Just Vibe, Sis!

And by that, I mean, have a plan, but understand that things rarely go according to said plan. In this new year, I want to be okay with adapting to change as it comes. People come and go and so do opportunities. You outgrow old mindsets and develop new ones. Just vibes, Sis, because life is going to life either way. *Breathe deeply* You got this.

Just vibing has really been the wave I rode out of last year and into this one in every aspect life- personal and professional. I set a goal to have abs or to get damn close by my birthday (on my aim for the moon and hit a star kick). Every results-oriented person knows that every goal needs an action plan, so I joined the gym. Y’all don’t know this about me, but I avoided getting a membership at all cost… like the gym membership had cooties or something. In reality, I did not like the pressure nor the sense of commitment the gym required from me. I tried personal training, crossfit, yoga, and pole fitness. I still love pole with all my heart, but I am on a different mission right now. Getting back on track, I got the membership after deciding to leave my job, so I wouldn’t be anxious about what’s next or get bored and fall into toxic bored habits of entertaining unnecessary men or overusing my vibrator (we grown just keep reading,Sis). So I got the membership with my goals in mind enough time to let my body go through its up and downs. Sis, you know trainers hate when you show up and say “My birthday next month... do your thing,” and then, if you are how I used to be (Girl I graduated, call me Big Sis!), you had the nerve to still be inconsistent. THE AUDACITY!

I got the membership that includes classes because I realized I liked having a sense of community and I definitely experience “gym-timidation” on those machines and sometimes with weights.The classes allowed me to more easily build the habit of going to the gym and increased my level of activity drastically beyond pole fitness and walking the dogs. If we’re being honest, the location played an essential role in my attendance too. It’s right up the street!

Sis, make your life easier! Increasing your quality of life does not have to be as hard as we make it- FOR REAL!

After the habit was built, I feel like it took a month, I began to focus on my eating. I will say that this will forever be a work in progress, but the biggest thing about your fitness journey overall is giving yourself grace to begin again. (Recently, I found out that God gives us new mercy everyday, so why can’t we give it to ourselves?) Today doesn’t have to be just like yesterday.

Even old people who slip and fall get life alert, Sis. Be your own life alert.

Check in, recalibrate, and begin again. The belief in beginning again has been pivotal in my journey. One of the trainers at the gym said this- and do not judge me, judge ya maw- “You do not have to cut out hot ‘n spicys out all together. Just ask yourself if you earned it.” I knew in that instance that this journey would different from my previous attempts because this choice was my own. I planned to make a series of choices throughout this process.

I put myself on a rewards system! If I made to the gym of a total of X amount of days I’d get a prize or if I noticed I kept only making it for a total of 3 days a week I said ,”If you make it to 4 next week I’ll buy you some crab rangoons.” HAHAHA! Call me what you want, but it worked. I wasn’t always honest with myself about whether I had actually earned a few things, but that bloat and self talk afterwards went crazy. Like BFFR you know you ain’t earn that, Sis! I am able to talk to you because I talk to myself too. Don’t we love an introspective queen?

If can be honest though, the holiday season kicked my asssss! I love stuffed bell peppers,

baked spaghetti (New Orleans style mac 'n cheese), cookies, cheese grits, and holiday drinking for sure. It ain’t do my body no good of course, so I needed to recalibrate yet again.

When I got a body composition scan done it said my body had reverted back to original composition, basically. On the other hand, I knew I looked a lil better and that the habit had been built, so I decided not to give but to adjust my strategy instead. With my birthday trip one month away, I have deciding to lock-in on my eating and hire a trainer to get me to the finish line. I’m debating on if he’ll stay my trainer after the bday, but he’ll get me there for sure. Here’s what going down tight now though.

Workout/ Eating Guidelines (We still giving grace, Sis. No one is perfect):

• Eating

  • No food after 7 pm unless I have late workout then its after 9

  • No starches after lunch

  • Nothing fried

  • No alcohol (if you slip no mixed drinks…if you find yourself in front of a lemon drop 2 shots 2 drinks max)

  • ½ gallon of water per day (4 of TJ maxx water bottle might be more than ½ gallon)

  • Yk what’s bad for you fr

  • After 7pm fruits/nuts

  • 3 meals + 2-3 snacks

• Workout

  • Cycling class (2X WEEK)

  • Tone and Core classes (2x week)

  • 2-two-a-days (includes weights and core)

  • 2-rest days (walking and stretching/yoga on rest days)

  • Boxing
    

That’s been a huge part of my life so I’ll keep you updated, Sis. I’m no expert, but I am trying to be better and live a more sustainable life. My biggest take away is to not waste money on a trainer if you are not ready to commit for real. No one can teach you commitment and discipline. You have to want it for real. Here’s where insert my corny spin on “New Year, New Me”.

New Year, New Body, New Mindset

I have a book suggestion for you, Sis: The Power of Habit- read it with intention.

Life Hack on actually finishing books:

Make a plan based off of how many pages you can read a day and per sitting each day. Then, write down your intended end date. Also, take notes while you read so you can reference them later and you’ll feel more connected and willing to retain the information. It works for me, Sis!

I have so much to tell you, Sis. I missed you! I have a diary, but it’s all emotional. I try to come to you with a clear head so we can move forward and be great together.

You know how people always want to spring into the new year with this false sense of newness and productivity?! I said not me SIS, not this year! On the last week of 2022, I made the decision to ease out of my old cycle and into my new season. It was a beautiful experience and entrepreneurship allowed me the space to do so.

I did hot yoga all week and attending a few training sessions. I like my yoga hot because it makes feel like I did something. And I did. I sweated out the junk of 2022 and all of my residual regret from situations that no longer suited me. I also made a promise to trust myself and live for me.

I made decisions, Sis.

The kind that may hurt a few people, but who wants to keep pouring into others and never pouring into themselves? That is a form of people pleasing. I’d get people certain things or not speak on certain situations to protect others because I always felt they needed it more than me. That’s that strong B@#%* syndrome I hate so bad, but I am working on it.

Sis, I’m gonna just go ahead it say it because at this point I can. I was in love with a loser and I’m just stating facts. Trying fix things that I had not broken hurt me in the long run. The best thing you can do for yourself is to never think you can change anyone, but yourself. I never said I was great, but I make it my business to be better. Bettering yourself can only bring better to you in the end. Everyone won’t be excited about it and it won’t always feel great, but it’s necessary.

New Experience Alert

On January 1, I participated in my first sound bath. The experience was a unique for sure, Sis. The goal is

to use sound to nurture your body and mind as a full body listening experience. Basically we laid on the floor and tried not to snore while a spiritually in tune personal plays special instruments and sound bowls. Each bowl and instrument has its own frequency that speak to your chakras. It lasted for a total of one hour and it was very relaxing in an intense-out -of-body kind of way. I began to see images as the music played and I noticed I was falling in and out consciousness. The instructor let us know that results may vary and some people may have to wait days to notice change. I could be wrong, but I believe my experience opened up my throat chakras and brought unresolved anger to the forefront. What I thought would be peaceful experience made me more angry than I had initially been. I do believe once I release my anger and lean into speaking on things that cause me discomfort I will then experience peace. In that, I know for a fact some people will be pissed off and I’m okay with that, Sis. If you have the opportunity you should give it a try! I’ll definitely do it again.

Let’s Get Into these Affirmations.

Affirmations

• I am intelligent.

• I am beautiful.

• I am confident.

• I am powerful.

• I am capable!

  • More capable than whatever you think that means!

• I am enough.

• I am trusting of my own intuition.

• I am a force to be reckoned with.

Damn, Sis. Happy New Year! Sis, out!