Long time, no "see".

Hi y'all!!! Here's what's going on.

I started yoga. I love it and I am going to stick with it. It is a full body workout, and if it's hot yoga it's a really good detox. I think I've mentioned this, but I go to Yoga One Studio.

I ordered my box from Absolute Organics. This time I ordered a fruit box, because I am experimenting with a fruitarian lifestyle. I am trying to figure out how to do it organically and affordably  I'm sure it's possible, but I just have to figure it out. The other issue that has caused me issues in the past was having to cook. I'm thinking that I may have to leave my food in a box and only eat what's in the box. Another idea is that I'll eat BEFORE I cook. I have to get healthier, because I still have major fails periodically.

Tonight we are beginning again with turning everything off at 7pm. I am going to try to do it Sunday-Thursday as a compromise. I may even start using candles to light the house; a suggestion given by The Iyalosa. That may be too much too fast for these folks around here, but it's something to try in the future. Tonight I will help my Sun practice his lines for a play he is in, read, and then go to bed if my husband hasn't decided to talk. My goal is to get up at 5am to have time to meditate/pray, drink water, and tea prior to yoga class. I need more hours in the day. I'm thinking about waking Babygirl up earlier, because she says she doesn't sleep through the night. Getting up earlier may help that.

I'm also thinking about adding hiking to my routine. I really enjoy walking at the parks, but I don't really enjoy walking around tracks or up and down the street. I guess this will be something we do after out two bonus babies leave, because they don't like to hike and I'm not going to carry anybody.

Yoga & Zee

So this was day 2 of yoga. I barely made it through, because I was so sore. Y'all yoga is not for wimps. The teachers are great, but it will just take some time before I am able to get into and maintain the poses like the other students.

Zee came with me today. She's a beautiful soul that is ALWAYS full of encouragement and love, so it was so good to have her there. It was so good to have someone to LITERALLY share my pain with. She has been one of my teachers of the true beauty of sisterhood. I KNOW she loves me as much as I love her, and that is comforting in ways that I can't express.

During yoga you are using muscles that you have NEVER used before. You are moving in ways you never thought of, and you go through emotions that you didn't even know where there. While holding downward dog for the 100th time you may feel anger well up from nowhere and a few tears may even mix with the rivers of sweat pouring off your body. When you sigh out that deep breath you will release some things. Like my Godmother says, "Just leave that shit on the mat."

Today toward the end of class. I found myself praying that this happy little blond haired yogi woman would be merciful and stop calling out positions. Finally I heard the sweetest words and found myself in corpse pose which was appropriate, because I was at the point that I thought I was going to die. I reached for my cold white lavender towel and placed it on my eyes.

She said, "Check your body and see if you are still holding onto anything. Anything in your mind or body that may be holding you back from excellence. Take a deep breath and sigh it out." Today I sighed out fear. I smiled as I watched it float away, toward the Buddha, and out the window.

My first yoga class!!! Wanna join me?

My slack ass

Yea so...about that working out thing. My workout buddies car has been down for quite a while and I have used this as an excuse to be slack. I didn't really think that it would last as long as it did, but it has. I'm fat and lazy all over again. I am going to be making some dietary changes, which you can read about here. I am also going to make some workout changes. My focus has been on cardio, and I have learned that while cardio does burn calories it DOES NOT help my metabolism. My husband even reminded me last night that when he was my coach, I saw faster results.

*I would like to take a moment to shift blame to him for not working out with me anymore.*

I started using weights before I got slack and boy that was a good workout, PLUS I don't have to worry about hurting my ankle. I will incorporate the jump rope as my cardio most times. I'm thinking that I will work with doing sets rather than timing myself, yoga every other day to stay limber and prevent injury, and focus on arms and belly. I have new tattoos and am getting 2 more. I don't want Joe's work to be on a flabby canvas. lol

Chef Ahki, starch, flotation device bellies

Hello my name is Morenike and I am a starch addict.

I'm almost certain that I have posted on this topic before, but because I have an addiction I have to post about it again. It doesn't seem to matter than I am a pretty healthy eating vegan/vegetarian, I can't seem to lose weight namely around my middle. When your niece asks you why you stomach looks like a float, it's time to make some changes.

Meet Chef Ahki. She is about to change my life with her simple 3 week /21 day cleanse. I know at this point y'all are like, "This chick is so wishy-washy." What can I say? I'm a Gemini with Cancer tendencies. The only difference between you and I is that I'm posting my dirty laundry to help you. lol I will keep at this until I find something that works FOR ME. Anywho, she is the anti-starch sista, who made it crystal clear why some vegans are fat in this video.



Now that you have watched the vid, if you even realized that I was still writing down here, my dawta and I have decided to get rid of our flotation device-like mid sections. We will start back exercising and nix the starch. I write about the slackness with the exercise later. I am also going to order Chef Ahki's detox tonic to assist me when I start the cleanse. I was tempted to do the renew cleanse, but it seems like just another imbalanced cleanse. It just gets rid of parasite, but doesn't deal with all the other stuff. I know I have an issue with yeast because I have these fierce cravings for starch which is the same as craving sugar.

"The best way to detox yeast? That's the key. Most people have no idea how yeast and candida affect their health. The pharmaceutical companies wan to sell us drugs to rid us of yeast. None of their drugs work. Only way to kill yeast is to STOP FEEDING IT. What do yeast eat? Starch/Sugar...As long as you put starch in your body you are going to have yeast. The problem is yeast is a brilliant parasite. When it is starved for sugar it triggers cravings for sugar in its host. It's not YOU that wants a plate full of brown rice under your vegetables. It's the yeast. There is very little useful nutrition in brown rice. The only reason we eat is to satisfy cravings of the yeast parasites. The key to escaping the yeast trap is to reduce the cravings and to starve the yeast." ~Chef Ahki 

I am very excited about trying the detox, although I know my starch cravings are going to be cutting a fool. Idk, how my daughter is going to do since she got jacked eating a freakin' HUGE pork chop Sunday. Yes, I snitched on you publicly! lol Our plan is to begin working out again Monday. I will be focusing on weights rather than cardio. I'll let you all know how everything goes as usual.

Twisty V Situp Vid

1 Month Update!!!

Greetings Family!!! Today is my 1 month up date and I'm so glad that I don't have to be humiliated by failure! To be honest, I'm not where I thought I'd be, but that's because I didn't starve myself with cleanse after cleanse, but instead am trying to INCOPORATE cleanses as a natural complement to good eating habits.

So a month ago I posted my weights and such so here is the update for this month.
Height
5'2" (I'm 34 so that isn't going to change. lol)

Weight
Last Month: Pre-colon flush 169.4 After flush 166.4
This Month: 157.2 (I do fluctuate between 157 and 160 depending on the time of the day and my discipline that day.)

Chest
Last Month: 39"
This Month: 37"(doesn't matter to me because I hate bras.)

Waist
Last Month: 37"
This Month: 34" (I AM BRANGIN' SEXY BACK SUGAH!!!)

Hips
Last Month: 43"
This Month: 42" (What can I say? I'm a grown ass woman...*shrugs and sashays off*

Before-Notice the chin and stomach specifically

Before-Notice my width. lol

Trying to get a pic of my sweat from walking on the treadmill

Can you see it? Can you see my beautiful sweat?!?!?! Oh wait! I almost forgot. I don't sweat I GLISTEN...

I don't know why I'm leaning like that. I think I was copying my daughter who was taking the picture. lol Not quite so wide this month!!! YAY!

My chin and gut are melting away!!!

I can truly say that I am enjoying this journey for the first time ever. I am learning so much. This time it is about getting healthy and releasing weight is just what happens when you eat like you should. I'm not saying that I always get it right, but I try!!! lol

Sweet Potato Pie & The Treadmill

This will be short. I'm greedy. Sweet potato pie talks. It knows my name. It called. I answered. While my mouth was open to say "huh" it jumped in my mouth. 3 pieces to be exact. I walked 3 miles between 2.0-3.5 per hour at 1-10 incline. My punishment was quite enjoyable and rewarding much to my own surprise. I was listening to RBG Fitclub workout CD. LOVE IT!!!

That is all. Don't judge me. Goodnight.

Breakin' breakfast rules...

This morning I was supposed to do my 3 mile walk, but hubby wanted to sleep a lil late. I was hungry and decided to drink some water, because I didn't want to walk with food on my stomach...something I read. I drank my chlorophyll water. Of course that's when hubby decided to rise. He told me that I should be okay for a 45 minute walk. I doubted it, but tried anyway. At the .5 mile marker, I already had to pee. I called and told him I was on my way back.

That being said, I don't know I why I said all that, but I've decided not to eat cereal, oatmeal, or fruit. I know I should eat something like that, but I'm not. I'm eating quinoa with California veggie mix. I burned on pot of quinoa trying to type out this post, but I put another one on. lol Do you think that was an omen from the vegan breakfast gods?

A little more yoga

More Kemetic Yoga

Kemetic Yoga

Yogaish

I don't normally do yoga with shoes on, but I was checking my poses and posture so I can improve them. I just thought I'd share them with you all.

REPOST: Update!!!

This is going to be really short. I have gotten down to about 145ish and I am feeling great. It's not so much about the weight except for the fact that as much as I liked to believe I was just big boned...I'm not. I actually had hip pain at my heaviest which was 186ish. My body does better at a lighter weight so I FEEL better.

Sunshine and I have been taking West African dance classes (www.shaemovement.com). Our teachers are the bomb. They are literally the best. I can tell a difference in my fitness level from being in the class and I look forward to it EVERY WEEK!!!

We also took our first North African/Belly Dancing Class (http://www.bellydancebynayna.com/). She is also the bomb. They are very different teachers so they aren't to be compared, but I can say that I love them both.

Just thought I would let y'all know what's going on with us over here in NC.

Y'all know I'm anti-scales...right?

Y'all know that I have been anti-scales for a while now. I only used a scale during the Master Cleanse to chart out of curiosity. Well, yesterday my sister brought me her old scale because they bought a new one. I decided with much trepidation to get on it last night. Guess what? I lost 5 more pounds. I normally tell what shape I'm in by how my clothes fit, but know half of my clothes don't fit properly so that isn't a good gauge anymore. Anyway, I have scale now and I don't mind it so much since I'm no longer 180 lbs at the statuesque height of 5'2".

Before:

After:

(My daughter has on makeup because she was playing dress up with me and my friends from out of town. LOL)

Catch 22

Okay, so we have a little unforeseen situation with the weight loss.

I was in the front yard trying to dig a hole for some new bushes I bought. I usually have to put the shovel in the ground and treat it like a pogo stick to get it into this wonderful clay we have been blessed with. This used to be an easy thing to do, but it has taken me two days to get two holes dug for these bushes. I realized today what the problem was. I have lost almost 20lbs and it makes my jumping on the shovel much less effective. I never would have thought about there being some instances when being a little more abundant would have come in handy.

Just thought I'd share

REPOST: Getting Back in the Game

Okay, so I don't know if I mentioned this, but I hate those little canker worms that come out in the spring. I always stop any outdoor activity when they emerge. Well, I haven't walked in forever because of it, so Monday is the day. I am going to start back walking. I realize now, that it is the only thing that I like to do. One day when I grow up I would also like to start jogging--yea right. A girl can dream.

REPOST: Laura B. get ready!

Okay, so this one goes out to Laura.

This morning as I was preparing to go for my walk it was drizzling. I knew about half way to my half way point (does that even make sense?) it was going to rain. I didn't turn around though. I kept going. By the time I reached the turn around point it was pouring rain. How bad you ask? Well, let's just thank that Lord that I had on a jacket on top of my tshirt, because Sharon Amity would have gotten a show. My earphones stopped working because the rain was actually draining into my ears. I didn't even know that could happen. During all of this the dumbest thing happened. I started to get self conscious because "they" (you know those invisible imagined people that always have something to say) might think that I don't have a car. What?! How stupid, arrogant, and self-centered is that?(That was totally rhetorical, so don't send comments answering, thanks. LOL) I kept wishing I could some how subtly signal to "them" know that I was walking for my health and not out of lack of transportation. I didn't know that the spirit of pride could even work it's way into my workout. Like my son says, "What tha mess?"

Anyway Laura, just wanted to let you know that chocolate/caramel don't melt in the rain. LOL

REPOST: The Ball

Sheena, I have been doing my ball exercises girl. I have been doing the one where you pass the ball from your hands to your feet that you showed me. I have mostly been focusing on my abs and arms. I have a slight case of the "Mama arms" that I am trying to get rid of. I am also trying to get this waistline down. The rest of me is grown and sexy so I'm not to worried about it. I walk for cardio and bone density. Just thought I'd let you all know that the ball is the bomb! I love it.

Pattin' Myself on the Back

I have been walking at least 3 miles a day. This week I have actually done 7 miles. There is an extra mile, because of this dog...

Okay, sidebar. I was taking my walk and this dog runs out of nowhere. Okay, now let me say this, I like dogs but only dogs I know. I tried to do what I thought the Dog Whisperer would do, but it didn't work. I firmly told him "NO!", but it didn't work. I crossed to the other side of the street. The dog followed me ever so happily. I almost asked myself if this was my dog that I somehow forgot about. LOL Anyway, my 1/2 mile mark is at the corner of Sharon Amity. I was going to let the dog go with me since it wouldn't go away. As soon as we got to Sharon Amity the dog runs into the street. I'm yelling for it to stop and come back. After the confused but happy dog almost got hit by 2 school buses, and multiple cars and SUVs I decided to go back home. The plan was to ask my neighbors who are the sweetest modern day hippie types to put the dog in their fence until the animal control could pick them up. When I was almost home the dog figured out where it lived and ran off and left me. Now this was after it trained me to run. How? The only way the dog would stay out of the street and follow me was if I ran. It would chase me, run past me, and wait for me to do it again. Did you notice that I said that I WALK 3 miles a day? I HATE running. When I got home my husband informed me that I still had time to walk before I
took the kids to school. Thanks babe! Okay back to our regularly scheduled program...

By the end of the week I hope to have walked 13 miles for the week.