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

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.

2nd Week of NBCD 2009 Weight Loss Challenge

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

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

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

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 - May 27th - June 2nd

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

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

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

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 2: April 6 - 12th

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!

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:

1. Loose 20 pounds.


2. 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.


3. 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!