I know, I know, I know... I've been gone for months. I was completely bogged down in a number of things...work, school, everything. However, I've made some changes, and I think that I can finally re-commit to living and blogging about a healthy and happy lifestyle. Hopefully some ppl are still out there reading.

I was most prompted to hop back on the wagon by today's Oprah show. It was all about diabetes, and I never realized how deadly or pervasive this disease can be. Dr. Oz gave one fact in particular that made me step back and take a closer look at my own lifestyle. He stated that belly fat is the #1 indicator and cause of Type II diabetes. Furthermore, he indicated that your waist size should be no more than 1/2 of your height...Ex. I am 6 ft tall (72 inches)...therefore, my waist should be no larger than 36 inches. I'm not sure if you are aware, but that is not THAT big. Currently my waist is 33 inches (the largest in a few yrs), but my goodness... I never even considered that I was anywhere near at risk for diabetes.

Watching this show made me realize just how many ppl could be on the verge of being very sick...and don't even know it. Here are a few symptoms and risk factors. I would HIGHLY recommend that you get to know more about this disease and take the necessary steps to ensure that you are healthy for the long run.

Common symptoms of diabetes include:

- Excessive thirst and appetite
- Increased urination (sometimes as often as every hour)
- Unusual weight loss or gain
- Fatigue
- Nausea, perhaps vomiting
- Blurred vision
- In women, frequent vaginal infections
- In men and women, yeast infections
- Dry mouth
- Slow-healing sores or cuts
- Itching skin, especially in the groin or vaginal area

Other type 2 diabetes risk factors include the following:

- High blood pressure
- High blood triglyceride (fat) levels
- Gestational diabetes or giving birth to a baby weighing more than 9 pounds
- High-fat diet
- High alcohol intake
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Obesity or being overweight
- Ethnicity: Certain groups, such as African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Japanese Americans, have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.
- Aging: Increasing age is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes begins to rise significantly at about age 45 years, and rises considerably after age 65 years.

I know that I'm late adding this, but a sista was two for two on grad school admissions. I have opted to attend Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management, but I still give mad props to Chicago Booth. It was a tough tough decision, and I would recommend either school to anyone interested in obtaining an MBA.

Workout as a team!

I've found that I'm in a pretty good routine that allows me to workout regularly w/o the need for a lot of outside motivation. However, this was not always the case. When I 1st began exercising regularly, there were many times that I would have skipped my workout if I didn't have a partner who was counting on me. Truthfully, having a buddy or partner who is also trying to reach their own health and fitness goals, can be one of the biggest motivators of all. You are each depending on one another to show up and give it 100%. You are held accountable.

I know that working out w/another person is not for everyone. However, it can be a nice way to switch up your routine. Here is an article on all of the benefits of working out with a friend: Article.

Enjoy!

Get your total-body workout on!

I workout...a lot. But I can't yet say that it is something that I really 'enjoy' doing. I mean, I certainly feel a sense of accomplishment once I'm done, and I like to be physically fit. However, I have never found a workout where I'm not counting down the minutes until it's over. So given the opportunity to get twice the bang for my buck, I'm all over it. This is where the total-body moves come in. Why not combine exercises that allow you to kill more than one bird w/just one dumbbell? LOL! Check out some of these moves, and try to incorporate them into your next routine.

For Women

For Men

I'm in like skinny jeans and platform heels! Expect many posts on time and financial management!

I need to do more, be more, give more!

• Let me preface this by saying...I works HARD!!! I am OVER extended at work and currently attempting to lock down at least 2 more commitments outside of work that will be NO JOKE. That being said, I know that anyone with good sense would wonder why I would ever want to take on more responsibility. What can I say...I'm driven. I like my job, but being socially and civic-ly active are things that actually bring a smile to my face.

• Soooo...the question is...what should I do? I really would like to get involved with the Jr. Board of organizations that I support and believe in (horrible grammar, I know). My 1st choice is the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. I've supported a number of their events in the past, and it addresses an issue that I think needs attention and action. Additionally, I would love to be actively involved with the ETA. I love the arts, and ETA is a African American founded and produced theater company. Their shows are of GREAT quality, and very under supported for the great work that they do.

• However if these don't work out, then what else do you all suggest? Does anyone know much about the Junior League? I've heard of it many times, but I don't know anyone personally involved. Another popular group is the Chicago Urban League's Metro Board...but I don't know if they are really impactful, as much as...popular.

• What else are you involved with, both civic-ly, as well as in the arts?

On the Road Again...

That's right, your girl is back in travel mode...at least for the next 3 weeks. My hotel is pretty swanky, but there is no lap pool...and the internet connection is too weak to support my yoga webcasts. As a result, I am back to the 'old school' gym workouts. Treadmill, Elliptical, Weight Training, Squats, Lunges, Crunches, etc. Honestly, it's not all bad. The thing is...even though I've had GREAT success w/losing weight by swimming and doing yoga, the more traditional exercise route makes you 'feel' like your working out and losing weight. I've kinda missed that feeling of accomplishment...though I can't wait to get back into the pool.

Now that being said...I can see now that I'm on the verge of running out of things to do. I was really stretching to remember the moves that I used to incorporate back in the day. Here are a couple of refresher moves to help us all...

For Women

For Men

Busy! Busy! Busy!

My bad, readers. Your girl has been BUSY. I'm trying to amp my game up at work...applying to grad school...trying to have a personal life, and still stay sane. VERY ROUGH! Needless to say, the blog has been put on the back burner in a serious way. While my personal workout regimen hasn't been hampered...my healthy eating absolutely has. I haven't even thought about stepping on a scale, but my pants are telling me that your girl is packing on the pounds. FAIL! Temporary fail, but fail nonetheless. Incidentally, I've been looking to step up my cooking game...sure I've said that for years, but I really mean it every time...and there is no better time than the present to start preparing meals in a tasty, yet healthy, manner. Here is a full day worth of meals from www.foodnetwork.com.

Apple Pancakes

Chicken Piccata w/Pasta and Mushrooms

Veggie Paella

I'm gonna try these...hopefully we have success!

Yeah,I want it all,That's why I strive for it,

Dis me and you'll never hear a reply for it,

Any awards show or party I get fly for it,

I know that it's comin' I just hope that I'm alive for it.

I want the money,

Money and the cars,

Cars and the clothes,

The hoes,I suppose,

I just wanna be,I just wanna be successful.

I just wanna be,I just wanna be successful.

I just wanna be,I just wanna be successful.

This morning a cab drive honked and yelled at me as I crossed the street (the little walk/don't walk signal wasn't working, so I didn't realize that the light was soon changing). Anyway, he kinda flucked up my mood. However, I don't want to spend the day all crabby and angry. Here ate 10 'surefire' ways to shake a funk. Feel better!

1. Fight the Urge to Mope. Get committed. This is the first step. Do you want to be happy or do you want to wallow in bad feelings? When you're ready to be happy, just make the choice and go with it.

2. Smile. Smile at everyone you meet today. It's OK to fake it at first if you need to, but pretty soon it will be real and it will make you feel good. As you feel yourself becoming happy, remember not to fight it!

3. Laugh. Tell some jokes. Seek out jokes, funny people, and funny videos. Be silly. Crack yourself up. Just start laughing. That alone can make you laugh. And when you laugh you release your body's own natural opiates: endorphins which make you feel good.

4. Yield to Others. Let others go first in line, on the road, and at any other opportunity you encounter during the day.

5. Count Your Blessings. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Heard it before, right? Well have you done it? It works. List 50 things for which you're grateful and without which your life would be worse. Go ahead. Try it!

6. Make Someone Else Happy. Who could you cheer up today? Who could you thank or compliment? Who could you send a quick handwritten note to? You can really have fun with this, so go ahead and do it!

7. Take an Action Step on a Goal. If there is a goal you've been dreaming about for a while, take the first or next step today. This will give you a feeling of control over your life and that will make you feel good. Just one step is all it takes and then plan the step you'll take tomorrow!

8. Exercise. Moving your body creates endorphins which make you feel good. Exercise will also make you breathe more deeply activating your lymph system which is the body's waste removal engine. Removing toxins through exercise will make you feel great!

9. Music. Get a good dose of your favorite music. Sing along! Dance! Play some air guitar. Heck, get in your car and sing at the top of your lungs! Silly, you say? That's the whole idea! Have some fun. Enjoy!

10. Treat Yourself. Pick a little something and treat yourself to it. Maybe some chocolate cake, a movie, or something else that will make you smile.

You know that I'm all about a healthy lifestyle. My goal is to live such an active life that my scheduled exercise is really only for fitness and to provide a way to challenge myself. Of course this is easier said than done. However, an example of one such way that I'm doing this is by walking distances that I would normally cab/bus. With the gorgeous summers that we have in the mid-west, there really is no excuse to avoid being outdoors.

I found THIS ARTICLE, which provides a number of other suggestions to subtly change your lifestyle. It beefs up your overall fitness level w/o making you feel as though you're making any major changes.

However, if you're someone who really likes to push themselves, then here are some more traditional workout routines that may jump start your exercise program:

For Women
For Men

Most people who know me are aware that I'm all about a good night of sleep. I am a faithful '8 hr/night' gal (even though lately I've been pushing it to 7.5). In truth, this is just the way that I was raised. My mom sets her bedtime based upon when she needs to awake the following morning, and only after I went to college did I realize that many others do not do the same.

I won't lie to you. It isn't easy to get 8 hrs of sleep every night. I get up at 5:30 am (sometimes 5) to work out, so that means that my night is over at around 9:30 or even 9. At times that sucks b/c I have sooooo much to do that I may have only gotten into the house at 8 pm. Plus there are nights that I want to attend dinners, plays, or happy hours that may not even end until after 10.

However, for the most part, I've found a pretty decent balance. On nights where I'm home and have no other commitments...I go to bed as scheduled. There are nights where I may not actually fall asleep until 10 or 10:30...however, no matter what, I begin winding down the night and heading for the bed by 9:30. Yet, I don't let this practice prevent me from attending the events and activities that are also important to me. On those nights, I go to sleep a little later, and if I'm in bed before midnight, then I still get up in the morning to work out. Any later than that, and I move that workout to the weekend so that I'm still getting 5 workouts/week. There are some tough days, but overall, this works well for me.

If you're not getting all of the rest that you need to be rejuvenated and enthusiastic about your coming day, then check out these 10 Tips for Getting a Good Night of Sleep!

WOW...what a loss of a great and talented artist and entertainer. I'm saddened that MJ is gone, but I can't help but to smile when I think of his amazing body of work. He truly was revolutionary. On that note...here's my Michael Jackson Tribute:

Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Thriller

Billie Jean

Beat It

Smooth Criminal

Wanna Be Starting Something

I'm Bad

Remember the Time

Butterflies

Scream

True confessions...of a worrywart.

I admit it. I'm a worrier. Ever since I was a child, I have been a big time anxiety freak. At this point in my life, I'm doing a pretty good job at trusting God, taking deep breaths and chilling the fugg out. However sometimes my fears still get the best of me. Here's a really good article on how to deal w/anxiety naturally. I've posted the tips below.

Anxiety tip #1: Notice and name. The first step is to identify your patterns. What specific triggers are linked to your anxiety? Notice what sets your anxiety in motion, and give it a name. Once you bring it into the forefront of your consciousness, you can begin to make sense of it and then to address it.

Anxiety tip #2: Develop a plan. Many of us run ourselves ragged by not addressing our worries. One classic example: We’re afraid of getting breast cancer, but we don’t schedule the mammogram -- instead, we spin our mental wheels. Write your specific worry down, and then develop a plan to address it. Tackle one or two worries at a time. Once you’ve completed those, go on to the next on your mental list. This task-oriented process can give you a feeling of satisfaction; more importantly, it makes you feel less vulnerable, more in control of your life.

Anxiety tip #3: Move. Exercise is one of the best self-treatments for anxiety available. It doesn’t matter whether you go for a walk, join a water aerobics class, dance, play tennis -- what does matter is that you get regular exercise, at least every other day. In the interim, whenever one of those cycles of ruminative worry hits, even simple activity -- minor housecleaning, a few minutes of gardening, some simple stretches, even just getting up and walking around for five minutes -- can help jog you out of that negative feedback loop.

Anxiety tip #4: Breathe. A number of breathing techniques can alleviate anxiety. For one thing, many people find that when they’re anxious, they breathe shallowly, from the upper chest -- and when breathing is shallow and fast, the body responds with an increase in heart rate, blood pressure and stress hormones. In bad moments, they might even be holding their breath. Instead, take a few moments and simply notice your breathing patterns. After a few breathing cycles, take a deep breath. Let your belly be soft and relaxed, and breathe from your lower abdomen. Repeat -- and use this technique any time you notice that you're tense or worried.

Anxiety tip #5: Nurture your spirit. Meditation and prayer trigger the relaxation response, helping calm the mind and body. Even the simplest of prayers or affirmations can help you let go of a worry and put everyday problems into perspective.

Anxiety tip #6: Reframe your thoughts. Free form anxiety often is triggered or accompanied by a litany of negative internal "chatter." The good news is, the brain is an adaptive organ, and it is possible to break out of the negative mode. However, it takes patience and persistence. The first step is to notice when the negative labels start bouncing around in your mind. Simply notice that your thinking is following a particular track, in a nonjudgmental manner. Next, learn how to talk to yourself in a constructive and rational manner. What would you say to a dear and beloved friend in this instance? Try saying the same thing to yourself. This process is a hallmark of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Anxiety tip #7: Watch the toxins. Many people use alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine as short-term solutions for their anxiety. The difficulty is that self-medicating with these substances only creates more problems in the long run. Break the cycle. Similarly, be careful with comfort food—this is one of those times that too much of a good thing can make you miserable.

Anxiety tip #8: Don’t watch the news. Use discretion with television, newspapers, and other sources of news. Of course, it is important to know what’s going on in the world, but our current culture—“all news, all the time,” highlighting the latest disaster in endless replays—can easily trigger or feed anxiety.

Anxiety tip #9: Don’t worry alone. In the absence of realistic feedback, we often can spin some fairly creative doomsday scenarios. If something is troubling you, get the reassurance and reality checks you need. Consult someone you trust—a friend, family member, or a religious advisor, for instance. Anxiety often diminishes when we share our worries, and practical solutions to problems may emerge in the course of the conversation.

Hi Everyone.

I'm so so sooooo sorry for my absence. I hate leaving the blog in a black hole, but my free-time has seriously been NON-EXISTENT. I'm not exactly seeing an end in sight, so I'm going to switch my approach just a little. I'm going to focus more on researching articles and tips on living your fullest life, and posting those rather than my narratives/diatribes on the subject. I'll still throw in my own thoughts and humor, but this will allow me to get more info out to you than my schedule currently allows. I hope that this will keep you interested and enlightened. If not, then your thoughts and feedback are always welcome.

In that spirit...here's a great website with all sorts of articles and tips on Time Management!

Here are 5 quick tips that I grabbed on effective scheduling:

• Identify the time you have available.
  
• Block in the essential tasks you must carry out to succeed in your job.
  
• Schedule in high priority urgent tasks and vital "house-keeping" activities.
  
• Block in appropriate contingency time to handle unpredictable interruptions.
  
• In the time that remains, schedule the activities that address your priorities and personal goals.

Give it a try, and let me know how things go!

'...annnnnd We're Back!'

Welcome back to work, school, or whatever commitments you got a quick break from this weekend. If you're like me, then you probably need another day off just to recover from the Memorial Day festivities. I don't know how it happened, but I partied (or at least drank) from Wed - Sun w/no days off. I didn't mean for it to go down like that (or maybe I did), but I am certainly now realizing that I am old as hell and need to go sat down somewhere! Between the alcohol, bar-b-que, and lack of sleep, my poor body is wondering if I really love myself like I say that I do.

I definitely need to take some time to detoxify my system and rejuvenate my body. The good news is that this is almost just as easily said as done! Here are some quick tips to get your body back on the right track!

1. Drink lots of water! This will help to re-hydrate you after consuming so much liquor.

2. Clean up the house! Now I actually cleaned over the weekend, but most ppl fall off of the 'home maintenance wagon' while on vacation and find their home looking like a hurricane hit it. Trust me, you feel soooo much better when you're living in a clutter free zone, so take the time to pick up a bit.

3. Exercise today! I know that it's common to also fall off of the diet and exercise wagon, which leaves you feeling lazy and dare I say, fat! Even though 4 days probably hasn't done as much damage to your goals as you may feel, hopping right back on the plan will leave you feeling encouraged and motivated. Don't delay! Get to the gym before the day is out and move forward as though you never missed a beat.

4. Eat lots of fruits and veggies! Your body needs these foods to flush out all of the bar-b-que chicken and baked beans. The nutrients included in foods like apples, oranges, broccoli, and asparagus will boost your energy and nourish your body! Try steaming or sauteing your veggies to avoid cooking out the essential vitamins.

5. Catch up on your sleep! Typically it's tough for me to get enough sleep the 1st day back from vacation b/c my body has adjusted to not having much sleep. However, I try to carve out time over the next few days to get into bed early and recapture my rest. If you can't get rested, then all of your other efforts will be wasted b/c you won't even be able to muster up the energy or desire to see them through.

Hope these tips help! Have a great day!

*singing* "I Pop, I Drank...I'm on Patron and Purp! I can't think!"

Ok, well maybe not the 'purp' part, but I certainly do enjoy partaking in the libations. I wouldn't even categorize myself as a 'social' drinker. I like to drank, and I have no embarrassment or inhibitions about that fact! The problem is, of course, that drinks contain lots of calories. Sometimes one good cocktail can have more calories than an entire healthy meal. Talk about sabotaging a diet. Unfortunately for me...I don't give not one hell. I'll just have to exercise harder! LOL!

However, I would recommend putting more thought into how many calories lie in the other beverages that you consume throughout the day. Try counting up all of the calories that you consume everyday for one week. You will need to journal in order to keep track. I think that you will find yourself quite surprised at the results. You may assume that you're taking in about 1600-1800 cals/day. AND this may be correct...as far as food goes. However, sugary drinks (from Vitamin Water to Orange Juice to Pop) can add on an extra 400-600 calories if you aren't careful.

Check out this article. It calls out some common pitfalls, and gives tips to avoid them. Personally, I try to do the following things:

- Drink water the majority of the time
- Choose a 'diet' version when I am having pop
- Order the 'small' version of any coffee drinks and sub in Skim Milk

I'm sure that this doesn't make me 'perfect' by any means. There are always ways to be better, but it works well for me to be healthy AND happy!

Work Hard and Play Hard!

• So Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, which means that I have 4 days all to myself. This is one of the few long weekends that I'm not traveling to another destination, which is actually somewhat bitter sweet. I'm excited about 4 days of spending time w/my Chi-town friends, relaxing on my balcony, sleeping late, and finishing off the 3 books that I bought in the last two weeks. At the same time, I kinda wish that I could swing to the ATL to chill w/my mom and sister...not to mention to get up on the ATL Carnival activities.

• Anyway...I've digressed. My point is that, I have an excellent opportunity to really get in some 'Me time'...to rest and to restore my soul. That is...if I don't procrastinate on work this week, which would cause me to have to 'login' over the weekend. Now many of you know that procrastinating is a problem for me (really evidenced by the fact, that I'm blogging at work at 10 am). I hate that I do it, but I just can't help but to put off the necessary...esp. when I have free time up ahead. However, this week (starting just after I post this entry). I AM going to clear my 'to do' list by Thursday night. This may mean some long evenings, but I DO NOT care. Weekends where I have no 'work rain cloud' hanging over my head are the best (not to mention the most relaxing), and I am determined to make this one of those.

• What about you guys? How is your weekend, and therefore your week shaping up? Are you going to spend your free time focusing on the parts of your life that truly matter? God? Yourself? Your family and friends? Or are you going to use the extra time to get caught up (if not ahead) on work, home projects, and other to do items? Even if you have to knock some work or chores out of the way, then I definitely encourage you to take some time to honor yourself and those parts of your life that are your true priorities. You never know what tomorrow will hold, so live today to the fullest!

You know I love the kids!

Check out my debut on YouTube.

*singing* 'Summer, Summer, Summertime....Oooh Summertiiiimmme!'

That's right folks, Summer is HERE. Well if you leave in the north, then it's not really...here, but you should be getting days that are consistently 70 degrees or higher. Not too bad. Certainly good enough to get outdoors and get fit.

Last time that I posted, I mentioned that I did plenty of walking in France. Well not only did I do lots of walking, but I actually did a bit of hiking. Although hiking isn't a part of my normal routine (surprise...Chicago just doesn't have many hills), I actually have had the pleasure of enjoying it on a couple of occasions. While on vacation in Puerto Rico I hiked through El Yunque rain forest, and I've hiked up Stone Mountain (in Georgia) a couple of times. Now I've added Mont Sainte Victorie (the beginners hill) in Southern France to my repertoire.

Although this work out can be challenging and at some times perilous, it was absolutely rewarding. The view from the top is amazing, and you have just a feeling of accomplishment. In the case of my trip to Puerto Rico, I discovered a hidden water fall as the treasure/reward for my efforts. Absolutely beautiful.

If you're thinking of giving this sport a try, then I definitely recommend doing a bit of research first. You can prepare and condition your body to make your journey that much more pleasant. Here's an article to get you started.

Now, if you don't live anywhere near a hill...much less a mountain, but you still want to enjoy this beautiful season, then here are some other alternatives. Enjoy!

Swimming

In-Line Skating

Cycling

Ultimate Frisbee