Having FUN!

What have you done lately to have FUN? Since I started participating in road races like 10Ks, 10 milers, half marathons and marathons, I haven't done anything other than racing for fun. So a couple of weeks ago I was invited to a 50th birthday party, I got out on the dance floor and tried to keep up, lol... Now when I'm working out, training for a race or participating in a race I feel so young, but on the dance floor I felt so old!

I felt like everyone is looking at me because I can't do all the latest dances. Well I jumped in with a group doing line dancing and once I caught on I felt like I fit right in. I happened to mention what happened to some ladies at Bootcamp and they told me about line dancing classes. A couple of us met up to go and I went again yesterday by myself and had a fabulous time. Well, I'm not ready to give up racing yet but I've added a little more FUN in my life! If you haven't tried it you should, it's so much fun just trying to keep in step with the group! Until next time, FAITH!

CHALLENGING Myself...

I saved this photo over a year ago, maybe even two because I wanted to achieve something like this, maybe even this! Something to be remembered by, something that maybe someone else would be inspired to achieve, but most of all to CHALLENGE Myself to go way beyond my normal limits.

This photo I found more recently like within the last month I believe. I saved it because it reminded me of my life about 20 years ago when I did look at challenges as obstacles and was always trying to get through them quickly. I can really see my growth because now I seek ways to CHALLENGE Myself to do more, to give more and to go where I've never gone before so that I can achieve the type of monumental goals I want to achieve.

So my challenge is... to write a book next year, help 55 new personally sponsored Coaches of my own to achieve their HEALTH and Fitness goals and to be able to do 5500 SQUATS in an hour. The CHALLENGE is ON!!!

I Love My SonsYes

Yes I love both of my sons. Over the years they have had their ups and downs but they have basically stayed  out of real serious trouble. Now that they are adults it's been a little different. They have both had problems with their licenses being suspended for tickets or driving without a license. After learning of this I talked to them both about how this could spiral out of control.

Unfortunately, now it has. On Tuesday I got a call from my youngest daughter that my oldest son has been in jail since April 18, 2013, for six outstanding charges related to driving with a suspended license. This son has been an account representative with a large national bank for over three years and is now in jeopardy of losing his job if we can get him out and back to work. Yes, he knows what he did was wrong and as parents we know it too but it doesn't make it any easier to deal with.

I'm asking for your prayers because this is very hard to deal with. Thanks in advance!

Beachbody Babyboomer's & Retiree's Entrepreneural Leisure Club

BB&RELC, short for Beachbody Babyboomer's & Retiree's Entrepreneural Leisure Club is a group of people getting HEALTHY, Fit, having a whole lot of fun and getting PAID to do it!

Our mission is to ENHANCE the quality of life for Baby-Boomers/Retirees physically and financially. while having FUN every step of the way!

The BB&RELC, short for Beachbody Babyboomer's & Retiree's Entrepreneural Leisure Club came out of a quest to get Baby-Boomers and Retirees active again. What better way to do it then to get HEALTHY, have lots of fun and make extra money while doing it. It's a WIN - WIN opportunity any way you look at it! If you or a Baby-Boomer/Retiree you know would like to join the FUN call me: (850) 702-4521 to get started today!!!

This is Beachbody Babyboomer's & Retiree's Entrepreneural Leisure Club's Facebook page, make sure to "like" it, visit often and 'Share' it on you page. Look forward to seeing you soon!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Beachbody-Baby-Boomers-Retirees-Entrepreneural-Leisure-Club/445018528910592?ref=hl

A Walk Along the Ocean

I had the good fortune today to take a walk along the Atlantic Ocean. I was attending a surprise birthday dinner for one of my uncles down in Wrightsville Beach, NC at a restaurant that had the most AMAZING view of the ocean. The sound of the waves coming in roared in a musical rhythm that I had been missing for a long time.

It was cool and cloudy since it rained last night but I couldn't resist going down to the beach after dinner was over and just taking in the fresh ocean air. I had on high heels and a suit but I didn't care, it was like the ocean was calling my name and I had to answer. I picked sea shells and watched my cousins play while I was enjoying taking it all in. After all that has happened in the last six days, I welcomed this stress releaser and thanked God for the blessing. I will make a point of returning there agin for sure! Enjoy the rest of your weekend because before you know it, it will be Monday again!!!

HEALTHY Sistahood!

I have to give a Shout-Out to some absolutely FABULOUSLY Fit 50 Sistahs! God could not have blessed me anymore than to bring these beautiful women into my life! I'm always looking for people to workout, walk or do fitness things with and they are there. We started the week off by walking the Woodrow Wilson Bridge on Sunday afternoon and had so much fun, they're all such a joy to be with!!!

After the bombing that took place on Monday 4/15/13 at the Boston Marathon, Black Girls RUN! posted a call to action that read: "Starting Tuesday, April 16, 2013, Black Girls RUN! Nation is hosting the Black Girls RUN! for Boston Virtual 26.2. We encourage everyone to go run/walk 26.2 minutes OR 2.62 miles OR 26.2 miles over the next three days for #BGR4Boston, in support of those who lost their lives, trained and sacrificed for one of the most esteemed races in the world."

The bombing hit me really hard because after completing my second half marathon in 2008, I had decided that I wanted to train hard enough to qualify for the Boston Marathon when I turned 50. I've tried twice now and haven't given up hope yet, but next year I'll be 55 and I still haven't qualified to participate in the Boston Marathon yet. On Tuesday I was really feeling sad from all that had happened and I began feeling like I might start eating out of control so I called Trisha (the Sistah on the right with the jean jacket around her waist) and asked her if she wanted to go walking. We walked three and a half hours, then we did the same thing today for a little over 26.2 miles but we did remember them and I did a silent prayer for the families. I'm so happy that I had her through those hard times and I hope they all know that I'm there for them any time they need me too! Abundant Blessings from FITNESS Focused FAITH!

2013 Boston Marathon

My heart is so heavy today. My four year old grandson has been asking over the last couple of months about his upcoming fun run on May 19, 2013. His mom, dad and I participated in a 10 miler last month so my grandson just can't wait until it's his turn so he can get a medal. My heart is so heavy because the eight year old that was killed at the Boston Marathon won't ever have the chance to do a 10K, 10 miler, half marathon or a marathon. Or go to the prom, high school graduation, college or get married.

My prayers go out to the parents, families and love ones that were touched by this tragedy and I hope that they will come to feel the comfort of God's love all around them. I will power walk 26.2 miles in memory of this day, beginning with the 14 miles I walked today. Thank you God for lifting these families up in their time of sorrow and giving them the love and support they need to keep them whole. Abundant Blessings from FITNESS Focused FAITH!

Promoting BIG!

Is Promoting Big, Beautiful Women Unhealthy?

First of all PLEASE watch this short 3:36 video: http://bit.ly/12Rrv2B on promoting being overweight. As a mother and grandmother who overcame being overweight this is alarming to me! Mainly because many of my family members are overweight and have preventable illnesses that are a direct results of being overweight. Actually one of my own daughters who is barely 5 feet tall, weighs over 210 lbs. At age 28, my daughter is not witnessing any of the major HEALTH problems that our family has dealt with in the past and I don't want to see her or anyone else for that matter, get comfortable in overweight skin! So this concept of Promoting BIG is not one that I support or agree with.

 Golda Poretsky, who is the founder of BodyLoveWellness.com, insinuates that she promotes eating HEALTHY and embraces being overweight. I'm no scholar but that sound like an oxymoron if I ever heard one!?!? Since I'm not an authority in this field, I can only speak of my own personal experience of 63 lb weight-loss when I say, if you are really eating HEALTHY (no sodas, chips, sweets, fried foods or foods high in saturated fats, etc.) you will lose weight by default, with or without a minimal amount of exercise. So there must be something I missed... so check it out and tell me what you think? Is this what we want to PROMOTE???  

Are You Willing to Make a CHANGE?

Talk about alarming! When I first saw this message I thought about my family, my female cousins (I don't have siblings) aunts, sister-in-laws, nieces, great-nieces, and my daughters. Then I really gave some thought to it and out of 38 women and girls in my family only ((5)) of them don't need to lose at least 20 lbs., but more than half of them need to lose over 40 lbs. How sad is that!

Speaking for myself, I've realized that it's important to understand our self worth. We do so much for others that we seldom think about our HEALTH. We have to get to the point of being HEALTH focused even in the face of all our earth shattering crisis. If we have a heart attack or strokes we can't take care of or help anybody. So it's better to make the time now before it gets out of control. Additionally, we have to learn how to eat better so we can teach our children the right things to eat. We have to exercise with our children so that they know it's a part of life and not just a special event. By making these changes we will help reduce their chances of being overweight or obese. By setting an example, We Can Change that...

Cherry Blossom Time

What FABULOUS weather we have been having the last few days and the Cherry Blossoms are simply beautiful! What a beautiful sight this is, now I understand why people come from near and far to share in this experience.  They lift your spirits and make you feel at peace, a kind of inner joy. The Cherry Blossoms formed a very beautiful arch where I was walking at today and it reminded me of all the weddings I had been in. As I was picturing it in my mind I happen to walk pass a couple taking photos in their wedding cloths up under one of the trees. She had her dress and train spread out so nicely that it looked like a bed of fresh snow, absolutely breath taking! If you can, take some time out to enjoy them.

FAITH!

Fully Achieving Independence Though Health!

In November of 2008, I walked away from my corporate job and got on a plane to Orlando, FL to go to Racewalking camp. I was going to turn 50 in a few months and didn't have a clue about what I wanted to do. I kept hearing my mother say "We've come this far by faith" and "Sometime we have to step out on faith" so my faith journey began. I had already dropped over 40 lbs and had started doing 10k, 10 miler and half marathon races and was loving the experiences, but I had to stay focused on my faith journey to reach my goal. When I stepped off that plan I became FAITH!, meaning I was working on  Fully  Achieving Independence  Though  Health! I knew I had to use my testimony to help others but I wasn't sure how until July 2010, when I dropped another 19 lbs and women from the Facebook page Black Women "DO" Workout started emailing, messaging, and chatting with me. They all wanted to know how I did it and to congratulate me on reaching my goal of reducing my risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke. The rest is history as they say.

Now almost three years later I've been blessed to 'Share' my life testimony and experiences to encourage others to work on achieving their HEALTH and Fitness goals. These Ladies represent just a few of the beautiful spirits that I have been blessed by and they keep me on my toes in our BEGINNERS Bootcamp. Each of them are on their own FAITH! journey as they reduce their risks of preventable illnesses, some medications and shed unwanted pounds. I am so thankful and continue to give God all the glory and praise for the opportunity to pay it forward in any way I can, and I hope they will too! Abundant Blessings from FITNESS Focused FAITH!

The Fat After 50 You Really Need to Fear (and How to Get Rid of It)

Next year I will be 55 years young, lol... Growing up in a family with numerous HEALTH issues on my mother's and father's side has increased my awareness. So when I saw the article The Fat After 50 You Really Need to Fear (and How to Get Rid of It) I had to read it to make sure that I was not at risk. I had made it through November's Diabetes Awareness Month, February's American Heart Month and am gearing up for May's National Stroke Month, and now to see this.

After reading the article the good news was that I'm already on the right track. This paragraph made my day "The good news is it’s the easiest kind of fat men and women over 50 can lose. You simply need to eat better (and probably less), move your body more with regular exercise (walking is a great option), and lower your intake of saturated fats, especially those found in meat and even poultry, and it will go away. Think of it like a checking account –easy in and easy out. And, while strength-training exercises are essential for overall fitness and good health (especially bone health), there are other things you need to do to banish this kind of fat from your body: walking, running, playing tennis, biking and other activities that cause you to really move your body for at least 30 minutes or more will do the trick." Read it for yourself: Fat After 50 You Really Need to Fear (and How to Get Rid of It) 




This just confirmed for me that I need to continue to 'Share' what I've learned over the last couple of years to reduce my risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke with those approaching 50 and older that will also be at risk of this FAT issue. The best way I know how to do this is to share it in my BEGINNERS Bootcamp II, that will start April 30, 2013. Again, I'll be reaching out to men and women who have never thought about attending bootcamp but want to get HEALTHY and Fit! If you or someone you know are ready to commit to this type of program call me (850) 702-4521 and get ready to change your HEALTH!

HELLO April...

I saw the above post on Facebook last week and thought what's going on with Spring? Now that it's April I'm hoping we'll have more Spring like weather. I'm still wearing my winter coat and gloves like it's January. Two or three times last month it's got up to 60 degrees then it dropped back down. I'm so ready for the weather to stabilizes so I can get to my outdoor workouts, I am COMMITTED you know!