Ten Years, Y'all!

Ten years ago I experienced my first BT fitness workout, and I will never be the same.

A few things:

1. My weight and health are not stagnant, and I am mindful of both always.

2. Working out does not cure everything, but it sure does make a lot of things better.

3. I do it religiously for myself.

Y'all remember when it comes to your health, it's all about the journey!

Happy 10th Anniversary to me...

NINE Years.....

Daily workout spot

Y’all, we are in a global pandemic. A REAL GLOBAL PANDEMIC! I am not writing this for you, my Dear Reader. I know that you know that we are in a pandemic, because almost every single person on this planet life has been impacted by this pandemic. But, I am writing this for the person who finds this blog 100 years from now. Yep, we are definitely in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC, AND

Today, is the 9th Anniversary of me working out the greatest personal trainer in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD, Berhane.

Pre-Pandemic when folks could breathe on each other. 

March 16th, 2020 was the first Monday that I did not have to go to work. So, I got up like I always do and got on the elliptical before I ate breakfast. (Berhane advised me to do thirty minutes of light to medium cardio before I eat every morning: FAT BURNING AND MOOD ADJUSTING.) Then I tried to create some normalcy by reading, walking, not quite eating on a schedule, and reaching out to folks.

However, the next day, the gym in my building was closed, and so I started walking four to five miles with my neighbor, and then I would eat my breakfast when I got back home. However, I was noticing that I was not getting that boost of energy from walking. I would come home tired but not necessarily energized.

I talked to Berhane, and he reminded me that NOW is the perfect time to work on my health. He told me that I needed to start back doing thirty minutes before breakfast to get my heart rate up, and then I could walk. He reminded me that there was nothing wrong with me walking, but I needed to remember that walking is mainly for me to clear my mind and be outside. Walking was not causing my heart rate to go up the way that it needed to in order to burn fat and boost my mood. Also, he wanted to know about my diet, and I sort of told him about how I was NOT necessarily on my regular eating routine, and he sent me a new meal plan to follow. (YIKES!)

I am definitely no expert on how to get through a PANDEMIC, but as for me and my house, being discipline and on a routine has help me to stay sane in a really insane situation. We are in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC!!

Every, single, weekday morning I get up around 6:45 put on my coffee and watch Good Morning American until around 9. Between 9 and 11, I get on my stationary bike and I listen to a podcast. (Y’all there are soooo many good podcast out there.) Then, I cook and eat my breakfast, shower, read, do things for my job, I may go for a walk, I take naps, I cycle outside for hours when the weather permits, I read more, I may watch something on TV, AND I do weights two times a week like always. On the weekends, I sleep a little later, but everything else on my routine stays the same....AND, I feel happy, strong, healthier, purposeful.....

I do miss happy hours, and book club meetings, and book festivals, and bike rides with other folks, BUT, THIS TOO SHALL PASS!

It has been nine years of working out with Berhane, and if nothing else, he has confirmed and reconfirmed, even during a GOLBAL PANDEMIC, the power of being disciplined if we want to see lasting changes.

Not sure how other folks are coping, but I am praying that everyone finds something that works until we get to the other side.

PEACE AND LOVE!

8 years.... Money in the Bank!

It’s Our 8th Anniversary!

Berhane, the best personal trainer in the whole wide world, has been training me for EIGHT WHOLE YEARS! Yes, EIGHT WHOLE YEARS, and we have ninety-nine more years to go.

Recently, we were talking about numbers. Actually, we were taking about the holy trinity of numbers: blood pressure, sugar levels, and cholesterol.

Berhane explained that if you have good numbers, that is like money in the bank. Yep, that is a whole lot of GOOD money in the bank. However, he went on to state that if we continue to spend the money and never replace it, eventful it we will be depleted. So, basically he is saying that if we are blessed to have The Good Holy Trinity of Numbers, then we must work to keep those numbers good. It is like having a brand new car and never, ever doing the required maintance.

If you have MONEY in the Bank.... Work to keep it.
If your account is running low or is empty; it is never to late to get your money right.

It’s been EIGHT YEARS y’all.

If you need or want a personal trainer or need or want a personalized gym, then check out Berhane at BT Fitness. 

Seven Years Y’all!

It’s My Anniversary! 

Earlier this week, I walked into the gym and said to Berhane, my trainer, “Our anniversary is on Thursday.”

We talked about how time really moves fast, and change seems to happen really slowly, because most changes do not happen overnight. I told him that I would love to see a picture of the inside of my body when I first started working out with him to compare that image to how the inside of my body looks after working out with him and being mindful of my diet for SEVEN years. Yes, I’ve been working out with Berhane for SEVEN years.

Sometimes I am not as mindful of my diet as I should be, and that’s when he states “We need to work on your diet, and a new diet shows up in my email.”

One thing for sure... If I make up my mind that I am going to do something, I go ALL THE WAY.  I don’t test it; I go ALL THE WAY. When I started working out with Berhane, I decided that I would go ALL THE WAY. I do ALL of the crazy exercises that he want me to do, such as, lunges the length of an entire football field in the middle of Virginia's, HOT summers.

I watch my diet most of the time. However, I went through a period where I thought I could introduce wine back into my life, and lo and behold, my stomach started showing it. So, now I am not drinking alcohol unless it’s Tuskegee’s Homecoming or some other occasion where I will drink alcohol without an ounce of guilt.

Y’all, this is a journey that I love, and I don’t do it for nobody but me. I DO IT FOR MYSELF. I get up every, single morning, and I look at my naked body in a full length mirror, and assess my stomach, thighs, and butt. Normally, with no judgment, I just get a good look at myself daily, and I start my day.

When I started working out with Berhane SEVEN years ago, I did not think about how long I would be with him. But, I knew that I was committed to my health for a lifetime.

SEVEN years later, and I am still committed!

Y’all, don’t be afraid of committing.....

It’s My Anniversary.

One Year Anniversary
Two Year Anniversary
Three Year Anniversary
Four Year Anniversary
Five Year Anniversary
Six Year Anniversary

It’s Been SIX YEARS!

Some people vividly remember what they were doing the day that Dr. King was killed, or what they were doing when O’Jay Simpson was in the ‘get away’ car, or the day that they got married, or graduated from college... You following me?

Well, I vividly remember the very first day that I showed up to start personal training with The Greatest Trainer in the World, Berhane....

His location at that time was not near my house at all, and with the DC traffic, I left home EARLY to make sure that I was on time. I got there, and he talked to me, and assured me that he could help me reach me health goals. Because I was working out, and I thought that I was doing OK with my diet, I was shocked when I saw what I weighed and my high body fat completely shocked me.

However, Berhane assured me that he could help me reach my health goals, and the rest is history....

Now, if you know me or if you only know me through this blog, when I start something, I am fully committed, or I am not. Either I am in, or I am not. After meeting Berhane, I made a decision to fully commit to my health which means that I think about every single thing that I put in my mouth, and I exercise even when I do not feel like it and most of the time I don’t feel like it.

Now, like a lot of folks, I get off track...

Back in September when school started back, I was still in summer mode. Therefore, I was not prepping my meals, eating far to many peanuts, drinking a few too many glasses of wine, and lo and behold, Berhane checked my weight and body fat, and that was the reality check that I needed to get back on track.

True to Berhane style, he talked to me about my diet and talked to me about health and being vigilant. That very day, I went home and started back meal prepping, stopped drinking wine, and my weight and body fat positively responded.

I know all types of people, and Berhane is the most consistent people whom I know: he works out himself religiously, eat foods that are good for his body all of the time, does not drink alcohol, consistently kicks my butt, and always tells me the truth. I am happy that I have him in my life forever. (Folks Need Other Folks!)

I am not sure where you are on your journey, but if you are in your forties, I hope that you are aware that our bodies need good care to carry us into old age, and if you are under forty, please, please, please don’t take your health for granted. You are never to young to focus on your health.

Y’all, I love this journey with my whole heart, and I never take for granted the blessing of taking this journey with The Greatest Personal Trainer in the Whole Wide World, Berhane!

Yes, it’s been six years, and we have ninety-nine more to go....

You can reach Berhane at BT fitness.

Anniversary One
Anniversary Two
Anniversary Three
Anniversary Four
Anniversary Five

Six Days of Workouts...

Today, I completed my last workout with Berhane, The Greatest Trainer in the World, for a month....

I have been working out with The Greatest Trainer in the World, Berhane, for over four years, and I  have never gone an entire month without working out with Berhane. Yes, I have gone on vacations and so has he, but I have never not worked out with him for four straight weeks in the past four years, and I am a little nervous about this.

I know that my diet helps me to stay slim, and that exercise basically keeps me fit and tone. However, knowing this, I am still concerned about what will happen to my body if I do not lift weights for an entire month. Of course, I am taking my bike and will continue to do cardio, but I know that lifting weights is just as important as doing cardio when it comes to keeping my weight down and my body healthy.

So, I asked Berhane if I run the risk of losing muscle if I do not do weights for a month, and he assured me that I would not, but he stated that I would definitely be weaker if I do not do weights.

Now, not sure about you, but I love being strong. I also love the energy boost that I get from lifting, and I love that after I am done with lifting, my body continues to 'burn baby burn.’

Now Berhane believes that his clients should always be thinking about their health, and yesterday he sent me six days of workouts that I should do while I am away.. Yes, six days of workouts.

At first, I thought, this guy is crazy... I am concerned about my exercise routine, but I was just going to monitor my weight through my diet, ride my bike, and focus on regaining the strength that I may lose when I returned home.

But, Oh no.... Berhane sent these workouts, and if you know me at all, I am going to do as many of these workouts as my schedule will allow.

My People, My trainer is the best trainer in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD, but six days of workouts while I’m away REALLY?

I guess I can cast my health concerns away, and do those damn workouts!

As I was leaving my workout today, Berhane seriously stated: “Do those workouts while you are away; I don’t want you to come back out of shape and overweight.”

I just have to love this guy!

Consider surrounding yourself with people who always expect the best of you and from you...

Four WHOLE years of working out with The Greatest Trainer in the World, and It’s All About Consistency!

Me and Berhane!

It’s our anniversary!!!

Today marks four years that I have been working out with Berhane, The Greatest Trainer in the World!

He is consistent, I am consistent, and my body is seeing consistent changes......

For this anniversary blog, I would like to reconfirm to my readers that consistency is one of the main secrets to Success!

Consistency, Consistency, Consistency..... CONSISTENCY!

Read the one year anniversary blog here.
Read the two year anniversary blog here.
Read the three year anniversary blog here.

My people, consider surrounding yourself with people who push you to be Your Best Self....

Happy Sunday!

Three WHOLE Years of Working Out With the Greatest Trainer in the World... AND It's All About the TRAINER!!!

Today marks THREE WHOLE YEARS that I have been working out with the The Greatest Trainer in the World, and I can not even began to explain how my life has changed. (I wouldn't take nothing for this journey.)

I started this health journey just wanting to lose weight.....

However, once I started working out with Berhane, the Greatest Trainer in the World, I finally got that this is about much more than losing weight; this is about being fit and healthy, which leads to some incredible happiness!

I have been trained by other trainers before, and not one of them ever talked to me about my body fat, what I was eating, my lifestyle, knowing my numbers etc. All that they did was workout with me; therefore, I never saw results.

However, Berhane helps me to focus on the important things: diet, lifestyle, and fitness.

Berhane accepts no excuses and neither do I, and that's why we are a great combination.

We often talk about commitment, and My People, I am the commitment type and so is Berhane. I have been working out with him for THREE WHOLE YEARS, and he has never canceled for no reason.... maybe snow, but that has been one or two times in the three years that I have been working out with him. He is never sick or late; he makes no excuses EVER!

Berhane works himself just as hard as he works his clients, and he religiously eat things that are good for his body. He lives the life that he wants his clients to live.

Yea, there are lots of trainers in the world, but we need people and trainers in our lives who encourage us to be our very best without making excuses. And, that is what Berhane does consistently...

Because of him, my fitness levels continue to increase, and my energy and happiness levels are to the roof, literally!

Not sure if I could have done this total mind and body transformation without him! (People Need Other People!)

So, on my 3rd Year Anniversary, I am honoring the Greatest Trainer in the World, Berhane, who expects me, and all of his clients, to be all that we can be.

Consider surrounding yourself with people who expect you to be your very best.....

You owe it to yourself to live the rest of your life as A CHAMPION!

Read my one year anniversary blog here.
Read my two year anniversary blog here.
Go to Berhane's website here.

7:35 AM....

View from my balcony today!

Today, the schools were close again because of the small snow storm that we had yesterday. I'm saying small, because in my neighborhood, the streets were cleaned quite quickly, and we were able to continue to bustle around. (Oh, How I love my neighborhood.)

This morning at exactly 7:35am, I got a text from Berhane, the greatest trainer in the world, and it said:

"Good morning Jackie, can you come at 10am?"

I instantly responded:

 "Yep."

(Oh, How I Love Berhane!)

Sometimes, we need people in our lives who hold us accountable and who will not accept excuses!

Happy Hump Day!

Vigilance......

So, school started back, and I have been biking, running, and working out with Berhane on a consistent basis. I've been planning all of my meals and being mindful of every single thing that I put in my mouth.

However, for the last week or so, I've been drinking a little red wine here and there, eating a little piece of chocolate here and there, eating a few potatoes at breakfast here and there, eating a few to many lentil chips here and there, and last week I even cooked this awesome vegetable soup that had both quinoa and beans.

Last week I noticed that my stomach was not exactly big but was just a little more puffy than normal. I mentioned this to Berhane, the greatest trainer in the world, and he instantly stated in a fleeting statement that the stomach is all about the diet, and he continued to train me.

Of course, as we continued to work out, I told him about my delicious soup that contained green beans, zucchini, onions, carrots, celery, and both quinoa and beans. Berhane gave me the speech: "You have the kind of body that cannot have beans; beans cause you to bloat." He went on to tell me that I should never eat two carbs at one time: beans and quinoa together are a no-no for a flat stomach……

Yea, I know about my stomach and beans, and yea I know that everything that I put in my mouth matters, and yea I know that the body does not know how to keep a secret, and yea I know that I cannot compete with what I eat. Yet lately, I have not been as vigilant as I should, and my stomach is reflecting that. Now, would anyone notice that my stomach is not as flat as normal? Absolutely not! But, I am definite noticing it.

And, I DON'T LIKE HOW THIS FEELS!

When I eat things that are good for my body 99% of the time, I feel so strong and happy. Yet, when I eat and drink things that sabotage my workouts and health, I feel completely awful and the guilt can be quite overwhelming. I hate feeling bad and guilty, so I try and not to do things that make me feel bad and guilty. However, lately, I have not been as vigilant as I should.

Yesterday, I cooked the same vegetable soup that I cooked last week that had both the quinoa and beans, but this time, I did not include the beans. I cooked a spaghetti squash dish that is 100% good for my body, and I am planning to have cabbage, brussel sprouts, cottage cheese, sliced apples, kale soup, and all other foods that make me and my body both very happy for the rest of the week and throughout the holidays that are approaching quickly.

My people, I am back on track, no more random snacking, and I am going to enjoy the benefits: a flat stomach!!!

With this health journey, yep we will slip up intentionally and unintentionally, but we must remain vigilant if we want to have lasting results.

I know the road that I was on before: overweight and unhealthy, and I will not get on that road again.

We must remain vigilant, my people…

We can't compete with what we eat!

Happy Monday...Try and make this your best eating day ever!

Health Journey Update....

(Warning: Quite a bit of rambling!)

I am feeling really good about where I am with my body. I am at a size that I like, I am doing track practice in order to become stronger and a faster runner, my biking is coming along nicely, and my workouts with Berhane are getting tougher and tougher.

Throughout the winter I continued to run and bike and workout with Berhane, and I really have made leaps and bounds with my diet. I have tried quite a few recipes, thanks to sources such as the blogs Black Girls Guide to Weight Lost and Gluten Free Goodness, that I am quite pleased with.

I have been thinking a lot about how do a person maintain weight lost? Talking to Berhane, it dawned on me how to maintain weight lost, and it is really simple. We must focus on the correct numbers: cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat, the amount of weights that we lift, our running speed and time, etc. instead of the number on the scale. We must always be working on our fitness level and diets, all of the time, in order to maintain weight lost and be fit and healthy. So, now that I am smaller than I was before, I must continue to work on my fitness level and closely monitor my diet in order to maintain the weight lost and be fit and healthy. If I only concentrate on the diet and not the fitness piece, I may not gain the weight back, but I more than likely will not be fit. If I only concentrate on the fitness part and not the diet, then I will definitely gain the weight back and not be healthy. Diet and Fitness and Health go hand in hand.

Let's talk about the diet piece. There is no way that I will run like crazy on a track in this summer heat, bike some of the hilliest roads in the DC area, let Berhane work me to the point where I literally want to beat him up, and turn around and eat anything from McDonald's or put ANYTHING in my mouth that will sabotage those crazy ass workouts. I can burn about 1000 calories in one workout, and turn around and have a meal from McDonald's that is over 1000 calories, and there goes my workout. Well....I ain't doing that for sure. We can not compete with what we eat. I do splurge every now and then, and believe me when I say that the splurges are calculated and worth it.

Check out those calories for one meal!

I've completely fallen in love with vegetables, and I prepare them all types of healthy, delicious ways. We must constantly tweak our diets in order to not get bored and go back to eating foods that caused us to gain the weight in the first place. So, it is important to sample a variety of foods and recipes so that our taste buds get use to different favors and textures.

For instance, Berhane told me that I should try cottage cheese, because it is high in protein and is good for the body. When I first tried it, I could not stomach the taste. But every day for awhile, I would eat one spoon full, and now I absolutely love it, and it is one of my favorite snacks. Our taste buds is just like our bodies, they can get use to almost anything.

With the fitness piece, there is always another level that we can go to. For instance, I have been running with my running group on Saturdays for years. However, the group also does track workouts to work on speed. This year, after being coerced by Berhane, I decided to give track workouts a try in order to get stronger and run faster, and the bonus is that sprinting and running faster burns a hell of a lot of calories which helps me to not only get stronger and more fit, but it helps me to maintain my weight lost. Because remember, as we get smaller, we must increase the intensity of our workouts in order to not plateau and to change the way that our bodies look. Also, taking the fitness to new levels makes our important numbers better: cholesterol, blood pressure, body fat, and our hearts absolutely love it.

Also, I know that we all love when our boyfriends, girlfriends, mates, husband tells us that they do not notice when we gain weight. But as for me and my house, I want my boyfriend, husband, friends, and trainer to notice when or if I slack on my workouts and eating habits and start to gain weight. I want the friendly reminder, because this is an area of my life where I NEED people to notice and alert me. I am striving to be healthy and fit until I die, and I need my army to rise and be honest with me.

On that note, Berhane wanted me to stop eating beans for awhile, and you know that I love me some beans. So, after not eating beans for awhile, I just had to have some lentils, and so I cooked and ate lentils for about three days. I had to eat them ALL right? I couldn't throw them away. Well, when I walked in to work out with Berhane, he touched my stomach and stated "cut the carbs." Really??? How the hell did he know that I had been eating those delicious lentils? The body does not have a clue how to keep a secret, and it tells every damn thing for sure. Nope, I did not like Berhane that day, but I truly appreciate that he keeps me honest and that is what I want from everyone in life; hold me to high standards all of the time.

I've had to learn the hard way that I can bike in a century (100 miles) ride; hike to the top of Mount Everest; run a ultra-marathon on a woody trail, which is equivalent to running the length of a football field 461 times; do crazy ass workouts with Berhane eight times a week; and I can still be overweight, unhealthy, and not fit if I do not watch my diet. That's the truth, My people.........

So, my health journey is going very well. I've grown by leaps and bound, and I ain't turning back no time soon, and that's for sure.......

Now remember, this is not 'The Truth' but 'My Truth!'

Go out and do something today that is absolutely awesome for your body!

Happy Saturday, My People!

I just can't give up now...

Two Whole Years of Working Out With The Greatest Trainer in the World: Berhane!!!

Today marks two years that I have been working out with The Greatest Trainer in the World, Berhane!

Yep, it's been two of the best years of my life, and I am planning to workout with him for the next 90 plus years.....

For this anniversary blog, I pondered what should I tell my readers that I did not tell you guys in my one year anniversary blog.

First, if you do anything over and over again, it will become a habit.

Every Saturday I get up early and do some type of exercise, and that's just what I do. Every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, I workout with Berhane at 4PM, and that's just what I do. I prepare most of my meals at home, and that's just what I do. I make no excuses EVER!!!!!

During challenging workouts and eating things that are good for my body is what I do all the time; it's a habit!

I read a friend's post on Facebook, and she stated something about a "cheat day," a day where she eats whatever she wants. I chuckled to myself when I first read this, because I use to look forward to "cheat day" or "cheat meal," but I eventually realized that I was only cheating myself.

Why would anyone do something for a whole day that is not good for his/her body? I look forward to fresh fruit and vegetables, and I eat them over and over at home and at some of the best restaurants, and it has become a habit. There is nothing like kale, brussel sprouts, beans, peas. Cheating for me is putting extra peanut butter on my apple slices. (Yummy!) I consistently eat things that are good for my body, it has become a habit, and I am loving the results.

Second, I do not believe in diets AT ALL unless you are going to stay on that diet for the rest of your life. Why not eat things that are good for our bodies most of the time, and reap the benefits: good cholesterol, great blood pressure, no diabetes, lean and strong bodies etc? 

My diet is eating as much as I want of the things that God put on this earth for us, not foods that are processed by man.

Last, but not least, I want to encourage my readers to find a health partner, and you guys consistently encourage each other to not have a "cheat day" and to workout consistently and to your highest potential.

Berhane: The Greatest Trainer in the World!

Berhane is my health partner, and I never take for granted the privilege of working out with him. He use to care more about my health than I do (Now, I care just as much!), he never lets me use excuses to not workout or eat right, and he is always helping me to assess my diet in order to achieve new goals that we are always setting. I may be able to do this health journey by myself, but I do not want to. (People need other people, or at least I do for sure.)

What I know for sure is that you can start your health journey right now. Your age, weight, where you live, your children, your spouse, lack of time, all of that is NO EXCUSE!!!

If you want to be extremely happy, work on your health..........

Good Health is Priceless.

I love being a lean, strong, burning machine!

By the way, every exercise in this post was done in one session with The Greatest Trainer in the World, and sometimes...

Two of the Best Years of My Life, because I am getting younger, and younger, and younger..........

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!!!