Have you notice how much harder it is to lose weight when you are on your late 20's?

I remember, when I was 18/22 years old I ate pretty much whatever I wanted; I used to hit the gym twice a week and TA-RAAAA…size 2/4! BUT… the older you get the slower your metabolism gets too!

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Also, if you haven’t had children, I recommend you to start working out before you do, this will just make your labor easier and you won’t feel as miserable.

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After having my little Emma, I thought to my self that it couldn’t be "that" hard to get back to my pre-baby 137 pounds. It was one of the most delusional thoughts I ever had. A female’s body changes drastically, not just to have a baby but to nurture it during and after pregnancy. (If you are a man reading this, be patient and supportive of your women. Think how you would be if this was you having a baby and trying to look sexy with a left over belly) I am fortunate to have all the support from Melvin and my friends. It was hard but I am almost there! :) (Where? …Where I want my body to be, healthier and better than before)

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Don’t get me wrong, there is a whole lot more we still need to learn from this art of being fit but I figure, if I would have known some of these tips a few years back... life would have been a lot easier then and now regarding this subject.
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Ok, here are the “Tips from me to you” to lose weight and try to be a little healthier. (Just a few little things I have learn and you can search for further information)

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1. Self-control….on the food you eat, amounts and schedules….Personally, I find this the most difficult of all…Reason why I have to work harder on everything else under this point.

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2. We all know Exercise is a most…BUT it is not that simple, here are a few steps everyone should know:

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- CARDIO nothing will make you shed pound unless you do cardio, it doesn’t matter how many sit-ups you do every day, you will build muscle but the fat will stay there longer! Now, Cardio has its trick: the first 20 minutes it is what it is...cardio…BUT after those 20 minutes you start to burn fat. Try not to over due it by running 2 hours at one time because you will be burning muscle.

- Most women I see around the trait-mills and stair-masters don’t ever show their dust on the weigh area…. BAD… you need to build muscle. Muscle burns fat and unfortunately the older you get, the softer you get….sigh!! ;-/

- Don’t stretch a muscle before you warm up (my opinion), you can pull it and that would just set you back, plus it HURTS like a mother****er!

- Always, stretch. The more you learn how to stretch the better you will feel after a good run/workout.

- Watch your posture, in all exercises you do, watch the way you position your back and your knees. Once you hurt either one of these two everything becomes a lot more difficult …. I should know…. Sigh again…:-/

- Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to look inexperience… you are inexperience when you don’t do it right. Everything has its trick, you can go to the gym 7 days a week, 4 hours everyday…it won’t be worth much unless you do it correctly. I have learned that most trainers on a gym are more than happy to teach you.

- Pain is good; it means you are doing something good (Listen to your body when it comes to this, too much pain (sharp) in weird places like your back or knees are not a good sign…I should know…) However, the next day after a work out you will hurt a bit but you will feel it on the second day. Make sure you give time for your muscles to recover, don’t over due it (not more then two days!!!

* A couple steps to make your sore muscles feel better:

Drink a lot of water, take a hot shower and (ask your doc) take a couple ibuprofen. Also, if you work out hard…I mean seriously hard and you know for a fact that the next day your muscles are going to make you look like a duck in a rush to touch the pond then L-Glutamine could help you. Ask your doctor first but L-Glutamine it’s a supplement that helps your muscles to recover (among other benefits) and stretch after you get your muscles a little warm.

3. Let’s talk what we put in our mouth….haaaaa if you know me, you must know that I am not a picky eater, for the contrary I LOVE FOOD! But here are the few little steps; “tricks” and must do’s and don’ts

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- H2O…Lots of it. Minimum 8 glasses of 8 ounces a day. Make sure you drink before, during and after a work out. Many benefits from water, so many that I will give its own post one day….now drink!!!

- YOU NEED CARBS… forget the “0 carb diet”, you will just get everything back once you start eating them again, not just that but your body needs them for energy, the trick its to eat the good carbs. Vegetables and fruits have carbs too. Try to switch from white to brown. However, that whole grain stuff it is not a big deal. Avoid, white potatoes (sweet potatoes are great and full with vitamins) white bread, white rice and process sugar…….sigh….personally, this is hard, very hard, extremely hard for me to do… for God sakes…. I’m Latin … give me my rice….:-/

- Talking about hard things for me to do: eat late…. This is a bad thing, bad, very bad…. I do it all the time. Unfortunately my schedule sometimes won’t let me have dinner at a decent time, my dinner’s window it’s from 8 pm to 10 pm…. But if you can help it, don’t eat this late…a least avoid carbs.

- NOW… Don’t talk to me about having busy schedules… My life it’s a run here, run there but you need to find the time to eat 5/6 times a day. In between breakfast, lunch and dinner (moderate portions) include a snack. You need your metabolism to stay “ON” at all times.

- DON’T skip a meal, just don’t…Specially breakfast…not too long ago I read (a guys newspaper article….while minding my own business on the train… ;-/) that you burn muscle when you skip breakfast. Anyways, I am sure you heard that this is the most important meal…well, it is. Also, you can eat your carbs in the morning…splurge! :) I do!

- Supplements, believe it or not, those little weird things are great for you. Granted, you want to get your nutrients, vitamins and minerals from food but not everybody eats the recommended amount of veggies and fruit. There are soooooo many things about supplements that I will also dedicate a blog on its own….sometime.

- Fiber…. People, find the way to add fiber into your diets. This is very important. Now, stop complaining about how much you hate broccoli and stop making excuses, 2010 markets has given us multiple choices on how to do this…easy!

- If you are wondering why you haven’t lost any pounds when you only have been eating salads for a month…. Think salad dressing… avoid fat/sweets dressing….

- Did I mention WATER? I did!!!…keep drinking!!!

- Keep this in mind: white meats are better than red meats! Simple!

- We all know how bad fry food is… but if you must…consider boiling before frying, would be faster and won’t absorb that much oil. Also I won’t go into a lot of detail but when you fry with olive oil, you are only killing all the goodness from it (after it hits a high temperature), fry with Canola oil. Keep olive oil for salads and already cooked foods to add on.

- Did you know that after you work out you have 30/35 minutes for you to have a meal and still be burning calories a little faster than regular? Yes, its true…just don’t over do it!

- Also, did you know that your body will absorb protein faster within the first 30 minutes after you work out?! Yes, have some kind of protein after a workout!

- One tips about water, at first you may think how awful it is (I don’t know why but I hear it all the time) but at the end of the first week your body will ask for it and will taste delicious!

- Alcohol… sighhhhhh…. Bad, bad … even just one…try to avoid it….I try… sometimes!

- Last but not least…LEARN HOW TO read the nutrition fact labels!!!

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4. Attire:
Just be comfortable, the only way you are going to impress it’s by the way you work out and get results. Stop worrying about your makeup or sexy shorts no one really cares…. Just be comfortable!!
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P.S: I don’t know if this will help you but are definitely “must do’s” for me. Use chopstick (my lips get dry when I run), blow your nose before work out, I chew gum a couple minutes before I run and keep it in my mouth during the process (helps me keep my trough moist) and make sure your hair wont be a distraction.

If YOU can make it here…YOU can make it anywhere!

I live in New York and this is home for me for many reasons but here is top one reason: I FELL IN LOVE. I fell in love with NYC many years ago when I was sitting on my grandmother’s couch in Ecuador watching Friends … I used to hear the theme song:

“So no one told you life was going to be this way.
Your job's a joke, you're broke, you’re love life's DOA.
It's like you're always stuck in second gear,
Well, it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year…”.

And I used to think….OHhhhh, I wonder (while trying to sing) if it is going to be like that when I LIVE IN NYC”?

Anyways, but back then everything about NYC to me was just glitter, and more shiny glitter. Then Sex and the City hit Ecuador and the magic started … For many of us that was the best show on television. Nothing better then SEX and NYC! The fantasy of the city where dreams are made of on that show, created an even better picture to me.

When I was finitely forced to move to the US, I lived in NJ for a little awhile then I moved to North Carolina for 6 and half years. I met people I still love and have in my live. It was fun but I always wonder… are these 100 counties going to do it for me? …. Is this the place where I want to live the rest of my life? Granted, I love the south and I consider that in those years and some of the people I surrounded myself with created a little southern-bell in me. I also still love my sweet tea, my grits with cheese and my Texas pete! Iiiiijjjaaaaa!!!

One day sitting on my bed bored out of my mind I decided to buy a ticket to visit a friend from NY, I came and I loved it. I went back to NC to pack my clothes and only my clothes and moved to New York (I donated all of my furniture to the Salvation Army) I didn’t think twice, I just did it! It felt liberating…still does!

After a few months, I moved into a small apartment with the best roommate I could ever have. My dear Emily, she was and has been the only female I have ever share a living space and she will be and forever be my love and I know (Emily has mentioned many times) that I am make the best rice and beans she ever had. I started living the city life with a great job 10 minutes away from our apartment and living in midtown was the best location possible for me… I thought to my self “Self, lets start the new Sex in the City Mayra Style….not that much sex but a lot of the city! lol

When the movie Sex and the City came out, my friends and I could not wait to watch it, we even planned a big group of us just girls. Movie and then brunch … that was the plan. We watched it, we cried like it was The Notebook and leaving the movie theater we realized that everyone needed a tissue prior to the previews. We loved it…..BUT …. That movie is a fantasy. New York City Is a little bit more like Alicia Keys - Empire State of Mind

(Middle part of the song)

“Hear it for New York, New York, New York

On the avenue, there ain’t never a curfew
Ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot on the corner selling rock
Preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab
Takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Someone sleeps tonight with a hunger
For more than from an empty fridge

I’m going to make it by any means
I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I’m from….NY”

This is an amazing city and yes New York is a concrete jungle where dreams are made of….There’s nothing you can’t do… but you need to find your OWN way. I am sad and tired to see how many of my great friends have finished college and moved here with the similar dreams and after trying and trying… they moved on and moved to another state or back home. The scenes we love so much from Sex and the City the movie are not very common. Most of us are in our late 20’s early 30’s and think that by now our lives should be set, we should know exactly who we are and have everything settle … No, Not for anyone that moves to NYC. Don’t get me wrong, I, like Carrie consider NYC my boyfriend and I also don’t like anyone talking bad about my boyfriend (Actually my lover) but even the best boyfriend in the world is a pain in the butt and has little things we secretly wish it was different.

Many people have gone to college and now are still waitressing or taking positions completely different from what they have hoped for. Many are forced to get an extra job to afford living in the big apple. If you are considering moving to our city and making it, make sure you are strong minded, strong will and you are ready to walk but walk strong and don’t you dare let anyone intimidate you or your dreams!! You HEAR!?

But, truly, this city is amazing and savage at the same time; you find everything and more…really, a lot more!

However, my boyfriend/lover is worth it! This is the most amazing city in the world, to me. I can’t imagine leaving NYC, especially now that I have the family of my dreams and the job of my dreams and the life of my dreams with the friends of my dreams. I guess I made it….but I don’t want to see if I can make it anywhere else.

Like my girlfriend Katie Spear says : "For me, there are only two places. New York City... and everywhere else."

... mmm???...!!!

I, like many others 20’something year old starts to wonder….Mmmm 30...Now what? Well, my friends many things change for man and women (especially for women.)What about my weight? What about wrinkles? (Admit it boys...you do it too), I am getting old? What about my career? Is it time to mature? Can I still wear this? Why am I getting this heart burn? Children? What children? Ooohhhh my children!...???... Should I have children?...and so on…

Most of us don’t start to think about it until we hit the big 3-0 and most ignore many of their questions because they see the bigger 4-OMG-0 even further….BUT the reality is that it takes the same time to turn 40 that it did to turn 30 from your 20’s…FAST…huh!!!!

Sooo, here I am…. I am going to make sure THESE 30 years of my life are going to be the best decade I have ever lived….And hopefully I can help you on my way :)I have a 17 month old little girl and she keeps surprising me every day. I was the first of most of my friends to get pregnant, which means that I had to find answers on my own. We tried for many months and thankfully she is here <3. But with her many questions and espresions were born...OMG! How the hell? Noooooo way! Ohhhh Sh!t! huh? is this normal? And what am I supposed to do with this? Well …. I know, I am not the only one…

I ask myself uncontrollably amount of questions and I always find the way to get some kind of answers. So follow me in the most nerve-wracking stage of my life and yours and if you have any questions just hit the old lady! :)