New Black Cultural Diet Weight Loss Challenge

Maintaining Physical Fitness for 2010

2009-12-29T13:02:00.000-08:00

Greetings Everyone,

It's that time of the year in which a vast majority of everyone try to commit to some New Year's Resolution. Well, since I turned 51 this past August, my outlook is dramatically different than just a year ago. I am no longer doing New Year's Resolution.

What I am committing to is doing the things that I have done in previous years and STICKING TO IT!! I am sticking to such basic issues as:

Watching what I eat
Preparing foods healthier
Selecting healthier foods
Avoiding certain very "rich" foods high in cholesterol and fat
MAINTAINING MY LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FITNESS!

That's it. By the way, you can check out my latest Football Fitness 2009 Workout at the YouTube site:

Football Fitness 2009

Gloria and I wish all of you PEACE AND HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY 2010!!

Happy Holidays Everyone and Welcome Back!

2009-12-22T18:04:00.000-08:00

Holiday Menu

It has been a pretty busy year and the holiday break will give us all a chance to rest and restore positive energy. The menu for this Christmas will be a combination of homemade and special order.

This year, I decided to keep things light and make Leek Soup for Christmas Eve. It reminds me of a bowl of Leek soup I had at a California Kitchen Restaurant in Manhattan Beach, California several years ago. I like to add sage, turkey ham and a few more golden potatoes to my soup. One of the ingredients in Leek Soup is white wine so I chose Sandy Cross Vineyards Muscadine wine that is bottled in Mount Airy, North Carolina. The Duplin Carolina Bald Head Red Sweet Table wine works well with punch drinks. I am going to try my best to venture to Raleigh/Durham to try the California Kitchen’s new Moroccan Salad or Baja Fish Tacos with Blue Corn Tortilla Chips. I will let you know how it turns out. As a base, I chose Knorr Leek Recipe Mix and just follow the directions on the package. Speaking of special orders, I will be picking up a Whole Cajun Turkey and a mini ham from the Honey Baked Ham store. My menu side items will be scalloped potatoes with reduced fat cheddar cheese. My main vegetable will be the underrepresented Cauliflower. Once I lightly steam my cauliflower, I plan on adding sautéed corn, orange bell pepper, and onions to it. This should give me a colorful dish. I am adding a side of corn bread stuffing for the kids. Homemade stuffing is great but if you are in a hurry, Stove Top stuffing will do fine.

One of the favorite deserts in our house is Pecan Pie and Peach Cobbler so I will have that on hand for everyone to consume. There are also good pecan pies at the Honey Baked Ham store, Food Lion, Kroger, Harris Teeter and Sams Club. I decided to purchase pie crust for the canned peach pie filling and picked up a jar of Delmonte fresh peaches to lighten the taste of the canned filling. You will notice I am bias to the texture, taste, sight and smell of the food I eat which makes cooking more enjoyable for me. For New Years I plan on a seafood menu of crab salad, shrimp, black eye peas and rice for good luck and the addition of Chinese food. As a child, my family would go to our favorite Chinese food restaurant for New Years Eve and come home and ring in the New Year.

Stress Release

The holidays can be stressful on the cook so I de-stress by playing holiday music of old school, new school, jazz and classics. Some of the holiday classic songs I listen to while I cook were my father’s favorite singers such as Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathis. Natalie Cole is unforgettable also.

The Luciana Souza/Romero Lubambo Duos II acoustic jazz CD is wonderful. Luciana’s voice is crisp and melodic. Lately, I have been burning up the Al Jarreau song “Brite N’ Sunny Babe”. Yep ladies, I consider myself a Brite N’ Sunny Babe for the New Year. I hope you do too.
Thanks Natalie Cole for making us fabulous 40 and up women of today look good. A Class Act.
Meanwhile, my kids and I are listening to everything from the Black Eye Peas, Lupe Fiasco, Barcelona, Beyonce’, Shakira, The Fray, Mary J Blige, John Legend , Alicia Keys, The Avett Brothers and many others.

Don’t forget to dance to the music while cooking. It’s a fun way to burn off those holiday calories.

Check it out:
You can find other health and cultural commentary by visiting the blogs:
http://innervoice-rise.blogspot.com/
http://culturalcommentaryartist.ning.com/
Web Tip: http://www.nataliecole.com/
I wish you a positive, energetic and bright New Year.
Keep the faith and stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy!

Gloria J Harden-Bailey

Fall is in Full Swing!

2009-11-07T08:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back Everyone,

I hope you are all staying healthy despite the viral flu seasons and multiple vaccinations. Take the time to take care of yourself and get your regular physical exams and stick to your wellness plan. In my prior journals, I have discussed dietary habits, recipes and the mental aspect of health. All those things are important to long term wellness. Currently, I am transitioning through a period of slowing down and listening to the clues of what my body is telling me. I have started cleansing my body of toxins through colonic herbal recipes that are safe and time released. Check with your doctor before you begin any colonic or fasting program. I am utilizing my cleansing kit in moderation, meaning I still fit it into my daily routine by eating very moderately and primarily at dinner time with the rest of the family and of course the food choice is healthy as possible because I want to set the best healthy living example as possible for my children. Cleansing my system will also help with various food allergies and rid yourself of toxins and hydrate the body and skin. I have fasted several times before and it has always rejuvenated me inside and out as well as spiritually. I always have practiced a balanced approach to my health. Events and issues just force you to come to terms with who you are and that is a good thing.

Healthy Deserts

In the previous journal, I talked about low sugar deserts. My sons tested and baked a Betty Crocker pre-packed reduced sugar cake with low sugar icing. It turned out fine. You could tell some of the sugar was missing but overall it was flavorful. I did not have him make the cake mix from scatch, although he can but the reality is that when he is on his own and a fully equipped kitchen and food ingredients are not available to make homemade recipes then he still will need to take that trip to the grocery to make informed and wise food selections. Unless it is a passion of your child to cook the following scenario will play out whereby your son or daughter will be influenced by their peers' food choices and not to mention young men and women in college dorm eating unhealthy without their parents looking over their shoulders. So it goes back to healthy behavior, practicality and balance. Don't take the fun out of enjoying your holiday deserts. The best approach is moderation. In otherwords, don't over eat yourself into a nap or have to go find loose clothing to accommodate your full stomachs.

This year, I am continuing Thanksgiving on a Budget and going out to enjoy holiday meals with family, loved ones, friends, neighbors and associates.

Mental Inspiration

I have a few words to share about inspiration. For as long as I can remember, ideas, images and words have come to me in a flow of light. It's hard to explain because it is so intense and personal and unique to who I am. It can happen in the middle of the night in my dreams, while I am driving, in the middle of a conversation, and other places that thoughts decide to drop in or come back to me for a reasons you cannot decipher just yet because the purpose is not meant to be revealed at this point.

During these holidays and everyday of the year, we all ponder the highs and lows of life. Some year you experience the positive upturn of events and other times loss and grief. I have been through both recently. My siblings and I, as hundreds of other families, have a family member that is battling the last stages of Alzheimer Disease. Concurrently, my daughter is happily and stressfully preparing herself for college. I have found that it is important and mentally healthy to release stress through prayer, meditation and exercise. Choose what works for you. For instance, I was on the treadmill one morning with my IPOD earphones plugged in listening to Jazz vocalist Al Jarreau and the song, "Waltz for Debby" melodically flowed into my ears and the harmonic story unfolds about a little girl who treasures her dolls, favorite toys, dances to silent music, revels in her playful inspired antics and how she transitions to a woman. At that moment, the inspiration hit like a lightning bolt and that encompassed my grief for the loss of my loved one to Alzheimer, the loss of my daughter to becoming a woman as she goes off to college, the loss of my age related to youth but happy to find a new youthful inspiration. It goes to show you that the old tale that death and dying does not just come in (3's) three's but so does life. As Al Jarreau continues to sing in my head, I think of myself dancing to the silent music and songs that are spun of gold and the songs that me and my mother danced to and the dances that my daughter and I leaped across the floor to and I laugh with joy because I get the message that love, joy, sadness, grief and peace is as it should be as other life comes to an end and new youth springs eternal and all is as it should be.

So, the lesson is once again as we all grow that there is continued BALANCE. Hats off to artist Al Jarreau for inspiring me to hit my mental inspiration stride as he sings the lyrics, "In the Sun she Dances to silent music, songs that are spun of gold somewhere in her own little head." "The dolls, bears and toys will miss her but so will I." Here my inspirational tribute to my my Mom and daughter; The things you have embraced and touched will miss you and so will I, so dance in the sun and I hope the same wish for you too!

Check it Out:

You can find my other diet, health and cultural commentary artist journals by visiting the blogs:
http://culturalcommentaryartist.ning.com
http://innervoice-rise.blogspot.com

Keep the faith and stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy!

Gloria J. Harden-Bailey

Welcome to Fall by Gloria J. Harden-Bailey!

2009-10-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

I hope you had a nice summer. I have to pat myself on the back for sticking to my exercise routine through the summer and staying on track for the most part in terms of healthy eating. I did not lose more pounds but lost inches off my hips and legs. I turned 47 years old. What a difference a year or two makes when you discover the age related changes in your body and learn to adjust your eating habits with increasing your exercise regimen in order to lose or maintain a healthy physical and mental lifestyle. It is always a balance as most things in life are and I am a reformed perfectionist who has learned to accept my own flaws and talents. I have added more cardio and strength training to my workouts for heart health and body toning. I feel it's best to customize what works for you. You cannot walk someone else's path to long term wellness. Be happy with who you are. I for one am my own critic and have always competed against myself. I think it is mentally healthy and a positive approach to measure yourself against your own personal and career goals versus other people's lives and what we learn from each other provides growth for the benefit of everyone.

I ran track in high school and enjoyed those agonizing 330 hurdles and no matter how fast or slow I was against a competitor, the internal spirit in me led the race whether I won or loss.

Fall is upon us and I welcome the season changes. I look forward to the holidays and the aroma of the season such as peppermint, apple spice, vanilla, cinnamon, rosemary and sweet potato pie. All those delicious scents can lead to trouble if you forget to count calories and let emotions run your appetite. I also love the scents of the season that Bath and Body Works sells as well as their signature collection for fall and of course I am a long term fan of Carol's Daughter products. Last summer, I promised you that I will continue with my series on healthier recipes and low calorie deserts. So my journal serves as an archive of combining healthy food choices and experiences from my teen years until now.

This past weekend, I baked a low fat sugar substitute chocolate cake using two Sweet and Low chocolate flavor cake mixes. Because most parents do not have time and are looking for affordable options to reduce their grocery bill, I bought this brand on sale at Kroger. The brand advertises no sugar added; low-fat; cholesterol free and low sodium (Just add water). I also used the Sweet and Low chocolate flavor whipped frosting and fudge topping mix which is also sugar free; cholesterol free and low sodium. I added low fat caramel in the middle of the cake. I used the leftover chocolate frosting as a dip for the fresh strawberries.

My three kids enjoyed the strawberry and dip but gave the finished Sweet and Low Cake a 5 on a scale of 1 to 10 because you have to get used to lower sugar content and it seemed less moist. They suggested adding more moisture or switch to reduced fat or low sugar cake mixture or make the batter from scratch by changing to healthier ingredients.

I plan on duplicating a healthier version of Southern Living magazine glazed mini pumpkin cakes and my own version of Sweet Potato Pecan pie. My Sweet potato pie may not be as good as my mother's but it will be healthier and my own recipe. Mom won't mind. I am her daughter and her three grandchildren will benefit.

Check it out: http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/
http://www.carolsdaughter.com/

A note about my sign off: In the past, I have signed off as Mrs. B. Now I am changing it. The name change reflects the acknowledgment of my parent's heritage, family history and the experiences I have had growing up along with my college years prior to meeting Dr. B.. Much respect to Dr. B. and his expertise but he appreciates and acknowledges my experiences. All 18 journal entries will reflect the name change.

Keep the faith and stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy!

Gloria J. Harden-Bailey

Welcome to Summer!

2009-06-14T09:47:00.000-07:00

It is my hope that you are continuing to exercise, eat healthy and maintain a positive and energetic attitude. As summer approaches, we all set goals for our physique and how we view ourselves. I for one have been exercising more often to tone muscle and drop a few pounds in the process. There are all kinds of summer recipes to try. I am keeping it simple by going back to the basics of the original flavor of a fruit and vegetable. Over the years, I have tasted the quality of apples, oranges, pears, nectarines, tomatoes and host of other sweet and tart natural treats and I have not been happy with the results. Fresh fruits and vegetables have been sprayed to the point of tasting waxy and leaving a bad after taste in your mouth which is one of the reasons I rarely eat red apples.

I grew up on Michigan red apples and Sunkist navel oranges and with every bite there was a fresh crunch or enough juice in an orange to make juice. The degradation of the food quality over the years is disappointing but there are glimpses of promise on the horizon towards going back to common sense growth and less harmful pesticides. My mother and father would clip coupons for our large family and plan the Saturday trip to at least three (3) grocers plus the fish store. I went on a few grocery trips with my mom and was exhausted but what I learned was to get the best quality of food for the best price and not settle for less. She taught me and my siblings that no matter what your income or your circumstance (and she had to overcome a lot by being a hearing impaired Black woman), that you deserve to be treated respectively as a human being and as a customer.

Obviously, I took that piece of education to heart and now pass it down to my own children to strive for the best within themselves and others because in the end, everyone benefits. So as a toast to all things natural and summer fresh, I am adding more salads, low calorie fruit desserts and occassionally heart healthy lower alcohol organic sulfite sweet red wine.

Check it out: www.french-wine-online.com and www.esterlinavineyards.com

Also check out my new comments about African American women's hair styles at: http://blackamericabodybeautiful.blogspot.com

Have a Great Summer. CHEERS!!
Stay mentally, physically and spiritually Healthy!

Mrs. B.

Mrs. B's 2009 New Year Thoughts - HONORING YOURSELF

2009-02-27T08:07:00.000-08:00

Welcome Back to the NBCD website and thanks to our readers for your feedback. It is our purpose to educate, inspire and motivate you to seek an improved quality of life. Although our focus addresses African American health which is unfortunately still an issue of disparity in the United States and across the world, we invite all to participate. We are also culturally apart of a colorful Diaspora that spans the Globe.

It is important to honor your own unique path. It is mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy for your overall health. Our family has always been proud of who we are and where we are going even in tough times. We honor ourselves and others even in midst of folks hurling insults, accusations and lack of understanding of various views and cultural identities. You are who you are. Your life inspires others.

You have a right to exist and within that existence yu have toiled the soil to always start anew. I honor the families who find strength and joy in each other while battling negative forces that are not family friendly and dare I say that it is a problem within parts of the Black community where we choose not to uplift each other as we should.

Family and relationships are important to our health and we should choose to nurture those ties. We should choose to honor each other. I always teach my children that if someone is having a negative conversation about you and making inaccurate assumptions about you without your input then the outcome is not in your interest nor are they operating in good faith. In our everyday lives, we all have human errors and frailties but at the end of the day take the time to honor your loved ones and you don't need anyone's permission to honor yourself. It is healing to your health.

Stay tune as I compile all my journals and check out my blog: http://innervoice-rise.blogspot.com/

Stay Mentally, Physically and Spiritually Healthy. Keep the Faith!

Mrs. B.

Mrs. B's 2009 New Year Thoughts - I WONDER!

2009-02-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

The New Year is in full swing and everyone is seeking to re-energize and hopefully ready to take charge of your health. We concentrate on the physical and sometimes neglect our mental well being. Understanding the importance of being spiritually and physically connected to your body's nuances goes a long way towards your weekly exercise and weight loss goals. The daily ups and downs of life can impeded progress toward a healthier you. From time to time, I wonder what road blocks keep me from being the best that I can be. Some road blocks are internal while others are external. Lately, I find that the start of my internal investigation starts with two words -- I WONDER!

I was on the treadmill this morning reflecting and projecting my physical and mental goals and what obstacles to overcome, not only in the short term but the long term. So here is to giving the proper reflective space to human curiosity.

Most of all, I WONDER why we are losing our wonderment? So let's keep wondering what would happen if you envision a better you and hopefully find some answers to your physical, spiritual and mental road blocks on your journey to health.

Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy. Keep the Faith!!

Mrs. B.

4th Week of NBCD 2009 Weight Loss Challenge

2009-02-12T12:03:00.000-08:00

Greetings Everyone,

Talk about a very active week -- we had a number of events with the family and kids. February is African American History month (Black History Month) and of course, I am being asked to participate in a number of events. With all the major events going on, I remind myself to watch what I eat even more.

I had to modify my exercise schedule a bit, but I still got my 3 workouts in the week. Two workouts consisted of the Billy Blanks videos (strength training and aerobic training) along with my Football Fitness workout!! I still managed to maintain the exercise regimen REGARDLESS of all the events!! It really makes me feel good by the end of the week because I still put myself FIRST before my professional obligations!!!

By the way, I lost a couple of more pounds!! I am now 151.8lbs!! That's right, my weight may fluctuate during this period, but it is reducing slowly but steadily!!

KEEPIN' IT REAL AND KEEP ON BELIEVING!!

3rd Week of NBCD 2009 Weight Loss Challenge

2009-01-28T07:15:00.000-08:00

Greetings Everyone,

Wow, what a hectic week!! Well, I'm keeping up with my weekly blog even though I'm a couple of days late. The month of January has been a very active month already!!

Even though the weather changes from warm, then cold, then back to warm, I try to stay consistent with my exercise regimen. We even had snow this week!! Check out the photo! In fact, I take advantage of the university recreational facility in which I have a membership. It is an excellent facility with all the latest exercise equipment.

Here is my exercise regimen at the university recreational facility:

Stretch and warm up

Lift weights on the new resistant machines

Do reps of three on each machine

Reps on the machines include Lats, chest, front legs, back legs, stomach and bicep pulls.

Then I do free weights - 35lbs on each arm

After I complete my 30 minute weight lifting, I then go to the racket ball courts. I love playing racketball because it's like tennis yet much faster. I go into one of the courts (by myself) and hit the racketball for approximately 15 - 20 minutes. I never know what to predict in my game, but it's fast action and it allows me to keep my agility, reaction time and speed up!! I am still an athlete so I have to be COMPETITIVE!! I EVEN GET TO YELL INSIDE THE RACKETBALL COURT TO LET OUT SOME COMPETITIVE ENERGY!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! Yes, that feels real good!!

After racketball, I then hit the indoor track which goes all around the facility on the second floor. First, I do a brisk walk for the first lap and then I start jogging. I usually job about 4 to 5 laps. By the final lap, I am at 3/4 top speed! Not bad for a 50 year-old!!

Then that's it and it only took less than 60 minutes to complete a workout with a variety of exercise activities. This also keeps my interest up in exercising.

By the end of the week, I returned to my neighborhood outdoor recreational park to do my INTENSE FOOTBALL FITNESS WORKOUT. Check it out and let me know what you think about it.

Remember to do you best and JUST KEEP UP YOUR WORKOUT REGIMEN THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS THE BEST WAY YOU CAN!!

2nd Week of NBCD 2009 Weight Loss Challenge

2009-01-18T21:22:00.000-08:00

Greetings Everyone,

As promised, I am keeping my weekly blog on my 2009 Weight Loss Challenge. In this blog, I will primarily share with you more of the strategies and the difficulties in trying to maintain my healthy regimen. Yes, it's always easy to preach to folks and tell them do this or do that, but it is another thing to reveal more of your personal issues that gets us to struggle with adhering to a healthy regimen.

So here are a few issues that challenged my healthy lifestyle this week:

Hectic work schedule made me readjust my workouts through the week. This week, I had several meetings at the university so I had to move my workouts to another day (Wednesday instead of Tuesday then Friday instead of Thursday).
Cold weather outside prevented me from completing my weekly intense Football Fitness workout. Instead of the Football Fitness workout, I stayed inside and completed the Billy Blanks Power Blast workout! No matter how many times I play his DVDs, they still get me going and exercising.
A few celebrations for the Obama Inauguration influenced me to have a few more snacks this weekend. Although I did eat a few items that were too hearty (big submarine sandwich) I nonetheless snacked primarily on the healthy items - oranges, grapes and cereals.
Keep reminding myself to be positive about how I look regardless of how I may feel somewhat stuffed after eating a healthy meal. I don't know why, but after I eat a very health-conscious meal I wonder why I feel guilty in eating a well-rounded meal that fills me up. Sometimes I think that I shouldn't feel good and slightly full after eating a healthy meal. Oh well... I figure it out.
I completed and sent out my special music CD in tribute to President Obama to my relatives!! It was a lot of extra latenight work which modified a bit of my eating pattern.

Well that's it for this week. At the end of the week, I got on the scale and I felt good even though I didn't lose any weight. I am currently at 156 pounds. At least that's what the scale stated this Sunday morning. Peace and STAY WITH YOUR BLOG AND NBCD PLAN!

First Week of 2009 NBCD Weight Loss Challenge

2009-01-09T08:18:00.000-08:00

Greetings Everyone,

It's finally 2009 and yes -- all of us made new year resolutions and I'm sure weight loss was probably at the top of your list! It seems like every year so many people place weight loss as their top 5 resolutions. Well, as you can tell on our blog, we do focus on weight loss but it is so much more than just WEIGHT LOSS! It's about getting control of your LIFE STYLE, LOVING YOUR SELF AND TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF for the long-term.

Whether you do it for a loved-one or to fit in a new fashion outfit or for yourself, LOSING WEIGHT IS MORE THAN JUST LOSING THE POUNDS AND INCHES. IT IS ABOUT A LIFE LONG CULTURAL ADJUSTMENT IN YOUR DAILY LIFE'S ACTIVITIES TO BE HEALTH AWARE AND HEALTH CONSCIOUS!!

Now that I'm 50 years old, I realize that I HAVE TO make changes in my eating, exercise, work and overall lifestyle activities. It's a fact. Although I believe that I am a very active and athletic 50 year old man, I still have to make CONSTRUCTIVE HEALTHY CHANGES in my daily, weekly and monthly activities.

If you want to check out my WEEKLY EXERCISE WORK-OUT, click my YOU TUBE VIDEO showing my Football Workout:

Eric's Football Fitness Exercise Workout

Of course, along with my weekly workout here are few other CULTURAL LIFESTYLE ADJUSTMENTS THAT I MADE IN 2008 AND NOW IN 2009:

Started an Anti-hypertensive medication to control my slightly elevated blood pressure (I take one pill a day. I didn't think that I would have to be on an anti-hypertensive medication, but it REALLY helps to control my blood pressure. That's a big relief off my mind!)

Eating more fresh foods, fruits, vegetables and DRINK MORE WATER.

Workout with Billy Blank tapes throughout the week (twice a week);

Workout at the university's recreational center (lift weights, jog and play racket ball/basketball).

Eat more balanced meals in the morning, lunch and EARLY evening.

Concentrate more on long-term health and not just short term health gain.

JUST LIKE THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE WILL KEEP THIS WEEKLY BLOG FOR YOU TO FOLLOW OUR 2009 NBCD WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE!! If you would like to share how you are making CULTURAL ADJUSTMENTS and CULTURAL HEALTH CHANGES in your lifestyle to not only lose weight but stay in control of your life, email us at: administrator@newblackculturaldiet.com or feedback@newblackculturaldiet.com

PEACE AND LET'S START OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH A NEW CHANGE AND HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE!!

The NBCD Team would also like to CONGRATULATE THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES - BARACK OBAMA - FOR BEING INAUGURATED ON JANUARY 20TH, 2009!

Losing Weight and Being Real With Myself

2008-12-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Greetings Again Everyone,

Before we move on to 2009 and our Weight Loss Challenge, the NBCD team would like to remind everyone that we were very committed in losing weight and changing our lifestyle during 2008. With all the changes that occurred in 2008, we were able to stay focus on our objectives regarding weight loss and health lifestyle.

This weight loss entry features Mrs. B's straight forward talk and insight! Check it out because it's all about:

"Losing Weight and Being Real with Myself"

After reading Mrs. B's NBCD journal entry, please share your 2008 Weight loss tips and advice. Send it to: administrator@newblackculturaldiet.com or feedback@newblackculturaldiet.com

We will feature your 2008 Weight Loss tips and suggestions for all of 2009!!

The 3rd Annual New Black Cultural Diet Weight Loss Challenge - 2009 beginning January 5th, 2009

2008-11-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings Everyone,

It's that time of the year again in 2008 to let you know of our plans to sponsor the 3RD ANNUAL NEW BLACK CULTURAL DIET WEIGHT LOSS CHALLENGE - 2009!! Yes, you have the opportunity to join us and everyone who wants to do something about their weight whether it's 5 pounds, 10 pounds 20 pounds, 40 pounds, 50 pounds or greater. That's right, any weight that YOU want to lose, we want to work with you along with sharing our weight loss experience with you.

So we are in this 3rd Annual NBCD Weight Loss Challenge with YOU!

We will be asking all participants to document their progress with the use of either:

Blogging - written journal

Webcam journal

Photo journal

SPECIFIC DETAILS WILL BE FORTHCOMING SOON!! If you would like to contact us now, please do not hesitate to send your question to: administrator@newblackculturaldiet.com

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - June 27th - July 3rd

2008-07-03T14:50:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone,

We have come to an end of our Weight Loss Challenge and I have lost a total of 8 pounds. I wanted to lose at least 12 more pounds but I am still working towards that goal slowly. Although I did not make it to the set goal, I did lose 3 inches from my waist and thighs. The toning exercises really did the job of making my legs stronger. I am pleased with my results and will continue my weight loss plan through the summer and maintain a long term healthy lifestyle. At the beginning of my journal, I emphasized the importance of positive behavioral changes toward food and exercise. It was also important as I embarked on this journey to analyze my response to food and exercise on a daily basis. Needless to say, I found out a lot about myself. Fortunately, most of the results, mentally, physically and spiritually were positive. I now need to improve a few negative behaviors that impede my progress towards an even healthier lifestyle. One behavioral change would be to address the fact that when the body ages; relisiency, elasticity and flexibility decreases so toning and stretching has become a part of my daily life. I cannot currently change the mid life transitions in my body but I can improve them mentally and physically and I will do that one day at a time.

A Word About Body Image: I am thankful that I am secure enough to accept my body shape. I like who I am and that is an important factor in the decision making process of healthy food choices and physical exercise. Dr. B has published a well researched and ground breaking book on body image of Black America and our influences in society. A new book called, "Black America, Body Beautiful" written by Dr. Eric J. Bailey is due for release on July 30th, 2008. The publisher is Praeger Publishers: An imprint of Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. -- www.greenwood.com

(Excerpt from press release by Dr. Eric J. Bailey on PRWeb News wire)
"Black America, Body Beautiful: How the African American Image is Changing Fashion, Fitness and Other Industries is a new book, along with its accompanying website and blog, about a people's struggle in finding their particular preference for body image and recognizing their body images, body types and standard of beauty are greatly influencing today's fashion, advertising, fitness, television, movie and political industries." For further information on this highly relevant and academically researched book, please visit the website: www.blackamericabodybeautiful.com.

Thank you for joining us whether you participated in the 2008 Weight Loss Challenge or visited the New Black Cultural Diet website -- www.newblackculturaldiet.com -- for informational tips or inspiration. I look forward to blogging with you soon!

Black Pearl Weight Loss Challenge Reward: Mother's Advice
A Mother's wisdom is often passed down from generation to generation and my mother's advice to me was simple and practical. Her advice was "Be Yourself." In an ever-changing environment and societal influences, it is not always easy for a person to follow their own path and I am thankful to know myself. I have taken those two words of advice my mother has given me and adapted it to "Be Yourself and always maintain a sense of self."

Mrs. B

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - June 19th - 26th

2008-06-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

Summer is officially here! I am in full swing with my exercise routine. Lately, I have been focusing on leg toning and it is starting to pay off a little at a time, but I am being patient because it is a long term approach to muscle retention and strength. I have included in my routine more leg work. Slowly, I am noticing the benefits of toning because I have more stamina.

Family Fitness: The other day our kids played racquet ball and basketball with Dad and Mom. What that meant is twice the workout for the adults. Therefore, it was twice the benefit to our health. Our kids began to explore and develop their own exercise regimen. We were very competitive on the basketball court but the importance of good sportsmanship and not getting upset over who won or lost is a challenge for our boys. My daughter attended a college sports athletic integrity camp for high school students, so her advice to her younger brother about team building and good sportsmanship came in handy as she counseled him on how to work together in team sports and yet have healthy competition. As parents, we teach our kids to compete as best as they can and leave the trash talking and attitude at the door but this time it was better coming from a sibling his own age.

I am shopping more cautiously and wisely. For instance with the high price of food and gas, I am making my food selections with healthy choices that are affordable. I interchange weekly between a high end food market and affordable food markets. This way, I can still eat healthy at a lower cost. Finally, grocery stores are making more affordable store brand foods that can match some of the brand name foods in nutrition value.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week:

Closing one door always open another. Never feel that you have lost or the door of opportunity has been closed on you. It is just another opportunity to be creative enough to dream and do something better.

See you next week! Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy.

Mrs. B.

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - June 11th - June 18th

2008-06-18T09:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

Last week was an active week and it looks like it will turn out to be an active summer. I could whine and pout about how I would like to rest because the kids are out of school and Dr. B and I do not have to rise and shine so early in the morning, but once again that dog gone positive attitude streak must prevail and take the view that the children's summer activities contributes to our active and healthy lifestyle. I have been swimming the past couple of Sundays with my family and it is an extra workout. I complete my regular workout early Sunday morning and we all got out of the house for an early swim and water fun at the campus recreation center. Later that week, I played a game of racket ball with Dr. B -- and folks I am getting better at the game and stretching a few muscles at the same time. I played it safe and was cautious about injuring myself by not being so overly competitive by not doing some kind of amazing dive or triple jump to get that blue bouncy ball. I decided my knees and ankles were more important than bragging rights. I always hydrate more often now with water or sports drinks such as G2 Gatorade or of course the Gatorade Tiger Thirst Quencher.

I have been consistent with the light continental breakfast and since the weather has been pretty warm, I have grilled on the George Foreman electric grill a lot more. I am not a sales pitch person for Tiger Woods or George Foreman, but I use their products regularly along with many others. So far, I have continued to grill yellow squash, zucchini and onions with Mrs. Dash Grill Mate Blends and a brush of olive oil.

A note on the healthier cake versions: I did make a strawberry Bundt cake. It was not from scratch just yet but instead of traditional vanilla icing. I used the reduced sugar vanilla icing and added orange food coloring to give the cake a festive look and added red and orange sprinkles for the kids. The cake was pretty decent. I will have to experiment next time from scratch with ingredients that include lactose free milk, my healthier eggs and other substitute replacements to lower the calorie count and increase the health value. I had only one slice while the kids ate the rest. I will keep you posted on the cake revisions.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week: If you can't beat them -- join them.

My kids are starting athletic activities earlier this summer than last year and normally I complain aobut the less turnaround time I have to rejuvenate so I decided to view it positively and become more active and become their exercise partner. Why not? What do I have to lose? Answer: I have everything to gain!

See you next week! Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy.

Mrs. B.

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - June 3rd - June 10th

2008-06-17T10:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

Well folks, this past week and the weeks to come I am going to focus more on the exercise regimen of my weith loss journal. I have increased my workouts to a daily practice that consist of a full intense exercise session two to three times a week and the other days I will do up to 30 minutes of cardio such as a treadmill or stair climber with stretches. One of those days is designated for yoga, belly dancing or a balance ball stretch. As I get older, I need to stretch for a longer period of time to avoid the muscle stiffness that settles in during late evening. So now I am starting to stretch at night before bed. I find it helps calm the aches durng the night. You may be interested to know that on the superficial level to help eliminate cellulite, I have been testing out the Nivea Cellulite cream and patches on a daily basis. I do this along with toning the areas where cellulite goes such as the thighs. Dr. B and I was up late at night channel surfing and click on the Tyra Banks Show where she helped the Nivea company debut their cellulite product. Several models in all shaptes and racial background used the product and walked down the shows runway in swim suits presenting the product results to the studio audience. From each model's testimonial, it seemed to work. I am trying it out daily and I will let you know the results at the end of this weight loss challenge along with my overall progress.

The Forecast

As the weight loss challenge comes to a close, it is important for me and others to know that staying healthy is more important than the target weight goal. When you exercise of often you increase your overall health outcome. When you concentrate on healthy food choices, you decrease the negative aspects of poor health and therefore change your behavior. As I discussed in the beginning of my blog journal, I am on a journey for health first and to chart and change my behavior toward food exercise and I believe I am on the right track. The journey does not end when the challenge ends on July 1st, 2008. The journey begins by me paying attention to the past, living in the present and making the positive changes for the future. For further information, Dr. B's book "Food Choice and Obesity in Black America" is available for purchase at Greenwood Publishing (http://www.greenwood.com/) Greenwood Publishing or (http://www.amazon.com/. I will continue my recent customized health practice throughout the summer and start to blog online again in late September as we all prepare for the holidays with all its food temptations and hectic schedules. Look for our holiday cooking shows podcasts.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week (Credit to Dr. B for citing the following poem to his students for the past 22 yars. It was a card given to him by his parents!)

Follow Your Dream.....take one step at a time and don't settle for less, just continue to clim.
Follow Your Dream....if you stumble, don't stop and lose sight of your goal, press on to the top.
For only on the top can we see the whole view, can we see what we've done and what we can do, can we then have the vision to seek something new... Press on, and Follow Your Dream!

Poem source: Amanda Bradley

See you next week! Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy!

Mrs. B.

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - May 27th - June 2nd

2008-06-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone,

Last week, I talked about getting a fresh start to my diet with a continential breakfast. So what does that mean? Basically, I choose a cup of fresh fruits, tea, decaf coffee and one low calorie pastry, bagel or biscuit. Of course, customize it to what geographical area you might find yourself in when you travel since you will find most continential breakfast served in hotels or on airplanes. I have just adapted a portion of this breakfast to home because you quickly put it together in the morning and get your metabolism going for the day. In the past week, I have added more green tea and grapes and my regular potassium filled banana for fiber. I usually have to break up my fiber intake throughout the day in order to meet the daily nutritional and health value that fiber adds to the body. Although I was not a fan of breakfast in my younger days, I now realize it is an important part of my food intake. The traditional breakfast is fine as long as I go easy on heavy foods. On the weekends, I like the turkey sausage links and turkey bacon and a bowl of cream of wheat or grits. Some folks like the original sausage and bacon but I think having a smaller portion of these food choices is best. So no matter what you try for breakfast and your taste will change along with new trends, one thing is for sure: A well proportioned healthy breakfast is good for the body.

On the exercise tip: I am working hard on gradually increasing and varying my workouts. Now that the weather is warmer, I am going to get back to playing tennis. Next week, I am going to get a good work out by playing racquet ball with Dr. B. I have not played racquet ball in a while so it will be interesting but fun moving muscles that I have not used in a while but I will take it a day at a time and use wise judgement by listening to my body and slow down when I over exert myself. The preservation of my health and quality of life is a very personal and unique journey, so I need only to please and compete with myself.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week: I mostly choose to stretch my sore muscles and use body soaks instead of taking a medicated pain reliever for those small aches. It was a natural way of paying attention to my body and I slowed down to listen to what it was telling me.

See you next week! Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy.

Mrs. B.

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - May 19th - May 26th

2008-05-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend. As I said in the last journal, we decided to grill vegetables, low fat hamburgers and hot dogs and cook only what we could eat. We all had a small portion of one of our kid's birthday cake but threw away over half of the cake because it contained too much sugar and our everyday diet does not consist of that much sugar and everyone felt it. So learning from that lesson and mistakes we are embarking on making a healthy low sugar birthday cake. How is that possible? NBCD will be working steady on the final result and believe me, if it does not take good we will not post it. Look for a healthier version of birthday cases soon.

Well folks, I have lost 6 pounds and 1 inch of body fat. In the beginning of this weight loss journal, I weighed in at a surprising 171lbs. In high school, I averaged about 130 lbs. In college, I averaged 145 lbs. After children, my average weight was 158 lbs. In hindsight, most of my weight in high school and college was muscular which is ideal but after having children, I still maintain some muscle thanks to years of dance, sports and my body remembering the dance muscles from an early age. Sometimes I carry pounds in the curves of my body which I am not complaining about because I like my body curves but fat and water retention can sneak up on you. Fortunately, a portion of my weight gain has always been water retention that I can eliminate. I reduce the water retention by continuing to reduce the sodium intake and drinking a lot of more water. As I age, being more responsible to myself and family to stay healthy and stave off any progressive chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure are important to the quality of my life. I am heading towards the beautiful age of 46 years old and I sometimes gracefully surrender to the natural changes in my physical attributes and the familiar hereditary changes I notice in my mother and older sisters. Now that does not mean that I go sit down and say, "well that's how Mama was so I guess that will be me in a few years." I am striving to reach my own ideals of what I would like to achieve. It just means I am realistically acknowledging it and making changes that fit in with my everyday living.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week:

Everything old is new again. Remember when you did something that worked just right. It happened for me on a family trip to San Francisco. Every morning, I ordered a continental breakfast, ate a light lunch and a medium-sized dinner and of course power walked while I power shopped for bargain discounts on a budget. I was a girl with a plan; accomplished it and was loving every minute of it. In the process, I lost weight without trying. That memory keeps coming up so I have decided to act on it starting with a continental breakfast. I will share the details of the meal plan next week.

See you next week! Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy.

Mrs. B!

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - May 11 - May 18th

2008-05-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

As the summer draws near, every activity imagined to man and woman gets packed in within the month of May and June. It is especially true when you have children. Not only do you have to take care of your own schedule but also everyone else. So things can get a little stressful. What that also means is paying careful attention to your food intake. It is pretty easy to grab fast food on the go and not all choices on the menue are bad but it is the extra items you add that will take youover your calorie budget. So last week, I decided to combat any weaknesses with more exercise whether it was my own customized home workout, the gym or a workplace fitness day. The point is to stay active no matter what the activity. When my time is compressed, I try to look at how my behavior is playing to my food desires. I am loosing an inch and dropped a couple more pounds.

For instance, I was having a conversation with my husband about a topic that was stressful to me and I grabbed some pretzels and lightly salted cashews from the cabinet and without thinking, I took a handful from the bag while talking. Well, that can get me into trouble because you continue to grab another handful of snacks during the duration that you are talking and folks when I am on a role, I can talk. Eric put on his Dr. B hat and pointed out that I am eating while talking and in mid-stream I acknowledged the behavior and set the snack down and got an appropriate size small bowl that was in proportion which is about a palm size full. Thanks Dr. B!

Memorial Day weekend will soon be here and at times we buy various meats to grill and store for a couple of days. Although we eat pretty healthy, this time we decided to grill only skinless chicken, lower fat hotdogs and lean hamburgers and only grill what we can eat for that day. Grilling only what we need would eliminate the temptation to go for seconds. Grilling vegetables and making fresh salads is a good way to get all our nutrients. One of our children is celebrating his birthday so instead of large amounts of candy stuffed in a pinata and a large sheet cake, we opted for smaller amounts of candy with less sugar and a smaller round cake which we know our kids will eat first and burn off calories by playing volleyball, golf, soccer or crocket.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week: Acknowledging unhealthy habits won over my desire to take part in unhealthy behavior.

See you next week! Stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy!
Mrs. B.

NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update - May 4th - 10th

2008-05-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

Eric and I worked out together as members of the recreational facility we joined recently and we had a good time re-acquainting ourselves with the most up to date exercise machines. When I worked out at Bally's in California, my favorite choice was the climber machines with attached arm swings. It works my upper and lower body at the same time and I think it uses my time wisely. I also focused on toning with the weight lifting machines, especially the legs while targeting my knees and thighs. Let me tell you, after healing from foot surgery a little while back, you take for granted the purpose of why we need strong, stable and toned legs. It is not just for looks but the basic mechanics of walking, bending and general mobility to function. We also conentrated on the upper arms and chest lifts to build overall strength. We also continue to do our customized workouts at home such as Taebo, balance ball, dance and for me the belly dancing class. Always remember when using machines, please follow the directions on the visual picture and ask a trainer or gym representative to show you how the equipment works. I do not want anyone to injure themselves. Oh, for those brothers and sisters who think you can work a late 30's to 60's year old body like you're 18 years old again to prove you still got it, please do not get carried away with your ego and work your way up gradually in exercising and toning. What is the hurry? Take your time. Yes, you are all that --- but be all that in a smart way.

I am becoming more selective of the meals I choose. Since the weather is getting warmer, I am adding low fat strawberry, peaches and bananas fruit smoothies to my diet. I am starting to finally curb the extra snacking by eating low salt pretzel sticks and sometimes when the mood hits me, a bowl of oatmeal which is a good source of fiber.

Black Pearl Reward of the week:

A teacher at one of my childern's award ceremony shared a story about his Native American heritage. He recited a tribal phrase in the language of his grandfather. When he translated the words to the crowd in English, he said, "Stand Tall, Sing and Dance." I like that and it is also what I wish for you.

"STAND TALL - SING - DANCE"

Week #5: April 27 - May 3rd - NBCD Weight Loss Journal Update

2008-05-06T21:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

This past week, I focused on food selection and taking advantage of a variety of fruits and vegetables. I try to introduce a new fruit or vegetable into my nutrition plan every month or re-introduce previous food selections. For instance, I may try fresh blue berries with vanilla or strawberry yogurt and add bananas and have that as a breakfast or mid morning meal. That way I get more fruits in earlier in the day before things get too hectic.

I am exercising steadily and am losing inches and 3 pounds! I seem to be better at losing the inches than the pounds but I am on a steady pace. Dr. B and I have joined a Recreation and Exercise facility together on a university campus and will be exercise buddies. Along with our work out plan and home gym equipment, we decided to take advantage of the new professional equipment and classes.

A note about change -- It is good to reflect on what has motivated you this far but also it is important to look to the future and let old habits go. Whether it is spring cleaning your closet for a new outfit, getting a pedicure, a new hairdo, or a fresh barbershop cut and shave, little changes of embracing the new helps to mold and shape your attitude and puts you on a positive track.

Affordable food buying selections and tips --

Sam's Club has Yoplait Light Fat Free Yogurt in a case at an estimated cost of $7.00.
Sam's Club or Costco's has Birds Eye Mixed Vegetables and Whole Green Beans in bulk.
The whole sale clubs grapes and strawberries are mostly sweet and affordable.
Kroger Brand has Ground Chuck beef patties that 80% lean and 20% fat. They also have a 90% lean version.
Kroger also has frozen cut sweet corn in low fat butter sauce as well as unsalted and salted Garden Fresh Gourmet Tortilla Chips. HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!!
Whole sale clubs have Asian Stir Fry vegetables in bulk.
Multigrain Sun Chips

Note: As I have relocated several times throughout the U.S., there are various affordable grocery stores. A short listing follows:

Kroger's
Ralph's
Albertson's
Food Lion
Harris Teeter
Giant Foods
Giant Eagle
Super-Fresh
Fresh Market

Emai us at: administrator@newblackculturaldiet.com if you know of any quality grocery stores in your area.

See you next week and stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy --- Mrs. B.

Week #4: April 20th - 26th

2008-04-30T17:42:00.000-07:00

NBCD Welcome Back,

On the whole, I am still maintaining my exercise routines. Last week, it was a bounce ball and treadmill workout. I am starting to eat dinner earlier and keep snacks to a minimum after 9:00pm. I made several cold pasta salads. I made shrimp and crab pasta salad for my family and for a cooking demonstration on healthy food. The recipe is simple and quick and stores well in a sealed container for at least a couple of days. Other snacks that I try are a handful of lightly salted cashews or air popped popcorn. Now, they make several kinds of seasonings for popcorn. For instance, the Kroger foods caramel popcorn seasoning has only 10 calories, 2 grams of sugar and no sodium! For an after dinner dseart, I had one scoop of lactose free vanilla bean ice cream and alternate that the next day with peach yogurt to get me my dairy intake. Again, it is all about moderation and making a choice to not go for the second handful or scoops. It is not always successful but I am getting better at pushing away from any thought of an additional snack. So it is important that I feel to be honest with myself about the positive and negative food behaviors. Otherwise you will be in denial and avoid sometimes making a hard choice. I have added a vitamin supplement for women. (They make vitamins specifically for men also) Furthermore, I continue with my Biotin supplement for hair and nails. Always continue your prescribed medicine and do not cut back or share medications or unknown supplements. Please check with your physician for expert advice on supplements and proper medication for any health conditions.

A Note About Attitude

We all can be a little stubborn when it comes to a healthy diet. We cannot blame it all on food processing and tempting media ads or even cultural and traditional family food habits. It has to start with a positive attitude. I will admit last week and even as early as yesterday, I was complaining about how better my health could be even though I am in pretty good health. During my health check up, I was nagging on about my body changes and how I am learning to make peace with it. My doctor praised me for doing well, but I did not take the time to hear the compliment at first. So I found myself in a cycle of behavior where I was complaining about the effects of the aging process and I should have been uplifting my progress. I am overall a pretty positive person but even I have my days especially when your schedule is full. I found myself speaking with a food demonstration participant about how it was important to take care of her health. Sometime Black women and men are staunch in their belief that desire their serious chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressur eand even to the point of being hospitalized they will not change their diet for the betterment of their health. Fact is, what you eat is linked to your health. I get much attitude from family, friends and participants about how they have been living this long and how nobody is going to tell them what to do while their hands are on their hips or hands folded to their chest. Please be open to the compliments and honest positive suggestions about your health. If can change your negative behavior to a positive attitude.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week:

I had a great score on my blood pressure numbers. I know my consistent exercise and healthy eating assisted in keeping my blood pressure in normal range.

See you next week and stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy.
Mrs. B.

Week 3: April 13th - 19th

2008-04-21T18:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

May is almost here and I am looking forward to warmer breezy weather and the beach season. So you know I have to be diligent about my exercise regimen. I found this week, I could have done a better job of controlling snacks. I found that when my days ran late, my dinner time got later and that is not something I want to continue. I have been curbing my last meal for the day back to no more than 8:30pm so I can be able to digest my food intake but to be careful of what I am consuming. I have opted for light fruit cups in a pinch when it is closer to the evening after dinner and crystal light beverages. I am continuing to take my multivitamin and Appearex Biotin supplement for nails and hair and I do feel an energy surge although I could use more energy so I have a cup of Orange flavor green tea.

I added toning exercises this week such as yoga and belly dancing. The belly dancing is fairly new to me and I really enjoyed it! I think I am going to look into getting a belly dancing costume. Now before you all say she has gone too far, I still have my inner dancer inside from my dance years and still have a few costumes which I passed along to my daughter. By the way, Fit TV has a new program on belly dancing called Shimmy. So last week, I worked out on the treadmill, did a bounce ball workout, yoga and belly dancing. Now it seems that I jump around but this is for sure, I make sure that I keep my heart rate up at least 30 minutes per workout for my cardio and make sure I warm up and take care to do stretches after my toning segments.

My food selection has been on target. I have made cold low carb pastas and arugula salad for the family to snack on. As much as I love pasta, it is hard to find a product that taste good. I find that Dream Fields Pasta has a texture that is close to the original flavor and taste of pasta.

To start the week off, I am cooking a famly meal Zatarain's New Orleans Style Reduced Sodium Red Beans and Rice. The company just released low sodium versions. I am adding light suasages and more celery with cubed apples for a sweeter flavor for the kids. I am making apple cinnamon bread. In my apple cinnamon, bread that I use low fat lactorse free milk and egglands best healthier eagg or an egg substitute. Yesterday, we had skinless chicken cooked in fat free gravy and green beans with rice. For flavor, I added sauteed onions and Mrs. Dash onion and herb seasoning.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week:

I decided not to have a pity part about how I could do better and chose to have more bottles of water and crystal light beverage over that Oh, so good cold grape juice or cocoa cola. I still enjoy it once a week and do not believe in total deprivation.

See you next week and stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy! Mrs. B

Week 2: April 6 - 12th

2008-04-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Everyone!

I have been feeling pretty well and exercising more. I had been using 5 pound and 8 pound weights particularly on my upper body. I complete about 3 repititions 12 times each for bicep curls, over head lifting and reps for the back of my upper arms.

When you are 45 years old like I am, gravity can take its toll so the toning of the upper arms is important. As I discussed in my beginning week, I am still doing 30 minutes of treadmill 3 times a week. My relaxing fun pick as I call it is my flavor up exercise. Last week, it was the bounce ball workout with the ball stretch and stress relief portion. I will admit that I needed the 8 minutes stres relief portion twice last week!

I ate pretty healthy while watching my portion suze on my plate. Making sure the portions were about the size of the palm of my hand. Now some of you are wondering why I have not given out specific numbers on my weight.

That is on purpose. I want to concentrate on my HABITS first and my EXERCISE heart healthy and low sodium individual plan. No need to add distractions and obstacles at the beginning stages of my positive steps forward. I set a goal to reveal that once I get through the psychological changes and self examination of the first 6 weeks.

I am here to uplift myself, but at the same time give myself a REALITY check. Besides, I have my yearly physical coming up in a few weeks and I will get officially weighed in by the nurse.

By the way maintain your yearly physical exams and don't forget the pap smear and monthyly breast exams.

A note about food: I pre-cooked more this past week. I made cold low carb pasta salads with lots of fresh vegetables. I had my sons mix up several pitchers of Crystal Light and my daughter is always happy to prepare fruit salad. They all are active athletically so they need nutrients of healthy food as well. It is a process, but I take it one day at a time.

Black Pearl Reward of the Week:

My kids are encouraging me to stay away from fast foods even if I pick some of the healthier menu choices. The reward is that I feel better about myself and did not get defensive about taking positive suggestions from my children. You're never too old to learn something. That was a pause moment.

See you next week and stay mentally, physically and spiritually HEALTHY!
Mrs. B.

Mrs. B's Motivational Journey!

2008-04-06T16:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome Everyone,

I am glad you are joining the NBCD crew on this 3 month journey! I have been reflecting about what I want to get out of this Weight Loss Challenge. Of course, it is about reducing my pounds but also about find out a little more about myself. How I eat, when I eat, why I eat. Most of the time it can be contributed to the environment or the stressors in my life.

As I get a year older natural changes reshape my body and I cannot always be happy with the changes, but I am very satisfied overall all with who I am because I always believed that when God makes you -- you're alright from day one. Over the past 5 years, I have slowly stabilized my weight but most recently due to a number of busy changes in my life and three active children, I have gained a few more pounds.

So my challenge is two fold. I am setting my goal of losing 20 pounds and further analyzing my eating habits more closely. Not because of what I eat. I eat prettry healthy most of the time but what's happening around me during the time I desire to eat. Just the pause will make a difference. I have noticed my regular exercise routine is not working so I am flavoring it up to keep and adding on extra workout.

So here is my jump start goal:

Loose 20 pounds.

Flavor up my exercise by adding 2 extra workouts that include a variety such as pilates, belly dancing, African Dance, bounce ball and yoga. My regular routine is the treadmille and aerobic workouts.

Modify my food behavior and maintain healthy eating along with vitamin supplements.

Oh yeah, I want to provide my special Black Pearl Reward of the Week:

"I am proud of myself for eating healthy through the first week and when I was tempted, I made better food choices."
See you next week and Stay Mentally, Physically and Spiritually Healthy!

2008 NBCD Weight Loss Challenge - The Beginning

2008-03-27T18:18:00.000-07:00

Greetings Everyone,

First, I want to welcome you to the 2nd Annual New Black Cultural Diet Weight Loss Challenge Blog. I want to thank everyone for joining our efforts to help you lose the weight that you want to lose. This blog is here for you to share your thoughts, feelings, and issues regarding the challenges that you experience with your weight.

Our themes for this challenge are:

Positivity
Healthier
Holistic

These themes are consistent with the major components of the New Black Cultural Diet which are:

Body Image
Food Selection
Food Preparation
Exercise

So join our network of African Americans and those who share similar lifestyles during this 3 month weight loss challenge. We are here for you and let your friends and family members know about our challenge because we are all in this together.