30 By 30 Lets Go!!!!

Hey Folks,

I have a new goal. Its called 30 by 30. Lets see how amazingly I do. I have a super goal and I know with some focus and attention to details I can reach my goal weight. So it started this morning. I woke up with a conviction like hey, I am gonna be 30 pounds closer to my goal weight by January 1st. Its like a race to resolution. Which would be my new years resolution to maintain my goal weight! Usually I would be nervous making this type of decree but for some reason I feel empowered and ready to rock.

But what if I didn’t feel empowered? Would I still take a stand for myself? I would have to say, yes indeed I would.

Who will stand with me?

So let’s go!
Forgetting those things which are behind I press forward!

 Keesha Mishawn (TKROSE)

THIS RIGHT HERE IS CRAZY!!!!

Roasted Green Beans & Sweet Potato Rounds!!

OMG!! PRAISE THE LORD!!

First let me please tell you about my absoutely beautiful day!! What a treat! Woke up to a beautiful relationship with the Lord Jesus!! Sun shining, went to the store and bought breakfast. Came home made a delish! smoothie and pancakes for my papo! Then went on to church where the pastor was excited about JESUS!! And man he was soooo excited he started to dance in the pulbpit GET SALEM!!! The spirit was all over the place and we were engaged in high high praise!  I YUM high praise!! From there I went on to Bikram yoga for the 2pm class! What a delight! Stretch and sweat and burned about 750 calories easy! Yummmy green apple for a treat on my walk to the bus. Home welcomed me with clean floors and empty tabletops! My brand new flowers smiling on the sill above the sink winked at me as I laughed at just HOW GREAT! and Marvelous the LORD is and always will be! Finally, I reached for the fridge and began to cook roasted green beans and  sweet potato rounds!!

For my sweet treat! frozen blueberries! I LOOOOOOVVE THE LORD!! I’m tellin you…ASK! JUST ASK!!! And it shall be given unto you! LORD WHATS FOR DINNER!!! GOTTA GIVE HIM THE PRAISE FOR ALL THAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME!! Boy oh Boy and I GRATEFUL!!!

I LOVE TREATS!!

I YUM Grapes!!

Sometimes the best treats are yummilicious grapes!! Frozen, Fresh, or Freshly PLOPPED in yogurt!!

I love grapes and what a delight when we are enjoying the fruits of the earth for 9 days straight!!PHASE 1 can make a sista thank the Lord for the simple things that we have in the world!

I mean everyday I am appreciating more and more all the great treats that we get to enjoy. Like blackberries, and cherry tomatoes! Like cucumber salad and baby arugula!!  I love it all!

YUMMY FOR MY FLATTER TUMMY!!!

-KEESHA MISHAWN!!

Nightshades! Not so SHADY!

So I was checking out nightshades online cuz i was wondering why some folks are scared of them. I went to this site Delicious Organics and, thank the lord, they had already done all of the research. So what are nightshades? They are fruits…commonly mistaken as vegetables. Potatoes, Tomatoes, Egglants, and Peppers are all Nightshades.  And they are not soooo shady after all. All info from: http://www.deliciousorganics.com/Controversies/nightshade.htm

Natural toxins are normal.  However, we can consume the fruit or vegetable safely when proper precautions are taken.

There are superstitious beliefs about the nightshade family (Potatoes, Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplant) and how they may harm the immune system or be unfit to eat.  Actually, many of the vegetables in the nightshade family are staples in one’s diet, particularly in the Middle East where Eggplant, Peppers and Tomatoes are eaten in abundance.  These vegetables are also known for their great medicinal qualities.  People following the macrobiotic diet don’t eat fruits, they are actually all fruits, in the nightshade family. 

The nightshade family of foods do indeed have a potential toxin.  This is mother nature’s way of protecting themselves from insect damage.  The toxin is found in the green part of these vegetables.  Proper choosing and storage can cut down these risks. 

Potatoes should always be stored in a dark cool place and kept away from light.  To be safe, any green part on the potato, including any growths, should be cut away before using.   Don’t ever eat green potatoes , they contain the toxin solanine.  Potatoes may turn green when exposed to light and you’ll see a green skin.  Never eat the leaves or stems from a potato either. 

Eggplant and Peppers should be ripe to avoid the toxin.  That means no green Peppers and no green Eggplant.  Green Peppers, though common, are actually just immature.  When allowed to ripen they will turn a glorious red or yellow or orange or even purple.  Green Peppers have a distinctive and strong flavor, not at all like the mature fruit which is sweet.  There is, however, a variety of green pepper that is ripe when green.  This is not the variety commonly found.  The ones you find in most restaurants and grocery stores are red bells that are harvested at the unripe green stage.

Green Tomatoes have this toxin, glycoalkaloids.  These toxins cause them to have a bitter taste to be unappealing for consumption.  Although a delicious southern food (fried green Tomatoes), we should not consume green Tomatoes.  And never eat the leaves or stems of Tomatoes. 

HOT HOT HOT

http://www.bikramyogaeastharlem.com

It gets super duper HOT  in Bikram Yoga East Harlem Studios! But let’s talk about the amazing work out and benefits of Bikram Yoga!! First of all I love love love this class. Each opportunity I get to take the class I am in there. There are 26 postures, focus, sauna temperatures at 105 degrees, and extreme mental and physical flexibility and strength for 90 MINS! What a treat but NO Talking, NO Wandering minds, No Complaining because it is a class for everyone and everyone wins in each and every class!

The Owners are sisters Stephanie and Jennifer, African American Sisters at that, who grew up in East Harlem and came back to contribute health and wellness right up the street from the housing projects they grew up in! What a way to give back. They demonstrate amazing leadership and committment to their community by offering this wonderful practice. And practice it is. Each day is challenging and full of rewards spiritually, mentally and physically.  I practice meditating and concetrating on me and the postures. I get to forget about everything else that is going on in the world and literally live for that moment each moment, each posture and I see a difference in my life.

This morning was even better. With one full day of fruits and veggies in my system and lots of water, I woke up feeling lighter. Class started at 6:30 am and I was alert and ready to rock! I practiced hard and gave it my all and came out feeling FANTASTIC! Can’t wait to see how the wonderfully focused fruitfilled fat smashing eating will contribute to my strength and flexibility! I look forward to less fat and more muscle as I stretch towards my optimal weight!!

YAY!!! Holla at your girl. For more info on Bikram Yoga check out http://www.bikramyogaeastharlem.com.

I LOVE YALL SOOOO MUCH!! KEEP IT UP!!

HAVING A FAT SMASH BLAST!

WE ARE ON OUR WAY to Our OPTIMAL Weight!!!

Healthy! Strong! Flexible! GLOWING!!

Well the ladies have made a decision and we are on our way!

So How did all of this come about? Well one of the ladies, Ms. Lovelylyric, told the wonderous Beatrice Clay, about all the great things that she had read in an essence magazine about a young woman who took the Fat Smash Diet into her hands and turned her life around. From there Lovelylyric thought it would be great to jump right in and make a change in her life and the lives of others. The dynamic sister duo called up friends and here we are starting strong and revved to go!!!

We will be posting progress of phase one. Weight, reflections, exercise tips and practices, fun recipes and happy successful moments. Our triumphs are alive and well in us all and we are manifesting our wins NOW!!

what the F*3K have you done lately?

This closing line from the movie Wanted  kinda got me going for a sec. The movie was great and the message I took away from it was about self awareness. It is way to easy to get pulled off course if you have no idea who you are. I have been moving closer and closer to finally knowing who I am. “I am.” is a statement that can propel your life into limitless directions. For example, I am quiet. Say that enough times and the reality that will be created will necessarily be centered around realizing the way that is being quiet. I am a winner. Say that enough times and winning will be apart of the daily experience.

So, I made some moves in the direction of I am organized. I am a winner. I am successful. I am gorgeous. These statements of self have been rewarding and fulfilling.  These below may help.

So now that the you and what the F*ck have you done lately, has been qualified. It is easier for me to pinpoint what I could be doing. Like taking over the world starting with my dreams! -tk

B.Clay’s Body Stats Continued

Hello World,

I finally tracked down my third tape measure and managed to take my measurements.  Okay here goes,

Bust 46′ inches

Waist 45.5′ inches

Hips 50.5′ inches

L. and R. thighs 31′ inches each (glad to know things are even…lol)

L. and R. arm 14.5′ inches each 

Okay, seeing these numbers is hard but I really need to face the music about my body.  The only way I am going to win this batttle of the (all over body) bulge is to be in relationship with my commitment to lose weight. Knowing where I am currently in weight and size as well as where I would like to end up is important. Keeping track of the journey, however, is paramount.  I was just remarking to my best friend TK that I need to get a full length mirror so that I can see my body everyday and be reminded of my commitment to become healthier and more fit.  I also need a scale.  I was  recently weighed by a friend on her fancy smancy scale that measures weight, body fat %, and water weight %.  I was frustrated to learn that despite my being more active now than ever my weight still had not budged from 225 lbs.  In addition, I learned that I was only 40% water weight (70% recommended), and a whopping 40% fat  (20-25% recommended).  Despite being initially discouraged by these numbers, I reminded myself of my commitment to achieving and maintaining a healthier and fitter me.  It may take some time, but I’m in it to win it.

So now my plan is to score a full length mirror and a scale by week’s end.  Two weeks from now, I will report back with some new (lower) stats.

Until then good people, live in relationship with your commitments…..and of course…

Live Inspired,

B.Clay

“Let’s talk about sex baby…”

I know I’m supposed to be following up with part 2 of my clean eating series but other issues are more pressing.  The title of this post is a nod to the Salt N Pepa song from their album Blacks’ Magic. I sang the lyrics long before I knew what they meant.  My idea of sexual relationships have been a hodge podge of ideas- some original, some inherited, but few of them positively defined. A recent situation has caused me to rethink somethings.  The situation has exposed some truths about myself that- on a good day- I would rather not discuss.  To protect the guilty (and keep myself out of the reaches of litigation) I will not name the offending party.  I was hurt and violated by someone who I let into my sacred space.  Now, this is not the first time that I’ve been hurt in this manner- so where do I go from here?  Evidently the course I’ve followed (in regards to sex and emotional health) has led me astray.  There is a disconnect between how I see myself and how that is translated into intimate relationships.  Today I am humbled enough to say that I need to relearn how to relate to men in intimate relationships.  I am also thankful that the bumps and bruises have opened my eyes to the possibility things greater than the immediate situation.

Clean Eating?

Ok- so I’m trying to changing my life. No diet, no fad. Just an old school elbow grease based solution.  I was speaking with TK Rose the other day and for the millionth time we were talking about the process. What process you ask? The process of being who you want to be when you grow up (if you can call it that).  The person you want to be when you imagine the best you possible.  This person is built from the inside out.  Well, as we walk, cry, push and work through our beginning 90 day journey to WIN NOW! sometimes we are met with challenges.  The latest for me has been deciding and preparing what to fuel my body with.  As I’ve sought new recipes- I stumbled across the idea of clean eating.  I’d heard the term before- but thought that it was synonymous with eating healthy.  Eating clean is a movement!  I will keep you posted with what I’m learning, but I can’t do it justice in the 3 minutes I have to post…So more to come Thursday chickies! Peace, Memeeflye