Memories

I am so excited that my brother was able to get time off to spend with his wife and new baby before they ship him over to Korea. When I got the text it made me think about a Christmas where my brother and I decided to go on a search for the presents we knew our parents had gotten us. Being a military brat, the fun was that you saw beautiful places but you also left behind friends so needs to say my brother and I became the best of friends. Now back to this present hunt.

Mother was always smooth about going shopping without us to pick up the presents and then stash them in the house until the Eve of the big day. This particular year I got smart. I decided that my brother and I were going to hit every nook and cranny of the 2 level Virginia Beach town house we lived in. We started in the garage of course and there was nothing. We looked in the closets and crawl space and still nothing. The next stop for us was the second floor. We started in our parent’s room and of course not a wrapped gift in sight. So we decided to look our sister’s room since she was the baby and we never played in that room; again, still nothing. We had one more spot to check, the upstairs closet that led to the attic. As we opened the door, we were disappointed because it was the usual vacuum cleaner and other miscellaneous items that our mom stored in there. I was determined to find these gifts so I decided I was going to go where no man had ever gone, the back of the deep closet.

To my surprise my mother had found the perfect spot to hide the gifts. She knew that we would not dare go that deep in the closet. Stacked up behind other items in the closet were rows of wrapped gifts stacked on top of each other. I waved my brother in and his eyes got wide. We started to count the many presents that we had gotten and even able to untape a few gifts to see what we had gotten. How excited we were to see that we were getting items we had asked for. Of course after being nosey, we taped them back up, and placed them exactly as they were and giggled as we knew that Christmas was going to be so fun. On the Eve of Christmas, my mother and father start to prepare the feast so that when we wake up to see our gifts they are well rested to see the smiles on our faces.

So of course we didn't know the toys we were getting because those go out when we are sleep but the gifts we open after dinner were the ones we had to act like we didn't know we were getting. My father would dress up as Santa and come in our rooms and eat the cookies we had sat out for him and shake a bell so that we knew that he had come to our home. Christmas day had arrived and of course we are watching the clock until it struck 9 to go running out of our rooms to see what Santa had gotten us. I think that year I had gotten my first boom box and karaoke machine and my brother had gotten his Ninja Turtles action figures that year. The morning goes and we are playing and my parents are finishing up last minute cooking and trying to tear us away from our gifts so we can get some breakfast in us.

The late afternoon comes and we have dinner and it is time to open up our gifts under the tree. My brother and I are looking at each other trying to act like we are excited and waiting to open up our gifts. My mother as usual knows exactly what she is getting just by shaking and feeling the weight of the box. One year we tried to trick her by making the box heavier and wrapping it in a different way and she was still able to guess (I think she was elf sent down to work for Santa. Lol!!). So after everyone has gotten the gifts under the tree, we go around in a circle and open our gifts. First of course is our little sister. She gets help from my mom to unwrap her gifts and she is very excited. Then my dad, then my mom, then my brother, and then I opened our gifts. When it got to the two of us, our parents asked us to unwrap our gifts together. We looked at each other and with no hesitation open a gift and we looked at each and put on the acting. "WOW!!! I can't believe I got this. Thanks mom and dad!" I don't think our parents ever found out that we had seen the gifts in advance (looking up to the sky, sorry mom). But the memory of having family around is what I am getting at.

It doesn't matter where you are in the world; make sure that you talk to family. They are all you have and are the ones who can continue your name and memories after you are gone. So this Christmas holiday, try to mend old relationships and make this a year that will get you closer to LINDA. I want to give a shout out to my brother and tell him I love him and I wish him a safe and speedy return back to us. Have a great day and I will see you guys later. :-*

I'm a make it

Today was a better day. With the wrapping up of school and seeing how great the staff, children, and parents at my school showed this new kid love, I can say that I’m starting to get my stride back. My first graders really loved the projects we did over the week and I was happy to see the light in their eyes as we talked about the holidays and the books I read to them. I was able this week to finish week 7 and the last 2 days felt good. I am not looking for this week to have lost weight only because it had been one of those weeks where I was not feeling it but the one thing I didn't do was eat because I had an off week. So I am going to be happy with just staying even and these 2 weeks that I have off from school, I will get refocused.

I am very happy to see so many of my running group doing so well. Some have lost weight along this journey but what we have found out from this journey is that it is really ourselves that are our downfall. We must start listening more to that voice deep within that tells us that we can do it. We are our biggest cheerleaders and if we can't see the potential in ourselves, how will others see that. As you can see, I had to learn that the hard way. I will not lie to you, I am a pleaser and I love to make sure that others are happy. But do the people I care so much about want or do the same for me. It is one thing to say good job to a person but to help them on that journey shows that you are in their corner and no matter what the outcome is they will still be there. I always tell my close circle of friends that I have not change, I have just gotten older. When they call me I am still there to listen and be there when others have left. I will not judge them nor will I sugar coat the truth. I am me.

With the holiday once again putting me in a little downer, I also had time to listen to myself as well as think about things, things I want to change and people I want in and out my life. I realize that I can't be mother to some people anymore. You have to let them make the mistakes and just be there when they fall because they will need you. I have to stop being so damn nice. I laugh because this will be the hardest to break. The word no is not in my vocabulary and in cases of seeing who really cares for me and their intent, saying yes clouds the judgment. With this goal of 30 at 30, I want to start the new year off with a great circle of friends and people who want to be there not only when it benefits them. I hope everyone is getting closer to being LINDA and I look forward to hearing from you guys. I will be opening up the floor next week of Q&A and I look forward to answering any questions you may have for me so ask away. Please enjoy this song by Chrisette Michelle. A great artist who has an amazing voice. Her music hits home and so does this song.  See you guys later :-*


I'm a make it by Chrisette Michelle

Still standing

Tonight was a great night. I laced up my shoes and hit the pavement. I really needed it considering my mind has been all over the place. I really have not been able to get into a groove with this run but I was able to complete my run today even with the weather being in the 40s. It felt so good being out there and the cool air hitting me as I ran. I had the 90s music in my ear. Blackstreet and Salt & Pepper belting out notes in my ear put me in a relaxing mode. I really needed this run today because I needed to shut the world out for 40 minutes.

The good news I have is that my baby was AWESOME Saturday night at his concert. I think the love of music has been passed down to him because he really enjoyed performing and I was so proud to see him beam with happiness on the stage. Also, the inches keep coming off. The clothes are looser, I am fitting into shirts I have had tucked away, and the belt hole keeps moving. So I still have my eye on the prize of 30 for 30. I just need to switch up my strength training. Anyone have any suggestions? Well I know I have been MIA, I have been thinking a lot. Thinking about where I will be in the next few months and the people I feel it is time to 86 out my life. It is a tough decision when you have to think about the people who are not moving in the direction that you are. When I talk about same direction, I mean supportive and positive. I don't want people who don't have goals and dreams around me. I don't want people who just want to be around me when there seem to be a problem with their life and they know I will be there to help fix it. People who always have something negative to say or no encouragement at all. These are the people I am saying bye-bye to. So the New Year will be coming upon me and a new me will be emerging.

I hope that everyone is thinking about long term goals for the New Year and not quick fix ones. One thing I have learned is that quick fixes never get you where you want to go. So take some time to yourself and think about where you are, where you're headed, and what you want. Once you have that figured out, make the necessary changes (small steps) to get you to the you, you want to be. Thank you to those who have followed me and are encouraging me. I have not forgotten you. I wish all you luck in your journey and I will post again soon. Please enjoy the song by Monica. I love it and I am sure everyone can relate to this. :-*

Still standing by Monica

Fighting this fog

I'm back!!! Hello everyone. I took a break for a little bite so I can adjust to this new schedule. From my last post, I had lost 10 pounds. I have been lagging this week and I hope that does not hurt the work I have put in. My run schedule is all out of whack and my off days that are used for strength training, have been nonexistence. I finished my week 6 day 2 run and it felt good. I like the longer runs but wish they didn't throw that 25 minute straight run in last week. I long for them now but I know I have to stick with the plan because it is helping me.

I don't know why this week has been such a walk through the fog for me. My mind has been all over the place from school, my kids, and the Holiday that is coming. The only thing I have been able to focus on has been my running. I feel my mother saying "you can't take on the world's problems on alone." So what am I to do? I think this weekend while I am watching my son put on his Holiday show, I will take time to relax and take time for me.  Maybe it is the Christmas blues I am having. I just hope this fog is over soon. I need to get inspired again. Tell me, what inspires you? What keeps you going towards your goal? I will see you guys later and I hope everyone has plans for this Holiday. Here is a song from Evanescence I hope you enjoy. :-*

Weight of the world by Evanescence

Keep it coming

Hello everyone!!! I am so happy today. I woke up this morning and got the boys ready for school. I almost forgot to step on the scale. I hopped out of my clothes and stepped right on the scale. I looked straight ahead until I heard the beep on the scale tell me to look down. I almost cried guys. I had lost 4.2 pounds for the week. Yes you heard me right. That now makes me 10 pounds. I am so happy. All my hard work is paying off. The couch to 5K, loseit, and my new release on life have put me where I am today.
Now it is time for me to look forward to the next goal of 20 before or at 30. I am looking forward to that as well as running my first 5K in January. I thank all of those who have supported me this far and I hope to continue moving forward and giving that love and support back. I was bummed that I was not able to run today so I have to start my week 6 run tomorrow. Hopefully I will not be late coming home so I can get it in before the darkness falls. I will catch you guys later and know that you can do it with the right people around you. Have a good evening.

Survivor

I am so proud of myself today. I woke up this morning got my boys and I ready for school and when I was slipping into my outfit, I realized I was looking slimming. Granted that I had on jeans and a tank but when I saw my profile as I was heading out the door, I had to look twice. "Is that me?" I said. Damn my waist is getting smaller and look at that stomach (not rock solid commercial abs but we are getting there). I wanted to post a picture but of course I guess this was just my week that every electronic I used would break. So you can guess what I want for Christmas (Nikon D3100 but I will settle for a Nikon CoolPix S8000). That alone made my day as I headed off to work. The 5 weeks that I have put into myself is paying off and I am not even ready to stop. So look out world her comes the new and improved me.

After a long day at work I came home to my little sick bear. While in school, my oldest got sick and was taken home today. I catered to him for a while and knew I had to conquer the dreaded beast of a 20 minute straight run. I got into my second uniform for today (gym clothes), did my stretching and headed out and proceeded on my journey. I was amazed at how I did. I was not winded as I thought I would be and I kept the same pace as I've done for the last few runs. I was even able to sing the words to the songs as I pound the pavement. 37 minutes later and I was done. I was not tired and I was proud of myself once again. If this was 5 weeks ago and you've asked me to run for 20 minutes, I would have thought you were crazy but I tell you, the Couch to 5K program has done wonders. There were voices in my head (not Sybil voices) telling me to stop, that I couldn't do it but this new me, was not having it. I kept pushing and the new me won. For those reading my blog, you can do it. It doesn't matter what your goal in life is (lose weight, become a better you, find a better relationship etc.), you can do it. You have to trust yourself and start surrounding yourself with like-minded people. Today I became a survivor and I like how I feel and what has become of me. I will check in with you guys soon. Enjoy this song by Destiny Child. I think it is a fitting song for me and all who are or will overcome something. Thank you running community you have been the best. This is for you as well.  :-*

Survivor by Destiny Child

Not afraid

Today was a great day. I started my substituting solo today and it was good. I had no worries, I had worked for a few months and it began to become second nature to me. After work, I was able to get my son's homework checked and head out for my run. The weather this evening was the perfect running temperature. We went today from hot weather to dipping down to mid 60's and I am loving it. The run was great, I was able to keep the pace and able to run the allotted time for this week. I smell success in my future and that is coming very soon.

Normally I pack my lunch for work and snacks to go along with it but today, I didn't realize that all I had was the meal and left the snacks. I am not complaining because anything to keep the calories down (fats), I am all happy for. It just made me realize that when I am kept busy, I don't consume as many calories as I would if I was let’s say at home taking care of my little one. The one thing I have not slacked on which, for me was a bad habit was skipping breakfast. It doesn't matter now what time I get up; I am cooking eggs, oatmeal, cereal, or some breakfast version for the day. Also using the loseit site, I am able to see for the week the calories I am putting in, how many calories I burn off with exercise and how many calories I do not use after I plug in foods and exercise. I want to thank Lisa from my running community for hooking me onto the site. Every day I go on there and see how successful she is doing with her plan. Congrats Lisa!!

So now it is time for me to sit back and relax, look over my plan of action for tomorrow and enjoy the milestones I am making. Oh did I mention that yesterday at my schools pep rally, I was recognized along with all the teachers in the school for doing a great job. That made my day and I was proud to be a part of such great teachers. This only fuels me to succeed even further. I am not afraid anymore. What milestone (big or small) have you accomplished today, yesterday, or will accomplish this week or month? Let me know so I can cheer you on. My mom said "you can never have too many positive supporters." I will see you all tomorrow Please enjoy this song by Eminem. You may not be in the same situation as his lyrics but the meaning behind it rings true for all who may be going through or has gone through something. :-*

 Not afraid by Eminem

Jump

Hello, hello, and hello to all. I am in such a great mood today. First off I started my substitute teaching position and I am so excited. I am getting one step closer to my goal to become a teacher. The children were great and it felt right standing in front of them, teaching and them learning from me. I am looking forward to February when I take my test to become an official teacher. Now I know you may ask what else does she have to be so chipper about? Let me tell you what also put such a pep in my step.

I lost 1.6 pounds!!!!!! Go me, it's my birthday!! Yep, I was sure that I had gained weight or stayed neutral because of the holiday but I managed to slide into home base for the win. So now I am so looking forward to my goal of 30 for 30 in April. I am not upset about the low weight loss because I am actually doing well and in normal range. Keep on coming off because according to loseit, I am ahead of the date they set for me to be at 30 lbs. I have finally broken the mentality of "all or nothing." We especially I have got so hooked on seeing big numbers or physical changes that when it does not happen we give up. Well I am here to say that this girl is not giving up anytime soon. I was able this morning to move over to the third hole in my belt and that alone put a smile on my face. For those that know me, it doesn't take much to make me happy and that was a boost in my little ego.

I came home today, finished homework with my oldest, and was out the door to do my week 5 day 1 run. Just because I am back to work, that will not stop me from reaching my goal of a 5K and 30 lbs lighter. My son actually ran with me and I was happy. I am glad that I am doing something that will stay with him for a lifetime. He gets to see that with determination, clear goals, and strength; that you can do anything. That sounds corny but it is true. My boys will see that I want to stay healthy not only for myself but for them. I want to be able to cry at each milestone they will cross. I want to see the girls who will try to stray my boys away with their girlish games, lol. I want them to see that their mother put time not only on her outer beauty (hair, nails, facial, etc.) but her inner beauty of making herself happy, healthy, and strong.

I want to thank again my running community for so much love and support. They have really kept me going and I hope I have returned the support they have given me. If you haven't subscribed to my blog, please do so and if you know someone else who may need the encouragement or just a person who is going through the same, please tell them about me. Like I stated before, I want to turn LINDA into a brand that will not only help the people who read but will help all. Welcome to my world and I look forward to posting again. Please enjoy this song by Madonna. :-*

Jump by Madonna

Still going strong

Today was a great day. I was able to sleep in for a change and it felt good. Knowing that I had a workout to do, I got right online pulled up my Zumba videos and got to work. An hour and a half later, I was sweaty and feeling good. The holiday has come and gone and I was not going to start the hibernation period on my workout. After taking a nice warm shower, it was time to get down to the daily Saturday cooking routine, TACO NIGHT!!! So now I know that what I would normally eat was one a lot of calories but also what was filling me was the tortillas, I decided to mix it up. Here is what I had for dinner:

2 cups salad
4 ounces of lean ground beef (using up what is in my freezer)
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/4 cup of diced tomatoes
2 tbsp of fat free sour cream
2 tbsp of taco sauce
and here is the results

The calories on that were 337, I had veggies and I was full. So I was able to top my dinner off with a slice of sweet potato pie which was delicious. I am always looking for new ways to invent my favorite foods. So I ask and challenge you to make over your favorite foods into more healthy ones. Trust me, the flavor will still be there but it will be so much healthier. Now it is time for me to relax and watch some movies with the family. I will see you guys later and remember to keep working to be LINDA. :-*

And there goes the holiday... for now at least

Thanksgiving is over and now it is time to look forward to jolly Saint Nick whipping around the world in his sled full of nice goodies for good girls and boys. So before that begins I ask, what were you thankful for? Me, I was thankful that I was able to wake up another day, I have two beautiful healthy boys, and that my family is able to enjoy one another each day. So I am sure a lot of you jumped on the Black Friday wagon and headed off to the malls or favorite stores to get your holiday shopping out of the way. For me, I was in my bed taking in some much needed sleep.  I got cyber Monday so I am happy for that.

Thanksgiving was pretty good. I got to eat with family and even though my family was not able to be there, I was able to talk to them and feel happy. I was proud of myself for not over indulging on the foods that tasted so yummy that I was able to savior every piece of the sweet potato pie and cheese cake I had. It was so delicious. I found that the key is not to eat with your eyes but to eat with your brain and stomach. I was able to eat everything that was put out but of course in small portions. I had one plate and was full from it. I didn't feel guilty nor did I feel I cheated myself. I have finally graduated from that mentality that you only have to eat one way and suffer through it if you want to be healthy.  Were you able to stay on track for those who are trying to lose weight? If you didn't, that is ok; you can make this a lesson and hop right back into your goal. The key is to not give up.

I would like to give a big thank you to my running community for keeping my spirits up for the holiday. For those who read my last entry, I was a little down. I missed my family and I wish I could be with them. They sent me great support mail and for that I am very thankful. Today is my last day of week 4 on my running plan. Even though it is the day after the big feast, I know I can do it. Enjoy this day off and I will see you guys tomorrow. Who knows what tomorrow will bring but for today, live and love like it's your last. :-*

These three words

Greetings everyone. I am back and writing early because I want to get my post out before I get busy in the kitchen. I did my second run for week 4 and it went well. I was strong for the first half and kind of slowed on my last 5 minute run. There has been a lot on my mind and I think that was also a factor to me not finishing strong. I am realizing that carrying so much on my own has an effect to how I feel overall. Yesterday I was sitting and thinking, realizing how much I miss my family for the holidays. It is very difficult for us to get together but I am such a family oriented person that the holidays are what I look forward to but this year I am down. So that lead me to think about the people I have in my life.

My mom always said I was the strong one, the one people will come to for help and I would deliver every time. But then I think where are those people when I need them? Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining. Helping is in my blood and that will never end but you want to feel appreciated or know that when I am in need of support, they will be there. So I have taken the rest of this year to work on me. I have shut down Facebook communication starting today and will focus on making myself a better person. Sometimes you have to take a step back, regroup, find out who are the positive and negative energy, and come out understand who you are and what you want in life.

I will be continuing my posting here as well as to my running group and loseit group. I hope everyone is able to be with love ones and that you show and tell each other how thankful you are to have them. It is not all about the food, football, a day off or shopping the next day; it's about being able to have the ones you care for under one roof. Enjoy the day because I know I will try my best. Please enjoy the song by Stevie Wonder that my mother and I love so much. It rings true and makes you think. :-*
These three words by Stevie Wonder

I believe

I am back!! I hope everyone’s weekend went well and you were able to find some time for yourself, and go over ways that you are able to make yourself LINDA. My weekend was a little rough. I felt body telling me that it wanted to get sick so I had to rest and nurse myself so that I was able to do my run today and so I was able to sub this week. So let's talk about my run. It well very well. I thought I was going to be crawling on the ground with the new 3 to 5 minute runs I was doing for this week. I fought through it and was able to come out on top. GO ME!

I got on the scale today because it was that time and I was shocked to see that I lost 4 pounds. I pretty much had to get on the scale two more times to check. I am so happy. The work I am putting in is paying off. I had made a big goal of weight I wanted to lose but decided that since my birthday would be coming up next year; why not shoot for 30 for 30. Yes, I am turning 30 years old and I am proud of it. Where have the years gone you say? I have been going to school, working, having two beautiful boys, and being a wife. Yep, I can't believe that I will be hitting the milestone but I will embrace whatever comes my way. So tell me what are your goals? Are you trying to lose weight, finish school, looking for or trying to get promoted in your job? Let me know what know what you are trying to succeed. My mom always said "everyone always needs support,” so let me be that as I work on my journey and you on yours. Everyone learns from others, otherwise we would not have examples of the right or wrong way to do things are.

I officially start my month long subbing position next week and I am very excited. This will be a test for me in so many ways. The Principal will get to see how I work and possibly lead to a teaching position for the following school year and this is to see if Elementary is where I should be. I am looking forward to this and I can't wait to work with my first graders. So I encourage you to analyze yourself and see are you where you want to be and if you are not, how can you get there. If I can start all over at 30 (yes calling myself that already), then I know anyone can. If school is where you want to be, there are night classes and online course that can be taken from your local college. If a promotion is what you want, find out what trainings you need to take or what will get you ahead and notice as the shining star of the company. Don't be afraid to go after what you want. It is possible you just have to believe in yourself and have the proper support in your corner to get you there. As I tell my students, put your listening ears and your thinking cap on and let's see what we can do to solve the problem. Have a great evening everyone and I look forward to writing to you again before the holiday. Please enjoy this song by Yolanda Adams that I listen to when I need a boost.  :-*
I believe by Yolanda Adams

Still going strong

Oh Turkey day is around the corner. Where will you be, who will you be with? Me I will be with the family of course. My father-in-law always cooks and so the whole family will be there and we will be giving thanks for having another year together and for having things we have. I am thankful for my kids and my life. I am thankful for being able to wake up every day and to walk outside and feel the sun kiss my skin.

The last entry I told you guys about my doctor visit and the results. I am still going to go with the radiation but I am also going to get a second opinion. My health is all I got but I want to make sure that all options are looked over. With that said, I finished the third week of my running. It felt real good getting over that hurdle. Now week four comes and I am a little nervous because it will test my strength, especially mentally. I am taking it one step at a time and know that I will conquer this week coming up just like the last three. Changes I have seen are my clothes have gotten looser and I have been paying attention to what I put in but not restricting myself. I love the lose it website because every day I have to plug in my foods and I get to see just exactly what I am putting in me and how much cals it is. I realize that although I am eating my veggies, I need to add some more into them. So that is the plan, to incorporate more veggies into my meals. Monday will be the weigh in and I can't wait to see what I have accomplished. Even if it is not a big change I am going to be happy because I am finally doing this for me.

Today I had to take it easy. I felt a cold coming and I want to take care of myself so that I am able to push through my run and work for the week. It felt good that yesterday the Principal at the school I was subbing for was giving me advice and letting me know that I was doing the right thing and getting great feedback from the teachers. He doesn't know that he help put another notch in my belt of achievements. I know that the change in careers was the right decision and I am looking forward to having my own room.

I hope that everyone had a great week and will be enjoying the weekend. I look forward to posting again and I want you guys to remember to stick to those goals and if you have goals, see how you can achieve them. Well I am going to leave you with my corny song I have been singing in my head, Eye of the tiger by Survivor. Have a great weekend and I will see you tomorrow.  :-*
Eye of the tiger by Survivor

What's next?

Hello everyone. I am glad that my running community is keeping up with the plan and is doing well. So today was the big day. I went back to the doctor to find out what I got and why my thyroid was enlarged. The ultra sound and the scan confirmed that I do have hyperthyroidism but I have several nodules on both sides of my thyroid that are not cancerous. So my options are medication, radiation, and surgery. Medication is ruled out because the cause of my thyroid being overactive is the nodules so taking medication will only mask the problem. So that leaves radiation which will shrink the nodules but the downside is I could go to hypothyroidism and have to take meds to balance my thyroid. The surgery is the other option and I was all for that until I got to the downside. With surgery there is the risk of damaging the vocal cords as well as damage to my parathyroid glands in the back which put me on medication for life to balance my thyroid and to make sure my blood-calcium levels stay normal. So the decision I have made is to do the radiation. The decision was not made lightly. Either choice there is a big possibility that I will be taking meds afterwards. So I want to do the radiation to see if it will work and if not, then surgery will be the next step.

I post this for all to see because it is very important to go for yearly checkups. You should get your blood tested and tell the doctor everything that is bothering you. Never dismiss an ache and pain if it continues to occur because it could be a sign of something bigger. In previous entries I stated that I get one every year so this was a big surprise because the tiredness, the hair loss, sweating started to about 4 to 5 months ago. If you are reading this, please take the time out to take care of yourself. There is only one you and if you have kids you want to be in the best health as possible for your children. I am going to get off my soap box now and tell you how the rest of my day went.

Running this morning was wonderful. I was a little distracted due to my appointment today but I got through my run and I felt good about it. I also started using the lose it website to log my food and I feel good about being accountable for my workouts and eating habits. That is the key. If you do not like how the workout or not seeing the pounds come off, look at what you are doing. You have to account for everything that you are trying to do be a better yourself so why not jot down what you are doing so you can have a blueprint and change where needed. Please also remember that things don't change overnight. You didn't get lazy overnight, put the pounds on overnight, or start putting yourself on the backburner so give it time.

So don't wait until New Years to change, start now. Is if you are Living, Inspiring, Nourishing, Dreaming, and Ascending to a better you. The moment you decide where you are amongst those words the sooner you can change for yourself and people will truly see the beauty in you and what you are truly worth. I will see you guys tomorrow and take care. :-*

Living my life likes it's golden

I wanted to take the time out to thank those who take the time to read my blog. While you are reading, make sure to subscribe so I can show my appreciation to you outside my blog. Don't forget to tell others who may need to be uplifted and just know that they are not alone in their journey. Enough with the plugging of my blog, let's see how my day went.

The interview went very well. I am hoping to hear back from them soon. I really like this position and what the company stands for so I hope they can see I am a good fit for their company as well as the community. I am now on my week 3 of my running plan. I was scared because I didn't think I would be able to push through the longer time but I did it and was very pleased at myself. We have these broken records in our heads that continuously play. The one in my head was you can't do it, why don't you stop. I didn't let that record play for too long. I slowed my pace and pushed through my run. This is something we all have to do whether it is a fitness goal, applying for another job, or whatever. The goal is that you have to make that record say I can and I will try. People around you may not understand your method or support you but that is when we have to be our own cheerleaders. I am finding that out again. I didn't always have that record playing in my head, when I wanted to do something, I would just do it. If it failed I just brushed it off and tried again.

So the point that I am making is try to find where the broken record started. Why it started and how you can break it for good. Sometimes all it takes it support telling you that you can do it and other times it takes cleaning house of friends, spouses, family that bring the negativity around you. That's when you have to sit down and evaluate your life and the people in it. Speaking of friends and support, one of my friends in the running community hipped me onto a great website called lose it. It is like a diary for the food you eat. It's free and I signed up for it today and I'm now keeping taps of what I put in my mouth. So if you are looking for a site that will track your cals as well as show you your progress towards your goal, this is the site. Another bonus is it has an application for your phone so when you are on the go, you are able to continue to keep track. I will post the site under health on my blog for those who want to check it out.

So I will end this with saying again, thank you. Thank you running community for the support; thank you friends that are far and near for the encouragement. It really feels good when you know that people want you to succeed and I promise I will not let you down. I will get back up time and time again and continue until I make my goal. I hope everyone had a great day and know that tomorrow is a new day and we can start fresh. Here is a song by Jill Scott that I listen to every morning. Enjoy and I will see you tomorrow.  :-*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QCXr79Rkcw

Wakeup call

Hello everyone. I am glad to be back on writing to you guys. The last couple of weeks have been crazy. I had a paper due today and a presentation to give. So you can say that I was and am drained. I got some good news for the week, I got called for an interview and I am looking forward to going and letting them know that they have find the right person. My passion is helping others. That has been the story of my life. So when this postion came I was like, finally a job that gets me. So I filled out the application, turned in my resume and here I am today letting you guys know that I will be dressed to impress Monday. So that was the bright stop in my week.

I finished week 2 of my running plan and I feel pretty good about it. I am trying to take the smalls steps of changing my life. Running is that first step. As I get stronger I will be changing over my eating. Don't get me wrong, I am not running for 30 minutes and then eating Ben and Jerry's. No that would defeat the purpose of what I am doing but what I am doing is looking at my portion size and exchanging some of the fries for sweet potatoes and healthier choices. My ultimate goal is to match my eating to my running. But like I said, the first thing is that you are moving and making that change. So next week starts week 3 and I am so excited. I have been mentally pushing myself. I am getting back to the me I use to be.

Sometimes it takes a wake up call to finally make you think about your life and where you want to go. Two weeks ago was my wake up call. I realize that I have two wonder boys who love me unconditionally. I want to make sure that I am here to return the unconditional love that they show me. I want to be able to get the calls for advice about girls and what they like and don't like or why she say one thing and do another. Lol! I had to laugh about that, I am so protective I know that I will need to take gun lessons. Have to keep those girls away from my boys :-) They have goals and dreams and I will make sure that no drama gets in the way of my babies. Besides wanting to be around to see my boys grow into wonderful men, I want to live life again. I want to get that stress free feeling agian. I want to look in the mirror and pat myself on the back and say good job girl. So I ask this question to you. What was or will be your wake up call? Are you ready to take the steps to get what you want? Ponder that and let me know what you think. I am back and ready to become Linda. I hope you guys are having a great weekend and I will see you guys tomorrow. :-*

Better Days

Good evening to all. I am so proud of myself. I did my second day of my week 2 run and it was great. I didn't feel like I was dying and I started to sing with the songs to help with breathing. So that was a big smiley face on my check list of things to do. Next on the list was the second test for my thyroid.

After having such a great run this morning I was more relaxed when I went in to have the scan done. The tech was very nice with explaining what the scan was for and then told me how long I would be laying there to get the pictures. It took about 40 minutes to do a complete scan (front and left and right view). Of course he could have told me what he saw but he said I will leave that up to your doctor to tell you. So of course I was then put back into nervous mode as I searched my brain to decode what that meant.

I will say that lying down on that machine really gave me time to think and figure things out as far as where I want to be in life. I know you will say, "don't you already know that?" but in actuality, it is always good to check in now and then on how you see yourself and what you need to do to put you were you want to be. For me I want to be teaching. I want to be able to provide financially for my children without feeling like I am sacrificing my mommy time to get where I want to be. I try to wrap my head around how my mother did it. How she was able to be at every game, every concert, and every play. I have to take my hat off to her. She did a damn good job at raising me, my brother, and sister. I know she is probably smiling knowing that if she could have been here to hear me ask how she did it, she would say I knew you would ask that question sooner or later.

Well, I sit here today filled with questions that I am trying to find the answers to. Eager to learn them but afraid to stumble and fail. So I bring the questions back to you. Do you know where you are going or want to be at? What steps do you need to take to get there and how will you do it? My mother always said to never stop asking questions because the more you know the more you can go into things with your eyes wide open and not blocked. Have a great day everyone and I will let you know what tomorrow brings me.  Enjoy the song. It makes me think of my mother when I listen to it. :-*
Better days by Dianne Reeves

Feeling like Superwoman

Hello to all. Today was an exhausting day. I went in for my ultra sound today and to get the radiation put into me so let's start there. The 45 minute wait alone made me tired and anxious. Finally when I was in the room with the tech, she was not the gentlest person to my throat. You know how you get that hard to swallow feeling when you are nervous, that is what I had when she was pressing up against my neck looking at my thyroid. I was finally glad when that was over because I didn't have to go through the torture anymore. Next I had to wait another 25 minutes to see the guy who would give me the radiation. I had one lady next to me who was just as nervous as I because they called her back in due to irregularities on her mammogram test.

Finally after watching the end of the Rachel Ray show and going 15 minutes into the Let's Make a Deal show, the guy in the white coat calls me in. He explains that I will not have to get poked, that they now have radiation pills that I can take. Now a smile came over my face as he looked over the paperwork and then at me and said "you have an overactive thyroid?" I looked up at him and replied, "That’s what my doctor tells me." He looks at me and the paperwork again and says " you don't look like you have hyperthyroidism, what symptoms do you have?" I then go through the symptoms and he says well I guys that's why they say not all will have these symptoms. I tell him I am always that 1 to 2% that will have the opposite but will still have the problem and we both laughed. It was nice that I could get my mind off of the issue for a little bit but that's all it was, a little bit. He went right into telling me that I can't be near my children for 24 hours and that when I come back he will scan my throat and it will tell him and the doctor if my thyroid had not taken in the radiation (hypothyroid), taken all of the radiation (hyperthyroid) or just taken in enough which would mean my thyroid is work fine.

So here I am now, waiting on 24 hours to roll on by so that I can see the doc tomorrow for the scan. It sucks because my boys want to hug me and be under me and they can't but you know what I am still going on with my daily routine. I checked homework from a distance and talked and watched TV with them. So as I sit here listening to Superwoman by Alicia Keys, I raise my chest and my chin. I know that I am moving towards a better life for myself and my children. I am realizing that everything was not built in a day and I have to be able to let some things go on the back burner so that I can have a peace of mind. Once my little ones are tucked in I will start on my strength training and then do some studying. I hope that everyone has had a great day and know that tomorrow will be a new page that you can write the outcome too. I will post tomorrow and let you know how everything went.  For now enjoy the music. :-*

Superwoman by Alicia Keys

Becoming mentally strong

Hello everyone! Today was a great day. I got on my scale and I lost 2 pounds. I am so excited. This made my day and only fueled me to continue my journey. Went for my week 2 run and at first it was rough but by the third round I was in the zone. Looking ahead to your goal could never feel any better. So with that in mind I kept the excitement going all day. Now it is time for me to focus on my test tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be an ultra sound of my thyroid to see how big it is and if anything else is wrong. They will then give me either through my vein or a liquid of radiation before I leave. This will be in my system for 24 hours and I will come back on Wednesday so they can see how much of the radiation has left my thyroid. This should be interesting considering that I can not be in close contact with my children. So I will be in one room and they will be in the other. That is going to break my little ones heart since he likes to be next to me.

So tonight I will be mentally preparing myself for these two tests. Am I scared? Yes I am. I don't want them to find anything else wrong or it be worse. Doing research on it, I found that people take meds for life. That is something I do not want to do therefore, I am hoping that there is an alternative to this. I will leave you with this in mind. Some things we can't control (genetics, parents, etc.) but those things that you can (health, safety, peace of mind) should not be taken lightly. Do go and get an annual checkup like I do and don't blow off that cold that has been lingering around for more than two weeks. Just take care of yourself and it will take care of you. Have a great night everyone and I will see you tomorrow. :-*

Making changes to what you love

Hello to everyone. I am back and ready to share my world and my thoughts. Yesterdays was crazy with school for 8 hours, coming home to exercise, and then cook and spend time with the family. You can say it was like a circus. But I am alive and feeling good about my mini accomplishment of completing my first week on the running plan.

Today I had a road block. I am thrilled and happy about having to go to the second hole on my belt and the strength I feel when I hit the pavement but then I thought about the foods I eat. Last week I did pretty well with the eating. I was reducing the amount of food on my plate and I had stop the over munching I was doing with the snacks. But in order for me to move forward and not begin to hate the workout and life change I am doing, I have to find a way to take the food I love so much and make them healthy. So here lays my problem. I am a meat and potatoes kind of girl. This country was built on it and I love it very much. I don't want to sacrifice the foods that I eat because I have tried all kinds of "diets” where you have to eat this and not that or don't eat it at all. So I decided to challenge myself. Take the foods I love and make them healthier.

I love beef stroganoff so I decided to give this meal a complete makeover. Hold on to your seats as I tell you what I did to change this meal. First let's start with the ingredients:

Healthy Harvest whole wheat noodles
1 can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom
1 can of 1% milk (used the cream of mushroom can)
1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 cup of fat free sour cream

Cook noodles as instructed. Well noodles are cooking, cook ground turkey in skillet until fully cooked. Drain liquid from the meat and by this time the noodles should be done. Drain noodles and put in the skillet with the meat. Pour cream of mushroom over the noodles and meat and then pour the can of milk over it. Start by folding the mixture inward to evenly coat the noodles and meat with the cream of mushroom and milk. After you have evenly coated the noodle mix, add the sour cream. You are going to fold the noodle mixture inward so that everything is coated with the sour cream. Once completed, serve with a side of salad.

So that is what I had for dinner tonight. I reduced the calories of the milk, sour cream, ground turkey, and cream of mushroom. I substituted the yellow noodles for whole grain. You can call it my poor man’s meal but I find a way to eat what I love, not spend a lot of money on beef tips and feel good about using healthier ingredients in my meal. My family really enjoyed it and didn't notice the change. So this is the challenge I am giving you. Find a way to take your favorite foods healthier. I also would love for someone to give me a recipe that is fattening so I can see if I can make it healthier. So send me your favorite food and let me see what I can do with it. 

Tomorrow starts my week 2 of the running plan and I have my shoes, IPod, stroller for my little one, and clothes all ready to go. Hope to hear from you on how you are going to live healthier for you and your family. Let’s see you Nourish your life, let’s get Linda. :-*

Getting ready for the weekend

I just wanted to get this in today. I finished my first week of my running plan. I am so happy. Tomorrow is school and then I come home to do my Zumba. I am looking forward to getting on the scale Monday and seeing my accomplishments. I know that it will not be big but any progress is great. I am looking forward to starting week 2 of the running plan and I have found a podcast to work with my plan. I encourage you guys to start doing something for yourself whether it is losing weight or take time out to get back in touch with yourself.

It has been a long day and my mind is thinking about the two tests I have to take to find out my course of treatment for my hyperthyroid. I hope everyone had a great week and if you did not, let’s see what we can change to make the next week better. Enjoy your weekend and I will see you guys tomorrow.  :-*

The fact is... we all need someone

Hello everyone. Today was a great day. I got up this morning and did my daily routine. I came home and did yard work which I will say worked my legs muscles like crazy. Since today was my volunteering at my son school, I had to cut my yard work short and get ready.

So as I entered my son's school to go to the designated class for the day, it dawned on me that in every part of our lives we neeed someone. I know some will debate that but when it comes down to it, we do not have the answers to everything and whether it is now or later we will have to ask someone for help. For instance, teachers need parts to be viatal participants in their child's school life and as I am a vital part of my child's school to help teachers focus on children that are having troubles while I am able to work with the rest of the students who understand. If that comparison didn't work for you lets talk about a how jobs. In order for the company you work for to make money, they need you to do your job which your job rewards you with a paycheck so that you an drive the car you have, live where you live, and buy the food you eat. So I hope you get me now.

Sometimes we get stuck into thinking that we have to do for ourselves because no one else will but that is not all true. This comes back to yesterdays blog. In some point in our lives we will need someone whether it is to help watch the kids while we go look for a job or to help put a piece of furniture together. The people of this world just don't work like that. We need someone there  and whether it is a girlfrend/boyfriend, spouse, or friend, those connections that we make are the ones that build us to what we are today and might want to be in the future. So keep in mind the company you keep. Are they making you a better person or are they just taking up space? Can you say for them that if you needed them today or tomorrow, they will be there with their hand extended to help carry the load. These are all things that you need to think about as you make your way to becoming Linda. :-*

Change doesn't happen overnight

I hope that everyone has had or is having a great day. If you are not, the next day will come and bring you a chance to enjoy the life bestowed onto you. Today we got the final results of the election that took place yesterday. If you are upset please remember that in order to fix a problem we most vote. For those who did vote and feel upset remember that you still have a voice and if things are not going the way you want then use your voice to speak up. Nothing changes until voices start to vocalize that change needs to happen. I also want you guys to remember that change does not happen overnight and you must give it time to take effect.

Speaking of giving things time, today my day was not well. My morning went very well. I got up and got my boys breakfast and my oldest ready for school. I went on my second day of my running plan and I felt good up until I got a text that one of my supports could be leaving me. You never appreciate how much a person does for you physically, emotionally, and spiritually until it's too late. We didn't live in the same state but we did keep in contact through phone, text, and emails but knowing that if I wanted to visit them by car or plane made the difference. It is not set in stone that they will be leaving but they will be leaving me when the time comes.

So here I am stressing over when they will leave. Are things going to change? My mind starts to race with the negative aspect of things. My mom always said I look at the bad parts before the good but in the end I come up with best positive outcome for things. She says I work backwards when it comes to seeing the brighter side of things :-) so that situation put a dampen on my day. From that news, I started to critic myself but then I had to slap myself (literally) because things are not built overnight. I have to stop the mentality of wanting things right then and go back to how my mother raised me which is to pay your dues in order to accomplish what you want. If that means that I have to get out there and mingle with people to come up with another support system then I will do that.

So tell me, what is the goal that you have set for yourself? What support do you have in place and if you are lacking, what can you do to change it?  It is all about knowing that when you are down, that there is someone there that can pick you up, carry you to that finish line, and give it to you straight whether you want it or not. So look around at the people in your life and see if when you need them they will be there. Some people are just pass through in your life so that you can reach your goals and others are there to keep you focus on what you plan to do. So look at who fits those categories and you will know how to move towards your goal. Enjoy the rest of your day and remember tomorrow is never a repeat of the last unless you allow it to be. :-*

And the beat goes on

I want to start off this blog by saying to day was a very important day for us as citizens to vote people into office that we feel will address the concerns and needs of your state and country. I bolded that because I want you guys to remember that change does not come overnight but the needs of the public does need to start being addressed.

Now, onto how I am doing today. I got up this morning feeling good. The goals today were to go to this Endocrinologist to see why I have been so tired and had been having swelling in my hands and feet. I guess I should catch you guys up a little bit. I will say I am one of those people who do not like to wait around until things break in order to fix the problem so needless to say, I went to the doctor for an annual checkup. You know the usual blood drawn to check for in irregularities and to make sure that I am overall healthy. Well the results came back and overall my health was great except for my weight which I am in the process of losing. Once the doctor gave me the spill on all the benefits of losing the 20+ pounds I should loss he got that look in his face. So I just told him to give it to me straight, I don't want the sugar coated version. So he told me that my thyroid results were high. He then went to tell me that this could be the reason why I was feeling tired, my hands and feet swelling and my body not being able to regulate itself. So I looked at him and said ok I am not dying and that's good but what is our next step.

He then like all doctors do begin telling me that I will have to go to the endocrinologist so that they can run further test and confirm the results he got and then go into treatment plans. So of course like any other person who has gotten news that they hyperthyroid, I begin to look up what this was and the possible treatments. As I started reading up on this, I notice that most of the symptoms for hyperthyroidism I didn't have but I did match up well with hypothyroidism. So now it was a guessing game now about what I may have. Which leads me back to the beginning of this entry.

In the endocrinologist office where it is so cold and feels like the scene from the BettleJuice movie where he has his ticket and switches it with the voodoo witch doctor sitting next to him (seating here laughing as I think of that scene). But then I was called in and sitting in a room where I got a flashback of my first time at an OBGYN appointment, ladies you know that feeling guys reading this just continue reading. So the doctor comes in and I was shocked. The person I had envisioned was a lady because the name on my insurance companies’ site was a female first name and the person standing in front of me was a man. Ok back to the discussion at hand. He comes in and asks me all the questions that I had answered with my primary doctor but I gladly give him what I have been experiencing and my family history.

He goes through the breath in and out, follow my finger routine, and then checks my throat. I can say this man was a man with few words but then he tells me to come to the poster that was behind me and shows me what a thyroid looks like and how mine was large and that this is why I was experiencing some of the problems I had. He tells me that I will be going to have an ultra sound and a scan on my thyroid so that he can develop the proper treatment for me. So as I stand there trying to envision the pills or the surgery that I may have to take, the one thing I am grateful for was it was not anything life threatening. I came home and made my appoint for the ultra sound and scan that will be done in two days. The next thing for me is to not worry my pretty little head and focus on working on my Linda.

At this point I feel I am working on Nourishing my mind, body and soul. I guess this is where I was meant to start. I did my strength training today which I felt great about. Tomorrow is my second day of my running plan and I am looking for to being out in the fresh air pushing my little one in the stroller as I progress to a better me. So the question I have for today is what do you slack on in your life? and how can you change that so that you can be one step closer to being Linda? Have a great night everyone. Thanks for taking the time out to vote because as my mom always said "you can't complain when things stay the same and you didn't speak up for change." I look forward to sharing my world with you. :-*

The light bulb effect

On Saturday evening after the family had eaten, gotten washed up for the night, had a few laughs, and were tucked into their beds dreaming sweet dreams, I was busy up on Facebook. Yes, you heard me right. I was up playing one of the many addictive games that are on the site. After playing the games, I saw an ad on the right side that said "The couch-to-5K." I clicked on it and I saw a running plan that they said could get you running a 5K in 9 weeks. My brain said "sounds easy" but my mouth poked out and said "yeah the only 5K you will run is in your sleep." So I clicked on the sign up button and put in my information. As I finished up and had printed out the running plan, I felt my chest raise and my chin tilt up. I had committed to a new journey.

This was going to be the time that I did something for me and not for others. I continued to search the site looking at helpful articles and even stumbled into the community to find someone who would be starting on Monday. How relieved I felt that she too had been putting things on the backburner. So as I read the other logins comments about how they too saw the site but put it to the side like they do for other things that pertain to making them feel good, a light bulb went off. This is meant to be. I was meant to start over at this moment at this time of my life. At that moment I made a commitment to myself to complete this task and move on to bettering my life in every aspect.

Another light bulb went off and Linda was made. Why not form a brand that I believe in, that relates to every single person, and that I know will help others achieve what I am achieving. So if you want to Live for you, Inspire others, Nourish your mind body and soul, Dream to fulfill your goals, and Ascend to a better you, then you have come to the right place. You will get to see the good and the bad, the ups and downs, and the highs and lows as I transform to be a better person for myself foremost and for my family. I welcome all comments and all followers who would love to be Linda.