I Served for the Cure

This past weekend 7 of my fellow teammates and I journeyed north of The City and Served for the Cure to support the Miller Zell Soles 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk team. What a fabulous time of tennis and fellowship for a great cause!

Of course I packed clean snacks, but I also indulged a bit when the crew went out for dinner--and some great meals we had!

Now I am back home and have already gone to cycling class and had my spinach, egg whites, feta, and salsa on flatout.

I am ready for the week ahead and actually looking forward to pushing through to my fitness goal by the October 4th--6 weeks from now!

I am Shay Shay Fit!

I Know My Food Triggers and Will Control Them

We often talk about NOT eating certain things, so it was nice to get some reinforcement in a recent Jillian Michael's e-newsletter (they're great; I'm on all sorts of fitness e-news lists!) about not depriving ourselves and moderation. I like how Jillian talked about knowing your food binge triggers--things you can really do in moderation. My food triggers: tortilla chips, my grandma's zucchini bread and sweet potato biscuits and my dear friend Gina's Red Velvet cake. So, I don't keep tortilla chips in the house and limit my Mexican eating out and thank goodness Grandma is in Virginia and Gina isn't a full time baker!

What I'm learning to do now is to enjoy things I want and not beat myself up when I know it's just a treat and I'm working hard every other meal and day in the gym. Recently, it was a lamb burger from Marlow's with feta and some tasty sauce. I switched out the roll for a pita and got asparagus instead of fries and I was TOTALLY satisfied and in food nirvana. And after my tennis match the same day, a few of us went to Little 5 points to eat. It was about 10:00, but I was a little hungry. I passed up the calamari (which I LOVE!), homemade bread (which I LOVE MORE!)--both ordered by my pals--and the apple beignets with Georgia caramel sauce (and yes, I LOVE apple desserts and caramel!) and opted for the salt (easy on the salt I asked) and vinegar popcorn. Yep, salt and vinegar popcorn. It was sooo tasty! I was a little annoying to the waiter, I know because I asked if the popcorn was cooked in oil and when he said it was actually microwave popcorn that they spruce up, I asked to see the package. It met my requirements for not as much of a fat punch, so I ordered it. IT WAS SOOO GOOD! I really enjoyed every bite of it and felt great about my choice. I didn't feel like I missed out on anything.

This was a true learning moment for me. I know I can control my food triggers! I HAVE TO if I want to be Shay Shay Fit!

J-E-L-L-O!

I use to love eating jello as a kid, but I sure don't like my legs feeling like jello! Yesterday my work boot camp did lunges and squats. This morning Anna Mae trained my legs. I usually like (I use to say love, but not so much lately. (smile)) leg day. Leg day is usually a better day for me because my legs are pretty strong and shape up fairly quickly-compared to other parts of my body.

Well after yesterday's workout and all the leg work this morning, by the time I got to abs and doing scissors I could barely hold my legs up in the air to perform the move. My legs literally felt like jello--not the well congealed and firm jello that has been in the refrigerator overnight. My legs felt more like the squishy, giggly jello that has only been setting for about two hours.

Okay, stop the whining Shay Shay! No matter how tough leg day was today, it's worth it to know that when I put on a skirt, shorts, or a swimsuit my legs won't LOOK like that squishy, giggly two hour jello!

For that, I am grateful!

Rested and Ready to Go!

I did something yesterday that I rarely do--RESTED! Boy did I need it! I have the habit of going, going, going until my body decides to slam me down and force me to rest.

I've literally been going, going going since the first week of May when my team went to AND WON the USTA Georgia Women's State Championship!

With the Mixed State Championship being done for now (SEE YA NEXT YEAR!), I'm glad that I took yesterday to rest.

Today, it's back to packing coolers, work, working out, and meetings. I will go to be at a good time tonight because I see Anna Mae for training in the morning (yep, rested this morning too!).

So, it's off to work I go to tackle the day and the rest of the week, which is filled with a flex league match Thursday and charity tennis tournament this weekend.

I am READY! I am Shay Shay!

So Much Fun in Augusta!

I'm back from the USTA Georgia State Mixed Doubles Championship. My team didn't win our division and thus didn't advance to the play-off round, but we had a wonderful four days in Augusta--good times on the courts and also just hanging out. For my first time on the big stage for Mixed, I played pretty well. My partner did too. We were 2-1 in Augusta with a really tough and hard fought loss on our second day. Unfortunately, with my rating getting bumped up to 3.5, this is our last time playing with each other for a little bit (we are a 7.0 team, so partners have to equal to 7.0; he's a 4.0 player. We can't play together until we move up to 8.0).

Our team is already getting ready for the Fall season--recruiting players and discussing strategy to make us even better so that we Win the City and get back to State with a Win next time!

Of course, part of my strategy is to work to make my tennis game better and better and most certainly to get in even better shape through clean eating and strength and cardio training.

For today, it's rest for Shay Shay. I'm exhausted!

I now have Oxygen--I can Breathe Again!

It's no secret that Oxygen Magazine is a key part of my fitness lifestyle. I love the articles, photos, and the fact that it contains real women who have everyday jobs and families and still manage to look FABULOUS! I aspire to be one of their Success Stories.

For the last few months, I wasn't getting my Oxygen. I had renewed my subscription in plenty time to avoid a gap in delivery. Somehow the magazine did not have my correct address when it renewed my subscription.

I really missed not getting my breath of fresh air of motivation. Now I have it. The August edition and the fatloss Collector's issue arrived just in the nick of time because I am really motivated to meet my goals.

With Oxygen as a resource and source of inspiration, I can really breathe again!

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!

I CAN Be Sensible in Social Settings!

Well, I did it! I survived the weekend without blowing the progress made during the week!.



I started my Saturday morning with an egg white, feta, and asparagus omelet and toasted Flatout wrap. Then I had a banana and Kashi bar before my 3 hours of tennis practice in the heat (got to get ready for Mixed Doubles State).



After 3 hours of practice, I was HUNGRY--no, more like STARVING! I had lost about 2lbs in water and was drenched in sweat. Sounds horrible, but I could have stayed out there all day if I had packed more water and food--oh, and if I didn't need to get ready for the McGhee Super Slammers Team Pool Party and BBQ.



The Party: First: WE HAD A BLAST!!!! Great Friends, BBQ, Pool, and Music--a perfect Saturday! I am so proud of myself and thankful to my teammates who brought healthy options. There were lots of sugar laden options too, but I managed to drum up enough willpower to avoid the cheesecake, birthday cake (for D), Tin Roof Sundae Ice Cream (a childhood favorite), and pound cake. I even avoided one of my addictive favs: blue corn chips! Oh, and I can't forget the cocktails--none for Shay Shay!



Thanks to Alissa aka The Beast (a cross-fit training queen), I enjoyed oh so tasty lean turkey burgers w/ feta and spinach. I brought some Flatout wraps, so I wrapped the burger with some romaine and tomato and had a great meal!. I grilled some fish, so I had a piece of that and also had a chicken and sundried tomato sausage link, no bun (probably wasn't all that lean, but it was protein, so I indulged without guilt.) Our super hostess Imani aka ibestroking.com made a huge fruit salad and I made up some plain greek yogurt dip with agave nectar and Splenda to cure sweet toothes--it was pefect!



Anna Mae, my trainer, also turned me on to an awesome treat: rice cake topped with fresh ground honey roasted peanut butter and Crainsins. OH IT WAS GOOD! My teammates looked at us like we had three heads; they just couldn't understand how it could be a treat for us! This will definitely be added to my list of treats!



Looking back, I was thinking I ate a little more than I should have, but when I wrote it all down in my food journal I had still only eaten about the equivalent amount of food that I would normally eat on any weekday when I have my regular 5-6 meals. Saturday the meals were just more compacted and at one setting. AND, I got in some pool and dancing time, so I wasn't just sitting around. I'm counting this social event eating a real victory!



Sunday I met a really good and fellow 'Hoo (UVA) friend in town from South Africa (he's working there for about a year). He's vegetarian, so we went to one of my favorite spots R. Thomas Deluxe Grill. I had the grilled veggie on whole wheat sandwich with white cheddar. Very tasty. I haven't been eating bread these days, so this was my "one thing" for the weekend as discussed with the dietitian.

It's time to hit the sack and get ready for tomorrow morning's cardio session. I am proud I got through this weekend without blowing all my week's work.

I'm Shay Shay, and I'm Keeping the Momentum Going!

Let the Weekend Begin!

T.G.I.F! It's officially the weekend!

Determined to Keep the Momentum Going, I am starting the weekend off right!

Here's to successful meeting my first challenge: I declined an invitation to go to a popular wing spot in town tonight (ah, nothing like a good lemon pepper wing!) as the rain spoiled my flex league tennis match.

I was so excited to be on the courts tonight, but I probably needed to rest anyway. I have Mixed Doubles practice tomorrow (next week this time, I'll be at the State Championship) and then my team's celebratory pool party and BBQ-The Next Challenge.

So, I am going to rest and be proud of my small step toward Keeping the Momentum Going on the Weekend!

Keep the Momentum Going on the Weekends!

Keep the Momentum Going is a common theme on this blog. I credit Sweetie for giving me this bit o' inspiration!

Recently, I met with a Registered Dietitian as part of my job's Fit Club program (recall I mentioned the boot camp we have on Mondays and Wednesdays). Anyhoo, David R. Orozco, MS RD LD of t+d wellness (http://www.tdwellness.com/) reviewed my food journal and was generally pleased with what he saw. He reviewed my goal to get to 140 and 18%-21% body fat and thought it was achievable based on where I am IF I DIDN'T BLOW IT ON THE WEEKENDS! His analysis was on the money figuring out that I have been pretty much losing 2lbs or so during the week and then gaining it back on the weekends!

Of course I knew this. David was essentially telling me to Keep the Momentum Going ON THE WEEKENDS! He advised to start slowly with committing to make one weekend day of meals look like my disciplined weekday meals. Not so tough. I can handle this. Hearing David's reinforce what I knew was exactly what I needed to get myself mentally in gear to push toward my goals!

With the weekend approaching and social eating scheduled all weekend, I know that I must PLAN! I have to figure out which weekend day will look like my weekdays (even if I have to bring my own food to the Pool Party BBQ planned), and I will only have ONE treat meal the other weekend day--not a whole day of treating.

Kicking up my cardio on the weekends will also help me maintain the progress I achieved during the week and propel me forward to the next week.

I know I am up to the challenge because I am Shay Shay Fit, and I'm Keeping the Momentum Going!

Sulking Over--Time to Handle Business!

It has taken me almost a week to get over my disappointment with my team not winning the USTA Sectional Championship. We finished 2nd in our group. Everyone else, besides those on my team thinks, "Wow, what a great finish. You should be proud." NOT!

We arrived in Birmingham with WINNING on our mind. Unfortunately, our play--particularly the first match of the tournament--did not match up to our goal. We finished up strongly, though, and pushed our way into 2nd in our group on the last day of play.

It was a tough and emotional loss for me as a captain and a player. I reflected quite a bit on the tournament. I learned a lot from both perspectives. I am determined to be a stronger player mentally and skill-wise. I'm sulking no more!

I'M PREPARING!

I am taking lessons again. I'll be entering more tournaments. I'll continue to improve my fitness level.

It's TIME TO HANDLE BUSINESS!

It's also almost time for the USTA Georgia Mixed Doubles State Championships. That's Right! I'm going to another State Championship! How fortunate am I to land on such awesome teams! (HUGE SMILE!).

I heard a wonderful and uplifting message at church this morning--Keep Standing! STAND I WILL!

I have had my delicious egg whites, spinach, feta, and salsa on Flatout.

Now, it's time to get ready to hit the courts for Mixed Doubles practice.!

I am Shay Shay! I am a Preparer! I am a Champion! I am Standing!