What an appropriate title for what I want to share. Sometimes it’s hard making adjustments, even the smallest of adjustments can be difficult. Just ask yourself when was the last time you had to change the way you do something? Was it easy? Fun? Worth the change?  Taking an all or nothing attitude sometimes is the best approach…especially when it comes to health and fitness.

Ladies in the 21 Day Challenge know all too well what I mean when I talk about making the adjustments.  We spend 9 days preparing and making the necessary adjustments before actually starting the challenge. You can’t expect different results if you continue with the same behavior. That’s called insanity. Women make the mistake at looking at other women and become jealous and sometimes envious of their bodies without knowing the adjustment they had to make in order to get the results they have. Not only with matters of health and fitness but also being successful as well. We see the end result and automatically think “I can do that”, without factoring what it cost them to get where they are.

There are 2 ladies in particular that come to mind as I write this blog. These ladies recently completed the 2 session of the I Love MY Body fitness class. Not only did they complete this 6 week class they did the first 6 weeks as well. They made the adjustment in their schedules to come workout after working 12 hours in a busy Atlanta trauma center ICU. 12 Hour shifts can be long, busy, and physically demanding, I know I do them as well; but when you have something you really want to accomplish you’ll do what it takes and make the adjustment.

KUDO’s to Shahana and Beatrice you ladies are awesome! As much as they may want to go home after work they were determine to come to class and get in a good workout. Nope I didn’t take it easy on them, even fact I pushed them even harder because I needed to prove to them that they could do it. Plus it gave them a sense of accomplishment  as they  pushed through the tiredness.

Let’s take for example you want to lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks. This is a realistic and measurable goal. The average weight loss should be 1-2 pounds a week. There may be several adjustments you will have to make here are a few to get you started:

1. Avoid/decrease fast food consumption
2. Avoid/decrease soda intake
3. Avoid/decrease consumption of fried foods
4. Eat every 2-3 hours
5. Eat more fruits and vegetables
6. Eat more lean protein
7. Drink lots of water
8. Start some type of workout regime
9. Be consistent

This sounds a lot easier than it really is and it takes practice, patience and a plan.  Instead of trying to do all the above suggestions start small. Start with 2 week and build add 1 more every week. People often fail when their expectations are too high and they give up. Only YOU know what you need to do to eventually see the body image you want. If you see an area in your life where you need to make some adjustments stop putting it off, you’re only delaying the results.

The health of our kids is a very serious thing. Today’s kids don’t eat or do the things that I used to do as a child. Despite not eating as healthy as I should when I was a child at least I was very active in some kind of sports activity. Recently I spoke at Lee Elementary School in Atlanta. This was an invitation that received from one of the 21 Day students.Sonya thank you I really enjoyed talking to the faculty.

I spoke to the faculty    about setting an example for the kids. Often times children look up to their teachers, especially in elementary school.  Kids will learn almost everything they need to learn in school; from elementary to college. I honestly feel that elementary is where the root is planted and from the root grows the fruit. Teaching a child what the purpose and function of food is is vital in helping them maintain a healthy body image. Teachers have stressful and overwhelming role and often times we take for granted all that they do.  Stressful situation can lead to unhealthy and over eating. If the teacher is stress and overweight healthy eating is not high on the list of priorities.  So what is the solution? Decreasing the stress thereby, decreasing the emotional stressful eating which can encourage them to make healthy food choices.

Jamie Oliver’s food revolution is a program whose goal is to change the food in school cafeterias. Processed foods, French fries, sugary milk, and unhealthy carbohydrates are the foods items that make up the menu in many of America’s schools. How can we expect our kids to eat fruits and vegetables when they’re not even available? High schools may offer a salad bar but when you’re use to eating French fires and hamburgers since elementary do you really think they’ll eat salad now? Probably not.

Small changes can mean a lot, replacing the white bread with whole grain, substituting fries for fruit, and grilled chicken for hamburgers. Kids will be kids and want to eat unhealthy foods but moderation is the key.  Totally restricting something from kids will only make them want it more. Giving children options is something that helps them feel more in control. Childhood obesity is at an alarming high if children are going to be the future we must take an interest in teaching them how to eat and maintain a healthy body and life style.

So I’m on a mission to help the teachers of the world decrease stress, make health conscious food choices while teaching our children they too can eat and be healthy.

The 21 Day Challenge has given me some of the most memorable experiences that I will never forget. When I started this journey last summer I didn’t know that it would be what it is today. Though I knew the concept was very important my main goal was to change how women looked at their body and to love their body. The one person that I have impacted the most is my mom.

My mom was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease Polymyositis several years ago. An autoimmune disease in simple terms is where the body’s immune system attacks itself. With Polymyositis involves inflammation of the muscles and the muscle fibers. The main symptom is weakness. The treatment is the use of corticosteroids. Steroids help decrease the inflammation. Now if you know any thing about steroids they cause a woman’s #1 fear… WEIGHT GAIN.

Weight gain was the issue my mom had. Despite taking the medication at first to get her strength back once she saw the horrible side effects she decided not to take the medication. Now that was several years ago. She would have period of weakness where she couldn’t do any type of activity for an extended period of time. Shortness of breath, paralysis of muscles,  and soreness.  You may know my story about my grandfather and why I feel that taking care of your body has to be a priority. Well in my mom’s case this was something that couldn’t be prevented. The cause of this disease is still unknown. I major concern was to make sure she did what she needed to do to stay alive.

After years of having good and bad days still not taking the steroids she finally decided during my wedding that enough was enough. On Sept 14, 2009 she started the 21 Day Health and Fitness Challenge. Starting weight was 175 pounds and a size 12. Then on January 5, 2010 she joined the I Love MY Body Fitness class. On April 3, 2010 after successfully completing 12 week of the fitness class and 3 months of the 21 Day Challenge she is 149 pounds and a size 6 I am so proud so say that she met and passed her weight loss goals. Not only that she has gained muscle strength and toned and reshaped her arms and legs.

She has not complained of a stiff or sore muscle (outside of the workout soreness). She can now run a mile, do 30 minutes on the stair master and more. If you would have asked me a year ago could she do this I would have said no way.  But today she has developed this determination and will power to complete every assignmen and task I give, and she does!

As a medical professional I still have to take in consideration her age and past medical history but to be totally honest she probably the healthiest she ever been. I shared her story to say that no matter how old you are and what the doctor has diagnosed you with you have to take control of your life and make a decision on to get healthy for you.

Before 21 Day Challenge 9/09

Recently I realized that just because a person says they eat healthy isn’t always true. Women all over the world are body image conscious. From the smallest of women to the largest, women are forever looking at ways to enhance or change their look. What you look like on the outside is dependent on what you put on the inside. True beauty starts from within. For instance what did you have for breakfast this morning? What about lunch yesterday? Was it healthy? Or shall I say health conscious? You know that saying “You are what you eat?” It’s true! But how can you know what you are (healthy or unhealthy) if you don’t know what you’re eating?

Starting today I would like for you to keep a food diary for 1 week of all the food you put in your mouth. Everything. From a handful of peanuts to a bottle of water. Why? Keeping a food diary serves many functions:
1. Helps you see WHAT you’re eating
2. Helps you see HOW MUCH you’re eating
3. Helps you see How OFTEN you’re eating
4. Helps you see what you’re NOT eating enough of

If I took a poll of women at the gym during the 5:00 pm aerobics class probably 75% of them would say they eat healthy. While the other 25% may feel they work out so why worry about what they eat. To truth of the matter is you should always be conscious of the food and beverages you consume. Not just from the point of fitness but from an overall health status. Many foods can contribute to some of the major health issue like diabetes, hypertension, cancer and high cholesterol.

Eating can be very enjoyable but what makes it a real pleasure is knowing what you’re eating and why. This leads me to my next question. When you eat how do you feel?  Happy, sad, depressed, lonely, tired, exhausted, stressed, overwhelmed, or confused.  Get my point? Often times as women we eat to fill or cover up an emotional problem. When you keep a food diary not only should you write down the foods you consumed but include a small note about your mood/feelings at the time. Being able to recognize emotional food triggers can be vital to your success at changing your body image. Nobody knows your body and mood like you.

At the end of the week review your diary and see where you can make adjustments. You’ll be surprised at the things you thought you were eating and the things you were really eating.

How would you judge someone’s health? Society has led us to believe that being healthy is determined by how we look on the outside. Weight and clothe size has been what many women use as a guide when they feel they need to lose weight. As women we often look at other women and say “I want her body”. My question to you is why? Why do you want to look like someone else? You are an original design, unique and divinely created. That’s one of the reason I decided that the vision for the 21 Day Challenge was to assist women in developing the I Love MY Body attitude.

Weight and size are NOT the determining factors for health and fitness. For years we have followed the “normal” or “ideal body weight” standards. Ideal body weight doesn’t work for everyone. Just because the chart says a 5’3 woman should weight 115 doesn’t mean you have to almost kill yourself to be 115 pounds. There are 2 main things that the IBW doesn’t take into account; muscle mass and body type. Muscle weights more than fat, so if you’re like me you have more muscle mass than fat you will not fall within the “ideal body weight”. No matter how hard you try, and neither will I. Body type is another reason. If you have an athletic build like Serena Williams it’s unlikely that you will fall within the IBW category.

The Mayo Clinic has come up with a new term, normal weight obesity. When I first saw this I was kind of confused. How can a person be of normal weight but yet obese at the same time? The research stated that more than 30 million people are of normal weight but have a body fat an obese person. High body fat puts you at high risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. Instead of using the weight alone to determine health status, they suggested to use the body mass index (BMI). BMI is NOT the only indicator to use if trying to see if you’re overweight or underweight for your height. Percent body fat is also helpful. Here’s the equation to find your BMI:

BMI=(Weight in pounds / height in inches X height in inches) X 703.

•BMI of less than 18 under weight.

• BMI of less than 18.5 thin for height.

• BMI between 18.6 and 24.9 healthy weight.

• BMI between 25 and 29.9 overweight for height.

• BMI of 30 or greater obese

If you’re like me and not a fan of math I found a BMI calculator that does all the work for you www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/. There are always pro and cons to things like this. The only thing about the BMI that I don’t like is it doesn’t distinguish male and female. A man with a BMI of 25 may be considered healthy for his height and weight but the women with the same height and weight she is considered obese.

The BMI is a tool that you can use to get you started at healthy life style without being so dependent on weight. Speaking of weight, I advise the ladies on the 21 Day Challenge if you feel you have to weight your self do it 1) in the morning 2) after you use the bathroom 3) totally naked 4) only once a week on the same day and around the same time.

As I say hello to another year (my birthday was Feb 28) that God has blessed me with, I can’t help but be thankful and grateful. I believe that having an attitude of thanksgiving will open the door for many more blessing to come. Regardless of the situation you face at the time, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. Just waking up is something to be thankful for. I recall a saying that my mom use to always say “Be grateful, because there is somebody somewhere a little worse than you”. That stuck with me and I find myself thinking about that statement a lot. When it just seems that nothing is going right in your life, think on that statement. If you don’t believe me just talk to some people and hear all that they’re going through, you’ll find yourself saying “Thank You Lord, it’s not as bad as it seems.”

My thankful heart comes from all I see in the hospital setting. If I could have people that are non-compliant with their medication for high blood pressure and diabetes walk in my shoes for a day and see what they’re really doing to themselves. I’m pretty sure they will have a different attitude. One problem can have a snow ball effect and cause more and more health issues. I don’t like to sound like a scratch record but IF YOU DON’T CARE OF YOU WHO WILL? Not just healthy physically but mentally too.

Physical Health:

Being completely healthy in today’s time is pretty almost unheard of. Everybody has something health related that they’re dealing with. Have you ever looked at the word disease? What do you see in the word? DIS- EASE. There is a physical DIS-EASE, meaning that the body is in a state of uneasiness and or pain, a disruption of the natural bodily process and function. Think about it, when you feel healthy the body runs smoothly and all is well. Living with any type disease is not easy. Some people fight to live every day and I literally mean fight. They struggle to breath, move, and talk. Let’s take breathing for example. You don’t have to think to breath. What if all of a sudden, doing a workout you start gasping for air? We often take the small things for granted until there gone.That’s what I mean when I say some people have to fight to live.

Mental Health:

I heart goes out to people and that have what society has labeled mental illness. Did you know that mental illness is not just depression, bipolar or schizophrenia? Mental illness can also be related to the body such as anorexia, bulimia. We know that these are eating disorders but to be considered mental illness is something to think about. Not wanting to eat because they think they’re fat or larger than what they really are is a disease called body dysmorphia.  Being healthy is not just a physical thing but involves having a having a sound mind as well.

I teach my students on the 21 Day Challenge not to compare their body with that of any one else. If there are things about your physical appearance you want to change, do it for you not to look like anyone else. Love your total body,  it’s the only one you have!

Having a healthy body on the outside is good but what about the inside? We all want to do whatever we can to live longer; healthy heart, lungs, and brain. While all those organs are vital for life, how healthy is your colon? That’s something we hardly ever think about when it comes to get healthy.

The GI (gastrointestinal) tract begins with the mouth, leads to the esophagus and extends through the stomach, small and large intestine, to end at the anus. Everything you out into your mouth has to go through this chain of events. Meaning nothing that you eat can bypass this section and skip to the next, unless you have had a surgery that alters your anatomy.

Complete digestion depends on the kind of food you eat. It normally takes anywhere form 12 -72 hours to digest food.  Certain foods like meat take longer to digest than vegetables. Fiber or roughage is one important nutrient to help with maintain a healthy GI system. Insufficient fiber intake can increase your risk for many health problems such as:

• Constipation
• High cholesterol
• Weight gain
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Colon cancer

It is recommended to consume at least 25 -30 grams of fiber a day. That sounds like a lot of fiber but you’ll be surprised at how much fiber is in the foods you eat every day. Just by substituting white bread for whole grain bread gives you more fiber. Matter of fact; try very hard to remove anything white from your diet. Whole grains are not the only food items that contain fiber, many fruits and vegetables have the fiber we need. Meat and dairy products contain no fiber, and refined grains have had most of their fiber removed. To increase your intake of fiber, eat more whole and natural foods, and fewer processed foods. Some good examples of fiber-rich foods include:

• Legumes (lentils, dry beans and peas)
• Other vegetables
• Fruits
• Brown rice
• Whole grains (wheat, oats, barley)

Fiber does more than prevent medical problems like heat disease with can help you lose some unwanted pounds. Fiber makes you fill full and thereby decreasing your appetite and causing you to eat less.  It also binds to cholesterol and is released in the bowels. Speaking of bowels movements, are you regular? You should be. At least 2 BM’s a day is considered a healthy bowel pattern. Now don’t get too caught up with the number of BM you’re having, the key is to increase your fiber intake and let natural take its course. A word of caution… GRADULALY INCREASE THE FIBER INTAKE TO PREVENT DIARREA AND GAS.

Fiber is thick and consuming fiber without being properly hydrated will also lead to constipation.  Be sure to drink plenty of fluids when adding fiber to your diet.

21 Second tip: Increase fiber by 5 grams a week until you can get to the recommended 25- 30 grams a day and make sure there’s a bathroom close by!



Burr! It’s been a cold winter in Georgia. I can’t recall it ever being this cold. But you’re talking to a person that keeps the portable heaters all at all times plus the central heat. I’m always cold! When you think about the winter do you envision your self-exercising in or outside and eating healthy? Probably not. Matter of fact your excuse is “It’s too cold to exercise.” So now that we’ve established that you don’t like exercising in the winter what about the food you eat? Cold, dark winter nights lead many women to over eat, crave fattening comfort foods and let’s not get started with the Holidays. I won’t revisit that lecture, but I will say that the average holiday plate has 3000 calories!

Did you know that a lot of the foods we eat, we eat them because of the season? Here is a list of some of the foods that are considered to be the worst fattening winter foods a person can consume:

• Macaroni and cheese
• Beef chili
• Creamed based soups
• Casseroles
• Stews loaded with beef
• Pasta with thick creamed sauce
• Fried foods
• Crusted top and bottom pot pies
• Heavy frosted cakes and or syrup fruit filled pies

As always there are alternatives to these foods by replacing some of the ingredients with healthy and nutritious foods without sacrificing the flavor. These foods are high in calories and saturated fat and can add several unwanted inches to your waist.

That leads me to a question. Why do you think we don’t crave (desire) these foods in the spring/summer time? In my opinion, during the summer months it can get hot, humid and sticky (at least in Georgia) and I like to feel light, cool and refreshed. Not weighed down, bloated, tried and uncomfortable which is what normally happens after you eat a fattening meal. Maybe that’s why we tend to gain weight in the winter months.

Spring/summer is a time to really get in shape.  Women all over the world aim at looking their best in the summer and why not. It’s a time to show off that great body you’ve worked so hard to obtain. To me the sun is my biggest motivation. It’s something about sunlight that makes me feel happy want to get outside and do something.(We’ll discuss summer outdoor activities later)

As winter closes make a pledge to decrease the fattening foods and start becoming active. That way when spring does arrive you won’t have to work so hard to get swimsuit ready!

Are you getting enough fat in your diet? That may be a confusing question for some. Getting the right kind of fat is important when it comes to being healthy. The EFA’s (Essential fatty acids) “good fats” are not made by made the body and therefore must come from your diet. There are two families of EFAs: Omega-3 and Omega-6.

EFA’s are vital for cardiovascular, reproductive, immune and nervous systems. EFA’s also regulate body functions like heart rate, blood pressure, blood clotting, fertility, conceptions and immune function.

The benefits of consuming Omega 3’s:

• Reducing the risk of heart disease
• Decreasing blood pressure in the prevention of stroke
• Depression
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Joint pain and other rheumatoid problems, as well as certain
• Skin issues.
• Alzheimer’s disease.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish (particularly fatty fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, and salmon) at least 2 times a week.

While Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, Omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation. Both EFA’s work together to promote a healthier well balanced you. The typical American diet tends to contain 14 – 25 times more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3 fatty acids. Therefore we must increase our intake of Omega 3’s not 6.

Omega 6 benefits:

• Skin health
• Lower cholesterol, and
• Help make our blood “sticky” so it is able to clot.

But when Omega-6s aren’t balanced with sufficient amounts of Omega-3s, problems can arise. The imbalance between Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids may also contribute to obesity. It is believed that many American consume too many Omega 6’s and not enough Omega 3’s. Omega-6 fatty acids are eaten more often than the Omega 3’s because they’re found in as eggs, poultry, cereals, vegetable oils, baked goods, margarine, seeds and nuts, and the oils. Refined vegetable oils, such as soy oil, are used in most of the snack foods, cookies, crackers, and sweets as well as in fast food.

But even if you don’t like fish (or choose not to eat it), you can still get what you need from dietary sources, the answer lies in plants rich in omega-3s — particularly flaxseed. Flaxseed is available in health food stores and many supermarkets, sold as whole seeds, ground seeds, or oil. Sources of omega-3s include canola oil, broccoli, cantaloupe, kidney beans, spinach, grape leaves, Chinese cabbage, cauliflower, and walnuts.

21 Second Food Fact

1 ounce (one handful) of walnuts has about 2.5 grams of omega-3’s which is equal to a 3.5 ounce of salmon.

Now that you know a little about EFA (essential fatty acids) you’re probably thinking, “I can just take a supplement”. Wrong! Research has shown that the best sources of EFA’s are better absorbed from food not supplements.

Were 2 ½ months into 2010, are you still sticking to your new year’s resolutions? Have you achieved any of the things you said you wanted to accomplish? Are you still going to the gym? I can go on and on but I won’t. I just wanted to show you that many people make the same resolutions every year and not keep them. I tell all my students of the 21 Day Challenge to always have a goal in mind. Goals especially for weight loss need to be realistic and measurable.

Now if you’re feeling a little sad or let down because you had good intentions on sticking with your resolutions of trying to lose weight, or workout more but didn’t, don’t be upset we’ve all been there. Here’s a simple solution that I think can help. Why not bring the gym to you? Gym membership can cost as much as $45.00 a month/$540.00 a year. If you’re not going to use the gym member ship then why give them that money without getting anything in return? I’m pretty sure you can use an extra $540 a year for something else, know I can.

Working out at home can have several benefits; it saves you time, money and headache (fighting traffic during rush hour to get to the gym). It also takes discipline, a schedule and space. The main benefit of working out at home is you don’t have to get up and go anywhere!! If you’re a home body like me then that’s right up your alley. To be honest that’s how I started when I realized that I needed to lose weight. I would run on the treadmill 15 minutes at a time and build up to running for an hour. Then as I progressed with my workout at home I rejoined a gym to increase my workout intensity. Being dedicated to working out takes time to develop, but you can. You have to make it a priority and put it on your “to do” list for the day, even if you just 15 minutes a day.

Working out at home may not be for everyone. There are some ladies that feel that in order for them to get a good workout they have to go to the gym and I totally understand but having a home gym can be a backup if for some reason you can’t make it. A home gym offer convenience and privacy. Here are a few at home suggestions to get you started:

1. Dumbbells
2. Stability ball
3. Yoga Mat
4. Workout DVD’s
5. Resistance bands
6. Treadmill (optional if space allows)
7. TV (workout channel Direct TV 261 Fit-TV)
8. Internet (www.fittv.com)
9. Wii Fit

As you can see I am trying to help you eliminate all the excuses for not at least starting a workout routine. Now, if you’re saying “LaMonica I don’t have any money to buy dumbbells, resistance band, stability ball or treadmill.” That’s fine you can always use 2 food cans as dumbbells or gallon jugs, pair of old nylon stockings (panty hose) for resistance bands and several pillows or towels as a stability ball (core), walk up and down that stairs in your home at a consistent speed for 15 min. NO EXCUSES! Students of the 21 Day Challenge know exactly what I’m talking about. We spend 21 days training at home.

If you’re still not sure of working out at home I want to you to challenge yourself and give it a try. You can get the same gym results at home.