Miss America hopeful, Bree Boyce, lost more than 100 lbs and gained a crown

Where have I been all this year that I am just now finding out about this Sweet, southern beauty queen and her inspiring weight-loss story that took her from over 230 lbs. to a sleek, slender, poised and confident beauty queen winning the Miss South Carolina Pageant this year. Now she will be competing for the grand title of pageants; MISS AMERICA, in just a few days. WOW! AMAZING!

I came across her photos and story in the irresistable annual edition of PEOPLE MAGAZINE "Half Their Size" that I picked up in the check-out line a few days ago while shopping New Year's Eve.

I was just casually browsing through the impressive stories of all the folks featured this year when I turned a page and there she was, in her gown, sash, & crown, a true southern belle beauty, with the caption reading, "I USED TO BE FAT". It came complete with before and after photos. YAY!

Now I can't wait to watch the Miss America Pageant January for the first time in decades. Seriously! It has been at least 20 years since I last watched a pageant. It used to be a family tradition with my sisters and my Mom and I. And even before that, with my Grndmother, Mammaw (Lena Rivers) Riffe, and my cousins. We would all dream of growing up and becoming pageant winners but I always had to prefece that thought with another more pressing thought; "If I would lose weight, I could enter a beauty pageant". I was even led to believe by very impartial grandparents, aunts, uncles, and parents that I was pretty enough in the face and had talent and communications skills well enough to not just compete but to win the whole thing! Crown, title, money, scholarships and all. Who ME?

I was a pretty baby! Healthy and normal size at sightly over 7 lbs at birth back in 1962. But that didn't last long! I grew up to weigh more than 500 lbs and a size 56-60, wearing this 80's skirt. I still have it.

Thank God the skirt no longer fits, in a good way! After reducing 335 lbs and still managing to keep half that weight off since 1994, I am not ready YET for a beauty pageant competition, even if I wanted to enter one, but I am determined that in the near future I will be able to fit into my own dream gown that makes me feel like a pretty princess all dressed up for a handsome prince. It will happen someday!

Until then, I will be poised and gracefull while eating my healthy lite snacks with some friends and watching the 2012 Miss America Pageant  in 2 weeks and CHEERING for Miss South Carolina. (I will also cheer respectfully for both Miss Kentucky & Miss Tennessee) whatever the outcome on January 14th, I hope she will continue her efforts to bring awareness to obesity and to spread the good news to those struggling with weight problems that there are healthier options than surgery, pills, rigid diet plans and other drastic ways to lose weight.

Not to say that I think less of folks who choose those other alternative routes. You all should know that I would NEVER judge you on your decisions. I am in SUPPORT of each of you and in whatever ways you believe BEST FOR YOU. I hope you all understand. I will always, always, always, encourage, educate, and inspire anyone to do everything you can to get heatlhy by getting excess weight off the same way you put it on. Eating and activity. It is usually a matter of eating too much or eating the wrong foods at the wrong times and not getting enough of healthy fitness conditioning activities that piles on the extra weight and leads us to becoming unhealthy. So, reversing that will reverse the weight problems. Just makes sense, doesn't it. Usually we all need no help in putting it on, but we all usually need help in getting it off. SO HERE IS YOUR HELP! ME!!!

And inspiring stories like Miss South Carolina, Bree Boyce. Like me, she lost her weight the old fashioned way, with healthy eating and working out.... and I love and admire that about her. It really helps to give HOPE TO ALL that it is totally possible to change your weight and change your life!

 To me, MISS SOUTH CAROLINA IS ALREADY THE WINNER AND SHE IS SO WORTH IT!

If she and I can do it, YOU CAN DO IT TOO!!!!!

REMEMBER! THERE IS A WINNER IN YOU, AND YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!!!

Blessings, HUGS, & Much Love,
Tina Maria

On the 9th Day of Christmas Tips

On the 9th Day of Christmas Tips - GET UP AND CLOWN AROUND!

I bet you thought I was going to say MOVE AROUND. Right? Well, Surprise! Sort of!

It is VERY important to add movement and activity that increases your heart rate and gets the blood pumping and fat burning and sweat clearing out those toxins and junk that keeps us from losing weight easily and from feeling energetic and happy. Exercise does all that, an more. But when we think of exercising, we tend to not think of it like that, in all the positive life building ways. We tend to dread it like the dentists drill.

HOWEVER, DOING SOMETHING FUN AND FUNNY that accomplishes the fitness goals IS THE BEST, EASIEST, AND QUICKEST WAY TO GET INTO THE HABIT OF WORKING OUT!

 So, in the interest of getting you interested in working out to help you burn fat and lose weight.... I am introducing to you this VERY FUN and FUNNY way to get Move it and Lose it. CLOWN STYLE!
Check THIS out!

How to Do the Hip Hop Clown Walk

 

Written by:

Jessica Jones (e-how contributor)

 

The clown walk or C-Walk, as it is often referred to, is a series of dance moves that include the Heel-toe, the Shuffle and the Snake. Many hip hop dancers enjoy performing the clown walk because they are free to use their creativity and individual talents. If you learn the basic moves, you too can use the Hip Hop Clown Walk to express your individual style.

Instructions

 

1. • 1
     The Hip Hop Clown Walk is a series of smaller dance moves that when put together create this dance move. Below are some of the basic moves and how to perform them. Once you learn these moves, you can combine them into your own version of the C-Walk.
   • 2
     To perform the Heel-toe, which is a popular move when doing the Clown Walk, cross one leg to create a semi-twist. The trick to this move is getting the angles of your feet in the correct position. Most people try to create 90 degree angles in order to perform a clean move. While the Heel-toe may seem easy, it can be difficult to maintain your balance, so practice it many times before combining it with another move.
   • 3
     The Shuffle is an easy step to master. All you have to do is move your feet frontwards and backwards to the music. (refer to the little guys shufflin at the top of this post)
   • 4
     The Snake is another popular move when performing the C-Walk. This move, similar to the Heel-toe, requires dancers to place their left leg on their right heel and move forward. The back leg is used for support. This move can also be tricky as you will have to learn proper balance in order to achieve it.
   • 5
     Once you've mastered these moves, you can combine them to create a C-Walk routine. Many Hip-Hop dancers use the C-Walk during longer routines.

Personal Note Here: I am not a fan of Hip Hop. I will be the first to admit that. But, I do love to clown around and have fun and really like the idea of it helping me to get off this weight and to get in shape!
So, come rain or shine, I am committing to GET UP AND CLOWN AROUND! You with me?

On the 8th Day Of Christmas Tips

On the 8th Day of Christmas Tips -  SCHEDULE A VISIT WITH A GREAT TRUSTED DR.

GET A COMPLETE PHYSICALTO LEARN YOUR NUMBERS!!!!

Here is my wonderful Dr. Meghan Gannon.

December of last year, 2010, I felt it necessary to have a physical just to make sure all my numbers were healthy. I had lost a younger Sister a year before way too early due to obesity related death. I lost my Momma 4 years earlier to premature death from obesity related cancer. I nearly lost my Daddy in 1993 to obesity related Heart Attack. (Thank God Daddy is still with us) and grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins all to early deaths caused by obesity.... TOO SAD AND TOO UNNECESSARY!

So I went to a new GP that was highly recommended to me and requested a number of tests be run on my heart, lungs, and all metabolic functions. I did the fasting glucose where I had to drink all that NASTY sugar syrup liquid that according to my Dr was equivalent to a large Mountain Dew and 3 Krispy Kreme Glazed Donuts. On an empty stomach. Then I had to go back 2 hours later to see if the numbers went up to a diabetic threatening level.

Due to my family history of Diabetes, Heart Disease, Cancer, and all other Obesity Related issues.... My Dr. felt sure because in addition to that, my weight being more than 340 and my age of nearly 49.... and all the life-changing stress I had been under.... The combination was enough to assure her that I was in bad shape. She was unaware of my previous Hungry Hearts Weight Management Program success so she was prepared for the worst.

HOWEVER, MUCH TO MY DR'S SURPRISE AND MY GRATEFULNESS, we were both DELIGHTED to have the results of all that testing to come back with the conclusion that METABOLICALLY SPEAKING I WAS IN PERFECT HEALTH! No threat of any obesity related diseases.

I was told "WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING, WORKS! SO KEEP IT UP AND COME SEE ME NEXT YEAR! Yahoo!!!!!

I tell you all I have the best program in the world for not only losing weight but improving your overall health and fitness. Nothing is better than my God-given weight management program. I believe my good health all these years has been directly due to my losing 335 lbs and keeping it off for several years and then continuing to basically eat healthy and move more than being a couch potato.

Anyway...So, here we are! It is time for my return. Happily, I no longer weigh more than 340. I hope, by the time I go next month, I will no longer even be in the 300's. HALLELUJAH!!!!

Anyway, how do you know what you need to work on the most unless you know where you stand. So, here are some NUMBERS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER!!!

Lipid panels include:
Total Cholesterol
HDL ("GOOD" cholesterol)
Total Cholesterol / HDL ratio
LDL ("BAD" cholesterol)
Triglycerides
Blood sugar
VLDL (Very low density lipids)
What are YOUR numbers?

American Heart Association - http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/

National Heart / Lung / Blood Institute http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/index.htm

What Your Numbers Mean: Cholesterol is measured in milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Your total blood cholesterol is the number you normally receive with your test results. To determine your risk for heart disease, it's also important to know how this number breaks down into LDL cholesterol ("bad"), HDL cholesterol ("good"), and triglyceride levels.

Here's a guide to interpreting your test results:
Total Blood Cholesterol Level
Your total blood cholesterol will fall into one of these categories:

• Desirable: Less than 200 mg/dL In this range, your heart attack or stroke risk is relatively low, unless you have other risk factors. Almost half of adults have total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL. Have your cholesterol levels measured every five years-or more often if you're a man over 45 or a woman over 55.

• Borderline high risk: 200-239 mg/dL About a third of American adults are in this group. Have your cholesterol and HDL rechecked in one to two years if your total cholesterol is in this range; if your HDL is less than 40 mg/dL; or if you don't have other risk factors for heart disease.Talk to your healthcare provider about managing your individual risk.

• High risk: 240 mg/dL and over About 20 percent of the U.S. population has high blood cholesterol levels. Your risk of heart attack and stroke is greater in this range. In general, people who have a total cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL. It is important to discuss your cholesterol and overall risk of heart disease and stroke with a healthcare professional.

LDL ("Bad") Cholesterol Level The lower your LDL cholesterol, the lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, it's a better gauge of risk than total blood cholesterol. Talk to your healthcare provider about managing your individual risk.

LDL Cholesterol Levels
Less than 100 mg/dl	Optimal
100 to 129 mg/dL	Near Optimal/ Above Optimal
130 to 159 mg/dL	Borderline High
160 to 189 mg/dL	High
190 mg/dL and above	Very High

HDL ("Good") Cholesterol Level
With HDL ("Good") cholesterol, higher levels are better. Low HDL cholesterol (less than 40 mg/dL for men, less than 50 mg/dL for women) puts you at high risk for heart disease. In the average man, HDL cholesterol levels range from 40 to 50 mg/dL. In the average woman, they range from 50 to 60 mg/dL.
People with high blood triglycerides usually have lower HDL cholesterol and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Progesterone, anabolic steroids and male sex hormones (testosterone) also lower HDL cholesterol levels. Female sex hormones raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Triglyceride Level Your triglyceride level will fall into one of these categories:

Triglyceride Level	Classification
Less than 150 mg/dL	Normal
150-199 mg/dL	Borderline-high
200-499 mg/dL	High
500 mg/dL or higher	Very high

Many people with high triglycerides have underlying diseases or genetic disorders. If this is true for you, the main therapy is to change your lifestyle. This includes controlling your weight, eating foods low in saturated fat and cholesterol, exercising regularly, not smoking and, in some cases, drinking less alcohol. Visit your healthcare provider to create a plan of action that will incorporate all these lifestyle changes.
People with high triglycerides also may need to limit their intake of carbohydrates to no more than 45-50 percent of total calories. The reason for this is that carbohydrates raise triglycerides in some people and lower HDL cholesterol. Use products with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

Cholesterol Ratio
Some physicians and cholesterol technicians use the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol in place of the total blood cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends that the absolute numbers for total blood cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels be used. They're more useful to the physician than the cholesterol ratio in determining the appropriate treatment for patients.
The ratio is obtained by dividing the HDL cholesterol level into the total cholesterol. For example, if a person has a total cholesterol of 200 mg/dL and an HDL cholesterol level of 50 mg/dL, the ratio would be stated as 4:1. The goal is to keep the ratio below 5:1; the optimum ratio is 3.5:1.

My next post will include important info regarding sugar/diabetes numbers and what you need to know before you get tested.... SCHEDULE YOUR COMPLETE PHYSICAL TODAY!!!!!

THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT AND LOOKING BETTER!

THERE IS MUCH MORE TO YOU THAN WHAT YOU WEIGH. ~

Know your numbers so your number won't be up too soon!!!!

Blessings & Love!
Tina Maria

On the 7th Day of Christmas Tips

On the 7th Day of Christmas Tips -  Take a Chill Pill.
The photo below reminds me of days when I felt really great about how I looked. Chills me out!

Christmas Day was yesterday. Today is Monday, the start of a New Week, heading toward a New Year! Since Christmas and Christmas Eve fell on the weekend this year, most folks are enjoying another day off today. So, instead of spending the day feeling fat, bloated, and sad, depressed, or even angry at yourself for not having more healthy Holiday foods.... CHILL OUT! Determine to not sit around in the dunmps all day with a bad mood or attitude. And for Heaven's sake AND your own sake and sanity, don't eat all the leftovers.

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What you ate or didn't, yesterday and all the days since Halloween, is history. TODAY IS A BRAND NEW DAY! Only today matters at this moment, because you cannot change a thing about the past, except for how you feel about it. As the old saying goes; "You can't re-write history! So, don't worry! CHILL OUT TODAY! Eat healthier today than you did yesterday and drink more water especially with organic lemons in it to get rid of all the toxins, wastes, and junk that you took in. JUST CHILL!

As for me; I will soon be on the road, leaving My Old Ashland, Kentucky Home, and heading back to My Nashville, Tennessee Home.

Work comes calling tomorrow morning as does a follow-up to the Allergist. Looks like a beautiful day to travel south. Had a fantastic time with my family. If the weather is good, I will be coming right back in a couple weeks to celebrate the 7th birthday for my beautiful sweet niece, Hannah kellene Grace who at the moment is sleeping soundly in the bed we share when I visit and I need to get back in there before she wakes up because her favorite thing to do is wake up and snuggle/cuddle with me and her favorite little bear, Max.
Here she is with her American Girl Doll, Samantha, Christmas Gifts from Me. Fortunate finds!
YAY to the best Aunt on the planet! ~

For me, THIS = TAKING A CHILL PILL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2011

Merry Christmas 2011

Please scroll down for todays Christmas Tips (#6)

Blessings & Love,
Tina Maria

On the 6th Days of Christmas Tips

Notice the title. DAYS is plural. I have been terribly remiss in getting these TIPS posted and I am so very sorry. The past week has been crazy and now TODAY IS CHRISTMAS! So I am going to make these 6 tips really quick and simple!

On day 6 we should take a moment to reflect back on the previous 5 tips!

Tip # 1 - Eat a M&M every day! Morning Meal.
Breakfast. To REV-UP the metabolism. BURN FAT. Get the fires stoked and fuel your brain too!

Tip # 2 - DETOX -
Get your body rid of those fat grabbing flabby clinging toxins, wastes, and poisons that make it seem impossible to lose weight and get toned up. Toxins also drain energy AND promote aging! OUCH! It's one thing to look fat, but another to look fat AND old. Don't want that now do we! So to S.L.O.W. down looking old and tired, Drink up to a gallon of Filtered Alkalized Water EVERY DAY to DETOX! And to celebrate and get this tip off to a GREAT start, I offered the Give-Away Prize to a lucky M&H Blog Reader Winner, of a IonPod Alkalizing Refillable Water Bottle. AND OUR LUCKY WINNER IS: JANETTA BLEVINS! (picked randomly by a friend, according to a number. Name identified after number selected. Janetta Blevins name happened to be behind #4)

IF YOU DON'T HAVE A ALKALIZING REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE, UNTIL YOU CAN GET ONE, HERE'S HOW YOU CAN HELP RID TOXINS WITH REGULAR FILTERED WATER!
Squeeze ORGANIC Lemons and add the juice to your filtered water. Drink at least a half gallon to a gallon EACH and EVERY DAY! IT REALLY DOES WORK!!!! Don't add sweeteners or sugar to the water though or you will be adding toxins rather than removing them.

Tip # 3 - Do Not PROCRASTINATE!
Don't wait until Jan 1st. Here are a few quotes I found.

"Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
Lord Chesterfield

My evil genius Procrastination has whispered me to tarry 'til a more convenient season.
Mary Todd Lincoln

Procrastination is like a credit card: it's a lot of fun until you get the bill.
Christopher Parker
Procrastination is one of the most common and deadliest of diseases and its toll on success and happiness is heavy.
Wayne Gretzky

Procrastination is opportunity's assassin.
Victor Kiam

Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday. Napoleon Hill

Tip # 4 PICTURE Healthy YOU!
Get a mental vision of YOU HEALTHY!!!! (Remember my Red Dress Photo and story)

Tip # 5 Eat Fruits & Nuts & Seeds.
These healthy goodies are great snacks and additions to your meals and menus to help you meet your fat burning and nutritional needs and keep your appetite satisfied and prevent hunger driving us to the nearest cookie jar or candy stash.

Tip # 6 REVIEW THE 5 tips ABOVE AND SEE WHERE YOU STAND IN IMPLEMENTING THEM ON A DAILY BASIS.
Decide which tips are the most needed in your daily life. Hopefully you have at least a few already established as good habits but if not, today is the best day to get started.

By the end of today all can be put into action and then tonight you can review them and get started on # 7.
COMING UP RIGHT AFTER THIS POST! So get to reviewing and TAKE ACTION, NOW!!!!!

7-12 are gonna be a bit more challenging!!!!
GET READY!!!!
By the weigh (notice that pun there) if you add all 12 by New Years Day, you will not weigh as much as you weigh today! WHOO HOO.

Merry Christmas!!!!
Tina Maria

On the 5th Day of Christmas Tips

On the 5th Day of Christmas Tips - Eat Fruits & Nuts & Seeds

Before we get to that; Today is the last chance to enter my FREE GIVE AWAY PRIZE!

IonPod Alkalizing Refillable Water Bottle! Details at the end of this post!

Now back to our Christmas Tip!

Here's a few of my fave fruits ~

Every day I try to incorporate at least one of the above at each meal or snack. I find it easy to eat these healthy, tasty, and easy-to-carry-along-wherever-you-go fat burning goodies if you make them readily available to you and make it much more difficult to eat desserts and fattening sweets and snacks.

    Weeks ago I purchased 2 bags of Holidays Candies. Hershey Kisses. This is my daily portion!

Most of the time at my house, I don't buy or make foods that are not my friends and it is usually like finding a needle in a haystack to find anything unhealthy to eat around here. But there is ALWAYS fresh fruits, Seeds, & Nuts in the pantry, on the counter, the table, and in the fridge. Most nights you can even find a few of these on the night table by my bed. So, in the middle of the night, when the munchies come calling, I don't have an excuse to eat empty calories and wake up the next morning with a foodie hangover.

Christmas Party Lunch Photo From Previous Post - But a delicious and Healthy Holidays Feast!
Oh and by the way, having fruit cake or pecan pie or berry cobbler doesn't really count as your HEALTHY fruits and nuts. Unless of course you leave out all the sugar and white flours and butter, shortenings, and heavy creams. So then without all that, you just might as well have regular fresh fruit, nuts, & seeds.

     But I really do love and occasionally have a slice of Razzleberry Pie, my new Favorite Dessert!
Of course, it is perfectly fine to have a small portion of anything within reason, but you really have to get the portion distortion dealt with and be fully committed to what is an actual serving size. You have to know what you are putting into your mouth. Guessing at the calories and fat grams just isn't the best way to get your weight off. Trust me on that!

Can you guess what the SECRET INGRDIENT is to my Pork Roast?

Did you say APPLES?

Apples it is!

This apple glazed Pork Roast is the most tender and juicy Pork Roast I have ever eaten. Just another reason to keep plenty of fresh fruits on hand for a number of delicious and healthy additions to your favorite recipes. Any time you can add fresh fruits to a meat, side dish, appetizer, dessert, or drink is to your healthy advantage!

FRUIT IS YOUR FRIEND!

YOU CAN HAVE YOUR FRUIT AND EAT IT TOO!

Cheesy comment, I know, but I just couldn't help myself!

P.S. TODAY IS THE LAST CHANCE TO ENTER MY FREE GIVE AWAY FOR THE IonPod ALKALIZING REFILLABLE WATER BOTTLE.

All you need to do to enter your name is to post a comment either here on this blog, or on my facebook page, (Tina Maria Adams) or send me an email at TinaMariaAdams@gmail.com

1 winner will be randomly selected tomorrow morning and announced here and on Facebook!

On the 4th Day of Christmas Tips

On the 4th Day of Christmas Tips - Picture Healthy You

Look at the RED DRESS I am wearing in the photo above? I actually SAW that very dress more than 3 years before it was ever made. 3 years before it existed, I actually SAW ME WEARING IT. Yep, that's right and Nope I am not yanking your chain. Let me explain!

It was on June 18th 1990 when in desperation I cried out to God for help to lose more than 300 lbs before I died an early death from severe morbid obesity. My 28 year old body had carried more than 500 lbs all it could physically go without disaster happening and I could literally feel the breath of death on the back of my neck. Below is another photo of me holding a skirt that I wore before I lost 335 lbs.

This skirt was made for me by a dear, sweet lady, Wanda Stone, who attended the church my Daddy Pastored, at the time, in Kentucky. If not for her making my clothes during those heaviest years, I don't know what I would have worn because the clothing stores had size limits below my 56-60 size. I shutter now as I write this. It was a horrible way to exist when you have a choice not to!

 Anyway, Back to the RED DRESS. From June 18th 1990 to Dec. 31st I had dropped about 50-75 lbs. I can't remember exactly, but I was getting a little discouraged because I had been pushing so hard to get the weight off and for people to be able to notice. But so far no one was seeing the difference. Keep in mind that when someone is severely obese as I was, it takes A LOT of weight loss before anyone will even be able to tell the slightest bit of loss. So, I was wavering in my faith at that point. I will never forget the time & place when I had a mental vision out of the clear blue, of me looking exactly like I look in this photo, wearing this exact RED DRESS. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that vision was a gift from God. I literally had to look twice and really stare to SEE ME healthy and fit.

I can tell you that I held on to that vision, and I told everybody I knew what I had seen that night, in a little church, where my family and I were performing at a concert. I had turned around to look at the clock to see how close it was to midnight which would be NEW YEARS. I was looking forward to pigging out later at the local Shoney's Buffet, and because I was discouraged, I had already talked myself into eating everything ,and as much of it, as I could hold. I was THAT discouraged.

UNTIL I GOT A VISION OF WHAT I WOULD LOOK LIKE IF I DIDN'T QUIT! IF I DIDN'T GIVE UP! IF I DIDN'T OVEREAT! IF I DIDN'T PIG OUT!

When I looked back at that old clock hanging on the wall above the vestibule doors, instead of seeing this;

I saw this:

That moment made all the difference in the world. I went to Shoney's and had a sensible one-plate of breakfast foods with small portions and I held fast to that vision. I burned the image in my mind and I asked God to help me to never forget what I saw in that old clock. It was TIME FOR ME TO GET A PERFECT PICTURE OF THE GOAL I WAS GOING AFTER.

Fast forward 4 years later to April 1994 when the RED DRESS picture actually was taken in Hollywood, CA with Mike & Maty at the set of their daily talk show on ABC Network.

I knew when I got the call that I would have to wear the dress I saw in my vision more than 3 years earlier, but although I had given the description of the dress to many people, none of us were having any luck UNTIL I WAS CASUALLY BROWSING IN A J.C. PENNEY catalog and saw it on a model.

Well, you should have heard the squeal of delight when I turned a page and there it was. Just like in my vision. I ordered it, that very day with a lump in my throat and goose bumps on my goose bumps. So excited and nervous and grateful and pinching myself to see if I was really awake or in a dream.

 will never forget the look on my Daddy's face when he saw me wearing that dress for the first time. It was precious and priceless. You would have thought it was my wedding day. "Oh Mommy look at her" He proudly exclaimed to my Momma who was staring in awe.

I will forever remember that as one of the greatest moments of my life. THAT was better than Hollywood! I think he was as proud of me then as he was on the day I, his first, was born.

That Red Dress picture in my mind gripped my heart and helped me to stay focused and steady to the course and run my race and finish it. I WON! Thanks to the picture I kept alive in my heart and in my mind's eye. if not for that, I am not sure if I would have finished. It took 4 years. That's a long time to stay motivated and focused and driven and determined. But I did it.

Even the Bible tells us in Proverbs 29:18 "WITHOUT A VISION THE PEOPLE PERISH".

I had to let go of the FAT TINA that I had always pictured and I had to grab hold of this new RED DRESS TINA. Healthy and Happy and Fit, Tina. Tina Maria.

What vision do you have of yourself? If you are holding on to fat, unattractive, unhealthy, negative images of yourself, you will never get healthy and fit and FREE. You have to have a positive image in mind and in heart in order to make the changes you need to make for the long term. PICTURE IT PERFECTLY AND BURN IT INTO YOUR HEART AND MIND. Do not let go of it. Be like a little bull dog with a bone. NO MATTER WHAT, YOU ARE NOT LETTING GO OF THE THING.

IT IS YOURS! Hang on tight and be as tough as you need to be and whatever your vision, SIEZE IT! NOW! It is YOURS! Make it your reality! I did it then and I am doing it again. I am not stopping until it happens. Just watch me! Or better yet, Join with me! It's time to Rise & Shine! No more negative images. Positively Picture yourself at a healthy weight and in better shape than you are today. Picture yourself with the energy, stamina, endurance of a healthier person. THAT'S YOU, BABY!

HUGS~
Tina Maria

On the 3rd Day of Christmas Tips

On the 3rd Day of Christmas Tips - Do Not Procrastinate...

Did you know that 95% of people say they procrastinate. The other 5% haven't yet turned in their surveys! Ha! Ha!

It is WAY TOO EASY to put off a healthy lifestyle between Halloween and New Years by consoling yourself with the Day after New Years, Best New Diet, Plan. Why wait!

Wait = Weight! DON'T WAIT! DON'T WEIGHT!

Most people who are not natural procrastinators actually often procrastinate committing to exercise and weight management plans on a consistent routine. I wish I could say that I am not a procrastinator but since this post is 2 days late, I think that says it all. I REALLY have to push myself and keep myself SO highly accountable in order to really be motivated to get something done. But boy, oh boy, when I do, WATCH OUT!  My Daddy has often said he has never seen anybody get anything done like I do WHEN I FINALLY get up my Gumption to do it. He's right! I can move it, like there's no tomorrow, when I decide to.

Even my boss who was teasing recently about me being a High Class Southern Hillbilly, affectionately complimented me saying, "...there's no doubt about it, when a Hillbilly makes up their mind to do something, they get it done. Things happen when a Hillbilly gets moving".  So very true!

For example: Because procrastination comes easy for me about alot of things, alot of time, it was a REALLY BIG DEAL for me to reduce 335 lbs and stick with a healthy lifestyle program for 4 long and brutal years without giving up. I slammed it hard in the gym like Jillian Michaels, almost EVERY DAY for nearly a decade. No biggest Loser could have kept up with me. Seriously! Not even kidding!

So, to me it is the strangest thing to see people who are the "GIT ER DONE AND GIT ER DONE NOW" kind of personality, procrastinate in getting healthy or forming healthy habits. I would think those people would be the no-nonsense, YESTERDAY PEOPLE, who would easily tackle Health & Wellness like the rest of their To-Do lists. No hesitations, no resistance, no fooling around, no whining, no excuse making, no delays! CONSIDERED DONE ALREADY! Checked off the grand To-Do list and on to a different project while I am still lacing up my sneakers!

Yet, someone like me can do what those people have the toughest time doing. What is wrong with this picture! I have often marveled about that. It has intrigued me so much that I actually probed into it recently and learned what some experts say is the reason, psychologically speaking, behind us chronic procrastinators. See if you can relate.

University of Calgary Professor Piers Steel Ph.D., author of The Procrastination Equation has spent his career studying time management issues. He, a self-described reformed procrastinator, said "the act of dillydallying can be boiled down to three human traits:

1. Confidence,
2. Values and
3. Impulsiveness (how susceptible he or she is to immediate delight).

" We procrastinate because we are impulsive". He explains that our overriding impulse is toward immediate gratification. Anything that is fun and easy and provides an instant reward.

[I can so relate to this. whether it be reading, surfing FB, tv, the phone, texting, music, coffee,] anything that feeds the pleasure centers of the brain.

It takes a lot of determinated focused and conscience effort to turn down instant pleasure and hold out for the delayed but deeper satisfaction that comes with completing a task that feels like work. Combine your innate impulsiveness with a society and environment full of promised quick and cheap thrills and you have the perfect setup for procrastination.

"The heart of procrastination is an adaptive natural tendency to value today much more than tomorrow," said Steel, That's why, he said, most people make New Year's resolutions in vain. In scientific terms, a person's intention alone is not enough to see anything through--a condition called "preference reversal." That means unless an individual has some knowledge of his or her motivational weaknesses and can create a plan to counteract them, those promises of losing weight or writing a novel will fall to the wayside, Steel said.

"Essentially, procrastinators have less confidence in themselves, less expectancy that they can actually complete a task," Steel said. "Perfectionism is not the culprit. In fact, perfectionists actually procrastinate less, but they worry about it more."

Paul Spector, professor of industrial organizational psychology at University of South Florida, said there are three ways of getting sidetracked:

• One is characteristic of people who simply have a hard time getting started on a project, or a classic procrastinator.
• Another deals with a person who gets started, but then gets bogged down in details, or a classic perfectionist.
• The last is the person who is distractible, i.e., the person who needs to workout, but decides to go-out when a friend calls.

 can identify with a lot of the above. So, what to do to turn that around and STOP PROCRASTINATING ALREADY? Well, research shows that for most of us procrastinators the "JUST DO IT" mentality is just NOT THE WAY to make changes. I can agree. That might last temporarily but not very successfully long term for those prone to procrastinate.

Here's what I did to overcome procrastination when I finally got my mind made up to lose the weight and get in shape. I had to research myself. Professor Piers says "Research is Me-search". When I got to the bottom of What's Eating Me I was able to stop procrastination dead in it's tracks. It didn't happen overnight but it would have never happened if I hadn't made up my mind to get started and be fully committed.

After the car wrecks, the old procrastinator showed back up and has been an unwanted  sidler ever since. You know what a sidler is? According to one of the Pastors at the church where I attend, A sidler is someone who every time you turn your head they are right there in your face. Too up close and personal. In your face. In your space. CREEPER!

I think a sidler can also be THINGS that attach themselves to us and are always there in our face, in our space. Holding us back. Keeping us in bondage. Things like PROCRASTINATION!

What will it take to get your attention! To get you motivated! To stop the procrastination?

It is said that we are motivated by two things; Pain or Pleasure. I can relate to that. When the pain got so bad, I stopped procrastinating and took action. It saved my life and set me free. Then the pleasure set in and I enjoyed feeling good and looking better so much so that I was  whole-heartedly invested in maintaining the lifestyle and it became me.

Working out and eating healthy became my favorite things and I literally preached it 24/7 to anyone and everyone who would listen. It mattered not where I was or if the person was a total stranger. I couldn't help myself. The healthier I became and the happier I got, the more I wanted to share the good news with the entire world. I just couldn't keep it to myself. Besides, I had made a promise to the Lord that if He would help me, I would spend the rest of my life helping others, like me.

That is why I have been kicking and screaming and fighting within myself to get back to that place of no excuses, no nonsense, made up mind, dedication that no matter what NOTHING OR NOBODY IS GOING TO STOP ME FROM GETTING HEALTHY AND FIT AGAIN! I am getting there and my Gumption is coming back to me and I will be a force to be reckoned with, again, and I want the world to join with me and let's stop this procrastination madness and just get healthy and free from the bondages of procrastination. It is not the way to the land of Milk & Honey and I want nothing to do with it anymore! It does not serve us well. Procrastination is not our friend. So, I hope you will join me TODAY! Put an end to procrastination once and for all. We can do it. Especially if you have faith even as small as the seed of a grain of mustard. Now that is small faith. But just that teeney, tiny, amount of faith is enough to help us rise above our sidlers and take positive action, NOW!

Today is our day of Salvation! We have a purpose to fulfill. Milk & Honey is waiting for us!Let us go forth and Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy!

Blessings, HUGS, and LOVE,
Tina Maria ~
P.S. Remember to let me know if you want the chance to win a 50.00 IonPod Refillable Alkalizing Water Bottle. Winner will be randomly selected Friday Dec. 23rd. Post a note on FB, or a comment here on my BLOG, or send me a private email at TinaMariaAdams@gmail.com
To learn more about the IonPod Water Bottle, scroll down to the previous BLOG and you will see photos and info.

On The 2nd Day of Christmas Tips

On the 2nd Day of Christmas Tips - Detox De Daisy Way
[Again sung to the tune of 12 Days of Christmas]


From Halloween through New Years, weight gain for most of us kids of all ages, is between 5-25 lbs with 15 lbs being the average, depending on how many parties, get-togethers, and Holidays Baking and cooking you get into. That is one reason that NewYear's top resolution is to Lose Weight. No surprise there, right? So, how do we get those Holidays Gains to go away very quickly? Daisy Fuentes has a secret! DETOX, DETOX, DETOX! The EASY WAY!

Daisy says she keeps away the extra lbs from Holiday foods by drinking at least 2 liters of alkaline water per day. This helps neutralize the acid waste that promotes belly fat.
My favorite way of getting a daily DETOX very simply and easily is to squeeze fresh lemon into filtered water and drink your weight away!

There is also a neat little refillable  Alkalizing Water Bottle you could add to your Wish List for about $50.00. Such as Healthy Habits Original IonPod Portable bottle.

Product Features

• Alkalizing and Energizing Water Bottle.
• Increases The pH of Ordinary Tap Water In Minutes.
• Lowers The ORP of Ordinary Tap Water In Minutes.
• Reduce Acidity.
• Reduce Premature Aging.

Yes, this is now on my Wish List. But in the meantime, I will just give this old fashioned fresh squeezed lemon water the business. I have organic lemons in the fridge, but out of filtered water, so I will take some sliced lemons with me when I leave for work in a bit, and buy several gallons of filtered water to start guzzling. I need to Detox, Detox, Detox.

Although I have not been eating much Holiday goodies to really speak of, except for a few Ginger Snaps and Hershey Kisses, that is it so far this Season. So fortunately, I have not gained an ounce so far, and I am very grateful, but I think adding 2 liters a day of filtered water with fresh squeezed lemons in it, to my daily menu will help me get rid of some stubborn lbs. that are containing wastes that my body needs me to get rid of first.

 

I think Daisy looks incredible but I just want to get back to looking like ME. The way I really, really look, underneath this extra weight. The Me I was when I lost 335 lbs and went to Hollywood twice to appear on national television. This me in the photo below. I am in the middle, in the RED DRESS. That is Mike Burger and Maty Montfort on each side of me. We are standing in ABC Studios in Hollywood, CA. I was on a talk show to help others.

If Daisy Fuentes can drink 2 liters of good alkalizing fat burning, waste ridding, clean filtered, acid neutralizing water, then shush by gummy [Hillbilly terminology for "bless ole Pete"] I can drink it too! I am not gonna let a tip as good as this one, get away from me!
Besides, as most of us already know, drinking lots of good filtered water throughout the day, especially before meals, snacks, and attending all those Holidays parties and all, is one of the best ways to prevent overeating and impulsive eating.

So often our body is thirsty for pure, clean water. Perhaps one reason why is to to help us lose weight and get rid of all those toxins and wastes from all the artificial ingredients like sweeteners, processed foods, refined sugars and flours, unhealthy fats, and all the other stuff added to make these favorite goodies look, smell, and taste so incredibly amazing. Eat them if you must, but if you don't want to feel and look worse for indulging, remember to drink at least 2 liters of alkalizing water to DETOX DE DAISY WAY. Come January 1, you could start from the weight you are now, instead of 15 lbs fatter. I LOVE IT.

Can you hear me humming the tune "All I Want For Christmas". I have my own 2 front teeth, thank the Lord, so I replaced those words with these;

"ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS MY IonPod, My IonPod, My IonPod"

Now, I just wonder, WHO ELSE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOUR OWN IonPod too? FOR FREE?

You need to let me know! Either post a comment here or on my Facebook Wall, or email me at TinaMariaAdams@gmail.com.

See Ya Later! Me & my Organic Lemons are headed to the nearest filtered watering hole.
All the while wishin' & a hummin' our merry little Christmas tune. " hmmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm hmm hmm hmm hmmm...." 

Blessings, HUGS, & Love,

Tina Maria ~