Hey All!!

I have been very, very tired lately and it is my own fault.  I guess I could say that I got wrapped up in the holidays, and bummed out by all of the cold freezing weather and snow.  I also could say that having company for two weeks  put a dent in my eating/workout schedule.  I could blame SAD, the lack of vitamin D, President Obama (really, isn’t everything his fault nowadays? *eyeroll*)……..

But, truthfully, I can’t…the month of January was a total eating and exercise plan fail!  Nah, I don’t like to say “fail”  – too negative – tho the extra 5 pounds that are sending me back over the 200 lb mark don’t seem like a “win” to me.

We all know the drill, I was just surprised that I could get back into the old habits so easily after the kick ass summer that I had.  But, ladies and gents, I am paying dearly for my indulgences.  No energy, tired red eyes and overactive bladder (too much sugar) weight gain  and a penchant for just either laying around or surfing the web mean one big thing – Blood sugar is out of control again.

So I must take charge again and get back on track.  The only upside to all of this is that instead of wallowing and continuing my downward spiral, I am really hating how I look and feel.  No wig , makeup or clothes can mask an unhealthy body.  And the sluggishness – I used to be so sharp!  So, it’ll take a couple of weeks of hot fudge/vanilla icecream waffle sundae detox ( do I know how to cheat or what?!?) to get me back to my old/new self again, but I have to do it !  And I can do it!!

Today I re-measure myself and use that as a starting point….If you all don’t mind, I won’t post numbers again till I am feeling better, and I am sure that what I will be seeing won’t make me all puppies, kittens and rainbows.

Now that the weather is decent, I am also back outside running, and I am pricing treadmills this week.  No excuses!!

I don’t know what my lack of training for the month of January is going to do for my half marathon that is scheduled in March. This mornings run was pitiful…..I could feel the fat on my legs laffing and holding on ! “Ha ha, you aint gettin rid of us that easy!!”

On another upside, I saw a friend in the grocery store today (back to the veggie aisle!) that saw me at my peak in August!  She told me that since seeing me and what I accomplished, she went on her own weight loss program and lost 50 pounds!!  She couldn’t stand being the “fat one” next to me!!  LOL – well honey , if it made you make a positive change in your life , hate away!!

It will be a slow process trying to get the bod used to healthy foods and water again, but I will try to post more that once a month!

So how bout you ladies, gents and facebook friends?  How have you been holding up during the Great Arctic Blast of 10?  Let’s hear from you!!

As always, you can do it!!

Til next time…..ooh look, carrots for dinner….yum…..

Happy Holidays!!

Hello All!!

How are all of you!!?!?  I hope that you had a great, lessee, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwaanza, Ramadan, Hanukah, Hari Krisha, Winter Solstice, Hail Satan…..did I get them all!?

Well, this is Week 8 of our Second Chance/Do Over Challenge…..how did you guys do?  Yuh huh, oh, I see…mmmhmmm…..yeah mee too!   Christmas cookies and the fried turkey kicked my ass too and I’m about to ring in the New Year with every chicken wing imaginable plus some eggnog and bubbly…..

I did manage to keep running, so the damage is not as bad as I thought that it would be but…..I am up about twenty pounds…..the pic above is me running on Christmas day as Santa.  Got lots of folks honking their horns and smiling and waving……and I also got a few middle  fingers from some Scrooges!

Not to fret, not to worry..It ’s never too late to start over.  Even tho I have gained, I am still way ahead of where I was last year at this time.  So, ladies and gents, January 4, 2010 will be ….yes say it together now….8 WEEKS TO A BETTER BODY CHALLENGE – WE MEAN IT THIS TIME!!!  The hams, chitlins, cookies, fudge and food gifts need to be eaten – no thrown away – no eaten, who we trying to fool – by Jan 3rd.

This new 8 weeks is important to me because that is the countdown to my birthday in February.  I have managed to eat my way back into a 14, so I would like to get back down to a size 10 by February 21st.  I CAN DO IT!!

More later, I gotta finish getting ready for tonite!!  You all have a great New Year, be safe, take your DD if you are planning to paaartay, and get ready to sweat come ‘10!!

Do it again in 10!!

YCDI

Hey All!!

Soooo, how are we all doing on our little challenge eh?  New Year’s is just around the corner, let’s get to tonin’!   LOL!!

Me?  MMM…wellll….exercise-wise, I’m doing great!  I’ve been running at least 10 miles a day, and I got in 3 strength training sessions for the first week!

Food wise – I suck!  Still haven’t gotten back to tracking and I don’t know what the problem is!  I have plenty of tracking pamphlets, and I even bought a nice new food diary in case I needed extra room and I wanted to do the Food/Feelings thing.  But truthfully, I can’t be bothered with it!  The only deduction that I can make is that I am exercising so much I have subconsciously tricked myself into thinking that it doesn’t matter what I eat.  And I do admit that after a seven mile morning run, I do treat myself to a second chocolate caramel latte…  Bad Tracy!!!

The scale showed no change, which doesn’t surprise me…between the muscle and the extra food , everything balanced out.  But (note to self here) I must must must get back on track!!  177 keeps me 20 lbs from 100 lbs lost and 24 pounds away from my Weight Watcher goal…so I need to get crackin!

I would like to say that looking at the size 8 pants that I want to wear and the ever so snugness of the size 10’s are making me rally…..but quite honestly they are not.  My 12’s fit very nicely – almost too nice!  I’m looking pretty dang luscious lately!!

I know that no matter how much I change, I will never be a rail thin person – it is not in my genetic make up.  And truthfully, even as a little girl, I have always wanted to look like this:

and this:

and hell why not:

Cuuuurvvy ladies, soft and beautiful and sessy! But could tear you a new one if she had to… and the truth is, that with the right wig and a little adjusting girdle wise, I am there already!   Brick….Houuuse!

So that may be subconsciously putting a monkey wrench in my challenge.  With the exception of Nigella, who is a healthy 14-16 (yes you are!), all of these women probably fall into the 8-12 range.   And while there is nothing wrong with loving your curves (which I truly do!!) I must press on !

Why – because I set a goal and I am going to see it thru!  If I dont like what I see, I can always change.  But I doubt it, I have loved everything , every change, every challenge so far!

Next week – write, write, write!!  Starting Monday (this weekend is girly weekend with hotel, drinks and good food, sorry) it’s weigh, measure, and write!  I can do it!!

Til next time!!

Hey All!!

Dontcha love second chances?!?  And thirds?  My favorites are the sixty sevenths!  No matter how many do-overs you get, it is NEVER too late, so hop on this wagon and let’s ride!  Hyahh!!

All right, 2009 is almost toast!  At the beginning of my new Journey, I expressed the need to finish what I started.  Unfortunately for me, I have adult ADD, so I have started a lot of stuff!!  Remember Seven Heavens?  50 Million Pound Challenge? Those T – shirts? And now, 8 Weeks to a Permanent Charley Horse coupled with another 16 weeks before my first 26.2 mile marathon!

So, ladies and gents, we are gonna wrap all this up in a nice bow and start fresh for 2010!!   8 weeks is approximately the end of the year, give or take a few days.  Sooo…Ms. Tracy is going gonzo, going out with a bang, and going to finish all that was started in 2009 and look 2010 in the eye fresh and ready to kick ass and take names!!

As we have stated before on Sweet Potato – you gotta have a plan.  Make a goal and map out how you are going to reach that goal.  Those of you who are following this challenge and/or participating in your own way, I suggest making a chart or something that you can pin up and look at everyday.  Make a checklist. Go online and /or make a chart or graph of your goals and progress.

JUST WRITE IT DOWN!!!  Cuz, if you don’t, you will find yourself “forgetting” or skipping or just plain dropping the whole thing – like I did for the month of October.  No tracking my food, no logging my weekly running miles, no charting my weight losses, I even started skipping Weight Watcher meetings.   And here I am – 177!!  That is 13 pounds up!  At my lowest , I hit 163 – 10 pounds from my goal weight! Remember that? Let me remind you…that was when I looked like this….

Yep, for about 15 minutes in August, I wore a single digit (8) size!  And, dangit, I am getting back into those!!  Right now, I still can wear my size 10 jeans, but I am more on the 12 side.  Still not bad, I am a long way from this…..

November 08

But…..I wanna finish, I wanna see what 153 looks like and I WANNA GET BACK INTO THOSE SIZE 8 JEANS!!!!

Yeah, Yeah I know, size doesn’t matter, inner beauty, strong black women, white women,  hair, distorted body image, sexism, God, fighting against body type,  bla bla bla – You be You, Let Me be Me – And Me wants to be a size 8!!

Anyhoo, back to goals – I am listing mine and how I plan to get there by December 31st – Just in time for New Years!

8 WEEK CHALLENGE

Goal – To be 16-20 pounds down by December 31st, 2009.  To reach my 100th pound mark – and my final Seventh Heaven goal (157). To get to almost normal on my BMI chart on the 50 Million Pound Challenge site – and to come within 3-4 pounds of finishing that challenge (153).

I would also like to print and hand out the T-shirts from the 50 Challenge and the other contest we had – the winner was Linda L. !   – before the year is up.

Steps to take to achieve or come close to the goal:

EXERCISE

Running – At least 7 mi per day (a little over a 10K) with one day rest.  Alternate days add a 4-5 mile evening run/walk (easy).

Strength Training – Three days a week , upper, lower and core training with free weights and machines ( one hour per day). One day rest in between and one full day rest to recoup.

EATING PLAN

Weight Watchers points plan – follow points for weight group and add extra points as needed for exercise.  FOLLOW TO THE LETTER.  Start weighing and measuring again and if I bite it – WRITE IT!!

I am going to get a chart to check off my days for strength training , runs and weight gains/losses.  The exercise portion looks a little tough, but I’m just taking what I have already achieved to another level  – Onward , Upward, and Forewards!!

And, ladies and gents, this is my personal routine – yours might be entirely different.  But plan something do-able for yourself, push a little and see what the end will bring – got that from church!!

Shout out to Mr. Casper, who visited my hometown, was literally blocks away from where I live, but didn’t bother to say or email one peep!  See how you are!!  I would’ve bought lunch!!  LOL!

Hello to Facebook friends and family – I miss you too, but I’m on a mission!  Kiss Kiss to Mr. W, my partner in crime, and to Henry, my running buddy who got us kicked out of Starbucks the other day – that is another post!

As always – YOU CAN DO IT!!   Let’s tie up these loose ends and start off 2010 fit, healthy, wide eyed and ready to take on the world!

……..coffee buzz over…….I gotta book a massage, my back is killing me….

New Look for Fall!

Hello Everybody!!

It’s been much too long since I have posted last, and for that I am truly sorry!  I missed you all, but Ms.  Tracy has been quite busy!

Since my last post I have:  run a 5K, 10K and am training for a half marathon.  Then a full marathon but that is not until Spring so I have some time.  I have purchased two more pairs of running shoes, a really expensive UnderArmor cold weather running suit, a couple more wigs, finally got some man-action from the dating site that is employed, has all his teeth, not married and not a jerk, and managed to get and get over the flu.

In the course of all this, I also managed to gain, then lose, then gain again – 10 pounds!  Hopefully some of this is muscle, tho truthfully I know that some of it is Halloween candy and peanut butter (sigh) banana graham crackers. Oh and KFC.  And not following my Weight Watchers program like I should cuz dammit I run almost 12 miles every friggin day PLUS strength train every other day and after ALL THAT if I can’t have an occasional (read: every day) four piece extra crispy wing dinner then life is just not worth living…….

Um..yeah..so…I’m gonna pretty much sh*tcan the month of October for the challenge and ask for a do-over starting fresh in November.  I got it all planned out.  I got a gift subscription sent to me from Henry (I guess he got tired of answering my questions) for Runner’s Magazine.  They also sent me a Runner’s Log Book.  I hate starting at the middle or end of anything, so November 1st is my date for the first entry!   Right now, the entries will look sorta like this:

7:00 am – 7 mi run – easy pace (1 hr 45 min)

9am-4pm – Work, eat, play, run errands, buy more running stuff, get some love, fight with someone, blog, facebook, watch food network and cry…

5pm - 6:30pm – Strength training or second 5 mi run

On the upside, I have lost some inches here and there :

Waist – 35 – down one inch

hips – 38 – down one inch

bust – 39 – down two inches

upper arm – 12 – down one inch

upper thigh – 20 – down one inch

calf – 15 – down one inch

So……something is working, I would just like to get my passion for doing things in an orderly fashion back.  Too much cheating here and there, I think that I am getting bored with the routine.  But you know what, cheating is getting boring too!  Granted, I still love food and can see myself very easily falling back into the spiral of overeating, but instead of filling a void with food, I am now just eating to get it over with, almost mechanical eating.   

So in a way, I am getting over food – I am even starting to dread the holidays!  The thought of wasting a perfect day off preparing all that food when I c0uld be running or visiting w/friends or anything but attending an all out eat fest annoys me.  You know, I could make it fun and have a “Chopped” challenge with my sis-in-law – 30 minutes to whip up a Holiday meal with dates, chicken thighs, soy sauce and oatmeal cookies!  Yess!!!!…….Nah, those wet blankets would never go for it…..

Anyhoo, I also gave myself a wig makeover.  I found that folks couldn’t see my cheekbones and chin with the longer wigs, so I got a lighter, shorter low mainenence look for fall!   Oh, I almost forgot the new “spacesuit”!  This literally stops traffic – I am either that hot or I need to get a sports bra…..

Great to be back – Next post, some new friends, Why Mr. Casper is in trouble, and why Food Network is straight up Porn for Dieters!

You Can Do it!!

Hey All!!

Just whose crazy idea was this anyways?!? I’m not ‘posed to lift weights – I’ma Gurrl!!  This hurts – can you get a Charlie horse in your butt?

What is wrong with 3 pound weights? They’re cute! 10 pound weights hurt!!  Boo hoo, whine, snivel….

Ok  – now that that is out of the way…..that pretty much summed up all of last week!  She-Ra even got sick of my moaning and bitching and left! Leaving my now mortal body in discomfort.  Top that off with just blowing the eating waaaay out of proportion (KFC BBQ wings – woo hoo) and well, week one for me was not a great one…..

The extra workouts (every other day ladies, so your muscles will heal!!) are keeping the fat at bay, and I am sure that SOMETHING must be getting toned, but I am again ravenously hongray!   And I have loading up on the carbs (bad Tracy!!) instead of protein and fiber, so that makes me even hungrier.

Soooo, I weighed in at my weekly WW Meeting yesterday – 168!!!  OOh not good, but there are some mitigating factors tho:

1.  Weighed with jeans on and my fat squooshing underwear – that had to be about 5 pounds there…

2.  Noticed that my thighs have taken on a personality of their own – so I probably gained some muscle weight…

3.  Weighed with my wig on – that is at least .04 ounces…

Anyhoo, I have got to get it in gear!!  I really don’t want to start going backwards, not at this point.  So back to tracking, more veggies, back to that nasty high fiber cereal in the mornings (bye waffles!!), back to my eight glasses of water.  Pretty much back to everything that I had been doing that made me a success so far. 

I forgot to give you my measurements last post:

Bust:  41

Waist:  36

Hips:   38

Upper arm: 13

Upper thigh: 21

Calf:  16

Next week I will post with new if any results!  In other news, your own Ms. Tracy is will be running an easy 5K with fellow blogger Tami @ Whattamisaid  in Chicago on October 3rd.  It is a run that benefits the Women of the Congo.  For more information on this race and on it’s sponsor please visit www.runforcongowomen.org.  And if you can, sign up!  You can run or walk – so health benefits and your money is going to a great cause.

Well, back to the grind! Gotta focus – and damn I’m hungry again!! 

Til next time – You Can Do It!!

Time to be brave.....

Hello everyone!!  Including our Facebook friends!  Hope you all are enjoying this beautiful fall weather!  Not too cool, never too hot, so I am gettingin lots of running time!

See, the thing that I love about running is that is makes you feel invincible! You are moving, and breathing and taking it all in and really enjoying yourself.  You look forward to pushing yourself and you even enjoy the sweat.  You make new friends along the way ( Hi Hot Construction guys!) ( Hello Dirty Old Man who wants to buy me coffee at Starbucks!), and you make some rivals (Eff you Runner Chick that refuses move over when we pass – next time you get a grass and asphalt sandwich, bitch!).

Over the Labor Day holiday, I ran and finished my first 10k  (six miles) race.  I came in not first, not last but somewhere in the middle!  Let’s all say it together now….SHE-RA!!

Yes running gives me confidence – so when Ms. Johnson decided to come up withanother challenge – in a bathing suit no less! – I was like “Psssh – No problem here!  I’ll show my runner’s lithe and limber body!  Brang it!!”   The only problem was that I didn’t have a swimsuit that fit me.  Because I am a cheap ass that doesn’t pay full price for anything frugal shopper, I always buy my swimsuits off season on clearance.  So off I went on the quest for the perfect swimsuit to show off the new me!

Another side effect of running – too much can make you delusional.  I stepped into Target and went straight to the swimsuits – and my crazy ass picked out a TWO PIECE!! A tankini!  “Oh yes, this will look fabby on me!” I also found a suit that was exactly like the one Ms. Johnson is wearing.  “So cute, we’ll be twins!”

Off I went into the dressing room, ready to sashay-shante into the sexy suits.  Slid the two piece on, did some adjustments, tucked here, pulled there, smiled, turned around to face the mirror and

(gasp)

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!!

Let me backtrack a little bit here…..I think in my last post , I stated that I wasn’t fat anymore.  Hmmmmm, lemme tighten that up a little.  What I meant to say was that I am HUMONGUSLY FAT!  Big gut, huge titties and that sh*t is STILL on the back of my legs!  And why, after almost one hundred pounds gone, do I still have back fat?  It’s only on one side granted, but I still look like a “before and after” shot from behind!

Eff this swimsuit  – I’m gonna look for one of those Susan Boyle full body no-sex-ever nightgowns!

Okay, calm down – I work hard…..this suit is just cut wrong!  Yeah, that’s it…try the other one on…. slip it on, tie it back…turn around…..

SWEET JAYSUS IN THE MORNING!! Get. this. off . of. me. now.

Nothing but nothing brings you back to Earth like swimsuit shopping.  I was  doing so much AACK-ing and carrying on, I know I sounded like a live Cathy comic. I just sat on the floor of the dressing room in a daze.  I couldn’t understand it – do the Diet-Trim and the tummy cincher pack in that damn much?  And just how big was I to still look like this a year later?  And how come there is no chocolate in my purse?!?

Well, I got dressed and took my stretched to the max swimsuits back to the attendant. “Didn’t fit?” she asked.  “Wrong color,”  I lied, making a bee-line to the grocery section.  I suddenly felt the need for a peanut butter, graham cracker, honey, banana, hot fudge, dove bar, potato chip parfait – washed down with a side of nachos.

I think that the reason that I have been successful so far at this weight loss game is that God is on my side.  He gives me epiphanies at the right time, little nudges to keep me on track.  This time was no different.  The first one was when I turned into the chip aisle and ran into Ms. Thang who was the old me  to the fourth power.   This chick had that Kate-plus – 8 hair style and a GREEN TUBE TOP – and LEGGINGS!!!   Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry any – let me stop lying, all I did was trade in the regular chips for the fat free.  I did put back the Dove bars tho….

Anyhoo, that’s when the second wind caught me.  My figure, when I am dressed up, is mostly lycra that is holding the loose skin and fat together.  Sooooo, I needed to find a swimsuit that does the same thing – lift, smoosh, and support.

Back I went to the swimsuits.  After swallowing a huge piece of humble pie and going into the (sob!) plus size section, I found a nice one piece in a size 14 (damn you boobies) that fit nicely and packed it in, rolls and all.  I even found and matching hat, sunglasses and some killer pumps to round it all out!  Ms. Tracy has got to look good……

So, right now we are at Seven weeks to go in this challenge.  As you can see, I need to do some serious core / upper body work, plus some leg and arm toning.  And Ms. Johnson,  I need some Breast Reduction in a Jar!!  If anyone (Casper, Henry, Grant, Facebook friends) has any suggestions on weight workouts that will help me get the girls under control, I would greatly appreciate it!!

So come on y’all!  You don’t have to get in a swimsuit, but let’s get a few more folks in on this 8 week Challenge!  I know that you have to be tired of seeing me get smaller – someone kick me off of my throne! Take my flag!  Don’t hit me with the ball tho – I hated dodgeball!

Let’s do this thing!  You Can Do It!!

(Where is the peanut butter?….I don’ t start til tomorrow……)

Happy September!!

Hey All!!

Happy September!!  Hope you all are doing well and staying on track…..wish I could say the same for me.  These last couple of weeks have been trying  for Ms. Tracy.  I have been running and keeping busy, but I have been vewwy vewwy bad food wise.  I think that the old “let’s eat some greasy stuff” trick backfired on me.  Once I started, I could not stop.

Couple that with going out and enjoying myself waaaaaay too much ( I love beer!!), throw in some peanut butter  and chocolate bars (hey, I made my own Reese’s!), and I have a recipe for disaster.  As of yesterday’s weigh in, I gained four pounds!!  But…….

The size 8’s are loose, and today Mother Nature made an unexpected stop.   Since I have been running, my cycle has been sporadic; I haven’t had one in two months. So I am praying to God Almighty hoping that the gain is excess water and not that king size tenderloin that I ate Friday.

I’m not too concerned, I don’t feel like I’m about to jump ship and move into a Domino’s, but the radar is now up.  I am too close to goal to turn around and start mucking things up now.  And I have waaay too many cute clothes – just bought two fall jackets, cropped and cinched at the waist!  One is a Jones New York size Large  and it kind of hangs on me, so I’m gonna get it taken in a bit.   Just unbelievable.  Last year at this time I was pushing a 4x now Large is…..too large!  (Giggles like a madwoman)….

Speaking of new clothes, I have some good news!  In July, I entered a contest that Weight Watchers was having called “Inspirational Stories of Change”.  It consisted of sending in your before and after photos and writing an essay on how weight loss has changed your life.  So of course, I sent in about 50 pics of me ( I love me!!) and wrote some inspirational b.s. stuff about health, well being and dating men with jobs.

Well, I heard back from them last week – turns out that your Ms. Tracy is a Finalist!  Out of thousands of entries, I was in the top 40, and I won a $ 300 Gift Card to Macy’s, plus a mention in Weight Watchers Magazine!!   No pic tho, darn it!  But I am happy about it – I’m taking my card and going to St. Louis to Macy’s clearance basement and get my fall/winter wardrobe!!  So thank you Weight Watchers, for helping me dress my new body in style!!  LOL!!  So now I really have to get back on track and get the final few pounds off!

This morning in my sleepy haze, I realized something.  I was getting ready for work, throwing on some clothes, adjusting the wig.

I realized that I had picked up the wrong pair of pants- I grabbed the size 12’s.  They were a bit loose, but with my shirt tucked in and a nice belt they were ok, they would hide the extra bulge and be comfortable for today.  Before heading out, I took one last check in the mirror.  There I was, with my shirt tucked in, and a belt holding up my pants.  I’m….normal.  I’m not fat anymore!  I look like the people that I used to sneak looks at, wishing that I could wear what they had on, and look as good as they did.  BMI be damned….I’ve done it!!

Except for PMS lag, I feel wonderful.  A day without some kind of exercise is unfathomable right now, my energy levels depend on it.  Life is just….good, really good.

I need to make some decisions soon.  Decisions about how to get to my goal and things that will have to be added (swimming!! yay!! Weights…boo!!)  and subtracted (bye beer and onion rings…..sniff, sniff!).

I have also decided that in order for me to live and enjoy my life without being a slave to my scale, I am going to lower my goal weight from 153 to 145.  Still doable, but 145 puts me deeper into the “normal” on my BMI.  Sorry, but I looove my friends, and I totally looove to party!  All run and no play and eat makes Ms. Tracy a dull girl!  As I have stated before, all of my life, I have eaten what I wanted.  One year of holding back a little won’t kill me!  Speaking of which, my one year anniversary with Weight Watchers is September 9th!   All this progress, within one year!  Like I said, life is soo good!!

Til next time!!  You Can Do It!!   I did!!

"Mmmwaaah!! Love Ya!!"

Today is my second anniversary with Sweet Potato Pie!  It has been and will continue to be a great pleasure taking my journey with you all!!

To celebrate, I am taking an eight mile run tonite with some friends!  I leave you with my very first post!

As Always – YOU CAN DO IT!!

August 25, 2007

Hello All!!

First, I would like to thank Miz T.S. for allowing me to use her wonderful blog!! Sisters helping sisters, that’s the way it should be!!

Second, please allow me to introduce myself! My name is Tracy, and I have decided to take that big step….again…but this time I’m serious…again. I am a 41 year old, single professional woman who loves life and all it has to offer, especially in the Chinese buffet line. I have decided to lose the extra poundage and take control of my health. After so many years of being a “thick” sista, I am ready to shed this extra weight and do things that I have not done in years….

like look down and see my feet….
go braless without getting arrested and/or scaring small children…
walk thru the junior section in department stores and not be accused of shoplifting….
go up a flight of stairs without having 911 on my cellphone speedial….
date a man with a job….(you would not believe how many no ambition-having jerks there are out there!!) (Oh wait, if you are linking from Evia’s blog, yes you do!)

So anywho, I want to lose this weight and I started looking for the proper motivation to get this thing kickstarted. See, I have reverse bulimia. When normal bulimics look in the mirror, they see an overweight person, a distorted view of what they really are.

When I look in the mirror, especially after the nails are polished, makeup applied, and the hair is “did”, I think that I am the most gorgeous, sexiest thing to put on a pair of draws! When I figure out how to post pictures on this thing, I’m sure that you will agree with me…

Yep, I look great, until I see the family reunion or work outing photos….then I am screaming at some poor innocent soul (”You need to quit playing with Photoshop!! My ass is not that big!”)for showing me the truth. Unfortunately, the pics were not motivation enough. Neither was growing out of my clothes. I love shopping, so I just bought bigger sizes (damn you Lane Bryant!). Not even getting diabetes last year phased me. I take pills to control my sugar and I manage to keep it pretty level. But diabetes is a silent killer, and the more I play around with it, the more I am shortening my life span. So I had to find something that was going to make me go for it and stick to it!

Well, just my luck, our local hospital has a yearly weight loss contest. Participants form a team of five, pay and entry fee and weigh in. You have a total of five months to lose weight and the team that loses the most weight wins the entry fee money from all of the teams! Last year, the prize money of $10,000.00 was split between two teams – that’s $5000.00 a team, $1000.00 a team member. This year the pot is even bigger.

Hmmmm….cash. All of a sudden, I feel like jogging! Eating is sooo overrated!! I e-mailed the idea to some folks at work, thinking that I would have to beg to get four more team members. Turns out that everyone loved the idea (they are greedy too!) and we ended up with four teams!
To make it fair, we drew names to form our teams! I tell ya, that day all of the fat folks in the office were feeling the love! Every one wanted to pull the big butts, because we can lose the most weight. People were praying to get us! This made up for prom night for most of us!

Alas, luck was on my side that day. Along with myself weighing in at 244 and 1/2 of a 1/4 lbs, I pulled most of the pleasantly plump (read: big, fat) members! Our team name? Tons of Fun!
We officially weighed in on Friday, and now we are all rarin‘ to go!! I am so blessed to be with a team of people that are so fun and motivated..We are gonna do it guys!!! WOOHOO!

So, I would like to share this journey to fitness with all of you!! We are going to have a great time together !! In addition to reading about how I almost killed someone for bringing donuts in on the day of the contest, I will be sharing diet tips ( I chose Atkins ), fabulous recipes, inspirational stories, and, on some days I will be telling you just how much dieting and exercising can suck!

But I will always tell you, as I tell myself and my team members, not to give up. Keep going, people succeed at this all the time. Let’s for once be the “after”s in this weight loss game.

Please note: I am this blog’s cheerleader! Your happiness counselor! I will do my best to keep you motivated and full of hope for the days to come! THERE WILL BE NO CRYING ON THIS BLOG!! Darlings, I have been to several of these wonderful sites for black women – bravo to all of you! But ladies…gyaad!…I kinda think some of us like suffering and crying! Every overweight woman, especially black women, has some issue to deal with. Well, here, we are going to deal with it and MOOOOOVE ON!

Had a bad relationship? Forgive that insensitive jerk, forgive the stank that had his baby and MOOOOVE ON!

Daddy issues? Go to him, tell him you forgive him and love him and WORK THAT GUILT THANG!! (you laffing, but I haven’t paid my own car payment in two years! Hi Dad!)

Another thing ladies….Miz T has made a really great blog /forum for us. It amazes me when I go to other sites and read their posts and comments. One negative comment will generate fifty thousand comments, complete with death threats and more than a few “yo mama”s.
But come to a site that has, oh, something that might help you deal with life’s daily stresses and what do we get?

“0 comments”

or one comment that’s like:
“Hi ! Nice site! Um, do you have a link to the “We Hate BlackMen” posts?”

Now, come on y’all!!! Show some love! If you like this post, tell a friend, then they will tell two friends, and so on and so on….

So if you liked this post, and TS’s post, please come and join me on my five month journey to some serious cash……I mean to fitness…..nah hell with it, I meant cash….

I will try to blog at least two times a week with my progress, and my “before” pics are coming soon! Glad to know all of you! I CAN DO IT!! YOU CAN TOO!!

Tracy

Post run....post shower

Hey All!!

Well knocked another pound out this week!!  But I feel like there should have been more gone…

I am really slowing down, weight loss wise.  I know it is healthy and I really can’t complain since I have had an almost plateau free ride up to now.  And I am getting “runner’s body” quicker than I had imagined – but I wanna get this last few pounds over with!  I am a scale junkie and if those numbers don’t read what I think they should it ruins my whole day!

So, to further motivate me to continue in spite of the slowdown, I called up my good friend Henry and off we went to go – shoe shopping!!  But not just any shoe shopping – the new Nike’s were in and on sale!!

Yes, I know, I just bought a new pair a few months ago – but new shoes are a runners perk!  Here are some more:

1.  Just another reason to spend $150 on a pair of shoes.

2. Now you have a good reason for those varicose veins.

3. Runner’s high – the new multiple orgasm.

4. Cute dayglo running outfits to match shoes..

5. Something or other about health benefits…

So anyhoo, I took Henry because he is a marathon runner.  He can run a 5k (3miles) in less than 20 minutes and has run several full marathons (26-29 miles) in less than four.  Sometimes I will see his picture in the paper as he is running a race.  It always looks like this:

African runner in first place.  Henry.  African runner in third place looking very pissed off because this white guy is beating him…

I figured with all of Henry’s experience, he could help me pick the right shoe so I could get the most out of my run.  So into the shoe department we went, looking at all the new styles, reading all of the info on the shoes.

“Hey”, I said excitedly, “this shoe has those spring thingys on the heel!  I need those right? To make me more…….aerodynamic?”

“Nope”, Henry said,”you need a lightweight shoe that is moisture resistant and comfortable – that’s all..”

“But what about foot pressure points and shock absorbers and the agony of defeat?” I said, clutching my springy heeled shoe..

“Light, waterproof, comfortable…..everything else is just doo-dads that you are paying extra for.”

Soo, I found a “sensible” pair of cool looking shoes that were reasonably priced……and went back later to get the springy heeled ones – they are too cute!!

So now I really don’t have an excuse not to run, because I have 3 pair of running shoes!   I am trying to get past 10 miles a day (five morning, five evening) but the body is not having it!  Monday, I completely shut down.  I ran all weekend, on top of my usual running around, partying, etc.

By Monday afternoon, after trying to deal with an unusual bout of hunger (helloooo peanut butter!!) , my arms, legs and mind just collapsed and said “Screw you, I’m not moving another inch – now give me something bad!” 

So, yes, dear friends, Ms. Tracy caved and gave in to a bag of chips, a coffee roll, and mmmmpeanut butter crackers!  Not great, but not too bad either – the scale only moved up a pound.

I haven’t done this in a while, because I have been so focused on running, but this week I am going to try the Cheater’s diet  – that is when I eat what I want within my points, but I go to good places like Long John Silvers, or have French toast and bacon for dinner. Throw in a donut for good measure.  Y’know, good stuff.  I may have to add some weights to counter some of the extra, but I think my body wants a break from all the veggies and rigidness that I have done for the past month.  We will see how this works out on Monday’s weigh in….

A lot of folks that I run into ask me what I eat  – do I eat dinners or have a certain type of food that I can only have.  When do I eat? Can I drink?

Well, it is easy and complicated – I will try to explain.  On Weight Watchers, you can eat whatever you like – just not as much as you like.  WW provides you with two thick books filled with every type of food imaginable – even international fare.  They also give you a restaurant guide with your fave places to eat and even a beverage guide. 

According to your personal info, you are given so many points a day to eat.  Basically, they have done all the calorie counting for you.  When you have eaten all your points, you are done for the day.  This does two things – it forces you to make smarter choices OR it forces you to exercise so you will get more to eat.  Right now I get about 21 points a day but if I run my 10 miles that adds about 18-20 more points on top of that..so I have a lot of leeway. 

But if I go to the nearest burger joint, my choices could range from 8 to 20 points per item – so again, I must choose wisely. If I want some onion rings, I need to choose a small burger.  If I want a small dessert, I may have to forgo the side . If I want a quad-burger, I basically have to run to Paris, France and back to make up for it. 

So, really I just take a little more time to make sure that I am making better choices.  And normally, I don’t eat out everyday – just once or twice a week for a treat.  Learn to cook , folks. It’s cheaper, you get more food and it is better for you!

Here is a recipe that I made up this week – I ran low on points, and since veggies are free, I made a filling sandwich !

BBQ VEGGIE WRAP

3 portabello mushrooms – chopped

1/2 red onion – chopped

1 clove garlic – crushed

1/2 green, yellow or red pepper – chopped

2 tblsp bbq sauce

2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1tblsp Splenda

2 tblsp water

1 tsp olive oil

1 oz lowfat cheese

1 low fat – high fiber wrap (I recommend Flat-outs)

butter flavored spray

Coat pan with butter flavored spray  – heat with 1tsp oil.  Add mushrooms, peppers, onions and garlic and stir fry until veggies are tender.

Combine bbq sauce, vinegar, Splenda and water and mix well. Mix into veggies and cook for 2-3 minutes for flavor to seep in. 

Sprinkle cheese on wrap and spoon veggie mixture onto wrap. Roll, cut, and enjoy. 

Points – 5

Hope you enjoy it!!  It is alot for one serving,  but I am a big eater.  For some of you, this may serve two.

Til next time, haven’t forgotten about the wigs, just need to find a new photog!!

You Can Do It!

August 2008

August 2009

Hey All!!

What a difference a year makes!!  I will try later to post the most recent pic of me – THE ONE WHERE I AM WEARING THE SIZE 8′S!!  OH YES!! HAPPY DANCE!!  UPDATE:  THERE IT IS!!

A dream come true.....

I managed to squeeze into them last weekend.  They cut off the oxygen to my head, and if I eat anything more than a grape, the pants will explode into a thousand tiny pieces, but I got them on!  Single digits!!  Woo Hoo!!

The scale finally moved for me this week, tho this time I can only blame myself for the slowness of my progress.  Seems that I have discovered the joys of peanut butter these last few weeks.  Low fat peanut butter, mind you, and with low fat graham crackers and banana slices and honey.   All healthy, until you have about six of ‘em at one sitting.  And then you switch to just Peanut Butter and Spoon.   It was bad as the Nilla Wafer episode.  And tasted just as good!!

Part of my weight loss regimen is to weigh and measure everything (except veggies, they are free) that I eat.  I notice that now, so close to my goal, I have gotten lax on that.  I also need to start tracking my food intake again – it’s getting easier to “miss” that few points here and there.  In maintenance mode, I believe that you can be a little forgiving there, but when you are trying to lose, every little point counts.

I also get more food points for exercise, and since I am in the 160’s, I need to adjust the points that I get for running .  Like your food points, your exercise points go down 1 point every 10 pounds you lose.   So I either have to be more truthful or run more…..And I don’t think that I can run any more than I am now…. So basically, near home stretch, I’m getting lazy!  Must fight the lazy….bad lazy!!!

For anyone that is considering Weight Watchers,  I have to tell you this secret to success: GO TO THE MEETINGS!!    Yea, I know time, money bla bla bla….  Listen, the money that I  spend a month on the meetings – I used to eat that much up on a Saturday Nite at Chilli’s!

And if you add up the amount that I have spent over the past year and compare it to the diabetes medicine, doctor and dentist bills that I have had to pay…..there is no comparison.  Plus the meetings are fun!!!  Last meeting,  we compared food downfall stories ( peanut butter versus Dairy Queen), and I learned that as far as running goes, I aint doing nuthin!!  I met a marathon runner that can run 21 miles at a time!!  And she was in the same boat as me a year ago!  Is that inspiration or what?!?  So pay the money, do the program and get the results!!

Now, I promised you all a surprise this month.  August 25th marks my second year (off and on) blogging for Sweet Potato Pie!  I asked you to take this journey with me, and what a ride it has been.  When you get some time, click on the older entries and see how crazy we both were!

Like we always say – Sweet Potato is a forum for Black women to tell of their struggles, and success and whatnot of this weight loss game.  So – and you can put it in comments – let us hear your story of how you plan on making some life changes for the better.  Winner gets a free SPP Diva T-shirt.

I already have two entries so far -  I am counting Ms. Chambers and another commenter that recently told her story – so get em in ladies (and gents)!!  Cutoff is August 25th!!  You can do it!!

Well, gotta go for my run – ate a forbidden candy bar and I want to keep my girlish figure!!

If you guys have any questions about anything , please let us know or comment – we will be happy to answer and help!

Til next time!  Next time – Wigs and “What do you eat?”

(Okay, get these jeans off of me, I’m gonna faint……)

I've made it!!

Hey all!!  And Happy August to ya!!

And a special Hello to my Cousin Trina in Atlanta!!  She is starting her fitness quest by treking up Stone Mountain every day!!  You Can Do It!!  She will also be (ahem) writing in and giving us updates on her progress, won’t you!?  Cuz, ladies and gents, this is a forum  – we want to hear your stories too!  I know y’all are sick of hearing me brag!  Ima size tee – enn!!  Bwahahaha!

Yep, I didn’t quite believe it, so I went out to my favorite consignment shop, (Designer Consigner, on North University street, for those of us in the Peoria area) and tried on a bunch of  10’s.   I walked away with 2 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, 4 tops (large, not 3x) and a cute pair of shoes – all for $35 bucks!!  Skinny and frugal….why aren’t I married??

The outfit pictured above was part of the bounty.

Well, the scale didn’t move much – about .2 down.  I have been going out to eat a bit more – gotta have a social and a love life – so I haven’t been tracking or planning as much as  I should have been.   I am still running, and I found a new way to torture myself train for my upcoming 5k which is in September.

I am now incorporating 30 second windsprints in my morning run.  That is where you run or sprint as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then slow jog til you catch your breath, then continue on for at least a half hour.   I have only been doing this for a week and already my evening runs are becoming easier – no huffing or leg tiredness.

I did manage to do a face plant on the first night of this tho – I was running in the bicycle lane in the street and tripped over a loose piece of tar.  Skinned up both of my knees, and elblow and scraped my chin.   But never one to be daunted (read: I didn’t have my phone and couldn’t call for help or a ride home) I finished my walk.   Que the She-ra music….

I am gonna have to start frequenting the gym more – arms are better but still have to get everything tight and right.  Right now those 10’s are fitting with the help of Ms. Diet Trim!  Ah well, they fit! Bwhahaha!

Stay tuned this week – we got something special coming up!!  And a chance for you to win a great prize!

Til next time!!  You can do it!!!