Friday, November 26, 2010

Black Friday

It's the day after Thanksgiving and I find myself super full from yesterday's yummy dinner of southern cooking:  Collard Greens, Yams, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Turkey, Ham, Garden Salad, Gravy, Stuffing.  Dessert of chocolate cake, red velvet cake and banana pudding.  It was the works.  A solid five meals worth of food.  Trying to get back on track today with lotsa fiber, fruit and veggies.

Brunch:  Garden salad with Italian dressing, 4 cubes of pepperjack cheese and tomatoes. Butternut Squash soup & a cornbread muffin.


Snack for later: a banana.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Then how's about a 5k, Sunday brunch & cats?

September has been uber busy!  I started a new job and have a completely new work/workout schedule.  Good thing about my new job, is that instead of commuting by car, I now commute by train and get to walk lots throughout the day.  I walk from the parking lot to the train, from the train to the job, on my lunch breaks, on building tours, to meetings, up stairs, and back to the train.  My walking between the hours of 9 to 5 has increased by 45 min/day minimum.   Hello semi-active lifestyle. Workout summary:  Sept:  Week #1 = 4 workouts; Sept. Week #2  = 2 workouts

This past weekend was super fabulous.  I was runner #1200 in my second Chicago Lung Run.  Lots of supporters of lung cancer research came out to run in the rainy weather...including my science lab partner from junior high.   It was wet and cloudy morning, and I'm not sure how fast we ran exactly, but we ran the entire thing! And we met a nice lady who's Mom was recently diagnosed with Lung Cancer.  She was super supportive of the Lung Run and shared all her life ups/downs with us.   We also learned of a super cool Barefoot running shoe that we now want!
Fleet Feet Sports showed us their running gear at the Lung Run.




Our next feat is to run another 5k in November, complete Saturday morning runs and a half-marathon in March.

Sunday was also excellent.   Had Sunday brunch at Ruby Tuesday.  It was my only big meal of the day so I splurged and got their new crabacado omelet with portebella mushrooms, a side of potatoes, yogurt and granola in a martini glass and a peach/orange/mango/pineapple/grenadine fruit blend.  Super super super calorie explosion, which is why I only ate half of my food, and took the other half home.  Thank the Lord for doggie bags!

On Sunday I also started volunteer training at the Humane Society and wanted to bring every cat I saw home.  Some looked so sad locked up in their cages.  The dogs, too.  As a volunteer I get to "socialize" with the shelter cats and show them off to potential adopting parents.  Don't mind if I do.

Here's to shedding some more pounds this month!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

True Blood Diet



I love love love True Blood.  It's amazing.  I was there for season one.  I was there for season two.  And now, in season 3, unfortunately I'm a no show because I don't have access to HBO at the moment.  Regardless, I still watch show snippets via Hulu.com, got super excited by news of the True Blood comic book, follow up the actors/actresses lives and cannot wait until Season 3 is on DVD!  Recently, fitness trainer Josh Hillis wrote of Anna Paquin, aka Sookie on True Blood, and her "Bikini ready" diet via his Fat Loss & Fitness Blog. Read it here.  Anna says her diet is simply a, ""Well-what-would-you-eat-if-you-were-being-photographed-in-a-bikini-tomorrow?" diet... I mean, it's not anything wildly specific. I eat a lot of vegetables. I eat a lot fruit. I don't eat fast food ever. I don't eat a lot of dessert. I don't eat a lot of crap." I guess that means she and I don't share a love for M&M McFlurries from McDonald's.

The Summertime Salad at Egg Harbor in Lombard, IL:
Lotsa fruits, greens, avocado and lean chicken salad
How Sookie inspired me
So today, when I went out for my first "going out to a restaurant meal" for September, I decided to try her "diet" and I pretended like I was going to be photographed in a bikini tomorrow (false).  At the restaurant, I looked over the menu and really really wanted the Mexican egg scramble with chorizo and sour cream and chedda.  So not a "bikini ready" meal...unless I wanted to look like Britney Spears circa 2008, or whenever Britney did her infamous performance of "Gimme More" on MTV.  Instead, I opted for a lighter Tomato soup & Summertime Salad combo.  It felt real good to eat that fresh goodness.  It was tasty and would make Anna proud.   Since she has done me good so far today, I will also think of her tonight as I power thru my Turbo Jam one-hour workout at the gym...thinking of her in a non-creepy way, in the same way it's not creepy to be married to a man who plays a vampire on tv...opposite of you.

Other healthy things I've eaten over the past month that would probably make Anna proud:
Breakfast of zuccini & egg scramble, veggie snausage and a little bit of french bread with oj
Baked chicken with a lil bit of BBQ sauce, corn on the cob, green beans and low fat Jimbalaya
Veggie soup from Icosium Kafe in Chicago.

A Veggie Crepe from Icosium Kafe, garnished with fruit and sunflower seeds.

Baked chicken, green beans with tri-colored peppers and corn on the cob
(ok this one is a throw back from July 2010 but was still pretty fresh and healthy)
Fully-cooked & salted Edamame from Trader Joe's.  Super protein/fiber snack!
Blackberries.  The blacker the berry...
More Sookie-licious meals to come this September, fo sho.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Watch out for cows


Cows are a powerful animal. Yes...cows, the 4-legged animals we so often eat, aka beef.  They subliminally infiltrate our minds via Skinny Cow ice cream commercials and urge us to snack on them through McDonald's Angus beef snack wrap ads.  Today, for lunch, I had a craving for some cow carcass.  I toyed with the ideas of swinging by Wendy's, Portillo's or McDonald's for my fill.  A cheesy burger with a side of papas fritas sounded so enchanting, so easy to consume. Then I thought about all the hard work I'd put into the gym yesterday...the miles I ran on the treadmill and the weights I lifted.  I also thought about the Pussycat Dolls Workout DVD I did this morning before work and something in me said "No, Cyn.  How will eating part of a dead cow help you lose weight?".  And like a message from God, a Jamba Juice appeared to my left and I swung into the left turn bay to get my Jamba on.  Well, I was already in the left lane, so it wasn't as dramatic as I'm making it sound but I ended up getting a Mango Smoothie and a Chicken Curry Wrap instead of my burger and fries.  Nutritional values: 630 calories, 7gs fat, 19g protein. 


Who needs cow on a Tuesday, anyways?

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Michael Jackson workout at the DuSable Museum

For Children, By Children (FCBC) burned some major calories Friday night
impersonating the Jackson 5 in
Expressions of MJ.
DuSable Museum auditorium


Last night I attended a performance called Expressions of MJ at the DuSable Museum and all I can say is "AMAZING!".  It was presented by For Children, By Children (FCBC)and highlighted songs/dances/moments from the life of the ‘King of Pop’, Michael Jackson. From little Michael performing with The Jackson Five and later The Jacksons, to some of his most memorable music videos and dazzling live performances, the cast of FCBC put on a highly energetic showcase of the life of Michael Joseph Jackson.  Best $15 dollars I've ever spent on a Friday night!  Everything was sooo professional and my friend who also attended mentioned, "We should learn all the dances".  Michael Jackson workout anyone??  I think so.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

New Pink Shoes!

Quote of the Day:  
Debby Miller: Beth! Why'd you have to congratulate her? 
Beth: I don't know.She's a human being, isn't she? 
Debby Miller: She's wearing pink shoes. 
-From the movie Hysterical Blindness
* * *
This girl got herself some new running shoes!!!  After taking a very official Facebook poll about the best running shoes on the market for ladies, ASICS was the winner.



These bad boys are pink Asics Gel-Fluent 2s and are way better than the running sneaks I was rocking from Kohl's.  Also, they were 40% off on 6pm.com which btw, is an awesome website.  I ordered my pink ladies on Sunday and they arrived in perfect condition on Tuesday.  I put them to test yesterday on the treadmill and my feet and knees feel *amazing*.  It's crazy how a good shoe can make a huge difference.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Why I don't need an iPod

* * *
Quote of the Day:  Act like a horse. Be dumb. Just run. -Jumbo Elliot, Track and Field Coach

* * *

"The Feel Better Soup & Sandwich Meal That's Cheaper than Panera


My throat was feeling itchy on Sunday night so I decided to make a feel better meal.  It must've worked because I woke up Monday morning feeling peachy.  Ingredients: A mix of food from Trader Joe's and Dominick's.  Soup = TJ's Low Sodium Creamy Tomato boxed soup (yum).  Sandwich = toasted TJ's Tuscan Pane bread with munster and American cheese, TJ's Sun-dried Roma tomatoes in olive oil, fresh tomatoes, lettuce, Miracle Whip and TJ's Spicy Mustard.  Drink = Water.  Vitamins = C and D.  Holy heaven in my mouth.

* * *
Why I don't need an iPod
Move over Apple, there's a new fruit in town
I'm obsessed with my Blackberry Curve.  If there was a way I could take a picture of my Curve with my Curve and post the picture on this blog, I'd do it but let's not get too crazy.  I'll just settle for the stock photo.
The Blackberry Curve is truly the best fruit-named phone I've tried, and this morning, while completing a quick run outside, I fell in love all over again when in the Blackberry App World catalogue I discovered the App called iMapMyRun. This tool tracks runs by average speed, mileage, time, current speed and is pretty much like a treadmill electronic display without the incline control.  


Alright.  Calm down you Apple iPhone freaks.  I know your kind also has the same App but personally, I don't like the iPhone.  I find Apple iPhone users snobby.  Clearly, Blackberry users are superior.  After all, the blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice, and I happen to have a black Blackberry.  

So this morning, while I was running with the App on, and my Pussycat Dolls Pandora station, I couldn't help but smile.  Maybe it was because I said "hello" to half a dozen mamas standing with their Catholic-school-uniform-wearing kiddies at the school bus stop while songs like Buttons blared through my headphones and it seemed all too appropriate.  Or maybe it was because Crackberries really do have a crack-like effect on users.

Regardless, I didn't always love the berry.  My first Blackberry was the Pearl and was purchased from eBay, naturally.  It proved to be horrid.  It blocked my incoming text messages.  Sometimes it wouldn't let me pick up calls or show the icon that let me know I had 8 new voicemails waiting to be heard.  Sometimes I'd see a friend, and they'd ask why I didn't return a call.  And I'd say,  "You didn't call."  And they'd say, "Yes I did".  And then I'd tap into my voicemail, and of course I'd have half a dozen new messages from yester year.  And worst of all, the Pearl froze a lot.   The only thing it was good for was Brickbreaker. 


So, when it was time to get a new phone, I swore up and down that I would get anything but another Blackberry.  That was until a Sprint store associate told me if I traded in my Pearl I would get a FREE new & improved Blackberry Curve, no questions asked.  That's when I said sayonara to my Pearl faster than a speeding Toyota, and embraced the new Curve the same way one embraces a new addition to the Taco Bell value menu: I just didn't know if it would be good but I thought I'd give it a chance.

It's been four months, and so far so good.  I use my Curve constantly.  I text.  I play Brickbreaker, Word Scramble and Texas Hold 'Em.  I listen to Pandora radio via my Curve at the gym, in my car and at home.  I watch YouTube videos.  I utilitze the GPS capabilities.  I add reminder memos, events to my calender and update Facebook statuses.  It's the only camera I own.  It's my alarm clock.  And, sometimes I even use the darn thing as a phone.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

If you want to be a better runner...

If you want to be a better runner, you've got to run more. It's as simple as that. -Tom Fleming, running coach
October 2002:  Running my first 5K in Urbana, IL.


I know it's only Tuesday, but I haven't gotten in as much running this week as I would like.  I usually save long runs for Saturday mornings, but I also appreciate a one or two-miler quickly on week nights.  This week has been so insanely busy. I've been super busy with job interviews and work.  I have 5 interviews scheduled for within a span of 10 day.   It's exhausting prepping and travelling to these places of employment, remembering titles/names/clever/creative ways to say why I'm so awesome and qualified and should be the newest hire.  When it rains, it pours I guess.    Like running, I guess the more interviews I do, the better interviewer I become.  Lot's hope that one of these jobs pans out!   Tom Fleming, running coach 

Monday, August 16, 2010

Chicago Lung Run on Sept. 11th!

Hello all.  A friend and I are running in the 2010 Chicago Lung Run on Sept. 11th.  It's my second Lung Run and I plan to run like I stole something.   All for Grandpa Edwards.
Help me meet my $250 Fundraising goal!

Help me meet my fundraising goals:  
http://www.active.com/donate/2010LungRun/cedwards or
Join in on the fun:  http://www.active.com/running/chicago-il/chicago-lung-run-10k-5k-and-1-mile-walk-2010

Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Week in Review - August 15, 2010

August 15th now.  Really?  What happened to the first 15 days?
This week was busy busy busy with lots of job applications,  interviews, eBay orders.
Still did awesome with workouts and quasi awesome with food.
  • Number of workouts over the past week:  4.
  • Food:  Average. Except for Friday lunch.  That Johnny Rockets burger was a poor decision, and I was not all that impressed.  And I had my fair share of PBRs on Friday night.  Otherwise, I stepped it up on fruits, veggies and protein this week.  (is butter a carb?)
  • Number of Hours Slept:  Average.  Went to bed in the a.m. most nights but took some naps.
  • Daily water:  Getting better.  Needs improvement
  • Total miles run thus far:  8.21
  • Total pounds lost thus far:  10.4 lbs
Goals for this upcoming week:  RUN!
Post-church:  At Sunday lunch on August 15th. 
For now, eating a grape Push Up and watching Hot Tub Time Machine before bed.  Fist pump!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Goals. Why not reach for the stars?

It's always good to have goals.  To stay focused on excellence, I keep a Goal Binder for all areas of my life (Career, Health, Family, Friends, Finances, Fun Stuff/Hobbies). It's what keeps me going on a day-to-day basis.

In a binder, I keep a numbered checklist of goals on looseleaf paper, accompanied by photos, printouts and magazine cutouts that inspire me to reach my goals, and I update/edit the book as needed ( How to make a goal book). If I reach the goal, I check off that goal.   If, after weeks/months I no longer want to reach the goal, I cross it off.

My newest goal entry:  Run 250 miles by New Years 2011!
Yesterday, while doing a short evening run, I thought about how much I used to run in college, nearly everyday!  My love for running started when I arrived at the University of IllinoisUrbana-Champaign campus, for pre-college orientation.  The first image I remember seeing on campus was a chick, who happened to be wearing a red Jimmy Eat World tee, running outside.   

So much in life seems inflexible and unchangeable, and part of the joy of running and especially racing is the realization that improvement and progress can be achieved. - Nancy Anderson, runner


I saw her and thought:  "I want to do that. I want to be a runner.".  So my first year of college, my novice running self started running nearly everyday.  I started off slow, but after two months, I was running my first 5K and loving everything about running.   I ran outside.   I ran at my campus' indoor track.  I ran on the treadmill.  I ran solo. I ran with friends.  Running literally kept me going throughout those years.  

When I was mad/angry, I threw a CD into my portable player (pre-mp3 player days...at least for me), usually a  Linkin' Park assortment burned from Blubster, and ran for as long as I could.  Sometimes it'd be a quick run for 20 minutes.  Other times it'd be much longer.  Sometimes, I wouldn't keep track.    When I was happy/excited I would run.  Usually with a Britney Spears assortment, also courtesy of Blubster.  And when I was bored/had nothing better to do, I would run, constantly setting new goals.  New distances/paths.   New abilities. 

I frickin' loved how my abs/legs/body/mind felt during/after running and I loved that running kept me in excellent shape.   Now, as I embark on my 250 mile journey, I'm excited to see where I land.

Upcoming running goals:
  • Long Saturday runs
  • Chicago Lung Run 5k Sept 11th
  • More running outside!
  • 250 miles by New Years 2011!


Nancy Anderson, runner 

Monday, August 2, 2010

Salmon to the rescue

Today I didn't have much of an appetite. Maybe because I didn't have to go to work and slept in sorta late. I snacked on some Walnuts before my afternoon class of Turbo Kick and then had a Grilled Salmon Salad for dinner. 


Simple Gilled Salmon Salad recipe: Season 4 oz raw Salmon with seafood seasoning, pepper and salt, throw it on the George Foreman.   Grab a plate and throw on a few handfuls of Ready Made Salad and chopped Cherry Tomatoes.   Add the grilled salmon while it's still hot.  Sprinkle a tablespoon of thousand island dressing over the salad.  Total Calories:  Approx. 335

Sunday, August 1, 2010

The Week in Review - August 1, 2010

Is it already August?   Apparently so.
This week was all about maintaining. No gains.  No losses.

  • Number of workouts over the past week:  2 aka weak sauce
  • Food:  Below par.  Pizza and 3-pound bags of gummy bears are the devil.
  • Number of Hours Slept:  Average
  • Daily water:  Needs improvement
  • Total pounds lost thus far:  10.4 lbs
Goals for this upcoming week:   lose 2.5 pounds, complete 6 workouts, run 15 miles, avoid cheese 

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Weekly Report - July 25, 2010

  • Number of workouts over the past week:  5
  • Food:  Good
  • Number of Hours Slept:  Average
  • Daily water:  Needs improvement
  • Total pounds lost thus far:  10.4 lbs

Friday, July 23, 2010

Shrimp Salad & 120-calorie Patriotic Dessert

120 calorie dessert 
(Ingredients: 1 Shortcake shell, 10 blueberries, two strawberries,
& 2.5 Tablespoons Whipped Topping)
It's Friday!  Hooray for the end of the work week.
The week in review: 
  • 3 workouts (soon to be 4)
  • 2 meals at Chipotle
  • Avoiding Dunkin Donut's 99 cent Happy Hours...how this is possible, I have no idea.
  • 1 fabulous job interview
  • Vacuuming the inside of my car for the first time in...ever
  • 1 trip to McDonalds, but in my defense I ate a chicken sandwich. And french fries.
  • 3 protein meal replacement shakes.  
It's been a week of food ups/downs. Yesterday I gave into a meal at McDonald's.  I convinced myself I earned it, after coming from a good job interview.   I also decided that the trip was a one time thing for this week, and not the best use of my money, and probably won't help me lose weight, but I ate it anyways.  I'd already had my fill of one dead cow for the week, took care of that on Monday, so I knew the Big 'N Tasty I was eying was out of the question.    I chose the Chicken Classic meal with a strawberry banana shake.  It cost me close to $9 but was so worth it.   And after I ate it, I told myself I'd get it together for the rest of the day.  I know Th was my "take the day off from working out" day so I needed to eat less fatty/less calorie food for the rest of the day. And that's when my family found a buy-one-get-one coupon for Chipotle. And a Chicken burrito bowl sounded so perfect so I ate half of my "free" bowl, put the other half in the fridge to save for today and I decided that would be the end to my fast food spree for the week.
In my weight loss journey, I've learned how important consistently eating right is for a diet. If you fall off the wagon, even for a second, or in my case a full day, you gotta get back on that wagon before it gets too outta control, speeds away from you down the road and you lose sight of it. Sometimes I recover from my fall within hours.  Sometimes I fail miserably and forget the wagon exists at all.



Luckily today was a successful day. I started off the day with a protein meal replacement shake.  Then that other half of  leftover chicken burrito bowl from Chipotle.  Drank some wheat grass.   Followed up with a shrimp salad complete with fresh green peppers, tomatoes and poppyseed dressing.   Followed by a Patriot Dessert - only 120 cals.

This week has also been a good workout week so far.  I've met my goal of working out a min. of 3 times/week by working out three days in a row on M, Tu, W.  I took Th off and, today, while cleaning/doing laundry/answering emails/getting work done I put on my 10-pound ankle weights for a few hours and I'm doing a Julian Michael's DVD (either the Shred or Yoga) for workout #4 in a lil bit.  Here's to keeping it together on Sat/Sunday.   It's the freakin' weekend, baby.

"Man in the building. Sorry for the inconvenience."

My W3 fitness pass.
I'm obsessed with Women's Workout World aka as "W" to the third power.  The best part about this gym is that it's women only.  No men allowed, except for when workout equipment needs to be fixed and then a sign is taped to the door that reads something like "Man in the building.  Sorry for the inconvenience."   Awesome.

When I was 16 and still in high school, I asked for a gym membership for my Birthday.  I'm not really sure why I wanted a gym membership then, but my Mom allowed it.   She suggested W3 (probably because she was once a member there and also probably because she knew there would be no men there, kinda like how she suggested I live in an all-girls dorm my freshman year of college, which I also did) and with my her consent and signature, I was allowed to join.

Ever since, I've been an on again off again member during summer breaks from college and law school, and now at 26, I'm a full-time member and I still frickin' love this place. I love taking fitness classes like belly dancing and turbo kick. I love seeing cute workout gear.  I love sharing tips on diet/weight loss.  And I love seeing women in their late '70s tearing it up on the treadmill.   And most of all, I love that I get to work out with women with similar fitness, similar weight loss frustrations and similar problem areas.

When I explain the concept of an all-women gym to men, they just don't get it.  Why do women need an exclusive gym?   I'll tell you why...

In the past I've worked out at my fair share of co-ed gyms and let me tell you that I barely feel comfortable straying from the cardio equipment.   Why?  Because at co-ed gyms men rule the weight lifting sections.  As a woman, I felt like I had to avoid eye contact when I strayed to that area of the gym, which was rare.  Using cardio machines at co-ed gyms is legit.  Anyone with functional legs can do it.  But using weight machines is a whole diff. story.  There may as well be a sign posted that says "This section is for MEN only" because let's face it, women are not welcome there.  Even the few super-human, super-lean fit/buff women who waltzed through that section got stares.

Back when I started law school and I noticed that I was gaining weight that first semester, I thought getting a personal trainer would be a good idea.  My campus' gym had super cheap student personal training packages so I hired a personal trainer, Becky, who was also an undergraduate student majoring in exercise science and nutrition.

The best part of my personal training package, besides losing inches off my waist, arms and legs, was that I learned how to use weight lifting equipment, equipment that I had avoided since high school.  At our 5:30 a.m. sessions on campus Becky taught me proper form for every weight machine in the building.  And we were almost always the only women in that section.  I felt über uncomfortable in the seemingly "mens only" section and we surely were stared down as I struggled to lift 20 pounds on my bicep curls.  Not only did I feel uncomfortable, but the men seemed annoyed.  Annoyed that they had to wait for me to finish my reps.  Annoyed that I was there period.   I was equally annoyed.  And scared.
Thanksgiving break 1L year.  Me (on the right)
keeping up on my fitness with my younger sister.  

As my 1L semester progressed, my strength improved.   My muscles got stronger.  My body was starting to look toned.  I was less scared to use the weight machines.  One evening I was working out solo and I snuck over to the "men's only section" to do some weight lifting.  I was using proper form to work on my triceps, as Becky had shown me.  I felt so kickin' until a guy sat on the bench nearest me and stared at me for a few seconds before asking, "Hon, what are you trying to do?".  Couldn't he tell from my swole physique that I meant business?  Apparently not.  He pushed me out of the way and decided to demonstrate the proper form, made me watch his perfect reps and then had me show him what I learned from the mini lesson.  I did ten reps until he was satisfied.   Then as he left the area he told me to "keep working on it".

I was humiliated.  And bolted out of that section never to return again...or at least for 6 months.

Zuzana from BodyRockTv.com
At W3, no one has ever approached me like that.  You know why?  Because it just does not happen in all women zones. Even when there's swole women who come through...you know, those Zuzana type-chicks who look super sculpted and strong and you just stare wondering how they can maintain 5% body fat yet still have boobs...they never correct me.  They just do their thing, maybe say "hi" (because after all, I am super cool) and go about their bidness.

If anything, I love the concept of all women gyms because everything caters to women.  The promotions/contests, the locker rooms, the magazines, the fitness classes, the free samples of new beauty products and Jamba Juice $1 off coupons.  Plus, something about doing aerobics next to a 75-year old woman dressed in a Jane Fonda-style leotard, tights and a sweatband makes me step it up.  Surely, I can't let grandma outdo me on the aerobic dance floor.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Changing Directions - Operation Lose 30 pounds


 * * * * *
"If you do not change direction, 
you may end up where you are heading".  
- Lao-Tzu,
Chinese Philosopher

  * * * * *
I've always been a happy person, but after I graduated from law school, I was frustrated.

Yes, I was elated I earned a law degree, but I was not happy that in three years, I also gained 30 pounds.

Stress + inactivity + free pizza lunches + late nights + open bars will do that to you. Or at least it did it for me. I was so not happy with such an intense weight gain in such a short period of time, and I knew that if I didn't take action, that 30 pounds would either stay with me or creep up (i.e. "If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading").

The goal:  On May 14, 2010 I started a weight loss plan to lose all 30 pounds I gained while in law school.
I had a head start on my goal, because since graduating, I'd already lost 5 pounds. But to reach my goal of 30, I knew I needed to step it up. So I joined a gym and for two months I've been working out 3-5 times/week, taking almost daily walks sorta, and I've gained muscle/gotten stronger. I'm also eating better food/smaller portions, counting calories on occasion and as a result I've lost another 5 pounds over the last 2 months.
  • Weight loss to date:  10 pounds
  • Dress Sizes down to date:  One 
  • Double Chins lost to date:  One
  • New eating rules I made up:  ONE:  ONE COW A WEEK.  Cheeseburgers were doing me in so I made up a rule that I can only eat one serving of dead cow a week.  Max.  Not daily.  This means, once I have my ONE cheeseburger or Chipotle steak burrito, it's time to switch to Boca Burgers, Black Bean burgers, veggie-based meals and other non-four legged friends.  TWO:  WHEN IN DOUBT, EAT WHAT'S AT HOME...not what's at McDonald's, Taco Bell or Burger King.
  • Weaknesses:  Cheese, 99 cents Dunkin' Donuts Happy Hour
Take a look at me now: Cyn on  July 3, 2010
So I've got 10 pounds down (plus toned my legs and arms and slimmed my belly).  That leaves me with 20 pounds left to lose.  I plan to lose that extra 20 by October 2010.  Over the next few months, I'll be documenting my weight loss accomplishments, struggles, desires, inspiration, progress, etc. in this blog and via videos.

Stay tuned....It's time for Cyn to Get Thin! and to put this journalism undergraduate degree to use.