WATER DAY 6 & GET MOVING DAY 4

Today I discovered a great way to "get moving"!  About two years ago I saw an infomercial about a workout called "Turbo Jam".   I remember thinking, "Wow, they are having so much fun!"  Of course I didn't purchase the "exclusive offer" at that time but a year later I purchased a copy of the workout program for $9.99 on eBay.  After getting the DVD in the mail, I put it on the shelf with all the other workout programs and never thought about it again.  If you already read Day 5/3 then you will notice me holding a sign in front of Bally's Gym.  It used to say "Day 4" on it however, I had to alter the photo to fit the right day.  Originally, I was going to work out at the gym but time got the best of me and I had to "get moving" at home.  I pulled out the DVD and to my surprise, it is actually a lot of fun! The music is great and the creator Chalene Johnson is very motivating and a great dancer!

If you are looking for a new workout program to do in the comfort of your own home I would recommend TurboJam.  It is for any fitness level and you can start today and not feel guilty about all the workouts you missed in the past.

The water is getting easier to drink and today my closest (self-appointed) accountability buddy said they were proud of me!  I'll drink to that! (Water, of course)

Today I am... happy to know I have some dedication left in these bones!



About Turbo Jam

Turbo Jam® is the workout that doesn't feel like work. Chalene Johnson packs each workout with calorie-blasting cardio, kickboxing, body-sculpting, and dance moves set to the hottest music ever. You're scorching fat and sizzling calories at a rate of up to 1,000 an hour . . . It's fast. It's fun. It works.

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WATER DAY 5 & GET MOVING DAY 3

It is the fifth day that I have been drinking plain ol' water and the 3rd day in a row of get moving (a.k.a. exercising).  A brief update on the water is... It has been a great experience thus far with some moments when I almost attacked an innocent friend for their delicious looking lemonade!  I have started to feel the benefits of drinking just water but the "getting moving" is a whole other subject!

Starting any workout plan is not easy.  So the benefits come in the form of pain.  I think that people have generally just started using the pain to measure how "good" their workout is.  With that said... the pain I supposed is a good thing! LOL

For day 3 I decided to "get moving" by going back to Bally's Gym.  This time I did not get into the pool in fear that I would run into another person who was at the gym on vacation... so, today I hit the treadmill and a stationary bike and worked out for 45 minutes total.  I went 1.5 miles in 30 minutes on the treadmill and then spent 15 minutes on the stationary bike.  I feel good and ready to take on day 6/4!

While riding the treadmill I read the newest edition of the "Ali Magazine".  The magazine targets women who are interested in starting a business and growing their personal wealth.  One of the articles in the magazine focused on mogal and fashionista, Kimora Lee Simmons.  Now I love KLS and her clothing, perfume, makeup, book, tv reality show... you get the point! So I was happy to find some information about some of the business pointers from KLS's point of view.  I thought they were applicable to whatever goals we set for ourself and I wanted to share them with you. 

So here ya go!

9 IDEAS TO STEAL FROM KIMORA LEE SIMMONS

1. Think big, very big
2. Keep growing 
3. Do not listen to critics 
4. Tell it like it is 
5. Be independent 
6. Be creative 
7. Become the brand 
8. Embody glamour and power 
9. Give back

Today I am... happy to share good information -- That is my way of "giving back" for today!

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WATER DAY 4 & GETTING MOVING DAY 2

Wow... What a day! Today definitely presented some challenges for the getting moving part of my day. Yesterday was easier because I was at the gym earlier in the day. Today when I went to the gym I understood why people decide to go to "all female" gyms. I got into the swimming area and there were several old men just sitting around. I felt like I walked into the guys locker room by accident. I couldn't bear to walk over to the pool... so I jumped right into the hot tub! This older man started talking to me and all I know is that the hot tub is no place to talk to a strange man. LOL First of all it seemed like an intrusion and then he started telling me about his life. He is a 67 year old happily retired man from Georgia. He is a God fearing man and his advice for me, "If it doesn't have God in it, then don't do it!"

So after 45 minutes passed and me still listening to a lovely story I realized that I was not only turning into a prune but I was cold from just holding on to the edge of the pool and kicking my feet. (Yes, by this time I had to get out of the hot tub and into the pool because I would have passed out... and Yes... he followed me to continue his story). After saying goodbye I then had to push myself to spend another hour in the pool lifting water weights, swimming laps, bicycling through the pool on a noodle, and doing the human helicopter (don't ask!).

On drinking water! We are still going strong! I thought I would punch someone out for a cup of orange pop yesterday--but I didn't... so all is good!

Today I am... tired but happy to have finished "getting moving" today!

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DRINKING JUST PLAIN OL' WATER: DAY 3

Today was a good day! Especially because I got moving! and I continued with my all day water spree.  This morning waking up I wanted a cup of hazelnut coffee with sugar and my International Delight Vanilla White Chocolate Mocha cream! YUM -- I settled my craving by convincing  myself that by putting milk in my scrambled eggs that I had beat the system. LOL  Just compare it to something like what Rocky used to drink in the morning (or did he just drink the eggs?!?!). The homemade protein shake of milk and eggs.

So far today I have had three huge (44 ounce) cups of water and even though I have to run to the bathroom every 15 minutes... it is a good feeling to know that you are putting good liquid calories into your system.  I am empowered to carry on with my "drinking just plain ol' water"!

Today I am ... always happy to find a loop hole! :-)

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GET MOVING: DAY 1

Today was a great day (probably because I didn't go to work) and I felt so inspired by my favorite TV show Ugly Betty. If you have seen it before you know that's based on a young girl, living in NYC, starting her writing career in the wonderful industry of fashion. With fashion, come beautiful models---right?!? Nevertheless, it also comes with an "Ugly Betty" the person who comes just as they are and, as the show demonstrates, comes out on top because they were true to themselves. Okay so enough about Betty! I felt so inspired to get up and go to the gym! Wahooooooo!

I have been avoiding the gym for 30 years (yes, I am 30!) and today I was really excited about it because it hit me that there is more to do in the gym than get on a treadmill, stare at the closed captions that you cannot actually read because you are wondering... "Will I pass out" AND "why is this machine squealing so loud!” So anyway, I decided to go swimming at the gym today. I jumped up from the couch, turned off the TV and scurried off to my room to put on my swimming gear and grab a towel. Walking out the door, I felt empowered.

Pulling up to the gym and parking, I realized that I forgot to load the empowerment into the car with me and bring it to the gym. I was scared to go in! Therefore, I sat in my car and put it in my head that the people passing will just simply think I am waiting for someone. LOL

After 5 minutes (that seemed like 30), I got out of my car and realized that I did not have my towel with me! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Okay so I go in anyway telling myself that I do not need a towel. Then I thought about the distance between the locker room and the pool and realized that I didn't need my towel to dry off... I needed it to cover the fluffy lower region. Therefore, I briskly walked right back out of the gym, got back into my car and headed back towards the house to get a towel. I don't live that far from the gym but God knows me better than I know me--gently He said, "You need to buy a towel from Walgreens.” I obeyed.

I went back to the gym and made it to the pool without any obscene comments, pointing, or laughter. I was happy to find some water weights and the noodles. So I conjured up some old water aerobic routines and after all of that... I feel great!

Today I am... happy I got moving!

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DRINKING JUST PLAIN OL' WATER: DAY 2

Here we are on day 2 and today I decided that tap water is gross! So if I am going to torture myself for 21 days I am going to drink some fancy water from time-to-time like VOSS Water.  This water taste like a melted iceberg and put into a lovely glass bottle for $3.00 - $5.00 a bottle! YIKES! But it is worth it to treat yourself every now and then.


Today I am... Treating myself to something good because I am worth it!

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DRINKING JUST PLAIN OL' WATER: DAY 1

Ever since I launched this blog all of my bad habits have been glaring me dead in the face.  I have been acutely aware of how I am intentionally making bad decisions just for the simple fact that... I can! How sad, right?!?

So since I have been avoiding the "excercise for 21 days straight" habit integration I told myself that I needed to do something because I am sure that I could have been 50% of the way there if I would have started.  So today I decided to attack my bad habit of drinking too much pop (a.k.a soda OR cola), juice, iced coffee and sweet "yummy" tea!

So the idea is for me to only drink water for 21 days straight! (GROSS) Just straight water --- no secret powders, carbinated water drinks or drinks with the word "water" in their title. 

Growing up I remember my sister drinking water all day long.  She would drink it by the gallon full.  I don't know how she did it but she just did not and still does not like cabinated drinks and she HATES tea.  Once I moved to New York City I had lots of influencers and lifestyle changes that are unique to NYC that forced me to drink water -- but the main motivator was that all the other options were just too expensive - so I just drank water and actually liked it.  For some reason once I got to Florida it was like "no holds bard" on all the yummy liquid calories.

So going through day 1 of drinking all water and I can say that it was no fun.  I actually feel deprived of something and I think that some of the water tasted weird --- like the water that comes out of the water fountains from my grade school days --- like rust! (but that could be my resistant taste buds fighting back.)  BTW, it was no fun going to Burger King and ordering a Whopper Junior with water!

Today I am... not loving water!

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TODAY I AM...

Every single day I procrastinate and put off the things that would probably benefit me if I actually tackled them. I think in some small way people trick themselves to believe that if they do a lot of small... pointless things that they are really being productive. I have tricked myself too! Every day I tell myself that I have accomplished something because I have managed to get my daily things to do list completed... Well what about the "Things to do for Life" list?!?! There are many things on this list that I don't even want to think about. I read somewhere that people should actually make their things to do list by listing the things they do not want to do... and then working through that list. By doing this you would be in fact be "doing" things that would actually make a difference in your life not just for the moment.

So... having thought about this and watching myself go day by day without any major accomplishments and / or changes in habits --- I decided to launch this blog!

Today I am... started off as a fan page on Facebook and now I want to take that concept and make it a daily blog about my things to do for life list and what I am doing TODAY to change my habits and in turn... change my life!

So wish me luck and keep me lifted up in prayer. Check out the page called "Bad Habits" to see a comprehensive list of things that I will be working towards changing, adding, or removing from my life. The list will change all the time as I go through life making accomplishments and learning more about myself.
 I will use the notion that it takes 21 days to incorporate a habit in to one’s life. So each "bad habit" will be highlighted for 21 days. Some bad habits I will be trying to tackle at the same time as others -- but this will make more sense once I really get the ball rolling.

Today I am... making a decision to get started!

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