Hi friends! I hope all is well. For many of you that's known me here, you know that it's been an on and off battle with me and getting healthy. I won't lie. It's been tough, but I won't quit! I want to be the best that I can be for myself, for my family. I want to feel energized when I wake up, I want to look at myself in the mirror and just smile. I know with that smile, and with the twinkle in my eye that I've succeeded because I never gave up!
I joined the BLC 20 12 week challenge, and am on the Amber Amazon Warriors Team! YEAH BABY!!~~
I don't want anything to get in the way of my success. In everything that's happened in my life, I seem to never be able to make it to the finish line because of something happening within my personal life. This has got to end, right now!
My mother, she was diagnosed with her 3rd cancer. She's battled pancreatic cancer, then breast cancer, and now it's : bile duct cancer.
Who is the strongest person that I know? It's my mother. She never gave up her fight with these battles. No matter how many times she was put down by negative news, she always stood up and said that she can do this. I will never know what she is going through, because it's her body, but when I am with her through the fight, I see someone who is strong and wants to win this battle!
My mother did not raise no fool or a daughter who gives up so easily...
I took my mother into the emergency room yesterday, because she was gettting a lot of fluid built up in her stomach and her feet were very swollen. With all that, she could not eat more than 5 spoonful's of rice. So, as you can imagine she was very weak. She was supposed to start her new chemotherapy yesterday, but with speaking to her doctors we said it would be best to admit her into the hospital.
Last night was not an easy ride. Being that we go to a busy New York City hospital, and that it's Friday, getting a bed for my mom was difficult. We got to the ER at 12pm and got a room for her at 2AM the next day. In between that time, we were in the ER waiting... and let me tell you, I commend those nurses and doctors working that area. Those people do a fantastic job, and may God bless them and their families.
With all this going on, I want to continue and follow through with what I've signed up for. Why? because I don't want to be a quitter. I want to be able to look back and see that I still did what I signed up to do, even with all that is going on in my life. What makes this choice a bit easier for me is that my mother is in stable condition, and she is getting taken cared of by good doctors and nurses.
Here is my plan for the BLC 20 12 Week Challenge:
1. Go to the gym, no matter what!: I used to say to myself that I would go to the gym next time, when I'm feeling stressed or tired. That next time never happens, of course! Just the other day, I had a long day, and my husband came home late from work. He asked me if I still wanted to go to the gym. I took a moment to think about this question... I said "yes, I'll go, but just know that dinner was not made."
After going to the gym that night, having some salad from wendy's, I really felt great! I felt stress free and lighter. I felt a little free...

2. Think before I eat:
I really do eat with my eyes! I mean, most people do, right?! Well, I want to change that up a bit, and make a concious decision of what I put into my mouth. I feel by doing this, I can focus on eating cleaner and less proccessed foods. I've also been trying to eat less beef because I've noticed that eating it gives me indigestion. Also, I have a costco nearby and want to make it a habit of getting fresh veggies and fruits!! YAY

3. Don't sit too much!:
I am a couch potato by nature. To make sure that I get my butt off that couch, I use a pedometer to count the steps I take each day. I like to make it competive and do more than I did the day before!

4. Rewards are good for me:
I am pretty simple when it comes to buying things for myself. My husband really hates that I don't go shopping or go do my nails. I do not enjoy shopping, and have yet to find a nail salon that I like...
But, with this challenge, I've decided that little rewards are good for me! So!~ This Monday, as a celebration gift of joining the BLC20 challenge I bought a deal on lifebooker to get highlights, haircut and blowout for $79!! NICE deal, from a highly reviewed salon!! YAY
Those are things that I want to reward myself with for my hard work.

Well, that was my plan, so now let me get going to the hospital!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and let's go WARRIORS!!