Stress! Who Knew?

I have been seriously stressed for the past few weeks. More than just the normal day to day crap. Completely and totally frazzled to a crisp stressed out of my mind. That's not really like me at all.
For real. If I were any more laid back I'd probably be comatose. It's why I could never really smoke pot. I'm already mellow, man.
Except for about the past week.
It all stems from the fact that we are going to be having Thanksgiving in the Northwoods of Wisconsin this year. About 900 miles from my Eastern Kentucky home.
14 long hours in the car.
With my kids.
Alone.
Are you feeling me now? I've never driven that far before. Helped to drive, ridden co-pilot plenty of times. But never solo.
Then add in the fact that my brother was supposed to ride with me to help drive, but he couldn't get off work. So I decided to follow my grandparents up. Make a 2 day trip out of it, which I must say sounded pretty dang good. No  Boyd says he can get off work. Maybe. Or at least work from home those couple of days in question. But I've already committed to my grandparents and if he still wants to ride with me he's going to have to come here instead of me picking him up in Louisville along the way. What to do? What to do?
All of this self-inflicted stress has caused the pounds to creep up this week. Like in an almost supernatural way. Like  4 pounds a week. Crazy.
Sooooo. . .
I just let it all go. Really. Just. Let. It. Go.
I wasn't getting anything accomplished by worrying over it. I decided to go w/ my grandparents and if Boyd wants to ride along he's more than welcome. But he's going to have to come here.
I recommitted to my exercise and eating plan and added in a little extra cardio for good measure.
And guess what? It worked. The scale is going back down. Not quite back to where I was a few months ago, but still its headed south.
And that's a start.
Coooool.

Here I Go Again (On My Own)

Goin' down the only road I've ever known. . .
OK, enough of that. You can thank me later today when that song is still stuck in your head. You are welcome.
My point, though, is this. A weight loss journey is never over.
Really.
Never over.
Never.

I so don't want to here that!

When I first started this thing back in 2008 (jeez!) I assumed that I would just work really hard for a relatively little time and when I reached my goal weight I could go back to a normal life. HA! How naive was I?
It took a little while for me to realize that that scenario was, quite simply, not going to happen. It wasn't so much a sudden blow as a slow sinking realization. It ever so gradually came upon me that I was never not going to have to worry about my weight. Talk about soul crushing.
My goals used to be to be able to eat anything I wanted to, to be a certain weight or a certain size. I thought I would be happier if I could shop in certain stores.
I still want to reach goals. But now I'm focused more on the size rather than the number on the scale. And I've created a few new goals for myself. I want to run a 5K (preferably without dying). I want to be able to do the standing spilt in yoga class. And I want to figure out why I feel the need to eat when I'm stressed. I also want to get things in my house a bit more organized, thereby cutting down some of that stress.
And I've made up my mind
I ain't wastin' no more time
Here I go again. . .

Fat-lapse

It's kind of like a relapse but, you know, with fat. Lovely, no?
When last we spoke I had dipped into that mythical place known as Onederland. The land where every woman who weighs over 200 pounds strives for a one-way ticket. Yeah, that didn't last so long.
It WAS sweet while it lasted, though.

photo from technorati.com

But now, I'm back up in reality land. The land where I weigh *ahem* more than 200 pounds.
OK. OK. I weigh 208 lbs. Jaaaysus! That hurt to admit. And I ain't even gonna lie. I AM PISSED!
I am pissed at myself for working so friggen hard to lose the weight and then looking the other way while it not-so-slowly crept back on. I dropped my guard for what seemed like an instant and - WHAMMO!
It may seem like only eight pounds but I cannot express the psychological toll it has taken to go from someone who was actively and visibly losing weight back to someone who has gained weight. Ugh!
That just goes to show you that you cannot ever go back to your lifestyle pre-weight loss. I cannot eat doughnuts for breakfast followed by burgers for lunch followed by mac-n-cheese for supper. I can no longer blow off workouts or half-ass my cardio.
This isn't the first time I've fallen off the wagon and I'm sure it won't be the last. At least I know that this time I have the tools to go forward. I'm not going in blind. I can do this because I have done this.

ONEDERLAND!!!!!!

I did it! Finally! Whoohoo!
I actually broke through to under 200 two weeks ago, but I knew I had vacation coming up so I didn't want to get too excited.
But you know what? I worked my butt off (literally) and then I enjoyed my much needed vacation and guess what? When I got home that number on the scale still had a 1 at the beginning instead of a 2.
For the first time in almost 12 years. I can officially say that I am one hundred something pounds - granted it's still a whole lot of something, but still it's better than two hundred something pounds. Just sayin'.
So. . .Yay, me! I worked really hard and the benefits are starting to show themselves. I know I still have a long ways to go, but seeing that 1 on the scale makes it much easier. I'm on my way!

Shapewear

The Today Show had a segment this morning featuring shapewear and how one can use it to look like one has lost up to ten pounds. They, of course, trotted out some relatively small women to show how shapewear works for every body type yada, yada, yada. They shared this info with us poor uninformed unsupported citizens like they had cracked the code on the cure for cancer.
Pu-leaze! I grew up in the south; with a baptist grandmother, no less. I know from Lycra. Remember that scene from Steel Magnolia's? (You know you do) The one where Truvy (Dolly Parton) and Clairee (Olympia Dukakis) are discussing poor unsuspecting Janice Van Meter and her unfortunate choice of clothing.

Truvy: Clairee, you know I'd as soon walk on my lips as to criticize; but Janice Van Meter. . .
Clairee: I know. Looks like two pigs fightin' under a blanket!
             I bet you she's paid $500 for that dress and hasn't bothered to put on a girdle.
Truvy: I haven't left the house without Lycra on these thighs since I was 14.
Clairee: Honey, you were raised right.
Speaking of Lycra, just how exactly did Dolly keep those famous boobs of hers from taking over the movie? Just sayin'.
I think of those two pigs fighting under a blanket every time I get dressed in more than my gym clothes. I love, love, love me some Spanx! And they are so comfortable you can wear them under anything. They are definitely not your grandmother's girdle.
Plus there are so many different varieties out there that there truly is something for everyone. Shapewear isn't just about making you look thinner. It's about smoothing out those bumps and lumps that everyone has to make your clothes lay better. Think about that poor little Glee girl at the SAG awards. Nobody wants to see the outline of your belly button in a satin evening gown. Obviously most of us aren't going to be wearing evening gowns, satin or otherwise, but the same rules apply to belly buttons, muffin tops, love handles, and the like.
So please, people, go get thyselves some shapewear. It doesn't matter what size you are, no one wants to see your back fat.
 

Tae-Bo Newbie

See how happy everybody is to be doing Tae-Bo?
I don't look like that.

Anybody out there done Tae-Bo recently? Did you survive? Barely?
Yeah, I understand.
I went into my Curve's gym this morning expecting an unassuming yet thorough workout. Boy was I wrong.  Evidently since we are involved in a club-wide Biggest Loser challenge our owner/trainer thought it was a good idea to do a little . . . extra.
I'll say!
Now, I will be the first to admit that I have been in serious need of a little kick in the pants. My exercise has been OK, and my eating has been horrible. So perhaps I had this coming.
But, Oh. My. God. Hardest workout ever. It seriously kicked my ass.
I just got home and I'm in serious need of a shower. I'm dreading it though because I know I'm going to have to lift my arms over my head to peel my sweaty shirt off.
We shall see how this goes. If I don't drop dead, I'll let you know how it goes.

Here's a survey that's been making the blog rounds. While I normally don't do these types of things (I totally look at other people's, though) I thought it might be a good idea to let people know just exactly why I am so weird. So here goes. . .

Age: 31




Bed size: Queen


Chore you hate: folding the laundry :(


Dogs: 2  Blitz, German Shorthaired Pointer and Tater, Basset Hound


Essential start of your day: Yogi tea and a workout


Fave color: Depends.


Gold or silver: Silver



Height: 5'5"


Instruments I play: Does the radio count. . .?


Job title: Mom, Wife, Rockstar (OK, so that one's just in my head, but still)


Kids: 2 Peanut, 11 and Bubbo, 7


Live: Eastern Kentucky


Mom’s name: Tyannia (pronounced Tonya - don't ask)


Nicknames: my name is Keila - figure it out. Taquilla, Killer, and a few others that I do my best not to say :)


Overnight hospital stays: just when I had my babies


Pet peeve: people who say "in other words", question talkers, call waiting


Quote from a movie: I usually have one for any situation, but I've found that one is usually pretty good for most situations. "My advice to you is to start drinking heavily."

Right or left handed: Right



Siblings: 1 brother


Time you wake up: 6:45 on school days, usually before 8:00 otherwise


Underwear: yes, please


Veg you dislike: cucumbers


What makes you run late: kids!


X-rays you have had done: Teeth, Chest, Ankle, Foot, Foot, Foot


Yummy food you make: Biscuits!


Zoo Animal, favorite: Tigers

So, some of these are pretty far fetched. Underwear? Seriously? Maybe I'll just have to make my own ABC's. We'll see.

Why I Eat

So it seems that I may finally be back on track with my workouts which is a good thing. Bad news? My eating is still not so good. I admit this.
It has been suggested to me that I should probably look into the reasons WHY I eat. So I have. I have looked and looked and looked. Turns out that I eat because . . . wait for it . . . I like it. I like the way it tastes and smells and I like cooking it and reading about it. In short, food is awesome. Groundbreaking, I know.
See, they say; and by they I mean the endless diet and nutrition experts who go on ad nauseum about this kind of thing; that one whould never eat for reasons other than hunger and nutrition. Ummmm, yeah, about that. . .
I'm going rogue!
Saying that I will only ever eat when I'm hungry is like saying that I'm only ever going to have sex for procreation. For the record I don't think I've ever had sex for the express purpose of procreation. And I have two kids. Just sayin'.
It's not realistic, OK. What is the point of having a long healthful life if I can take no joy out of it?
Yes, I know I need to make better eating choices. Understood. My problem is in finding the balance.
Of course I still want the chocolate cake. Who doesn't? But I guess I just need to fit more brocoli into my diet in order to make the chocolate cakes of the world not so tragic. Outrageous concept, right?
Now the trick is learning to like eating more brocoli.

Is She or Isn't She?

It happened to me the other day.
At the grocery store.
By two dudes, no less.
The question, whispered betwixt them, was, "Is she pregnant?"
GASP!
The answer, of course, is "Ummm. . .NO!"
Not for a while now. Sure, I'm still carrying around some (a lot) of baby weight.
OK, maybe that's not such a valid excuse anymore, since my "baby" is busy planning his eighth birthday party. Star Wars, in case you were wondering, which he assures me is going ot be "wicked good!" But still, did they really have to go there?
Those two ass-hats totally ruined my day. My week. My life.
And do you want to know the worst part? I let them.
I let those douchbags (who btw, were two dudes in cowboy boots buying diet Coke and Lean Cuisine - just sayin') effect how I thought about myself.
What the hell kind of brain fart was that?
OK, so Brokeback thought I was pregnant. So what? Am I? No. Do I look like it? Possibly.
Yes, I'm fat. I get it. I'm OK with that because I'm working on it. I'm not just setting around on my non-pregnant ass.
And the next time I see those guys around town hopefully they will realize just how awesome I am. They better recognize. And failing that; I've been working out and I don't care to hit a dude.

Pop It To Me!

To all the 2nd grade parents at my son's school;
This letter is directed to the parent or parents (you know who you are) who brought Pepsi to the Valentine's Day Party on Monday. This was not appreciated.
In fact it sucked!
I could go on and on about how bad caffeine is for kids, but I suspect you already know all this, and clearly don't care. I will not comment on your cracker jack parenting. I doubt it would make a difference. 
However, all health considerations of caffeine aside, 7 & 8 year olds should not have Pepsi or other caffeinated beverages for one very important reason.
It makes them wonky!
I mean seriously crazy! My kid  was still bouncing off the walls at 9:00pm. I'm sure your little darling was not so effected, being so used to caffeine as he/she is.
So, just so we're clear, you SUCK!
Thank you,
Popped Off Mom

All Bitches Are Not Alike or lessons we can learn from the dog show

It's red carpet season and while I'm not huge fan of awards shows I LOVE love love Fashion Police on E! with Joan Rivers, Kelley Osbourne, and the other two that no one really cares about. Yes, I love the snarky things they say and how Joan has an awesome habit of saying just exactly what it is that I am thinking. But what I most love is that Fashion Police never picks on women for their size. They celebrate the fact that every woman is different.
Yes, they say that so and so should have pulled on a pair of Spanx under that tight satin dress, but Spanx aren't exclusive to the big girls. And they often comment how certain dresses, while beautiful, do not complement an actresses body type. They recognize that Christina Hendricks cannot wear the same dress that Jane Lynch can wear. And Jane Lynch can't wear a dress that Sandra Bullock can wear. And so on. The judges on Fashion Police judge actresses and their respective fashions can't be judged against each other but only against their selves.
Seems like I've heard this theory before.
Oh yeah. At the dog show. Being a dog loving family, we always watch the Westminster Kennel Club dog show when it's on. And someone will always say something like, "Yeah, but that Lab is way cuter than the terrier!"
Perhaps, but that's not the way it works. A terrier cannot be a Lab. And that is just the way it is. There is an ancient Chinese proverb (isn't there always?) that says that one cannot fault a pig for not having the neck of a giraffe.
Are you getting it? I can't have the body of the girl that works out at the gym with me and she cannot have the body of the girl at the coffee shop. And while my body will never look like Cameron Diaz's no matter how hard I work at it, I can work to make it a better version of my own body.
Who knew Joan Rivers and a bunch of bitches had so much wisdom?

Super Bowl Slut

Here it is. My walk of shame.
Again.
But I will admit it. I am a slut for football. I just generally love the game. I love the chill in the air of an outside game (I don't know who decided that football should be played inside a dome, but they were wrong). I love the crash of helmuts and the sound of the chains being dragged up and down the sidelines (still not a fan of the CGI line). And then, of course, there are the football pants. I am a firm believer that everyone's backside is imroved by football pants.
And, naturally, there is football food.
I do love me some football food. Super Bowl Sunday in our house is always a very big deal. We try to base our menu around whatever team it is we are cheering for. Admitedly, though, when one is trying to lose weight football food may not be the best way to go. Last year wasn't so bad. We were for the Saint's (who wasn't?) so we put out some jambalaya and it was awesome.
This year though I was doubly damned. See my beloved Green Bay Packers were competing in the biggest game of the season. Now before you even start, I am NOT one of those fair weather fans who jump on the bandwagon during good seasons and off during the bad. I have loves the Packers pre-Favre and post. By the way, Favre who? Aaron Rodgers owns that team!
And, yes, I suppose the Steelers don't technically suck. And Troy Polamalu's hair does seem to have magical powers - kind of like a unicorn. But that doesn't mean that when my Packers are involved, I wouldn't stick a big ol' wad of chewing gum in it.



However, back to the issue at hand. In the spirit of total Packer celebration I served brats and cheese and beer. It. Was. Awesome!
Today, though. . .not so much. I haven't eaten like that in a while. I have been eating more fresh foods and cutting out the processed junk. I have been trying to cut out pop and haven't had a beer in - I don't even know how long. Probably the last time I was in Wisconsin. So needless to say, today I feel a little bit sluggish.
Slow.
Bloated.
Gross.
How did I ever eat like that all the time? Oh yeah, I felt like crap all the time. Hmmmm . . .
I had been looking for a little jolt for a while now. Something that would help inspire me and keep me on track. Turns out going completely off track for a weekend was the only way to get back on. Getting a glimpse of how I used to feel all the time has helped me focus in on why I am doing this in the first place.
So today I woke up as a devoted fan of Super Bowl Champions, Green Bay Packers. And yes, I woke up bloted and craptacular, but I woke up with a renewed focus and drive to do this thing.

Supertasters, Unite!

Today on Rachael Ray (aka: the show I like to watch as I decompress from the gym) Rachael and some cute Doctor Guy were talking about supertasters.
In case you've never heard of it, supertasters are allegedly people who have more tastebuds thereby making htem more sensitive to, well . . .taste. Salt is saltier. Savory is savory-er. And heaven of heavens, sweets are sweeter. The caveat: it seems that what is especially effected is bitter flavors. Just what you always wanted. More bitterness in your life.
Strangly enough, there seems to be some evolutionary benefit to supertasters. Historically. Supertasters would have been more able to taste the bitterness of poisoness plants more easily. However, in todays society this seems to be of little importance and being a supertaster may actually be harmfull.
See, because of all the bitterness, supertasters tend to avoid good for you foods. Broccoli, kale, cabbage,spinach, brussles sprouts, olives, coffee, grapefruit juice, and green tea are ammong the foods most commonly avoided by supertasters. This leads to the reason why supertasters are five times more likely to be overweight and much more likely to develop diabetes or cancer.
This is not to say that just because you don't like one of these foods that you are a supertaster. Likewise, supertasters can also train themselves to like certain foods. I myself am a supertaster and I happen to love love love spinach. But it wasn't always that way. I also came to like broccolli later in my life and I am slowly learning to like kale. Probably mever going to like brussles sprouts, though.
So now I'm a fat supertaster, I not only have to train my body but I also have to train my tastebuds. Perfect.

What's Better Than a Potato Chip?

OK. Admittedly, not that much, but I have found something that gives good ol' chips a run for their money. Ever heard of Kale Chips? Yeah, me neither. Until a couple of months ago when they started to be EVERYWHERE. Seriously.
So when I was at the grocery store the other day I noticed that Kale was only 72 cents a pound. I have no idea whether or not this is a reasonable price for kale as I have never purchased it before. But I figured that for less than a couple of bucks I could give it a try. Boy, am I glad I did.
When roasted they taste remarkably like potato chips. Seriously! And if you don't believe me, just ask my kids. They each had a big ol' dish while watching Despicable Me then were bummed when they found out all the Kale Chips were gone.
"Mooooooooom! Why didn't you buy more kale? Jeesh!"



1 bunch kale
olive oil
kosher salt

Wash and remove stems from kale. Tear into bite-size pieces. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle gently with kosher salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy.

Hoop Fever . . . It's Catching!

I have been waxing enthusiastic about hula hooping for fitness for almost a year now. Admittedly I can sound like a bit of a crack dealer at times. "Come on just try it, you'll like it! You won't believe how amazing you'll feel!" But here's the thing. . . I'm not the only one.
From the amazing health and fitness blogger, MizFit Online (I just love her kick ass style of fitness!)

Hula Hooping For Fitness - guest post by certifies Hoop Instructor, Jo Mondy

Fat Bottomed Girls

Not a whole lot to report on the weight loss (or lack thereof) this week. But talk about inspiration! This years Golden Globes Red Carpet was, quite simply, stunning. Thank Bob that dressing like a lady is back in style. So here's to the women who showed us that their womanly bodies are more than just overly decorated clothes hangers.



Continuing my girl-crush on Christina Hendricks. I wanna look like her when I grow up!




Glee's Amber Riley killed it! She shows that it's not so much about size as it is about proportion. Amazing!



Kelly Osbourne looking lady-like with a rocker edge. Very cool!



I'm not necessarily in love with the dress, but I do love that Miss Aguilera is embracing her curves.

What about you? What did you love/hate about the red carpet?

Yoga Bear

I just got back from my first ever official yoga class. It was really really hard. Surprisingly hard. But kind of a good hard, you know? I don't know if yoga is technically for fatties, and considering as how I was definitely the biggest person in the room, I don't know if I'll ever be any good at it.
My yoga instructor is seriously cute. She has one of those perfect bodies that yoga pants are made for. And she does moves that I've only ever done on accident. Right foot red? What? When did this turn into a sadistic game of Twister? I hate her.
No, not really. She's actually a very sweet and nice person and it would be impossible not to like her. Well, except maybe when she says to hold that pose just a little bit longer.
But I'm doing it. Maybe I can't lift my leg as high as some of the other ladies or hold it steady for quite as long, but it's a start. And I like the way I feel afterwards. It is a surprisingly thorough workout. I was amazed at how much I actually sweated. I thought yoga was all about the stretching and the breathing and the whatnot. And it is, but it's also about flexibility and muscle control. My shoulders, hamstrings, and lower back are especially appreciative of this.
I guess I'll be practicing on my own this weekend. I don't want to be the doof who falls flat on her face during Downward Facing Dog. Besides, anything that will make my booty look like the instructor's I am all for.

Happy Hooping!

With  my post yesterday, it occurred to me that I may have left some in the dark with my vague description of working out with a weighted hula hoop. I didn't want to leave anybody with the horrible mental picture of myself flinging myself around inside my hoop like some rabid five year old on a pixie stick high. I mean, I don't even like pixie sticks.
I could upload a video of some of my favorite hula hoop moves. . .But come on! Did you really expect that to happen? Telling you that I hula hoop in the relative safety of my living room and showing you videographic evidence of such. I thought I would leave that to the pros.

Fat Tuesday

It seems that in the spirit of my Biggest Loser themed weight loss re-boot, I have chosen Tuesdays to be my weigh-in/evaluation day. After week 1 I have a lot to report.

Since I believe in sharing bad news first I will willingly disclose that I have not lost any weight. Nope. Not one ounce. Why am I not suicidal, you ask? Well, for one, I didn't gain anything either. And after the sugar fest that was my Holiday Season no gain is a good thing. I can live with no weight loss for now because even though the scale is not going down, I am moving forward.
I have added a few new tools to my repertoire. If you've read for any amount of time you know that I'm all about my Curve's workout. I love the circuit training and the aerobic/strength training intervals. Plus, as evidenced by the p

icture over there, I'm a freak for my hula hoop. 5 pound hula hoop to be exact. I've done all kinds of exercises over the years and nothing, NOTHING!, has strengthened my core like the weighted hula hoop.
But even with all those amazing workout options I was stuck in a bit of a rut. What to do, what to do? Watching the season premier of Biggest Loser last week gave me my first inspiration. Kettle Bells! I liked the fact that they come in all different weights; and while I've used a variety of free weights for a while now, I like that they offer a bit more of a challenge. My kettle bell from Danskin came with a DVD (which is OK) and a sheet with a set of 6 moves (which I love) It also helped that this months issue of Shape magazine featured Jillian Michaels herself's favorite kettle bell moves. I really really like the k

ettle bell for my arms. The triceps have never looked better.
Next I added in yoga. I had done a bit of informal yoga off and on for years but nothing major. I wasn't what you'd call "into it". Consider me converted. My gym has added a twice a week yoga class and so far I'm loving it! Turns out I'm not as flexable as I thought I was, but I can already tell a difference. My back and my hamstrings have already loosened up and my downward facing dog is starting to look more like a utilitarian hunting do and less like a lumbering mastiff. I'm shooting for greyhound, but that may take a while.
So now I had taken care of the mind and the body, but my eating still wasn't quite what it needed to be. And you all know how I feel about diets. . . I just needed something to get me back on track and help to remind me to make better choices. It has never really been what I eat so much as it has been how I ate it. I tend to go off track on sweets and portion control. I needed something that would let me include all my favorites (including sweets) as long as I kept track and stayed within reason. I had done Weig

ht Watchers before and had some success - in fact I have kept off every pound I lost the first time I did Weight Watchers - so I thought, why not? I signed up for 3 months of Weight Watchers Online. I just started on Sunday and so far I have found it really easy to keep track of what I'm eating and where I'm having a bit of trouble. Hopefully I will have an even better report for you next week.
They are calling for snow for the rest of the week though, so I make now promises. I still manage to get in a decent workout between my WiiFit, Wii boxing, kettle bell, and at-home yoga. But no school means no gym time for Momma. I think that I really do better with the structured schedule of a gym. What about you? Are you disciplined enough to get a full workout at home or do yo need the external structure of the gym? What is your favorite at-home workout when you're stuck at home?

The Bitch is Back

It certainly has been a long time. Have you missed me? Of course you have. Who wouldn't miss this wit and sparkling charm? Turns out the break from journal keeping (aka blogging about my weight loss - or lack thereof as the case may be) has left my waist line a little. . . shall we say unmotivated.
Then along comes New Years. That ubiquitous fresh start. The undeniably futile resolution making. I myself have resisted New Years Resolutions in the past just for the simple fact that I don't like the feeling of self disappointment that inevitably follows. But seeing as that has worked out so well for me in the past (NOT) I thought, "What the hell!"
Now, just to be clear we are not calling anything a "Resolution". That would imply that I have some sort of resolve which to me sounds like you've had to drag yourself to doing something. I'm thinking more like a New Year's Reboot.
Yes, when I first started this journey I lost almost 40 pounds relatively easily. Yay, me! But somewhere along the way I hit a plateau and never seemed to get off. I had previously made a goal to lose another 50 pounds. Half of which I have already lost (included in the aforementioned 40 pounds) Again, yay me! So that leaves 25 more to go.
And since I have already turned the Resolution on it's ear I thought, 'Why not make it an even 30?'
I am going to Reboot my eating and exercise plans to lose 30 pounds. I am using, like about a zillion other people, NBC's Biggest Loser as a motivation and time frame. Every season I am inspired by the people who lose massive amounts of weight with what amounts to no more than diet and exercise. Yes, they lose like 10 - 20 pounds a week. An unreasonable amount for us mere mortals. They have the benefit of living on a world class fitness ranch with unbelievable trainers, nutritionists, doctors, and maybe most importantly - no kid's chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese.
My Reboot will include 4 days of Curve's gym workouts plus 5 days of at home cardio. I've gotten myself my very own kettlebell (8 pounds) and the new Gold's Gym Cardio boxing game for the Wii and I'm actually looking forward to my extra workouts for the first time in a long time.
As far as eating goes, that is also turning out to be surprisingly easier than I imagined. After this Holiday Season I am just about as sick as sweets as any human could be. I don't think I could even think about eating another piece of cake or pie or candy even with my seemingly unsatisfiable sweet tooth. Yes, I know that won't last and probably before they even roll out the Valentine's candy I'll be raiding the pantry looking for a rogue tootsie roll. I'm going to make sure I have healthy alternatives like fruit, angle food cake, and maybe even the occasional mini York Peppermint Patty. I will also be including more vegis, which unfortunately have been sadly lacking in my diet for the past few weeks.
I've worked in a few rewards along the way like new workout clothes, trips to Sephora and so on. And the biggie, If I can manage to lose 30 pounds by the end of this season of Biggest Loser I can treat myself to a new summer wardrobe. Hey, if I lose 30 pounds I'm gonna need new threads.
Now, if you'll excuse me I've got to go Wii for the next 30 minutes. At least. See you next Tuesday!