tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12206342723304738612024-03-19T06:33:52.365-04:00Fat Girl Slim"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook." - Julia Child.
Julia knew what she was talking about. "Diets" are for fools. What I'm talking about is a healthier way for me and my family to live and actually enjoy it.
Who wants to live on rice cakes anyway? Give me real food and real exercise and I'll give you a strong, healthy woman who can still look good in 4 inch heels.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-56571850354681577912015-04-03T21:20:00.000-04:002015-04-03T21:20:00.594-04:00Confessions and RealizationsI have been toying with the idea of re-starting this blog for a while now. You see, I've gained it all back. Every. Little. Bit.<br />
It's utterly and completely humiliating to know that I was on the right track and I couldn't keep at it. My husband tells me it's not my fault. For the past year or more I've suffered through an injury. I've had foot pain in my right foot for years and years now and it finally got to the point where I was unable to go about my daily tasks without ending in excruciating pain. So I after much reluctance I hauled myself to the doctor.<br />
My primary care doctor thought it was an untreated stress fracture (because what else could someone my size have?) so he ordered x-rays and sent me to an orthopedist. More x-rays and an MRI. Do you know how noisy and scary an MRI is? Turns out not broken and no major sprains or deformaties. He thinks perhaps it's tendonitis and sends me to physical therapy to strengthen the foot and ankle. That actually winds up making it worse so he sends me to an ankle specialist 2 hours away. He does yet more x-rays and another more extensive MRI. Nothing. Again. He agrees with ortho-guy that there is some tendonitis and perhaps some small fracture that's not showing up on x-ray so I get what my husband affectionately refers to as 'the kickball boot'. It's a walking cast that I get the joy of wearing around for 6 weeks. Oh, and this was during the spring and summer and I am on our local school board. So there are about 400 some kids in the area whose graduation pictures will be forever marred by my fat ass in a kickball boot on the stage handing them there diplomas. Not to mention all the times I hauled that stupid thing around to my daughters track meets all across the state. So yeah, good times. So, the boot comes off and still no improvement. In fact, it seems to be more swollen and tender than it was before. What the hell?!?! He then recommends nerve testing and starts throwing around works like 'Lupus' and 'MS' and 'ALS'. <br />
At this point I'm terrified. I'm 34 (at the time) years old, I've got two kids and a husband who works away 6 months out of the year. This cannot be happening. <br />
It takes me about 2 months to get in to see one of the best neurologists in the state.Meanwhile my leg had started to weaken and I was having some lower back pain which I had never had before. I had decided that I was not playing around. The neurologist, who by the way looks nothing like Derrick Sheppard but is in fact way nicer, keeps me in his office for about an hour asking me all kinds of crazy questions and wanting to know can I lift my leg this way - I can't. Can I lift my leg that way - I can. Can I walk on my toes? How about my heels? Not really on either count. Seems like something I really ought to be able to do. Can I bend over? Yes. Backwards? No. He wants to know have my hands ever gone numb. Yes. Recently? Yes. <br />
Then he decides that Nerve Conductivity Testing is, in fact, in order. No problem, I think. Boy, was I wrong. Holy shit. Let me just say that if anyone ever wants to stick needles into your body and send electrical currents to certain points of your body all while you bend your leg this way and that - it's generally not going to end well for you. Neuro-guy informs me that we are going to do this that very day (another hour - I have never had a doctor who had basically cleared there afternoon for me and I wasn't sure if that was good or bad) The whole process did suck, as promised. But it did show that there was significant nerve damage coming from my spine, running down my leg, whereby this particular nerve (not the sciatica before anyone says that) splits behind the knee and running to both sides of my foot. So, OK that explains that. And Neuro-guy sends me to an associate, a neurosurgeon, to determine if I need surgery for said nerve problem. <br />
I don't, thank god. <br />
They send me to yet another associate (that's six different doctors for anyone keeping count) who is a pain management guy. I was worried before my appointment that this was going to be one of those 'pain clinics' that is basically just a pill mill. Could not have been further from the truth. This pain guy prescribes no narcotics. He is adamant about only accepting patients who are willing to do in-office injections and physical therapy. He even recommends acupuncture and yoga. My kind of doctor. I proceed to go through 3 different rounds of steroid injections in my spine. It helps a bit. Then I begin physical therapy. Again. <br />
But this time it's different. Pain guy wants me to focus on my back (the root of the problem - so to speak) and has me doing all kinds of yoga-like stretches along with pool therapy. Now, I do feel that it is perverse to ask an overweight white woman to put on a bathing suit in the middle of winter, but at this point I was ready to try anything. And shock of shocks it seems to have worked. I have been released from PT for two weeks now and had my follow up with pain guy. He is pleased with improvement and has written my a prescription for an anti-seizure medication that works in my case by relaxing the coatings around my nerves thereby lowering the inflammation. It is also working. I could not be more pleased considering the fact that my next option was a surgical spinal stimulator implant that is kind of like a pace maker for your spine. It works by running tiny electrical currents up and down a particular nerve to scramble the pain signals it sends to your brain. <br />
So I can totally see where my husband is coming from when he says that my recent weight gain is not my fault. But I know the truth. It is totally my fault. Yes, I was laid up and unable to exercise for the better part of 18 months. No, I did not have to eat everything in sight. And boy did I? The less anyone was able to tell me what was wrong with me the more I ate. And the more they tossed around scary diagnoses that couldn't possibly have anything to do with me the more I ate. And the bigger I got the more I ate. And on and on and on.<br />
But that is not even the worst part. <br />
I've known for a while now that my son has been sneaking food. We're talking cookies and candy and granola bars and all the stuff he shouldn't have. <br />
He's overweight. He knows it. I know it. His pediatrition is more than aware. The only person who doesn't seem to be aware is my husband, but that's a whole other issue. I mean, the kid is 5'6" and 175lbs. He'll be twelve at the end of the month. Just today we had to go buy him new shorts because the only ones he had that fit him were stretchy-type gym shorts. And I get it, kids grow. I want him to grow - taller. He's clearly already big enough. And he knows he's a big kid and it bothers him. Quite a lot, actually. <br />
So we've joined a gym. Now that I am capable of working out again I realized just how much I had missed it. Sure it sucks balls and it hurts and I leave the gym sweating and crying and smiling all at the same time. But The Boy seems to love it. He's in a Kids Fit Class which is kind of like a Zumba meets soccer drills meets yoga situation for kids. He also has fallen in love with the elliptical machine. All to the good, I think.<br />
So imagine my surprise when I set down on the couch with my box of Trader Joe's Gluten Free Oreo-thingys was half way gone. What the hell! Now, I know it wasn't The Girl because she doesn't like them. And I know it wasn't The Husband because he's gone. And I know it wasn't me because I just opened the box and carefully had 3 cookies. So it must be The Boy. <br />
Why would he do this, I wonder. He knows better. We've talked about nutrition. The trainer at the gym has talked about nutrition. We've even talked about how it's perfectly OK to have a few cookies or a piece of candy as a treat as long as everything else you've eaten has been on track. I don't want him to ever think he has to be on ' A Diet'. I want him to think in terms of what he can eat rather than what he can't. But 14 cookies is certainly not on the Eat This list. I mean anybody knows that. He's not some mindless toddler just cramming anything he can get his hands on into his mouth. He knows this! We've been over this! Again, what the hell! <br />
And then it hits me. I know that eating things I should not eat is what got me here in the first place and yet I did it anyway. I know that I can almost never stop at just one cookie and yet I buy them anyway. I knew that since I was unable to exercise my eating habits were going to be even more important. And yet? I ate all the food anyway. <br />
Duh! <br />
He is my son afterall. We say all the time, "Do as I say, not as I do." But every grown-up in America knows just what a cop out that is. It doesn't sound credible even to us. So how can we expect it to sound credible to our kids? <br />
So there you have it. I have not only made myself fat. Again. I have made my son fat as well. I'd love to tell you that I have some magic plan of just how exactly I intend to remedy it but the truth is I haven't a clue. I know that we will be eating better and getting to the gym more as a family. But those are just words. Action will tell. <br />
I guess I have no other excuses now. I've really done it this time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-56432044731910124802012-01-30T11:44:00.001-05:002012-01-30T11:44:02.972-05:00Gravy (My Life Monday)Bet you thought this post was going to be about food. Maybe biscuits and gravy, or something kind of like? <br />
Sorry. <br />
This is Gravy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZOf9-2L1nrIXZ9K_VGkQIHrrN0jZmC1cTJ5htO2VvXeANoqAT8BWYpqb239Azo3O__jtqofrsemB22VCw9OCpBiXJjzuMtW39uXgVL9RWmyofXrbxfATFOCqUgbrbBhNFU-Cgrzxri2_/s1600/9-3-11+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZOf9-2L1nrIXZ9K_VGkQIHrrN0jZmC1cTJ5htO2VvXeANoqAT8BWYpqb239Azo3O__jtqofrsemB22VCw9OCpBiXJjzuMtW39uXgVL9RWmyofXrbxfATFOCqUgbrbBhNFU-Cgrzxri2_/s400/9-3-11+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Gravy is sad. <br />
He has a hurt paw. <br />
His back left paw is sore and swollen. <br />
Gravy is walking kind of skijawed. (That's a word, no?)<br />
Gravy will be going to the vet later today.<br />
He doesn't know this yet. <br />
Poor Gravy.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-68588864880424380682012-01-23T10:11:00.000-05:002012-01-23T10:11:00.567-05:00My Life Monday - Foot ScanSo when I went in to my friendly neighborhood Curves this morning I noticed something a bit different going on. A local chiropractor was offering free health screenings on balance and posture. Well, this should be interesting, I thought. <br />
I am quite possibly the least balanced person I know. I can fall dead-down to the floor while standing perfectly still. Not to mention the damage I can do to myself when I'm just walking along. <br />
I filled out the little questionnaire. Back pain? Check. Neck pain? Check. Headaches? Occasional Check. Trouble sleeping? Check. Foot pain? Double Check! I figured the lady was going to take one look at my health history and politely point me in another direction. Or maybe that was dollar signs I saw in her eyes. She was probably calculating just how many of her children she would be able to send to Harvard based on my office visits alone. <br />
She had a fascinating little machine that looked like something from the holo-deck of the S.S.Enterprise. I stepped on it and through a little window it literally scans your feet and the pressure you exert as you stand. I felt like a can of peas at the grocery store. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="400" src="http://olearychiropractic.net/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/ColorFootScan.5152418_std.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="396" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a sample. Not my actual scan. My left showed a lot more red and my right only had pressure in the heal and on the ball. Weired, huh?</td></tr>
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It was, however, pretty dang interesting. I learned that I place a lot of pressure on my left foot. Not surprising since I've broken the right one like a hundred times. (Really only 4 - but oh, my god, have you ever broken your foot? OUCH!) As a consequence my spine and therefore balance are severely out of alignment. Add in my not-at-all-attractive ginormous boobs and you can see how the back and neck pain can come into play. <br />
So I will be going to the chiropractor on Wednesday. I'm not sure at all how I feel about having someone crack on my spine, but I am very interested in the custom orthotic inserts for my shoes that could help correct the balance problem. We'll see what the good doctor says before I actually agree to a treatment plan. But I will definitely let you guys know. <br />
Now I'm tired and I'm going to put my feet up.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-69290531693243972802012-01-16T16:43:00.000-05:002012-01-16T16:43:00.925-05:00My Life Monday - Accountability<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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I know, like everyone else in the world, that when you're trying to lose weight it is super duper important to track your food and exercise. You've got to keep a food diary and you've got to write down everything.<br />
Every. Freakin'. Bite. <br />
There will come a time when you think you've got it licked and you don't need to write it all down anymore. You will be wrong. <br />
If food is your problem - and god knows it is mine - you have to take away food's power. Yes, I know I sound like Dr. Phil, but it's true and it's taken me a long time to get here so listen. You gave food all the power to make you happy or make you feel better or occupy you while you watch TV. Now you are going to give food the power to fuel your body and make yourself healthy. <br />
I am not saying that you can't enjoy your food - far from it. Because, listen, I really really really like my food. I like to cook it, I like to read about it and write about it, and heaven knows I like to eat it. And I don't see that changing anytime soon. To think otherwise would be ridiculous and unrealistic. <br />
However, by writing everything down I am held accountable. Not so much for what I am eating but why I am eating it. <br />
"Oooohhhh, cookies!" <br />
"Do I really want to eat that cookie?"<br />
"I'm going to have to write it down if I do."<br />
"Do I really want to look at that on my report?"<br />
"Hmmm? Maybe I'll just wait and see if I still want that cookie in an hour."<br />
Sometimes I do, and if it isn't going to wreck my calories for the day then I go ahead and eat the cookie. And write it down. And move on. <br />
And sometimes I don't even want the cookie. I know. . . Mind Blown!<br />
I've tried Weight Watchers. Didn't care for it. Too much math and pressure and math. And I've tried keeping a notebook with me and writing everything down manually. And I've tried pre-printed calorie counting journals. None of it worked . <br />
Then The Captain got me the Kindle Fire for Christmas and I downloaded the <a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">myfitnesspal</a> app. I am in love. This thing is so easy. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT4qjjHeHjwLcRupGV-JMX3bPwI6LCEGIlI2WPhGF3kUYHnpVRK6mcKcaZ9SCrNjPl70usmw9ejGDMCQV9f4NRyJhlQ6ZWqR-ULpBnkFQRAPX-1ThfkJwdnKucqB4kW3FO-uYh4NVeoIQ/s400/myfitnesspal.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously go to my fitness pal and set up your free account. It could not be easier!</td></tr>
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I input all my food for the day (this thing has, like, all the foods and their nutritional info) and all my exercising and it calculates everything for me and gives me my own customized little daily report. And you can get weekly and monthly reports for everything including food, exercise, and progress. <br />
And my very most favorite thing of all is that after you have added all your info for the day you get a little graphic that says : If every day were like today you would weight X pounds in 5 weeks. Talk about a real motivator. Incredible! <br />
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</tbody></table>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-71894113187332608242012-01-09T10:17:00.001-05:002012-01-09T10:17:42.863-05:00My Life MondayAs many of you may (or may not) know along with writing here at Fat Girl Slim, I also write at <a href="http://www.bitofthebluegrass.com/">Bit of the Bluegrass</a>. Also I have recently returned to working on a novel I started years ago. Recently things have gotten a little hectic, shall we say?, here in our little house on the hill and I haven't been able to give as much attention to my writing as I would like to. <br />
In November I had a bit of a health issue (nothing serious, just a little something to throw a wrench in all my plans). Right before that our refrigerator died resulting in countless visits from the repairman and hundreds of dollars into his kids' college funds all culminating in the eventual purchase of a brand new fridge. (I hate you, Kenmore!) Then there was the 14 hour road trip to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving (without The Captain). And the holidays tried to kill me. Seriously. And of course both the kids have school and practice and games and guitar lessons and gymnastics and on and on and on. . . Always keeping in mind that The Captain has his own home and away schedule that rolls around every 28 days. <br />
All of this has added up to one very stressed out mama. (see health issue above).<br />
But all of that is finally in the rear-view mirror. Excepting, of course, the kids and The Captains schedules. It's a New Year and I am trying out a few new get-my-ass-back-on-track tips and tricks. <br />
There were two main areas of my life that I really wanted to try and tackle. My house and my body. <br />
Sooooo. . .<br />
Part One.<br />
My house. (cue the ominous music - DUN DUN DUN) <br />
As anyone who know me will attest, I am not a good housekeeper. It's OK, I know. I can keep things clean in the sense that the health department is not going to come and shut us down but the clutter is where I get completely shut out. I wash the clothes and get distracted forgetting to fold them. The kids leave papers all over the house and it never occurs to me to pick them up. There are shoes all over the front hall. Books get left wherever it was they were last read. And the magazines! My god, the magazines. I will confess to having a serious magazine addiction. So much so that The Captain thought it a good idea to get me a Kindle Fire for Christmas in the hopes that I could subscribe to at least a few of them digitally. Love him!<br />
We have had various cleaning ladies who have left for a variety of reasons. No, they didn't quit because my house was so unmanageable. I don't think. And when they were here all was nirvana. I had one particularly wonderful cleaning lady who I will call Angel, because that's how I thought of her, who washed down all the blades on all my ceiling fans! Did you know you were supposed to wash those things? Hmmm? <br />
However, I have been without a cleaning lady for the better part of a year and the state of my house has definitely reflected this. I have thought about interviewing for another, and I still may, but I really do need to do better on my own. To that end, I took a long hard look at myself. Man that hurt. I discovered that my true problem with cleaning was due to two main factors.<br />
Number one - I never learned to clean. No, it's true. My mother is more than slightly OCD about housekeeping. Added to that my dad and my grandmother always employed housekeepers, so that having someone else pick up after me was just what seemed natural. Even after I was married with a house of my own and there was no one there to do it. <br />
Number two - I am easily distracted. Seriously. Like a squirrel on crack. It's why I can wash the clothes but never fold them or pick up the shoes but forget the magazines. It's also why I can go help a friend with her deep cleaning project but be completely stymied by my own. <br />
I know that I do better with everything when I have a concrete schedule to stick to. So that's what I did. Made myself a little schedule. It seems to be working after the first week. I plan on keeping with the cleaning schedule for the rest of this week and sharing with y'all the results this time next week. <br />
That takes us to Part Two.<br />
My body. (the music that accompanies this is more like sad little violin music) <br />
I have been overweight my entire adult life and I am sick of it. Sick. Of. It! A few years ago I got serious and lost 40 pounds. That's when I started Fat Girl Slim. At that time I never would have dreamed that I would still be struggling this far into the future. <br />
Another hard look at myself resulted int the discovery that I had just, flat out, gotten lazy. Yes, I had managed to keep off the first 40 pounds but I hadn't gone any further. I had gotten complacent with my workouts and worse, my eating was atrocious. <br />
So I'm back in the gym. And I'm adding more cardio because I know that, even though I desperately HATE it, my body does so much better when I get a lot of cardio. I'm shooting for gym time 4x/week and cardio for at least 30 minutes for 6x/week. It's actually easier time-wise that I would have thought. I go to the gym right after I drop the kids at school and add the extra cardio right after that so that I am usually done with all of it by 9:30 am. <br />
I did this all last week and did really good. I feel sooooo much better to get back into a workout routine. My back and knees feel better. I am sleeping better at night. And I just generally have more energy on days that I workout that on days that I don't. <br />
This week I'll be working on continuing this while focusing more on my eating. The plan is to limit carbs to whole grain only, adding more water, and breaking things down to 5-6 small meals a day rather than 3 (really) big ones. Next week I'm going to focus on adding more protein. I'll let you know how it goes. <br />
So there you have. More than you probably wanted to know about where I am right now. But guess what? I don't care because this is my blog and I can write what I wanna. And if I'm still alive next week, I'm going to share even more. So there!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-55484194158251548562011-11-08T19:13:00.001-05:002011-11-08T19:13:11.069-05:00Stress! Who Knew?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="240" src="http://weightlossdietsfree.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/weight-stress.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
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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. <br />
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. <br />
Except for about the past week. <br />
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. <br />
14 long hours in the car.<br />
With my kids.<br />
Alone. <br />
Are you feeling me now? I've never driven that far before. Helped to drive, ridden co-pilot plenty of times. But never solo. <br />
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? <br />
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. <br />
Sooooo. . .<br />
I just let it all go. Really. Just. Let. It. Go. <br />
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. <br />
I recommitted to my exercise and eating plan and added in a little extra cardio for good measure. <br />
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.<br />
And that's a start. <br />
Coooool.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-5855451730127244612011-11-01T09:44:00.003-04:002011-11-01T09:44:51.882-04:00Here I Go Again (On My Own)<em>Goin' down the only road I've ever known. . .</em><br />
OK, enough of that. You can thank me later today when that song is still stuck in your head. You are welcome. <br />
My point, though, is this. A weight loss journey is never over.<br />
Really.<br />
Never over.<br />
Never.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="http://www.askfitnesscoach.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/motivation-weight-loss-words-150x150.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I so don't want to here that!</td></tr>
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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? <br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
<em>And I've made up my mind</em><br />
<em>I ain't wastin' no more time</em><br />
<em>Here I go again. . .</em><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-38589310716521691132011-10-20T08:21:00.000-04:002011-10-20T08:21:02.168-04:00Fat-lapseIt's kind of like a relapse but, you know, with fat. Lovely, no?<br />
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.<br />
It WAS sweet while it lasted, though.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="265" src="http://scm-l3.technorati.com/11/08/12/49407/the-scale-lies.jpg?t=20110812154738" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo from technorati.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But now, I'm back up in reality land. The land where I weigh *ahem* more than 200 pounds. <br />
OK. OK. I weigh 208 lbs. Jaaaysus! That hurt to admit. And I ain't even gonna lie. I AM PISSED! <br />
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! <br />
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! <br />
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. <br />
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.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-4996603401264375082011-06-06T17:07:00.002-04:002011-06-06T17:09:21.467-04:00ONEDERLAND!!!!!!<img height="240" src="http://www.formerlyfluffy.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/formerly-fluffy-weight-loss-surgery-blog-onederland.png" width="400" /><br />
I did it! Finally! Whoohoo!<br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
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'.<br />
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!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-13723114819954200622011-03-21T10:19:00.000-04:002011-03-21T10:19:25.277-04:00ShapewearThe 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. <br />
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. <br />
<img height="257" src="http://www.thefancarpet.com/uploaded_assets/images/gallery/3630/Steel_Magnolias_33462_Medium.jpg" width="400" /><br />
<em>Truvy: Clairee, you know I'd as soon walk on my lips as to criticize; but Janice Van Meter. . .</em><br />
<em>Clairee: I know. Looks like two pigs fightin' under a blanket! </em><br />
<em> I bet you she's paid $500 for that dress and hasn't bothered to put on a girdle.</em><br />
<em>Truvy: I haven't left the house without Lycra on these thighs since I was 14.</em><br />
<em>Clairee: Honey, you were raised right.</em><br />
Speaking of Lycra, just how exactly did Dolly keep those famous boobs of hers from taking over the movie? Just sayin'.<br />
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. <br />
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. <br />
So please, people, go get thyselves some shapewear. It doesn't matter what size you are, no one wants to see your back fat. <br />
<span><span> <span><iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=fat02c-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003H6IDUS&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-27069906057863736332011-03-10T10:32:00.000-05:002011-03-10T10:32:38.485-05:00Tae-Bo Newbie<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img height="300" src="http://imperfectlyhealthy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Tae-Bo.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See how happy everybody is to be doing Tae-Bo?<br />
I don't look like that.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Anybody out there done Tae-Bo recently? Did you survive? Barely?<br />
Yeah, I understand.<br />
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.<br />
I'll say!<br />
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.<br />
But, Oh. My. God. Hardest workout ever. It seriously kicked my ass. <br />
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. <br />
We shall see how this goes. If I don't drop dead, I'll let you know how it goes.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-28643577171361196092011-03-07T11:21:00.000-05:002011-03-07T11:21:47.763-05:00Here'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. . .<br />
<br />
<strong>Age:</strong> 31<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Bed size:</strong> Queen<br />
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<br />
<strong>Chore you hate:</strong> folding the laundry :( <br />
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<strong>Dogs:</strong> 2 Blitz, German Shorthaired Pointer and Tater, Basset Hound<br />
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<br />
<strong>Essential start of your day:</strong> Yogi tea and a workout<br />
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<br />
<strong>Fave color:</strong> Depends. <br />
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<br />
<strong>Gold or silver:</strong> Silver<br />
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<br />
<br />
<strong>Height:</strong> 5'5"<br />
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<br />
<strong>Instruments I play:</strong> Does the radio count. . .?<br />
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<strong>Job title:</strong> Mom, Wife, Rockstar (OK, so that one's just in my head, but still)<br />
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<strong>Kids:</strong> 2 Peanut, 11 and Bubbo, 7<br />
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<br />
<strong>Live:</strong> Eastern Kentucky<br />
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<strong>Mom’s name:</strong> Tyannia (pronounced Tonya - don't ask)<br />
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<strong>Nicknames:</strong> my name is Keila - figure it out. Taquilla, Killer, and a few others that I do my best not to say :)<br />
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<br />
<strong>Overnight hospital stays</strong>: just when I had my babies<br />
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<strong>Pet peeve:</strong> people who say "in other words", question talkers, call waiting<br />
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<strong>Quote from a movie:</strong> 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."<br />
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<strong>Right or left handed:</strong> Right<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Siblings:</strong> 1 brother<br />
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<strong>Time you wake up:</strong> 6:45 on school days, usually before 8:00 otherwise<br />
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<strong>Underwear:</strong> yes, please<br />
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<strong>Veg you dislike:</strong> cucumbers<br />
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<strong>What makes you run late:</strong> kids!<br />
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<br />
<strong>X-rays you have had done:</strong> Teeth, Chest, Ankle, Foot, Foot, Foot<br />
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<br />
<strong>Yummy food you make:</strong> Biscuits!<br />
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<br />
<strong>Zoo Animal, favorite:</strong> Tigers<br />
<br />
So, some of these are pretty far fetched. Underwear? Seriously? Maybe I'll just have to make my own ABC's. We'll see.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-88317294494094367252011-03-03T18:55:00.000-05:002011-03-03T18:55:56.913-05:00Why I EatSo 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. <br />
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.<br />
See, <em>they </em>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. . .<br />
I'm going rogue! <br />
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'.<br />
It's not realistic, OK. What is the point of having a long healthful life if I can take no joy out of it? <br />
Yes, I know I need to make better eating choices. Understood. My problem is in finding the balance. <br />
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?<br />
Now the trick is learning to like eating more brocoli.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-59166658994466483072011-02-23T08:54:00.000-05:002011-02-23T08:54:51.453-05:00Is She or Isn't She?It happened to me the other day.<br />
At the grocery store. <br />
By two dudes, no less. <br />
The question, whispered betwixt them, was, "Is she pregnant?"<br />
GASP!<br />
The answer, of course, is "Ummm. . .NO!"<br />
Not for a while now. Sure, I'm still carrying around some (a lot) of baby weight. <br />
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?<br />
Those two ass-hats totally ruined my day. My week. My life.<br />
And do you want to know the worst part? I let them. <br />
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. <br />
What the hell kind of brain fart was that? <br />
OK, so Brokeback thought I was pregnant. So what? Am I? No. Do I look like it? Possibly. <br />
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. <br />
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.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-68497704011059468922011-02-16T17:47:00.000-05:002011-02-16T17:47:45.073-05:00Pop It To Me!<img src="http://cdn.wn.com/ph/img/fa/3a/27a2fa3b7b7ef240ae1c4f01d4ea-medium.jpg" /><br />
To all the 2nd grade parents at my son's school;<br />
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.<br />
In fact it sucked! <br />
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. <br />
However, all health considerations of caffeine aside, 7 & 8 year olds should not have Pepsi or other caffeinated beverages for one very important reason.<br />
It makes them wonky!<br />
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. <br />
So, just so we're clear, you SUCK! <br />
Thank you,<br />
Popped Off MomAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-31931122126356705962011-02-12T11:00:00.000-05:002011-02-12T11:00:37.925-05:00All Bitches Are Not Alike or lessons we can learn from the dog show<img height="285" src="http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/02/07/1/192/1922243/20a9851e35ea6b10_2010NonSporting.larger.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
Seems like I've heard this theory before.<br />
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!" <br />
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. <br />
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. <br />
Who knew Joan Rivers and a bunch of bitches had so much wisdom?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-76513908850862147262011-02-07T13:29:00.000-05:002011-02-07T13:29:43.417-05:00Super Bowl Slut<img height="324" src="http://sportsblastradio.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/steelers_vs_packers_5ff1.jpg" width="400" /><br />
Here it is. My walk of shame.<br />
Again.<br />
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. <br />
And, naturally, there is football food. <br />
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.<br />
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!<br />
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.<br />
<br />
<br />
<img height="400" src="http://www.woosk.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/sconnie-food-pyramid.jpg" style="-ms-interpolation-mode: nearest-neighbor;" width="258" /> <br />
However, back to the issue at hand. In the spirit of total Packer celebration I served brats and cheese and beer. It. Was. Awesome!<br />
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.<br />
Slow.<br />
Bloated.<br />
Gross.<br />
How did I ever eat like that all the time? Oh yeah, I felt like crap all the time. Hmmmm . . .<br />
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. <br />
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.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-68157806111112792852011-01-25T10:38:00.000-05:002011-01-25T10:38:37.590-05:00Supertasters, Unite!<img height="200" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2109/3540093034_1f1eb5f2ef.jpg" width="200" /><br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
So now I'm a fat supertaster, I not only have to train my body but I also have to train my tastebuds. Perfect.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-29809210231308840602011-01-21T20:47:00.000-05:002011-01-21T20:47:41.112-05:00What'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.<br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
"Mooooooooom! Why didn't you buy more kale? Jeesh!"<br />
<br />
<img height="320" src="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/cm/goodhousekeeping/images/jB/kale-chips-de.jpg" width="320" /><br />
<br />
1 bunch kale<br />
olive oil<br />
kosher salt<br />
<br />
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.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-46351714823909588772011-01-20T11:52:00.000-05:002011-01-20T11:52:57.897-05:00Hoop Fever . . . It's Catching!<img height="266" src="http://www.empowernewsmag.com/userfiles/hulahoop.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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. <br />
From the amazing health and fitness blogger, MizFit Online (I just love her kick ass style of fitness!)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;"><a href="http://mizfitonline.com/2011/01/20/hula-hooping-for-fitness/">Hula Hooping For Fitness</a></span> - guest post by certifies Hoop Instructor, Jo MondyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-64188042770518528162011-01-18T10:13:00.000-05:002011-01-18T10:13:41.992-05:00Fat Bottomed GirlsNot 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.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="christina-hendricks-gg-2011.jpg" class="mt-image-center" height="400" src="http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/christina-hendricks-gg-2011.jpg" style="display: block; margin: 0pt auto 20px; text-align: center;" width="276" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Continuing my girl-crush on Christina Hendricks. I wanna look like her when I grow up!</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="amber riley jenna ushkowitz golden globes 09" height="400" id="feature_image" idx="1" jquery1295277180683="2" src="http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1/2011/01/riley-golden/amber-riley-jenna-ushkowitz-golden-globes-09.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="279" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glee's Amber Riley killed it! She shows that it's not so much about size as it is about proportion. Amazing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="kelly osbourne golden globes red carpet 2011 04" height="400" id="feature_image" idx="1" jquery1295277388484="1" src="http://cdn.buzznet.com/media/jj1/2011/01/osbourne-globes/kelly-osbourne-golden-globes-red-carpet-2011-04.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="270" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly Osbourne looking lady-like with a rocker edge. Very cool!</td></tr>
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<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="KISS & FLY photo | Christina Aguilera" height="400" src="http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/2011/specials/goldenglobes/arrivals/christina-aguilera-435.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not necessarily in love with the dress, but I do love that Miss Aguilera is embracing her curves.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What about you? What did you love/hate about the red carpet?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-82793105464753553892011-01-14T11:58:00.000-05:002011-01-14T11:58:24.621-05:00Yoga Bear<a href="http://photobucket.com/images/yoga%20poster" target="_blank"><img alt="Yoga Girl Pictures, Images and Photos" border="0" height="400" src="http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t82/rjazmin/AB10877Yoga-Girl-Posters.jpg" width="398" /></a><br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
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. <br />
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.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-73535428204678625542011-01-12T11:34:00.000-05:002011-01-12T11:34:24.084-05:00Happy 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. <br />
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. <br />
<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mAyrTDOooos?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mAyrTDOooos?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-35680596329363652202011-01-11T11:02:00.000-05:002011-01-11T11:02:35.493-05:00Fat TuesdayIt 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.<br />
<div style="height: 6px; text-align: left; width: 5px;"></div><img height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9K5WoirbgO5W5_qjFzSyM5yIyjNqdGj66I6QbleNGZLasvT6R8UThwbTV5AGs9-gTHHf7a4GPQhtaZHNOWyLTzY5vc_bcZ4Ul-qMnUYmYuSHSI2WX0X-5fMegXb3Q8bNysihrgIOobNk/s320/MJZ2046.gif" width="320" /><br />
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. <br />
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<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=fat02c-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B003J44Y74&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>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<br />
<br />
ettle bell for my arms. The triceps have never looked better.<br />
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. <br />
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.<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=fat02c-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B004ED8D7G&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="align: left; height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe> I had done Weig<br />
<br />
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.<br />
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?<br />
<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Finsiderspassport.com%2Fcelebrate-fat-tuesday-in-norfolk&layout=standard&show_faces=true&width=525&action=like&colorscheme=light" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; height: 8px; overflow: hidden; width: 2px;"></iframe>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1220634272330473861.post-62182799660664959422011-01-04T13:27:00.000-05:002011-01-04T13:27:45.639-05:00The Bitch is BackIt 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.<br />
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!" <br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
And since I have already turned the Resolution on it's ear I thought, 'Why not make it an even 30?' <br />
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.<br />
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.<br />
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. <br />
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.<br />
Now, if you'll excuse me I've got to go Wii for the next 30 minutes. At least. See you next Tuesday!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00184231339417211683noreply@blogger.com0