Today was the Healthy Challenge Cook off Event at L'Academie de Cuisine and boy was it fun!
We were on the road traveling the Beltway at 7:30AM headed to cook our green bums off, and that we did! This was the last major challenge and we are neck and neck with the other teams heading into the final two weeks of the challenge. So as you can imagine, we needed and wanted this win. Given the fact that we had never actually cooked the three courses we selected (except for my entire afternoon of flan experiments to make the dessert more healthy while not compromising the flavor), we would have to really pull on our team spirit and the expert coaching from our L'Academie de Cuisine Chef, the marvelous Sandy! In the end it was another wonderful day in the life of the Green Team, who not only gets points added to our team finale totals, but won an outfit for the finale fashion show from Macy's AND French Cooking Classes from a distinguished top L'Academie de Cuisine Chef! HOW COOL IS THAT! So before I sign off to go for a run, I wanted to share the message I sent to my team mates with my thoughts for the day, and the days to ahead!
Thought for today:
Remember: The mightiest oak was once a little nut that held its ground.
~Excerpt taken from Gods Little Instruction Book Vol I,II,III
Alright Green! Way to Go!
Today we proved that pulling together and supporting each other, with the end in mind, was what really made the difference. The teamwork we displayed was beyond phenomenal. It was awesome the way we were able to successfully communicate with each other and prepare and send out a healthy meal fit for a King (or top chef)! When you looked around our station, things were happening like clockwork. We made it look like we had done it before and it was just another walk in the park.
The laughter, the fun, and even the few tense moments showed that every joint supported each other and supplied the need!
I know I say it all the time, but I am so proud to be part of this group! I've learned so much about myself and who I can be, each time we are put to the test.
Thank you for letting our love for each other spill over onto the other teams and the family and friends that came out to cheer us on. You made my friend Robin and Chancey (the student from my school who wants to be the head Chef for the President when he grows up) feel super special!
We are in the home stretch. Let's stay focused on our goal all the way to the finish line. Don't be afraid of the pressure. Remember that pressure is what turns a lump of coal into a diamond! We can do this, we are doing this, we WILL do this!
See you guys on Monday!
Smooches,
C
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Fast Forward to the Finish
The ticker is ticking away, with only 24 days left until the grand finale we have kicked things into high gear. At this point for the next three weeks we will be spending more time together as a team than as individuals. I bet our families will be wondering when they are going to be able to get some of our time - I guess that's the price to pay for being famous (ha ha). Just as the team was notified that we are scheduled to attend our private session with the Chef at L'Academie de Cuisine on Saturday to prepare for our upcoming cooking challenge next weekend, the phone rings again to say that our session at the Spa has been set up for the day after. Whew! This Challenge is awesome, but I'm beginning to think that we are going to need to buckle our seat belts because we are kicking it into high gear. With only 24 days left, we have to fit in our M-W-F sessions at Fitness 4 Less, our Tuesday weigh ins with Dimensions, a final health screening and blood work, the cookoff challenge, the makeover sessions and possibly a session with the dentists? All that AND while trying to fit in our day to day regular lives. Lya is in the process packing up her house and moving in addition to just starting a new job, Oteal just started a new PT work assignment joined a professional speakers group and has to captain our ship, I have my daughter's graduation on Sunday, year end activities for both of my school's, and preparing for my last day of employment after 8 yrs on June 25th, not to mention trying to find another job so that the rent can be paid in July! Whew again!! And I didn't even factor planning a graduation and 18th birthday celebration for Harmony as well. Yikes! Calgon take me away!! I haven't even asked Norm or Charlene what they have going on, but Norm is always on the move with Tee Times and the ushering the Nationals home games, and Charlene's work schedule is crazy! Most days she has to get up at 4AM! And even with all of that, we are so excited about all that we have accomplished and all that still remains for the big "Finale" day! Stay tuned...the BEST IS YET TO COME! Trust me! You all are going to be amazed at what can be accomplished with the right mindset, determination, and awesome sponsors! Who knows, you could be next!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Putting our best foot forward!
How awesome is that for first timers! Having all set our personal bests for the day, it is a joy to look back and know that we are well on our way to a lifetime of wonderful healthy and happy memories! GO GREEN!!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
All for One and One for All!
It's hard to believe that we are entering our seventh week in the challenge. At his point we have discovered that no matter what, we will not let anyone give up. We have all come so far, in such a short amount of time. At this point though, I am beginning to see the clouds accumulate and our fire burn a little less brightly. Now this is not because we do not want this, we certainly do. I think at this point our bodies are fighting us every way it can! For some of us, the food is getting to the point of sickness and boredom. For others, energy and motivation are the culprits. Whatever the case, now is not the time to give up. I really started to see this the other day when one of our team members said she just wasn't "into it." Lately she has been tired and lacked motivation. After her little pity party, I proceeded to turn the speed of her treadmill up! Like I said so many times before, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION!
To me this is a great place to be. It is the place that you have to dig really deep and determine the true motivation of your heart. It's the place where the rubber meets the road and only the strong survive. This is my place! The place that I am oh so familiar with. I am a master at being put in difficult situations and circumstances that would have otherwise caused me to throw in the towel, only to come out better than when I went in! I finally see that in myself now!
So for me, this is exciting. The moment that I get to see if I can be what I hope to be for the rest of my life. I know I have 30 days to wait for the results of my Personal Fitness Training Certification Test, but this is so much more than a piece of paper. This is real life, and not just any life, this is the lives of the one's I've become so close too. I can't let them give up, I can't let them fail. So I am bringing out the big guns! It's time to move beyond being in a "challenge" and trying to win. This is the point we all have to have a heart to heart and come up with our own personal strategies. It's one thing to want to lose weight, but in reality the major goal for anyone should be to change their lifestyle for good, because if you can't accomplish that now this will just be another 12 weeks and a few pounds away from getting right back on the out of control roller coaster you call your life. The reason most of us do the yo yo thing is we go all out for whatever reason and never get to the root of the problem and the behaviors that are causing them. For me, I know I am a stress eater. I know that when I am depressed, I will eat and go right to bed (or sometimes not even get out of bed at all). When I'm not sure how I am going to pay the rent or tuition or keep the lights on, what do I do? Yup, shut down from the inside and then not even realize the things I think are comforting me, are only making matters worse. You get the picture, right. Now for me over the years this has caused me to go up and down with my weight. Its my version of an eating disorder. I guess it would similar to binge eating, or having a drinking problem or something like that. Since I know my triggers, I have to learn to have a contingency plan in place for the moments when I am faced with the things that cause me to react. And this plan is one that will be with me for the rest of my life. Not just for the times when I am trying to loose weight or get a new job or whatever else is going on.
The same thing holds true for my friends! We as a team need to discuss life beyond the Challenge. What are their life goals and what are the behaviors from the past that can effect their success in the Challenge and beyond? What will happen when Marie, and Medifast, and Drink More Water are long gone? Does life stop when the Challenge stops? So that means we still have work to do...I still have work to do, with and for them! Think about it, I know you are reading this because we asked you to be a follower and support us. But in reality, what are your struggles? What sends you over the edge? Is your body as healthy and as strong as you want it to be? Do you sit and wonder how you go to this place? Did you say, "wow, if I had the been part of that Challenge THEN..." What is your state of mind right now? What stresses do you have that are effecting your every move? Have you made excuse after excuse to let your dreams and aspirations pass you by? What about your job, your family, your friendships, your marriage? Are you happy? Are they healthy relationships or are they toxic? We all have our "things" or "demons" that haunt us. The question is what are you going to do about them? Let me take that back, its not what are you doing to do, it's when are you planning on getting unstuck? When are you going to get some guts and let nothing or no one stand in the way of accomplishing your next goal?
I'm there, I've found my "happy place" and its so liberating! I've been where you are, and I stayed there so long I began to think that was who I was. Then earlier this year I said enough is enough, I can't take this anymore! Our church was doing the beginning of the year 21 day fast. That is my time to regroup and see what the year ahead will hold in store for me. This year was different though. It wasn't about giving up the food as much as it was about giving up the things that would prevent me from being free! I took that time to shut myself off from the world and everyone that consumed my time. I was completely quiet! Learning to quiet my spirit and my soul was one of the best things I could have ever done. In my quiet time, I had a chance to listen to my heart and make the hard decisions and choices. I did this for the entire 21 days! When it was all over I learned I had to stop allowing others to determine my happiness and success. My financial situation didn't change, my job situation was still a mess, and my health was still deteriorating, yet I had this sense of peace and assurance that everything was about to change and it was finally going to be alright. I decided I had to clean out the closet and bag up negative friends, family habits, behaviors, mindsets, and even my man and donate them to another cause! Since then, life seems to be all that I've imagined it could be. I am not talking about the material things either. I think I'm relating to the person in the Bible who said he was "content in the whatever state he was in." What a great place to be! I found that peace, comfort and confidence in living life with purpose and on purpose!
So my thought for you today, stop making excuses and making it about everything else! Start to looking within. Start to think long and hard about what it is you've always wanted to do. How you've always wanted to look and feel. Where you planned to be and how you got off course. Now take a deep breath and get those garbage bags ready! That right, GARBAGE bags! Because how many of us go back to the trash to pick something out to keep it? If you said me, that's gross! Trash not meant to be taken back. Its meant to be taken to a dump and left there to deteriorate and disintegrate! That's what you have to do to make the next phase of your life work. But be honest, brave and specific! Don't just do it to do it, that won't work. You will only replace one piece of junk with another.
And know this, you are NOT in this alone! Like my team, you have those around you who are there to lift you up and set you back on course. Those who want the best for you even when it seems hard and you feel like giving up. The ones that will ride or die with you! The FEW that will hold your hand and PULL you along kicking and screaming, because they do actually know what is best for you! Thanks RCR!
Green team and Challenge participants. We are in this together for the long hall, Challenge and beyond! We will leave no man stranded! Its All for One and One for All!!!
To me this is a great place to be. It is the place that you have to dig really deep and determine the true motivation of your heart. It's the place where the rubber meets the road and only the strong survive. This is my place! The place that I am oh so familiar with. I am a master at being put in difficult situations and circumstances that would have otherwise caused me to throw in the towel, only to come out better than when I went in! I finally see that in myself now!
So for me, this is exciting. The moment that I get to see if I can be what I hope to be for the rest of my life. I know I have 30 days to wait for the results of my Personal Fitness Training Certification Test, but this is so much more than a piece of paper. This is real life, and not just any life, this is the lives of the one's I've become so close too. I can't let them give up, I can't let them fail. So I am bringing out the big guns! It's time to move beyond being in a "challenge" and trying to win. This is the point we all have to have a heart to heart and come up with our own personal strategies. It's one thing to want to lose weight, but in reality the major goal for anyone should be to change their lifestyle for good, because if you can't accomplish that now this will just be another 12 weeks and a few pounds away from getting right back on the out of control roller coaster you call your life. The reason most of us do the yo yo thing is we go all out for whatever reason and never get to the root of the problem and the behaviors that are causing them. For me, I know I am a stress eater. I know that when I am depressed, I will eat and go right to bed (or sometimes not even get out of bed at all). When I'm not sure how I am going to pay the rent or tuition or keep the lights on, what do I do? Yup, shut down from the inside and then not even realize the things I think are comforting me, are only making matters worse. You get the picture, right. Now for me over the years this has caused me to go up and down with my weight. Its my version of an eating disorder. I guess it would similar to binge eating, or having a drinking problem or something like that. Since I know my triggers, I have to learn to have a contingency plan in place for the moments when I am faced with the things that cause me to react. And this plan is one that will be with me for the rest of my life. Not just for the times when I am trying to loose weight or get a new job or whatever else is going on.
The same thing holds true for my friends! We as a team need to discuss life beyond the Challenge. What are their life goals and what are the behaviors from the past that can effect their success in the Challenge and beyond? What will happen when Marie, and Medifast, and Drink More Water are long gone? Does life stop when the Challenge stops? So that means we still have work to do...I still have work to do, with and for them! Think about it, I know you are reading this because we asked you to be a follower and support us. But in reality, what are your struggles? What sends you over the edge? Is your body as healthy and as strong as you want it to be? Do you sit and wonder how you go to this place? Did you say, "wow, if I had the been part of that Challenge THEN..." What is your state of mind right now? What stresses do you have that are effecting your every move? Have you made excuse after excuse to let your dreams and aspirations pass you by? What about your job, your family, your friendships, your marriage? Are you happy? Are they healthy relationships or are they toxic? We all have our "things" or "demons" that haunt us. The question is what are you going to do about them? Let me take that back, its not what are you doing to do, it's when are you planning on getting unstuck? When are you going to get some guts and let nothing or no one stand in the way of accomplishing your next goal?
I'm there, I've found my "happy place" and its so liberating! I've been where you are, and I stayed there so long I began to think that was who I was. Then earlier this year I said enough is enough, I can't take this anymore! Our church was doing the beginning of the year 21 day fast. That is my time to regroup and see what the year ahead will hold in store for me. This year was different though. It wasn't about giving up the food as much as it was about giving up the things that would prevent me from being free! I took that time to shut myself off from the world and everyone that consumed my time. I was completely quiet! Learning to quiet my spirit and my soul was one of the best things I could have ever done. In my quiet time, I had a chance to listen to my heart and make the hard decisions and choices. I did this for the entire 21 days! When it was all over I learned I had to stop allowing others to determine my happiness and success. My financial situation didn't change, my job situation was still a mess, and my health was still deteriorating, yet I had this sense of peace and assurance that everything was about to change and it was finally going to be alright. I decided I had to clean out the closet and bag up negative friends, family habits, behaviors, mindsets, and even my man and donate them to another cause! Since then, life seems to be all that I've imagined it could be. I am not talking about the material things either. I think I'm relating to the person in the Bible who said he was "content in the whatever state he was in." What a great place to be! I found that peace, comfort and confidence in living life with purpose and on purpose!
So my thought for you today, stop making excuses and making it about everything else! Start to looking within. Start to think long and hard about what it is you've always wanted to do. How you've always wanted to look and feel. Where you planned to be and how you got off course. Now take a deep breath and get those garbage bags ready! That right, GARBAGE bags! Because how many of us go back to the trash to pick something out to keep it? If you said me, that's gross! Trash not meant to be taken back. Its meant to be taken to a dump and left there to deteriorate and disintegrate! That's what you have to do to make the next phase of your life work. But be honest, brave and specific! Don't just do it to do it, that won't work. You will only replace one piece of junk with another.
And know this, you are NOT in this alone! Like my team, you have those around you who are there to lift you up and set you back on course. Those who want the best for you even when it seems hard and you feel like giving up. The ones that will ride or die with you! The FEW that will hold your hand and PULL you along kicking and screaming, because they do actually know what is best for you! Thanks RCR!
Green team and Challenge participants. We are in this together for the long hall, Challenge and beyond! We will leave no man stranded! Its All for One and One for All!!!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Bathroom Scale.....My Fair-Weather Friend
Every morning before I get out of bed, I complete a pre weigh-in body check. I assess if I’m holding excess water by clasping my hands together, I evaluate the altitude of my abdomen and I squeeze the fat on my outer thighs to see if any of it has melted away overnight.
This ritual is usually an accurate predictor of what the scale will say. But since I have been participating in the Healthy Challenge, my morning body assessment and the scale do not always report the same findings. This morning I woke up feeling great. I had a great workout last night, stayed 100% on my Medifast plan yesterday and definitely had less fat to evaluate. I was certain that I had lost a couple of pounds.
When I stepped on the scale, I had not lost an ounce! NOT ONE OUNCE. I was so disappointed I wanted to go to McDonalds and eat two Sausage McMuffins. I FELT thinner, and dang it I LOOKED thinner! People tell you that muscle weighs more than fat and your body’s water composition fluctuates and so on, but that is no comfort when I have allowed the numbers on the scale to dictate my daily mood for the past 30 years. To add to the scale-induced psychoses, I am weighed once a week in front of my teammates and the weight of the week is then printed in the paper. So, does the number on the scale have an unhealthy effect on my quality of life?
Yes it does, but starting today I am changing that. When my scale “cooperates” with me, I feel energetic, motivated and ready to conquer the world. When my scale does not properly reward me for all of my hard work, I want to get back into bed and plan a binge. This is going to stop. I will no longer defend every ounce of water weight to myself, my team or to all of Prince George’s County. I am thinner, evidenced by a reduction in dress size, and I am stronger and have more energy. This competition is measuring my success in pounds, but I will institute new measurements to preserve some of my sanity along with muscle mass.
I want my team to win, but after the competition is over, I want to have won new peace of mind and a new reliance on health in place of the scale. Having my weight printed in the paper took away some of the power of the actual numbers, but my private dependence on the scale still crippled me.
So, I should just throw the scale away! Maybe, but I’m keeping it. I still need the scale for motivation on the days that we are “friends.” On the other days, I will rely on a consensus from my blood pressure, my clothes and from the woman in the mirror, before I allow the number on the scale to exert any power over my day.
This ritual is usually an accurate predictor of what the scale will say. But since I have been participating in the Healthy Challenge, my morning body assessment and the scale do not always report the same findings. This morning I woke up feeling great. I had a great workout last night, stayed 100% on my Medifast plan yesterday and definitely had less fat to evaluate. I was certain that I had lost a couple of pounds.
When I stepped on the scale, I had not lost an ounce! NOT ONE OUNCE. I was so disappointed I wanted to go to McDonalds and eat two Sausage McMuffins. I FELT thinner, and dang it I LOOKED thinner! People tell you that muscle weighs more than fat and your body’s water composition fluctuates and so on, but that is no comfort when I have allowed the numbers on the scale to dictate my daily mood for the past 30 years. To add to the scale-induced psychoses, I am weighed once a week in front of my teammates and the weight of the week is then printed in the paper. So, does the number on the scale have an unhealthy effect on my quality of life?
Yes it does, but starting today I am changing that. When my scale “cooperates” with me, I feel energetic, motivated and ready to conquer the world. When my scale does not properly reward me for all of my hard work, I want to get back into bed and plan a binge. This is going to stop. I will no longer defend every ounce of water weight to myself, my team or to all of Prince George’s County. I am thinner, evidenced by a reduction in dress size, and I am stronger and have more energy. This competition is measuring my success in pounds, but I will institute new measurements to preserve some of my sanity along with muscle mass.
I want my team to win, but after the competition is over, I want to have won new peace of mind and a new reliance on health in place of the scale. Having my weight printed in the paper took away some of the power of the actual numbers, but my private dependence on the scale still crippled me.
So, I should just throw the scale away! Maybe, but I’m keeping it. I still need the scale for motivation on the days that we are “friends.” On the other days, I will rely on a consensus from my blood pressure, my clothes and from the woman in the mirror, before I allow the number on the scale to exert any power over my day.
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