Fit for Life, Social Experiment: Update #2

There is a LOT to take in with the Fit for Life lifestyle change. The following are a couple of the smaller changes (though every change has an impact) that I want to gradually work in over the next 7 to 10 days.

Fruit or fresh fruit juice for breakfast

Yep ONLY fruit or juice for breakfast, bye bye sausage and egg beaters :(

Drink more water

I had actually started on this one before I picked the book back up and after a couple of days I felt less sluggish, well as "less sluggish" as a 215 pound 5'2 " woman CAN feel.

Be in bed by 10pm

This is gonne be HARD for me. #1 because I am a night owl, totally HATE the mornings and #2 because I lead a very busy life during baseball season. And this year will be especially taxing because my sons are in different leagues, so that means double the games, plus work, my writing and all regular domestic related things.

Ay bendito!

Anyway thats all for now, Ta Ta!

Fit for Life Social Experiment: First update

Sup everyone?

Okay, so like I said, I am reading Fit for Life from cover to cover, and while I don't have a lot of time I wanted to post a few of the things that have jumped out at me thus far.

I do NOT remember all of this from the zillion years ago when I first read the book either, anyway here it is.

A few of the testimonials at the start of the book:

"My Husband and I are in our 60s and have been on your program for 2 weeks. We feel so much better already. My husband was taking pills for arthritis - and now he takes none."
E.H.
Raymond, Maine

" Five years of doctors and medications and it takes your book on good nutritional common sense to cure my severe stomach disorders...Fit for Life has changed my eating habits for the rest of my life."
J.M.
Midvale, Utah

"My husband and I have been on the Fit for Life bandwagon for 2 months - he has lost 29 pounds and looks and feels better than he has in years. I have lost 21 pounds and also feel wonderful. Fit for Life is a way of life! "
C.A.
Sparks, Nevada

From the forward by Edward A. Taub, M.D., F.A.A.P. an assistant clinical professor (at the time of the writing of Fit for Life) at the University of California:

"The human body should last for 140 years, or twice as long as our present life span"

and

"Food fuel is most efficient in the form provided by nature. There are no fields flowing with white bread and streams are not filled with Soft drinks."

How true my friends, reading just these first few pages I am appalled (with the way I eat and feed my kids), uplifted (because yes, there is hope) and humbled. God makes no mistakes and he created us to live a great existence. He gave our bodies the ability to keep us healthy and assist us in living our best lives ever, and we have done everything in our power to go against that.

So I have highlighted these little tidbits of hope and will post again soon.

Hasta muchachas and muchachos!

Following a book for a year? My Social Experiment on weight loss!

Social Experiment. Needed:

1 Crazy Chick - That would be moi!

1 Book

1 YEAR! Oh wow, what am I getting myself into?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Well, I gained 10 pounds.

For the almost 10,000 visitors I've had since the inception of this blog you know I started it at 205 lbs, I just weighed myself yesterday and I now weigh 214.5 lbs :(

How is it that after almost 2 years, I actually ended up HEAVIER?!

Anyway about a week ago I started thinking about my struggle with my weight, and what I wanted to do about it.

What did I come up with?

Team Fat Girl: My Social Experiment on weight loss.

In this day and age of self help books, how to and top ten lists I have decided to follow the principals of a book on weight loss for an entire year.

Why? Because I'm FAT! That's why!

However, what with me being a wagon faller (falling off the wagon) and a procrastinator, I figured that blogging about my social experiment experiences will give me a better sense of accountability. Hmmm, we shall see.

I decided to follow the book I've chosen because of the following reasons:

1-If I knew what to do on my own I wouldn't be fat and getting fatter, so why not turn to the experts

2-The authors base their advice on #1 personal experience (They been there yo, they done that) and #2 on treating our bodies in a way that would be pleasing to God

After reading myriad books,blogs and magazine articles over the years this book still resonates with me and always gives me the AHA! moment most successful people claim to have before they: Lose 100 pounds, start a multi-million dollar business with a $20 investment in their attic or finally find the love of their lives.

I've touted this book for years, but this time around I am going to re-read it from COVER to COVER and follow the plan laid out.


The book?

Fit for Life by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond

Wish me luck and send a prayer up for me, mi gente. Besides the so sad weight gain, my cholesterol is dangerously high and I am like a year away from becoming diabetic.

I'm cracking the book open this evening.

Working out at Lunch Time

Yesterday the News Director at my work asked me to be her lunch time work out buddy. We have a no frills gym by us that charges like 15 bucks a month with no contract. Her reasons for wanting to work out at her lunch hour 5 days a week is to get rid of her baby weight. Her baby, by the way, is just TOO adorable, Hi Sam!

At first glance, I guess it seems like a no-brainer, right?. A few bucks a month, a partner and the gym in close proximity. However I've just recently accepted an offer from a new publishing company to become their editor. And since I have a full time job, a family, along with my blogging and article writing, my schedule is pretty packed. My lunch hour and coming in about 30 minutes early is how I can balance all of these things without cutting too much into my family time.

But I do need to lose weight, so what is a girl to do? Quite a conundrum, sigh. I guess it will just take more determination. I'll have to mull it over though, because I believe in being honest with yourself, about yourself. I am NOT a morning person, so waking up at 5:30am will not work for me. Instead of "getting used to it" I will resent it and start hitting snooze instead of lacing up my Kix.

I am a night owl, I am more alert and more creative at night. The nights, after the kids are in bed, are what I am planning to use for my new editing position. But if ever there were a time to exercise for me, it would be at night.

And yes, I have read all of the information that states morning are the way to go. And for anyone who is a morning person, I agree. It lets you get your workout in at the start of the day, which gives you not only a sense of accomplishment but is also great since, hey, it's out of the way, it's already done. But it's just not me.

I'll let you know what I come up with since I am still miserable and still over 200 pounds :( And the kicker? My cousin's wedding is in like 6 weeks, GREAT!

Whack Attack

Hey everyone, I have been gone since last October. And guess what and why??? Cuz I am STILL FAT! lol. That is terrible, I know.

Anyway, today I was shopping online for bikes for my kids and saw one that I liked for me. Hmmm, A fatty on a bike. I'll really have to think about this. But it was so pretty, all old fashioned looking and stuff :) The kind I would see on TV and wish my mom could afford to get me when I was a kid in the Bronx :(

Why is it all so friggin hard? Anyway this past few months, the reason I slacked off on everything? I became a grandmother. I love the baby soooooooooooo much, my cutey patutty. But it was a rough patch and we are just now getting back to being okay.

Anywho, thanks for still visiting, I was surprised, but I've gotten a few hundred hits even with the site being dormant for so long. I supposed I have more sisters in the struggle than I thought.

Email me, leave a comment, let me know how you guys are doing in this, the battle of the bulge 2008!

Laterz

I did it!

I walked twice 'round le block last night :)

I'm fat, lol, I can't believe that the woman huffing and puffing it last night is the same woman that used to do 20 minutes of the stair climber, a 50 minutes step class and 20 minutes of weights, every time I went to the gym, sometimes 6 days a week.

Sheesh, seriously, if you don't use, it you lose it. And I lost it big time.

Then I remember how outta shape I was at the start of it all those years ago and how I gradually got stronger and healthier and I feel better.

I was thinking back to a slap in the face I got a few months ago. In the summer of 2006 My sister, friends and I and our kids took a vacation to Orlando. We had a blast, we did Universal almost every day, to me those two parks are the best, and the older kids prefer them as well. All in all we have a grand ole time.

They did Disney for a day and we shopped and ate and swam till all hours. Anyway, a few months after we returned home, I go to the Bronx to visit one of my best friends and she pulls out her vacation pics.

Needless to say, I was mortified. Now listen I KNOW I'm a big gal, seriously I do, but when I saw that photo I wanted to cry. When had I gotten THAT big you know? And is that how every one else sees me? I always thought I was doing a bang up job of hiding the fat rolls and the belly. Have I mentioned before how I am cursed with the body type in which I gain 80% of my weight in my belly and always look about 6 months pregnant? Well I do, and I hate it. And apparently I wasn't doing such a great job of hiding the mass that is me either :(

The bathing suit photo was the most horrendous and I immediately ordered her to destroy it. Well, the nasty little biatch wouldn't. I can really hate her sometimes, she instead offered it up for incentive. Said I should tape it to my fridge to inspire me to thinness and stop me from snacking. Okay, now she's my friend again.

I can't even remember whether I took the picture or not, but it brought a damper to my weekend, let me just tell you that!

Just thought I'd share that with you since it was on my lind last night.

In case you were wondering, no, I don't plan on regaling you with my daily dinner menu, but if it's something that turned out really delish or something a little off the beaten path, I'll tell you about it.

I didn't think my kids would go for this one, but they did :)

We had "goodwiches" for dinner last night. Ingredients? Everything you usually eat on a sandwich minus the meat and cheese (remember "Fit for Life"). Mine was Italian bread, light mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and onion. My son had bread, mayo and lettuce and my daughter the same.

So great, light and filling.

I've added a list of weight loss fiction that I've read and liked, hope you do too.

Have a healthy day.

Laterz!

Inspired by the Apartment Walker and The Biggest Loser

Years and years ago my aunt told me about her friend’s husband who had lost upwards of 100 pounds walking in his apartment. Not house, mind you, an apartment. He was uncomfortable hitting the pavement in New York City along side the skinny minnie's and so instead he created a workout for himself.

He bought some walking kix and a Walkman (I told you it was year ago - lol). Then he proceeded to walk around his place like a mad man an hour a day. And guess what? IT WORKED.

You always hear that you should incorporate exercise into your daily routine. It's been said that even if you're too busy to do a consistent amount of time, you can break it up into 10 minutes increments and get the same benefits.

So, last night as I was watching The Biggest Loser, and they spoke about consistency being key to success I decided to test the theory. A consistent 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there should show some improvement to not only my weight but my overall health.

Side Bar: Dinner was totally Fit for Life, cabbage, salad and baked chicken seasoned with fresh garlic and oregano, and kosher salt. You should try it, it was sooooo delish :)

After work today I will be walking. Now remember that I am outta shape like a mutha. However, drum roll please, I will attempt to walk around my block at least twice.

And NO, twice around the block will in no way get me ready for a marathon. But I figure it this way, for someone as sedentary as I am, that is a huge step, no pun intended. I mean it's a lot for a women, ahem, I mean gal ;) like me that is huffing and puffing while trying to keep up with my kids at the mall.

But you know I already don't want to do it right? LOL - I'm thinking of a hundred reasons I shouldn't even attempt it, but I have to resist the urge to do that same thing every day and expect different results.

And it is supposed to rain which is my biggest excuse, and though I love the rain, I don't like wet sticky clothes clinging to my Fat-tabulous body. If it does rain, I will rip a page from the Apartment Walker and crank up some music and walk around my house.

Wish me luck mi gente,

Laterz!

Weekend Warrior

I hope everyone had a fantabulous weekend!

We had a birthday dinner for my daughter and had a blast. My mom cooked most of the food so I fell off the wagon on Saturday but got right back up on Sunday, I DID! Geesh


I wonder if any one else has used the Fit for Life program with any success? I did a few years back, okay, okay, almost a friggin decade ago, geesh! Bust my chops why dontcha!?


Anyway, I figure it like this, if 30 is the new 20 I have just a good a chance as the next gal or guy right!? :)

Some inspiration for my crew:










And yes, I know celebs have it easier since they have the money for a personal trainer, a chef, etc. But no matter how much money they have they still have to do the work themselves just like us. Celebrity or not, if they sneak a pizza at 2 am or fore go the elliptical then the pounds will stay or creep up, period!

So if they can WE CAN! :)


Laterz!

My bad!

So I've been gone for a month and needed to jump back on and extend my apologies, Sorry guys, :( Now let's get down to it, shall we?

I have been very busy this last month and have a surprise in store for all of you Soon-isht :)

Now, now, don't be nosey, you must wait.

So what's up in my world?

Well, I started eating properly combined foods a la "Fit for Life" and even my kids are on board! While we aren't following it to a tee, we are doing the proper combinations for dinner only, the results have been wonderful.

My son and I used to wake up with lead legs, you know, where you are literally dragging your legs for about 10 minutes until it lets up. Well now that is a problem no longer people. Also it was always a chore to get out of bed in the morning period, for all of us. Feeling tired and sluggish, but now when the alarm clock goes off and I'm up and ready to slip out of bed, bright eyed and bushy tailed. I wake them up and instead of "mom, please, 5 more minutes", they simply, get up, no muss, no fuss. :)

I want to delve into the complete program little by little because it is difficult to do in the beginning, so our next step will be only fruit for breakfast on the weekends.

Also, since I bring leftovers to work, Mon-Fri, I've been following the program for both lunch and dinner and this, I believe, is why my pants aren't as tight as usual. I don't know how much I've lost exactly since I don't own a scale but I know I've lost something, and that's enough for me:)

Like I said, I am busy as a bee, but I actually miss posting so I will do my best to make time to bore you with my mundane escapades as often as I possibly can :)

Laterz!

Can I get a WHAT, WHAT?!

Hope everyone had a fantabulous long weekend :) I stayed in most of it, read, also did a little shopping on Sunday, hung out with my kiddies and visited my sister on Saturday.

And no, I was not subjected to the torturous Barbecue :) YAY for moi. Aint it grand?! Not because I "chickened out" either, like a friend of mine accused me of. She's always been a nasty Puerto Rican :) She decided not to throw the party for her man, why? Who knows, who cares, as long as I was spared.lol

On to the business of the day, MEN! I received an email from a friend of mine in the great state of Texas. She has been doing really well with her exercise regimen and eating a lot better and has even seen results. And she knows, intellectually that when you are in the middle of a weight loss/health program your body is a work in progress. I mean she really knows, she is a friggin' nurse, so seriously, SHE KNOWS!

But how many times have I said that knowing something logically doesn't necessarily mean that we can shut off our feelings? Many, becasue it just doen't matter what you know, sometimes it's all about how you feel.

Anyway, she is in a store and notices a man, (just some random dude) checking her out, can I get a what, what?!. This, of course, make her nervous while making her very happy, indeed.

So she starts adjusting herself, a little self conscious. I mean who is he looking at, her? really, or perhaps someone over her shoulder, or that 20-something she saw a minute ago? Anywho, she starts for the door and get this, he runs across the store, knocks down a vieja (old lady) jumps a hurdle of small children and huffing and puffing, he grabs the door and holds it open for her.

Okay, okay, it didn't happen quite like that :) LOL

However he did hold the door open for her and was smiling. She is thinking "What a gentleman", and smiles back. And in the few seconds this thought is floating through her mind, he is still smiling, while studying her purty face, his gaze lowers to "the girls" as most men's do, and yep, he is STILL smiling. Now by this time she is feeling just great. A man other than her man is appreciative of her beauty, of her efforts, wow! And then he glances down to what she refers to as her "pooch" and then BAM! He looks away with what she describes as "a look of disappointment".

And what happened? Well my friend gets pissed and walks away without a backward glance, but she left upset with her weight, all she was thinking was "Asshole"!

My point is this, though we shouldn't let them, our surroundings and interactions DO shape us and our moods. Before the jerk wad made his "face" she was on cloud nine. Happy with her progress thus far, feeling sexy and strutting her stuff. After "the face" she spiraled down into a completely different mood. And it all happen in the blink of an eye with just one look :(

MEN! Why couldn't he just have kept smiling that extra nano-seond and parted ways?

Don't worry mama, you are still fly :) Don't let the haters get ya down.

Laterz!

Long Weekend Ahead...

So, I got a call from a friend inviting me to a barbecue/birthday party this weekend. And I really see now, how my weight affects everything I do. It affects my social life in the sense that I don't have one. I will go and visit a friend or family member but I detest gatherings. It wasn't always like that, I wasn't always like that.

I just hate being the big girl at the party, you know? I always feel uncomfortable, like every one is staring at me. Should I eat before hand, should I stick to water, how early can I leave without looking bad? All questions I ponder every friggin' time I go somewhere.

'Cuz, seriously, who can have a good time when they don't feel as if they fit it? Not me, that's for sure. And it doesn't help that I recently developed a few rolls of film I found around my house and saw myself about 65 lbs lighter. I look so pretty, not to toot my own horn or anything (TOOT - TOOT!!!!).

Not only was I thinner, I was happy, my skin was radiant, my outfit fabulous, of course! You see, it's a whole package with me apparently, black or white, no "in between".

Okay, so I'm fat, why can't I find the elusive "it" and still take care of myself? Why do I live in stretch pants, sweats and hoodies when I'm not at work (and sometimes even when I am)?

I don't know, but I will be doing a lot of soul searching this weekend, because I'm tired of thinking that only thin women can be pretty or have fun or be desired. I mean logically, I know this, but emotionally I have to catch up.

As for the party, am I going? Yes, I am, but I don't wanna. And that's the truth :(

In case I don't get to log on again, have a great weekend!

Laterz!

I missed you all and guess I've been missed as well :)

Hey there everyone,

That "flu" I told you guys about wasn't a flu at all. I have been sick for what feels like ever. I was down and out for the count with a terrible Staph Infection. At least that's what my doctor said, but when I researched it it seems to be a skin condition, so who knows. But, thank God, I do feel better, though I am still on antibiotics for the next couple of days.

I wanted to share with everyone, that when I was at the doctor's office, he weighed me and I GAINED, what the F%*&! I was so sick, but no matter, after I was weighed that was most prominent on my mind and it that made me so sad. I was happy to finally get some medication that would help me, but all I was thinking about as I was glued to my couch, coughing, sneezing, dripping from my nose and drooling like a teen-aged boy looking at a Playboy, was that I was miserable. How is it even friggin' possible to gain when you are sick and barely eating for days?

For starters I drink water, a friggin' whole lot o'water at that! Isn't that a fat cleanser? Well, isn't it?! and I walk all the time too. So okay, I'm not doing an hour of cardio a day, but aren't small changes supposed to have SOME effect? And even if they didn't, how is it fair to gain. I was flabbergasted.

Oh, did you want to know how much I gained? A pound, yep I was 206lbs as of last Monday :(

Damn that doctors scale! ('Cause, of course, that's the problem, not me and my habits-lol)

Anyway while I do feel better, I am still not 100% and I think I wanna lay my head down a la kindergarten class.

Laterz!

Pill Popper-Tee hee

Hola my Peeps

I have been out of it the past couple of days. Good news though, I did get that part and my car is now back on the road :) Man for being a city girl without a license up until 3 years ago, I now feel trapped without a car. Laundry was put on hold, grocery shopping and going to the movies. All at a stand still because I had no car, what the f%$& is that?!

PLEASE NOTE: These things have now all been taken care of :)

But a lot of it has to do with my weight (gee, what a surprise), see I have no qualms about taking a bus, I mean I lived in New York my entire life, public transportation is nothing new, you know? But I feel vulnerable walking places or waiting for a bus. I mean, what if my ex boyfriend sees me? UGH! the horror.

You may be asking yourself if I am still hung up on him, well, the answer is, no, I'm not. However, my friends and I have this rule you see, "never let an ex see you sweat, never". Translation; If you must see your ex, you must look fabulous! And yeah, okay, we started this rule when we were a lot younger but still, it sits within and paralyzes me. I mean logically I know that it doesn't matter what I look like when I see him because there is a reason he is my ex. I didn't want him then and I surely don't now, but still, it's ingrained in me.

Now that my car is alive and well again, I suppose this is neither here nor there, until the next time that is :)

On another note, I was attacked by the flu yesterday morning and I mean full blown attack mode. In the past when I've been plagued with the influenza, it came slowly over a few days but this was like WAM! I was fine one minute and the next I was disoriented, dizzy and burning up with my throat slowly closing on me. I got some Cold and Flu meds and started popping pills like Elizabeth Taylor, word! I have to work for a living after all. I'm still feeling quite terrible, but I will pop a few more pills and take the kids to the movies (only because I already promised pre-flu outbreak), after that it's bed time for me.

Have a fab weekend

Laterz!

Ugh, so not Chubby Friendly!

Hello, Hello, Hello

So I was at a junkyard yesterday, or what I lovingly refer to as an Automobile Graveyard. Have you ever been to one? This was my first time and it was, um, an experience. Though I must admit that it was laid out well, no car piling at all. Like a classy junkyard, if you will.

First off the "warning" sign simply states this:

No open toed shoes

Que, que?

Now, what did your girl have on? Well I was rockin' some capris (navy blue) a tank top (Baby Blue) layered under a brown tee and slip-on shoes. Suffice it to say that I was dressed totally wrong.

Anyway, I was searching for an alternator because, #1, I am a poor Puerto Rican and #2, I also refuse to buy a brand new anything for a car that I am almost surely selling in a couple of months.

Anywho, get this, after a million years, I found what I needed, right make, model and year. I actually found 3 of these cars, 2 had alternators and one looked almost new. I was like, score!!! However in true moi fashion I didn't have the foresight to bring any tools and the auto cemetery employees will NOT LEND TOOLS, sucios. I was so pissed at myself, hello, how smart is it not to bring tools? And so with a bowed head and empty hands, I left.

Cut to me hoping that they are still there today when I go back, armed and ready to get that damned part. And by "I", of course I mean my sisters boyfriend. lol

And in case you’re wondering, those places are so not chubby friendly, especially on a hot day. Ay nena, I was constantly taking off the slip-on’s because rocks kept slipping in. And the heat! A sistah was sweating and there is no respite for the weary. It's like being in the army and trying to get back to camp safely. The place was so big that you could loose your way with one wrong turn, I am SO taking bread crumbs today to be able to find my way back :)

And oh yeah, I am sporting my kix (not from New York? that means sneakers- Note: “kicks” also used :) I needs me some grip. Plus I may have to fight for my car part, you should see the guys that were there. This is how they make their living, they buy quality parts off of totaled luxury vehicles and then sell them online. Smart:) But I'll still throw down for mine, ya know?!

'Kay, well, wish me luck yall,

Laterz

What if...

What if the celebrities we look up to, the ones our daughters emulate, were fat?

I was reading the book "Alternate Beauty" and thought, what if? In the book, the protagonist is overweight and miserable. I don’t want to give it away in case you'd like to read it, but she enters into another world in which fat is not only the epitome of beauty, but thin women are actually shunned. Hmmm. Perhaps I could get used to that world, lol.

But, no, I couldn't really. I mean I have said it before, no matter what, you must be comfortable with your body to feel free and sexy. And in our world or the Alternate Beauty world, I am so NOT comfortable. But it's nice to have the fantasty :)

I think my favorite of the above fabu-fatties is Elizabeth Hurley.

I wonder if men would still drool over these women if they actually were heavy? LOL

Laterz!

A Rose by any other name....

"What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet."

If it's true (and it is) that a rose would still smell as sweet, even being called by another name, are we not the same person no matter what size the tag on our jeans say? Well, yes, we are, in theory.

See what makes me, and a lot of women (big and small) unhappy about our weight has nothing to do with our personalities, hearts or wit. I just read a comment by a reader that said she is happy with herself and that yes, she is a "big girl". Kudos, my dear. I'm a little envious actually, because I know that feeling. That feeling of "I AM", flowers smell sweeter, wine crisper, a friends laughter becomes infectious, and all because when one is happy with oneself they are able to appreciate the things and people in their lives.

Growing up in America little girls are indoctrinated into the cult of "You can never be too thin". Magazines, books, television, movies, and in some cases your own family. I, am one of those little girls. And though I fancy myself to be intelligent (no snide remarks here Jazzy-tee hee) I still feel that way. And before you think that my ideal is to look like Nicole Richie, it is not. I meant in the sense that I feel, while not ugly, unbeautiful, (is that even a word?) at my current weight.

While I applaud the Monique's of the world (you go mama) that love themselves and exude confidence no matter their size, I'm just not there. Intellectually I understand that being fat and being confident are not mutually exclusive. However, I admit, that intellect is usually not something I take into consideration when I look in the mirror.

Will I ever? Well that's a question for the ages. I just don't know. I do know that while I can always see the beauty in people of all sizes, I generally take a compliment about my looks at this size, with a grain of salt. My own personal issue people. Something I must work through.

And just to end this on a funny note, because I can:

This one guy found my blog by typing the following into a search engine: "FAT GIRLS NUDE BEACH". ewe, right?

Okay gotta get me una taza de cafe con leche cuz a sistah is nasty without it at this hour. I am SO not a morning person. Tough to tell I know :)

Laterz!

El Cantante

Six Degrees of Seperation

By definition: Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that, if a person is one "step" away from each person he or she knows and two "steps" away from each person who is known by one of the people he or she knows, then everyone is no more than six "steps" away from each person on Earth.

And so it is. Where I live, I will not be able to see "El Cantante", the movie I've most been waiting for. I know what you're thinking too, "Ay bendito, la pobre". Well, thank you for your concern, I will somehow struggle and get through :). I, of course, called my Titi in New Jersey to whine about it, and we ended up getting into a discussion about the film and the actors etc.

Anywaysssss, guess what I learned? That I almost, kind of, not quite but close, more or less "know" Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony. Yep, 'tis true. lol

Six Degrees in practice:
1- I know my Aunt (duh)
2- She is best friends with "S"
3-"S" has a sister that is married to Yomo Toro
4-Yomo Toro was in El Cantante with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony

TA DA! Aren't I impressive? I mean how many people can say that they kind of know 2 huge stars AND back it up with proof? Seriously, I mean how fab is it that..........oh wait, based on the definition I started this out with I guess EVERYONE can make that statement and back it up. Damn!!! Damn!!! Damn!!!

Back to the movie, if I get to visit my mom soon (NYC) I will get to see the Story of Mr. Lavoe in a theatre but alas, I do believe I'll be awaiting the DVD with bated breath.

Perhaps I can occupy my time with how I "know" other movie stars I like, let's see, there's Joaquin Phoenix, Bruce Willis and Debra Messing, Armand Assante and.......

Or maybe I should do some Tae Bo, hmmmm.


Laterz!

Oh the Horror!

Hope you had a great weekend. I, myself, had a quiet weekend. Stayed in most of the weekend, which is just fine by me. However I did have a scare. My sister and her boyfriend were thinking of going to a local lake to have a cook out and enjoy the weather and the water. Thankfully he got a last minute invite to New York City by some of his friends and so they postponed the cook out. Phew!

Are you thinking to yourself, “This chicks got a screw loose”? Well I don’t. The reason it is so scary to me, is because I have a huge complex (no pun intended) about me in a bathing suit. (Okay, obviously not me, but you get the picture) Blah! And if you saw me in a bathing suit you would say the same thing.

Do I have any pictures? Hell NO! lol

I went on vacation last year with some friends and our kids, I was comfortable because I was among friends and I hit the pool a couple of nights in my new suit and just enjoyed myself. And then all of that fell apart when the pics were developed.

OH MY GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Terrible, I looked like a friggin' beached whale. I was horrified. I also threatened their very lives if they showed anyone. I trashed my copies immediately.

Now, why didn’t I keep them, post them on the fridge and turn a negative into a positive? Well according to my old therapist it’s because my fat is my weapon of choice against the possibility of having my heart broken again. No joke, this is what she said.

I was asking why she thinks that it has been so difficult for me since I moved up here to shed the pounds, to stop smoking (I had stopped for 9 years) to get healthy. Her answer shocked me, I hate being fat, why would I force myself to stay this way? Because my last relationship so shattered me mentally and emotionally, I packed on the pounds as a shield against another relationship. Do I believe her? Yeah, sometimes, but I still have to take responsibility and change my life.

In my minds eye, even though I know it ISN’T true (my mom is full figured and has a boyfriend, a younger one at that – Go mommy!) I feel that being fat keeps men away. No Attraction, no men, no dates, no emotion, no heart break. I’m Safe.

However, I still think that I should be able to dedicate myself completely to getting healthy and stick to it. Am I better than before? Yes, I am actually, I do walk a lot more, and I drink at least 1/2 gallon of water daily. But I can be doing so much more. I start a program and I am all gung ho about it for a week or a month and then I slack off.

People’s advice? Start slow, you didn’t gain the weight over night, you aren’t going to lose it overnight. Don’t ya just hate common sense? lol

And this is why I was relieved when he went to NYC and my sister postponed. Will I be Halle Berry by next weekend? Nah, but it still felt like a reprieve.

And I have to get another counselor, my old one may have told me WHAT my problem is, now I need some help learning how to go about fixing it so I can stop sabotaging myself.

'Cuz you know what? I absolutely adore the water, the pool, the lake, the ocean, love it all. And I haven't let myself truly enjoy any of it in 4 years. Four years is a long time, and enough is enough you know?

Laterz!

Thin-Spiration!

Happy Friday!

I Realized this morning that I hadn't mentioned my unmentionables and decided that this is just unacceptable :) So anyway, most women have a thin-spiration outfit, a dress, a sexy cat suit, a pair of "skinny" jeans that they hang up on the closet door for inspiration. I suppose I have some of those as well. Like I mentioned once before, I have a closet full of clothes that I used to wear, would actually love to wear again, you know?

I may not have an entire outfit to thin-spire me but what I do have is this purty pair of panties :) Aren't they just too cute!!

Back story on why this is what I purchased as my thin-spiration:

Once upon a time there was a sassy boriqua from the Bronx that was not at all happy with her weight, and no, she was not obese, merely a little overweight. So she makes a decision to get fit one day while shopping with her tiny waisted friend. She then embarked on a healthy eating strategy of her own design and joined a gym. Cut to about 7 weeks later and Ms. Sassy entering Victoria’s Secret for the very first time. She leaves with a to-die-for bra and panty set all pink and lacy for only $90. So it s not La Perla, so what, for a single mom, that is a lot of money. But it was worth it when she stepped out of the shower the next morning and slipped them on. They fit like a glove and she felt like the models in the V.S. catalog, about 8 inches shorter, but still. Shopping for exquisite under things became an obsession, a happy sexy obsession.

I know you must be asking yourself, what does the sassy boriqua wear under her jeans now? Well, I wear one of my many "grandma" panties. They were buy one pack get one free from Wal-mart and they came 6 to a pack. They are cotton, they are huge, they are freakishly similar to maternity panties, AND NO I'M NOT PREGNANT. Whaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

So sexy? Not so much.

As I reminisced about my fabulous unmentionables of yester year I knew that making these cutie pattutie panties my very own thin-spiration, was what was in order.

Note: The one I bought is actually a vibrant aqua blue with hot pink trimming. But they are the same style, hipsters.

Can't ya just picture them?

So if you want to lose weight and have a thin-spiration outfit you'd like to share, feel free to do so in the comment area.

That would be the word "comments" right beneath each post, the area where no one ever leaves a message on. I feel really lonely out here in Blogger world. No one stops in to say hi. LOL

Well, even if you don’t…

Have a great weekend,

Laterz

To help or not to help, that is the question.

Why do men run across a parking lot to hold the door open for a slim and trim muchacha, yet hold that same door open only long enough to get through themselves when there is a "unattractive" (beauty is in the eyes of the beholder ladies) or fat woman right behind them?

Okay now, I am obviously not saying ALL men, but a lot, enough for me to write about it.

One of the things that irked my last Puerto Rican nerve was the difference between my last two moves. For the first move in this comparison I was thin and (gasp!, surprise of surprises) had more help than I actually needed for the amount of things that I was taking with me. I actually couldn't believe how many people volunteered since my mom kept saying that you have to ask people in advance to lock down just one or two. And when I got to my new place my new neighbor and his friends were practically tripping over themselves to help.

Cut to my last move a few months ago where I am looking like the Puerto Rican, Pre-Bob Greene, Oprah, and no one offered to help. There were quite a few male neighbors out and not a one offered, not even when my very pregnant sister was maneuvering her way inside with box after box.

I think that common courtesy and chivalry are now being exercised on a case-by-case basis ladies, so beware. And oh yeah, in my case, I gets NO HELP! LOL

But on a happier note, my darlin' friend from Texas, informed me this morning that her size 16's are loose on her, and though she steadfastly refuses to stalk a certain, very delicious Mr. McConaughey on my behalf (You just wait until you want me to stalk someone for you, so NOT gonna happen), I am still excited for her! You go mama :)

And yeah, there are obviously more important things happening in our world, however this is something that bothers me, so I decided to share.

Laterz!