Showing posts with label Fitness Goddess. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fitness Goddess. Show all posts

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Notorious

I had really planned to write this blog yesterday but it seems that my husband decided this week to make me and the house come undone by re-arranging the study...which meant no internet for a while and things are a big old miss around here...more than usual. He tends to do these things without really consulting me...like if it is a good time to destroy the house...

So if you read my previous blog, "Come Undone" all the way to the end you know that I achieved 2 goals this week:
I'm under 200 pounds
and
My weight loss total is now at 100 pounds

And here is another awesome thing...I watched "The Biggest Loser" this week and I am thrilled to say that for the first time in like, forever, I weigh less than any of the contestants!!!!

Now all of that should be rather horrifying to most of you...because the fact that I am just now under 200 pounds after losing 100 shows you just how fat I was. Depressing, really...

I mean, I don't have a friend among you that needs to lose anywhere near that much weight.

And even more depressing...I didn't need to be at such a sad state like the one I was in. I should have gotten hold of myself LONG before that scale was almost at the 300 mark. I should have fixed it before 250...before 200...

But you see, it really gets easier to NOT do it the heavier you are. You figure that you are so far gone what is a little more. And then you basically give up.

Losing weight and getting fit is hard. And I think that goes for whether you have 5 pounds or 50 or 150 to lose. Because lazy is EASIER. And losing 5 pounds at 298 is so much easier than losing 5 pounds when you weigh 130...so it is all relative. You have to change things about yourself that aren't always easy to do.

You might have to:
1) adjust your schedule so you can exercise
2) cook more
3) grocery shop more
4) cut out junk food
5) spend more $ on meals (because lean protein is more $$$)
6) pack a lunch
7) get up earlier
8) skip the chips and salsa
9) sweat

But look at it THIS way:
1) you make time for yourself...because you deserve it! So if you need to take an hour to go to the gym, or find someone to pick up your kids so you can attend a class or bootcamp, aren't you worth it?

2)ok, cooking more isn't always fun but it will save you money over going out to eat or buying processed food. In the long run it is in investment in yourself and your wallet because you aren't paying for someone else to do the work...AND you get control of every ingredient (and how much oil and salt) is in your food. Read my "Hungry Like a Wolf" blog for some tips on saving time in the kitchen and good recipes.

3)grocery shopping more can be a positive because you will be putting healthier food into your body (instead of eating out) and pushing that cart burns calories...so does lugging it into the house and putting it away.

4)no one needs to eat junk food...this one is easy...and yes, I do love me some Lays Potato chips but they leave me feeling bloated, greasy and full of salt...now I like to munch on veggies and fruit or healthy crackers (and before the divirticulitis, I ate nuts). No one EVER needs to eat a Twinkie...

5)lean protein will cost more to eat than the cheap stuff...so yes, salmon will cost you more than a chicken nugget but you get so many benefits from the GOOD foods you put in your body...on the other hand, chicken and turkey are CHEAP so you can go pretty far with them. The "Hungry" blog will give you more information on how to incorporate some good lean protein in a yummy way...

6)packing a lunch saves you money and calories...so if you work, plan for it and you will be better off in the long run...or go to Fit Food and bring that. The "Hungry" blog will give tips on great things to pack for lunch that will make you the envy of your co-workers...

7)getting up earlier to exercise IS a pain in the neck, and I HATE to do it, especially this "run/walk 30 minutes before eating" business Dimples has me doing...but it is working so I just drag my butt out of bed and do it...and I try to go to bed earlier...David Letterman isn't all that interesting anyway...

8)chips and salsa can equal almost as many calories as your dinner in a Mexican food place. It's not the salsa...it's the fried chips. Some places serve baked (just ask) or skip it...it won't hurt you...and tell them to just not bring the chips and you won't be tempted.

9)Sweat is beautiful. Jay-Vee and I are going to make t-shirts that say that. I'll let you know when we take orders. Sweat says you are working hard. I sweat buckets when I workout (poor Dimples...thank goodness he can handle it)...if you aren't breaking a sweat, you aren't trying...

Right there are some of the things that have helped me lose weight...I got over being grossed out by sweating buckets, I cook more, I have found a way to love salmon, I put myself as a priority in my life.

Today I got up at 6:30 and went for a run/walk and then followed that with Body Pump for an hour and an hour of spinning (thank goodness for the Amazing Katherine cheerleading me through all 7 minutes of "Money for Nothing" or I might have passed out on the bike!). I tried to do mat Pilates for a bit but I am still having trouble finding my love for it---but I'm not giving up! And since J'taime Jamie teaches it, I will keep trying it. It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning and I burned over 800 calories doing it.

I've become rather notorious at the gym as the formerly really fat chick...and that is ok...a few women have told me that I have inspired them...that is ok too...because they will go on and inspire someone else! I'm just paying it forward.

The sad thing is that we are getting ready to start a "Biggest Loser" challenge of our own and I so could have totally OWNED that contest...I would have been a big-time winner...

But you know what? That's ok that I have done the bulk of my loss before the challenge...it will motivate me to work even harder AND maybe what I have done will inspire someone who is as big as I was to realize that THEY can do it too...and THAT will make me a winner---if I get just one fat chick or guy to realize that she/he can lose 100 pounds without pills or surgery too.

Dimples wants me to take some photos as I progress. I told him I TAKE photos, not model for them...but he says it will motivate me and show me how positively I have progressed. I'll do it for him...but not because I want to. I might make Coach Cuteness take the photos for me so at least I have a shot at looking decent...Dimples wants me in gym clothes (really? now you KNOW how much I love him if I will do that) and Cuteness will have to be sure that he gets me at my best angle (which is me NOT being in the photo). I am a notoriously bad subject in pictures...I just don't photograph well...

Right now I have to say that it has been hard to do this but not as hard as I thought it would be. I've had a lot of help and support along the way. I still have some more weight to lose but I feel like someone who is looking at a road map and I see where I left from and I see my destination---my destination is getting closer and I am enjoying all the sights along the way...I'm in no hurry to rush by everything...slow and steady will get me there just the same.

It took me 10 months to lose the 100 pounds. Not bad...not bad at all...

So thank you friends, thank you Dimples, thank you JayVee, thank you J'taime Julie, thank you Fitness Goddess, thank you Spinderella, and thank you Fit Foods.

If you haven't read the "Hungry Like a Wolf" blog, read it for tips on what to cook and how I eat...just posted it.

Now if I can just get Oprah to read this blog and invite me on her show and give me the Vera Wang gown...I will be notorious for sure!

Inspiration Song: "Notorious" by Duran Duran. Because I am a bit notorious for being a loud mouth...

Bye Darlings...read the Hungry Like a Wolf blog if you haven't already...

Monday, June 7, 2010

Proper Education

So I met with the trainer today...

and...

well, it wasn't...AWFUL...

but this is me writing this 6 hours post-workout...I may feel very differently in another 6 hours or so when the pain kicks in...and my arms ache...and my legs feel like they want to fall off...but for now, I haven't needed Advil...

yet...

Actually, I am really happy I did it and am now sorry I didn't get on board with the weights sooner. And I wish I had gotten a trainer sooner too...

I think a trainer makes a huge difference...and I know that not everyone can afford to have a fitness nazi standing over you every time you work out. I know I can't afford it...but I look at it as an investment in myself and even if you only hire someone to get you set-up working with the weights and machines, you will have money well spent. I plan to work with her every week or two depending on what her schedule and mine permit. I'm looking at this as not a luxury but a necessity...

I think the biggest thing about hiring a trainer is finding someone who fits your needs and works out people the way you want to be handled. Fitness Goddess, my gal (remember, no real names here, unless she tells me it is ok and then I can throw all the business I can her way), is awesome! She has a client who is a friend of mine and she approached me one day as I was laboring away on the Precor machine. That small act of just coming up to me and telling me how proud she was of me got her the job.

The way she handled me today is why she will keep being my trainer...

positive motivation...

respect...

humor...

knowing my limits and my goals...

(If you are a member of the Houston Racquet Club and want her name I will send it to you...)

Once upon a time I lost a lot of weight and I hired the "cute young thing" at the gym to be my trainer. Poor kid...sometimes he knew when to be hard on me and other times he just gave up and let me have my way. Darling as he was, he was not what I needed. Fitness Goddess is what I need...she is the right person for the job.

I think I can handle it all...

except for the BOSU ball...

that thing is evil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you who do not know about this fabulous torture device, a BOSU ball is like a half of a big yoga ball...so it sits flat on the floor but you have to stand on the rounded part. I fell off more than once...in fact, I fell off several times. And when Fitness Goddess wanted me to do squats on it I laughed...and then I did the squats...but I kept falling off. And then Fitness Goddess wanted me to do squats and take a heavy ball and do figure eights between my legs with the ball while doing a squat.

FAIL

EPIC FAIL

I can't do that flat on the ground, much less while trying to balance on the ball thing. We went back to squats...

I do think I am going to get a BOSU ball for home. I think it will be marvelous for The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW----also known as my 12-year-old son). He can stand on it and play X-Box...I can video it...we can win money from the funny video show.

And then came the ab workout...

Let's see...first, we need a search party to FIND my abs...they have been missing for the better part of 7 years. I'm not sure I even still have them. I know that if a 6-pack is what I want, right now I have 2 cases sitting on me. This is going to take a lot of crunches before we even begin to see evidence of abdominal muscles.

So we sent out the search party...lo and behold, they (the abs) are there but buried behind layers of protection to keep them warm and hidden...its not like I meant to hide them behind a layer (several layers) of blubber, but...

Those long-dormant muscles are going to see the light of day one way or another...but I think I have a long way to go before I can do a crunch and see the fruits of my labor.

Once I finished at the gym I cleaned up and headed to my son's school to help my friend, God of the Theater (GOTT), and my other friend (Theater Tech God---TTG)with the theater camp they are doing. That is my usual "job" during the year---helping them...except I don't get paid for it. I've told the head of the school that if I am going to continue to work with my extra husband (GOTT's wife calls me his "school wife"), she will have to pay me once my son leaves St. Francis. I do it because I love watching children sing and act on the stage...even if it is not always good or pretty...and I love working with my friends because they inspire me and I learn so much. I do the costumes for the show and do my best to teach kids about the costumes and how and what we wear on stage to make our characters come to life. I love it...and I love GOTT and TTG...

Remember, I live on applause...

The Cutest Boy in the World is off at camp...he is learning all kinds of useful things (hunter safety, SCUBA, Cheetoh and Shaving Cream battles). It is very much a ride-a-horse-shoot-a-gun kind of camp. Somewhere up in heaven my father is smiling...especially because my son rides waaaaaaaaaay better than I did. I won an award at my camp for being the "Most Honorable Camper"...my father was more proud of the fact that I won the riflery award (and beat the boy's camp boys in a competition) and lead the horseback drill thing. I thought it was important to be nice, but my dad liked the fact that I could shoot a rifle at a targe while standing up and put the bullet through almost the same hole every time. So the ride-a-horse-shoot-a-gun thing is something I am familiar with. I want my son to win a "nice kid" award...I know he can ride and shoot...

I loved camp....loved, loved, loved it. V, my friend who made me start this blogging business was a camp friend. We spent many days at Friday Mountain Girls Camp enjoying friendship and fun. I would go back in a heartbeat. I found a camp for myself as an adult...it is called Lake Austin Spa. I can't get George to agree that my need for camp is as great as our son's...so I just dream about it. I really do believe that spa treatments and pilates class is what every big girl needs to have in her life...and if you can have those spa treatments while enjoying the beauty of the hill country and having a lovely room and bed all to yourself, well, THAT is just the bomb...

Ke$ha Barbie has headed out the door to a concert. She is basically wearing a blouse she calls a dress and enough eye makeup to confuse me as to whether she has a couple of black eyes or is copying a look from a bad photo shoot from America's Next Top Model. (Sigh)...I know God knew what He was doing when he gave me a daughter (because He followed it with a son so I wouldn't kill myself), but I do wish my mother was still here to help me survive this. I seem to recall a few bad days with some electric blue eyeshadow and purple eyeliner so I guess what goes around comes around...my mother would have reminded me about that...

So today has been all about a proper education...me with Fitness Goddess and kids learning things at camp...and my daughter will learn that wearing a tiny slip of fabric to a concert is not a good idea if you want to dance around and not attract the wrong kind of attention.

I found a song called "Proper Education" (Eric Prydz again) after Ke$ha Barbie got me hooked on the other song (Call on Me). This song is a mix of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall"...also awesome...and no soft-core porn aerobics video to go with it. Check it out...it will get you grooving to get your proper education....

My next blog will be all about Glee...I am a total Gleek and cannot get enough of that show...I even have a workout playlist (my playglist)of Glee music....awesome....

Bye Darlings