Just when things are going so well, a setback. Saturday morning it was freezing outside and our Ripple Effect workout was outside. It doesn’t take long to warm up once we start working out though. We were doing our exercises and on the third set we did jump squats. I wasn’t jumping because my knees are weak, so I was just pulsing the squats. We were sprinting to a cone and back between exercises and then we went into jumping jacks, if I remember correctly. On one of the jumps I heard a loud pop and a roll in my right thigh. It hurt like hell. First I thought it was going to be alright after stretching it out good, but boy was I wrong! I had to miss a good it of the rest of our workout with some of the instructors stretching it out and assessing it. They said it may have a small tear, but it probably just knotted up due to the cold and popped when I landed on it. I was able to walk on it and did finish the rest of the workout doing the best I could. I iced it when I got home and put bio freeze on it before I went to bed. When I got up that afternoon to go to work it was very sore, but not unbearable. Throughout the night at work I iced it and kept it elevated. I got a roller on my way to work and used that on my lunch hour. It felt okay rolling it. Sunday night it was hurting bad and I continued the ice therapy and elevation. I rolled it on he roller again on my lunch hour. I eventually put heat on it. Tonight it feels better, but still hurts. I don’t think I’ll be able to do the ripple workout tomorrow and it is really getting me down. I’m hoping it is better quickly. I’m really having bad withdrawals from Ripple Effect and I’ve only missed one workout, which I would’ve missed any way because of work, lol. I would quit, but I don’t know how! Can’t wait for the pain to go away and get back to Ripple! In the meantime I will continue the rest of my healthy lifestyle and do some other types of exercise that don’t effect my hamstring. I’m done ranting now.

What a wonderful year this has been so far. I have been having such an awesome time with the Ripple Effect. It is such hard work, but so rewarding at the same time. I’m doing things I never would’ve thought myself capable of. I can feel my body getting stronger every day and my clothes are starting to get very loose. We had a big Ripple Effect free Saturday workout on the 9th that was off the chain. They made lots of announcements about upcoming exciting things. They also announced the winners of the weight loss challenge for last month. Much to my surprise, I won 2nd place! I only lost 5 pounds, but I lost a total of 8 inches and over 7% body fat! The 1st place winner lost an amazing 20 pounds! We both did the Advocare 24 day challenge along with the weight loss challenge which gave us optimum results. I’m hoping that I can reach my weight loss goal by this summer. I will continue to participate in the Ripple Effect even after accomplishing that goal. I also signed up to go on the Ripple Effect mission trip to Guatemala in July. I am looking very forward to this experience.

This past Saturday was the last day of the weight loss challenge at Powerhouse Gym. We all weighed in and got measured. I lost 5 pounds, 5 inches from my waist and 2 inches from my hips! I was so excited. I knew about the 5 pounds, but the inches were a very nice surprise. Everyone lost one way or another, either weight or inches, or both. This is remarkable. Those of us using the Advocare products had greater losses than those that didn’t. I’m glad I decided to start using the products. They really make a difference and help ou feel better.
The next Ripple Effect started today. I had to miss the first day because of work, but I will definitely be there tomorrow. I’m looking very forward to it. Never thought I would be excited to workout, lol. This program is absolutely wonderful. The people involved in running it have the biggest hearts ever. I love the fact that nobody judges you for not having a perfect body and motivates you every step of the way toward healthiness.
Can’t wait for tomorrow night and the changes that will be occurring for the next 4 weeks! Getting stronger every day.

Today is day 15 of my 24 day Advocare Challenge.  I’ve lost 6 pounds so far and don’t plan on quitting.  I feel great.  Surprisingly I’ve managed to give up my coffee habit of almost a pot a day.  I’m eating more healthy than I have in quite some time and it feels good.  No more bloating, lol.  I even enjoy the taste of brown rice now. This is also the beginning of week 3 of my second Ripple Effect. The workouts are getting tougher, but I’m hanging in there. I can feel a difference in my muscle tone and strength. Powerhouse gym in Port Neches has got to be he most fabulous gym I’ve ever gone to. They make you feel so welcome and there is never any judging you for your appearance. They truly want to help people improve their health. I’m so grateful to be a part of such an awesome community. I feel like I have a real chance of meeting my goals now and that’s a great feeling!

Went to my first cycling class this morning. Boy, was that fun, lol.  It actually was a lot of fun.  It was also very challenging.  Great way to start the day.  I wish my schedule was such that I could make it to more of the classes at the gym, but that’ll be a long time before that happens.  I will continue to the Ripple Effect and Can You 24 DVD and work in a class or two when I can.  I feel so much better when I’m able to get some exercise in.  Thirty years ago I would’ve never said that, lol.  I tried to stay away from exercise as much as possible.  Glad I changed my mind.  Hopefully I’ll start seeing some results soon.  Even if I don’t lose weight, I know I’m doing my body good, as well as my mind.  Hope everyone has an awesome day.  Remember that through Christ we can do all things!

Today is my fifth day of the Advocare 24 day Challenge and the seventh day of Ripple Effect 2.  Things are going great.  I’m trying to follow the 24 day challenge as close as possible, although with my schedule it gets challenging sometime.  I’m not getting hungry at all and most of the time I’m so full I can’t get enough calories in for the day.  I also got the Can You 24 Workout DVD.

Ripple Effect is going extremely well. Every class is challenging, but so worth the pain.  Saturday one of our instructors had his mentor come and lead class.  It was so awesome.  He has no legs and has no excuses.  The workout was simply amazing.  We had so much fun and pushed ourselves to the limit.

The Can You 24 DVD is the same kind of workout that we do in the Ripple Effect.  I’ve only done one day of that so far and I really liked it.  I hope to do that on the days I work.  That should make up for the few days of Ripple that I’m unable to go to because of my work schedule.

Hopefully with all of these positive changes I’ll start to see some results on the scale and my clothes.  I’ll also be feeling better and stronger.

Happy New Year everyone!  Hoping this year is blessed beyond your imagination.

I’m working some overtime this morning from 0600-1000 and the going home to nap before coming back to work 1800-0600.  I had to do all my cooking yesterday afternoon.  I made meatballs, fried cabbage, black eye peas, and stuffed green peppers.  I’ll make some cornbread when I get home.  I’m already getting hungry, lol.

Here is a prayer I’d like to share for the new year:

Grant me the strength from day to day to bear what burdens come my way.

Grant me throughout this bright New Year more to endure and less to fear.

Help me live that I may be, from spite and petty malice, free.

Let me not bitterly complain when cherished hopes of mine prove vain,

Or spoil with deeds of hate and rage some fair tomorrow’s spotless page.

Lord, as the days shall come and go in courage let me stronger grow.

Lord, as the New Year dawns today help me to put my faults away.

Let me be big in little things; Grant me the joy which friendship brings.

Keep me from selfishness and spite; Let me be wise in what is right.

A Happy New Year! Grant that I may bring no tear to any eye.

When this New Year in time shall end let it be said I’ve played the friend,

Have lived and loved and labored here, and made of it a happy year.

–Edgar A. Guest

I worked the night of Christmas Eve and got off at 6am Christmas Day.  My best friend’s son had been taken to the hospital during the night so I stopped to see them on my way home.  After visiting for a little while I went home and put some lunch on to cook.  I took a very short nap and Traci, Pervis and the boys stopped by.  A little while later Ryan came over and we all had a wonderful visit.  Family time is what the holidays are all about.  The Saturday before Christmas I was with my family in Honey Island and had a great visit.  Finally in the holiday mood!

Ryan made me a desk for Christmas this year.  It is huge, sturdy and beautiful,  I love it!  It makes my heart fill with pride when I see what he can do.  I love getting things made by him.  It is so special.  I appreciate all the time and work that went into making it for me.  I love it and will always cherish it.

A few days late, but still the holiday season.  Each year it gets harder to get in the holiday mood.  The decorations go up earlier and earlier each year and the music is playing in stores before Thanksgiving is over.  By the time Christmas really gets here there’s not much excitement.

This year was especially hard with the killing of so many innocent children in the northeast.  The world seems to be turning into a very cruel and scary place.  The devil is hard at work and seems to winning a lot.  We need to really examine our hearts and get them in the right place.  Jesus is the only answer.  As a nation we have put him on the back burner and allowed Satan to move right on in.  We need to put God back at the front of our lives.

Haven’t been writing on here lately.  I’ll start with 11-13-12…..I was involved in a 10-50 major.  I was on my way to get my car washed and 3 blocks from home.  I was driving down 32nd Street toward Memorial Blvd when I see a Ford Fusion on my left.  The driver had a stop sign but for some reason he didn’t stop.  I t-boned him and my car spun around and landed on the grass facing the opposite direction.  I passed out for a few seconds and woke up with my airbag deployed and my car calling 911 reporting the crash.  This was my first wreck and I was terrified.  A nice Hispanic lady came to my door to check on me and help me out.  My glasses had flown off my face and I was in shock.  The other also spun around facing the opposite direction and hit an electric pole.  He would get out of his car.  The ambulance, fire truck and police cars came.  I told them I was alright and called Ricky.  He came from work.  The other driver had them put a collar on him and put him on the gurney and into the ambulance.  The wreckers came and I signed their papers and Ricky took me home.  The ambulance left right after us to take him to the medical center.  As soon as we got home I called my insurance agent and she told me the other driver had already called them trying to file on me!  He was calling from the back of the ambulance!!!  Ricky took me to St Mary’s ER and I got checked out because my head was hurting and my neck and back were hurting.  They took an X-ray of my back, gave me a tetanus shot, pain pills and muscle relaxed and sent me home.  I started hurting more each day after the wreck.  I went to my chiropractor and he said I have whiplash.  They also did X-rays and found my c1 twisted and my spine out of alignment.  Now I have 4 months of treatment starting all over again to get back to where I was.  I hired Ricky’s cousin, Shawn, to represent me.  Hopefully he will be able to take care of this for me.  I missed almost 2 weeks of work and I’m still hurting.