Tuesday, November 9, 2010

You're the Inspiration

I don't know why, but people keep telling me things like:

"you are such an inspiration"
"you inspire others"
"you inspire me"
"I'm inspired by what you have done"

People---

I AM NOT INSPIRING!

I JUST GOT MY ASS IN GEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone, ANYONE can do what I have done. It is hard work but it is not hard to do.

You just have to say "yes" and "no".

"yes" to excersise and "no" to bad food choices

Really, it is easy...for the excersise, you just have to MOVE. You don't have to hire a hottie as your trainer (but it sure helps if the fitness nazi who is growling at you is cute and sweet...or maybe you need someone to "mommy" you...or maybe you need a trainer who is more therapist...figure out what works for YOU). You don't even have to join a gym.

Walk your neighborhood---you will be amazed at what you observe...but go fast!

Go to the park and walk around and take a mat and do push-ups, etc. between walking---that is where Coach Dimples met me and worked me out...FUN!!!

play tennis---ok, that only works if you aren't me and can actually PLAY tennis...

play with your kids---and by play I mean get out there and shoot hoops, or play soccer, or just play!

Ride a bike...more fun than you remember...

Walk the dog...until the dog is tired...labs are better at this than purse dogs...

walk around the field while your kid is at soccer practice...the whole time...

Go to the Galleria...head to Nordstrom but park at Neiman Marcus and walk as fast as you can...your reward will be the shoe department! Bonus points: you get to race past the tourist...double points if you ALMOST manage to knock one down...

And as far as food goes:
say no to cupcakes and yes to fruit
say no to cheese and yes to yogurt
say no to hamburger and yes to grilled chicken
say no to pasta but yes to whole wheat pasta (that comes from Coach...)
say no to fried and yes to grilled
say no to fries and yes to veggies (steamed, grilled, or sauteed)
say no to ribs and yes to lean brisket at Goode Company
say no to potato salad and yes to cole slaw
say no to a margarita and yes to a mojito
say no to a cosmo and yes to red wine

I will never tell you to say "no" to wine because I only say "no" when I have been overserved...

See...it's easy...anyone can do it.

And heaven knows I should have done it a long, long time ago before I got so far gone with myself.

This can apply if you are losing 5, 15, or 50 pounds. It's about choices...it is not about anything else...just making choices...making good choices.

I use some "tools" to do this. They help me to say "yes" and "no" to the right things:
"Lose it" app on my iphone...or any app or program that serves as a food and excersise log...
"Eat this Not That" website: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/home
the nutritional webpages for any restaurant that has them...google them...
Women's Health magazine and its website: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/
iTunes---'cause music moves me...

So you see, I am NOT an inspiration...I'm just making better choices.

Now for inspiration, I look to my friends...these are REALLY INSPIRING PEOPLE:

My children---because just looking at them inspires me to be better...at everything!

My friend Katherine who wins medals at Special Olympics is inspiring not just for being an athlete but she inspires me all the time in excersise class and spin because she constantly encourages me to keep pushing on. She is my favorite trainer. LOVE LOVE LOVE her! And yes, she picked up some more medals this past weekend...for tennis, which I will only be her ball girl as and never her partner!

My friend Carolee and my friend Patrick. Patrick is still in a coma with his brain injury (pray for him) but Carolee is always by his side, always putting faith in him and Him (God)that he will be well and whole. Her faith and love inspire me...

My friend W, who lost her husband to cancer when he was far to young. I served cake at their wedding. You could FEEL their love. She is raising their 2 precious children and her faith in the Lord is inspiring to me and her great love surrounds me even though she is in OK and I am in TX.

My friend V, who made me write this blog...because she is a teacher and I know she pours her love out with her lessons. She has always been an artist, but she shares her gift in the most amazing way...I've never seen her teach, but I know her too well to not know how great she is...

My friends GOTT and TTG who are just flat out amazing and inspiring and who inspire me to do more, push my creativity, and we put on a show together...sometimes it is only us backstage at GOTT's desk talking...but it can be a show!

My teacher friends...Precious and Adorable and Bacchus, Musical Muse, and so many more...because they are angels...and they inspire the kids...I could write blogs and blogs about what a gift they are to their students...

Coach Dimples, Spinderella, JayVee, J'taime Jamie---because they inspire me to do more with myself and my workouts and push me to my limits...and they look GOOD while they do it...

My Women Warrior friends who have survived cancer...can you get more inspiring than that? No, not really...because they have beaten cancer...I've just beaten "fat"...they are an inspiration to any who know and love them...

My friend T and his husband R and their boys---because they are a proud family...and I am proud of them for showing the world that they are not any different from any other family...except maybe that they better looking than most of us (gorgeous family...just gorgeous)...

My gay friends who are "out" inspire me...because they are able to be who they are...and hopefully will inspire others to be as brave...and someday I hope no one is called "brave" for being "out"...

Julia Child---ok, so I am a little obsessed with her...it's the cooking thing...but dang the woman could make a roast chicken look like a work of art...

My friend AthenaGal and her mother---style and grace icons...especially her mother...when I grow up I want to be just like her...

My sister-in-law...she knows why...and how lucky am I to have a sister-in-law that I love so much?

My aunt Jane...the best person in the world...because she is the best person in the world and her heart is ALWAYS in the right place and she always puts others first. She has my 91 year old grandma living with her...Grandma has Alzheimers...Jane is, well there is no other word for it but "grace" with her. And so much more...she is so much more...

My Aunt Gayle inspires me...she is a single mom with a kick-ass job---she works for the Jimmy Kimmel show (how fun is that?) and is working on her 3rd (I think it is 3rd) degree black belt...she can literally kick your ass...and she has an amazing boy who makes me smile every time I just look at him...

My drama kids...all you have to do is watch them on the stage and you will see why...

Now, my friends...THOSE are inspring people...I'm just a fat chick who decided to let her inner skinny girl out...nothing inspiring about that...

Tell me I am inspriring for the work I do with my drama kids...or the costumes I find...the way I support the school...or the fact I never met a volunteer job I didn't like...but don't think that I am inspiring for losing weight...because every one of us is capable of improving our minds and health...

we just have to say "yes" and "no"....

Inspiration Song: what else could it be but "You're the Inspiration" by Chicago...

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