i have to get into a bathing suit in 3 weeks. i'm not fat, i just want to tone and lose a couple of pounds. but the last thing i want to do is change my diet. shit, it's girl scout cookie season and those little monsters are at every entrance and exit with thin mints beckoning me. it's stressful at work, so quitting pepsi is out. and honestly, refined sugar is still (and always will be) a staple.

so, i have decided to bust my ass at the gym EVERY weekday night for at least an hour until it's time to go. i'll try and eat healthier (again) and only eat red meat twice a week. no more alcohol or candy until i step off the plane. AND, i'm going to detox again, but this time it won't be so strict.

we'll see how/if it works.

To tone up, you should be making sure you are burning more calories than you're taking in. Hitting the gym should definitely help with that, but sugars (not just refined) are probably one of the biggest contributers of useless calories to our diets. Red meat isn't what you should worry about - the protein in combination with the gym should help you burn calories faster - it's the cookies, soda, fruit juice (if you drink that) and desserts.

Try replacing the soda and snacks with water, fruits and vegetables. When i'm trying to be healthy, I'll get bags of baby carrots to snack on during the day. Pears and apples are pretty cheap right now. Also, try cutting portion sizes. Eat until you're not hungry, but not until you're full.

Detoxing - which, from what I understand, is basically fasting - is a very unhealthy way to lose weight. You will lose muscle as much as fat, so while you might get smaller, you won't get more toned or healthy that way.

treadmill, lots of water..

cut back on breads and dairy products.

+ I would go with you in March but I'm going to be launchign the paper by then...$$ be tied up in that...am thinking about L.A though.

thanks A_Str8 and Tizzy.

i've been eating more fruit ever since my 1st detox and I was going to try and get my protien from lean cuts of chicken and fish. i brought all of the candy that was in my house to work (my kids haven't noticed yet.)

so far so good. 1 mile on the treadmill yesterday. a mile on the elliptical and 1/2 a mile on the treadmill today, plus morning exercises. i definitely don't clean my plate, but sugar is my weakness. i'm trying to buy fruits that can satisfy that craving...but...

anyway tizzy, i think this year i'm tripped out. atlanta, puerto rico, orlando, and then nawlins again. my bank account is looking at me like .

oh and the dairy is a good look - i didn't know about that. but bread? that's another delicious source of sugar.

I decided I'ma be "bikini ready" by Memorial Day. I'm not on a diet, I don't believe in those. I am trying to make a permanent change to eat more fruits and vegetables and cut back on grease and fat, though. The thing that will do it though is physical activity. No gym for me because I'm quasi-poor (laid off right now). But I can bounce off the walls at home if I have to.

yeah, i gave up on the diet thing. lol. but, i'm still determined to live better and look better...