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Introduction Text Okay...fast forward to 2014. I had my second child in March of this year. I am trying really hard not to put back on the weight I lost. I have managed to put back on 10 lbs. I have learned that keeping a journal of what you eat is so beneficial when trying to eat healthy and maintain/lose weight. SparkPeople provides a great tool for doing this with the tracker. This thing can be your friend or your foe (ha). I am trying to let it be my friend and stick to it. If you are not accountable for YOU, who will be? READY...SET...GO... ____________________________ Me, revisited: It is now the year 2011. To be exact, three days after my 36th birthday - 10/26/11. In my absence from SP, I have tried Weight Watchers, but stopped. I lost 24 lbs with it, but fell off track. I have decided to try SparkPeople again and see how it goes. I didn't gain all the weight back that I lost on WW; however, I am not far from it. I don't want to get there, either. Let's see how it goes... ______________________________ Hi all. My name is Tomekia and I live in Missouri City, Texas. I am 33 years old. This is not my first go round to try and lose weight and create a healthier lifestyle for myself, but I hope it will be my last. My daughter is four years old and by the time she turns 5 (7/30) and I have my 34th birthday (10/23), I want to lose 60 pounds. So for right now, that's my goal. ____________________________________ "You can conquer almost any fear if you will make up your mind to do so. For remember, fear doesn't exist anywhere except in the mind." -Dale Carnegie ____________________________________ Updates: 7/1/09 – Okay, I tried doing an update for my Spark People page on 6/26/09, but for some reason, none of my information was saved. So, here I go again. Hopefully this time will be a success. It seems like forever since I did an update. I am feeling really good. My eating habits are gradually changing. I have incorporated juices back into my diet, but everything in moderation. Whereas, I used to drink 16 oz. of juice in one sitting with no problem, I now drink 4 oz. in moderation (like every other of day). I tried just doing water and I did for 3 ½ months. Now that I allow myself to drink the 4 oz. serving of juice, it takes the edge off and prevents me from backsliding into overindulgence. My family is eating healthier too because of my “weight loss” journey. You know what though? If this is done in a collective, inclusive environment, success is imminent. I have gotten my mother and daughter to see the joy of eating healthier. They like it when I cook. Eating out has become so expensive, the only other option for me was to stock up the shelves and start back cooking. A lot of people think eating healthy spells boring and tasteless food. This is not the case. There are many spices and interesting ways to prepare a dish that will appeal to any palette. I have not weighed myself since May 18, but will do so sometime in July, probably the 14th. The fact that I am eating healthier and exercising makes me feel really good. It is so funny looking back a little over 4 months ago when I first started this journey. The first day I exercised, 2/17/09, I will never forget it. I was so out of breath after that first work out, I thought I would pass out. The next day I was so stiff and my legs HURT like crazy. I wanted to call it quits. However, my inner voice said, “Now Tomekia, if you stop now, what will you have accomplished? No one said this journey would be easy. Stay with this, it will prove to be beneficial.” My trainer said these exact words the next day when I told him I didn’t think I would make it. So here I am 4 months later, staying with it and maintaining. Never will I say it’s easy because it’s not. However, getting to goal (weight management and a healthier lifestyle) is important. Keeping a food journal is very important as well. I have seen the benefits of it. 3/19/09 - I have not had juice (100% or otherwise) since I started SP (2/17/09). This was a challenge for me because I had become addicted to apple juice. Now I get my fix from the natural apple (well, most times I add a tbsp or two of peanut butter). Sometimes I want to slip, but I don't. It's funny because when I was pregnant, I told the nurses I would be breast feeding. In turn, they only brought me water, juice, and milk. At that point, I said, if they didn't bring me any soda (coke), I can do without. That's been 4 1/2 years ago. I am trying to incorporate another 30 minute day of exercise. Gradually getting there. My eating habits have gotten better. My biggest challenge right now is making sure that I get my 4-5 servings of fruits and veggies a day. That is improving as well. It will come. I don't want to push myself to much for fear of giving up all together; so, I will take my time on this "journey". I actually ran/walked a mile today. I did about three times of running and walked the rest. Yeah, I was out of breathe (very), but I made it. I am going to try it again tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes. Who knows, next week I might kick it up to 1.5 miles, running/walking.

2014 To maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating a proper diet, exercising, and eliminating as much stress as possible. _____________ 10/26/11 I want to lose 60 lbs. by May 2011. If it's more, that would be great as well. ______________ I want to lose 60 lbs. by Oct. 2009. In the process, though, gain a healthier lifestyle for me and my family. 7/1/09 - I am on my way to a HEALTHIER me! I can see the changes already. 26 lbs. down, another 34 more to go by Oct. 2009. It will happen! I pray to GOD about it to see me through and I know that he will. My family has already incorporated healthier eating habits. With all of this combined (diet and exercise), I will accomplish my goal (in Jesus’ name).

2014 Try to incorporate 30-60 minute sessions of cardio, strength, and weight training exercise, 3-5 days a week. ______________ 10/26/11 Prior to WW, I wasn't doing anything. On WW, I started working out three times a week. Now, for about 14 weeks, I haven't done anything (on a constant basis). My plan: start back working out three times a week -cardio and strength mix. ____________ I am working out (cardio and strength) two to three times a week. 30 minutes each session. I am still working on how to implement changing my eating habits, but they too, shall come. 7/1/09 - For the most part, I am still working out two to three times a week – mostly twice a week. I am doing more cardio now. The sessions are still 30 minutes. By mid July (around 7/13), I will start working out three times a week (maybe four) solid. Keep me in your prayers with this one. I know I can do it though (who would have ever thought I could work out twice a week

I am from Brazoria County (Sweeny, TX). _________ 2014 I have two beautiful children - a 10 year old daughter, and a 3 month old son.

10/26/11 Still doing volunteering and most of my Saturdays have been consumed with cheerleading. I read the book "The Help"-awesome, by the way-but have not seen the movie yet. I also started working on my MBA this past summer, which I plan to complete by Summer/Fall 2015. ___________ I am currently reading The Associate by John Grisham. It's a good book so far. 4/24/09-I still haven't finished this book. 7/1/09 - Yeah, I still haven’t finished this book. : ) You might find this site helpful (especially the new Sparkers, such as myself). This site helps you with measurements (i.e. how many ounces make a cup, how many mililiters in a cup): <link> <link>www.asknumbers.com/CookingConversion </link>

Add a Link _____________________________ Tomekia - Mo City, TX "All great achievements require time." -Maya Angelou "Aim at the sun, and you may not reach it; but your arrow will fly far higher than if aimed at an object on a level with yourself." -Joel Hawes "I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go." -Langston Hughes
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