Ok yes, it’s Kelly Osbourne BUT she did lose some weight and looks fantastic! I don’t know if she did it all on her own, or had a mess of personal trainers and crap we regular folks can’t afford, but in this this article she tells us some simple (translation: common sense) tips on how she did it. I don’t care who you are; if you’ve got a weight loss story and your tricks could be helpful, I’m gonna listen. You know? So go Kelly!

I know it’s “Hollywood” and no doubt she’s touched up, but I’ve seen the other pics and this girl, no matter how much we love to hate her, LOOKS good. In the article she mentions one way to cut out calories is soda. As North Americans we love our damn soda…and those are empty calories folks. Personally, if ‘m going to drink my calories I’ll save them for the Honey Brown Ale when I have a burger or a glass of our current fave red (see wine blog)…save them for when it counts I say….

But back to Kelly…another great tip I thought- get rid of your microwave. It’s too easy to fill your freezer with those less-than-good-for-you frozen meals that say they’re healthy (when really they pack a whollop in calories AND fat). Sure it’s easy to pop something in the microwave for 3 minutes but answer me honestly- are those meals remotely satisfying to you?

I look for inspiration where I can find it…I don’t care who is inspiring me or what they look like. If they’re doing something I think is great and can maybe teach us something, then I’m going to lean in closer for a 2nd look.

My struggle continues. I lost myself this past year and gained some weight back. I’m looking for ideas in all corner…and within. Choose your calories well.

Be well.

Namaste.

CM

Don't do it alone...

So I’ve given myself an hour to write tonight…I’m not 100% comfortable still in my ‘writing’ area but it’s shaping up slowly. A work in progress if you will…

I mentioned I’ve gained some weight back lately and My Guy and I decided to work together more vigorously at getting out and working up a sweat. (mind out of the gutter please!) Just knowing I have his support makes a world of difference. I don’t know if the average person, like my co-workers for example, can tell I’ve gained weight but I certainly can and that’s the issue. I’m not totally happy in this body in it’s current shape- so I need to fix that. It’s so much better to have a support system, and have that person you can go out and do things with. If you’re struggling to lose weight, or to even start on a fitness regime- grab a buddy. I can’t stress how hard it is to do this on your own…

When I lost over 50 lbs several years ago, at the beginning of my journey…I started alone. I had just left a relationship, moved to a new neighborhood and was depressed at the recent changes in my life. I felt I had nobody to ask to help me, and so I struggled through alone. I won’t lie…it was hard. Looking back I feel pride I did it yes…but I remember alot of loneliness during that time. There were people I could have asked but I didn’t want to ‘burden’ anyone. I know now, a true friend would NEVER think it a burden to help someone on a path to being more happy and healthy.

Having My Guy to come home to, and walk with or run with just gives me that added little kick-in-the-butt I need. After all, us BOTH getting out and moving only makes our relationship stronger….right?

I’m back to marking on my calendar with a funky little sticker, when I do get out and get my heart racing and blood flowing. I suggested this a few years back when I needed any little thing to keep me going…and I still stick to it. Looking at the calendar covered in smiley faces and seeing my effort laid right out in front of me really makes me feel good. Life is short and we gotta take care of the little things that make us feel GOOD. Plain and simple…

Grab a buddy, get out, get moving and feel how good it can be. Remember baby steps and go at your OWN PACE…

Love CM

Goal Setting. Ouch. Those 2 words diets and fitness regimes always bring up…

This is where things can get tough. Setting personal goals can be really challenging because we don’t want to fail and often put extremely high hopes on ourselves. The key to reaching your goals is to search within yourself and really ask what you want, and what YOU can do. Setting realistic goals will make achieving them easier because you can see the end and you can visualize the result. 

A good example of an unrealistic goal is, “I need to lose 50 lbs. by summer time”.  And let’s say summer is 4-5 months away. This goal seems so far in the distance and the amount of weight is astronomical to me at this stage in the game. Personally, I want to set a more realistic, reachable goal such as, “I will lose 5-10 lbs. THIS MONTH and exercise EVERY OTHER DAY for at least 20 minutes.” I know I can work at this goal because it’s a) short term, b) the lbs. to lose is within reason and believable and c) I’ve given myself a little extra with the goal of exercising every 2 days. Which one would you set for yourself and KEEP?

In your journal, write down 5 goals you would like to set for yourself and look at how to incorporate them into your life as soon as possible. This is where your daily affirmations come into play too as you can reinforce your goals daily through them!

Welcome to my new site! I hope as many people who stopped by my other blog will find me here and drop by…your comments and emails mean so much to me

I wanted to touch base regarding my yoga class the other night. It’s a basic class to practice Hatha and after Zumba taking a beating out on my hips and legs, this was a much needed ‘break’. I absolutely loved it and forgot how wonderful yoga truly makes me feel. Doing it at home is somehow not quite the same as being in a room filled with other people, all breathing in sync and the sound of silence. I totally and completely re-connected with myself….and it was amazing.

Some people think yoga is all “weird” and for “hippies” but if you haven’t tried it, you may find you really like it. I admit it can be challenging at first in the sense that you REALLY have to pay attention to your breathing because this is what yoga is centered around. It’s about bringing yourself, your mind to a different level of consciousness….one where you are simply at peace. Once you focus on your breathing and learn to enjoy the quiet and intensity, yoga feels amazing. None of the moves are extremely strenuous nor do they require super-strength but they do require focus and patience. You can only do what feel comfortable doing. Yoga isn’t about the end…you will never ‘finish’ so to speak.

So for those of you who read me regularly you know I have posted about my bad back. I also have serious knots going on all throughout it, that sometimes render me pretty useless. Like today. My back was pretty much seized up and I made it through the day slightly drugged up on robaxacet…and cut my work day short by an hour. This isn’t a good way to live or function. I was talking to my dear friend tonight and she mentioned she had ‘heard’ something about potassium helping with muscle pain. I admit I had not heard this before so I looked into it…and I was floored. I knew it was an important nutrient obviously, but I didn’t know ALL that it did and why exactly I should make sure to have it in my diet.

So benefit number one has got to be that a diet rich in potassium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and strokes, and we all know that is good news. But did you know that sufficient potassium in your diet can also soothe feelings of anxiety, stress and irritability?

If you’re lacking potassium in your diet, you could experience serious fatigue, a slow down of reflexes and muscle cramping. (of course I must state if you are feeling like this for an extended period of time, you really need to go to the doctor to rule out anything else…). Lately, I’ve been feeling like I’m trying to walk against the current, constantly being pushed back but too exhausted to find another route. I do know a part of it is the winter blues and a combination of some other life issues going on…but this information about potassium really strikes a chord in me. I feel I need to up my potassium intake; I need to see if it helps with my back seizing up. I figure I have NOTHING to lose, right?

So how will I get this extra potassium? Well, a banana has 400 mg….and what is more convenient than putting one of these bad boys in your lunch bag or grabbing one on the go? All my research seems to indicate the recommended daily intake should be 3500-4000 mg but realistically, we eat about half of that a day. Most fruits and vegetables are a great source of potassium so make sure to always get enough….

Other potassium rich foods are:

- Lima Beans: 1 cup has 1000 mg. I love this bean. Seriously. With a smidge of butter and pepper.
- Cantaloupe: 1/2 of a 5″ melon has 975 mg. Yum! Quick snack? 1/2 melon with cottage cheese.
- Potato: 1 medium sized tater has around 900 mg and really, is there a more versatile veggie??
- Fresh OJ: 1 cup will give you 975 mg.
- Papaya: 785 mg in 1 papaya. I do not eat enough of this fruit….

This is really only a handful of the foods out there….bottom line, if we’re eating a balanced and nutritious diet with the fruits and veggie requirements our bodies need, then everything is good. Personally speaking, I’m adding a little extra potassium to my daily diet!

Love Chere Michelle

Everything is coming up…..green??

Yup. Green baby…Check out Genuine Health’s website for more info on the benefits of making Greens part of your daily diet.

Do you take sugar-laden energy drinks? Find yourself drinking more than one cup of coffee a day? Are you sluggish and constantly wonder if your head is even connected to your body sometimes?

I’m so excited about this stuff! This has been something I have toyed with trying for years now…and it wasn’t until my dear friend (who wishes to remain anonymous, but lets call her something….) “Molly” told me how incredible she was feeling after a few days. A FEW DAYS! I trust her completely and her move in that direction made me realize I needed to kick my butt into a higher gear and follow.

Although it says ‘natural orange flavor’, don’t put too much faith in that. It still tastes like regular greens to me! Add to plain water or juice and drink up.

Enjoy!

I was sitting here tonight thinking, “what on earth can I write about?” It’s not that I don’t have ANY ideas, it’s that I simply have too many ideas floating around in my head and I’m unsure of where to begin, or what topic to pick.

I was reading a post entitled Why Blog? from Melissa over at Sugar Filled Emotions and like her, I originally started blogging as a form of creativity and to let my emotions out. I’ve always been a “writer” and the written word is so much more eloquent and descriptive than words could ever be. Of course I had other reasons to start blogging, and that was to share MY story. It took me a long time to feel confident about the weight loss and how I did it; but once I did I wanted to shout it from the roof top!

Simply put: I love reading blogs because they are real and they are full of raw emotion. I realize everything I read I need to take with a grain of salt if I’m doing specific research, but I could never judge another person’s feelings. It takes guts to open yourself up and expose your inner soul (and mind!) for the entire world wide web to critique.

Nile Flores, over at blondish.net  put down some of her thoughts on blogging and I found these hit the nail on the head. What resonated the most was these words: “Blogging should not be a chore. Write about what you want and when you want to.” I thought about that and it’s so true. If a blogger is finding the whole process tedious and mundane- it’s probably time for them to to put their blogger hat away and take a break. I get excited when I have something to share…I get excited when I receive emails from others who are on their own journey to lose weight or to just be happier in their lives. I love this! One little problem? My blog isn’t nearly how I want it to look…and I’m struggling with that. It will get there in time…I must trust in myself and *be patient.* Right???

Blogging inspires me to keep going on my own journey because it is one, that will not be over for a really long time. Sure the weight may have come off, but the doubts, the insecurities and depression are still present. Those are the things I take ONE DAY AT A TIME and learn to conquer day  day. Blogging helps me do this.

So why do I blog? I blog specifically to SHARE…and inspire others. This in turn reminds me daily of where I am in this life, and how I want to proceed down the road. Ultimately I want:

- To inspire others to be the person they truly want to be
- To help people lose weight
- To help others learn to live healthy and as a result, to live happy
- To help myself as I continue on my own journey to being the person I have always dreamed of being
- To connect, communicate and share with the others around the world

I am ever thankful to those who read me and continue to email and support me through their words.

In a sort of nutshell, that’s why I blog.

Since I’m always bumming around the Web, when I come across articles or blog posts that catch my eye I want to share them. That’s what happened with this post entitled What it Feels Like for a Girl that I stumbled across this evening. The author tells us about  the lengths a friend of hers go through to be attractive to her partner. I urge you to read the post because the style is really engaging and you will get a definite feel for what women feel they MUST do in order to be attractive.

I believe women fall into 2 categories: some do it for themselves and some do it for their partner or mate. I do think there are benefits to both…let me explain. I’m not saying you should do everything your partner wants you to do (in regards to your look) but if you know they like a certain ‘something’ it’s great to throw that into the mix every once in awhile right? But women should also be going through their lives looking HOW THEY WANT TO LOOK because they have to be comfortable in their own skin. This is so important and again, ties to the whole self-esteem issue I’ve talked about.

The post I read largely focuses on makeup. It got me to thinking about what I do on a daily basis. I like to think I’m low maintenance. Basically I tip my head upside down after I shampoo my hair and aim the dryer at it….no fussy styling. I will usually run the straightener through it if I have the time, only because it smooths out the frizzies my somewhat curly hair has. That’s it. As for makeup? Eyeliner. I need to wear it or my eyes disappear into my face. Seriously. I like a bit of color on my cheeks too because, the silly little girl in me, thinks it makes me look younger.

But other than that I’m pretty plain and I’m happy with that. I can’t imagine putting on face make up and powder every single day…I can’t imagine putting on full eye make up and choosing shadow colors every morning! It’s just not me. I think if a woman is happy with wearing make up daily, with wearing lingerie, or with getting waxed…then by all means DO IT.

Do it for yourself.

I shave my legs when I’m single…and I always paint my toenails, but never my fingernails….this never changes. There are certain things I do for myself…such as wear perfume! I need my scent. I’m lost without it.

Going back to feeling good about ourselves, these are the little things I do to feel good about MYSELF daily. Think about what you do daily, weekly or monthly, and WHY? Are you changing yourself for someone else? Or are you simply doing what you need to feel good?

Love life. Love yourself.

I have to remind myself sometimes, when I’m feeling lazy that eating well isn’t hard work…if you make it simple. Over the years I have discovered several ways to help me eat better, prepare food faster and make it more convenient. Unless you love spending hours in the kitchen…lets face it, it IS all about convenience.

I always want veggies and dip…or salad. But I hate cutting up everything- especially after a long day and I’m tired and HUNGRY. I now buy all my veggies on one day of the week, usually Sunday because that’s just what works for me…I come home and spend less than an hour of my time cutting and chopping. I put everything into resealable containers, and even my lettuce is washed and ready to be thrown in a bowl. I don’t cut tomatoes obviously, as they would dry out, but everything else is fair game. I don’t soak my veggies in water either since all the nutrients will seep out into the liquid, but soak a paper towel or cloth napkin and lie on top or around the veggies. This keeps them crunchy! Now when I come home during the week, making a salad is as simple as dumping my lettuce in a bowl, and adding all the good stuff.

I always keep an array of stuff from the bulk section too. This section of the grocery store is your best friend. I buy nuts and seeds here, dried fruit and granola (among other things). I always top my salads with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and a dried fruit of some kind- I lean towards cranberries.

Another staple in my fridge is a mixture of beans and rice. I flip between flavors and cravings but currently it’s been Spanish rice and black beans. I cook up a pot and put in fridge and makes an excellent QUICK burrito or wrap- hot or cold. You could throw meat in of course, and whatever else your little heart desires. It’s all about taste and convenience.

I’m also big on chili. I think it’s a great thing to simmer on the stove on weekend day, mixing and adding all the yummy stuff you want…,make it as spicy as you want…or as mild. I make a huge batch and freeze into portions. It only gets better with time! I discovered a chili burrito with rice is also a great way to use it up…Basically when you make things like pasta sauce- make MORE. And then freeze into portions. Knowing you have that to come home to, instead of say, ripping open a bag of *shudder* Mr Noodles, can make all the difference.

(Yes I use the Yves Veggie Ground “Burger” for my chili! Adds my protein and bulks it up.)
All it takes is a little planning….a little time (and I do mean LITTLE time) to make sure you eat well and love what you’re eating. If you put the effort into it, your body will thank you.

Until next time,
Love Chere Michelle