May the force always be with Carrie Fisher!

It was so sad to hear about the passing of  Carrie Fisher today. My youngest daughter, who is 14 years old, is named after Princess Leia.

From what I have read about Carrie Fisher, she was much more than a great actress. She was a brave activist in the fight on mental illness awareness. She was outspoken, a warrior, and a champion to many.

My prayers are with her family, friends, and all of those who are mourning. Know that her legacy will never be forgotten!

The Health Struggle: It is Day 1.... Again

Hi Everyone,

You may remember my blog post from Thanksgiving where I questioned whether or not I was disciplined enough to splurge for that one day. If you missed it, here it is.

Well, it turns out I was not.

I derailed again. I have been pretty much eating whatever I want for the last few weeks. I have not weighed in but it was not until two days ago that I became motivated, again, to get back in the game.

So, it is Day 1 again. The other day, I did Zumba World Fitness Party on the Wii U for the first time in months and it felt great.

This will be my new daily routine. At least 30 minutes per day will be dedicated to Zumba.

I noticed that after doing Zumba I have been very conscious of what I am eating. It is almost as if my subconscious does not want to ruin the workout.

I will continue blogging my progress and I will continue along this health journey.

The only way I won't succeed is to quit!

Any advice or thoughts?

Makayla's First Hip Hop Concert Performance

Hey Family,

Here is a quick link to Makayla's solo performance at the Mesa High Hip Hop concert. I am so proud of her!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFM5jaoFSxk

Michael Floyd's DUI Arrest: Is the focus in the right place?

I was so sad to hear about Michael Floyd's DUI arrest today. I first heard the news while listening to 'Off the Edge with B-Train' on Arizona Sports 98.7FM.

Then, I read the full article on the Arizona Sports website. You can find it here.

I am not even sure where to start on this one. I do want to state, for the record, that I have zero inside information on this. I do not have a source and I do not personally know Michael Floyd.

I am just a fellow Cardinals fan that was sad to hear this news.

Needless to say, this is very bad news for his career and the team. More importantly, though, is the person.

Football aside, Michael Floyd being passed out at the wheel is a high concern for his health and the health of those around him.

My hope and prayer is that the focus, first and foremost, is on getting him the help he needs to get better.

This was a wreckless decision, on his part, and I am thankful no one was hurt. Alcoholism is a very dangerous addiction and it needs the attention right now. His career and the team, are second.

Thoughts?

Day 15: Can I splurge at Thanksgiving?

Happy Monday, All!

I think the real question about Thanksgiving is whether or not I have the discipline to splurge. I clearly did not have it for my birthday weekend a few months back. I was off track for 3 months and just got back on track 2 weeks ago.

Things are going very well with my Herbal Life plan. I was a bit over 167 when I started two weeks ago. This morning I am at 163.0. Before I allowed myself to derail for my birthday weekend, I was down to 160.

I do not want to go down that road again. I am cooking and having family over for Thanksgiving. I am disciplined enough not to eat most of what I cook, but I would rather enjoy it with my family.

I am asking myself if I am disciplined enough to have one meal without eating the leftovers and going way overboard.

Can anyone relate to my struggle? I know that one meal will not change my results. However, it clearly will if I am not disciplined enough to refrain from making a whole day or whole weekend out of it.

Thoughts?

Day 8: The Caffeine Detox Struggle is Real

Happy Monday, Everyone!

This week has been great. It gets easier each day to eat the right things.  My one constant challenge this week has been dealing with the caffeine withdrawal.

Typically, I would drink a cup or two of coffee in the morning, then a soda in the afternoon.Going from this to no caffeine is a challenge.

I have been adjusting to using the Herbal Life tea as a substitute. Over the last week, I had one soda on 4 different days but no coffee.

My head was hurting so bad from the withdrawal and as soon as I drank the soda I felt back to normal.

The caffeine detox struggle is real!

I know this will get better as my body adjusts to not having it.

I didn't take my weight last week or this week because I am nervous since I just started back but I will take my weight next Monday and make sure to post it.

Shout out to my coach, Sarah Schillaci, for the love, support, and encouragement!

Monday Fitness: It is Day 1...Again

In the words of the late great singer/actress, Aaliyah, "If at first you don't succeed, dust yourself off and try again."

Today, I met with my health coach, Sarah, and started my Herbalife plan. I am excited to get going again!

For this week, I will focus on mastering this nutrition plan, then focus on exercise later.

A part of the plan is also getting back on track with weekly blog updates. My goal is still the same....accountability, knowledge-sharing, and encouragement.

My prayer for all of us is discipline when it comes to honoring our bodies. 

What encourages you to get back in the game after a set back? What advice do you have for others?

From Epic Halloween Costume to National Celebrity! Lincoln Gill as Dwight Schrute...

That moment you ask your friend for her permission to blog about the amazing thing that happened when she posted her son's Halloween picture to Twitter.

By now, you may have seen this amazing picture that has not only gone viral but has been written about in Time magazine!! (If you missed the article, you can find it here)

My oldest daughter is a huge fan of The Office, so when I saw this picture on my friend, Ashley Gill's, timeline on Facebook, I immediately tagged my daughter so she could see it.

Clearly, the world agrees that this picture is priceless!

This cute little guy is Lincoln Gill, dressed as the character Dwight Schrute from the hit TV show, The Office. The photo caught national attention when one of the show's stars, Jenna Fischer, retweeted it. Since then, Lincoln has been the talk of the town, has been on the news, and who knows what is to come next.

It is so exciting when awesome things happen to amazing people! If you guys want to start booking Lincoln for commercials and TV spots, I recommend reaching out to his parents, Andrew and Ashley, right away before you miss your chance! :)

This little guy is a hard-working, alpha-toddler, who is going places!

Top 3 things that kill your nutrition plan AND what to do about it

Happy Monday, Everyone! I will get straight to it. This topic crossed my mind today as I reflected on how easy it has been to get off track with my plan in the last 2 months. I had about 4 straight months of progress and have not gotten back on my plan.

Here are just a few of the things I have noticed that I need to be accountable for so I am not using them as an excuse to stray from my plan.

In a Hurry - Our schedules can be crazy with work, kid's sports, church/community activities, etc. Often we may be running from place to place and realize we have gotten pretty hungry. In those instances, if we have not prepared we normally grab the closest and fastest thing, which is usually an unhealthy food choice.

Money Concern - Ah, the cheap food is easy to go to when funds are short, isn't it? However, we all know that opting for cheap food now, will cost us time and money down the line when it comes to managing health concerns.

Office Options - Donuts and Pizza are plentiful around the office, aren't they? While it is nice when a company does nice things to help create a happy environment for employees, this can be the very thing that gets us off track if we lack the discipline to say no.

We have all heard the saying, If you fail to plan then, you fail to plan. Well, I have planned to fail in the last two months. I am not proud of it, but I am acknowledging it. None of the things I have mentioned are good excuses for consistent unhealthy choices. The key is in the plan.

So, what am I doing about it? For starters, my plan is not a plan until it is written down. I will keep blogging about my fitness journey until the updates are consistent, no matter how long that takes. Second, I am reaching out for your advice, support, and accountability.

Who has conquered this before and what is your advice for those of us who were in the zone, have fallen off track for one reason or another, and are struggling to get back on track?

Rant Wednesday: 3 Things to Stop Saying if you Don't Mean It

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

I hope your week is great so far. This week's rant is based on things we often say out of habit that we should stop saying in an effort to avoid confusion and hurt feelings.

These are things that most people have good intentions about but they say them without thinking, when they truly do not mean it.

Here are 3 examples:

"How are you doing?"

This is something that most of us say when greeting others. I do not believe anyone means any harm but have you ever noticed yourself saying this but not paying attention to how the person responds? Or, someone asks how you are doing but keeps walking? Also, most of us just say we are fine even when we are not because we know the person is being polite and likely does not have the time or capacity to listen or assist. We could all benefit from removing this from our greeting and only asking when we truly mean it.

"Can I bring anything?"

Often, when attending a party or dinner at someone's home a person will ask the host what they can bring. Now, if you mean it, then please ask because it is an awesome thing to do. However, if you cannot afford to bring anything or you know you really do not want to, then simply do not ask. This avoids stress and frustration. Do not ask just because it sounds good. If money is the issue and you still want to help, then instead of asking what you can bring, wait until you are there and ask how you can help in the kitchen or in some other way.

"I will be there."

I am sure we can do a whole new blog post on this one :) How many of us have committed to something without thinking and either cancel at the last minute, or decide not to show up. This is very inconsiderate to the person counting on you. It is better to think it through and not commit right away. Or, if something comes up, let the person know right away as opposed to not showing up.

What has your experience been with these things? Are there other sayings you can think of that we should all stop saying?

Monday Fitness: Bad Food is like a Bad Relationship

Happy Monday, Everyone!

I will jump right in. Ever since I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted for my birthday weekend (which was quite a few weeks ago) I have remained with my old habits. These are habits that I had successfully broken for 4 months straight. My weight was down and I was feeling good.

But, I allowed myself to indulge, telling myself it was just for the weekend. It was fun while it lasted but my weight is back up and I feel the sluggishness in my body.

It wasn't until I stopped for coffee this morning and also got a burrito and a hashbrown that I realized that bad food is a lot like a bad relationship.

• It looks, smells, and tastes really good
• It is comforting (temporarily)
• It is cheap...LOL
• It is like an addiction
• It can leave you feeling bad physically and emotionally
• It is easy to run to
• It welcomes you back time and again
• It damages you
• It impacts what you see when you look in the mirror (both externally and internally)
• It doesn't stop until you have had enough

Can anyone relate?

So, what do we do about it (Other than airing it out in a blog)? :)

My Marriage Ebook Project - Are You Totally Winning At Marriage? It is Time to Teach and Guide Others

**Here is the notice I sent out to couples interested in contributing to my book, Totally Winning At Marriage. This book will be given out completely free once it is completed. If you would like to contribute, please see this notice and email me at michagoudeau@gmail or michaidanawrites@gmail.com with your responses***
 

I am so excited to provide you with the questions I am attempting to tackle in this book. I am even more excited for all of the people who will learn and grow as a result of your shared wisdom. My prayer is your feedback is the precise key needed to breathe life back into someone's marriage.

The question are listed below. Please answer what you are comfortable answering and do not answer anything you are uncomfortable with answering. 

Please review this with your spouse and give both of your thoughts. If one person has feedback on a question but the other does not, please indicate if it is the husband or the wife providing the answer.

Let me know if you have any questions and thank you so much! I pray God blesses you with 100 more years of winning marriage.

• People often say the key to marriage is communication and trust. While no one would disagree, please give a deeper answer as to the key(s) to winning at marriage.
• How did you choose your spouse? (Not necessarily how you met but feel free to share that if you would like to)
• How long have you been married? Is this your first marriage?
• Where do you feel marriages often go wrong?
• Have you ever considered quitting? What sustained you? (Not asking you to reveal all of your personal details and not trying to get you to revisit any painful memories. Think of what others would need to hear to help them)
• In your opinion, is there ever a valid reason for separation? For divorce?
• Give advice in the areas of faith, money, children/family, friends, and sex.
• What is your real and raw advice for couples who have lost their way in marriage, or who are consideration calling it quits?
• Husbands - Please provide words of advice specifically for other husbands.
• Husbands - Please provide words of advice specifically for wives, from a husband's perspective.
• Wives - Please provide words of advice specifically for other wives.
• Wives - Please provide advice specifically for husbands so they can hear from a wife's perspective.

Lastly, feel free to submit pictures with your submission. Also, feel free to provide information on your business or ministry and it will be included in the book.

If possible, please provide your submission within the next 14 days.

Thank you and I hope this is a great experience for you and your spouse. If you want to provide your social media or email addresses to be included for readers to reach out to you, then feel free to do that as well.

Love you guys,
Micha

World Suicide Prevention Day

I shared this on Facebook a few moments ago and wanted to share it here as well:

"I just read on Twitter that it is World Suicide Prevention Day...that being said I want you to know that if you need a reminder, here it is......You are loved, You are worthy, You are more than a conqueror, You are Needed, You have so much greatness in you that the enemy wants to keep you from realizing. Show the enemy he doesn't win you....not today, and not ever! If you are struggling, reach out. You are NOT alone. We are in this together! I love you...and more importantly God the Father loves you to a level we can never fully comprehend."

Guys, we are in a spirit war. Depression is real. But, the good news is that Love is also real and it conquers all! That is how we battle. We must show love now more than we ever have!

Please say a kind word to as many people as possible, every chance you get. You make a difference whether you realize it or not.

Be blessed!

Rant Wednesday: What if your clients saw/heard the way you treat your family or others......

Happy Hump Day, Everyone!

I will try and keep this one short and sweet. There are times when I deal with someone who, frankly, shocks me with the way they speak to their family or friends.

Or, I am shocked by the way they treat customer service professionals when they are calling or visiting a business, for assistance.

Of course, everyone can have a bad day and we all understand that there are often other things going on in a person's life that can drive their behavior.

But, you know the type of person I am referring to. The person that is rude and mean on a regular basis.

However, when that same person needs or wants something their personality can completely change. Recently, I found myself wondering again, about rude and mean people who run businesses or are in some type of sales position.

And my question to them would be: If your clients/prospective clients saw or heard the way you treat your family or the way you treat those in service positions, would it attract them to you or repel them from you?

Monday Fitness: Switch it up this year and get in shape BEFORE the holidays

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.

This weekend got me to thinking about how we normally set a goal to get in shape AFTER the holidays. Why not switch it up this year and start getting in shape BEFORE the holidays?

It would serve three awesome purposes:

1) Most of the time we set the same fitness goals every single year, which means we are not sticking to those plans and resolutions. Switching it up could be the key.

2) Working on these goals now and seeing the progress will give you pause when it comes to the food decisions during the holidays.

3) If you do pick up a couple of extra pounds during the holidays, you would have already been down weight and the extra few pounds won't devastate your long-term plan.

Thoughts on this? What are you plans to get into shape BEFORE the holidays.

Who is down for switching it up this year?

#switchitup

They Grow Up So Fast

Photo by Judy Villa

This is my beautiful, firstborn child, Makayla Nicole. She just took her senior pictures with amazing photographer, Judy Villa. I had not planned on being in any of the pictures so I was super excited when Judy recommended we take this picture together.

It is so amazing how time flies. It seems like a quick flash in time between the time I was holding Makayla (in the picture we are holding) until now when she is 17 years old and ready to take on the world.

Makayla is a very strong, beautiful, smart, capable, and wise young lady. I am so ridiculously proud of the young woman she has become.

I was feeling a bit emotional when I saw this picture so wanted to share it with everyone and encourage you to embrace every moment because our children sure do grow up fast :)

#sheisnotababyanymore #blessedtobehermom #judyvillaisanamazingphotographer

Monday Fitness: Is it normal to crave weird things while on your nutrition plan?

Happy Monday, All! It is much later in the day than I would normally post but I could not let the day get by without checking in with everyone.

In the past week, I have been consistent with my walking but very inconsistent with my eating habits. I have been craving more and more salt and things completely off of my nutrition plan.

I am not sure if I am feeling stress or what but I have been making very poor decisions with my diet. I did not realize until this evening that I am also craving odd things from what I normally eat. This evening, I thought it would be a great idea to eat a peanut butter and pickle sandwich and it was epic! (I found this picture online when I searched peanut butter and pickles to see if anyone else eats it)

I have not had cravings like that in years. The last time I craved this things, I was pregnant and I would eat peanut butter, jelly, pickles, and potato chip sandwiches....LOL

Since then, due to tumors in my uterus and on my ovaries, I have had a total hysterectomy, so it is very safe to say I am not pregnant.

However, I have allowed my cravings to get the best of me and I am concerned about losing all of the progress I have made over the last several months.

Has this happened to any of you? I have come too far to be derailed but admit I need help getting refocused. I will happily take your advice.

Blogger's Huddle and Beta Project

Hey Everyone! Happy Sunday.

I have two exciting things to announce.

The first is I have created a Facebook page called Blogger's Huddle. It is a hub for all of us who love to blog, want to blog, or like to read blogs.

The page is here. I invite you to visit this page, post links to your blog, comment on other blogs, and give your feedback on what you consider to be a successful blog.

The second thing I am announcing is a beta project I am working on that I am calling Blogger's Monthly Plan. Over the brief time that I have been blogging I have encountered many people who have expressed their interest in blogging but struggle with what to write about.

Blogger's Monthly Plan is a subscription product available for $5 per month, with an option to cancel at any time. This plan is designed to get your feedback on what you want to discuss, then provide you with a weekly plan on topics to blog about and also recommendations on products to market in your blog posts.

Interested in being one of my clients during this beta project? Are you ready to share your knowledge, opinions, and insight with the world? Start your monthly subscription today and allow me to assist you with the tools needed to focus on your writing without worrying about what to write about.

The form to begin your subscription is here. Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com with any questions. I look forward to serving you through this project, and seeing your blog posts on the Blogger's Huddle Facebook page.

It is time for your voice to be heard. No fear. Written words have power. It is time to tap into yours.

Rant Wednesday: Why are you mad about Jay-Z and Beyonce's matching suits?

This morning, as my teenagers and I were flipping through radio stations, we paused on a local station that was discussing matching suits that Jay-Z and Beyonce wore to Usher's movie premiere.

The radio hosts were saying that many people have responded harshly to this. They were taking calls getting opinions from listeners. After the very first call, I turned the station. The caller was saying it was horrible for them to do this.

My first thought was "Why in the world would people have a negative opinion about this?" Once I had a break at work today I went online to see the picture that had everyone commenting.

I found this picture on the Vanity Fair website. Check out the article here. I think it is a beautiful picture. They look lovely. The suits are nice. Beyonce's is a pin-striped grey suit and Jay-Z's is solid grey. They look like a strong couple, in love and enjoying life.

I think it bothered me that people were reacting negatively because I have seen people say negative things about couples before and seen it cause trouble. When couples decide to wear matching outfits, get joint email accounts, joint Facebook accounts, etc, why is that a negative for you?

I will admit that I have this perception that the only people that get mad about these things are people who are dissatisfied with their own relationships, or are perhaps, lonely.

In either case, let couples be who they are. If they are not harming anyone and want to show their unity by wearing matching outfits then be happy for them and root for their relationship to remain strong and successful.

In the meantime, spend more time either grooming your own relationship in the way that works for you and your mate, or just work on yourself so you are ready when the right person comes along.

Thoughts on this?

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #15

Happy Monday, Everyone! Not sure what happened but somehow I went back up a little over 1lb. My weigh-in this morning is 160.8.

For those of you that have been following my weightloss journey, you know my goal has been to get away from 160 and not see it again :)

While it is a bit too soon for me to see the scale under 160, consistently, I am determined to get there. I was a little discouraged to see 160.8 this morning as I was hoping to have dropped another lb or 2.

Not to worry though. You can't keep a determined girl down long....LOL

I have one question that I need to ask today. I have noticed that I have lost weight everywhere except my mid-section. For a while I thought I gained weight back because I thought my mid-section got bigger when actually everything around it got smaller.

Is that something where I just need to wait and eventually it will start to catch up? Judging by the way my clothes fit, my mid-section has decreased some as well but it clearly is much slower than the rest of me :)

Thoughts?

Rant Wednesday: Just Drive

Today, I was almost run off of the road due to a woman too consumed in her cell phone to pay attention to the road. I was coming off of the freeway and the traffic was merging with drivers coming from the side street and preparing to turn right.

Typically, everyone lets in every other car, or so, to ensure traffic continues to move and no one is in danger. Today, I found myself in a situation where I could not possibly stop without causing an accident and was about to be run off of the road because I could not safely merge in.

I had to blow my horn to get her to look up. Drives me nuts that she then had the nerve to get upset and start yelling.

While I could go on about this, I honestly just want to make a simple appeal that we all Just Drive. We have all been guilty, at some point or another, of trying to multi-task while driving and that simply is not the time to do it.

Lives are at stake. My children were in the car with me this morning and that is honestly what made me more upset than anything. In my eyes, this woman was endangering my children.

Driving is not the time for any of us to look at our phones, put on makeup, eat, look for the things in the car, etc. When we are on the road we owe it to ourselves and to each other to Just Drive.

Thoughts?

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #14

Happy Monday, Everyone!

It has been a couple of weeks since I posted an update so I will get straight to the point :)

I am holding steady. My weigh-in this morning is 159.6!

Last weekend I celebrated my 37th birthday, which I am so grateful for. Admittedly, over the last couple of weeks I have slipped in my eating.

I have been craving salty things and have indulged in nachos and various fried foods. Thankfully, I think I am coming out of that because I haven't craved it as much over the last few days.

I actually went back up about 3lbs but then it came right back off. I think I have Pokemon Go to thank for getting it back off right away. :)

It is fun and great exercise to walk around the park with my family. It is also great to see all of the exercise that many others are getting. I see people of various ages, shapes, and sizes, all out in the park getting exercise.

My goals this week are to refocus on my eating habits and get a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise every single day.

What are your health goals this week? How can we reach out and keep one another motivated?

Rant Wednesday: How Old is Too Old to Kiss your Child on the Lips?

This week I heard a conversation on a local radio station where there was a major debate on parents kissing their children on the lips.

There were parents on both sides of the argument calling in. While I did not grow up with parents who kissed me on the lips, and I have never kissed my own children on the lips, I will admit it strikes me as odd when the kids are a certain age.

The conversation seemed quite emotional for the parents calling in on each side of this argument. While this is not a personal rant of mine, the ranting from both sides compelled me to discuss it and see what everyone else thinks.

I have seen pictures of parents kissing their children and they seem super sweet when they are very small but I will admit I have seen other pictures or even TV shows where the parent kisses an older child on the lips and it seems inappropriate.

Now granted, I have no basis for this because my family never did it so I am not claiming to be any type of authority on the situation.

As I listened to the argument, I could see points on both sides.

So, what say you on this topic? Is it appropriate to kiss your child on the lips? Is it not? Is there a threshold?

Sound off in the comments section.

Have something you want to rant about in a future edition of Rant Wednesday? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #13

Happy Monday, Everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.

I will get right to it. My weight is the same this week....159.4. The great news, however, is that I wore a pair of pants this week that I haven't been able to get in to for a couple of years!!!

Man, that felt great. I only kept two pairs of pants after I gained a lot of weight, hoping that I would get back into them. I know that is not always realistic but I gave away everything except for just those two pairs of pants.

I can't tell you how amazing it felt to put those pants on this weekend and be able to button them without cutting off my circulation...LOL

As far as exercise, I got in some good cardio at least 4 out of 7 days. I will admit that my eating was not the best this past week. I didn't eat terrible every day, but my focus was not there. I had pizza one day and french fries another day.

This week, I will be back on track without fail. The good news is since I have been so focused on eating healthy, those few days that I had an unhealthy meal, did not derail my progress.

The Slight Edge is real so I have to make sure the majority of my eating decisions give me a slight edge towards the right direction.

What are your goals this week? Have any updates to share? Post below.

Have an amazing week!!

Rant Thursday: When does it stop?

I had to talk about this somewhere. These stories hurt so bad. I saw this when scrolling through my Facebook timeline today and my heart dropped just as it has when anyone has been hurt in all of this senseless violence.

Here is a link to the story.

From what I read, a therapist was helping a patient who was sitting in the street. The patient was holding a toy truck. When the police arrived, the therapist told them neither of them were armed and he laid on the ground with his hands up.

He was not resisting. Not arguing. But, he was shot 3 times in the leg.

How does this happen?!

The article goes on to state that when the therapist asked the officer why he shot him that the officer responded that he didn't know.

I have seen so many posts about these shootings saying that we, as black people, need to learn how to deal with officers and these shootings wouldn't happen if we were respectful. However, if that were in any way true, then what happened here?!

The response to that could be an entirely different article.

My heart bleeds for all of these stories of hatred. There have been so many senseless killings of people of all walks of life, not just in our country but in other countries as well.

All we can do is continue in prayer and continue to spread love to as many people as possible and never differentiate because of race, profession, or any other outer differences.

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #12

Good Morning and Happy Monday, Everyone! I will get right to it.

My weigh-in this morning is 159.4! I am excited to be holding steady at just below 160. I am looking forward to progressing toward my next goal of under 150.

A little bit at a time is what has been working for me for the past 3 months so I will continue with that plan.

The biggest thing I am excited to report this morning is that I kept my goal of exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes, every single day this past week!!

This is the first time I accomplished that since I started my weightloss journey. For the most part, I have only exercised here and there and have never been consistent.

That has now changed. I have the same exercise goal for this week. The type of exercise will change up, to keep it engaging. Last week, I was on the treadmill for 3 days, walked outside 1 day, did Zumba at the gym 1 day, exercised at home 1 day, and a lower body workout 1 day.

The lower body workout was this past Saturday so I plan to do that again today and try to maintain that every 2 to 3 days.

Now, that I am back to regular exercise, what advice do you have for me on how to continue to progress with my weightloss goal but also begin to tone?

Rant Wednesday: The Two Sides of Pokemon Go

While driving today I saw a sign on the freeway that said Pokemon Go is a No-Go While Driving.

This is a great way to get people's attention, which is a part of what I want to discuss regarding the two sides of the game.

First, I downloaded the game when I heard about it and I think it is a fun game. The awesome part of it is there are people out walking and getting miles of exercise in that may have never happened.

Parents are outside with kids again and couples are out for walks. It is also fun for those who grew up watching Pokemon and are now reliving those great memories.

It is a very creative game and I have never seen anything like it that encourages exercise. A friend even told me about how people gathering at the park has caused people who have never met to get to know one another and there is a sense of community around this common interest.

Those are the great things. The other side of this game is all of the things I am hearing where gamers are standing in someone's lawn, hopping fences to go into someone's backyard, knocking on someone's door and asking them to come inside, and trying to catch Pokemon while driving.

Needless to say, these things are disturbing and are the extreme side. Not everyone that is playing the game is being irresponsible. Like everything else, there are extreme gamers who will do irresponsible things to catch the Pokemon they want to catch.

My last comment on this is that I have seen a lot of social media postings from others who are very judgmental of the fact that someone would play Pokemon Go. My thought on this is look at both sides of it and understand it is promoting health for those who play responsibly. My second thought on this is it is easy to judge when someone's habit is different than your habit.

Thoughts on this? Sound off in the comments.

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #11

Happy Monday, Everyone! Needless to say it has been a very trying week in our world. I pray that wherever you are, you are surrounded with peace, love, and unity.

Be love, give love, and share love.

My weigh-in for today is 159.6! Yes, I am excited about this. It is a new milestone. I got a couple of days worth of exercise in last week but if I am being honest this portion of the plan is still not up to standard. The steady weight loss success I am having so far can solely be attributed to eating habits.

The plan this week is to walk a minimum of 30 minutes every single day. Yes, it is hot here in Arizona but I can use the treadmill at work or walk in the evenings.

Not much else to report this week. I am excited to continue these weekly updates until I reach my goal. Thank you, as always, for your prayers and support!

We are in this thing together.

Rant Wednesday: Kevin Durant is a Warrior now.....and that is okay.

Happy Hump Day, Everyone!

I am having a bit of deja vu on this one. Seems like we were just here and listening to the ranting and raving of upset fans. Now, were are here again.

The difference on this one is the object of all of the comments is Kevin Durant. The first thing I want to say about this is that I love this guy. He is great to watch and also great to listen to in interviews. His heart speaks for itself.

I am sure you all know the story so I will try to keep this one short and sweet. The arguments I have heard range from people believing it was wrong for him to leave the Oklahoma City Thunder to become a member of the Golden State Warriors, to others believing a super star should not be allowed to move to an already great team because it "waters down" the NBA's product.

While I understand the varying opinions on the matter, I cannot understand how so much extreme emotion goes into some of these reactions. From Twitter rants to burning jerseys, how is any of that called for?

If you were offered the opportunity to go outside of your comfort zone but for a substantial amount of money and the best opportunity to meet your goals....and by the way it is only for two years.....wouldn't you do it?

Kevin Durant's decision is not about you......the same as Lebron's decision was not about you..... Buying tickets and being an NBA fan does not give anyone the right to spew hate towards someone because they make a decision, for themselves, that disappoints you.

I am not sure what else to say on the matter so I will open it up to you. What have you heard? What have you seen? What are your thoughts on Kevin Durant taking his talents to Golden State? 

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #10

OMG, Guys! We are to my 10th weekly update already :)

There is quite a bit to tell you today. First, I will start with my weigh-in.....drum roll...............its 160.0!!!

I couple of days ago is was just under at 159.8. I haven't seen the scale at 150-anything in a very long time. Next goal is under 150.

Last Monday evening I had a bit of a scare when I was in very intense abdominal pain and unsure why. This had been going on for a couple of days.

I decided to go to the Emergency Room last Monday, after work, in case there was something serious going on that needed to be addressed immediately.

Thanks be to God, all of my scans came back great and it turned out to be an issue with my digestion. The doctor gave me some medicine that I needed to take to improve it.

I did not see this coming because I have been eating better in the last few months than I have in the last few years. I have been making healthy food choices and making sure to eat regularly.

What I didn't realize is that I was not taking in enough fiber in my nutrition plan. Between the doctor and my dad, I got the information needed to make the necessary changes.

For those of you who have gone on nutrition plans before or changed your eating habits in any way, how did you go about making sure your diet was balanced? What advice do you have for us?

Please post below. And thank you, as always, for the encouragement and support.

I pray everyone has a safe and happy holiday today and remember to pray for our soldiers and first responders!!

Rant Wednesday: Is a compliment that has to be qualified, really a compliment?

Hey, Everyone! Happy Hump Day.

I will jump right into today's rant. Have you ever given or received a compliment that was qualified and is that really a compliment?

For example, have you ever told someone they are cute to be big? Or cute to be dark-skinned? Or, smart to be a college dropout? Or a good person to be a felon? The list goes on and on.

What is up with that?! If someone is something good, why does it need a qualifier?

I once had someone tell me I was smart to be pretty. I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or flattered.

My questions for you are:

1) Are qualified compliments, really compliments?
2) Are you flattered when you receive a qualified compliment, or insulted?
3) How do you respond?

I try to work off of the concept of always assuming positive intent so when this happens I just say thank you and move on. I don't believe people mean any harm when they say these things. But, I also don't believe they are thinking about what they are saying. Is it just that those of us who think about this are being way too sensitive?

What do you think?

Share you comments, experiences, and advice.

Have something to rant about on a future edition of Rant Wednesday? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #9

Happy Monday, Everyone! Hope your weekend was amazing.

I will get right to it. Today's weigh-in is the exact same from last week. 162.8. I am happy to maintain but the goal is still to continue to knock down the lbs. Down 10 and 20 more to go.

Last week was one of those crazy weeks where the days and the evenings were busy and time flew by in a bit of a blur.

I am NOT proud to say that I did not get in any days of exercise in the past week. I had a plan but did not stick to it when my days got busy.

In the evenings, I was wiped out. Now, a new plan is needed for this week. There is a lot going on after work hours, but I can't let that be the reason for no exercise this week. My family's extra activities are all amazing things so we need to maintain them.

What do you guys do when your schedule is nuts with work, rehearsals, and other events? How do you recognize this and stay on track with exercise?

This kind of schedule used to get me off track with food because I would stop and grab whatever is available but I have gotten much better about that.

Now, it is staying on track with exercise that is needed to help with my health goals. What is your advice for me and others who may have the same challenge?

Share your advice and experience so we can all learn from you.

And, thank you, as always! Looking forward to updating everyone again next week. It will be the 10th journal entry :)

Rant Wednesday: Comments from others on the 2016 NBA Finals

Hey, Everyone! Happy Hump Day.

So excited for the Cleveland Cavaliers. I was listening to my favorite show, Doug&Wolf, on AZ Sports 98.7 FM, on my way in to work this morning and they mentioned a parade going on in Cleveland today. I can only imagine how amazing it is.

This victory was exciting to watch! Both teams put on a great show and it was quite a Game 7.

That being said, here are just a couple of things that I want to rant about regarding this season:

1) Lebron haters - Lebron has taken so much heat (pun intended) over his career decisions. This has bothered me from many standpoints that I won't go into now but it would be nice if everyone just put to bed, their consistent negative views about Lebron, as a leader, and as a Great.

The negative commentary about all the finals he had been to and only won the two in Miami, had gotten old as well. Championships are awesome but look at how many Hall of Famers have played the game and never won 1 ring. Does that diminish their greatness? A friend of mine summed it up best when he posted to Facebook after the game and said something like, "Now, can all of the Lebron haters please SHUT UP."  LOL

We also have to give a major shout-out to Kyrie Irving!! Without his performance and without that clutch 3, it could have easily gone the other way. 

2) Steph Curry - Before losing this finals, most people had a "Steph Curry for President" type attitude about him. Steph Curry is remarkable and someone that I enjoy watching. The 73-9 season has been incredible. Now, that the team lost, some fans are speaking negatively about him and have seemed to flip on their opinion.

I also do not like the talk about their season record being diminished by not winning the finals. I am not sure why it is seen that way. I am assuming because the Bulls won the championship the year they went 72-10. In any loss there is plenty of blame to go around. However, their greatness is not diminished. It is just time to regroup and get right back in the game.

3) Fixed Games - This topic is never ending when it comes to any sport. When games don't go a certain way it is said the the refs are paid off and games are fixed to make more money. While I have no idea if that even has a little truth to it, all I will say about it is no one complains when the "fixing" is in favor of their favorite team. This is one of those situations when we can only "control the controllables." The alleged paying off of refs does not factor when a team is shooting poorly.

Thoughts on the game? The comments? The players? Post your comment below and thank you, as always, for tuning in to Rant Wednesday. Be sure to come back and check out next week's rant.

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #8

Happy Monday, Everyone!

Quick shout out to the Cleveland Cavaliers for winning the 2016 NBA Championship!!! The game was so amazing. I will talk more about it in my Rant Wednesday blog. Check it out and weigh-in on the subject.

Well, on to today's weigh-in! I am excited to be down a smidge from last week. Today's weigh-in is 162.8!! For those who tuned in last week, you may recall that I had been at 164 for 3 straight weeks.

While today's weigh-in is down just 1 pound from that, for me, it is a big deal! It is over the 164 hump. My current goal is still to get under 160. Once that goal is achieved, I will work on my next goal of under 150.

This week's focus is on exercise. At least 30 minutes every day. Tonight is dance practice so that will take care of the exercise. Tuesday and Thursday's plan is Zumba World Party on the Wii.

Wednesday and Friday will likely be walking and hopefully I will be able to get a little swim time in this week, as well.

Thank you to everyone for the continued encouragement. I am so excited. I am looking forward to these continued posts. If you missed the very first one, you can find it here.

My prayer is that someone is encouraged that if I can do it, they can do it too. The key for me has been to find a nutrition plan that works for me and to use this blog for accountability and communication with others to share their knowledge and experience.

Wishing everyone a productive and healthy week! See you next Monday.

Have a story you would like to have featured on a future edition of Monday Fitness? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com

Rant Wednesday: Orlando should never have happened

Like many of you, my heart is so heavy for what happened in Orlando on Sunday. So many of our brothers and sisters lost their lives in a senseless, hateful, and violent act by one person.

It is hard to put my thoughts into words, regarding the act itself, and regarding some of the postings and comments that have been made by others as a result.

I will try to stick with just 3:

1) This is not about gay or straight..... our brothers and sisters lost their lives, bottom line. It is horrific and it hurts. Using this tragic situation to focus an agenda on your thoughts of gay versus straight is not okay, in my opinion.

2) This is not about Muslims..... one disturbed person took a horrific action. Using this horrible act as a way to enforce a hateful position against Muslims is wrong, in my opinion.

3) Spread love ..... an amazing lady that I follow on  Facebook posted, on Monday, that when she was traveling recently she met a Muslim woman who said "America hates me." How sad is this?! The lady who posted this said she was able to put her arms around this woman and assure her that not all Americans think like that.

People, we have to spread love the best way we know how. This world is in desperate need. I am unsure of what more to say.

Please pray for our brothers and sisters and the families that are grieving.

Please try as best as you can to keep life into perspective and focus on what is important. Please hug your loved ones regularly and let them know they are important to you.

Please be kind....say kind things....do kind things. Don't add to the horror of this tragedy by further hurting others with misguided opinions on things and personal agendas.

This is not about you and your agenda. It is about tragic loss of loved ones and their families need for support. #spreadlove #Godblessourworld

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #7

Hey Everyone! I hope you had an amazing weekend and you are ready to take this week by storm.

I will get right to it. I need some advice. My weigh-in this morning is 164.0. I am at the same weight for the last two weeks.

The good thing is this means I have maintained and not gained any weight back. The not-so-good thing is I am in that lull where I have not made additional progress.

I need some advice on how to get over the hump so I can drop the next 10lbs.

I know many of you have conquered this. How did you do it?

On a major up note, my family and friends have begun to notice the changes. I was blessed to have 4 people last week comment to me that they see the difference in my face.

And just this morning, two compliments that I am looking great. Now, please understand that I don't share this to sound awful. I share this because it is a blessing and I am thankful. 

There are many people, like you, that are encouraging me and holding me accountable so I am a truly grateful lady.

I am a firm believer in the saying that no man is an island. So, a major thank you to all of you!

Let me know what advice you have to help me get over the current lull in weight loss. In the meantime, I will keep up good eating habits.

My only guilty pleasure these days is chips and salsa :)

Have a story you would like me to feature on future Monday Fitness blogs? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com

Rant Wednesday: The young man was high or vulgar

Yesterday, something disturbing happened to me and I am having a hard time shaking it from my mind.

WARNING: Before reading any further, the content is a bit disturbing so please do not continue reading if it could possibly be bothersome. I will not use any curse words or profane language but will just say enough to help understand what this young man said to me.

Here is what happened:

When I pulled up to a stop light yesterday, I kept hearing someone yelling, "Hey" from two lanes over. I looked over to see who was yelling and it was two young men hanging out of the passenger side of the car.

When I said Hello, the young man in the front passenger window said "Hey, What that black P%$^y be like."

Needless to say, this was quite shoking. Even though the young men were a different race than I am, I was not angry, I was disturbed.

Also, because they are young, my mind went into mom-mode. My response was "Boy, how old are you?!" To which he responds that he is 18. My next statement to him was "Then you are too old to be acting this immature."

His next statement disturbed me further. He said, "Oh come on, girl, I'll coke you out."

My heart sank behind this because these kids were either very vulgar or they were high. I was two lanes over so was not able to see who was driving the car or see a license plate on the car.

Before the light changed we exchanged a couple of more statements. I told him I don't do drugs and he shouldn't either because drugs will kill him. His last statement before the light changed was "Come on, let me get your number." We drove off in two different directions.

For the rest of the day this conversation played in my mind and I kept wondering if there was something I could have said that would have been helpful to those young men.

I also kept wondering who in the world was driving the car and listening to this disturbing dialogue and not putting a stop to it.

Last thing is I just pray those young men are okay and they get their minds right. This kind of thing simply shouldn't happen. There is no excuse for it!

What would you have done in this scenario?

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #6

Happy Monday, Everyone! I hope your weekend was relaxing and enjoyable.

With some great help, I moved to a new apartment this weekend so it was busy and exhausting :)

Over the past week, with the moving, I got off track on my nutrition plan. Not way off track, but had a few snacks and things that I would not normally eat.

Weigh-in today is 164.0 so pretty much the same as last week's 163.8. Next milestone goal is still to get under 160.

The lesson I learned this week can be summed in the famous saying "If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail." - Benjamin Franklin

With the hustle and bustle of moving, there were times where I got hungry or my energy was down and I opted for quick food options.

While, I did not completely go off of my plan in the last week, there a few things I had that are not in my plan. For example, I had two sodas this weekend. And I also had two fried foods. Other than that, I think I had a couple of potato chips.

Everything else I ate or drank was within my plan. Now, that the move is out of the way, I feel back on track already.

What do you do when you look up and realize you have gotten busy and failed to plan? Share your stories and advice with us.

Have a story that you would like featured on a future edition of Monday Fitness? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com

Rant Wednesday: Graduation Ceremony Etiquette

It is that exciting time of year where many are graduating from high school, college, and post-graduate degree programs.

It is an amazing accomplishment that deserves recognition.

The part of the ceremony that is the subject of today's Rant Wednesday is the lack of etiquette that is sometimes displayed at graduation ceremonies.

Here are three issues that stand out:

1) Over-Cheering - Now, don't jump all over me for this one. It is understandable to want to scream to the rooftop for your graduate. They have worked hard and have overcome obstacles. Some stories are way more involved that we can imagine. That being said, the issue with the over-cheering is not the celebration itself. It is, however, the fact that someone else's family will miss the chance to hear their graduate's name being called due to the excessive celebrating of another family. It is not fair to rob that family of the same joy.

2) Seating - This is a major issue at many ceremonies. While the attendees cannot do much about it, the best we can do is be respectful by allowing room for others to sit down (not using a seat for your purse or other belongings) or by giving your seat to someone who may be disabled, elderly, or a mother-to-be.

3) Talking during speeches - Believe it or not, some of us actually like to hear all of the speeches. :) Talking during the ceremony prevents others from being able to hear the speaker. It is also disrespectful to the speaker who has spent time and thought preparing to address the graduates and families.

Again, graduation is a phenomenal time and it deserves time, attention, and respect! Let's be courteous to one another so we can enjoy graduation to its fullest potential.

Can anyone relate or have stories to share?

Have something you want to sound off on in a future edition of Rant Wednesday? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com.

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal Entry #5

Hi, Everyone! Before giving this week's update I want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to our military members and military families. And also THANK YOU to our first responders and their families.

Memorial Day is a day set aside to honor those who have fallen in the line of duty. There are no words to express the love, appreciation, and respect we have for you. Again, we THANK YOU.

I pray everyone has a safe time with their families today. Remember those that have given their lives in the fight for us.

With today being a holiday, this is also a standard time for huge family celebrations with lots of games and food. Family celebrations are the best!! Enjoy them.

These celebrations are often a time we indulge and go off of our nutrition plans. My encouragement would be to have a plan before the event starts. Decide where you may splurge and stick to your plan.

While I struggle with salt cravings, I will say that the longer I am on my nutrition plan, the easier it gets to follow. You also learn to be creative with meals so you have things that taste great and are healthy.

Now, for today's update......I am down 2lbs from last week! So excited. This morning's weigh-in is 163.8. My goal is to be under 160 in the next two weeks.

Have any advice or tips for me? Post your comments. I appreciate everyone for the love and encouragement. Not only am I getting my weight under control but I am gaining energy and boosting confidence.  #soblessed

Rant Wednesday: Apartment Complex Woes

Hey, Everyone! Happy Wednesday. I hope your week is going well. Thank you for checking out this week's edition of Rant Wednesday.

Today's rant is on apartment complex woes. For all of us who currently live in an apartment or have in the past, maybe you can relate.

While there are many advantages to living in an apartment complex, there are a few things that we have to be prepared to contend with. Here are the top 3 that come to mind:

Someone in your parking space - If you have lived in a complex where visitor spots are minimal then it hurts all the more to come home from a long day and need to take a long walk because someone is in your parking space. There is not really much you can do. Even if you call to have them towed, you may have to deal with an ugly confrontation later.

Dogs not on leashes and not cleaned up after - Most of us love dogs. However, when someone is out and their dog is not on a leash and a dog runs up and jumps on you or your child, that is not always a pleasant experience. Not all people love dogs and some kids are afraid. Or, the dog is not always friendly, even though most are. The other part is when owners do not take the time to clean up after their dogs and you have to walk with your head down most of the way so you can avoid something hidden in the grass.

Ridiculously loud music - We all love good music but after certain hours it can be tough. This one needs no further explanation.

Again, there are many advantages to living in an apartment complex, especially, if the place is well managed. However, the woes can become overwhelming at times.

How do you handle them? Post your advice and experience below.

Have something you want to rant about on a future edition of Rant Wednesday? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #4

So, I won't lie. This week has been a bit of a struggle. However, the good news is I am still down a bit. 3lbs from last week.....so exciting!!! 165.8 is my weigh-in for today!

Seeing these wins on the scale is very motivating.

The struggle this week was I craved salt on quite a few days. Many people struggle with sugar and have a hard time turning down donuts or cake or something like that.

For me, the struggle can be turning down potato chips or fried foods. While my nutrition plan has gotten easier to follow, I was surprised to have so many days this week where the salt craving felt difficult.

I opted for chips and salsa to satisfy it. I know salsa is not too bad but the chips are what I was concerned about. I ate significantly less of them than normal, which wasn't too bad. That craving was wicked though....LOL

What do you do when you are craving things and you want to make sure you don't derail your nutrition plan and goals?

Since I had the chips and salsa I am good. Maybe it was just a momentary thing. My eye is still on the prize. This goal of mine is about how I feel. Since I am only 5'3" I don't feel well when I have this much weight on.

And do to several surgeries and a knee injury, the extra weight feels even more unhealthy for me.

So, I am staying the course. So excited to be down the 3lbs this week, despite the struggle. Looking forward to next week's blog so I can send another update.

Thank you to all of your for your continued support and encouragement.

Rant Wednesday: SometimesYou Want to Snap Back

It can be hard fighting the urge to snap back. Many of us hold our peace because it is for the greater good. There is NOT always something to be gained by snapping back.

Many times, there is often a lot to be gained by holding your tongue and remaining calm.

It is an act of balance to know when to say what you really want to say, and when to speak peace. Many times when we want to snap it is because someone is being rude to us or to someone we care about.

We try to be understanding because the person that is being rude is usually going through something rough and they don't mean to be so rude.

Heck....we have been the person before, as well, right? Every person goes through something, periodically, and it impacts their normal character and behavior.

This rant, however, is about those people that seem to constantly be mean and rude. At some point, you want to throw the understanding out of the window and just say what you feel, right?

But, we know there are consequences for snapping back even if we don't feel those consequences are fair. Those of us that work in customer service positions, as an example, know this all too well.

There are times you get tired of being beaten down and telling yourself they are not mad at you, they are mad at the situation. During these times, we have to focus on the greater good, which is just being the best help that we can and remembering why we do what we do.

We can also get it off of our chest by finding productive ways to rant, like writing a blog ;) or writing in a journal, exercising, or another healthy activity that helps calm your spirit.

There may be times when it is necessary to assert yourself. But, most times, we are better off maintaining the soft and firm approach.

Thoughts on this? What do you do when you want to snap back?

Have something you want to rant about in the next Rant Wednesday? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com.

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal Entry #3

Hey, Everyone! I hope you had a great and productive weekend.

This weekend I was invited to an event called Sweat Saturday, by my beautiful friend and coach, Sarah Schillaci.

Before, I give you the details of how it went, I wanted to share this morning's weigh-in which is 168.4! I am excited to be down 2.2lbs from last week.

Slow and steady is how I am running this race.

Now, back to Sweat Saturday. This event is hosted by Stick 2 It Fitness. The attendance was 212 and it was jammed packed with people who are excited about their health goals.

When reflecting on the experience the first thing that came to mind was that it was like attending Fitness Church.

And I mean this in a great way!

The first thing is everyone made you feel so welcome. There was no comparison of what everyone had on, or their size or shape. There were genuine smiles, hugs, and excitement.

When the exercises got tough I was motivated by everyone around me. After the workout we got to hear testimonials from so many people who have worked hard to achieve their health goals and have changed their lives by changing their habits.

80% nutrition, 20% fitness and 100% mindset is a big thing that sticks in my mind from Saturday. And several quotes about attitude, determination, and reminders that a bad diet cannot be outworked.

It is all about respect for our bodies. We have to take care of them. I have spent so long neglecting my body and I am grateful to have friends and family that have not given up on me.

I look forward to touching base next Monday.

Have health goals and successes that you would like me to shout out in next week's edition? Email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com.

Let's do this thing together!  #s2i #fitfam

Rant Wednesday: Stephen Curry and Justin Bieber

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

Today's rant is a 2 for 1 :) The other day I decided to write Rant Wednesday about some wild comments I saw on Facebook about Justin Bieber's new tattoo.

Then, today as I am hearing about Steph Curry's unanimous MVP vote and hearing all the commentary from old players I decided I wanted to comment on that as well.

First, about Justin Bieber's tattoo, I do NOT have an issue with it. I haven't seen the picture but read about all the responses to it. My rant is about one person's response, in particular, that was irate about Justin's tattoo having a religious meaning and proceeded to say how stupid it was and reference the Leviticus scripture about markings on the body.

My rant is not about this guy's opinion but the fact that throughout his response he kept dropping the F word while quoting scripture questioning if Justin has read the F'in Bible and such. For me, it was offensive for someone to refer to Holy Scripture as the F'in Bible, especially when they are supposedly using the Bible to try and make a point.

I included a link here in case anyone wants to see what I am referring to. This guy that made these comments is such a hypocrite. I wonder if he just did this for attention but he is the only one that truly knows.

Second, Stephen Curry has won the first ever unanimous vote for MVP. This is huge and a tremendous accomplishment. Along with this, has come commentary from former players or analysts about how the league is not as tough as it once was and the records being broken are, in part, because of this.

While I am sure there is some truth to toughness, number of greats in the game, etc., it bugs me, just a little, that these comments are always made behind someone achieving something great. I am sure that in Michael Jordan's day of record-breaking there had to be older players who said he achieved so much because he did not have to endure what they had to in their day.

These things could be true, as well, but they do not diminish the effort, determination, skill, and greatness of someone who is achieving these goals. Making these kinds of statements sounds the same as when someone gets a promotion at work and some say it is because they are friends with the boss or because they bring bagels on Fridays.

Why can we not celebrate each other's victories? Steph Curry's accomplishments are wins for the league. He is a likeable guy with massive talent that draws a lot of positive attention.

Am I off base on this? Let me know your thoughts. I am completely open as I could be off base by being a bit annoyed with these comments.

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #2

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope everyone had a good weekend and you are ready to kick your health goals into high gear this week :)

I want to start this blog post off by thanking everyone for your support. Last week was my first blog entry where I am focusing on my weightloss. It is great accountability and it is honestly exciting!

My weigh-in this morning is at 170.6. It was a great week of discipline with food and what I am drinking. I did not get in much exercise. I walked a few days.

My high focus, right now, is on staying disciplined with what I am eating. In the past, when I have changed my eating habits and started workouts at the same time, I got overwhelmed, would take days off, and eventually get completely off track.

This time, my goal is to stay mentally tough when it comes to food, then incorporate exercise a little bit at a time.

What I noticed this week, is that my biggest struggle has previously been when I wait too long to eat and just grab the closest thing I can get to or stop at the nearest drive through.

When I got busy this week, and realized I had waited to long, these prior fails immediately surfaced for me and I was able to stay disciplined and take a break from my hectic schedule to stop and grab something that I would not feel bad for later.

It feels really good to conquer those kinds of things. I am prepared to continue to move along on this journey to health and wellness. It is so much bigger than a number on a scale.

It is about sustainable habits and finally taking care of my body. My beautiful cousin, Sabrina, is always reminding and encouraging others that we only get one body so we should take great care of it.

Have advice for me or want to share your health journey as well? Comment below or email me at michaidanawrites@gmail.com.

Rant Wednesday: Wedding Debt

Happy Wednesday, Everyone!

Welcome to this week's edition of Rant Wednesday. It is a special edition brought to you by a gorgeous and amazing friend of mine named, Erica Laidler.

Erica shared this post on Facebook and I asked her permission to share it here. Check it out:

"I'm watching one of my favorite TV shows called Life or Debt..long story short this couple just said they had their dream wedding and honeymoon and paid for it with credit cards!!! What on earth did I just miss?!?! Is this normal? Why would people go into a marriage with that kind of debt? And, why would you pay for a wedding with credit cards?! I'm a firm believer that if it's not in your bank account, you clearly can't have it. Here I am working on my wedding budget baffled by people's mindsets and priorities. You will not catch me trying to please/impress others with material things. ‪#‎rantover‬ ‪#‎Sorrynotsorry‬ ‪#‎peoplearereallybroke‬ ‪#‎craziness‬"

This is a relatable issue, right? One of the top reasons for divorce is financial issues. That being the case, it doesn't seem logical to start the marriage in massive debt.

However, we can also relate to the thought pattern of those who feel you only get married once and there is nothing wrong with splurging. If the money is available then that is a decision for the couple to decide how to allocate it. But, let's face it, we sometimes get caught up in the fairy tale aspect and our decisions are based on emotion rather than future thinking. 

Isn't there a middle ground on this? What would be your advice on this and what specific recommendations would you give for couples who are engaged or thinking about getting engaged, as it pertains to wedding debt?

Monday Fitness: Public Weightloss Journal - Entry #1

Happy Monday Everyone! I hope you all had an amazing weekend.

I weighed in this morning and I am at 172.4. My goal is to drop an additional 30lbs. I do not have a time table for this. My immediate goal is good habits and steady progress. I will let the time table take care of itself.

I thought it would be cool if I use my Monday fitness blogs to track my progress. I was excited to be down 1.6 lbs this morning. That may not seem like a lot for one week but that is good for me.

The one thing I started doing last week that was different, that seemed to give me a boost, is I drink infused water all day. I have an awesome friend, named Taylor, who was posting pictures on Facebook of her infused water each day and it inspired me.

Taylor's pictures included water infused with strawberries, or pineapple, or oranges, or some combination of other fruits. Last week I used grapefruit, oranges, limes, and lemons. Sometimes, I used just one but most often I used at least two.

It is very tasty and it has kept me conscious to stick to drinking it and refilling it throughout the day.

I am already looking forward to next week's blog so I can post my progress from this week.

Have advice for me or others on the journey to health and wellness? Post your advice and encouragement. Share best practices and stories. We need each other :)

See you next week!