Traveling, Eating and Staying Active

This past Friday I got on the road to head 8 hours away to Virginia. On the road to VA I enjoyed the sight seeing of nothing but Fall in the air. All of the different shades of leaves and the view of the mountains from the highway was very relaxing.

Whenever I am traveling I have had the most difficult problem of spending too much money and also my eating habits. Is it just me or when you are out of town you just HAVE the urge to try all the different types of foods? Well I am a witness of this in the past but now I am able to have self-control and knowing when to stop over eating. I will explain in detail of how I maintained my appetite while on the road and also what food selections I chose.

First off I thought about what I would eat everyday in my mind so that I would not get side tracked. I continued to eat breakfast every morning whether it was some Nekot cookies or a chicken biscuit from Biscuitville. Remembering that breakfast is very important I didn't let that change because I was away from home.

When lunch time came around I ate either out to Chickfila getting my regular (#3 spicy chicken sandwich meal) with a wheat bun and a fruit cup or I ate at Jersey Mikes. Choosing the right fast food places to dine out at is key, you don't want to eat a bunch of fatty foods when you are on the road, it tends to make you sluggish and lazy, and trust me I was not planning on gaining any pounds while on vacation.

Dinner time I ate out to Ocharley's and Cracker Barrel. While some of these days I didn't eat dinner, simply because I only at half of my food and saved it for the following day/night and other nights I enjoyed a home cooked meal. With the home cooked meals I continued to watch portion control with using a small plate rather than a dinner plate. That way when I did go for seconds I would not feel guilty. (as mentioned in other blogs)

Lastly while being out of town I enjoyed many sweets from cookies, brownies and lemon pound cakes. To not feel as guilty about enjoying these sweets I only at half of the portion and saved the rest for later or another day.

I emphasize on portion control so much now because it is all about how much you eat. Because honestly, you can eat whatever you want as long as you take control of how much it is you are in taking. Eating all these different foods these past 5 days I am proud to say that I haven't gained a single pound. I also was staying active with doing my regular 3 sets of 12 squats and planking,(every morning and night) as well as going to the local gym.

I hope that everyone has learned a lot from this blog about eating and traveling. Be sure to Read/Comment/Share my other blogs. Thanks in advance.

One Love <3
YM

Do YOU have Self-Control?

Today I would like to refer to my last blog but in this sense,  I would like to talk about self-control. Self-control is very important relating to eating habits and changes. For myself this was another situation that I struggled with the most. Self-control is defined as: the restraint or control of oneself, or one's actions, feelings, etc. When I think of self-control I think of how many times I've persuaded myself into thinking that its okay for me to have just eat "one" more cookie, (which usually turns out as more than one) or when I am indulging in Sunday dinner and it wouldn't be complete without a couple or more pieces of hot watered cornbread. I believe not having self control and not being able to control my own behaviors was a very important part of the stuggle with my weight.

Self-control was also the main difficulty of me being overweight and obese. I am positive that many individuals around the world are having these same dilemmas. Sometimes that saying, "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach" is very true to many of us and still is true for myself today. The serving size on the back of most products and items are for a good purpose. Even though at times we feel as if that is just not enough. I can relate, I mean really 3 to 4 Oreo cookies (160 calories or more) are just not enough when you are used to eating half of the package. Agree? Even though we all are at the beginning of changing our eating habits or are in the middle of mastering it, we still should be able to enjoy the snacks and goodies that we love the most. Right? Here are a few tips and suggestions to keep in mind when you become eye to eye with your favorite foods and how not to binge and still be able to enjoy.

When eating your favorite snacks and foods take a glance at the serving size.. just a glance. I want you to become familar with the serving size, calories and also the carbs. Don't be like me and try to change all your eating habits at once and then relapse, (I am certainly not saying that) but I would like  everyone to become very familiar with the exact amout of your intake. Also, as I mentioned above, it is okay to treat yourself, but be sure to keep self-control in mind. The way I treat myself is that I first begin with the amount (quantity) that I buy. For example, If I want some cookies I would buy the 4 to 6 pack rather than the large packages, this way you are still getting your sweet fix, but you will not be overeating while doing so. You don't want to fall in the trap of boredom and begin eating simply because it is just there. Just yesterday, I had bought some Famous Amos cookies from the vending machine as a snack, but instead of eating the entire bag I glanced at the serving size which was for 4 cookies it was 150 calories and I ate just that amount and was comfortable with that. Now don't get me wrong I was tempted to eat the entire bag which then would have ended up as 450 calories. See the huge difference? Just remember to buy smaller quatities, and to also ask yourself, Do I really need/want this? Okay lets say it is not sweets or snacks that is your stuggle but instead it is those homecooked dinners and outings. In this case when dealing with home cooked meals, avoid seconds and also use a smaller plate and bowl to fill. When you use the method of a smaller plate it gives your hunger a thought of this is just enough, and while avoiding seconds this is putting self-control into action. When dealing with outings and fast foods, try and get the minimum, avoid upsizing and try and eat only half and try to take home a doggy bag. *Be looking for future blogs on eating out and fast food choices and tips*

I hope everyone was able to gain some important tips and advice from my perspective of self-control. Be sure to Read/Comment/Share
Thanks!


One Love <3
YM

Sources: Dictionary.com

Are YOU really hungry or just bored, dealing with life situations, etc..

Asking yourself are you really hungry is very important when it comes to eating and also is the cause of over eating. Many times we just indulge in foods because we are bored, depressed and "think" we have a craving for a particular food. Going back to my previous blogs when I mentioned how it all starts with your mind set, it still is true when it comes to our eating habits as well.

I  can remember when I felt a certain way I would eat certain foods. I always seemed to convice myself that this is what I wanted/needed. When in reality I was just feeling a certain way and could have taken another route in food selections. As we approach the holidays and Winter season there are sure to be a lot of indulging in our favorite meals and snacks.. this is the perfect weather! So how do we know exactly when we are hungry? What are the signs that we need to look for?

Here is how, first things first, listen to your body! What I simply mean is if your body doesn't show signs of hunger...DON'T EAT! Signs of hunger is growling of stomach and overall you've realized its been quite awhile since your last meal. I usually use the method of waiting for the growling of my stomach before I eat another meal. Believe me your body will indeed let you know. It is very important that you pay attention to these signs because if not you could all of a sudden notice weight gain and become sluggish throughout the days. When you stop eating just because you are bored or because you have a certain craving (when you know you are not hungry) your body can become trained in letting you know when you are really hungry.

Everything I share on my blogs are situations that I feel I struggled with throughout the years of my weight battle. I hope that we all could take some great tips from this blog about whether or not YOU are really hungry? Thanks and don't forget to Read/Comment/Share all of my previous blogs as well!

Have a Terrific Tuesday!!

One Love <3
YM

What are YOU eating for breakfast?

Eating breakfast is known as the most important meal of the day. I would have to agree with this theory, only because when I don't eat breakfast I'm not as focused or ready for certain job functions as if I did.

So what do YOU eat for breakfast? My opinion I don't believe there is a certain food you should eat. As for my mom she prefers peanut butter and crackers, Progressive soup or even sometimes a brownie.. Yummy, right? I preferably eat whatever my heart desires. Whether it be Chick-fil-A, a honey bun or maybe a bowl of cereal, whatever it may be I try and eat it within the first hour from when I wake up.

I've also heard that it doesn't matter what you eat for breakfast because that will be the first meal that you will burn off, throughout the day. I must admit of being a witness of this, because working at the library I run a lot of errands and do a lot of squatting throughout the day. So usually while eating my breakfast around 9 a.m. no later than 11 a.m. my stomach starts growling and letting me know that I'm hungry again. *In later blogs I will discuss in depth and the importance of not eating until your body warns you.*

The importance of this blog is to be sure and not skip breakfast, it really balances out your day and is like a free meal.. So, what are you eating for breakfast? Have a good morning!

One Love <3
YM

Back to the basics

Good evening everyone, I know we are all entering into another busy work week. Is it just me or do the weekends just fly by? Well tonight I wanted to get you on the right track with a few points to keep in mind while approaching this upcoming week. I wanna touch basis on staying in control of our spiritual selves, how to make the more appropriate eating choices and also focusing on our fitness.

First things first, let us always remember to be positive in whatever we face this week. Start off by thinking that "This is going to be a fantastic week!" rather than approaching it with negativity. Remember only YOU set the mood for YOUr day, not anyone else!!

Also, let us be sure to eat our breakfast every morning. Eating breakfast is one of the many important meals of the day. Tomorrows blog I will go more in depth about breakfast, explaining what you should eat, and more tips relating to breakfast choices. So be sure to be looking out for that blog.

Lastly, let's get active this week. Like myself, many of us participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event this past Saturday, and I have to admit I am pretty sore after completing 5 miles in less than an hour. Congrats to all of us again by the way, we rock!! Lets be sure to make room for more fitness activities this week. Whether it be hitting the gym a few days this week, taking a walk on our lunch break(s) or even doing 3 sets of 12 squats/lunges in the comfort of our own homes. Also this week I will blog about exercise choices more in depth, so that we all can see what type of exercises are right for us, as individuals. I will also share many tips and advice that I feel was very helpful for me in the process of my fitness journey.

Well I'm going to wrap this one up for tonight and be sure to get a good nights rest, and don't forget to say your prayers and dream BIG! Goodnight Loves!!

One Love <3
YM

Breast Cancer Awareness Walk!! 🎀🏃👟

Today is the day everyone, get out your walking/running shoes and your pink attire, it's time to make strides against breast cancer. The 2012 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Association is an awesome opportunity for you to make a huge difference in your community. The location is downtown Nashville at the LP Field. Registration starting at 8:00 am and the event beginning at 9:00 am. Participating and making a donation for this event will show that YOU too have the power and potential in making a real difference for YOUrself and your loved ones. I like many others have known or lost a loved one in regards to this disease. My beloved grandmother was called home just a few years ago. But this isn't a time for grief but instead a time for celebration and hope. We want to let our loved ones know, who are struggling that they are not alone and we will show it by participating and making donations to win this fight! I have made a commitment in my heart and to my angel to jog/run majority of the 5 miles along with my mother, family members and many friends. (But remember this is not a race you do what is comfortable for you; walk, jog, etc; the goal is that you're a inspiration to many lives, that is truly the real reward.)

Every stride we take today in fighting breast cancer is another stride of hope!
🎀Pink is Hope!!🎀


Rest in Peace Grandma Rosetta! We love you and you are forever missed but we know that your spirits continues to live within us. Forever!! 😘

I hope to see everyone there!! Let's make a difference, one step at a time! :)

One Love <3
YM

Are you really ready?

Hello everyone! Thanks for taking the time out to read/share my blog posts.. Today I decided I wanted to ask everyone are you REALLY ready?!? This is a very important question when it comes to any goal, dream or sacrifice. When being determined and motivated at something that you yearn for, it all begins with your mindset. You have to know what you want in order to get where you wanna be. Is your mind right? While struggling with my weight for over 10 years, I began to realize that not having my mind right was the major problem. This problem led me to just talking about it rather than putting in the full effort to get the results. I began to give up very easily on myself, I wasn't self-motivated and overall I was just doubting my potential as being fit and healthy. Until one day it finally clicked. (And boy am I glad it did!!) I believe that click was me getting into a mindset of believing in myself and to know that if I try hard enough and stay consistent that I can be that goal weight that I had been longing for. So here are a couple of points to keep in mind: know your purpose; be sure to know what your aiming for and why, stay consistent; nothing gets accomplished if you give up too easily, and lastly stay assured; when you free yourself from the "I just can't do it" stage then nothing is impossible. Be blessed and have a great day everyone!


One Love <3,
YM

Introduction to Fitness Tips

In the last couple of years I have been able to find and understand who I am. What I mean by this is, for  many, many years I have struggled with my weight. As normal as this sounds, dealing with yourself and your weight can be a real strain on your everyday lives. I mean really, we have enough to deal with, work, school, family and even church... Agree? But I am here to tell you that with losing over 65 pounds and actually keeping it off, is not easy but it was/is well worth it. I am here to give you those small fitness and health tips that will in the end make a great difference. From something as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator and even parking far at the grocery market, instead of searching and searching for parking near the entrance.... Ready?