Double Portion Inspiration

Two years ago I was at my heaviest weight. If I would've put my pinky toe on the scale, it would register 200 pounds. My blood pressure was on the rise and I just didn't feel healthy. Now, with that being said, I was still a beautiful black woman. I just had a few more curves and edges. When I visited with my doctor for my yearly physical and to discuss next steps regarding my blood pressure, she suggested that I decrease my sodium intake. I quickly realized that it was poison to my body. So many foods that I loved were high in sodium. I remember looking at the sodium content for a grilled chicken salad that I frequently enjoyed at a local restaurant and it exceeded 1100 mg of sodium! That's almost a daily supply of sodium in one salad. At my doctor's suggestion, I decided to make small changes. Over time, those small changes led to 21 pounds of weight lost in a 2 year period. Here's what worked for me: Decreased my sodium intake Decreased my food portion...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Renee and I have declared that 2019 is OUR year. This year we celebrate 8 years of blogging. Eight years of being inspired by YOU, our faithful readers. We receive encouraging comments on social media and also in person about how this blog has been a blessing. We are deeply grateful for YOU choosing to read while commuting, sitting at work, sitting on your couch, sitting at the doctor's office, or even reading while on the treadmill. This year we are committing to give inspiring advice that has helped us in the past. Many mistakes have been made. Renee and I have learned that if we don't acknowledge them, learn and heal from them, we will end up making the exact SAME mistake. During 2019, we will cover topics such as healthy eating, motivation, mental clarity, parenting, financial wealth and exercise. Each of these topics have great meaning in our lives. We want to inspire you to constantly evolve and elevate as you move through the rest of 2019. ...

Lunch: Fresh Guac, Tuna Salad & Veggies Last week I shared about my 11 pound weight loss. I shared four small changes that made a tremendous difference in my health. If you missed it, no worries.  Here you go! Since that post, I've received a few requests to share a little more about my diet during the past few months. Let me just say, I don't believe in diets. They come and go and never seem to work for me. Instead I make healthier choices one meal at a time. About 80% of my meals came from the following list (see below). I'm not a nutritionist and I urge you to consult with your physician before making any changes in your diet and exercise. Eating off this list made it easy to maintain. I also fully believe in cheating on any plan. Instead of a cheat day, have a cheat item. No matter what you decide, keep it simple! Meat; Chicken Turkey Salmon Shrimp Eggs Pork Pepperoni Side Dish: Roasted Veggies Veggies : Squash Carrots Arugula Romai...

BEFORE I've always embraced my body's curves and edges. A little extra love handle never really freaked me out. I'm comfortable in my own skin and I don't feel the need to be the skinniest chick in the crowd. I exercise, eat fairly healthy and take care of my body. Last year during a routine physical, I was made aware of my blood pressure being on the high side. It wasn't crazy high, but it was elevated. My physician asked me to eat less sodium, continue to exercise and return in three months for a follow up to see if it would make an impact on my numbers. In a matter of minutes, I quickly realized why high blood pressure is called the "silent killer". AFTER I didn't feel sick or anything. I needed to lose weight to help combat this concern. It was time to take action. Over the next few months, I implemented a few things that made a tremendous difference. Before I share, realize there's no silver bullet with weight loss. You'...

A new year is here - 2016 is in full swing.  It is incredible to be blessed to see another year.  Renee and I took a hiatus from blogging to unplug, refresh and recharge for the new year.  The feeling in the air is a fresh start, a new outlook, strong optimism on the outcome for the many days ahead.  I wish I could bottle all the positive energy in the atmosphere. Did you make a resolution, set an intention or talk to your loved one about your 2016 goals? Most people have strong intentions but many failed attempts .  You want to lose weight but just don't feel motivated to start or sustain an exercise regimen.  You want to slash your financial debt, but one of the department stores just had their largest sale of the year and you blew that goal within hours of setting it.  What about wanting to be more organized?  Well, the load of clothes you washed on Saturday still sits in the dryer a week later. What causes our failed attempts at...

We are almost 15 days into this new year.  2015 started with us intentionally making promises to ourselves. Do some of these sound familiar - improve finances, stop shopping, build an emergency cash fund, spend more time with family, weight loss, better eating, more organization, more exercise, clean out a closet, etc. Whatever it is, just a few short days ago we were fired up and ready to invoke positive change in our lives. WHAT HAPPENED? Some of us didn't even keep the promise for a day without falling off the wagon.  Truth moment:  a box of Godiva chocolate that sits in my refrigerator keeps me from keeping my promise.  The sad part for me, I find a way everyday to justify  why this little pleasure or distraction won't derail MY success. Think about it, one little slip up doesn't hurt that much does it?  Well overtime that little slip up, compromise and justification can quickly lead to me gaining 20 pounds. The funny part, at the end o...

It's that time of year again.  Time to reflect on the year ahead and commit to just ONE WORD . Forget New Year’s Resolutions. Scrap that long list of goals you won’t remember three weeks from now anyway. Choose just one word. One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long. It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your one word will shape not only your year, but also you. It will become the compass that directs your decisions and guides your steps. Discover the big impact one word can make. One word. 365 days. A changed life. If you missed my words from year's past, here's the posts from 2012 and 2013 . My word for this year is SUDDENLY ! I just believe that my world will change (for the good) in ways I couldn't have ever imagined........ suddenly .  My word means that the atmosphere around me will shift abruptly.  Movement will happen without warning....

Happy New Year My family always spends our Christmas holiday in Orlando.  This year we traveled to Davenport, Fl.  Using our GPS as a guide we decided on a new route (US27).  We always take the expressway (Turnpike) when we travel.  Taking US27 was taking me out of my comfort zone because you are traveling through small cities with many stoplights.  I was afraid a 3 hour trip would take 6 hours. My uncle's front yard The experience was wonderful!  We went through small towns like Clewiston and Moore Haven.  The average population in these cities is 2,000 people.  US27 is the road less traveled because it is surrounded by agricultural fields. We saw huge fields of sugar cane and bountiful orange groves.  The ride was quiet and peaceful. Mother's Garden During our Christmas vacation we  journeyed to Archer, FL.  My boys played outside all day being entertained by cows and acorns falling from the massive oak tree. ...