You know what I'm tired of doing? Blowing my nose! I have a cold and I went through an entire big box of Kleenex in less than 2 days. So tired of being sick. I've felt like crap for the last week and a half. In fact, I only worked out once last week because I felt I needed to take a break from working out so as not to exacerbate my sickness. I even went so far as to stay in the apartment all weekend. Seriously...I stocked up on food Friday afternoon and didn't leave my apartment on purpose until Sunday night because I thought the rest would make me feel better. To the contrary...by the time the weekend was up, I felt even worse. To add to that, I felt extremely guilty for missing out on almost a week's worth of working out. So I returned to the gym this morning to workout with my trainer. I was a little nervous because I thought I'd be too exhausted from all the days of inactivity to really be able to get a good workout in this morning. But I was wrong. My trainer Leo is the consummate professional and took it sorta easy on me. He modified most of my workout so that it wouldn't wear me out, but so that I also got in a good session. And believe it or not, I actually felt better after I worked out with him!

A few days ago, I met up with the group fitness manager at my health club. Taking into consideration my current fitness level, she recommended classes that I can take on the days that I'm not working out with my trainer. Some of the classes I'll be taking will be Vinyasa Yoga, Bosu Core, Athletic Abs, Aquacise, Pilates Mat, Zumba, Total Sculpt, Boxing Ringside, Abs/Back/Core and Somatic Yoga. Taking all these classes will help get me into that bikini by the 4th of July AND keep my workouts interesting and exciting! So that's what's happening with me on the exercise end of things. As far as food, here's just some of the stuff I've been eating...

High fiber shredded wheat cereal.

I felt like having guacamole, so I decided to make a healthier version of it at home. I even made my own tortilla chips! I got the recipe from Food Network's new show "Mexican Made Easy" with Marcela Valladolid:

-Chips

(Start with store bought tortillas)...These are healthier than most store bought chips since they're baked. Start by brushing the tortillas with a little vegetable oil on one side and stack as you brush. You only have to brush one side with the oil because once you stack one on top of the other, the other side gets the oil from the top of the previous one you brushed. Then cut the stack into triangles. Make sure you cut them similar sizes so that they bake evenly in the oven. Then put the chips in a single layer on a baking sheet. You don't have to grease the baking sheet since there's already oil on the tortilla chips. Bake in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes in a 400 degree preheated oven. Once the chips are baked, be sure to salt well while they're hot so that the oil will help the salt stick.

-Guacamole

You'll need ripe avocados, an onion, lime juice, cilantro and salt. Cut, pit and peel the avocados, then place in a bowl. Add lime juice at this point to prevent the avocados from turning brown...about 2 tablespoons for every 3 avocados you use. Use a fork to cut and mash your avocados. Add about half a chopped onion and about 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Mix and season with salt to taste.

And there's my finished product! It was yummy! The only thing I would change would be to add tomatoes to the guacamole. I've been so obsessed with avocados lately, which is probably why I was craving the guacamole.

I also used avocados in the soft tacos that I made yesterday. I had a feeling they'd be good, but I wasn't expecting to be blown away by these tacos! All I did was brown a few corn tortillas on the oven burner. I topped them with pulled chicken in barbeque sauce (bought already prepared from the store), sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, chopped onions, shredded mozzarella cheese, salt & pepper. These tacos were healthy and amazingly yummy.

I had lunch with my co-workers Tre, JJ & Mo Bounce last week. We went for sushi. I had the shrimp tempura roll. It was super good and super fresh because aside from the tempura shrimp, it had fresh lettuce and you guessed it...avocado! I swear, I've been so obsessed with avocado these days that if I could put it in my cereal, I would! Lol.

Almonds, bananas, dried apricots, dried mangos, dried blueberries and dried apple clusters are some of the snacks I've been eating. My fav of the bunch are the dried blueberries. I absolutely love blueberries and figured I'd also like them dried. Turns out I do! The only setback is that the blueberries stain your fingers and nails as you dig into the bag. It was even hard to wash the stain off my hands. And it's not cool walking around with blue fingers and nails, lol. I've also had chocolate here and there, but I'm trying to get out of that habit. Not altogether, but not as often. I really do need to add more leafy green veggies to my regimen. I'll try to work on that this week.

Thanks for checking in on me. Follow me as I try to get into a bikini by the 4th of July! Bookmark this block and check back daily. Hope you're happy and healthy :-)

S

It's the final week of January 2010. To me, that means it's time for a reality check. Have you been sticking to your goals and New Year's Resolutions? Or have you let your goals and resolutions fall by the wayside? It's not too late to get back on track. You may not be perfect, but practice makes perfect. Keep trying! Of course, I lost 30 pounds last year, so I remain focused on weight loss and healthy living this year as a goal. I'm not always 100% perfect, but I'm constantly mindful of my goals. In that same vein, I've vowed to get into and look good in a bikini by the 4th of July.

My friends at New York Health & Racquet Club are helping me towards my goal by teaming me up with a trainer. I just started working out with him this week. For more details, Click Here!

I may be trying to get into a bikini by the 4th of July, but I'm still plus size for now. So big shout out to all my fellow plus sized beauties! I came across a couple of articles I wanted to share with you!

Marie Claire Magazine has a new blog for plus sized fashionistas called "Big Girl in a Skinny World" starring blogger Ashley Falcon. I love this blog because Ashley shares all of her secrets to finding fabulous fashions for our curvy figures! She covers subjects like The Best Jeans For Curvy Girls, Black Tie & Formal Attire, Where To Buy Boots For The Curvy Girl's Calves, Belts, Finding The Perfect Little Black Dress, Everyday Chic and more! To check out Ashley's blog, Click Here!

And if you're trying to become more fit like I am,Marie Claire Magazine also did a nice article on The 7 Best Websites For Weight Loss. Check out their finds:

Deciding to get in shape and lose weight is easy--the hard part is actually sticking to that commitment! We scoured the web and tracked down the best websites to help you stay focused on your weight-loss and fitness goals. Best of all, all of the websites listed here are completely free to use.

1. SparkPeople.com
The lowdown: It's an online dieting community, but SparkPeople.com also places a huge emphasis on adopting a healthy lifestyle for long-term weight maintenance. The site is packed with useful tools and resources for you to explore. The fitness, recipe, and cooking videos are all easy to follow, and the motivational quizzes and success stories help to keep you on target with your goals.

2. FitDay.com
The lowdown: We?ve profiled fitday.com before, and it continues to rank among our favorite websites for weight loss. Log what you've eaten using FitDay's comprehensive food library, or enter your own custom nutritional information. The website then creates pie charts to let you see where your calories are coming from (fat/protein/sugar) and lets you see your long-term weight-loss progress visually.

3. ActiveLog.com
The lowdown: This site incorporates the excitement of competition by allowing members to create challenges and invite other members to compete with and against them. It also allows you to log your daily workouts as well as more holistic health elements such as your emotions and level of fatigue. You can also track your specific body measurements for a better gauge of your fitness level (muscle weighs more than fat, so you may be getting fit even if the number on the scale isn't budging!)

4. Calorie-Count.com
The lowdown: Like the other sites, Calorie-Count.com lets you log your food intake and workouts, but also offers great tips for beginner exercisers and expert dieting advice. In addition, there's a mobile-friendly version of the site so you can stay on top of recording what you?ve eaten even on the go.

5. MyFitnessPal.com
The lowdown: MyFitnessPal.com Logs has easy-to-understand charts for tracking your progress and also shows you a count of how many calories you have "left" to consume for the day to keep you on track with your goals.

6 & 7. LiveStrong.com and TheDailyPlate.com
The lowdown: Created in association with the same Livestrong association behind those infamous yellow bracelets, LiveStrong.com is a great health and fitness resource. The site has a feature that allows you to click and drag the path of your runs/bike rides/walks on a Google map, and then generates statistics for how many calories you burned based on that map. Afterward, you can click over to partner site TheDailyPlate.com to log the food you've eaten, see charts of the calories you burned versus consumed for the day, and find recipes from other members.

Hey there! As I'm writing this, I'm thinking of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. since it's his holiday. Dr. King holds a very special place in my heart. I stand for a great deal of what he stood for. I heavily identify with his message of peace, love and equality. The causes he fought for and ultimately gave his life for are part of the reasons I'm able to live my life in freedom the way I am today. I'm able to do and achieve so many wonderful things in my life that my parents weren't able to...and I know that it's directly because of the sacrifices of Dr. King and people like him. So in honor of Dr. King's legacy, let's not just enjoy a day off, but let's also do something to contribute positively to our Universe...even if it's just treating others well :-)

On to my weight loss and my goal to get into a bikini by the 4th of July...I have to admit that I was a little obsessed last week when it came to working out. I tried working out twice a day for most of the week. But because I was also fatigued while trying to do it, I ended up hitting a brick wall...of course not literally, but figuratively. So I ended up having to rest and recuperate from the exhaustion at the end of the week. The moral of the story is that it's better to workout once a day than to drive your body to exhaustion by working out twice a day. Because in the end, if you're totally exhausted, you're not as productive as you could be. That aside, the hard work has been paying off. A friend told me yesterday that he can tell that I've lost weight since he saw me late last year. I've been working out in the gym quite a bit lately, but walking is actually my favorite form of exercising. So when I came across an article about how to lose weight by walking on That's Fit, I thought I'd share it with you. Keep reading below for instructions on how to walk properly, as well as a 4-week walking plan. Hope it helps:

Figuring out how hard you should be working while you walk is easy when you use the following chart. It's based on rating of perceived exertion (RPE), a scale that rates how hard you feel like you're working during exercise. There are five levels of intensity, ranging from easy to hard. Just match the number in the walking plan, noted as RPE, to this chart, and you'll know exactly how you should feel as you walk. To increase intensity, you'll either add speed and walk a little faster or do walking-inspired moves that will get that heart pumping faster.
1: It's so easy you can carry on a conversation
2: You're picking up the pace but still not sweating
3: You're breaking a sweat but you're still in control and feel like going on
4: You're sweating and working hard but you can still talk
5: The work feels very hard, making it difficult to talk

Your Walking Workouts
Walk 1: Steady-State walk
Length: 30 minutes
Goal: During this walk, your goal is to keep yourself moving at one steady pace for the entire workout. The pace shouldn't feel too tough, but yet it shouldn't feel like a walk in the park either. By doing this walk, you'll build what's called your aerobic base, which you'll need if you want to get fitter.
5 min: Warm-up (RPE 2)
20 min: Walk at a moderate pace, pumping arms forward and back (RPE 3-4)
5 min: Cool down (RPE 2)

Walk 2: Circuit walk
Length: 30 minutes
Goal: This walk mixes everything up so your body stays challenged and your mind doesn't get bored. You'll do some untraditional walking, which will work your muscles differently, in the end challenging you even more. The bonus? These untraditional moves engage the abs so you'll get a little tummy toning while you walk. One note: If you're on a treadmill, slow down a little so you can do these moves. You might even want to do the entire walk on the floor, marching in place when the plan calls for regular walking.
5 min: Warm up (intensity 2-3)
1 min: Straight arm/leg walk (as you extend arm in front of you, lift it to head height, keeping arm straight; at same time, lift opposite leg to hip height, keeping leg straight) (RPE 3)
1 min: Walk, lifting knee to hip height and pumping arms as if you're running (RPE 4)
2 min: Straight arm/leg walk (RPE 3)
1 min: Walk, lifting knee to hip height and pumping arms as if you're running (RPE 4)
2 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
1 min: Straight arm/leg walk (RPE 3)
2 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
2 min: Walk, lifting knees to hip height and pressing both arms overhead as you lift knees (RPE 3)
1 min: Walk on toes (RPE 3)
2 min: Walk, lifting knees to hip height and pressing both arms overhead as you lift knees (RPE 3)
2 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
1 min: Walk, touching heels to butt (RPE 3)
1 min: Regular walk (RPE 4)
1 min: Regular walk, taking intensity down slightly (RPE 3)
5 min: Cool down (RPE 2)

Walk 3: Interval walk
Length: 30 minutes
Goal: In this workout, you'll alternate between doing hard work (by walking faster) and easier work (by slowing down), which will not only help you burn more calories but also get you in shape faster. Yet because this walk is tougher, it's not something you can -- or should -- do every day. In fact, the most you'll do interval training in this plan is two times a week.
5 min: Warm up (RPE 2-3)
2 min: Walk at moderate pace (RPE 3)
30 sec: Walk fast (RPE 5)
2 min: Walk at moderate pace (RPE 3)
30 sec: Walk fast (RPE 5)
3 min: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
2 min: Hold that pace (RPE 4)
1 min: Fast walk (RPE 5)
2 min: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
1 min: Fast walk (RPE 5)
3 min: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
20 sec: Fast walk (RPE 5)
40 sec: Slow pace slightly (RPE 4)
1 min: Hold that pace (RPE 4)
3 min: Cool down (RPE 3-2)

Your Four-Week Walking Plan
Week 1
Monday: Circuit walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Steady-state walk
Thursday: Off
Friday: Off
Saturday: Circuit walk
Sunday: Steady-state walk
Week 2
Monday: Circuit walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Interval walk
Thursday: Off
Friday: Steady-state walk
Saturday: Circuit walk
Sunday: Off
Week 3
Monday: Circuit walk
Tuesday: Off
Wednesday: Steady-state- walk
Thursday: Interval walk
Friday: Off
Saturday: Circuit walk
Sunday: Steady-state walk
Week 4
Monday: Steady-state walk
Tuesday: Interval walk
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Circuit walk
Friday: Interval walk
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Steady-state walk