So Far, So Good!

My New Favorite Quote:

Losing weight helps you look good clothed. Exercise helps you look good naked.

no truer words were ever spoken & my results so far are living proof of such! it's been a week and I'm loving this 30 day detox. of course i haven't kept to it in its entirety: i still eat some bad things from time to time.


OBSERVATIONS
- i have no problems eating my fruits in smoothies or by itself.

- i don't really like eating vegetables [especially green ones], so I find it better juiced with a few fruits. that way i get all my veggies without eating them, all at 1 time, all in 1 sitting & quick lol

- a lot of the girls say you may have side effects with the detox, as all the toxins are being purged from your body. i, thankfully, haven't had ANY side effects besides a few little stomach cramps, but that came & went with my period [tmi, sorry lol =].

- a positive correlation with the last observation, my skin is smoother & clearer [not necessarily "glowing"]. i have sensitive skin & my neck broke out weeks before the detox because of wearing a cheap [but pretty!] necklace. it hasn't waivered before, but now it's GONE!

- i've always drank water like it's nothing, but since water is all i can drink with this detox, i really find it no problem. i don't even crave any kind of juices, teas or sodas

- i do my power of 100 exercise [mornings usually] & slim in 6 [evenings usually] 6 days a week and am seeing my legs & thighs getting smaller.

- my stomach is starting to get naturally smaller. especially when i wake up in the morning, it's starting to become flat. i like it =]

- at most, i've lost 5 pounds so far [still fluctuating, though [my fault =/] & i love being surprised every time i look at the scale. i'll be at 120 in no time!

- i'm always hearing people i know ask "have you lost weight?" "you're getting smaller, girl!" and i LOVE it!!!!! =] =]

- i'm starting to fit loosely in some size 11 pants & comfortably in a few of my size 9 pants

• i've started taking nature's alive natural supplement for women [as opposed to a multivitamin] & bee pollen with my food. i'll update about them in about 2 months.


REALIZATIONS
* the foods i see some of my customers eat that i once found appetizing, it's starting to get nasty looking and so are some of them. my sister & brother-in-law included. those are my main motivations to keep at the detox i'm doing & continue doing better afterwards.

* although i know i'm not going to JUST eat raw fruits & veggies, they will become an everyday staple in my diet like they should have been in the first place. veggies will still be taken as juice, even if i eat vegetables that day. water will become one of my only desireable drink of choice.

* it really IS 10% exercise & 90% what you eat. you can do 2356454153742514534 crunches and still not get your desired results if you're stuffing your face with Big Macs every day. quite the opposite, if you eat chicken breasts, a salad, water & an apple, you can bet on losing more weight even withOUT exercise! how about that?

30 Day Fruit & Vegetable Detox

New plan: Fruits, vegetables & water ONLY. A woman on YouTube made this idea of a pretty good 1-month detox of consuming water & raw produce in it's original state, salad, juiced or smoothies. Nothing else, no sweeteners, seasons, nothing. The point is to reset the body's original state, taking all the accumulated bad things you've been eating out & replacing it with healthy, natural, pure nutrients, minerals, water, vitamins your body needs. The best thing is there's no limit on how much you can eat or drink because it's all good foods! it's best to have all organic food because of less toxicity & pesticides, but i don't see myself paying $5 for 1 apple, so i'll just buy "regular" produce & soak in ACV water to clean it before juicing & smoothing.

PROS: clean, fresh body insides, clearer skin, longer nails & hair, less toxic body, weight loss

CONS: Body may go through "withdrawal" like lightheaded, dizziness, rashes, nausea, breakouts, headaches/migranes, stomach pains, etc. depending on how toxic the body was originally. but none are harmful. it's to be expected as your body goes through purging of the bad foods you were "addicted" to.

GOALS:
- Lose at least 15 pounds [assumed by burning more calories than I'm taking in by work, exercise & filling liquids as opposed to solid foods sometimes]
- Smaller stomach & thighs
- Healthier, clearer skin
- Longer & healthier nails & hair

REGIMIN:
- At least 1 all green juice/smoothie a day [I wouldn't mind having all my vegetables as juices seeing as I HATE salads & raw vegetables eaten =/]
- Still take my multivitamins, just for extra assurance
- At least 80 oz. of water a day
- Still do Slim in 6 [daily] & Power of 100 exercises [daily to every other]

AFTER MAINTENANCE:
- Continue eating more fruits & vegetables, less fried, fatty, takeout, junk & restaurant foods
- Still drink fruit & green juices 1-2x a day for vegetable intake [otherwise eat them]
- Drink bentonite clay & psyllium husk powder with water to cleanse colon, remove Candida & lose weight as well

TIPS:
- Smoothies are way better with water
- Add flaxseed & wheatgerm to smoothies for fiber
- Garden of Life Raw food powdered protein: 33 grams of protein, 21 different vitamins & minerals, 21 super foods, vitamin k & calcium. 100 % Raw.
- Grate an apple into smoothies for a delicious "Punch" taste
- Bee Pollen = full spectrum of vitamins/antioxidants
- Hemp seed = protein
- Celtic Sea Salt = minerals
- Soaked Organic Goji Berries = super food

Guilty Pleasures: My Diet

LOVED "BAD" FOODS - food that is horrible for me but sweet Jesus I love it lol!:
- homemade macaroni & cheese
- fudge brownies [no walnuts =x]
- ANY & ALL THINGS CHEESY [except American, Limburger & Bleu =x]
- candied yams
- fried chicken
- southern style crispy chicken tenders
- crispy, crinkle cut salted fries deep fried in fresh corn oil
- beer battered onion rings
- Belgian waffles w/ butter & powdered sugar
- bacon cheeseburgers w/ mushrooms, BBQ sauce & an onion ring
- pulled pork w/ cole slaw
- sloppy joes
- fish subs w/ tartar, cheese, lettuce, tomato & fried onions
- Hershey's cookies & creme, Payday, Snickers & Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Lindor white chocolate butter cream truffle & white chocolate coconut truffle candy bar
- mashed potatoes w/ butter, sour cream, cheese, bacon & mushrooms
- Cakes: cheese, red velvet, carrot, Oreo, ice cream, butter, better than sex & pound cake, chocolate w/ lemon frosting, french vanilla w/ butter cream frosting, butter yellow w/ cream cheese frosting, funnel & cupcakes
- meatloaf w/ brown sugar ketchup gravy
- spinach & cheese casserole
- Cheese steaks w/ Swiss, fried onions, green peppers, mushrooms, mustard & mayo
- soft, chewy, ooey, gooey half baked chocolate chip, peanut butter, & oatmeal raisin cookies
- half baked sugar cookie w/ white chocolate chips, coconut, honey, granola & cream cheese frosting
- halfsmokes w/ mustard, relish, cheese, chili & slaw
- buttered biscuits w/ honey
- grilled bacon, egg, sausage & cheese sandwiches w/ syrup
- my Uncle Ambrose's potato salad


LOVED "GOOD" FOODS
- oatmeal w/ raisins, walnuts, 2% milk, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract & almonds
- my brother's seafood jambalaya
- italian wedding soup
- chicken soup w/ orzo pasta
- Sweet Frog frozen yogurt
- Yoplait yogurt w/ granola
- Genghis Grill: Chicken, shrimp, crab, pineapple, pico de galo, peppers, onions, tropical teriyaki sauce & white rice
- bananas, mangos, granny smith & gala apples, strawberries, watermelon, honeydew, green grapes, tomatoes, pineapples, coconuts, kiwi, Pomegranates, oranges, lemons
- greens, kale, spinach, corn, cucumbers, radishes, fried onions, mixed vegetables, green beans, carrots, avocados, mushrooms


HATED "GOOD" FOODS
- broccoli, turnips, lima bean, peas, cherry tomatoes, beans, sprouts, raw onions, celery, eggplant, zucchini, squash
- peaches, limes, cherries, cantaloupes


LOVED "BAD" RESTAURANT FOODS
- Olive Garden: breadsticks & alfredo sauce, shrimp scampi & lasagna fritta
- Carrabba's: manicotti, pasta carrabba, lasagne
- Jerry's Subs potato wedges
- Burger King: tendercrisp bacon cheddar ranch & fries, A1 Steakhouse XT, hashbrowns, double bacon-sausage croissantwich, bk breakfast bowl
- Carvel: Dulce de leche, maple walnut & cake mix
- McDonald's: mcchicken, crispy chicken club, big mac, mcdouble, southern style cripsy chicken, angus chipotle BBQ bacon, chicken mcnuggets, swiss & mushroom angus, bacon egg & cheese biscuit & mcgriddle, big breakfast w/ hotcakes, hash browns & southern style chicken biscuit
- Wendy's: fries w/ sour cream, asiago chicken ranch club
- Chick-fil-A: waffle fries, nuggets, spicy chicken deluxe, arnold palmer
- Foster's Grille: chicken philly cheesesteak w/ extra provolone, onions, mayo, mushrooms & fries
- Panda Express: orange chicken, fried rice, spring rolls & sweetfire chicken breast
- Friday's: pan-seared pot stickers, dragonfire salmon, vanilla bean cheesecake, strawberry lemonade, garlic & parmesan wedges
- Mimi's Cafe: carrot raisin nut loaf, five-way grilled cheese, zesty BBQ bacon cheeseburger,
- Famous Dave's: barbeque chicken sandwich, ultimate bbq burger, potato salad, famous fries, dave's cheesy mac & cheese
- Red Robin: towering onion rings, bottomless steak fries, whiskey river BBQ chicken, pub burger, freckled lemonade,
- Ruby Tuesdays: strawberry lemonade, chicken blt, buffalo chicken burger, smokehosue burger, parmesan chicken pasta, chicken & mushroom alfredo, blondie, thai phoon shrimp
- Applebee's: maple butter blondie, reuben, dynamite shrimp, onion rings, fries, shrimp 'n parmesan sirloin w/ mushrooms & grilled onions, provolone-stuffed meatballs w/ fettuccine, three-cheese chicken penne, philly burger, cowboy burger, steakhouse burger w/ a1 steak sauce, roast beef sandwich
- Benny's: crab sticks, fried scallops, egg rolls, fried chicken & fries
- Golden Star: shrimp fried rice, fries & egg rolls
- KFC: buffalo snacker, bowl, biscuits, macaroni & cheese, cole slaw, honey bbq wings & fish snacker
- Pizza Hut: large pan pizza w/ extra cheese, chicken, pineapples & mushrooms; Sicilian pizza & meat lover's p'zone
- B & J's: california chicken cheesesteak & fries
- Carolina Kitchen: fried chicken, macaroni & cheese, candied yams, honey cornbread, potato salad,
- T & J's: BBQ SAUCE!!!!!! ribs, bbq chicken & potato salad
- Twin Kiss: hot fudge brownie sundae
- IHOP: chicken fajita omlette with bacon, sausage, mushrooms & swiss, homefries, biscuits, stuffed french toast, blueberry pancakes, loaded potato & bacon soup, ham & egg melt, appetizer sampler, splashberry, tropical island twist, minionade,
- Panera: iced chai tea latter, cinnamon crunch bagel w/ honey walnut cream cheese, smokehouse turkey, frontega chicken, adult grilled cheese
- Taco Bell: chicken chalupa, cinnamon twists & limeade sparkler
- Red, Hot & Blue: sweet potato fries, brunswick stew, all-in burger, mac & cheese, jumbo sweet potato, grandma's famous potato salad, sweet tea, banana pudding
- Sakura: sauteed mushrooms, chicken & scallops w/ fried rice & yum-yum sauce
- Chipotle: chicken fajita bowl no onions, extra cheese & sour cream
- Ben & Jerry's: oatmeal cookie chunk, half baked, cinnamon bun, cake batter, cheesecake brownie, chocolate chip cookie dough, chocolate fudge brownie, maple blondie, peanut butter cup, pumpkin cheesecake, red velvet cake, strawberry cheesecake
- Cafe Rio: Chicken Enchilada with green ranch sauce
- Denny's: Build a burger with parmesan bun, mac & cheese and sour cream

April Progress [& New Beginnings]

4/3 - 143.8lbs
LOST: -3.4 lbs
STILL TO LOSE: 23.8 lbs
this was the weekend of nicci's 3-day b-day celebration. so eating out was paramount lol. i have to restock & seriously start again on monday the 11th, start out with my colon cleansing water & continue on!

4/10 - 144.4
LOST: +.6
STILL TO LOSE: 24.4 lbs


4/17 -
LOST:
STILL TO LOSE:


4/24 -
LOST:
STILL TO LOSE:


Total Weight Loss in April:
Weight Left to Go:

Starting Over Again!! =D

smile at the end? yes there is and for good reason! i've been talking to a young woman, witnessed her testimony as well as many others over the past few weeks and have taken her advice. with a new protocol that began on March 27th and will continue through May 14th [actually a week before my initial ending period], i have MUCH more hope & belief that i can achieve my goal. to this very moment as i type, I have lost 5.2 pounds in my first 9 days. that's more than i've lost in exercisting and diet change for 2 weeks in times before!


MATERIALS
• Food Scale: For weighing raw meat 100g/3.5 oz.
• Digital Scale: It measures weight to the exact ounce as opposed to the other kind. on which i found out my weight was wrong! with my analog scale where i thought i was 141 lbs [and supposedly having lost 3 lbs], my digital scale revealed i was really 147.2 lbs! so that's the weight i'm starting with.


DIET
• 2 servings of each a day: fruits, vegetables, lean proteins [100g] & a carb
• Water [at least half my weight a day]
• No sugar, oil, fats, soda, juices, dairy products, fried foods, greasy foods, junk food or starch
*Granted for these first 9 days, i lost a nice amount of weight, i have cheated in big & small amounts. even today for dinenr i had a shrimp & chicken alfredo pasta & 3 pieces of garlic bread. i'm thinking if i binged more on my first 2 days like i was supposed to [lol], i wouldn't be craving my old diet so bad. *shrugs*


PROTOCOL
• 10 Drops #1
• Meat & Veggie breakfast
• Carb & Fruit lunch/snack
• 10 Drops #2
• Meat & veggie Dinner
• Carb & fruit snack
• 10 Drops #3 <-- sometimes I'll take this one before bed, as I haven't seen any difference the next morning.


MY FAT BURNING TIPS INCORPORATED
• Drink 4T apple cider vinegar a day
• Only eat apples as my fruit
• Drink at least 1 cup of green tea a day


So now, I am really, truly, OFFICIALLY starting over. I've seen that with dedication & strict adhesion to the diet for 6 weeks, I can lose at least 2 pounds a day and get to my ultimate weight loss goal [maybe even beyond] by my birthday. I just have to resist outside food temptation. From what I've lost so far and what I know is to come, is it worth eating an apple instead of brownies? why yes. yes it is. Bikini or Bust Baby =D

MY Black Girl Thinspo

while online, i ran across public modeling profiles of many young black women with very beautiful, fit, thin & healthy body structures. i liked their ideas of beauty because there was still shape, curves, femininity & thickness to their thin-framed bodies. plus most "thinspo" i see are white women who in my opinion look like budding prepubescent boys as opposed to fit women. that just wasn't the realistic idea of thinspo i had in my eyes. and i never really saw any thinspo for women of color so i decided to put some...well A LOT [lol] up for view. it's really inspiring to me as well because it's motivating me even more to tackle my weight loss goals. so here you go! **WARNING: some photos may be provocative, just so you know**