Lucky Girl....

Alright... so this isn't really going to be about working out... I'm just in a mood right now... a great mood.  I have a core of wonderful friends, which is truly a blessing.  But even more so, I was blessed with a built in crew.  I was born into an exclusive club... the 4th and final member of the Draper Kids.  I know that there are three people on this planet Earth who share a bond with me.  No one else in the world knows what it's like to be the child of Tony & Cheryl Draper except Kimberly, William & Deanna (with me, above).  No one else knows how wonderful it is to be the child of Tony & Cheryl... except the four of us.  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be approaching 39 years of age, and I genuinely LIKE my three grown siblings.  I think if a parent can raise 4 distinctly different children who grow up and still like each other, that's a success.  LOL.

I could go on and on and on about them... We're VERY close... we grew up VERY close... Will was born in Jan '67, Deanna in Aug '68, Kimberly in Sept '70 & I came along in July '71.  So my parents had 4 kids in less than 5 years... like I said, we were packed together, and I had a built in posse from day one.  We're not all sunshine & roses.... we have our differences every now & then.  Something interesting is that I can not ever remember having a fall out with any one of them (outside of a childhood tussle over toys or Kimberly being on my side of the room).  As a teenager, college student, adult... I've never had any issues with the three of them that I can remember.  Perhaps it's my personality... and it may have something to do with the fact that I live in California & they all live in Atlanta.  At the same time, I can say that I am equally close to all three of them.  I have a different & special relationship with each of them.  As the Draper Kid who is out of state, I always want to feel like I'm not missing out, so it's important for me to communicate with them as often as possible.  In a seven day week, I may talk to Kimberly 5 days (she likes to talk on the phone)... Deanna & I talk on the phone & through Facebook.... Will & I don't talk on the phone much, but we generally talk once a week either through Facebook, text or the phone.  

I guess what's prompting all this sibling talk right now is the sister a step above me.  Kimberly is a little over ten months older than I am, so we grew up side by side.  A grade apart (except when I skipped first grade & did second & third grade with her... that's a whole different blog post... LOL!) 

One thing I love about Kimberly is how outgoing she is.  Actually, all three of my siblings are more outgoing than I am.  Maybe that has something to do with why I've never clashed with any of them... Hmmm...  this is like a therapy session...  Okay, I digress...  Kimberly was always in drama club, loved to perform... I have never wanted that... outside of cheerleading, I pretty much have been content to stay in the background.  I'm the planner.  I like to make a spreadsheet, make sure everything is running smoothly, check off my To Do List.... so I've always been drawn to people who are opposite of me.  I love the person who is the life of the party, because I'm not like that... and I need that person to draw me out of my shell.  My best friends, Stacy & Sharon, are both very outgoing... Claudine, my friend and trainer?  She's always the first person to get the party started... she's good to get me out of the house to have some fun.  Kimberly? She's always enjoyed the spotlight... not in a vain way, but she has always been comfortable in that role.  She was Miss Morningside in high school, Miss Tuskegee in college, in school plays, etc.  And I've always been her biggest cheerleader & fan, along with the rest of our family.

Kimberly is a doctor in Atlanta (www.gradydoctor.blogspot.com) who does a weekly segment on the Fox 5 morning news called "Good Day Atlanta Housecall".  I am able to watch it on line every Wednesday, and she does a great job.  That gig led to two appearances on the Dr. Oz show... which was, in the words of her two boys, Isaiah & Zachary.... AWESOME!  To see my sister on national television, holding her own next to Dr. Oz was just.... really there are no words to explain how proud I was of her.  For her to marry the doctor in her with the performer in her is completely natural... Duh, of course Kimberly belongs on television.  It only makes sense!

On Sunday, we got a text from Kimberly saying that she was on her way to CNN to do a segment about Manute Bol's passing.... and they even sent a car for her!

Hold up... did you say CNN... as in CNN CNN???  Like, the news network that everyone all over EVERYWHERE watches???  My sister??? The one who I shared a room with growing up??? on CNN???  Stop the presses!!!  And she knocked it out of the PARK!  Yes, I'm biased... I won't lie... but seriously, she was incredible.  Let me find a thesaurus, because proud just doesn't cut it... like... what is way, way, waaaaay above proud?  That's what I was... hell, I still am.

Above is a video I made of her appearance... CNN.com did not post the video (yet?), so I had to do it old school to share with everyone.  My sister on CNN!  Shutchomouf!  LOL!  I'm still floating.  One thing about the Draper family is that we celebrate each other's successes... so this is a homerun for our entire family.  The sky is the limit for her, and I can't wait to see what God has in store for her next!

Biz & Miz

Stay tuned... Dr. Kimberly Manning is going to be a household name one day... you just wait and see.  Yep, my little-big sister... We've already claimed it!  

I love you, Miz!

Dance Fever!

My knee has been hurting a little bit for the last couple of days.  So I haven't done any impact workouts since Saturday.  Today, I felt like I needed to do something, so I decided to dance.   Perhaps I was inspired by "So You Think You Can Dance" on Fox... but it was probably more like "Dance Your A** Off" on Oxygen.  LOL!  I wasn't dancing hard, but I was moving for 30 minutes...  it was a lot of fun.

"How low can you go?"
(What's up with my "dance face"??? LOL!)

The pictures are me dancing at a party a couple of weeks ago...  Soul Train line, of course!  I wasn't quite so dressed up tonight.  It was more like sweats, socks, and a tank top.  And I am not ashamed to say I have "Macho Man" by the Village People on my playlist, and I repeated it a few times!  Dance to "Macho Man" on repeat, and I guarantee you will have a smile on your face & your heart rate will be elevated!

My tip for today is if you're in a rut, put on some good music and DANCE YOUR A** OFF!!!

P.S. -- Make sure you drop it like it's hot for a little extra leg work!

Burn, baby! BURN!

Howdy, howdy!  I'm having a great day today... it's only noon & I've already burned 1300 calories (thank you bodybugg!) Once you get that morning workout in, your body keeps working for you all day!

All is well... I must admit, my mom's recent visit plus the Lakers playing in the finals have gotten me off track with my eating and drinking.  I ALWAYS work out... that's not a problem... but I've fallen back into a snacking pattern that is no good for me.  That all stops... RIGHT.  NOW.  In case you hadn't heard, the LAKERS are back to back WORLD CHAMPIONS... so I have no excuse to snack & watch basketball for at least 4-5 months!  (See photo above: me... HAPPY!)

Along with working out & enjoying time with my friends, I have my little nephews in town.  They're a bundle of energy!  Here are a couple shots of them "working out" with Auntie JoLai in my home gym:

Weight Lifting...

...and cardio! :-)

Happy Saturday!  Get in a workout today & burn, baby, BURN some calories!

Quick Post...

Just wanted to show you my summer hair... I haven't had this much hair on my head since I was a little KID!  It will also go curly when I wet it.  This will definitely help me turn up the workout game a notch this summer to get where I want to be. 

Here is a shot from the back:

  

And here's a shot the day I got it done... Go Lakers!

Black Women... Hair... and Working Out...

I thought I'd take this time to write about my hair.  What does my hair have to do with a blog about my workout journey?  Oh, plenty... trust me.  One of the things that keeps many black women from exercising as much as they should exercise is the whole hair issue.  When we pay $70, $80, even $100 to get our hair done, the last thing most of us want to do is ruin it immediately with a workout.  I go to the hair salon and get my natural hair pressed every other Thursday.  I generally pay about $70-$90 depending on what she's doing that day.  Sounds like a lot of money, but for me, it's worth it to keep my hair healthy.

Once I started REALLY working out... okay, hold on... let me tell you what I mean by REALLY working out...

For years, I just thought I wasn't a "sweater" as in "a person who sweats"... my mom doesn't really sweat... Kimberly didn't really sweat... neither did I.  I'd get on the treadmill at the gym and start walking for an hour, and all I'd get was a bit of dew on my forehead.  So the whole hair thing wasn't a big deal for me, because I didn't sweat in my head.

Okay, back to the story... once I started REALLY working out I realized that I do INDEED sweat... and I sweat a lot.  Obviously, something changed in me, or I just wasn't working out hard enough (which was probably the case.)  Now, I sweat everywhere when I exercise... including my head.  Therein lies the problem.  On Thursday Hair Day when I go get my hair pressed, it is straight from the roots to the ends.  As soon as I workout, my roots get wet from sweat and curl up.  This is why many black women are reluctant to workout out for at least a few days after they get their hair done.  When I started working out as a part of my lifestyle, I had to accept that my straight roots would last a day... two at the most, because I wouldn't be one of those women who let my hair keep me from having the healthy, in-shape body I so greatly want & deserve to inhabit.

Hair is done Thursday evening... it's generally curly in the roots some time on Friday... or at least by Saturday morning when I go to bootcamp.  I pull it into a ponytail & tie it down with a scarf while I workout.  I try to let it dry in the ponytail to minimize the wave, but generally, all of Desiree's hard work is gone by that Sunday.  I'm cool with that.  The picture up top is what it looks like when Desiree, my hair doctor (that's what I like to call her), does my hair.

After about a week, I wash it myself & either wear it with conditioner in it like so...

Deanna & I... "Wet & Go"

...or I wash it, put it in a bunch of little braids/plaits, and sit under the dryer.  Once it dries, I undo it & go.  This is what it looks like...

Sorta the same, but a little more neat & controlled than the "wet & go" look.  I wear it like that for a week, or sometimes in a ponytail... and when Thursday comes around again I start all over.

I have this big plan to kick up the workouts a notch this summer... so I'm going to try something new with my hair soon... stay tuned for another post...  until then, I'll keep on sweating my hair out & dealing with it...

Hump Day Update...

I am super bad at blogging these days, but just wanted to post a quick update. Things are going great! I am currently at 144lbs... and dropping. I went to New York for four days & I managed to eat, drink & be merry without being a total food cop to myself. I actually ate PIZZA, which was downright delicious. I walked a lot & I even got up one morning for a jog. So it was a great trip.

I got a bit off track with my morning workouts, but I'll be back on my game in May. My initial three months is ending. I was going to give it up due to cost, but the teacher is going to charge me $99 a month for May, June, July & August. Four workouts a week... As long as I get to at least 10 classes a month I'll get my money's worth!

Okay, gotta run (literally!)... Toodles!

Setting Goals....

I generally try not to set huge, long term goals for myself when it comes to my weight... for example:  Even though I would love to weigh 125 one day, I don't set a goal at 125.  Otherwise, I'll get discouraged that it takes me a year to get there.  I'll set smaller goals like, "fit into these jeans I have on right now, but where I can slide them on with no problem fresh out of the dryer..." or " lose 5 pounds by Cinco de Mayo..."  Things like that.  My current short term goal is to be at comfortably at 142lbs by the beginning of May.  Why 142?  Who knows?  But I know I can get there, and if I'm at 140 that's even better.  My definition of "comfortably" is when I get on the scale it always says 142 or less.  I don't claim a weight until I can stay there for a week.  :-)

HOWEVER, I have set a long term goal for myself recently... that goal is to wear a bikini, with no wrap, and be happy about it, by my 40th birthday.  In fact, I'm going to have a bikini photo shoot.  How about that?  Now, all three of those pieces of the puzzle must be in place:

1.  wearing the bikini
2.  not wearing a sarong or board shorts or anything to cover my butt/thighs
and
3.  be HAPPY about it!

I can put on a bikini right now... would I step out in public?  Hellll to the naw!  But I will by July 26, 2011... It is going to take major WORK... and I mean MAJOR (say it like Victoria Beckham.. MAY-JAH!)  LOL!

You see that girl in the picture up there?  In that bikini?  With no wrap?  And clearly happy about whatever she is doing?  That's me as a child... I look to be about 4 or 5, just enjoying life.  That's my long term goal:  to take a bikini picture like that... and be HAPPY about it!!!  Wish me luck!