Category: The More I Lose, The More I Gain

This is about my struggle to lose weight and it’s a definite struggle!! I welcome comments, suggestions and encouragement.

Renee Montgomery, two-time WNBA Champion and now WNBA Team Owner

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Renee Montgomery

Black History happens everyday by the extraordinary women and men who stand on the shoulders of our ancestors fighting for a life that is better today and tomorrow than it was yesterday. Renee Danielle Montgomery made not just Black History in 2021 but American history. She saw injustice in the league that she had played for 11 years and decided that she would either be part of the problem or the solution. What a solution she found.

Renee Montgomery just bought out Kelly Loefler’s stake of the Atlanta Dream, the WNBA team which she owned when she was appointed as a US Senator foe the great state of Georgia and lost to the Honorable Rev. Dr. Raphael G. Warnock in November 2020. What makes this so spectacular and newsworthy is that Ms. Montgomery decided to take off a year after Ms. Loefler threw her Black team members under the bus during her campaign. Those same team members and along with others in the WNBA banded together to support Rev. Warnock against their team’s owner.

In the summer of 2020, members of the Atlanta Dream and Phoenix Mercury came together on national television wearing Black t-shirts with bold white letters that read “VOTE WARNOCK” in all caps. At the time, some members of the WNBA didn’t even know who or what Warnock was. Now the world knows!

One of the leaders of this movement was Renee Montgomery. She made the conscious decision to ignite a campaign against the team’s former owner and won. She asked to meet with the team owner and respectfully discuss their differences. This now former team owner decided not to meet with Ms. Montgomery and her allies for political reasons. That was a mistake on her part. Ms. Montgomery and her allies went on to support Rev. Warnock helping him win his campaign on January 5, 2021. Ms. Montgomery would not stop there.

With the support of her teammates, fans, the community and eventually the league, the stakes owned by the now defeated Loefler were bought by Ms. Montgomery and an ownership group that she joined. In just one year, Renee Montgomery went from being an Atlanta Dream team player to an Atlanta Dream team owner.

Renee Danielle Montgomery has only just begun which in my book make her one of the the greatest! To learn more about Renee Montgomery and the Atlanta Dream, please visit the following links. She is Black History. She is American History. She is Women’s History!

#womenshistorymonth #reneemontgomery #blackgirlmagic #blackgirlsrock #livinghistory #changeagent #warnock #AtlantaDream #WNBA

Renee Montgomery official WNBA site

Time Magazine article: WNBA supports Warnock

Atlanta Dream WNBA page

Happy Black History Month

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When I opened Google on February 1, 2017, to my delight, Google wished me ‘Happy Black History Month’ highlighting Edmonia Lewis, an African-Native American sculptor born in New York on Independence Day 1844.  On February 1, 2018, Google highlighted Carter G. Woodson, an Black American writer and historian considered the “Father of Black History.”

Go out and learn more about your history.  Lots of times we discuss the great Black Americans who built this country and helped our community begin to grow and thrive.  Now I want you to learn your history.  Who are your parents?  Who are your grandparents?  Where do you come from?  These are my children.  I want them to know where they come, who they are, what great people came in our family before them.

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Our children need to know and learn who the great famous Black women and men in world history.  That is very important.  But just as important is for them to know and learn who the great Black women and men in our family histories are.  Make it a part of our Black History activities.  Talk with your ancestors and learn about your family.  That’s what I plan to do.

This month, I have decided to dedicate time to learning my family history and hope that you may do the same.  Make Black History Month GREAT again!!!

 

Put God First

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10695039_10204683380864339_793525817_n-e1518187998456.jpgWednesday, February 8, 2018, I attended my first Paparazzi Regional event called EmpowerMe Pink in Phildelphia, PA.  There was a lot going on in Philly that day: there was a MASSIVE parade for the Eagles who won Super Bowl LII.  People were everywhere.  The city shut down 5 miles of streets and people were required to take public transportation just to get into the city.  There were no cars, trucks or SUVs on the street of Phildelphia that day!  Just hundreds of thousands of people celebrating a long awaited victory for a team that they never gave up on.

The Eagles were not the only champions in town that day.  Thousands of Paparazzi Independent Consultants traveled to Philly by car, bus, train and plane to hear from the champions, like Trent Kirby, Chani and Ryan Reeves,who started our company and share with each other stories of success and hope!  For me, it was AMAZING.  I was reminded of the power of hope, the importance of consistency and the hard work of discipline.  Most of all, the meeting confirmed my goals, my heart’s desire, is waiting for me to attain it.  Nothing and no one is holding me back but me.  That stops now!

Everything I am, all that I have, all that I’ve accomplished, all that my children accomplish is by the Grace of God.  I was reminded of a commencement address that Denzel Washington gave at an HBCU recently.  I went back and listened to it this morning (following one of the tips that Trent taught us to start each day listening to motivational videos).  Now I’m sharing it with you.

Denzel Washington – Put God First

Be blessed and make today GREAT!!

My Health Mission – Day 2

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Day 2 – I worked out for over 30 minutes. I walked for 25 minutes and yoga for almost 10 minutes. I was interrupted and got back to it! I don’t know what Day 3 will bring but I’m still committed to this journey! Working out also helped with my cramps. Don’t get me wrong, I still had them but they were not so severe that I couldn’t get out of bed. That’s progress. I’m moving gingerly through space and time today but I’m moving!! Get Excited!!

New Year, New Way to a Better You!

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Every new year, people make resolutions.  I have decided that I’m not making resolutions, but commitments.

A resolution is the act of finding a solution to a problem, a way of determining something.

However, a commitment is a promise to do something, a declaration to be loyal to something.

Resolutions look for answers to problems; commitments know the answer and do what is necessary to fix it.  I know what my problems are and how to fix them.  I need to improve my financial outlook and lose weight.  Simple, right?  Not even.

For years, I have sought out short cuts, long-term solutions, new ways of doing things, different ways of doing things, all kinds of stuff.  I’ve bought pills, books, exercise equipment, cut household expenses, stopped paying for personal “luxuries”.  I’ve tried it all.  Recently, I’ve been exposed to a new saying that holds true for many different situations. “Some will, some won’t, some do, some don’t, so what!” None of the things that work or not mean little if I am not COMMITTED to making it happen.

More information will be shared as I go through this journey.  I will share consultants, websites, blogs and other information as we travel on this journey together.

Check out: Healthy Heart Plus for information on the cleansing that I have decided to follow.  The 52-week challenge is all over the internet, but I will repost fellow bloggers article also.

This year, I am COMMITTED to CHANGE – One Day at a Time! – starting with two (2) things – the 52-week Challenge and a 30-day cleanse.  In order to remain accountable to my commitment, I share it with you.

Week 2 of The More I Lose – Kill BoBo!

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Wedding Shot

Believe it or not, my children are a big reason why I am so motivated to lose weight.  Not for the reasons that most people share. Sure, I want to be here to see them graduate, launch successful businesses and careers, marry, have children and become the female leaders of our country and this world that we are raising them to be.  I absolutely want to see these accomplishments and so much more.  However, it’s not the motivation for my weight loss today.  I’m motivated because of my children’s friend “BoBo”!

BoBo is the name my girls have given my stomach.  When I announced my plans to lose weight, our youngest daughter looks up at me with her big brown eyes and says in her saddest voice, “No, Mummy!  Don’t get rid of BoBo!”

“What?!?”

And she repeats, “Don’t get rid of BoBo!”

“Who is BoBo?” I ask.

She immediately begins to rub my tummy, looking from my stomach to my face, right into my eyes. I didn’t know how to respond at first.  Was she serious? I’m thinking.  She can’t possibly have named my stomach.  And as if she could read my mind, she responds to my unvoiced questions.

“You can’t get rid of BoBo.  Who will I have to lay on?  He’s my soft, comfortable pillow.”

I couldn’t believe it.  Here is my 7-year old child, almost in tears for an unhealthy, not-so-sexy, round of mound in the middle of my body – and she’s named it.  I just could not believe it!

So I try to explain that my rotund stomach was a sign that Mummy is unhealthy.  That I have to lose the inches in my midsection and lose some weight to be more healthy so that I can have more energy, live longer, be able to play more with she and her sister, and be a more happy Mummy.  I tried to explain in terms that an intelligent elementary student would understand.  After-all, I have always been very open and honest with our children.  I explained and she listened, looking at me as if she were taking in every word.  She appeared to comprehend my need to lose the weight, get healthy and thus be happier.

“Do you understand?” I asked.

“Yes, Mummy! I understand.” she sighed as she turned to continue playing on her Nook.  Then she calls out to her sister and proclaims, “Mummy’s gonna kill BoBo!”

All I could do was shake my head and walk away. My daughters have declared their mother a murderer because she wants to lose weight. What in the world!

STATUS REPORT

Well, I am happy to report that I am using my Plexus Pink Drink and BoBo has lost 3 inches in the past week.  You can order a sample at http://www.bodybybriggsy.myplexusproducts.com #GetExcited

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Happy Birthday, Mr. Anderson

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After the Navy Yard shooting on Monday, I spent a lot of time thinking, meditating and praying! I thought about how grateful I am for grace, family and friends and life. I meditated on those things that I do well and can do better. I prayed for everyone that experienced loss on Monday whether through death, injury or just plain fear. Then I reflected on what I could do to make a difference, because that’s what makes us different from the animals. We, as humans, have the ability to reason, to evolve, to improve.

No, today is not Mr. Anderson’s birthday, but we did celebrate 50 years in 2013.  Since we couldn’t agree on a 50th birthday party, we agreed to a 50th year celebration.  Well, we’ve been celebrating for 9 months and as I begin this new blog, I am starting anew by doing something that I’ve never done. I’m sharing my daily struggle with life. I won’t demean it and give it a name or title because you can’t put it in a box like elation or depression or hormones or joy or exhaustion. It’s none and all of those things. I struggle regularly to get out of bed, go to work, manage my household, educate my children, be a good steward of our finances…the list goes on.  The point is that I struggle. Despite what people see, despite the person that I emanate, I struggle.  And it’s okay!

KAA_fav1On my husband’s actual birthday, I should have been excited, but I wasn’t.  First, I didn’t feel well. It was his birthday and we couldn’t celebrate because I was sick.  Sucks, right?! In addition, we are polar opposites when it comes to birthday celebrations. He has never had a birthday party and refuses one now at 50 years old!  Not everyone lives to see the BIG 5-0, so I thought that we should celebrate him, his life, what he means to the children and to me.  He just wanted to go to work.

However, I was taught as a child that it is nobody’s business if we can’t agree and might even “fuss” about it. I was taught that some things are personal and not to be shared. It’s a lesson that I learned well.

2013 is the year that I break with tradition and share my struggles. It’s not that I don’t believe that privacy has its place. It absolutely does; but sharing is about healing, and we all need healing. So good or bad, right or wrong, up or down, I share!

KA_MBA1

The More I Lose…

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This post is all about me. I’m going to share more of myself during this journey than I am accustomed to doing. But you can’t do new things, if you’re not willing to do new things.

I have struggled with my weight for a long time.  After getting married, cooking every night for my husband [and of course, waiting for him to get home after 9:00 pm – that’s when we ate home-cooked meals five (5) nights per week], having two beautiful girls and being what my husband calls his “Super Woman” I gained a few pounds.

After gaining weight the first time, we bought me some new clothes with the thought that I’ll lose weight but don’t want to look crazy in the mean time.  Well, I never really lost any consistent weight because no matter what I tried, I kept eating. This is me now! 40 pounds overweight, unhealthy, and sometimes unhappy – but still smiling!  My office boo even says that my legs need a tan which means I don’t show them that often – LOL!!!

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Now, I’ve finally found something that is easy to do and I like. Not only that, people that I know – that I see, feel, touch – are losing weight immediately and feeling great!  So I figured I’d try it. Blog it and see what happens. It can’t be worse than anything that I’ve tried previously!

It’s a pouch of pink powder (like Crystal Light) that I pour in my water bottle once a day – the “Pink” drink. That’s it! It’s that simple.  It helps curb my enormous appetite; I have more energy; and most of all I like the taste.

I’ll be adding exercising and clean, healthy eating to the mix. But one step at a time. For now, I drink Pink and juice! Yes, I also bought the NutriBullet and I LOVE IT!!  I put everything in that juicer but that’s another story for another day.

For today, think PINK and drink!

Briggsy