Katy Perry “Dark Horse” Workout with Jessica

Holiday Market 2014

Yesterday I had a Plexus booth at the HOSA Holiday Marketplace in Smyrna.  And even though it meant getting up early, I had a great time.

It’s was fun meeting new people and sharing the Plexus products and business.  A few people had heard of Plexus before, but most had never heard of this quickly rising business.  Many people were excited to hear about these great products.

I had a great conversation with a former Plexus Ambassador about the newest products.  I also met another vendor who had sampled Plexus Slim before and was interested in going for the full month this time along with trying out some of the new products. 

So here’s a shout out to all those wonderful people who stopped by my booth to check out Plexus.

And I want to announce the lucky winner of my prize drawing for a free 7-Day Trial of Plexus Slim.

Congratulations Niki McCarthy!!

Rolling Raspberry Pancakes

This recipe is from Stephanie Eusebi

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Raspberries must be my favourite berries. Along with blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, blackberries…Okay, maybe I love anything that ends in “berry”! But who doesn’t?

Not only do they taste great but they’re jam-packed with nutrients. From a nutritional perspective, raspberries are rich in vitamin C, magnesium, and dietary fiber.

And since they only contain 60 calories per one cup serving, raspberries are an ideal food for healthy weight control.

Yes, I could eat a one cup of raspberries. Heck, I could eat five cups with no problem! But instead of eating plain raspberries, I like to stuff them into recipes where I can benefit from all of the ingredients.

I would like to introduce to you my grain free Rolling Raspberry Pancakes!

3 eggs

¼ cup coconut flour

½ banana

¼ cup coconut milk (you can sub for almond milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

Fresh raspberries – amount to desire

Mash your banana in a medium sized bowl.

Mix in your vanilla, coconut milk and eggs.

In a separate bowl, mix together coconut flour and baking soda.

Combine your dry ingredients (coconut flour and baking soda) into your wet ingredients (vanilla extract, coconut milk, eggs, and mashed banana).

Add in your raspberries.

Pour the batter onto a lightly oiled pan (use coconut oil or REAL butter). Brown on both sides.

TADA!!

(Serves about 6 medium sized pancakes)

via Rolling Raspberry Pancakes | Stephanie Eusebi Nutrition & Wellness.

7 Ways to Stop Unhealthy Food Cravings

When it comes to craving certain foods from time to time, I know I’m not alone.  But I’m trying to be better about not giving into the unhealthy cravings that hinder my weight loss goals.  So when I stumbled onto this article I was intrigued.  Now its time to share will all you fine people and put these tips into practice.

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How often are you overcome with the desire to devour a chocolate bar or cheeseburger? Even the most nutrition-conscious people have to learn how to cope with cravings, sometimes for not-so-nutritious foods. You might think that a longing for these unhealthy treats results from emotions, and that could be true — but not necessarily. “Cravings are usually stimulated by emotional cues, but then fueled by physiological ones as we imagine what it would be like to eat the food we want to have,” says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., professor at Cornell University and author of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life. So to avoid mindless munching, you’ve got to determine the causes of your cravings and be set up with strategies to subdue them. Read on for tips to help you do just that.

1. Ask Whether You’re Hungry

It might seem simple, but people often neglect to determine their level of hunger before they start noshing. “Take a three-minute time-out and ask yourself, ‘What do I want? How am I feeling?’” advises Caroline Cederquist, M.D., a Naples, Florida–based physician who specializes in weight management. “Identifying that there may be no actual hunger is the first step in not giving in to every craving.” Keep in mind, though, that you very well could be starving and need to eat a full meal, says Wansink; if that’s the case, try consuming a healthy dish and then reassessing your desire.

2. Consider What Your Body Needs

“All cravings are important because they give you clues to what you’re feeling but also what’s happening in your body biochemically and metabolically,” says Cederquist. Some are a sign that your body needs more of certain nutrients. For instance, a strong taste forred meat could be a hint that you’re low on iron.

A blood test can measure whether you need to load up on any vitamins or minerals in particular. These sort of cravings that suggest a nutrient deficiency generally only occur in cases of extreme deprivation or pregnancy, though, notes Cederquist.

3. Pay Attention to What You Crave

Your want for certain types of fare could also be a warning sign that you have a health issue worth addressing. If you’re constantly reaching for sweets and starchy foods, for example, it might mean that your body isn’t metabolizing carbohydrates normally, says Cederquist. That means your body isn’t able to move glucose into your cells for energy, so you end up feeling deprived and wanting to eat more carbs.

“This can occur even after someone has eaten a full meal,” she says. “It makes people think their cravings must be emotional, but it’s not necessarily the case.”

If you feel that might be the culprit behind your cravings, see a medical professional.

4. Stop the Train of Thought

Once a craving comes on, says Wansink, “We tend to keep imagining what it would be like to eat the food we have in mind — the texture, crunch, smoothness, richness, and so forth. Doing that makes the craving more extreme.” Therefore, distracting yourself from the thought can be enough to make you forget about it. He advises chewing sugar-free gum, as simply having something in your mouth will eliminate your ability to imagine having food instead.

5. Look for a Distraction

Before you start nibbling on whatever your mind wants, take a few minutes to drink a glass of water or walk around the block. These two steps help, says Cederquist, because they separate you from the craving. “That separation gives you the time and space to reflect upon the healthy diet you’re trying to maintain and how eating this food might take you off-course from that plan,” she says.

Another option is to sip something warm, like a cup of herbal tea. Drinking a hot beverage takes time, is filling, and stimulates the vagus nerve — which helps manage digestion and can decrease cravings, especially for sugary foods, says Cederquist.

6. Cut Yourself a Break (But a Small One)

If you’ve assessed your hunger, waited and can’t kick the craving, it’s time to give in — but in small doses. “Try eating only one-fourth of the portion size you really want, then put the rest away and distract yourself for 15 minutes,” suggests Wansink. “See how you feel after that time has passed. Chances are, you’ll be equally satisfied as if you had eaten the whole thing.”

7. Prevent Food Cravings in the First Place

One of the questions you should ask yourself when you first detect a craving is what you already ate today that could be triggering it. For example, eating candy or desserts can spur the craving for more sweetness, especially when eaten on an empty stomach, says Cederquist. To sidestep that kind of reaction in the future, she recommends includingprotein and fiber in every meal and snack; doing so can limit subsequent cravings by decreasing the blood sugar response.

If you follow these tips and still feel compelled to devour certain foods, Cederquist recommends consulting your doctor; he or she can test your levels of glucose, insulin, glycohemoglobin, triglycerides, and HDL — which can all be helpful to identify conditions such as metabolic dysfunction. Making a diagnosis like that can be your first step in figuring out a meal plan that can negate those nagging cravings and keep your weight in check.

Working out in the AM…

Today I read an article by Elle Penner on the My Fitness Pal blog about how to work your way into exercising in the morning.  So this post when combined with my last post may lean towards a pattern.  Can you tell that I’m trying to change my life around?  So I’m going to share her tips with you guys and keep them in mind for myself.

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 So You Want to Start…Working Out in the Morning

Over the years I’ve grown to love exercising in the morning. It frees up my evenings, leaves me fewer excuses for skipping out on a workout, and helps me feel more alert throughout the day. Research shows morning workouts can also improve sleep, acuity, and productivity, as well as positively impact diet and exercise habits.

However, just because I love morning workouts doesn’t mean I leap out of bed at the sound of my alarm, eager to exercise every day. Even us morning people might find it tough to head out for a run before the sun rises or attend a 6AM burpee bootcamp. I’ve skipped my fair share of early workouts, but I’ve also gotten quite good at not skipping them too, thanks to a little strategic planning, preparation and positive thinking.

If you’re wanting to become more of a morning exerciser, here are some of my top tips. Maybe they’ll help you too!

1. Ease into it. If you’ve never exercised in the morning before, don’t sign up for 6AM personal training sessions five days in a row. To start, schedule one morning workout per week. Try choosing a day you have something fun planned for that night. Knowing you can’t put your workout off might give you more incentive to get out of bed and exercise that morning. When you start to feel okay with one day per week, bump it up to 2. Gradually your body (and brain) will get used to sweating before 7 o’clock.

2. Write a workout schedule for the week. This is helpful no matter what time of day you prefer to exercise, but building your day around a morning workout really does give you fewer excuses to skip it. Besides a horrible night’s sleep, there are few things that can get in the way of you and your morning workout. When writing your workout schedule, also consider things like work deadlines, events and travel plans, so you can let your really busy days be rest days!

3. Enlist a morning workout buddy. It’s a lot harder to skip a morning sweat session if you have someone counting on you to show up. No one wants to be that person who bails!

4. Before you go to bed, decide exactly what morning workout you will do. For example, instead of saying, “I will exercise before work tomorrow,” say “I will jog 2 miles and do 30 pushups before work tomorrow.” Workout agendas maximize efficiency by eliminating wasted minutes spent debating which piece of cardio equipment to hop on or which strength move to do next. This allows you to budget just the right amount of time you’ll need to fit in your workout. It also prevents you from dozing back off to sleep while pondering what type of exercise you’ll do.

5. Lay out your exercise clothes the night before. This gesture alone is a sign you’re committed to getting out of bed for exercise in the morning. It takes the guesswork out of dressing for the weather, which can be overly complicated if you’re groggy from a good night’s sleep. Check what the low temperature will be overnight and plan your workout attire accordingly. If your workout is fairly early, chances are the temperature will be at or near the low temperature for the night. Your still-sleeping significant other will appreciate not hearing you fumble around in the dark as you look for your favorite pair of socks.

6. Pack your gym bag before you go to bed if you plan on showering elsewhere. You’re much less likely to forget critical belongings like deodorant and underwear. I’ve done both and it doesn’t make for a great start to the day. Take it one step further and write down a list of essential items such as shampoo & conditioner, towel, deodorant etc… and take a quick peek at it as you’re packing. Eventually, you’ll have it memorized!

7. Get a good night’s sleep. Like I mentioned above, there are few things that can get in the way of you and your morning workout, but sleep deprivation is one of them. It’ll get the best of you almost every time.

8. Think positive thoughts. When your alarm goes off, don’t dwell on how much you’d rather fall back asleep or how tired you are. Instead, focus on what you’re excited to do with your free time after school or work, or how great you’ll feel the rest of the day for sticking to your goal. Remember, the only workouts you regret are the ones you don’t do!

Working out in the morning isn’t for everyone, but if you want to start then it’s entirely possible to make it a healthy habit with enough planning, preparation and positive thinking. I’m proof–and I hope these little tricks will help you too!

Do you prefer morning, afternoon or evening workouts? What helps you early exercisers get out of bed in the morning?

via So You Want to Start…Working Out in the Morning ‹ Hello Healthy.

I’m SO NOT a morning person…

So I read this article the other day on Life by Daily Burn and it is stuck in my head.  I’ve never ever been a morning person.  I’ve always wanted to be, but it’s never worked out.  Occasionally I’ve been able to get myself up early or even just on time but it doesn’t really last long.  When I am able to do it, I definitely feel like my day is more productive and just better all around.

Enter new article…

So I’m going to share this with you guys and we’ll see if it helps.  And hopefully by sharing these tricks on my blog I’ll be more likely to refer back to them and put them into use.

19 Ways to Trick Yourself Into Becoming a Morning Person

Let’s start with the bad news: Only about 1 in 10 people is a true morning person, according to The Body Clock Guide to Better Health. The good news is, only 2 in 10 fall into the category of night owls, while the rest fall somewhere in between. Better still: Even if you operate best in the wee hours of the night, you can still train yourself to be an early riser. Here’s how.

Plan Ahead

Waking well-rested starts with getting enough sleep. “Hitting the snooze button a couple times before getting up is a clear sign of sleep deprivation,” says Nathaniel Watson, MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “If you are getting enough sleep, you should be able to wake up on time without a morning alarm.” Sounds easier said than done? First, follow these tips for catching the zzz’s you need to wake refreshed.

1. Practice good sleep hygiene. “Keeping a consistent sleep schedule is one of the best ways to ensure you’re getting quality, restful sleep,” says Dr. Watson. If you need to shift your schedule earlier, start moving your bedtime forward by just 15 minutes at a time. Adjustments more drastic than that will keep you rebounding between early and late bedtimes rather than creating lasting change.

2. Take your time. Balancing your own well-being against other personal and professional responsibilities is tough. Often, finding the right work-life equilibrium starts with saying “No,” and so does getting enough sleep. Pare down your evening commitments so that you’ve got an hour completely blocked off to wind down before bed.

3. Implement a routine. Establishing a schedule can help clue our bodies in to what’s to come. Maintaining a regular evening routine will help chill you out and let your mind know that it’s nearly time to fall asleep. For example, that could mean drinking a cup of (decaffeinated) tea and reading for 20 minutes each evening before bed.

4. Nap cautiously. If you have a sleep debt to repay, it’s better to nap during the day than to mess up your nightly sleep schedule. That said, you don’t want a daytime snooze to keep you up at night. (For more napping tips head here!)

5. Eat (and drink) smart. Some experts caution against going to bed too full or too hungry, as the discomfort may keep you awake. The same goes for drinking: Sipping too much before bed can cause mid-slumber trips to the bathroom, and caffeine and alcohol in particular have been shown to disrupt sleep.

6. Power down. Any kind of light can shift circadian rhythms, making it harder to sleep at night. And if you’re constantly plugged in, you’re even less likely to hit the hay right away. Research has shown that the blue light emitted by electronics like laptops and cell phones disturbs sleep even more than natural light. Turn off those electronic screens at least an hour before bed to make dozing easier.

7. Prep before bed. Wondering what to do with that electronic-free hour? Use the time to get together anything you’ll need in the a.m. — like a healthy lunch, make-ahead breakfast, or a gym bag. Shortening your morning to-do list just might make it easier to roll out of bed.

8. Get cozy. Temperature, noise, light and comfort can all impact your ability to sleep well. A cool, quiet room (around 65 degrees) has been shown to be an effective sleep environment. And if your mattress leaves you achy, you’ve got a good excuse to upgrade — your health may depend on it! The National Sleep Foundation offers even more recommendations for tweaking all of these for better sleep.

Wake Up with Ease

You’ve set yourself up for success and slept like a boss. But the battle isn’t won just yet. Here’s how to skip the snooze button and hop out of bed when that alarm starts buzzing.

9. Set your motive. As with any change, it’s important to have a tangible reason for waking up early. Come up with a meaningful goal you’ll be able to achieve by starting the day earlier, whether that’s being able to fit in a morning sweat session or having some extra time to cook a healthy breakfast.

10. Play a mind game. The alarm goes off, and the immediate temptation is to hit snooze. Go ahead, do it — but then stay out of bed for those next nine minutes. The idea of the so-called “inverted snooze” is to ease the pain of waking up by telling yourself you only have to stick it out for nine minutes. Move around, stretch, start brewing coffee — anything to keep yourself awake. By the time the alarm goes off again you should be awake and alert enough to start your day rather than still grumpy in bed and (likely) hitting snooze again.

11. Bite the bullet. If you naturally wake within minutes of your alarm, it can be tempting to close your eyes and relish in a few more minutes of rest. But you’re better off just getting out of bed. When you wake spontaneously, you’re likely in a light sleep stage, explains Dr. Watson. Going back to sleep could send you into a deeper sleep stage, making it harder to wake up and start your day.

12. Make moves. Finding the right alarm and where to put it can have a big impact on whether you wake in the morning. Try experimenting with the sound, timing and location of your alarm clock to help yourself get up when you need to. For example, some alarms wake you gradually with pleasant sounds to make the transition into daytime less jarring and more relaxed.

13. Seize the day. Waking up with a groan and thinking about all the things you don’twant to do is a terrible way to motivate yourself to get out of bed. Instead, think ahead to the best things you’ll do all day to fuel your desire to get up and at ‘em.

14. Try an app. There are several apps that promise to get you out of bed in the a.m. For example, Wake n Shake makes you shake your phone in order to turn off the app, while Better Me shares your failure to your Facebook every time you hit snooze. There are also apps, like Sleep Cycle, that use motion sensors to monitor your movement and determine the best time to wake you within a preset window.

15. Brighten up. If you need to draw shades at night to make your room dark or — shudder — you need to wake before it’s light out, you can’t always rely on the sun to wake you. Fortunately, there are gradual light-up alarm clocks that promise to lull you out of sleep less painfully than your standard alarm.

Power Through the Morning

You’ve made it! You’re out of bed. Now, here’s how to get out the door without starting the day in grouch mode.

16. Pare down to-dos. You’ve already pre-packed your lunch or gym bag, giving you one less thing to worry about before coffee. Look for other ways to streamline your pre-work routine (including taking advantage of your coffee maker’s automatic timer!) so you can spend less time rushing through those early hours, and start enjoying them instead.

17. Amp up your productivity. If you’re a regular snoozer, cutting out that extra nine minutes (or nine minutes times four or five) earns you bonus time each morning. Many creatives swear thatearly morning is the best time to write or think deeply and creatively about projects. Try taking a page from their book and dedicate even just a few minutes first thing in the a.m. to a project of your choice. You may be surprised at how rewarding it feels to start the day with a few tasks already checked off.

18. Eat a healthy breakfast. To be your best self, it’s helpful to eat a good breakfast (trust us, morning meetings are better when you’re not hangry). Whole grain carbs plus protein give you a quick hit of energy and keep you going all morning. For an all-in-one solution that you can prep ahead, try these homemade protein bars or overnight oats.

19. Exercise in the morning. Early in the a.m., your willpower stores are at their highest. By the evening, we get too busy and find too many excuses not to exercise. Plus, morning workouts will give you an extra shot of energy to carry you through the day ahead.

Are you a morning bird or a night owl? How have you changed your sleep-in tendencies to up your productivity?

6 Non-Gimmicky Ways to Boost Your Metabolism

Blaming a slow metabolism on your inability to drop unwanted pounds is a common excuse. And if you think that’s what’s been holding you back lately, you’re in luck—you have the power to improve your metabolism!

The number of calories your body burns each day (a.k.a. your metabolism) is dependent on several factors, including your age, gender, muscle-to-fat ratio, food intake, and activity level. While you can’t stop birthdays from coming, it turns out there are a few things you can do daily to give your metabolism a kick in the pants. Here are 6 gimmick-free metabolism boosters to add to your routine. (They may not have infomercials touting their magic powers, but they work!)

1. Start strength training Your body burns calories even when you’re not active, but those of you with a higher muscle-to-fat ratio are burning more. 1 pound of lean body tissue, including organs and muscles, burns an average of 14 calories a day, while 1 pound of fat only burns 3. Weight bearing exercises—even the body weight kind, like pushups and squats, help to build muscle and eliminate fat, making your metabolism higher.

2. Get your heart thumping Doing cardio at the gym may not beef up your muscles, but it can rev your metabolism for a few hours post-exercise. The trick is to make it a high-intensity workout. Push yourself to run or walk faster or try a more intense dance class to reap the benefits.

3. Drink plenty of water Being even mildly dehydrated can slow down your metabolism, because your body needs water to process calories. Aim to drink half of your body weight in ounces daily—and sip even more if you’re working out or if it’s hot outside. For example, if you weigh 148 pounds you need to guzzle 74 ounces daily as a base, and then add another 8 ounces for every 15 minutes of exercise. Snacking on high-water content fruits and veggies can also help you stay hydrated.

4. Snack between meals No, you’re not getting the green light to reach for a bag of Cheetos! Instead, you should be thinking about eating smaller main meals and adding a smart snack in between each—which means you’d be noshing every 3 to 4 hours. Several studies show enjoying several small meals throughout the day keeps your metabolism up, so you end up burning more calories over time.

5. Spice up your life Chili peppers, including cayenne and jalapeño, contains capsaicin, a compound shown in studies to give your metabolism a 15 to 20% boost for up to two hours after eating it. Consider sprinkling savory meals with red pepper flakes from now on.

6. Sip a little caffeine Caffeine gives you a pick-me-up when you’re feeling tired, it’s been shows to increase your endurance during exercise, and research also link it to a slight spike in your metabolism. The best source? Green tea, which offers the power of caffeine and catechins, antioxidants found in tea that can increase your metabolism for a couple of hours. Studies suggest drinking 2 to 4 cups of green tea daily may encourage your body to burn 17% more calories during moderately intense exercise.

Which of these metabolism-boosting ideas are you planning to try? (And which ones are you already doing?) Tell us in the comments!

via 6 Non-Gimmicky Ways to Boost Your Metabolism ‹ Hello Healthy.

I Choose To Be Healthy…

So I’m definitely not perfect.  And I’m definitely not a fitness role model at this point in my life.  But you know what… I’m no where near finished.

I’ve been making some great progress lately when it comes to my health goals.  I became a member at Anytime Fitness and started working with a personal trainer a few weeks ago.  And I’m loving it.  There is no way I would have pushed myself as hard by myself as my personal trainer pushes me.  Although I will say that since working with Derek I’ve been so much better about how I work out on my own.  I even went for a walk with the dogs this very morning.

Since working out a few days a week and getting back into my Plexus routine, I can feel the inches and pounds melting away.  I’m feeling so great lately.  I’m working hard on changing things for the better.

Oh and I’m going to try to be better about blogging a little more often.  So stay tuned…

Technology I love you…

Since I’m such a nerd I tend to get excited about tech gadgets.  (And let’s not forget that nerds rule the world.)  So the closer I’ve gotten to the end of my 2-year contract for my cell phone, the more excited I’ve been about upgrading.  I always look forward to a new phone, but this time I’ve been especially excited.

I just upgraded my Samsung Galaxy S3 to the new Samsung Galaxy S5.  Why all the anticipation?  Well not only is the S5 a super awesome phone, but it comes with the new S Health app.  Because of the phone’s built-in pedometer, the S Health app can count your steps and figure up the calories burned.  You can track your exercise and food intake. The phone also has a built-in heart rate monitor.  There’s even a Coach that gives you missions to help you reach your goals.

I’ve been playing around with the S Health features since getting the S5 a couple days ago.  So far I absolutely love it.  I can’t wait for my Gear Fit to get here.  For those of you who don’t know about that… it’s a cross between a smart watch and a fitness monitor that syncs to the S Health app on the S5.  It also lets you control the music on your phone while you’re working out.

My hope was that the S Health app with its many cool features along with the Gear Fit would help motivate me in my journey towards a fit and healthy life.  And I’m extremely happy to say that so far it has.  Yesterday morning I got up and went for a great walk down my road.  Thankfully a majority of my walk was shaded because it was so hot out there.  And other than seeing a snake slithering through some fallen leaves, it was a peaceful trek.  According to the tracker on S Health I walked 4.75 miles.  And it felt pretty darn good.

After my  walk I had a lovely brunch of scrambled eggs with fresh
broccoli thrown in.  Then it was off to do yard work.  Mowing the lawn, trimming tress, and all that good stuff.  Oh it did I mention it was so hot out.  Lots of cold water required.

And for dinner, a wonderfully delicious salad.  Nice baby lettuce mix, carrots, ham, roasted sunflower seeds, dried cranberries… YUM!!

I was so busy with everything that I forgot to do my weekly check-in for weight and measurements.  But that’s ok because I put in some real effort towards reaching my goals.  I’m proud of my nearly 5 mile walk and my healthy food choices.

I feel like this next week will be a good one.  Sometimes it feels like the weekend is really the beginning of the week for me.  And other times the weekend seems like it’s the time to check-in and see how I did over the past few days.  Either way things are looking good for the days to come.  I’ve even used my exercise apps to schedule in some workouts.

Wish me luck!

Dedicated… ?? …

So I’m happy that I’m making progress with my weight loss, body changes, and healthier choices.  As of my Check In on Saturday I’ve lost 4 pounds and 18 inches since this journey began.  But I’m just a little frustrated that I haven’t made more progress by now.  And believe me when I say that I’m well aware that the only thing holding me back is myself.

I’m very happily doing my Plexus Slim and Boost every day.  I enjoy the taste and routing of the Slim and the great energy of the Boost.  I love mixing up the P96 Protein Shakes for a quick, healthy, yummy breakfast for my drive to work on the days when I don’t have time for more.  Oh and I’ve started taking the BioCleanse and ProBio5 for a little extra health support.  I love the Plexus products.

As far as healthier eating habits… There’s just something about eating more fruits and vegetables that just feels better.  Eating healthier make me feel better about myself and my overall life.  It gives me this fresh, clean feeling.  Is that weird?  I don’t think so.

But as far as eating habits… my problem isn’t as much how much I eat as it is what I eat.  That’s why I’ve been on the search for easy and yummy healthy recipes.  My collection is growing.  I’ll be adding them to my Recipe page little by little.  And I’ll do posts on my favorites.

And I would have to say that my biggest problem is lack of good exercise.  I know if I worked out more on a regular basis then I would be farther along in my weight loss.  It’s hard to find the time to fit in a good workout.  I know sometimes I’m being lazy.  And sometimes there’s just not enough time to fit everything into a day.  But if I’m going to be serious about getting healthy and in better shape then I need to make time for exercise.

It’s not like I have no access to a good area to walk because I do.  And a good walk each day is the least I can do to better my health.  And I have several workout DVDs in my collection: things like Hip Hop Abs, Power 90, Burlesque, Step Up Revolution, and probably a couple more.  It just boils down to time and motivation I guess.  I just need to be stronger in my determination to change things.  And I’m working on that.

I don’t want it to sound like I’m making excuses.  I know there’s no miracle, fast or even instantaneous (I wish!) solution to getting the body I want.  It all boils down to how hard I’m going to work to achieve my goals.  And how bad I want to make a change.

So bare with me.  I’m trying.  I just need to push myself harder.