. But thankful, I decided to listen to my mothers and took the day off to recover. I still have a cough and my ears feel like they are under water, but I feel like I am about 85% back to where I was physically. I also missed a day of the ab challenge. I really did try to keep up, but it was just not going to happen. Luckily for me yesterday was a rest day from the ab challenge as well as work. I also decided to take a break from working out. I didn't think it was a good idea to do cardio when you can't breathe.

I won't be surprise if I gain tomorrow. I was not eating or drinking, which probably added to my sickness. When I finally did eat or drink, it was whatever was easier for me to eat. Oh well, I will be back on the grind next week.

How is you week going so far?


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Day 67 - Trying to survive lol

Being sick sucks!!!  I was on the phone with my sister yesterday and as soon as my I hung up the phone my throat started to hurt. I couldn't sleep last night because it hurt so bad. I kept waking up in the middle of the night every time I swallowed.

Despite being sick this weekend, I still managed to get my ab challenge workout in, yea me! How is it going for the rest of you? Is it getting easier or harder?


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Day 64 - Weigh In Day

Hey everyone. This is going to be a very short post because, as many as you know, tonight is the Season premiere of Scandal. So here goes...I lost again!!!! Down to 243.6 lbs from 245.2 lbs.

Yea me! Now back to my scandal preparations lol. See you guys on Sunday.

 

 

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Day 63 - Loving life

No lessons today, but I did have a major break through while working out. People have told me that working out relieves stress and takes you to another plateau. Tonight I finally got what they meant. I may have mentioned Bose before. She is a instructor at LA Fitness with a huge following. Some people follow her from gym to gym so that they can take her classes. She is known for her intense, high impact workouts that will leave you soaking wet in your own sweat.

3 years ago she helped me lose 30 lbs, before I started school and went back to my bad habits. I went back to her class when I decided to do this life change, only to find out that she was taking the month of September off. Well she is back now and it was her birthday. Needless to see she was in rare form lol. I was proud of myself because I managed to keep. At one point, between the super Jacks, suicides, and burpees, I felt my self let go. It was a very revealing moment and I forgot about the pain...for the moment lol! I can't wait for next week.

How did Day two of the ab challenge go?

20 Sit ups
8 Crunchs
8 leg lifts
2s planks

Breakfast:
Egg White Scramble

Lunch:
Chicken
Rice
Tomato
Green Peppers
Corn

Dinner:
Baked Chicken
Broccoli
Cauliflower

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Day 62 - Ab Challenge Day 1

How did everyone do today with the Ab Challenge? I just realized that it has been a very long time since I have done a traditional sit up. I'm talking years. I waited to the end of the day to do the challenge (always the procrastinator), and by then I was super tired. Day 1 was harder than I thought it would be. But don't worry, I am ready and pumped for Day 2 tomorrow.

I love it when I noticed changes in my body. Check out the transition in my body over the past two months. You can really see a reduction in the bust area. I hope that after the ab-challenge you can see a change in my waist too!

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
Chicken roll
Rice

Dinner:
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Turkey Patty

Like my page on Facebook at facebook.com/bettermehealthylee, and if you enjoy what you read follow my blog and share it with your friends. I can always use the additional support!

Day 61 - Ab Challenge

Alright, I have been blogging for awhile and I feel like I can trust you. We are about to take a leap in our blogging friendship. As I mentioned yesterday, I am going to do an ab challenge in the month of October that starts tomorrow.  I am aware that I am not at the point where I would see any significant visual changes to my stomach, but I feel like my core is really weak and I want to make it better.


I am curious to see if it would make any changes to my stomach, full disclosure, I am putting a picture of my stomach as it is today.  I wish I could say I'm embarrassed, but it what is. I am trying to get rid of it.  You would think I was pregnant, but no children just fat.

Also, in the spirit of full disclosure....I had a  small slice a cake. Yes, I did! Chocolate and it was soooooooo good, and I exhale lol.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
Baked Chicken
Broccoli
Carrots
Rice

Dinner
Baked Pork Chops
Broccoli

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Day 60 - It's going to be a busy October

This weekend was filled with so much activity that I feel like I worked out everyday. The good news is I have finally manage to get all of water on the weekend, and my husband actually wanted a salad. Baby steps!

October is right around the corner and I want to kick everything into high gear to prepare for the holidays. I saw of my fitness colleagues post about a 30 day ab challenge and I think that is just the think I need. Starting October 1st, I will be doing an ab challenge. I will post the one I decide to do tomorrow. Feel free to join me.

Like my page on Facebook at facebook.com/bettermehealthylee, and if you enjoy what you read follow my blog and share it with your friends. I can always use the additional support!

Day 57 - Weigh In Day

Guess what day it is! Guess what day it is!

Down 2.2lbs!

                                  ...It's weigh in day!

Yep, it's weigh in day woot woot!

I lost 2lbs! I finally hit my weight loss goals! On top of the weight loss, my degree came in the mail today. I officially have a MBA! I wasn't feeling quite myself today,and I spent the majority of the day in bed. But once, I got my paper and I saw how much weight I loss I was feeling on top of the world.

Breakfast:
Cereal

Lunch:
Cereal

Dinner:
Spinach
Squash
Baked Pork Chop

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Day 56 -- Lessons Learned

I have a quick question to ask you guys. What is your definition of fast food? Let me explain. My coworker. lets call her #1, wants everyone in our department to participate in a food challenge. For 21 days we have to give up sugar, bread, chips, and fast food. The key is to give up junk food. So I asked her the question what do you consider fast food. In my thought process, I am thinking Popeyes, McDonalds, Burger King etc. I would exclude places like Chipotle from the fast food list. My other coworkers would even go as far as to say it depends on what you order from McDonalds and Chipotle. Coworker 1 feels that if they cook it fast, it consider fast food. Which if flawed because spinach only takes seconds to cook. So I ask you, my weight loss and fitness buddies, what is your definition of fast food.

I digress, now to my lessons learned. After having such success with my water this week, it was clear to me what my lessons should be.

Lesson 1: Follow my lessons learned - I think in the first week of my lifesyle change I noticed acknowledge that water is the key to my success and yet I ignored it. What is the point of having a lesson if I don't learn.  I really should take my own advice more.

Lesson 2: Drink Water - I feel so much better when I get my water in. My skin is softer and clearer, and I can participate in my workouts more. The only downside is the number of times I go to the restroom. Will that ever get better?

Today is Weigh In day eve! I hope you come back to see how I did this week.

Breakfast:
White Egg Scramble

Lunch:
Smoothie

Dinner:
Steamed Vegetables
Chicken

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Day 55 - Yep I did it again

Another day has come and gone and I got all of my water intake! My cousin Michelle said that it takes  21 days of doing things before it becomes a part of your every day routine, so consider this day two of getting my water in. I am hoping that I can maintain this through the weekend.

Day 54 -- Small Non Scale Victories!

Today has been an awesome day. First thing first, I woke up before my alarm went off feeling rested and ready for the day. My favorite breakfast spot was out of oatmeal, but I still managed a really good meal. For the first time in a very long time, I got all of my water intake. I have two water bottles that I keep at work. Today I tried something different and filled both of the bottles up and sipped on the bottles through out the day.

When I got to spin today I was fully hydrated and I didn't get sick. I was able to keep up with the class today and I pushed myself to try to keep up. I am so proud of myself. I can totally see the progression with my workouts.

Breakfast:
Egg White Scramble

Lunch:
Banana/Strawberry/Kale Smoothie

DInner:
Salad and Chicken Breast

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Day 53 - Happy Sunday

How cool is a cucumber because that is how cool I am right now! I have been having a really good week and I feel really good about where I am physically. I feel my core is getting stronger and my wind is picking up. I think I might try hot yoga now...hmm! 

You know what I don't miss? Coming home with swollen feet every night. It was the worst. I could barely walk around because of pain from the swelling. It seems like dropping 10lbs was the cure because I haven't had a night of swollen feet in a very long time. I wonder what other ailments will disappear as I continue to lose the weight. We shall see and I will keep you posted.

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Day 50 - Weigh In Day

247.4! Down 8 ozs. Not much, but at least it is not a gain. I am just happy that I am losing every week, but I would like to lose at least 1.5lbs consistently. Can you see my reflection lol?

I know I need to eat better and trust me I am working on it. One thing I have noticed is I buy to much stuff when I go to the grocery store. Now that I am on a fresh fruit and vegetable kick I have to change my shopping habits too. In the past I could buy things and not have to eat them right away. But now, I need to eat the food right away and I have to say we end up wasting more food than we eat. The hubby and I were having this discussion earlier today and we decide to start shopping twice a week instead of once, just until we can get a better handle on things.

I have been looking at my meals for the past few weeks and I noticed that we eat to much red meat. This is because my hubby is truly a meat and potatoes guy. When we go out we the fam, we always end up at some type of steak house. So starting Sunday, we are skipping the red meat for a while. (Yes we, and he just found out when he read this post.) Wish us luck!


Breakfast:
OMG, I just realized I didn't eat breakfast. Bad Lee bad!

Lunch:
Brown Rice
Chicken
Tomatoes
Corn
Onions/Bell Peppers

Dinner:
Chicken Caesar Salad


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Day 49 - Lesson's Learned

Happy Weigh In Eve!

This week has been filled with highs and lows for me. The high was I could finally see the weight loss, and the low was I me getting sick and slightly harassed after working out. The best news is I have learned some valuable lessons from this week!

Lesson 1 - Stay hydrated! Thanks to all of you who provided advise after I got sick after spin. I now realized that I was super dehydrated because I have been slacking on my water intake. I don't know why it is so hard for me to drink my water. Do any of you have any tips on what I could do to improve?

Lesson 2 - Keep going and stay consistent.Thanks to my good buddy Emila for this one! I went back to the pool this weekend after a two week hiatus, and just let me say....NEVER AGAIN will I go that long without getting in the pool. I was so tired,  I forgot the technique that I learned from my lessons, and I had an 81-year old nun lapping me in the pool! I told this story to Emila and she shared with me her workout story, bottom line of both stories - don't stop you have to keep going.

Lesson 3 - Don't take it personal. Hey Ms. Sales lady, I know that you were just doing your job and thought you would sale me a product that would truly help me along my weight loss journey. I am not at all offended that you chose me because of my weight, nor am I offended that you didn't acknowledge my salsa skills. LOL

Tune in tomorrow see how this week has impacted my weight loss journey on Weigh in day.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal

Lunch:
Steak
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Red Cabbage
Onions
Broccoli
Feta

Dinner:
Steak
Spinach
Onions
Rice

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Day 48 -- Gym-members beware!

I was set up! I feel betrayed! I was played to the left!

That is how I felt after I finished my Zumba class today. I was walking out of class when one of my classmates approached me about the class. She was new to the class and asked me about my experiences with the instructor. Then we started talking about the types of workouts we do, how often we work out, and what locations we frequent.

Then she hit me with the punchline. She was trying to sale me something urggggg! Oh well, and here I thought I was finally making a fitness connection because she thought I was the best dancer in Zumba lol. What can I do about!

Breakfast:
Oatmeal

Lunch:
Chicken
Broccoli
Carrots
Rice

Dinner:
Cereal

Like my page on Facebook at facebook.com/bettermehealthylee, and if you enjoy what you read follow my blog and share it with your friends. I can always use the additional support!

Day 47 -- Spin Monday

I think I over did it in Spin today. When I got home I actually felt very sick to my stomach. Is that normal? I had to lay down for a bit. I mean my head was spinning and it started to hurt. What did I do wrong? Maybe I am having a bad day because I have never felt this way after working out. Oh well, I guess I just have to shake it off for Zumba tomorrow.

On another note, look at how slim my face has gotten since this past July. On the left is a selfie from a wedding on July 6th, and the right was a selfie from Sunday night. You can really see it in my neck

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Breakfast Sausage

Lunch:
Steak
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Carrots
Red Cabbage
Onions

Dinner:
Cereal

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Day 46 - Happy Birthday Mama or Ms. Lenora, never Grandma!

Today would have been my grandmother's 96th birthday. This day is always bittersweet for me because I miss her so much, but this also gives me the opportunity to reflect on her memory. I have mentioned that I have a family history of diabetes, but my grandmother never had diabetes. Let me tell you why.

After to watching her sisters, mother, and other family members suffer from lifestyle related illnesses and after being diagnosed as pre-diabetic, she made the choice to start watching what she ate.  She loved fresh vegetables, I remember tons of trips to our family's farm to pick peas, and to peach and apple farms. She did occasionally have a small serving of her peach cobbler, but she did it in moderation.  I don't remember her eating a lot of sweets, matter-of-fact I don't eat a lot of sweets. I guess that is where I get that from.

I guess you can say she is the real inspiration for my lifestyle change. She saw an opportunity to improve her quality of life and she did it, and I am following in her footsteps. I tell you i am really grateful to have her as my grandmother. I am so happy that she has instilled in me the desire to be better. That is value that I will past on to my children and grandchildren.

Day 43 - Weigh In Day

I lost weight! I lost Weight! OMG! I was worrying for nothing. I am almost at 10lbs down, I might as well round up. It's a huge milestone. I am super hyped now! Let's get it! I want to lose 2lbs next week! I know I can do it. I am going to be really focus!

I'll get it together. I promise.

I want to stop focusing so much on the scale so I am going to set a non-scale goal. On that  note...someone help me, I burned the squash lol! I need some recipes people. Send me some low fat, good tasting, non-seafood recipes.I think I am tired of Spinach and squash. I am going to gather up new recipes and try a new one every week. My goal is to try new things. So make sure those recipes are good!

Check out my weight transition page. I am tracking the changes in my body while I am on the is lifestyle change.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Bacon

Lunch:
Chicken Sandwich


Dinner:
Pork Chop
Squash
Spinach

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Day 42 -- Week 6 Lessons Learned

I doubted myself today. I actually wanted to give up and delete the blog, stop working out, and stop eating healthy. It seem like things were a lot easier when I didn't care. But then I thought about why I am doing this, to escape a future of physical pain and early death. I know that sounds harsh, but that is truly what is in store for me based on my genetic makeup. Luckily, for me that doubt went away which leads me to my lessons learned for this week.

Lesson 1 - Know your purpose. Why are you doing this? What is the ultimate goal? Those questions are what you should focus on when you are completing a lifestyle change because that is the only way you are going to stay focus.

Lesson 2 - Find a balance. I have said this before, I am trying to stop 31 years of bad habits and it is not going to happen over night. Having a balance between good and bad (that favors the good) will help to prevent the urges to give up or eat Red Velvet Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory (That OMG was soooo good) on the same day that you eat something else high in fat.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Sausage

Lunch:
Steamed Vegetables
Chicken

Dinner:
Peas
Side Salad (I got my leafy vegetable in!)
Pork Chop

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Day 41 - Day 2 of #Greeneats

I managed to get in four servings of leafy greens today. I

not so much hoping that this will help me on the scale as much as I am hoping that it will help me create balance in my eating patterns. I will admit that I am a little scared that I have eaten myself into a weight gain this week. I just feel like I have picked up weight. Is that weird? Possibly. My challenge is to learn not to live by the scale!

This change is about losing the excess weight, to a point. It is also about me maintaining healthy habits long term. My life style change is about establishing long term habits for eating healthy. I don't want this to be like a diet where you eat good until you reach a target weight and then once the target is reached, you stopped eating properly. I want to establish a balance eating and exercise routine that I can keep for the rest of my life. I am working on what "balance" looks like and trust me it's a struggle.

Breakfast:
Egg White Scramble
Spinach
Tomatoes
Mushrooms
Chorizo
Mozzarella Cheese
Onions

Lunch:
Smoothie
Salad

Dinner:
Salad
Baked Chicken
Cheese

Snack:
Apples

Day 40 - Green Eats Day 1

I'm so sorry for the late post. I was hanging out with some girlfriends last night and by the time I got home last night I was too tired to do the post. I did stick to my green eats for the day. I even went the extra mile and at leafy greens with  all of my meals. I was very proud of my self. I felt cleansed and refreshed from all of the bad stuff I ate over the weekend. I wonder what I will fill like at the end of the week hmmm...

Breakfast:
Kale Smoothie w/Strawberries and Bananas

Lunch:
Subway sandwich w/Spinach

Dinner:
Turkey Pattie w/ side salad











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Day 39 -- The food snob strikes again

This weekend was full of pure gluttony. I swear my mind was not on any life style change and I think I am going to pay for this week. Please don't ask what I ate because trust me you don't want to know. But I will say this, I have come to conclusion that I can not eat at chain restaurants. I just give up! From now on, I am going to just stick to my fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats.

My husband blames my Chi-mom, Janis, for our becoming food snobs. She has taught us about nutrition and clean eating and it has an affect on how we view food now. I asked him why he was blaming Janis, and he said someone has to be the blame lol. Janis you can get him later for that.

To tell you the truth I ate so bad this weekend (here's a hint - kid's birthday party), I think I need to clean my system which leads me to my challenge for this week. Its called Green Eats! I am going to try to leafy greens with two out of three meals all week. Bring on the kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce! Feel free to join in as well. Post your pictures of your green eats using handle #greeneats!



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Day 36 - Weigh In Day

I'm down another 1.3 lbs! Now I weigh 249.8 The weight is coming off slowly, but surely! I'm one lb away from losing my first 10 lbs. I hope that next week is the week.

Did you eat your green fruit or vegetable today? I did, but I forgot to take a picture. I promise! Scout's honor!. What do you recommend for Blue/Purple Day? I hate eggplant and grapes are so easy. I will sleep on it and let you know what I will eat tomorrow lol.

I think I am becoming a food snob. Since I have changed my eating habits and started to eat fresh food, I have notice that I don't like certain restaurant schools anymore. For example, the hubby and I decided to go to Friday's the other day, and I got some of my favorite food. The drinks were ok, but the food was horrible. At first, I thought it was just me or the restaurant was having a bad day, but then tonight I went to Chili's to meet up with a friend. That food was mediocre at best, and don't get me start on the food my husband ordered. I mean I know that most of the food is pre-cooked and sent to the restaurant, but it doesn't have to be that obvious. I think I starting to appreciate the fresh foods.

Breakfast:
Breakfast Potatoes
Bacon

Lunch:
Steak
Broccoli
Red Cabbage
Carrots
Tomatoes
Vinaigrette

Dinner:
Beef
Tomato
Lettuce
Grill onions

Day 35 - Yellow Day

I am an overachiever today. I doubled up on my yellow intake today by eating bananas and squash! Boo-yah lol!

I started tracking my workouts and food on My Fitness Pal, and so far so good. I wanted to see how many calories I am eating vs. what I am working off. I was concerned about that after the holiday. You know what I mean, some of you slipped a little this weekend too.  Do any of you use Fitness pal? What are some of your successes with the website?

I was actually proud of the food selections I made on Labor Day. Fruit anyone? Which leads me to my only lesson for the week, which i hope will stick as we go into the holiday season.

A holiday is not an excuse to eat - You can still enjoy treats as long as you don't over do it. Balance you meals with something healthy and listen to your body when it is time to stop eating.

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Breakfast Sausage

Lunch:
Smoothie

• Strawberry
• Banana
• Kale
• Yogurt

Dinner:
Squash
Onions
Chicken

Work out:
Kickbox Cardio


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Day 34 -- Orange Day

I am feeling the work out from yesterday. I am hurting in places I didn't I have know I have.  I still went to Zumba today and needless to say, I am going to sleep well tonight!

Are you guys ready for Yellow Day? I know I am.  Check out my orange vegetable for today.

Breakfast:
Sausage Patties

Lunch:
Subway Steak Sandwich

Dinner:
Baked Pork Chops
Sweet Potatoes

Snack:
Wheat Thins

Day 33 - Happy Labor Day!

Happy Labor Day everyone! I hope you have enjoyed the last BBQ of the summer season and didn't over eat to much. My father-in-law threw a BBQ pot luck and it was my job to rally the troops for side dishes, which i delegated to the hubby. People brought spaghetti, greens, macaroni salad, cucumber salad, and this year instead of my infamous mac and cheese, I brought fruit. Why did I do that? Apparently, my cousins-in-laws had their mouths set for my mac and cheese and were not very happy that I decided to opt for the healthier option. I was band from eating anything but the fruit I brought lol! I was told that they were not on a diet and I shouldn't have deprived them of mac and cheese. I love those ladies!

How is the challenge going for every one?  The benefit of adding a serving of red fruits and vegetables can help to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure,  and support join tissue in arthritis cases. Check out my picture of the delicious red fruit I ate today. I actually almost forgot to take a picture of my strawberries because they were so good. I will give most you a pass because of the holiday, but we definitely have to step it up for the rest of the week. Tomorrow is Orange day. Add a orange vegetable or fruit to your meals on and post a picture on Google plus, my blog, or my Facebook page!

Breakfast:
Rice krispies

Lunch:
Pineapples
Cantaloupe
Strawberry

Dinner:
Steak
Strawberries
Pineapples
Greens
Spaghetti

Work out:
Body Works plus Abs


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Day 32 -- First Day of September Challenges

Its finally here! Time for September Challenges!

When I first started my journey, some of my friends would always say "I need to eat better" or "I need to exercise more", but they never made any changes. They were not looking to do a full fledged diet or lifestyle change, they just want to do better but didn't know where to start. So I decided to do challenges that would give them the opportunity to do just that. The September challenges are weekly challenges that are designed to help them increase healthy habits without the stress of a diet.

The first challenge is called the Rainbow Challenge. I am charging you and my friends, to increase fruit and vegetable intake by eating every a different color fruit or vegetable every day. Admit it, how many of you don't get your daily serving of fruits and vegetables? And, I am sure that many of you don't realize the benefits of eating the rainbow provides.


The challenge goes like this:

Monday - Red
Tuesday - Orange
Wednesday - Yellow
Thursday - Green
Friday - Blue/Purple
Saturday - White

Guess what people, I am not just going to take your word that you have met the challenge. I would like for you to either post pictures to my blog, Google plus or to my Facebook page to show that you participating in the challenge using #septemberchallenges

Also, I would like to welcome my good friend Archia Lucas for starting her own journey today. I am hoping she will allow me to share some of her victories and challenges, so if you know her put a little pressure on her for me!

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Day 29 -- Weigh In Day

First let me start with a disclaimer about tomorrow. We are going to my favorite Mexican restaurant to celebrate the birthdays of several of my favorite people. This will be the day when I have alcohol and fattening foods. I will eat guacamole and drink tequila! I have been planning this for months and this will be my day to cut loose. I promise I will make it up the following week. See I am already preparing for it. Look at that fresh spinach.


Let's get right into it. I lost again this week and I am now down to 251.1lbs. I believe I could lose more weight if I buckle down on the weekends, and I noticed that I eat large amounts of bread. My hope is to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in my diet.

Breakfast:
Egg White Omelet Scramble

• Bacon
• Chirizo
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Mushrooms
• Cheese

Lunch:
Chicken wrap
Rice

Dinner:
Baked Pork Chop
Spinach
Brown Rice


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Day 28 -- Lessons Learned An August Reflection

We had a picnic during lunch at my job today, and look at the amount of food that was there! This is one of the reasons I picked up so much weight, but you guys would be proud of me. While I did indulge in the Tiramisu (That's the Volpe Tiramisu and you will slap your mama behind that Tiramisu), I didn't over eat, which is something that I would have done in the past. I piled up my plate with baked chicken breast, mini Italian beef, hot dog, and watermelon. I manage to eat a couple of bites of chicken, half the hot dog, all of the watermelon, and the inside of the Italian beef sandwich. While my coworker were up getting seconds, I was barely through my first plate. I listen to my body and stopped eating when I was full. I actually had to throw food away.

Moving on...as August wraps up, I like to take a look at some of my demons that I was battling in August that I hope to improve upon in September.

Lesson 1: Weekends are for fun, not slacking -- I am having trouble finding a balance of eating healthy and going out to have fun. When we go out, whether to movies or a restaurants, I feel like I have to get my favorite foods. Sometimes its hard for me to pass up and really good burger for the high priced salad. However, you see it here first that I am making a commitment to improve by eating breakfast and choosing healthier options.

Lesson 2: Drink enough water -- I want to drink half my body weight in ounces but sometimes I don't quite make it. In fact, I haven't reached my goal at all this week, and I never hit my goal on the weekends (see Lesson 1).

Breakfast:
Oatmeal
Turkey Sausage

Lunch:
Half a hot dog
Chicken
Italian Beek
Watermelon
Tiramusi

Dinner:
Brown Rice
Green Beans
Chicken

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