I am 30.

So, this is now my reality. I am 30. I have hit the third decade of my life. Everyone insists that this one is the best one that I'll have. I have an inkling that its true.

This birthday, I was pretty overwhelmed with emotion, stress and even relief. I remember when I was 25, thinking of what I would accomplish in the next five years and my plans have not gone the way I thought. I had plans for my career, my personal life, my recreation, my self. Things did not turn out that way.

In the overall scheme of things, it all turned out much better. Maybe because it's reality. At the same time, there are so many things that have happened that I didn't expect and didn't want. The truth is, 30 makes me nervous. With this new business and my pending nuptials, the real responsibility and adulthood begins. I am nervous and excited. In a way this feels like the beginning of my life. I'm hoping for the best, but who knows what's gonna happen. Here's to the next three decades. Cheers!

Busy, busy, busy...

As you can see, I've always been somewhat of a busy bee...

It's more true now than ever. Alongside the launch of my new website and business, I've been doing a lot of re-organizing. I've been spending way too much time with Cupcake's and Cashmere's Home Improvement blogs. I have cleaned up the junk in our place and reorganized my office space, to be a more conducive work environment.

Along side reorganizing, I've been doing a lot of traveling for new business (and of course, recreation) and lining up networking events to go to. I almost forgot the most important thing...maintaining my new diet and workout regimen, which actually can be accomplished with my 'new' life.

In fact I have been so busy, I let this blog slip by for way too many days. I've lost myself in running and work. I guess that just happens when making new life changes, but I was caught off guard about how much work and time it eats up. The best thing of all is that...it's all for me. The changes I wanted to make in my career and life are slowly becoming reality and its all very tiring, but so exciting at the same time.

I can't wait to see what happens next. I gotta start working on that book of mine.

Frustrations of a chronic dieter - part 2011

AHHHHHH! This will be a short blog post, and it's probably not even a good one at that. Why can't I get my dieting act together? It's really not enough to workout, the key is what you are putting in your body, I know that but it still doesn't help.

What I decided that I need is a personal chef to make my meals and put healthy snacks at my fingertips. The best solution would be to stop eating altogether, but REALLY? That's not going to happen. I realize now, with my rapidly increasing age, if I'm going to do anything life changing about my diet and/or my body I've got to do it now. I'm definitely not getting any younger.

This weekend we went to Fiesta Hermosa, which was a wealth of small retailers and independent artisans, it was really quite lovely. We came unto a group that is a family farm and signed up to get fresh produce delivered to our place bi-weekly from Farm Fresh To You. That is the start I guess, first delivery comes on Friday. I'm pretty excited about it, but I just have to make sure to cook the stuff and not let it go to waste.

This will be the organic, nutritious part of our diet I guess. I'm really eager to try this out and see what kind of fresh produce that I get in my box. Wish me luck, I need LOTS of it and some motivation (I may just be PMS'y though, grrrr).

Cheers and happy hump day!

Being Juicy aint' easy!

This morning I had a craving for fresh-squeezed juice after my fiance prepared some cheesy eggs for us. Apparently, there is a shortage of juiceries (not sure if that's accurate) in Long Beach. After finding one on Yelp, I went there only to find that it no longer exists. Disappointed, and on my way home I thought of picking up a Naked juice, but its just not the same as some fresh-squeezed...you know what I mean?

Alas, I was about to come home empty handed, but I had already built this craving up in my head. We bought a juicer, several months ago to incorporate into a healthy diet at home. So...obviously, not being able to have someone make it for me, I refused to settle for nothing and just make it myself. I picked up some fruits at a nearby grocery on the way home. Carrots, ginger, oranges, celery and a couple of limes (ingredients I had seen them use at Whole Foods before).

Got home, and to B's surprise (and disappointment, I might add), I didn't have two tall glasses of fresh-squeezed juice after my 45 minute trip. I pulled out the juicer and started chopping. Now before we bought the juicer, I did quite a bit of research, but unless I was willing to spend around $200 (which I wasn't), all the juicers are pretty much the same. I chose the Black & Decker Juice Extractor at $40. It's actually pretty good, other than the fact it leaks a little bit, but I think they all kind of leak.

I generally chop up the fruits (just the big round ones) and get them ready before my juicing process. Carrots and Celery (long fruits and veggies) go in there smoothly. I got to juicing. 3 oranges, 3 carrots, 1 medium-sized piece of ginger, 1 lime, 2 celery sticks and an apple later....we had a delicious juice for two (and for about $5). I call it "Orange Ginger dynamo".

Why don't I do this more often? Because I hate to wash. But if you get this juicer, it's fairly simple and goes in the dishwasher. There's an area that catches the peels and seeds and stuff that you can dump right onto your plants, compost pile or trash can.

So, yes, I'm very juicy this morning and unless I'm right next to a Whole Foods, I will be making an effort to make my own fresh-squeezed juices from now on.

Try it! Great for summer and great for your soul!

(I wish I had a picture for you, but I drank it all before I realized it)

Swimming is DAMN hard!

Meet my arch nemesis.....

Yeah, so what it's a pool? This is the Lakewood YMCA pool. I have incorporated swimming into my training to build my endurance (which apparently fled from my body when I packed on the pounds at my last job). This morning was my first swim workout. The result? I am a sucky swimmer. Going just one length of the pool had me panting like my dog after a run.

Isn't waking up at 5 am hard enough, without gasping for air and choking on pool water? I couldn't cut the freestyle the whole time, that s*** is hard, so I went with the breast stroke, which is significantly easier for me. I warned the coach when I got there, that I am NOT a swimmer. The coach took pity on me and gave me some mini-goals to achieve, like not stopping between laps. Needless to say, it was VERY difficult for me to do that, today anyway.

By the end of the workout, I was controlling my breathing a lot better and interchanging freestyle and breast stroke. That's really what it was about, my breathing. Once I finally got into a rhythm, I felt like I wasn't totally anchoring everyone else and that someday I could catch up, maybe in a month or so. I am definitely going back on Wednesday! Once I learn how to breathe slower and get my strokes perfected, I can be a fish just like everyone else.

Until then, they will have to watch out for my slow a** in the right side of the lane. Right now, I do almost half the laps as everyone else, but I was getting the hang of it by the end of the hour, which gives me hope for Wed. morning. I'm stoked on this new swimming thing, not to mention the 20-minute bike ride to get to the YMCA. :) I can now project some crazy endurance in the months to come. YAY!

If you don't hear from me by next week, I probably drowned.

Interested in my workout? Check out 'The Workout Schedule' blog, to visualize my insanity.

**self censorship :)

The workout schedule

This intense varied schedule should smack me around and get me into tip-top shape for events to come. I thought I would share, to make me more accountable and just in case you'd like to try and keep up with the young wipper snapper (yea right!).

Monday
6-7 am - Swim workout @ YMCA
6:30-9:00 pm - Tennis @ Rancho Cienega Tennis Courts

Tuesday

6 am Santa Monica Stairs workout/run
7-10 pm - Tennis in Bellflower

Wednesday
6-7 am - Swim workout @ YMCA
Gym (or outdoor) workout (5K-10K run/weights) (24 hour fitness)

Thursday
6 am - Long Beach beach run

Gym - lite cardio/weights (24 hour fitness)

Friday
9-10 am - Turbo Kickboxing (24 hour fitness, slauson) <--kick butt class

6:30-9:00 pm - Tennis @ Rancho Cienega Tennis Courts

Saturday
Tennis (LA)

Bike ride/Hike

Sunday

Santa Monica Stairs Workout/Gym Workout

I'm going green...well more like baby blue!

I'm so excited, I have finally become totally fuel efficient. The same fuel that keeps my body running will be fueling my....wait for it....my new Schwinn Clairmont beach cruiser. LOL.

And yes, there is a basket on my bike for quick trips to Trader Joe's or Ralphs and afternoons at Starbucks or downtown. Not to mention my bike riding that will commence in Santa Monica on the weekends.

If you're in Long Beach, you may just see me riding down the street in my neato Schwinn with Chaka in a basket on the back. I look forward to riding the bike to the YMCA in the mornings for my new swim class. YAY!

DETOX...It's time!

This should really be categorized as an entry under "Adventures of a Chronic Dieter," but I felt that detox was a much better name for what I'm about to do. I'm going back to when I was less affected by everything around me and becoming pure Ronjini, as I like to call it.

I used to be a fitness/tennis fanatic! I used to continuously improve myself! I used to fit into my clothes! Moreover I used to look good in my clothes. I used to go out during the weekdays and not act like an old cat lady, and I used to not have to drink coffee.

So let's get back to that! When I say let's, of course I mean "I". I have started the engine to changing my habits. Coffee....GONE! Working out...started again this week! Tennis...started again this week! Go out at least once during the week....Pajama Party tonight!

I'm about 25 pounds overweight and I act about 5 years older than I am. This is my public vow to get back to 2004 (right out of college and fabulous).

Here I go!

Journey to the U.S. Open: The results are in....What's next?

Now that the dust has settled, I feel that I am in the proper mental state to report back on the U.S. Open travesty that is the qualifying sectionals. I will open up a very objective analysis of the state of affairs.

Things that were good:

• I got an official US Open t-shirt and hat
• Played in the third round (technically)
• Got back into a REAL competitive tournament
• Played at the place where my high school CIF championship was
• Finally got my ankle taped up properly to support me
  
• I figured out how to combat my nervous butterflies for the beginning of competitive matches (Tequila!!!)

Things that were bad:

• I should have got my ankle taped the first day
• I didn't train nearly as much as I should have
• I lost mental confidence
• My first serve decided to take a vacation
• Tendinitis

and above all:

• I should have kicked that lady's butt!!!

The funniest thing is that, apparently, the officials come onto the court to make sure that all gameplay is fair. My opponent kept foot faulting and I'm sure the random foot fault calls were getting to her head. That's when I should have stepped it up to take advantage. So many regrets, but only enough to grow from.

So that's the U.S. Open wrap up report. I am really disappointed that I went out the way I did, but I am determined to never let that happen again. How do we resolve this issue?

- 1 open tournament/month
- Train properly
- Eat right
- Get on the court religiously to fix those unforced errors, doh!

Next tourney...

CALABASAS OPEN & NTRP CHAMPIONSHIPS (June 4-6, 2010)...wish me luck!

Becoming Recluse...

That's right you heard it here first. I'm going into hiding for the next few months. My social activities will basically be work and tennis and even then on the same strict regimen that I have been on for the past month or so. However, this time I'm going to be organized.

I realize now that the only way to get all the things I need done by June, I will have to put all my attention into work and working out (tennis). Then I will be out of the country for a little more than a month. I have definitely been slackin' on the org skills, so I'm going to make like a caterpillar and cocoon myself.



If we're friends, don't take it personally, I still love you all. I just really need to put some high focus on certain things for the time being. I need to put my priorities in check and return to the place where I was before. So unless you play tennis or work with me, you probably won't see me and if you do play tennis and work with me; you'll probably be sick of me when this is over.

Thanks B ahead of time for being there for me :)...Updates to come...on 'adventures of a chronic dieter'. Next time you all will see me you will all see me outside my larval stage and I will be better than evah and hopefully less stressed.

Oh the horror! - Week 1

I weighed myself yesterday and I can't even believe that I'm putting myself on blast like this, but I feel that it is the ONLY way to force myself to do something about it. 167....That's right! ::shaking my head in disappointment::

It's a shame that I let things get this bad and it was partially because of my ankle injury, I've been out of the workout game for a month, but there is no excuse for that. We (me, myself and I), have to work at a fast and steady pace to lose those extra 27 lbs that I am carrying around. ASAP.



The solution? Well there are a lot of solutions, but I'm starting with P90x. P ninety what, you say? p90x is one of those video workout programs that's supposed to get you in shape by doing boot camp style workouts everyday for 90 days (and in the comfort of your own home). Normally, I wouldn't buy into that shit, but there are people that I know that have tried it and said that it worked for them.

Although, I am pretty good at staying on a strong workout regimen, I need some motivation right now to get me out of this depression. I also need to take a before picture of myself, so that I can awe in all my glory at the after pic, when I have a rock hard body.

Don't know if its worth it? Well don't you worry, I will post what I think about the P90x program over the next 90 days. The greatest thing is that there are no crazy promises. 90 days is definitely enough time to re-shape your body and (in my case) my life.

Here we goooo!

My week with Bikram...yoga, that is!

My adventures with Bikram yoga started very unexpectedly, I was at Ralph's. Lately, I try to keep an open mind to any and everything around me. Whenever I am somewhere with a message board, I have a tendency to check it out. I'm talking restaurants, coffee shops, the cleaners, grocery stores, anywhere really! So I was at Ralph's downtown and saw this message board near the elevator. Usually there isn't anything interesting there but alas I saw a flyer for 'hot yoga' (better known as Bikram Yoga).

So they have this deal going on at the Downtown location that is $20 for unilimited hot yoga for a week. That's a pretty incredible deal given that I think just one class is pretty pricey. I'm not that into yoga, but I thought since this is a great deal, maybe I should try it out. I've always been pretty curious about the hot yoga, stemming from when I saw it up in SF a while back.

This was my chance to have my own personal hot yoga experience. So I woke up in the wee hours of the morning for the 6 am class. I get there a little early as the lady asks me too, since this is my first time and to my surprise find out the class is 90 mins long. WOW, I feel like i'm getting more of a deal now. I get in the class and damn it's really warm in there. Not enough for you to say hell no and get out of the class, but just enough where you're a bit uncomfortable.

We start the class and for the simple moves that are happening the whole thing becomes unbelievably hard. I tried to focus on my breathing and not pay attention to the heat but its not the easiest thing to do. I realize that my body is NOT flexible and the heat makes it even worse. After being extremely tight and sweaty after an hour, I had to leave because I had to do some work. So no, I didn't make the whole first class but I was determined to get a bang for my buck!

I go back for my second class, not the next day but two afternoons later. I went for the afternoon class so that I would have time to do the whole 90 mins. All I have to say about that is geezus christ. 90 minutes in the heat with constant movement is a lot of work. Can this really be good for you? Surprising enough, I didn't really feel that great after these classes. I felt sore and tight, but I don't normally feel that bad. It can't possibly be healthy to sit in a stuff class dripping sweat and tricking your muscles into thinking that they are warmed up.

I went for a third class to see if it was just me or this hot yoga really blows. I was really determined to like the yoga to reap the positive benefits of it. No dice, I felt even more uncomfortable and tight the more time I spent in that yucky hot room.

Lessons learned:
1) Hot Yoga is bogus and uncomfortable and you have to wash a lot of clothes.
2) I think yoga is a great way to stretch and I will start going to regular yoga more often
3) Bikram is really cleaning up on you suckus....
4) Maybe I will sit in the sauna every once in a while to get that same hot effect

So, in conclusion, I'm not a big hot yoga believer but I definitely need too stretch and become more flexible. I have taken a break from my kamikaze working out and it's now time to get back on track. Anyone wanna make a fitness bet? I love a good challenge.

The Transformation

I suck at updating my blog, but I guess that's no big deal. Lately, I have been so busy launching my networking group and keeping up with other social media, that my personal affects have suffered. But this isn't about that, it's about the transformation that you are about to encounter as readers of this blog. I would say about two weeks ago, I made the decision to reform my tennis skills and reach the next level of my game.

I am determined to become a 5.0 player and active in the USTA community, with that means practice and LOTS of training. I got back into my athletic training just this week, starting off at the stairs, swimming and playing a lot of tennis. What I realize however, is that I really need to work on my serve.

So for the next week, I think self-practice sessions at the court are going to be involved. It would help if I had a sponsor or something like that, but who knows what can happen. In the meantime, I am dedicating the next month to myself to really clear my priorities and focus my goals. A few of which are tennis, studying for the GMAT (again!!!), expanding my networking group (which I have done a lot of this past week) and working on business.

Oh I need to read and meditate too. I only have one question, how will I control my need to shop. The cutest boutique EM & Co. is having a summer sale on designer clothes, but I need to stay awayyyyy...