Kale Chips Recipe!

Lets make some Kale Chips! 

Kale Chips 

Ingredients 

• Kale (As much as you would like)
• Apple Cider Vinegar 
• Sea Salt 
• 1/4 of an Avocado 
• 1 medium Tomato 
• 1/2 of a green pepper 
• 1 lime 
• 1 garlic clove 

Preparation

• Remove the Kale from the spine to wash it. 

• Wash the Kale. 

• Dry up the Kale to remove all moisture (I used a towel).
• Place it on a baking sheet and add 2 tbs of apple cider Vinegar, and Sea Salt to season to taste. 

• Cut up the avocado, garlic, tomato, half of a lime and add a pinch of sea salt and mix it to make the Guacamole. 

Then you can store your chips in a ziplock bag and eat away!

Vegan Stir Fry Recipe

Today I would like to share with you my Vegan Stir Fry Recipe! Enjoy :-)

Vegan Stir Fry! 

Ingredients: 

• 2 Handfuls of Kale 
• 2 servings of mushrooms
• 2 servings of green beans
• 1 Tomato
• 1/2 of a red pepper 
• 1/4 of an small onion 
• 1/4 of an avocado
• Cilantro
• 1 clove of Garlic
• 1 Lemon 
• Parsley 
• 1 tbs Cumin

Preparation:

1. First cut up the tomato, red pepper, onion, cilantro and parsley into small pieces. 
2. Then, slice your mushrooms, cut the kale and green beans. 
3. Next you add all the items to a pan and season with the garlic, lemon and cumin to taste (you can add a tbs of coconut oil). 
4. Let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. 
5. Then cut you avocado into slices and enjoy!

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe

Good Morning iAmHealthyFit Family! 

I am currently doing a 10 Day Detox inspired by @KoyaWeb, all I am focusing on eating fruits and vegetables only. Since the detox I just can't seem to get tired of almond milk! So I decided to make my own at home!! Here is the recipe! 

Ingredients: 

• 1 Cups of Raw Almonds
• 1 piece of sheer fabric 
• Water 
• Blender 

Preparation

1. Soak your almonds in a container with water (the water should cover all your almonds) for 24 - 48 hours. 
2. Rinse your almonds with fresh water and place them in the blender. 
   
3. Add 4 cups of water per 1 cup of almonds (for example I used 2 cups of almonds so I added 8 cups of water). 
   
4. Blend your almonds and your water for about 2 minutes. 
5. Place your sheer fabric on top of a container to collect the pulp. Make sure you squeeze the fabric to make sure you get all the milk. 
6. Place your almond milk in a container and Enjoy!  

Note: I did not use a sweetener for my milk. However you can add a sweetener and or vanilla extract for flavoring. I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know how you like it! 

Clean Eating 101

What does eating clean mean? 

THREE METHODS FOR EATING CLEAN

METHOD 1
There are many people simply looking to remove the chemicals from their diets and bodies, and therefore  eat clean. Their focus is NOT on losing weight, but on general health.They avoid processed foods of all kinds, yet eat only when the need arises or three times per day.

METHOD 2
(I believe this is the most common/popular method at the moment)

1. Eat  Lots Of Plants – Eat food that is straight from nature. (Some people say “as close to the way nature made it as possible”. But I think that leaves too much wiggle room – in my humble opinion) Eat mostly foods that are off a tree, bush, plant or vine, and you’ve pretty much got it covered. The idea is to stay away from anything that humans (food corporations) have altered in any way.
2. Include Meats - Eat meats that are whole and straight from the butcher. Don’t buy pre-packaged meat products because you never know what’s in them. When possible, buy whole meats and grind them yourself. You’d be surprised what’s in ground turkey meat! You can also select a few turkey breasts and ask that the butcher grind them for you. Many butchers are more than willing to accommodate.
3. Enjoy Grains - Eat grains that are still complete and haven’t been broken down into “glue”. Stick to brown rice, whole wheat and other whole grains.(For a list of foods to stock your pantry with, check out this list.)
4. Read Labels I don’t know how many breads I’ve picked up at the store that say they are whole grain. But when I take a look at the ingredient list, white flour is the second ingredient after whole wheat flour!
5. Eat Fewer Ingredients. Try not to purchase foods that have more than 3-6 ingredients in the ingredient list. And be sure you recognize each and every ingredient. If you find a “mystery ingredient” such as “spices”, contact the company! Ask them what they consider to be spices. If it’s anything other than honest-to-goodness herbs and spices, avoid it! And remember, if you can’t pronounce it, it probably shouldn’t go into your body.
6. Eat 5-6 small meals per day. This may seem like a lot at first. But remember, you are eating smaller portions. If you really have a hard time with this, prepare your regular three meals and a snack for the day, and divide lunch and dinner in half. You’ve instantly got 6 small meals!

METHOD 3
There is also another method of eating 3 regular meals and squeezing in 1 snack for a total of 4 meals. You eat every four hours instead of every 2-3. This concept is from Jillian Michaels and the theory behind it is that if you eat every 2-3 hours, your insulin stays continuously spiked and you end up with a higher chance of diabetes.

I have no idea if this is actually the case. I’m simply supplying information for you to consider. Do what feels right for you. The Gracious Pantry does not endorse one method over another.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS I GET ALL THE TIME IS “what are your must have items?”

So I have put together a small list of my favorite items in no particular order!

VITAMINS

Prior to embarking on this fitness journey, I did not take vitamins. I have always heard about the benefits specially if you do not eat enough vegetables and fruits but it simply was not my thing. When I decided to go natural one of the main things I was instructed to add to my diet was vitamins. So I did! It turns out that For me, GNC Women’s Ultra Mega was a great fit! I have not gotten as sick as I usually do, but that could be because of  combination of things including vitamins. I do take them everyday and have seen my nails, and hair grow alot. So should you run and buy vitamins? No. Check with your doctor first and if he recommends it you should try it! Specially if you have some type of immune deficiency like I do. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR! Remember this works for me, you have to find what works for you!

SUPPLEMENTARY SHAKES

I started drinking supplementary shakes because it was a quick way to get going during the mornings. I mix the powder with fruits and juice, water or almond milk it is very tasty! Makes my life easy when I am lazy and I need a quick meal. I have tried a number of shakes and natural shakes with no protein are my favorite. However, I enjoy the protein because it has helped me build muscle mass! So should you go and buy all the protein powder to make shakes? No. You should test them. GNC sells the protein shakes I take and have sample versions you can try before investing $$$. Shakeology has to be order through the website. If you are interested let me know and I can get you hooked up with a discount!

VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

I can vegetables all day, every day, and be absolutely happy about it! So ofcourse I have lots of veggies. A week’s worth of vegetables costs me about $30 from the local market. After buying your goods make sure you cook for the week and prepare your meals, this will initially be very time consuming but once you are done, you will be done for the week! Should you go and buy lots of veggies and fruits for your weekly meals? ABSOLUTELY!

WATER

This may seem like a no brainer but you need to drink a lot of water on a daily basis. You should drink half your body weight in ounces of water. If you weight 100 lbs then you should drink 50 oz of water a day! I love to flavor it with lemon! And word on the street is, that it is very beneficial for your body! I am not expert so ask your doctor!

Clean eating may feel a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you have a lot of changes to make. My advice is to take baby steps. Make little changes every day and don’t beat yourself up if you make mistakes. We all do. Just realize that it’s what you do the majority of them time that counts.

If you need a little more general information, here are some more ideas to help get you started.

Please share your thoughts and keep us updated on your progress! Follow us on ig: @iAmHealthyFit 

iAmHealthyFit 21 Day October Challenge!

I am extremely excited to announce my first official iAmHealthyFit fitness challenge. Some of you might be wondering; What is iAmhealthyFit? Well I am glad you asked!

iAmHealthyFit is a fitness group designed to support men and women of all ages ready to be the change they want to see. Although we all wished we had the internal motivation to get us through out fitness journey, the reality is that we all need a little push here and there. At the very least it's helpful to be reminded of why we wanted to change our lifestyle in the first place. iAmHealthyfit is not about quick fixes, and dieting for vacations one month from now. I am about helping people change their lives to learn to love the person they see in the mirror. I want to help you determine what happiness looks like to YOU and work closely with you to achieve it!

My first challenge starts exactly FIVE days from today on October 7th! This challenge is designed to encourage people to stay active. I remember moving back to the United States from Honduras, in the summer of 2011, and by January 2012 I had gained over 15 pounds. The crazy part was that I did not realize I was gaining the weight and did nothing to stop it. However I remember feeling too lazy to workout and too cold to run. I put this challenge together in an effort to make sure you get your 30 minute workout on a daily basis! No need to gain those pounds you worked so hard to get rid off for the summer. I don't believe in losing weight, I believe in getting rid of the weight, because noone wants to find those pounds once they are gone!

To enter the challenge you must follow us on instagram @iAmHealthyFit. You must post a video or picture post-workout and hashtag #iAmHealthyFit. Then all you have to do is spread the word and have fun! It is very important to me that I celebrate the participants of the challenge. Everyday I will feature a challenger whom exemplifies iAmHealthyFit. At the end of the challenge I will select three winners and they will receive iAmHealthyFit Shirts! The winners will be featured on both, this site and MaseTV.com where I contribute a fitness column. I truly hope you enjoy this challenge, but more importantly I hope everyone uses this opportunity to take a step closer to a happier and healthier version of themselves. I am not an expert, I am simply sharing with you what I've learned throughout my iAmHealthyFit journey!

Please share your thoughts, comments and concerns! I am hear to listen and help in any way I can! Besos and see you soon! Remember you cannot reach the finish line if you never start the race!

This part of my life is called..."I am in a long distance relationship".

This part of my life is called...

"I am in a long distance relationship".

Being in a Long distance relationship....might be one of the most complex pieces of my life. I am still wondering how I ended up in this place, where technology has become my best ally in maintaining my relationship. One minute we were friends, the next we were friends in different countries, and without realizing it we became lovers living in different states. 

Interestingly enough my long distance relationship has done a couple of wonderful things for me. First it has made more patient. It's hard to be restless when I know I have to wait to see my king. Secondly it has pushed me to learn to enjoy "me time". I miss my babes and I am constantly looking forward to spending my free time with my him. However, given the importance of having a balanced life, I have learned to just chill. Is ok to miss the king, but the queen must take time to enjoy her family, friends and herself! Next is my favorite, traveling!! The most awesome part of being in a long distance relationship is meeting my lover in a different part of the country, and even the world (why not) every chance I  get. This new venture has taken me to different parts of my beloved Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Aruba, in the USA to Las Vegas, New Orleans, Tampa, Pittsburgh, Flint, Atlanta, DC and Harrisburg just to name a few; all in the last year and half.

There is something refreshing about knowing that each trip brings a new adventure! And although sometimes (well alot of times) I wished my king was a short cab ride away, I am slowly learning to adapt and learn to play with the hand we've been dealt.

I always welcome your thoughts! Tell me what are your views on long distance relationships, and how are you taming the beast! In the mean time enjoy  some of my favorite flicks from my most recent travels!

Besos de Ms. Dulce de Leche 

Welcome to Aruba!! 

    
  

TOP 5 HEALTHY RECIPES TO THE PERFECT 4TH OF JULY COOKOUT

Next week Thursday the United States of America will celebrate another birthday! Cookout connoisseurs spend this day  hopping from one BBQ to the next enjoying the exquisite taste of the American cuisine. While this is a time of celebration it is not an excuse to take in extra calories and ignore all the work you've done to maintain your beach body! Today iAmHeathyFit presents their top 5 recipes for healthy 4th of July alternatives! Enjoy!!!

Number 5

Honey Yogurt Berry Pops

Author: Joy Zhang

Serves: 8

Summer is finally here ladies and gentlemen! The Honey Yogurt Berry Pops it's a healthy way to stay cool and it literally takes a few minutes to make. You can use the Norpro popsicle molds and they worked great, let the pops defrost for 3-5 minutes before trying to pop them out.

Ingredients

• 2 cups 0% Greek Yogurt, I used Fage (Chobani will work as well)
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 1 cup mixed berries, washed (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries)

Instructions

1. Blend yogurt and honey together in a large bowl. Fold mixed berries in. Transfer into a container with a spout so the mixture can be poured into popsicle molds. Fill popsicle molds close the top and put in popsicle sticks. Freeze for 3 hours or overnight.
2. You can use any of the remaining mixture and blend it with some ice for a yogurt berry smoothie!

 Number 4

Honey Ginger Lemonade

If you have never tried a ginger lemonade you are in for a treat! Ginger is extremely beneficial because it strengthens immunity, it relieves stress, and it combats stomach discomfort just to name a few. What a better way to keep your guests hydrated while enjoying a healthy and tasty summer treat!

Ingredients

Prep time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4 - 6

For the honey ginger syrup:

• 1 cup (250ml) honey (I use wildflower honey)
• 1 cup (250ml) water (filtered or spring)
• 4oz (115g) fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated (I use a microplane zester)

For the lemonade:

• 1 cup (250ml) fresh squeezed lemon juice, strained (about 5 large lemons)
• 3 cups (750ml) cold filtered or spring water (flat or sparkling)
• 1/2 cup (125ml) vodka (optional)
• Ice for serving
• Sliced lemons and mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

To make the honey ginger syrup:

• Place the honey and water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer until honey is completely dissolved.
• Turn off heat and add the freshly grated ginger and any juices. Cover and let steep for 30 minutes.
• Strain syrup thorough a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the ginger pulp and then discarding the solids.
• Pour into a bottle or jar, let cool completely and then chill until cold, about 1 hour. The syrup will keep in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

To make the lemonade:

1. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and the honey ginger syrup to a large pitcher.
2. Add 3 cups of cold water (more or less depending on how strong you like your lemonade). If you are using sparkling water don’t add it until you are ready to serve so that it doesn’t lose its fizz. Add the vodka now as well if using. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Pour lemonade over ice filled glasses, top with a slice of lemon, and garnish with a sprig of mint.
4. variations
5. You can also steep the syrup with mint or basil in the hot syrup for a different variation.
6. The honey ginger syrup is also great for sweetening iced tea and other beverages.

Number 3

4th of July Shish Kabob

Ready to get patriotic? I am sure all the kids and big kids will love this fruity treat! Blueberries, bananas and strawberries! Shish Kabobs never looked so good!

Number 2

Mango Salsa

Mango Salsa is by far one of my favorite BBQ compliments. You literary add this anything in your menu and it will give it that extra kick! I am sure your guests will enjoy this refreshing combination of fresh fruits and vegetables!

• Prep time: 10 minutes

Add to shopping list

Ingredients

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced (about 1 1/2 cup) (See: How to Cut a Mango)
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Jalapeño chile, minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Also good with diced red bell pepper and jicama.

Instructions 

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the salsa ends up being a little too hot or acidic for your taste, you can temper it by adding some diced avocado.

Number 1

Grilled Chicken with Cherry-Chipotle Barbecue SauceThis is a spicy but not fiery-hot dish. It is made with chipotle peppers, which add not only heat but also a subtle smoky taste. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapenos packed in a flavorful sauce.

Serves: 8
Preparation time: 2-3/4 hours (including 2 hours marinating time)

Ingredients1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) dark sweet cherries, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup cherry preserves
1/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1-1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, or more to taste
1-1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat

Preparation1. Stir cherries, broth, preserves, ketchup, vinegar, chipotle peppers, thyme and allspice in a small deep bowl. Transfer to a shallow non-reactive dish large enough to hold chicken. Add the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat grill to high. Oil the grill rack. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Transfer the marinade to a medium skillet.

3. Reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 7-9 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced by about half, 12-15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly; serve with the sauce.

Honorable Mentions

Grilled Chicken Skewers 

Mini Empanadas 

Plantain, Bell-Peppers, Steak or Chicken Shish Kabobs

Please let us know if you would like the recipe for our honorable mention items! 

These are my top 5, but there are many more healthy 4th of July recipes out there! Please share your favorite 4th of July meals and recipes. We will highlight the top 3 most creative healthy fit recipes in next week's post!  Please post your recipes in the comment section including a social media contact name (twitter, IG, FB).

Please Follow us on IG for more tips: @iAmhealthyfit

Fitness is a life style!

Its been a while since I've dropped some lines around here! I am going to really try to stick it out guys, I promise!

The last blog post spoke about my weight loss journey since I moved back to the USA. It hasn't been easy but it has definitely been rewarding. Here are some updates!

Since I started grad school (fall 2012) the fitness journey became a little more complicated. Being both a fulltime student and employee I've had to make some sacrifices, but working-out is NOT one of them!  So what if I dont have a social life? that's not important!

How Have I Done It?

There are five priorities in my life, my job, school, church, my health and my loved ones (not in that order). Although I am really busy, identifying my priorities has made it easier to live my day to day. Once I had my top five life simple adjusted itself around those things. Making time for what's important has become a lot easier and simpler. In effort to stay healthy I decided to join the YMCA. In my last post I spoke about why I didn't believe in joining a gym, but I had to give in! It was the only way I could stay fit in the winter. I really enjoy the YMCA. Besides the fact that it is only a 10 minutes walk from my job, it is definitely worth the price. These last few weeks I've been taking the classes and I really enjoy them. The spinning class was definitely challenging in the beginning but by the third class I was good to go. I take classes in the morning from 7 - 8am. I live about 30 minutes from the gym so I usually get up by 6am the latest. If you do not have time to workout you have to CREATE time! Find a gym that opens early or closes late and make it work for your schedule!

There are many benefits to working out, besides the obvious. For me, the gym is the place where I go release the day to day stress from work, school and everything in between. While it would be nice to have a gym buddy, you have to feel comfortable going to the gym alone. If you becoming dependent  on your workout buddy then they will control your workout schedule. The most important part of staying fit is taking control! Do not give someone else the power to change your life!





I've been running for a few years now but I've never done it to compete. This year a friend of mine has inspired me to start competing and I really enjoy it. There is something very exciting about getting to the finish line. I completed my first race March 16th, it was a 10K in riverside in New York City. I finish under an hour which was extremely rewarding because in mt practice round I finished in 1 hour and 10 minutes. I have signed up for two more races for the month of April, one is April 21th and the other is April 28th! Both were great! And now I am registered for 2 runs in July, one is July 13th and the other is July 27th I am very excited and have been training (look out for my training plan next week).


How can you get started in your fitness journey? 

I am glad you asked! A month ago I started my own fitness group to help individuals like you and I achieve their weight loss goals. Being healthy is not only about being lossing weight, it is about keeping the weight off in a healthy and sustainable way. iAmHealthyFit hosts bootcamp sessions for all levels and ages in both Harlem and the Bronx. Please be on the lookout for progress pics from our awesome team and ideas for workouts, healthy meals and everything in between! If you would like to join the iAmHealthyFit Family please follow us on ig:@iamhealthyfit and send us an email at iamhealthyfit.iahf@gmail.com to help you get started!

America is bad for my diet!

It has been a while since I have updated my blog, my apologies! God has been doing his thing and has kept me very busy!

In any case, since I moved back to America I have had a very hard time staying healthy. While I lived in Honduras I ran, I eat fresh non-processed foods and I worked out on a regular. Less than 4 months after I moved back I managed to gain 20pounds and stopped running all together. I am not exactly sure,  when this happened, or how for that matter. All I know is that one minute I was enjoying my skinny jeans and the next I was trying to figure out why I couldn't fit them.

I want to believe the weather might have had something to do with my weight gain. After all who wants to run outdoors in the winter? Yea, I didn't think so! You might be wondering, why I didn't join a gym like the rest of the world...well I am glad you asked. First of all, I don't like working out in closed quarters. Secondly, I could not bring myself to pay a membership fee for something I can do myself! When I was unemployed I could not afford a gym membership, and once I got a job I did not want to pay for one! Needless to say, who has time for the gym? I live such a  busy life that I need the convenience of the outdoors to stay fit!

I will never forget the moment when I realized I had put on one too many pounds! It was the middle of February and I was facebook living, reviewing some of the pictures from my best friends 25th birthday celebration. I was wearing a sleeveless black dress, and my arms looked huge. I have my friends to thank, they had no problem letting me know I was fat. After reviewing the evidence, I had to admit they were correct!

The Solution!

The first item on the agenda was my diet! Loosing weight is 75% diet and 25% exercise. So I started watching what I ate. Living in a Spanish household, with a mother that constantly cooks for a village, can make eating healthy a mission impossible. However, dieting along with juicing has made a world of a difference. Next, I revisited an old friend. Good ole Mr. Shaun T, if you do not know who that is, you may know him as Mr. Insanity! Yes my friends, the most ridiculous workout known to mankind. Insanity was cool, I died every night and started seeing some results here and there. However, indoor workouts get a little boring to me after a while. So, when it got warm, I started running again! Man did I miss running! At first I really struggled with consistency, but I have been getting much better! After dropping my undesired and unwelcome 20pounds, I have been focusing on keeping them off and working on my beach body!

I have a few tools that I incorporate in my routine! First, my dumbbells! I have had these since college and, although they are only 5pounds when I am done with them I can barely feel my arms. Next is the Ab Wheel. When I first got this puppy in my hands, I was not trying to mess with it. However after almost 2 months of staring at it, and with a little motivation from my lover I decided to put my fears aside and give it a try. Now we are inseparable! Last but not least, is the pull up bar! I am still getting acquainted with this bad boy. However everyday I celebrate a small victory as I build my upper body strength!

Shoutouts to the MapMyRun App! Awesome app to track my morning runs, keep tabs on what I am eating and set fitness challenges to help me stay on track!

That is all for now folks! Look out for the biweekly updates on my fit-to-fit recovery! Remember, only you stand in the way of your beach body! Summer time is almost here, don't get caught with FUPAS ladies! #iamjustsaying

The Curse of "The Single Friend"

Sorry for taking so long to update the blog lovies, but I have been busy taking over the world.  A couple of updates: I have been studying to take the LSAT (Dec. 3^rd), planning to attend law school sooner rather than later. The rest of my life is going awesome! I am starting a new job and am in love with the most amazing male friend ever! I am super blessed!

Now let’s get down to business…

As a new member of the relationship club, I realized I can no longer have single friends. Actually let me rephrase that, I have to re-evaluate the dynamics of my relationship with my single friends. Let me clarify some things before I go on. I have been “The Single Friend (TSF)” and while I respect my friends and their relationships I felt somewhat left out when they got a boo. Was I jealous? Maybe. Is it kind of hard to be 100% happy for someone when your personal life is in shambles #iamjustsaying. But I stood by them, I listened when they needed to vent and took them out when they needed to clear their mind. Might have even gave the wrong advice a couple times (actually am sure I gave the wrong advice a lot of times lol). But I meant no harmJ. However, it wasn’t my place to cater to their needs during those rough times, mainly because I was single. I did not understand what they were going through. Yes, I have been in relationships before, but I was looking at life a lot differently when I was single. So here are my top 3 things you might have to reconsider.

#3 - You are not single

You are not single, so you do not need to be out and about with your single friends acting like you don’t have a significant other. Yes you can look, but if you are in a relationship, you should only have eyes for your boo, right? Lol for the sake of argument let’s just say yes. You shouldn’t be clubbing every weekend either. Maybe you really love to dance, and have a great time with your friends, but do you have to be on every photo gallery at the 7days7nights website?  Especially if you a guy, I know yall go to clubs to look for women, so once you have a GF you have NO business going clubbing without her.

#2– Be Discrete

You can’t tell TSF all your business. You shouldn’t be doing this anyways, but especially not with your single friend. Your relationship should not be everyone’s business. Last time I checked relationships are only between 2 people not 2 people and their friends and family. Needless to say, if you care about someone, you will respect their business and privacy. Then you wonder why TSF is fcking your boo? Its your fault! Should have kept your mouth shut.

#1-They Single

This might be obvious to most, but not to all. If you are sick would you go to a mechanic to find out what’s wrong? Not unless you a car. Single people can and will only give you single people advice, why? Because they are single. They don’t have the same priorities you have. When you having relationship problems, you should go to the person you are in a relationship with. Now if you need to vent, you may go to TSF but chances are they don’t really give a f***. They will listen but I wouldn’t take their advice and follow suit.

I know most people like to live vicariously through their single friends. The key word is vicariously. Especially married people. There is nothing cute about you acting like you single when someone put a ring on it! You signed the contract now adhere to the rules.

I am sure you all have a few more things to add to this list! Share your thoughts and comments! 

Forgiveness = Peace of Mind

Have you ever stopped and thought about all the people that have hurt you? Intentionally or unintentionally? Have you ever wondered how much those experiences have influenced your behavior, and your life?

I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and more times than less we don't know or understand the reason until after things have happened. I am what people call an internalizer. I have a really tough time letting go grudges and coping with emotional pain. As I work harder on my relationship with God I have learned about the importance of forgiveness. The only person who is affected by holding on to emotional baggage is you. While others are living their lives not thinking about the situation and moving forward, you find yourself hurting and frustrated because you cannot make things better. Why should you let someone else's behavior destroy your own peace of mind. I am not saying forgiveness is easy, quite frankly is one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. But at the same time it has been the most liberating. 

Forgiveness is not for the people who hurt you, is for yourself. Once you let go of the baggage you can move forward with your life and see why things had to go down the way they did. I know is not easy but you will feel a lot better once you forgive. Forgiveness doesn't mean going back to the same situation that caused you all the pain to begin with, no. Forgiveness calls for us to cleanse our hearts and souls of unnecessary baggage in order to successfully move forward. The lord calls on his children to treat people as he treats us. God forgives us everyday for everything we do,  who are we to not do the same. 

I welcome you to forgive someone who  has done you wrong. If you truly forgive them and let go of the negativity you will feel 100% better and will see progress in your life. We live in a world full of negative energy, which continuously holds us back from achieving our true potential. I encourage you to to move forward with a clean heart and you will find yourself closer to happiness. Real happiness and real peace of mind. 

F&#% you am not sharing my #.

You know what really grinds my gears? The stupid number debate. I was minding my business in twitterville as usual when ran into exhibit A: Womens Number. I would like to think this is an extreme and ofcourse incorrect depiction of the meaning of the magic number. I am probably wrong though, there are some men who truly think this is true.

In my opinion this is stupid. Yes it is. First of all, there are other qualities that make someone a good wife, or gf or significant other. You cannot make this decision based only on a number. You do not know her background, unless she told you she is a prostitute her numbers alone don't make her one.

Secondly, there are several exceptions to these foolish rules.  What if Ms. D is a virgin, but has engaged in oral sex with several males lets say 10 is she still excellent? What if Ms. D has slept with 3 guys at the same time or who are all friends, or from the same fraternity or chapter, is she still very good? What if Ms. D was rapped and as a result she has developed a sexual addiction and has a 12, is she still dirty?

Thirdly, it appears that every time a female shares her number there is some elaborate equation of the percentage that should be added onto that number because allegedly they never give their real number. So, riddle me this, if you as a man already think a female is going to lie about her number why do you even ask? No one is asking you for your number. This crap really angers me. These are the reason why I dont share my number, no matter how small it is. Because either way men are not happy. I have been told that yall (men) do not want to think about another man smaging your gf or wife but unless you are her *first everything* someone been there and done that. GET OVER IT.

The funny thing about this number debate, is that men who stress this whole number thing usually end up with women with high numbers and dont even know it or learn to see past this bull. LMAOOO @ you foolish nuccas!

Thats all for now! Share your thoughts and thank you for reading!

Double Standards: Why They Can't be Ignored.

Today I read a post by one of my favorite bloggers @DrJayJack titled Your Twat Has Lost All Its Value. My initial instinct was to pull my feminist card and deconstruct the whole article, however as I thought of a clever way to do that I realized..."this man is saying some real shyt". Nothing like a male writer to let us in the mind of the male specie. And just like that without knowing @Drjayjack inspired this post.


So lets get to it.
As I approach my mid twenties I realized a lot has changed in my life, all for the better. During the early years of my college career, I was one of those girls constantly fighting the useless battle against the beloved Double Standards(DS). I couldn't understand why men where allowed to judge women based on their sexuality and level of promiscuity (I still don't get it, but that's another post). Nevertheless, as I have gotten older, I have accepted the fact that the Double Standard(DS) is real and cannot be ignored. So ladies if you want to marry a man who supports the DS, I suggest you get with the program. As a woman you might think you do not have to care about the DS but if the men you are attracted to and see as potential partners are believers of the DS, you might have to re-evaluate your stance on the issue.

Top 3 Reasons Why You Can't Ignore the Double Standard

#1 I've heard and maybe at some point argued that am too independent for this DS shyt. Yet, as I look back at the struggle of the phenomenal women, who have made it possible for me to be independent, I doubt that their idea of gender equality was defined by a woman's sexuality and or body count. Nor do I think that claiming DS as a struggle honors their hard work.

#2 What we failed to realize ladies, is that we all secretly love the DS, we just call it Chivalry. We like it when a man opens the door, when he invests time, when he picks up the check, when we are wined and dinned. So even though we are proud to be independent...some still expect Tyrone to pick up the check and treat us like queens (At the very least, it would be nice). It seems to me our society has created a struggle between independence and tradition...and everyone is confused in the head about their roles.

#3 For a long time I was convinced that I could think like a man. Until I realized that this was impossible because I do not have a penis. Our society's definition of independence is intertwined with a sense competition. Whether it is in sports, the labor force or even heading the household women have been conditioned to believe that they have to be better than men, yep "anything he can do we can do better." This inevitable competition between sexes has caused a unbalance in the stability of gender roles. In my opinion there are too many women trying to be men and in doing that they forget their place. Allow me to enlighten you. From the women' prospective the DS is merely sexual, but my question is this, as future wives, caretakers and matriarchs do we really want to do the same things men do? How is ignoring the DS bringing us closer to finding a future husband? Let us not forget that there is a reason we are different from one another with the purpose of complementing each-other. After all if you a woman of God how can you refute his teachings. The Word says wives be submitted to your husband (via @DaExec) but since most of us aren't married yet we wont go there.

Understand this, you can't control what people think as wrong and twisted as those thoughts might be. If a guy knows what he wants in his fair lady, DS or not if you do not meet the requirements he would not put a ring on it. You can try to change him all you want, make as many excuses as you wish, and stick around for years if it makes you happy, but he will not marry you. I know many couples that have been married for over 30 years and are products of the DS. Granted those times were different, but gender roles were clear as day. To those successful couple the DS was not a struggle it was a way of life. Women asked for gentlemen and men asked for ladies. The high level of comfortability we enjoy during this day and age, has led to a level of loss of self respect. Ladies remember that no matter how independent we are, when it comes to marriage you can't fully dish-out tradition. You will always be a woman and treated different than a man because we are different. Please know and understand your place. Same applies to men.

We are always complaining about the lack of good men and women out there, yet we should be looking in the mirror to see if we are worthy of one to begin with. Share your thoughts! Are there men who don't believe in Double Standards?

Top 3 things you shouldn't do or you might end up single!

Today I had a long conversation with one of my male friends which led me to write this post. I truly hope to shed some light on this issue or better yet get some feedback. So lets get started.

Ladies, we have all been there. The three-month syndrome is over and now we are super comfortable. We have surpassed that unrealistic period of time when we have to be perfect and now we can truly be ourselves. Although this is perfectly normal there are a few things you should never stop doing or you will end up single!

1. Looking good. This man fell for you because you stood out from the crowd. Because that outfit hugged your curves beautifully and you wore the shyt out of those pumps. He was in awe by your beauty and your ability to look together. If you suddenly decide that you want to change that, you risk being single. If you stop doing your hair, nails, and looking fly, you will stop being the woman he fell for in the first place. (This goes both ways by the way) So make sure you keep your sexy, no one wants to be seen with a chick or guy who looks a mess.

2. Cook. Ladies if you were cooking before the relationship, this is no time for you to stop. Specially if cooking is one of the things that put you in the relationship to begin with. I am not telling you to live in the kitchen, but you should still be reminding him of what differentiates you from the rest, specially if you good at it.

3. Giving head. Yep I went there. Why would you even do that to yourself? Dont you know that what you don't give him someone else will? That's the fastest way to singleville or at least to him cheating. Either way just not a good look. In any case, we grown, who doesn't give head to their partner these days? This is not high-school.

These are my top 3, but am sure there a lot more things that can be added to the list. Tell me if you feel me and share your thoughts! Ladies what can men do that will lead you to give them the boot?