So working didn't work out....

Well, I started working on June 30th, and as of today, I am no longer employed.  Guess it was not God's will or mine to have a job just yet, or not that job anyway.  I knew I would not be there long, that it was only going to be temporary, but I did not believe it would only last a week and a day. Ha ha ha!  I am happy that I can laugh about this, though.  Yes, I do need the money, but I do not need the stress or the constant demand to be perfect, because I, of all people, am not perfect, nor have I ever claimed to be.

While I am not working, I will now have time to start working out again!  This excites me because I truly want to lose some more weight and become happy & healthy! 

Hopefully I can find another job, but I only want part-time work, so that I can still exercise and complete my school work!  I just want to do God's will and follow His path for my life, and hopefully, I will be able to do that.

My first day back :)

So, today was my first day back jogging/walking in almost a month, and it felt great!  I am so stoked that it was not horrible feeling, and I am ecstatic that I hardly felt any pain whatsoever.  I had a couple of tinges in my right ankle, but it does not hurt or throb, and it is not swollen.

And, on top of walking/jogging this morning, I took Cazzie to the park this afternoon, and I played on the slides and play set with her.  So, I got a little more exercise in by running around with her.  And, I at least plan to go running again tomorrow morning, and hopefully, I can convince her to go to the park again tomorrow.

*Isn't that bad when you have to talk your 9 year old niece into going to the park?* :)

Still losing weight :)

I have not worked out in almost a month.  I spent two weeks resting because of an injury, then this past week I spent time with my niece, and the weather has not been great for me to go jogging.  But, I am still losing weight. Yay!

So I hurt my ankles, but I believe they are completely healed.  This past week I spent time chasing my niece around and playing with her, and over the past week I lost around 3 lbs.  Now, I like to say it is because of her, but I honestly do not know why I lost it.  I cannot complain, though!

On top of the injury and spending time with family, I have been super busy with school, and I have been filling out invitations for my commencement.  I cannot believe I will be walking in less than three weeks.  In addition, I have been trying to plan my graduation party.

Well, I hopefully will be jogging/walking again in the morning.  I have less than three weeks, and I want to lose at least a couple of pounds before my commencement.  I last weighed in at 181 lbs, and at 179 lbs, I will be considered overweight, not obese anymore.  So, my goal is to get to at least 178 lbs before July 16th.

Hopefully if I do get to go jogging/walking in the morning, it will not be too tough on me, since I have not been in a while.

*Wish me luck!*

The past two weeks

The past two weeks have been full of ups and downs for me.  I have had several things happen that please me greatly, while I have had some stuff happen that just turns my stomach.  Almost two weeks ago I beat my best time for jogging a mile and for jogging 3.4 miles.  Then a couple of days later, I beat both times again.  I was so ecstatic for these accomplishments.  I also received my Associates Degree last week in the mail, which overjoyed me.

So, I have been excited and proud of myself for what I have completed, but I am also upset with myself for some of the choices I have made.  I have been eating unhealthy foods and making poor choices with what I do eat.  In addition, I sprained my ankle jogging last week, so I have not exercised for almost a week because of the pain and swelling I have.  This has caused me to gain some weight, which of course makes me unhappy.  But, it also motivates me to get back to it as soon as I can to get back on the right track.

I am determined that I can do it, and I will do it.  I will start exercising again, eating healthy, and losing weight.  I will not let a couple of boulders in the road block me from my ultimate goal of becoming happier and healthier!

Why you need to EAT to lose weight (and LIVE)!

Yes, you read that correctly.  You need to eat to lose weight, and you need to eat often.  I have come across several blogs and post about women wanting to lose weight, so they decided they are going to fast or severly restrict their caloric intake.  Fasting is fine, if it is for the right reasons, like when you fast to become closer to God, but fasting can cause weight gain, severe health problems, and even death.

Every individual has a basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the amount of calories a person needs to eat on a daily basis for bodily functions, such as digestion of food, blood circulation, and breathing.  Using a special formula, everyone can find out their BMR.  Click this link to use the BMR calculator.  To learn more about BMR, metabolism, and other items that may affect your weight, click this link.  For example, my BMR is 1,645 calories.  This means, I have to eat 1,645 calories a day to survive.  As your age goes up and your weight goes up or down, your BMR will change, although these changes will be small.

So, when you fast, your body will use the stored fat for energy, which will cause weight loss, and it can be dramatic for some people.  This is great, right?  Absolutely, not.  After fasting, individuals will begin to eat normally again.  Since these individuals have been fasting, their bodies will go into starvation mode, and when they start eating again, their body will store most of the calories that they eat because their body does not know when it is going to get food again, which leads to weight gain.

The best way to lose weight healthily is to create a calorie deficit by eating the right kinds of foods, cutting calories, and exercising.  This means eating whole wheats, vegetables, fruits, and lean meats, while drinking water, milk, and other low calorie/sugar drinks, such as Powerade Zero.  In addition to eating healthy, you need to create a calorie deficit.  This means that the calories you eat in addition to the calories you burn during exercise should be less than the calories you need to maintain your current weight.  To find out how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, click this link.  This link has many other calculators and tips for weight loss and staying healthy.

The main thing to remember is that 1 pound is equal to 3,500 calories, so to lose a pound a week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories.  If you want to lose 2 lbs a week, you need to create a calorie deficit of 7,000 calories. 

I have lost 15.2 lbs total, as of May 21, 2011! (Updated Picture)!

Since my cousin insisted, and I love to please my family, I have posted this updated pic of my weight loss.  The pic on the left is from November 6, 2010, and I was in the 190's.  The pic on the right is from today, May 21, 2011, and I have lost 15.2 lbs, so I am at 183.6 lbs.  I have also lost of 15 inches (total) off my body! :)

I have 4 more pounds to lose before I will be considered overweight, not obese anymore, and I will have lost 10% of my original body weight!

Week 8 Calorie Deficit, Exercise Journals, Measurements, & Totals for eight weeks!

For this week, I had some pretty stressful events in my life, which did affect me physically, emotionally, and mentally.  I did not workout as much as I would have liked to, but I am not giving up just because I missed a couple of days of exercise.

During this past week, I only worked out on three days, mainly because of the stress, sickness, and time restraints that were placed on me this week.  In addition, it is getting harder on me now to burn calories and get my heart rate up to what it needs to be for calorie and fat burning results, but I did lose over a pound, so I cannot complain too much because weight lost is always good for me! :)

I did eat a little more than I would have liked to this week.  So, my calorie deficit was only a little over 3,500, which is a pound of weight loss, so that is still good.

Over the past 8 weeks, I have lost over 13 lbs and 14 inches off my body.  It is such an amazing feeling to see these numbers and to feel and see the results on my body.  I have lost 4.5 inches off my waist alone, and I can tell the difference, majorly!  I am slowly shrinking, as are most of my numbers, including body fat percentage, bmi, weight loss, and most of the areas I am measuring.  I did not lose any inches over the past four weeks in my butt or chest area, but that is fine.  Also, I gained a half inch in my arms, but believe me, that is from lifting weights and gaining muscle, so I am STOKED!

In eight weeks, I have accomplished a lot more than I could ever write about or express in words.  But, for the items I can write about, here goes:
*I have gained so much strength, endurance, and confidence (which is the best)!
*I am able to jog and run now, which I could not do when I first started.
*I am continually surprising myself with how much I can do, including jogging for longer periods of time, climbing stairs faster and easier, and lifting heavier weights than I thought I could.

Listed below are the miles that I have tracked throughout the past 8 weeks, not including weight lifting, stretching, and other random exercises!

Walking/Jogging (Outdoors) = 68.9 miles
Treadmill = 4.5 miles
Bike = 4.1 miles
Total Miles = 77.5
Plus, countless miles on the stairmill and elliptical!

Have you ever just wanted to give up? *I have*

If you have ever just wanted to give up, I know the feeling.  Have you ever tried and failed, or tried and gave up quickly?  Well, it is time to stop quitting, giving up, and push yourself to the limits! 

Yesterday, I just could not get motivated at first.  I went to the gym with all hopes of doing HIIT for an hour.  I had a plan, and I was going to put it to action.  First, I was going to get on the stairmill, then the bike, then the treadmill or elliptical.  Well, I did do this, but not for an hour.

I started with a 10 minute hill interval on the stairmill.  Well, I did fine & felt great, until I got on the bike.  I had the intention of doing 20 minutes on the bike, but I could not do it.  I did almost 10 minutes on the bike before I got off, so physically, emotionally, and mentally drained.  I just felt that I could not go any further. 

But, I went on and got on the elliptical.  I told myself, "I am going to do at least a 30 minute workout, and I have only done about 20 minutes!"  So, I set the elliptical for 20 minutes, in hopes that I could push through the yucky feeling I was having, and I did (for the most part)!  I finished the 20 minutes on the elliptical, and I did feel a little better afterwards.

After finishing my workout, I was drenched in sweat from the pure mental and emotional effort that went into my workout.  In addition, I was worn out and exhausted.  After I got home, I cooked supper, ate, and was extremely tired and sleepy by 6:30 P.M.  That is crazy!  But, I forced myself to stay up until at least 9 P.M., and by that time, I was not as tired as before, so I watched one of my recorded shows, and I went to bed around 11:30 last night.

So, the point of the story is, sometimes we are not just physically drained and exhausted, it can become emotional and mental.  And, emotional and physical exhaustion can wear you down and make you feel extremely tired, sick, and sleepy!  If you ever feel this way, try to push through and motivate yourself to keep going & never, ever give up!

Week 7 Calorie Deficit & Exercise Journals!

So, I do not think I did too bad this past week, especially since I was not tracking everything on a daily basis.  I did write it all down, though, and I entered it into my spreadsheets yesterday.  I did stay below 2,000 calories everyday, but there were a couple of days that I was over my 1,800 calorie goal that I wanted to meet.  Not too shabby!  And, to top it all off, I have lost a total of 12.4 pounds.  I thought that I was going to be stuck at 188 forever, because normally I lose 10 lbs, then I give up or quit because I usually hit a plateau.  Well, not this time!  I pushed right on through, and proved to myself and others, that this time, it is not just a diet or weight loss plan to me, it is my life, and I am determined to become happier, healthier, stronger, and more full of energy!

My new workout plan!

For every day, I have come up with some names for my workouts to make it more interesting!  Tell me what you think.

Muscle Madness Monday (Legs)
Tortuous Tuesday (HIIT)
Wicked Wednesday (Abs/Core/Back)
Tremendous Thursday (Cardio)
Fit-girl Friday (Upper Body - Arms/Shoulders/Chest)
Super Saturday (Stairmill)
Sweet & Sour Sunday (Cheat Day)

These are just general workouts, but I usually do cardio everyday except Sunday, so that I can keep my heart rate up, even while I am doing major muscle workouts.  I hope that these will keep me more motivated to do my workouts throughout the week!

Has my hard work paid off?

That is the ultimate question!  I sure hope so.  For the past six weeks, I have carefully documented every bite I have taken.  I have logged every food and drink that has entered my body.  Well, let's hope that it has worked, because for this week I am putting it to the test.  I am not going to record any of my food and drink intake this week into my spreadsheets.  I am still writing it down and acknowledging what I eat and drink, but I do not know how many calories I have taken in, and I will not know for this week, until Sunday night or Monday morning.

So, I believe I have done well so far.  I know which foods are healthiest and healthier for me, and I know about how much I need to eat on a daily basis to be within my calorie range.  I have lost around 10 lbs, although I do have fluctuations in my weight.  Normally, I get to the 10 lbs lost area, and I give up, but that will not happen this time.  I am so determined to have a better, happier, and healthier lifestyle, so I will not give up.  I will go through struggles, weight plateaus, cravings, and pain, but I will make it through!  I have an awesome support system with friends and family, and I have God on my side, and I know His will always prevails!

Wish me luck, and please pray that I have learned what I need to know to make it through without having to continuously document everything that I eat on a daily basis!

Week 6 Exercise Journals & Calorie Deficit!

This week I had a rehearsal and wedding to attend, so I did eat some things that I shouldn't have, but it is okay.  I am still having some weight fluctuations, also, but I feel so much better every week that I continue on my journey to become happier and healthier!

Week 4 Journals & Measurements!

So, for week 4, I had a calorie deficit of 7,907, even though I went over my 1800 calorie limit on Saturday. 



For this past week, my weight has fluctuated quite a bit.  In fact, it is still fluctuating, and probably will continue to do so for the next week or so, until I finish my antibiotics.  I recently had to go onto antibiotics for an infection in my right hand (which is healing tremendously - Thank you Lord!), but antibiotics can cause some weight gain and fluctuations in weight because it can destroy the good and bad bacteria in our body, slow metabolism, and cause retention of fat cells.  So, for now I will have to deal with these weight fluctuations and just get back on the grind when I come off my antibiotics.

So, I have lost a total of 10 inches from my body in 4 weeks.  All of my measurements are decreasing (which is awesome!), and my BMI is slowly going down, too!

I have learned a lot over the past 4 weeks of my life.  I found out that I can eat what I want and still lose weight.  I have eaten everything from pizza, to cheese, to ice cream, to cookies & muffins.  In addition, I allow myself to cheat on one day out of the week, so that I never feel like I am missing out on my favorite foods.  I also found out that I do not have to kill myself in the gym to burn calories or lose weight.

For now, I am very happy with my progress.  I am steadily losing weight and inches, I do not feel starved or hungry, and I have a ton of energy now that I did not have when I started!

Week 3 Journals & More Weight Loss! :)

Calorie deficit for week 3.  I had a calorie deficit of over 7,000, which averages to about 2 pounds.  This is great - and, I had my cheat day, still on Sunday, in which I ate over 2,000 calories that day!

I had four rest days this past week because of the pain in my legs, which I am trying to work through and heal, but nothing seems to be working.  I did walk/jog 13.6 miles this week, even though it was only 3 days, so that is great.  In addition, I lost a total of 1.8 lbs this past week, so I am in a good position with my exercise, eating, and weight loss!

Now, after realizing I ate over 2,000 calories yesterday, I was a little worried about weighing myself this morning because I was thinking that I would have gained some weight because of my lack of exercise and extra calorie intake, but when I stepped on the scale this morning, I weighed 191.4 lbs, which is a total weight loss of 7.4 lbs.  This is amazing!

Next week, I will have updated pictures and measurements, but I did take a picture yesterday, so I will go on and post it beside an old picture of me!

Overcoming Struggles & Facing My Fears!

Yesterday morning, my cousin, Ashley, and I decided we were going to walk a trail that we normally walk (the greenway/YMCA trail), but this time we were going to walk it twice.  Now this was fine, but then we decided we were going to jog some intervals.

Well, it felt great when we finished.  And, it felt even better when we finished and beat our first time.  So, my best time for 3.4 miles (after gaining all the weight), is 40 mins flat!  This is amazing for me!  I am so proud of myself, and I plan to continue pushing forward and getting stronger and faster.  I am also planning to build my endurance, so that I can run for longer periods of time.

In addition, I stepped on the scale this morning, and I have lost a total of 5.8 lbs so far.  I cannot believe the progress I have made so far, but I am super stoked about it, and I do plan to continue on my journey!

Exercise Journal, Calorie Deficit, and Weight Loss

So, for this past week, I walked a total of 11.2 miles.  This is .4 more miles than the week before, which is great.  In addition, I did lose some weight, although it seems that I gained a little bit of it back, but I do believe that is normal fluctuations.  So, my weight loss for this week is 1.2 lbs, and my weight loss total is 3.8 lbs.  I hope that I can continue to drop at least 1 to 2 lbs a week, if not more.

This spreadsheet shows my calorie deficit for my 2nd week into my journey.  I burned a total of 2,000 calories, and I only consumed a total of 11,408.5 calories for the week.  This created a deficit of 7,055.5 calories, which should be about 2 lbs lost, when in all actuality, I only lost 1.2 lbs.  But, this is okay because I know the results will show in how much better my clothes fit, how much better I feel, and how I look.

So, I have some before pictures that I am going to post.  I created this collage to show my weight gain over the course of a couple of months.  Halloween 2010 I weighed around 185 lbs, November 2010 I weighed around 190 lbs, while I got up to around 200 lbs in February of 2011.  I am only posting these pictures to show my readers exactly what I used to look like, so that when I lose the weight and post new pics, you will be able to see the difference.  I am also posting these pics to hold myself accountable to my goals!

No gym membership - no problem! Rainy day exercises you can do at home!

Since it was supposed to be raining all day yesterday and today, I asked some friends on Facebook for some suggestions of exercises you can do at home.  My friends gave me great advice, and I now have plenty of exercises that can be done at home!  I also have some suggestions of my own, which have helped me in the past!  Some of the exercises require some equipment, but most of the equipment is fairly cheap, and it will pay off to have it!

YOGA - Yoga is a great way to build balance, strength, and flexibility.  You can do simple yoga moves to help you relax and relieve stress, and the stretching helps with flexibility.

WORKOUT DVD'S - These are great for individuals who do not have a gym membership or are not comfortable working out in front of others.  In addition, you can do these whenever you have time, and you can do them in the comfort of your own home!

WALKING/JOGGING IN PLACE - This is great for rainy days because you do not have to leave home.  In addition, it is a great way to do some cardio, if you do not get bored easily!

DANCE AROUND THE HOUSE - Turn on the radio, put it on your favorite music to dance to, and turn it up.  Dancing burns lots of calories and is a great cardio workout.  In addition, just dancing around the house can work several muscles at once.

CLEAN THE HOUSE - While this may not seem like fun, it will burn some calories.  So dust, vacuum, sweep, mop, clean windows, or do whatever needs to be done!  You can get some spring cleaning done on those rainy days when you cannot exercise outside!

You can also do some individual muscle exercises, such as bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, squats, leg lifts, crunches, arm swings, halos, planks, and push-ups.  Check out http://liztaylortraining.blogspot.com/ for some great tips and advice on these types of workouts, and she also has great info on many other topics, such as makeup, love, and your career! 

In addition, if you have a Wii or Xbox, I have heard that their workout games are amazing (I am thinking about purchasing the Wii for myself soon)!

Some equipment that may be necessary for some of these workouts:

DUMBBELLS - Dumbbells are great for weight training and targeting certain muscles.  Most dumbbells are cheap, and you can find the right weight for you.  If you do not have dumbbells or cannot afford them at this time, you can use water jugs (if they have handles) or canned goods.  While these may not be enough weight for you, it is still beneficial.

MAT/YOGA MAT - If you are working out on a hard surface, a mat is very beneficial.  It is useful for exercises that require you to lay on the floor, or for different yoga positions!

BODY BALL - The body ball is perfect to help with certain exercises that you may be limited with, such as push-ups, wall squats, crunches, and you can also use the body ball as if it were a bench in certain exercises, such as chest butterflies or chest presses!

KETTLEBELL - This kettlebell is amazing.  It allows you to do weight training and cardio, all in one.  The arm swings that I mentioned earlier are super cardio exercises, and they help build muscle all over.  After I get done working out with my kettlebell, all my muscles are sore.  There are several exercises you can do with the kettlebell, and they are all beneficial if you are trying to lose weight!  In addition, I only paid about $8 for this at Wal-Mart, and it came with a workout DVD and a chart of different exercises.

Other great accessories to have are a weighted jump rope (jumping rope is a great cardio routine), resistance bands (these are easy to use & you can do many leg exercises with them that you cannot do with dumbbells), and most importantly, a scale.  While the scale will not help you while you are working out, it is very beneficial to ensure that your exercises and diet are producing results!  Some individuals, especially women, think that the scale is their enemy, but it is actually your best friend, and when you start believing that, it will help you tremendously!

I would like to think Brandi, Renee, Amy, Liz, and Sarah for helping me find some new ways to exercise indoors!  If anyone else has any ideas that are not listed, let me know, and I will be glad to add them!

New Walking Plan & Recent Weight Loss

So, I gave up sodas for Lent, as I have posted before.  Well, I did this to become closer to the Lord, which I feel is working.  But, I also thought I would gain many health benefits by not drinking those sugar-packed sodas.  But, for the first two weeks, I gained 5 lbs.  Yes, I said 5 lbs!  How crazy is that!  Now, I believe part of it was water weight because I did increase my water consumption by almost three times what I used to drink.  But, 5 lbs, that is just ridiculous!

Now, this recent weight gain put me at my heaviest weight EVER!  On Monday, I weighed in at 198.8 lbs.  I hate to even post that, but I know by doing it, I am holding myself accountable.  When I saw this number, I almost cried.  I used to weigh in between 130 and 140 lbs.  This is where I want to be again, and very soon!  So this is my year to lose all the weight that I have gained due to medical and health problems, stress, and just plain laziness!

So, this past week I have started walking everyday.  I enjoy walking (outdoors, not on a treadmill) because it is relaxing, and I get to experience what the Lord has made and all HIS beautiful work!  I especially enjoy walking when I have someone that is willing to walk with me, but I am fine walking by myself every now and then (it gives me time to think and recuperate from everyday stress)!

Over the past four days, I have walked around 6.5 miles (I think it is more than that because of warm-ups and cool-downs)!  This is around 2 hours and 11 minutes of walking.  This is awesome for me!  In addition, I plan to continue walking at least 1 mile every Monday thru Friday!  I also hope to get some other activities in on the weekends, which can be more walking, playing with my nieces or nephews outside, football, soccer, or some other physical activity that will get my heart rate up.

So, I stepped on the scale this morning, just for the heck of it.  I have lost weight! YAY!  The scale stated that I now weigh 197.4, which is awesome because I am losing weight.  In addition, I had on clothes that I normally would not weigh myself in, so I know that this number is a little higher than what I actually weigh!  I am so excited to see the numbers on the scale getting smaller, and I plan to keep walking, so that the number on the scale continually goes down!

In addition to walking, I have went grocery shopping and picked up many healthy and delicious foods for me to start eating.  I actually bought some Greek yogurt to try, also, and I loved it (so this will become part of my normal diet)!  I will be creating a food journal and planning my meals ahead of time, so that I know exactly what calories I am consuming, and I have started an exercise journal to track how many minutes and what type of exercise I am doing each day!

I will begin to post these soon, and I will try to post them about once a week!  I also have new goals in mind because I have quite a few dates that are special to me this year, so I am going to post my new goals when I post my journal entries.  I will go on and post one main goal for me this year, and that is to lose 20 lbs by July 16.  This date is very important to me, as it is my Commencement ceremony.  I will receive my Associates Degree in Elementary Education in May, and I will be participating in the Commencement ceremony in Charlotte, NC on July 16!  I would love to be much thinner before then, so that I will feel comfortable walking in front of all the other students and parents that will be there!

So, for now I say, keep moving, eat right, and watch the number on the scale get smaller each day! :)  Have a blessed day!

During your diet or weight loss program, if you slip, you don't have to fall!

Diets and weight loss programs can be especially hard to stick with, especially if you aren't seeing results immediately.  One of the most important things that I have learned is that when you slip, you don't have to fall completely.  What I mean is, if you have a day that you don't workout because you don't have the time or you eat something you shouldn't have, this slip does not mean that you have to give up completely and fall off the program or diet.  Just get right back to it the next day.

Resting or cheating with food for one day can be beneficial to your program.  I know from experience that resting for a day can allow your body to recuperate from the exercise that you have been doing, and for me, it helps me to feel even better the next day when I do exercise again.  In addition, cheating with food, which can include eating larger portions than you should, or eating something, like cake or candy, that is extremely high in calories.  When you eat like this, it does not mean that the diet is over or that you have completely failed with your program.  It just means that you need to get back on the grind the next day.

I cheat with meals and snacks at least one day a week, which is normally Sunday.  This has personally helped me lose more weight because I do not feel deprived from the foods that I love.  When I do cheat with high calorie foods, I do try to limit the portion size of the food that I eat.  In addition, I have heard that cheating can help trick your body, to help you lose more weight.  Also, if you want to cheat, measure the amount of calories that you are cheating by, and schedule extra exercises for the next week to burn those extra calories off.

When you do start a diet or weight loss program, you need to schedule your exercise time as if it is an appointment.  Many people show up early to their appointments & stick with them once they are scheduled.  This means that you write the time you want to exercise into your date book, calendar, set an alarm in your phone, or whatever you do when you create a schedule for yourself, and stick with it.  The indiviudals who schedule their exercise are more likely to stick with that schedule.

In addition, find a partner.  If you have an exercise buddy, you are more likely to stick with an exercise regimen, than if you are working out alone.  The exercise buddy can give you the motivation you need to keep going when you want to quit, and they can also help hold you accountable on days you are scheduled to workout.

The main goal is to create a workout plan, and don't give up!  If you need to change it up because your plan isn't working, that is fine.  Just get moving!

National Wear Red Day – February 4, 2011

Since February is American Heart Month, today’s blog is going to be about how to decrease women’s risk for heart attacks and heart disease.  “Heart disease is the number 1 cause of death among women 20 and older, killing about one woman every minute,” (American Heart Association, Inc., 2011, http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/).  In addition, heart disease kills more women than any form of cancer.

The heart is a very important muscle in the body, so it is important that you stay heart healthy, including exercising, eating right, not smoking, and getting regular checkups with your doctor.  Another important item is to know your risk factors for heart disease and heart attacks.  On the Doctor Oz website (2011), the following factors are listed, including stress, smoking, and obesity.  For the full list, go to the following website: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/what-women-need-know-about-heart-attacks.

You also need to know the major symptoms that happen prior to and during a heart attack.  Most symptoms that occur in men do not occur in women.  In fact, women are most of the time told that they have indigestion and are sent home from the hospital while they are having a heart attack.  Some of the major symptoms listed on About.com (2011) are anxiety, fatigue, and indigestion.  For the complete list of symptoms, go to the following website: http://usgovinfo.about.com/cs/healthmedical/a/womensami.htm.

Another great website is www.womensheart.org.  This website includes exercise programs, nutrition and health information, and an action plan for women at risk for heart disease.  To see this action plan, go to the following website: http://www.womensheart.org/content/HeartAttack/heart_attack_symptoms_risks.asp.

Doctor Oz also has a program that is 4 weeks or 28 days long.  It is the 28 days to prevent a heart attack.  This program can be found on the following website: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/28-day-heart-disease-action-plan.

On the www.goredforwomen.org website, they have a tell 5 and save lives plan.  This includes telling five friends or family members about this website, and they will give you a free heart health kit.

I believe the most important thing anyone can do is become informed.  The more information you have readily available, the more you can do to prevent your risk for a heart attack and heart disease.  I hope that this blog helps at least 1 person become more informed about the deadly disease that is the number 1 killer in women.  I know that this information has helped me become better informed and make healthier decisions to keep my heart healthy, so that I can live a very long life for my family and friends.

In addition, since February is American Hearth Month, every pound that I lose during the month of February, I am going to donate a dollar to the American Heart Association.  For example, if I lose ten pounds during February, I will donate $10 to the AHA.  If anyone would like to join me in this challenge, please feel free to do so, and let me know that you are doing this!

If I get help from others for this challenge, I will create a page within the next week or so, on the following website: http://amha.convio.net/site/TR?fr_id=1150&pg=entry.  This will allow me to create a team or join as an individual, and it will allow others to see my progress and donate to the cause.  Please, let me know if you would like to help me by donating some money, and it does not have to be much.  If 250 people donate $1 each, than that is $250.00, while if we all donate $10 each, that will be $2,500.00.  This money will help the AHA in distributing information and helping to reduce and prevent the risks of heart disease!

I am going to do my best to become healthier, starting by losing weight, so that I can reduce my risk for heart disease.  What will you do?