So I here I go again. Trying to lose the same 20/30 pounds that I can never quite get rid of…once I’m home anyway.

Sigh.

Okay so here we go.

Goal

To be 150lbs at the end of the 8 Weeks ta Better body Challenge Round 2

Plan

Exercise: Twice a day with 20 – 40 minutes worth of cardio in the morning combined with 30 – 60 minutes of weight training and abs. Add to that 60 – 90 minutes worth of cardio in the evenings.

Diet: 10 glasses of water a day and 25 – 30 grams of fiber a day. I’ve found I work best when I work on what to add to my diet and not what to take out.

Miscellaneous

Stress: Stress is a big factor with me. I’ve been in a perpetual spiral of nothing going right so I’m genuinely pretty stressed on a daily basis. I’ve learned that if I’m too stressed the weight just won’t come off, no mater how hard I try or how great I’m dieting.  So the key for me is to find a way to manage my stress so it doesn’t affect my weight loss.

Depression: I’m prone to depression. Fighting the blues is a daily battle with me. And if things are really bad I just don’t want to move. So, the key is to walk/run everyday regardless of mood.

Work/Life Balance: I’m a obsessed with my work. I’ll work ’round the clock and won’t take the time to stop and go work out. Since I’m a write it means I’m not moving much, so I definitely have to make myself back up from the computer and get to exercising AND remember to eat.

Food Diary: Like ms. Tracy said “If I bite it write it.” That’s the only way I’m going to really know what I’m eating and be able to make the necessary adjustments.

So that’s it. My weight loss plan and goal. I’m starting this challenge at 168.9lbs (don’t ask – it’s been a stressful couple of weeks) so I need to lose roughly 19lbs in 8 weeks to meet my goal. It’s definitely doable, but I will admit my will power is lacking so I’ve got an uphill battle to climb.

Let’s get it started.

Today is a new day. So what are you waiting for?

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….

Yes…

I know I was supposed to post an update at the two week mark last Friday, but with all the craziness going n in my offline life I didnt’ get around to it. I was going to post a pic today but mother nature made an unexpectedly early visit, so my bloated butt will not be getting into a swimsuit today.

So you probably won’t get another picture update form me until sometime near the middle or the end of next week. However I can give you the basic updates:

Starting Weight: 172
Current Weight: 165
Goal Weight: 140

That’s a loss of 7lbs – Yea!

As of now all of my measurements are all of the same:

Measurements: 36 – 29.5 – 42
Thigh: 23.5in.
Calf: 17in.
Bicep: 12.75in

That’s it for now. There will be a new pic next week and I will start doing video diaries next week as well.

‘Till next time.

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……)

Alright Sweet Potato Pie-ers I’m ready to get serious about dropping these 30lbs I’ve accumulated since I’ve moved back home. It’s been an uphill battle for reasons that I’ve documented on this blog, but now my little one is in Kindergarten my momma is on the mend and I’m tired of being fat so…I’ve started my 8 Weeks to a Better Body Challenge to jump start my wight loss.

I don’t expect all of the 30lbs to be gone by the end of the 8 weeks, but I do expect to have lost a number of inches and a significant amount of weight so I can least be out of these size 14 jeans that I refuse to buy.

Here Goes – my before pic at 170lb:

Can I get a case of Thigh-Be-Gone - Please?

Yep.

That’s me in a swimsuit.

Sigh.

Anyway I will upload a new swimsuit pic every two weeks and include my weight and current measurements.

Weight: 170lbs
Measurements: 36 – 29.5 – 42
Thigh: 23.5in.
Calf: 17in.
Bicep: 12.75in

Anyone is welcome to join me in this challenge. All you have to do is send your before pic (no it doesn’t have to be in a swimsuit) with your weight loss goals and measurements and I will post…or just register on the sight, shoot me an e-mail that you’re registering for The Challenge (sweetpotatopie07@gmail.com) and you can post the info yourself. You can then update every two weeks or however often you see fit.

I refuse to be fat at 30.

Besides Ms. Tracy can’t be the only skinny chick on the blog.

LOL.

Stay tuned.