Monique Q Caradine

I looked at that scale and my mouth almost hit the floor!  

I’m not even going to go into exactly what the scale said cuz I can just hear people now saying “You still skinny,” and “Girl please, that aint nothin!”

getting it in, December 2011

Whatever. That’s not the point. The truth is, I am not huge at all.  In fact I never have been. But I am not at MY ideal weight.  I know where I need to be to feel and look my best and right now–thanks to waaay too much Puerto Rican food and very little exercise–I am not there.

The worst part of it all is the fact that when I gain weight, it tends to collect right in my mid-section.  Needless to say, not a good look.

So now I’m ready to get what I call “reFit.”  That means I have to re-commit to regain my fit physique.

You might recall when I first lost a lot of weight.  About 27 lbs to be exact working with John Hall. I was fly and I felt better at that point than I had in about 15 years! That was about two and a half years ago.  I remember exactly what made me commit to getting the weight off:

TURNING POINT #1: We were on vacation.  Our bathroom had a full-length mirror.  I got out of the shower one day and saw myself in the mirror.  For a split second I was startled.  I could have sworn someone else was in the bathroom with me because that “juicy Lucy” could NOT have been me!  It was.

TURNING POINT #2: I went to the doctor for my annual check up.  The physician’s assistant weighed me.  I was 156 lbs which for my height and body type was about 2 lbs away from being considered overweight (according to the BMI chart).  Seriously?  WTF!

TURNING POINT #3: I was about to turn 40.  I did not want to get there and look…well, 40.  I had to do something and quick.

TURNING POINT #4: I looked down one day and because my stomach protruded so, I almost couldn’t see my toes.  That creeped me out so bad.  I knew it was time to draw the line.

So I hooked up with John Hall and he helped me get healthy again.  Damn was I fierce!

However, here we are, almost 3 years later, and I’m quickly getting back to the point where I have to put too much effort into seeing my toes.

So, I’m taking action.  My goal is simple:

Do something physically challenging everyday for the next 10 days.

This is a short term goal.  I established it so I wouldn’t feel overwhelmed by the long term goal which is to make working out a way of life.  I want it to become a natural part of my day–like breathing.

So far this week, I’ve done yoga (which was an excellent workout), some jump rope, I did John Hall’s “Your Body is Your Gym” workout (which I shot and produced and added to my YouTube Channel.  You should watch it) and today I’m doing 45 minutes on the bike. 

If you haven’t worked out in a while, you may want to start out by simply taking a brisk walk to the end of the block or just walk up and down your stairs a few times.  Whatever you decide, just do something!  Let’s start a MOVEMENT movement!

I’m still not sure exactly how I’ll manage this hair of mine, but I’ll figure it out.  In my next post about fitness, I’ll interview a hair professional who will give us advice on hair care products that will get us through our new active lifestyles so we can still look fabulous!

Have you reached your turning point yet?

Bold, Fearless & Fabulous Fashion Event

Hey Ladies!

You know that Fall is THE season for great fashion, right?  Well I’ve teamed up with the cutest little boutique here in the south suburbs and we’re hosting a fashion event on Friday, September 30, 2011!

Come out and join us for the Bold, Fearless & Fabulous Fashion Show at Z’Boutique!  This spot has ALL the latest styles and the prices are just unbelievably affordable.  I could really do some damage up in here!  Admission to the event is only $10 and we’ll also have some super chic hors d’oeuvres to munch on.

New York is not the only place for great fashion, Z’Boutique is too!  See you Friday, September 30th.  Bring a friend.  The address is 3321 Vollmer Road in Flossmoor.

I’ll also have some of my signature Bold, Fearless, Fabulous custom tees available for purchase.

Hope to see you there!  RSVP at 708-647-8700.  Check out the 3 minute video right now:

Excerpted from a story that appeared on TheGrio.com:

First Lady Michelle Obama has a lot of things going for her. She’s married to the president of the United States. She has two cute kids. Famously toned arms. A great wardrobe.

Oh, and she totally knows how to Dougie.

The first lady paid a surprise visit to Alice Deal Middle School in Tenleytown for a dance party Tuesday afternoon. When she arrived, the students were already out on the field, prepping to perform a Beyoncé workout video as part of the first lady’s nationwide “Let’s Move” initiative.

Does this video in any way compromise our First Lady’s image?  Weigh in below.

Am I Pregnant??? WTH!

To this

Fabulous at 40!

John Hall’s 30-day Fitness Challenge has begun!!  Click here to listen to the 30 minute audio.

Now go lose your “Juicy!”

Anti-aging supplement

There is no way to completely stop the aging process but there are simple things you can do to at least slow it down.  Celebrity Fitness Trainer (and my personal body transformation guru) John Hall offers these tips:

-getting more rest and relaxation, laugh more,

-more water

-flax oil

-regular activity to keep you moving

-anti oxidant rich diet

-daily supplements like multi-vitamins

I’ll post a recording of the interview soon!

Looking for a simple diet plan that fits into your busy schedule and still gives you plenty of vitamins and nutrients to keep you going throughout the day?  Meal replacements may be the answer.

Cravers! John luvs these.

Meal replacements offer quick, easy and convenient options to replace your traditional meals.  For instance, instead of sitting down to a chicken sandwhich and fries for lunch, you might instead eat a meal replacement bar, which is low in calories, low in sugar, with all natural ingredients AND lots of vitamins and nutrients to sustain you throughout the day.  My fab trainer John Hall recommends a delicious meal replacement bar called Cravers.  He’s a big fan of these.  In fact, he has partnered with ProGrade, which offers a complete line of multi-vitamins and supplements, some of which I take EVERYDAY to maintain optimal health.  By far, ProGrade offers some of the best stuff out there.

MY FAVE MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKE: The MO’TIVATOR!

Just last year when I was 30 lbs heavier, I started taking a meal replacement shake called Nutrishake, made by Ardyss International.  They are also the makers of the

NutriShake! My fave!

very popular body magic (I’m a distributor, i luv the stuff).  Of course I had to let John give the shake his seal approval before I made it a staple in my diet and he did…

Anyway, so I drank the shake everyday for breakfast.  When I was on a very strict eating and exercise plan, I simply added water to two scoops of the shake in a 12 oz glass, stirred up and drank.  Total calories: 140 but the vitamins and nutrients are through the roof!  I credit this daily meal replacement routine (and regular exercise) with helping me lose the weight quickly.  I’m proud to say I’ve been able to keep the weight off!

These days, I make a delicious breakfast smoothie using the same meal replacement mix. I call it THE MO’TIVATOR! It’s a little higher in calories once you add all the stuff but it still comes in under 300.  I still drink it just about everyday for breakfast and sometimes for lunch too!  See my recipe below.

The MO'tivator

INGREDIENTS FOR THE MO’TIVATOR! MY FAVE BREAKFAST/LUNCH MEAL REPLACEMENT SHAKE:

1/2 cup of crushed ice

1 cup of your favorite juice, milk or water (whatever you choose)

1/2 banana

3 – 4 strawberries (halved)

2 scoops of my all time favorite meal replacement protein mix called Nutrishake

OPTIONAL

1/2 TEASPOON of honey (you can also use all natural maple syrup if you are super health conscious)

3 shakes of ground cinammon

4 drops of essential peppermint oil (grab it from your fave health food store.  this gives your shake a great, refreshing and uplifting quality.  i luv it!)

1 heaping tablespoon of ground flaxseed (it has lots of Omega-3 and it’s great for your hair and nails AND promotes regularity)

Makes a tall 14 0z glass–plenty to fill you up all morning and share with the fam.  Try the MO”TIVATOR and tell me what you think…and don’t forget to share your fave meal replacement recipes with me!  ;)

Ryan Hutmacher from Centered Chef and Rochelle Davis from Healthy Schools

If your kids are fat, they will probably be fatter as adults. Fat adults usually have a long list of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and more. I’ve always heard people refer to fat kids as cute. They always assume the “baby fat” will go away once the child gets older. That is an attitude of denial. If you don’t do something about your child’s weight, it will likely spiral waaaay out of control.  So since September is childhood obesity awareness month, we decided to confront the issue today on Perspective.  I hand-picked 4 great experts who will give you all the 4-1-1 you need to help you get control of your kids health.

So first up will be Dr. Adam Becker.  He’s with the Consortium to Lower Childhood Obesity in Chicago.  Apparently the problem is so bad here in the windy city that they had to set up shop here.  Sad.  He gave some interesting stats on where the problem persists.

Rochelle Davis and the folks over at the Healthy Schools Campaign have done a lot to help get healthier lunches in the school.  You won’t believe the amt of money schools spend on your kids’ lunch.  It’s Shocking!!

I love having Chefs on the show, especially when they bring food!!  Chef Ryan Hutmacher is from one of Chicago’s premier food studios.  Check him out over at The Centered Chef.  They help families and busy professionals eat right but they also work with the folks over at the Healthy Schools Campaign.

We also had a cardiologist from Northwestern Memorial Hospital explain exactly what is happening inside the body when your kids are overweight.

As you know, John Hall has been training me for almost 2 years now.  My results have been life-changing! For the past several weeks, he’s been working with a small group of WVON listeners to see exactly who is the “most motivated.”  To help you do your own at home workouts, he’s putting together a series of videos that you can follow with little or no equipment.

So what are you waiting for? Get started!

Celebrity Fitness Trainer John Hall

Do you take fish oil supplements?  If so, let me recommend something far more powerful and beneficial.  It’s a Krill oil supplement called EFA Icon. For years I suffered with horrible symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome.  It would get so bad with out-of-control hormones and emotion that I even had moments where suicidal thoughts permeated my mind.  I’ve also talked frequently about my struggles with Endometriosis, a chronic condition that can cause extremely painful periods, uterine scar tissue and sometimes it can lead to infertility.  Shortly after having my son, all these symptoms went away.  But it didn’t take long for the problems to creep back.

Last year I started taking a supplement recommended by my trainer, called EFA Icon which is basically a  Krill oil supplement.  It is unbelievable how my health has dramatically improved.  No more debilitating cramps that would literally knock me off my feet for a 1/2 a day or more.  No more severe mood swings and none of the other chronic problems associated with my “womanhood.”  I’ve also read that Krill has a host of other benefits including

~ Better concentration and memory.

~ Controlling blood sugar levels.
~ Aids in keeping joints healthy.
~ Decreases the signs of aging.
~ Promotes brain and nervous system health, function, and development.
~ Increased cell membrane protection.
~ Promotes liver health.
~ Gives relief for premenstrual symptoms.
~ Boosts the immune system.
~ Aids mood disorders
~ Encourages healthy skin and reduces skin damage.

Also, if you are currently taking fish oil supplements, you may be experiencing “fishy” belches and aftertaste. Due to the quicker absorption of krill oil, you do not get any of that.

I thank GOD my trainer John Hall suggested I take Krill.  I feel better today than I did at 25 and the Krill has played a major role in it.  To try it for yourself, click here.

(****Because Krill comes from a shell fish, you should avoid it if you have shell fish related alergies****)