DDENTERPRISES BLOGGER

Good Morning Fam,

How is everyone today.  I have decided that I’m going to update my blog on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s, okay.  I will commit to that.  If I have something important to say on another day, that will just be a bonus blog.  Deal?

I am so blessed and thankful and extremely glad that I pay attention and listen when the spirit leads me to do or not do something.

Testimony – Back in October of 2008 I started experiencing numbness and tingling in my mid-section.  I was having the same exact sensation that one would get when your foot falls asleep; only I was having it all around the ban of my midsection.  I immediately thought that I had a pinched nerve or something.  So I went to my primary care physician and she referred me to a neurologist.  For a little over a month I was getting MRIs and X-rays of my entire back and neck area.  I was even subjected to a test that had not been conducted for 10 years, but to no avail.  They could not figure out why I was experiencing this.  I thought maybe it was a side effect to a weight loss drug that I had started taking, so of course I stopped taking it just in case.  The neurologist suggested that I go see a specialist at Johns Hopkins to see if they could diagnosis me.  Well, the holidays rolled around, I wasn’t experiencing the tingling anymore, so I just forgot about it.

I had a follow-up visit with my primary in March.  She checked me out and drew some blood.  The doctor’s office contacted me in April to let me know that my iron levels were extremely low and that I needed to take iron pills daily.  I can’t remember the milligrams that I was instructed to look for, over the counter, but I could not find that.  So I had to go pick up a prescription from her office.  I tried to take these pills, but unfortunately no matter what I did; with food, without food, while eating, I could not keep them down.  So, I stopped taking them (not a good idea, but…).  Mind you, I had been experiencing extremely heavy flows every month (sorry guys :-\) since Donovan was born (3yrs) which I’m sure was contributing to my iron deficiency.  And remember, I was always tired!!!  I was just feeling run down and didn’t have the energy to do anything (signs of anemia).  Not too mention I was piling the weight on and depression was setting in because of the weight gain.  I was irritable (sign) and I thought this was being caused by my unhappiness with my weight and daily exhaustion.  BUT GOD!!  Don kept telling me that I needed to work out.  That my energy would increase if I just worked out (shut up!! I’m TIRED!!)  I didn’t know that God was speaking to me through Don.  THANK YOU JESUS!!  He didn’t let up (Thank u so much for your obedience, Babe!!)  Don suggested that I workout and blog about it.  Today was Day 53!!  Whew Hew!!!  Blogging and telling the world about my working out and the commitments I’ve made to myself definitely keep me focused and on track. 

I went back to my primary care on 9/10 for a follow up.  I told her that I wasn’t having success with the iron pills.  She said well I want to check your levels again because they were so low that if you can’t take the pills, you’ll probably have to take it intraveneously (Seriously!?!?).

I then had a dermatological appointment on 9/15, again thanks to my Hubby!!  I had been putting this appointment off four about 3 -4 months.  Dr. Leon Brown inquired about the last time I had blood work done.  I told him 9/10.  He said oh wow that was last week.  Why?  I told him about my low iron levels and that I had not been able to take the iron pills.  Dr. Brown  inquired about whether my cycles have been heavy or not.  I told him yes, but I also informed him that I started working out every day and that since I’ve started that, my flow has seemed to return to normal.  He agreed that that was common among female atheletes and sometimes they don’t even experience a cycle.  He called the lab and requested my most recent results.  He compared the results and said that my levels were improving tremendously.  He then said that my decision to work out had brought me back from the brink of death.  I laughed, but he didn’t.  I then said are you serious?  My low iron levels could have resulted in death?  And he said yes.  He then went on to discuss an article that he had read regarding a medical mystery.  A woman had been experiencing all sorts of aches and pains and numbness and they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her.  And then one doctor decided to check her iron levels and found that she was anemic and needed iron.  And once she began taking iron she regained her health.   I told him about my experience back in October and he said yep, that was caused by your anemia.  BUT GOD!!!  Who would have thought that a dermotologist would have been able to diagnose the cause of the numbness.  THANK YA!!  GOD was continually speaking to me through my Husband.  Thank you so much for staying on me, Honey!!  And I thank God for giving me a made up mind to commit to working out EVERYDAY and blogging about it.  Working out EVERYDAY may have saved my life!!!

Thanks for reading,

Donnese Monique

Good Evening Fam,

It’s been a minute;  I know, I know.   I haven’t been making time for blogging like I should.  BUT, I have been making time to workout (Yep, Yep!).  Today was the 50th consecutive day of working out.  I can’t believe it.  I will admit!  I almost missed my workout yesterday because it was such a lazy, catch up on sleep day.  I even viewed church service on-line.  I wasn’t going to leave my house, but it was so nice outside that around 4pm I decided to take my boys to the park.  Yeah, I know, I missed the Skins game, but they’re playing again next week, so I’m good (LOLOL).  I worked out at 9 o’clock last night and then turned right around and worked out at 6:30a this morning (Yarrrrnnnnn!!).

It’s funny because Don keeps telling me that I should just learn the choreography to a Beyonce video and just do that over and over again.  Well let me tell you!  We went to a birthday party Saturday night and I did the breakdown to Beyonce’s “Get Me Bodied”.  OMG!!!  Talk about a Kick @ss Cardio Workout!!!

So the clothes are fitting now, the definition is showing and the muscles are toner, BUT the L-to-the-Bs are still HERE!!! Uggghhhhh!!!  Following a diet is so difficult!!  We bought groceries and everything, but the food only lasted about a week.  I did follow the plan for about 3 days and then I fell off.  I need a diet plan that’s easy to follow and not hard to stick with.  I may just go back to the LA Weight Loss program and follow that.  But, if you know of a great diet plan please email it to me.  I would love to start a diet program by October 1st.  Email it to ddenterprises@upson.cc

Thanks for stopping by. 

Until next time,

Donnese

Hey Fam!

How is everyone enjoying this beautiful Labor Day Weekend?  The weather is great and I’m spending lots of quality time with the family.  It’s a beautiful thing!!  Today was Day 12 with Tony Horton which means I have worked out 42 Consecutive Days in a row!!  What an accomplishment.  I’m hoping my braids will hold-up for at least another month because once I take the braids out it’s going to be difficult for me to work out everyday having to worry about my hair.  Right now it’s so easy for me because I don’t have to worry about “sweating my press out.”

I see a difference, I feel a differnce, but the scale is not being kind to me at all.  I am toning and losing inches, but I am still maintaining the same weight.  I know I’m building muscles and that’s why my weight is sill the same, but man, it sure does hurt not to see a change in my weight.  I WILL be going grocery shopping tomorrow (after the holiday) and starting a diet on Tuesday.  We’ll see what following a strict diet and working out for the month of September will do.

I’ve been doing Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Trainer.  There are two dvds.  One DVD has 10 minutes of Cardio and 10 minute of Yoga.  And the other DVD has 10 minutes each of a Total Body workout, 10 minutes of a Lower Body workout and 10 minutes of  a crushing Abs workout.  You should join me in this workout!  You can get Tony Horton’s DVDs at www.beachbody.com.

Happy Labor Day!!!  Until next time,

Donnese

Good Morning Fam,

I know, I know!  It’s been a few days since you all have heard from me and I apologize for that.  I had a pretty busy weekend.  I judged the I Am Kenny J Productions Line Dance Competition in Delaware this past weekend (www.iamkennyj.com).  Don’t sleep on Line Dance!  You hear me!!  Line Dancing is no joke.  Especially R&B or Urban Line Dancing.  Every song that the DJ played had a line dance to it.  They party until 4 and 5 in the morning.  There are hundreds of line dances.    They had workshops during the day so that you could learn some line dances.  I took one workshop and learned a line dance called Bag of Goodies (choreographed by Jerome from Louisville Slyde).  This line dance is high energy, full of ole’ skool moves and Woooo! definitely high impact cardio.  I had to go take a nap after taking Jerome’s workshop (LOLOL).  Darrin Henson also choreographed a “HOT”, high energy Line Dance to Mary J. Blige’s new song “Number One” (you’ve seen the commercial).  His dance is called Darrin’s Groove Line Dance.  Keep and eye out for it!!!!  Not only did I get my workout from line dancing, I also had my 10 Minute Trainer DVDs with me and worked out with Tony Horton every morning.   Tony Horton is a beast!  Okay!!  That’s all I have to say.  I’m really looking forward to where I will be after 30 days working out with Tony Horton.  Today was Day 7 (37 consectutive days) and I’m really starting to feel good.  I think I’m also going to start taking a dance class on Tuesday nights; starting next week.  And I might perform with the Towson Alumni next month.  I really miss dancing and being “in shape”, so I’m going to do whatever I can to get back to that happy place.

Until next time,

Donnese Monique

Hey Fam,

Tony Horton kicked my tail this morning!!  Oh my goodness!!  I guess I did take a break for two days because on Wednesday I did the warm-up, Cardio and Abs (22 mins) and yesterday I did the warm-up, Lower Body and cool down (14 mins – woke up late).  But TODAY I did the warm-up, Total Body, Lower Body, Abs and the cool down (42 mins).  I did pretty good with Total Body and Lower Body, BUT the Abs kicked my A-double!!  I think his 10 Minute Abs is the hardest of them all!!  Hands down!!  I definitely have to push myself through these workouts because they are much harder than the 30 Day Shred.  Sorry Jillian Michaels. Tony’s workouts make Jillian’s look like a walk in the park.  Just from the rigorous workout I’ve been thru in these first 3 days, I know I’m going to be in shape at the end of my 2nd 30 day challenge.  But of course that’s only IF I give it my all and minimize the stopping, gasping for air, occasional swearing and calling on the LORD.  Hubby told me that Tony Horton’s 10 Minute Abs is harder than Tony Horton’s Ab Ripper X (from Power 90).  I’m telling you!!  If you haven’t heard of Tony Horton you definitely need to check him out.  If you want to whip your body into shape and have 90 minutes (I just don’t have it) to put in 6 days a week for 90 Days, No Joke!!, you could probably compete in a fitness or body building competition when you finish.  Check him out at www.beachbody.com  I will have the time to put in 90 minutes a day after I hit the Mega Millions, though ($325 Million ;-O)!! 

I’m judging an R&B Line Dance Competition this weekend in Delaware and I will be taking my portable DVD player and my Tony Horton DVDs, so I can continue my streak of working out.  Today was 33 days of consecutively working out.  That’s What’s Up!!

Until next time,

Donnese Monique

Good Morning Family,

I bet you thought I gave up didn’t you.  You probably thought I couldn’t make it the entire 30 Days, especially since I haven’t blogged since Thursday.  You may have given up on me and called me a quitter.  Well!! Guess what?!?!  I DID IT!!!  I completed day 30 of the 30 Day Shred this morning at 7:00 am.  I had a very busy weekend this past weekend, but I still made time for my 30 minute workout every single morning.  I feel so good.  I’m definitely on the road back to being in shape.  Did I lose 20 lbs?  Unfortunately not.  But I definitely lost inches, a dress size and improved my endurance.  I am so excited that I made the decision (suggested by my Hubby) to workout and blog about my experience.  It definitely holds me accountable and pushes me to stay committed to something that I’ve started.   I think I’m going to take the next two days off and then begin my next 30 Days on Friday, August 28th.  Thank you Jillian Michaels for getting me started on the road back to being healthier and physically fit.

For my next 30 Days I’m going to workout with Tony Horton.  I will be doing 3 of his 10 Minute Trainer, every morning, so that I’m still getting my 30 Minutes in.  Come and join me!  Go to www.beachbody.com to get the workout DVDs.

Until next time,

Donnese Monique

Hey there Fam,

I will admit.  Yesterday and this morning were difficult.  I wanted to sleep in SOOOOOOOOOO bad!!  I am the snooze queen.  But I am proud to say that I got up both days and worked it out.  What an accomplishment!  I have worked out 25 Days consecutively.  I can’t believe it.  It seems like the closer I get to my 30 Day goal, the harder it is getting for me to get up in the morning.  Even the actual workout kicked my butt, in the beginning, this morning.  It feels good though because I am staying committed to something that I have started.  I am usually the first one to give up on something because I don’t see immediate results.  And because I haven’t lost a lot of weight, in the past of would have given up on it.  Fortunately I am experiencing increased endurance, seeing some definition and certain pair of pants are fitting that I couldn’t fit last month (Yippee!!).  Am I following a strict diet yet?  NOOOO!!  And I know that is probably the reason why I’m not losing pounds.  But to be honest, I’m waiting on pay day before I start ANY type of diet because it is so expensive to eat healthy.  I’m sure that is why there are so many overweight people in the world TODAY because with the state of the economy, we just simply can’t afford to eat healthy.  Everyone is on the go and consuming food that can be fixed FAST; whether it be processed food, microwavable food, food from a fast food restaurant or what they can simply afford at meal time.  I know I am guilty.  Think about it.  Rarely do you see a Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or any other organic/health food store in lower income neighborhoods and in the neighborhoods where you do find those stores, you see joggers, bikers and/or people walking their dogs.  People out, regardless of the weather, exercising!  Now, don’t get me wrong!!  I’m not coming up with excuses.  This is actually my reason for not following a “diet” right now, because I don’t have all of the necessary ingredients,  food items or products in my refrigerator or pantry right now, so I have to wait until I can go grocery shopping (smile).

Thank you so much for stopping by and reading my blog.  Please show me some love by leaving a comment.  Click on the No Comments/Comments button below and type in your comment.

Until next time,

Donnese Monique

Hey Fam,

This has really been a tremendous accomplishment for me.  It made me feel so good because Hubby told me yesterday that he was proud of me (big cheesey smile) for being consistent with working out.  I have worked out for 23 Days straight!  Whew Hew!!  I definitely notice improvement in my endurance.  My oldest son tested for his Red Belt in Tae Kwon Do (”Nobody Bothers Me”) on Saturday and he did 45 speed kicks on the heavy bag in 14 secs.  I’m not sure how long it took me, but at the end of the class, I too did 45 speed kicks, because I wanted to see if I could do it.  I did it!!  I actually kicked the bag 45 times, alternating feet, without stopping.  I was winded because I had never done that before, but I wasn’t exhausted, nor did my legs hurt from doing it.  If I had even attempted this 23 days ago, I know I would not have been able to do it.  I would have pulled a muscle and I probably would have passed out.  About a week ago one of my neighbors told me that I look younger.  So, in the past 23 days I have improved my endurance, dropped a dress size, gotta back on the road to go health, begun to see muscle definition (again) and I look younger (wink).  The one thing that I HAVEN’T done is lose tons of weight.  Like I mentioned previously, I lost about 5 pounds, but I have NOT lost anywhere close to 20 pounds .  Diets are hard though!!  Now I know why I was able to maintain my weight back in my 20’s.  I was able to eat whatever I wanted to because I was dancing 24/7.  So I’ve pretty much been maintaining this month.  But I know, if I want to drop pounds, I’m going to have to follow a High Protein diet plan.  I also know that I don’t eat enough.  I eat pretty good, for the most part, I just need to increase my caloric intake on a daily basis.  I’ll do that in my next 30 days.

Until next time!!

Donnese Monique

Hey Fam,

Three weeks down and one to go!  These 30 days are going by so fast.  I have worked out EVERYDAY for the past 21 days.  This is such a big accomplishment for me and it is so worth it.  Don bought me a pair of sweatpants today, size medium and they are TOO BIG for me!!  Whew Hew!!  It’s been a good little minute since I’ve experienced putting something on that was too big.  Everything for the past six months had been getting tighter and tighter.  I told you that I had just stopped wearing pants and started wearing a dress or a skirt everyday. 

I’ve tried all sorts of fad diets - a 2-day and a 4-day Juice Diet, a fullbody detox, Body Wraps and several types of diet pills.  I would lose the weight, but as soon as I would finish the diet I would devour everything in my path and the weight would come back with avengance.  I would even gain double the weight back that I lost.  What I finally had to realize and accepts is that, if I wanted to lose weight and get in shape, I had to stop being lazy, get my fat butt up and WORKOUT.  I’m putting in 30 minutes everyday and my body is transforming.  The inches are coming off, the definition is coming back, but now I need to focus on the weight coming off.

9 days remaining in my 30 Day Shred journey.  Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred Level I.  I’m workout out via Verizon Fios On Demand>Exercise TV.  You can download the workout at www.exercisetv.tvor puchase the DVDs.  Come on!  Join me in my journey.  I’m not going to stop in 9 days.  I’m going to move on to 30 Day Shred Level II.  I’m going to make this working out thing a HABIT!

Until next time,

Donnese Monique

     “I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life’s greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret.”  Anthony Robbins

Hey Fam,

Almost 3/4 of the way there!!  I completed day 19, this morning, of my 30 day journey.  Whew Hew!!  I have committed to working out 30 days straight and blogging about my journey.  I have been diligent and consistent with working out every morning.  Now I need to be more consistent with blogging (LOL). 

“Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character…” Stephen R. Covey

I am finding that the workout always starts out rough and gets easier as I go. Right around the time when I’m finishing up the 3rd circuit I feel really good and refreshed and could probably continue working out.  I’m thinking that next month I may increase my workout time to 45 minutes.  I’m also going to follow a strict diet in the hopes that the pounds start to come off.  I’ve only lost about 5 lbs, BUT I have dropped one dress size, and I Love It!!  I was able to wear two pairs of pants this week that I haven’t been able to fit since the beginning of the year.

Excellence is not a singular act, but a habit. You are what you repeatedly do.”  Shaquille O’Neal

Okay, so whose going to join me in these last 11 days?  That’s a little less than two weeks.  Who is going to join me in doing at least 30 minutes of working out, everyday for the next 11 days?  Let me know.  Send me an email, leave me a comment below or let me know on Facebook.  I’m looking for at least 10 people to join me in this.  Will you be one?

“First we make our habits, then our habits make us.”  Charles C. Noble

Until next time (not going to say tomorrow until I’m consistent with it, LOLOL)

Donnese Monique