I have over 2800 songs in my iTunes library...not all of them are on my iPhone (iPod), but most of them are.
I like music...
I have all kinds of music:
Rock (classic mostly)
pop
alternative (mostly pop-alt)
Musicals/Broadway
movie soundtracks
a little country (but not much)
dance tracks
a few classical selections
some "old school" R&B (think Earth, Wind, & Fire)
I make a lot of playlists...I like to just start up the iPod and have a set of songs to listen to.
Ke$ha Barbie spends hours and hours making playlists and listening to music. She probably has 100 playlists.
Mine are not that extensive...
She gets her love of music from me. I got my love of music from both of my parents...but probably mostly from my father.
I started her music education early...including the whole episode I blogged about before when she thought a record album was a "big black cd".
Once she was singing a song...it was a Beyonce/Destiny's Child song...
Bootylicious
so there she is in the backseat of my suburban singing "Bootylicious" and saying how much she loves Beyonce (I do too...) and I hear the sample in the song of Stevie Nick's "Edge of 17".
She (Ke$ha Barbie) says she loves that Beyonce song...especially the "music part".
She was referring to the sample of "Edge of 17".
I literally pulled over and stopped the car.
Dug out a cd...
shoved it into the cd player
and reminded her that as great as Beyonce was...
Stevie was first.
And she did it better.
And then a few years later the Dixie Chicks sang "Landslide". I had to give her a lesson again that...
Stevie was first.
And did it better.
Ke$ha Barbie and I don't agree on all of our music...but we probably have about 30-40% of our libraries in common.
I taught her classic rock...Frampton, Eagles, Aerosmith, Led Zepplin, Fleetwood Mac.
She taught me: Muse, Julian Casablancas, Arcade Fire, Jimmy Eat World, Phoenix.
I played the Beatles for her. Took her (and The Cutest Boy in the World) to see "Beatles LOVE" at the Mirage in Las Vegas. She has almost all of Lennon/McCartney's songs on her iPod now...
We only disagree on who we like better...I'm on "Team Paul" and she is "John" all the way...
But we both agree that George Harrison was the cutest of them and the most soulful.
As to Ringo...
no real opinion there.
But he has some fun stuff too...
I always feel a little victory when I discover a song or band before her. Like today when I told her that I had already downloaded "Houdini" by Foster the People...she hadn't even heard it yet.
Yesssssssssssssss....
And I also feel a little victory when she says things like:
The Eagles really had great harmony
Steve Miller is awesome
Frampton was a guitar god
and she has enough sense to think that Justin Bieber is the lamest excuse for a pop star EVER and that the Jonas Brothers are a blemish on the music industry.
My blog
My Opinion
Of course I am a woman who shamelessly has Barry Manilow on her iPod and is happy about it.
And I have a helluva lot of disco too...not all of it "good" disco (I can hear you all saying "is there such a thing as GOOD disco?").
By "good" I mean: Bee Gees, KC & the Sunshine Band, and Donna Summer
and then you have the old school R&B stuff that was almost disco-like...Brothers Johnson (I challenge you NOT to dance when you hear "Stomp"), S.O.S. Band ("Take your Time, do it right), GAP Band, and some of the stuff that Earth, Wind and Fire did (September).
Ke$ha Barbie does not like ANY of that...but then again I hate Vampire Weekend and the Arctic Monkeys so I guess we are even.
I give music to JayVee, J'taime Jamie all the time...they indulge me and play my stuff during spin class. My latest obessions are with a mash-up of Teenage Dream (Katie Perry) and Get Outta My Way (Kylie) or the new Taio Cruz song (Higher). And JayVee always throws in some classic rock for us too...
I once said I would put some playlists on this blog...stuff to get you moving and grooving. I couldn't decide whether to go with a theme (like Disco or 80's) but settled on a good mix that hopefully most of you have on your iPod...I'll do some "theme" ones another day.
These are all good for cardio work...use the beat (rhythm)to set your pace. I won't use anything "scary" or too offbeat (so no Evanescence---although "Bring me to Life" is awesome to warm-up with---or anything too in to the alternative zone).
Warm-up:
"Genie in a Bottle" Christina Aguilera
"Speed of Sound" Coldplay
Go fast:
"September" Earth Wind & Fire
Hard Climb (high tension)
"Where You Going Now?" Damn Yankees
Interval (fast and slow):
"I'm Still Standing" Elton John
Steady pace...but quick:
"Train in Vain" Clash
"Ready to Start" Arcade Fire
Climb again:
"4 Minutes" Madonna
Interval:
"Raise your Glass" Pink
Steady but quick:
"Take it Off" or "We R who we R" Ke$ha\
"Viva la Vida" Coldplay
interval:
"Club Can't Handle Me" FloRida
"Thnks for the Mmrs" Fall Out Boy
Climb:
"Waiting for You" or "Kiss from a Rose" Seal
Quick:
"Teenage Dream" Katy Perry (try and find the Kylie mash-up)
"Panic Switch" Silversun Pickups
"Get Outta My Way" Kylie Minogue
interval:
"I just Want to Run" The Downtown Fiction
Cool Down:
"Drops of Jupiter" Train
So there are some ideas of some music for you to use whether you spin, walk, run, or do the elliptical or arc trainer.
I've got disco lists, pop-alt lists, classic rock, etc. so if you don't like what you see, send me a message and I'll find you something you like.
The main idea is to MOVE...and if you use a beat, you will move better.
Wouldn't you rather hear Train than the ladies on the View anyway? Turn off the tv and turn on your music and get moving...
Inspiration Song: "Pop Music" by M...Spinderella gave us a dose of it this morning and even though my glutes were screaming by the end of it, it was fun to spin to...
Bye Darlings...let the music play....
Showing posts with label elliptical machine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elliptical machine. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Friday, December 31, 2010
Days Go By
Goodbye 2010...Hello 2011!
Another year has gone but for me it has been a huge year of change...change for the better!
The days have flown by...
As I look back on the year, I have some very good memories that I will carry with me into the new year...
Last New Year's started off as I will this new year---celebrating with a quiet evening with some dear friends. Once upon a time I enjoyed a big spalshy party but now I prefer staying in the neighborhood and spending the evening having wine and dinner with people I truly love...and tonight I will get to do that, with the same people I did it with last year. THAT is a good thing...
Last February I saw my very beautiful daughter, Ke$ha Barbie, as a real grown-up girl as she took my breath away when she went to her Cotillion. She looked beautiful...
March changed my life. I went up those stairs with Precious and Adorable History teacher and realized that there was no good reason for me to spend my life getting winded as I walk up some stairs. When he asked me if I was ok, I knew that even though at that moment I wasn't...I would be...
March also brought me back to the gym...by the end of March I had decided that I needed to add exercise into the mix and so I stepped on the elliptical and pushed "go"...
In April I returned to my true love---spin class! Spinderella taught classes that reminded me that sweating on a bike was how I liked to do cardio. April also was when my son's class had Greek Festival and I had a blast helping Precious do it. The kids had fun and Precious and I survived...and I had more energy to do it since I had been working out for almost 6 weeks by then. And April is when I discovered "My Fit Foods" and I'm not tired of it yet...I love their food!
In May we presented Cinderella...and the lovely girl who was "Cinderella" in her beautiful blue gown took my breath away. Having to tell her I found a better dress than she did almost killed me because I hate making a 14 year old cry, but when a small child in the audience screamed out "Look! It's Cinderella!!!!" I burst into tears...it was a good, no make that GREAT show!
In June I stared this blog...what a difference it has made to me to be able to share my thoughts, frustrations, feelings, highs, lows, triumphs, tragedies, ups and downs, and ideas with you all. Thank you, V, for getting me to do this!
In June I also had a blast helping GOTT and TTG do a summer drama camp and I met Fitness Goddess at the gym and she showed me how to use the weight machines for a good workout. I missed The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW) while he was at camp but stayed busy with our camp, working out, and having fun in my pool. Oh, and it was Jane's birthday...Jane (you know, the best person in the world?!?!)...we had a blast...she has great friends to have fun with!
July---celebrating GOTT's birthday was a high point. Once again I was reminded that I absolutely cannot bowl to save my life. And once again I was reminded that GOTT can do anything...
I also got to share TCBITW's joy that he won a big award at camp and I was overjoyed to pick him up and see his adorable face again. July also brought a big goal to fruition...50 pounds lost. I also was hit with an attack of diverticulitis (ok, that is NOT a memory I will treasure). It's a lot easier to say "no" to movie theater popcorn (with all of it's fat and calories) since I know I could get very sick from it!
I also got to see the worlds best Sister-in-law and the cutest niece and nephew ever in July. I love my SIL...she is beautiful, sweet, and a great mommy. And I got to see my Aunt Gayle and my cousins...family is a treasure...
August...ah, August...school started again, football started again and I was down over 60 pounds. It was hot but I didn't mind. I loved having Precious walk right by me and then realizing it was ME because he didn't recognize me with the weight loss. And he wasn't the only teacher at the school that did that. LOVE THAT...I don't mind not being recognized because I look so much better!!!!! I also had a great time celebrating GOTESS' birthday and NOT singing karaoke with the rest of the musical theater people. I can't bowl, I can't sing...next year GOTT and GOTTESS need to have parties I am not a "fail" at!
September...it's almost a blur because it feels like all I did was photograph football games. I gifted myself with my new camera that month and Coach Sweetness has had his hands full trying to teach me how to use it properly. Oh, but I got another good gift in September---Coach Dimples! I started running his life (football-wise) at that point when I walked over and told him to quit moving the boys' backpacks and to go coach my son. I reminded him of that moment yesterday and he laughed and said he was glad I did it and barged into his life screaming and waving my arms at him to "Stop! Because I have minions to do that!". I'm glad I did it too...because now I have him helping me and he is EXCELLENT at it.
October---more football, Ke$ha Barbie's other Cotillion (and the supershort dress), and GOTT, TTG, me and the kids gave our audiences a great "Seussical" show. GOTT's Halloween party was a blast and I learned that maybe risking my blonde locks for one night of black hair was not a gamble I want to take again.
November brought another birthday for me...and I was glad to welcome it as a healthier and lighter person. TCBITW's football team went undefeated! I also started working out with Dimples because football season was over. I didn't want to start training with him until football was over because I needed him to love me as a team mom until then...and I needed to love him as a Coach...now I love him because I love him (he is a really good guy)...and because he is helping me to reshape my body and taking me to a new level of fitness. Oh, and I discovered my new obsession---Tasti D-Lite for a healthy treat that helps feed my need for something sweet. If you haven't gone yet, go and try it...try the peppermint sundae...yummy!
And now December is coming to a close. We had a nice quiet Christmas, I cooked a perfect turkey, I've worked out like mad and the scale hasn't moved but clothes are looser so I am letting it go as far as my frustration with the scale. My family is happy and healthy and I am blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.
It's been a year of many changes.
I drink more wine but gave up fries and cookies.
I've logged about 5000 minutes on the spin bike...yes, I did break out the calculator to try and figure it out and 5000 is just about right. That is 83.333 hours...
I've spent about 10,000 minutes doing other cardio...166.67 hours...about 4.5 per week...yes, that is about right...5 hours per week at cardio and another 1-2 hours at spin...I rarely take a day off. OCD, I know...and I am lumping my training time in there too...Basically I work out for at least an hour every day but some days I do 2 hours...again, it is the OCD...
And no, Oprah has not called to tell me she is featuring me on her show and getting Vera Wang to make me a dress...yet...
In the past I have found myself making resolutions on New Year's Eve that I know I won't keep. This year I will make ones I can keep...because I know what I CAN do. I'm not going to promise myself a dress size, but I will resolve to continue to be fit and healthy. I'm going to help others as I help myself. I'm going to de-clutter my house. I'm going to think about getting a teaching certificate (notice I said "think about" it because I need to see if I can do it...but I do resolve to give it thorough research and thought). I'm going to put up a Christmas tree next year and decorate my house for the holidays. I'm going to cook another perfect turkey. I'm going to get to the point of being able to burn 400 calories in a session with Dimples (it's harder than you think). I'm going to be able to run over a mile...maybe 2...
And at some point I am going to put on my Mama's dress and wear it to a party. And I know she will be proud of me...and I will be proud of me too...
I might just wear her charm bracelet too...and as it jangles on my wrist, it will be music...
Inspiration Song: "Days Go By" by that country hunk Keith Urban. Oooh la la...Nicole Kidman is a lucky girl...
Chorus...take these words to heart:
Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by
Happy New Year, Darlings! Look ahead to 2011...how can you change your life for the better? And how can you change someone else's?
Another year has gone but for me it has been a huge year of change...change for the better!
The days have flown by...
As I look back on the year, I have some very good memories that I will carry with me into the new year...
Last New Year's started off as I will this new year---celebrating with a quiet evening with some dear friends. Once upon a time I enjoyed a big spalshy party but now I prefer staying in the neighborhood and spending the evening having wine and dinner with people I truly love...and tonight I will get to do that, with the same people I did it with last year. THAT is a good thing...
Last February I saw my very beautiful daughter, Ke$ha Barbie, as a real grown-up girl as she took my breath away when she went to her Cotillion. She looked beautiful...
March changed my life. I went up those stairs with Precious and Adorable History teacher and realized that there was no good reason for me to spend my life getting winded as I walk up some stairs. When he asked me if I was ok, I knew that even though at that moment I wasn't...I would be...
March also brought me back to the gym...by the end of March I had decided that I needed to add exercise into the mix and so I stepped on the elliptical and pushed "go"...
In April I returned to my true love---spin class! Spinderella taught classes that reminded me that sweating on a bike was how I liked to do cardio. April also was when my son's class had Greek Festival and I had a blast helping Precious do it. The kids had fun and Precious and I survived...and I had more energy to do it since I had been working out for almost 6 weeks by then. And April is when I discovered "My Fit Foods" and I'm not tired of it yet...I love their food!
In May we presented Cinderella...and the lovely girl who was "Cinderella" in her beautiful blue gown took my breath away. Having to tell her I found a better dress than she did almost killed me because I hate making a 14 year old cry, but when a small child in the audience screamed out "Look! It's Cinderella!!!!" I burst into tears...it was a good, no make that GREAT show!
In June I stared this blog...what a difference it has made to me to be able to share my thoughts, frustrations, feelings, highs, lows, triumphs, tragedies, ups and downs, and ideas with you all. Thank you, V, for getting me to do this!
In June I also had a blast helping GOTT and TTG do a summer drama camp and I met Fitness Goddess at the gym and she showed me how to use the weight machines for a good workout. I missed The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW) while he was at camp but stayed busy with our camp, working out, and having fun in my pool. Oh, and it was Jane's birthday...Jane (you know, the best person in the world?!?!)...we had a blast...she has great friends to have fun with!
July---celebrating GOTT's birthday was a high point. Once again I was reminded that I absolutely cannot bowl to save my life. And once again I was reminded that GOTT can do anything...
I also got to share TCBITW's joy that he won a big award at camp and I was overjoyed to pick him up and see his adorable face again. July also brought a big goal to fruition...50 pounds lost. I also was hit with an attack of diverticulitis (ok, that is NOT a memory I will treasure). It's a lot easier to say "no" to movie theater popcorn (with all of it's fat and calories) since I know I could get very sick from it!
I also got to see the worlds best Sister-in-law and the cutest niece and nephew ever in July. I love my SIL...she is beautiful, sweet, and a great mommy. And I got to see my Aunt Gayle and my cousins...family is a treasure...
August...ah, August...school started again, football started again and I was down over 60 pounds. It was hot but I didn't mind. I loved having Precious walk right by me and then realizing it was ME because he didn't recognize me with the weight loss. And he wasn't the only teacher at the school that did that. LOVE THAT...I don't mind not being recognized because I look so much better!!!!! I also had a great time celebrating GOTESS' birthday and NOT singing karaoke with the rest of the musical theater people. I can't bowl, I can't sing...next year GOTT and GOTTESS need to have parties I am not a "fail" at!
September...it's almost a blur because it feels like all I did was photograph football games. I gifted myself with my new camera that month and Coach Sweetness has had his hands full trying to teach me how to use it properly. Oh, but I got another good gift in September---Coach Dimples! I started running his life (football-wise) at that point when I walked over and told him to quit moving the boys' backpacks and to go coach my son. I reminded him of that moment yesterday and he laughed and said he was glad I did it and barged into his life screaming and waving my arms at him to "Stop! Because I have minions to do that!". I'm glad I did it too...because now I have him helping me and he is EXCELLENT at it.
October---more football, Ke$ha Barbie's other Cotillion (and the supershort dress), and GOTT, TTG, me and the kids gave our audiences a great "Seussical" show. GOTT's Halloween party was a blast and I learned that maybe risking my blonde locks for one night of black hair was not a gamble I want to take again.
November brought another birthday for me...and I was glad to welcome it as a healthier and lighter person. TCBITW's football team went undefeated! I also started working out with Dimples because football season was over. I didn't want to start training with him until football was over because I needed him to love me as a team mom until then...and I needed to love him as a Coach...now I love him because I love him (he is a really good guy)...and because he is helping me to reshape my body and taking me to a new level of fitness. Oh, and I discovered my new obsession---Tasti D-Lite for a healthy treat that helps feed my need for something sweet. If you haven't gone yet, go and try it...try the peppermint sundae...yummy!
And now December is coming to a close. We had a nice quiet Christmas, I cooked a perfect turkey, I've worked out like mad and the scale hasn't moved but clothes are looser so I am letting it go as far as my frustration with the scale. My family is happy and healthy and I am blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life.
It's been a year of many changes.
I drink more wine but gave up fries and cookies.
I've logged about 5000 minutes on the spin bike...yes, I did break out the calculator to try and figure it out and 5000 is just about right. That is 83.333 hours...
I've spent about 10,000 minutes doing other cardio...166.67 hours...about 4.5 per week...yes, that is about right...5 hours per week at cardio and another 1-2 hours at spin...I rarely take a day off. OCD, I know...and I am lumping my training time in there too...Basically I work out for at least an hour every day but some days I do 2 hours...again, it is the OCD...
And no, Oprah has not called to tell me she is featuring me on her show and getting Vera Wang to make me a dress...yet...
In the past I have found myself making resolutions on New Year's Eve that I know I won't keep. This year I will make ones I can keep...because I know what I CAN do. I'm not going to promise myself a dress size, but I will resolve to continue to be fit and healthy. I'm going to help others as I help myself. I'm going to de-clutter my house. I'm going to think about getting a teaching certificate (notice I said "think about" it because I need to see if I can do it...but I do resolve to give it thorough research and thought). I'm going to put up a Christmas tree next year and decorate my house for the holidays. I'm going to cook another perfect turkey. I'm going to get to the point of being able to burn 400 calories in a session with Dimples (it's harder than you think). I'm going to be able to run over a mile...maybe 2...
And at some point I am going to put on my Mama's dress and wear it to a party. And I know she will be proud of me...and I will be proud of me too...
I might just wear her charm bracelet too...and as it jangles on my wrist, it will be music...
Inspiration Song: "Days Go By" by that country hunk Keith Urban. Oooh la la...Nicole Kidman is a lucky girl...
Chorus...take these words to heart:
Days go by
I can feel 'em flying
Like a hand out the window in the wind the cars go by
It's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by
Happy New Year, Darlings! Look ahead to 2011...how can you change your life for the better? And how can you change someone else's?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
All I Know
So 2010 is coming to a close...just one day left...
This, for me, has been a big year of change...change in my body, change in my health, change in my outlook, change in what I think I can do, change in what I KNOW I can do.
In the 10 months I have spent changing, I have learned a few things...and many are things I should have learned long ago.
So what have I learned?
I'll share it with you...not because I am some sort of health or weight-loss guru, but maybe there is something in what I have learned that you can use for your own life.
And I know a lot of us set resolutions this time of year, so this might just help one or two of you get there...
My body can do more than my mind thinks it can.
The first time I stepped on to the elliptical machine I thought there was no way I could last 10 minutes. But I shut my brain off and went for an hour. The first time I stepped back into a spin class I thought I would only make it for 15 minutes---I did the whole class. Again, it was not letting my brain tell me that I was done. Today when I didn't think I could run one more step pulling my trainer along, he told me I could do it and I did...he constantly tells me "mind over matter" but what he is REALLY saying is that I just need to let my body do what it can and not let my thinking get in the way. My body is far more capable than what I give it credit for.
Nothing tastes as good as thin...or healthy...
Today I wanted a cookie. I wanted ice cream. I wanted a lot of bad things. But then I remembered how hard I worked with Dimples and realized it wasn't worth it. Because as tasty as the cookie is, it wasn't worth 10 minutes of hard work with Dimples when I could eat an apple instead.
I honestly do not miss french fries and hamburgers and Cane's chicken but I do miss Fuzzy's pizza.
So if I cheat...I eat the Fuzzy's. Because I don't miss the other stuff and so why do it. Lesson to others: if there is a food you really love, cheat with that, have a love affair with that...don't cheat with a food that is a "fling"...if you don't love it, don't do it. I also cheat with Crave Cupcakes...I have had a 2-year relationship with their Strawberry cupcakes (and I cheat on the strawberry ones with the candy bar ones) so if I am offered one and I have been a good girl, I eat it. I've had exactly 3 in the last 10 months...not bad...not bad at all...
I love wine. I am not cheating with wine...and a few glasses a week will not hurt me and might even be good for me.
Just read my "Red Red Wine" blog...it says it all. Best 150 calories of my day sometimes...
You will work harder and more efficiently if you wear a heart monitor.
You can spend $50-$150 on one. Buy the one that fits your budget and wear it every time you work out. Dimples had me buy a "Polar" one. I like mine because it has a recording feature so I can record each session and it will keep track of how many minutes I have worked out and calories burned. It is particularly useful because I can show him (Dimples) what I have done when I am not working with him. It pushes me harder...and it makes him push me harder.
Don't believe the calorie's burned amounts on the machines at the gym.
They lie.
Wear a heart monitor. It doesn't lie.
One of the trainers at the Racquet Club pointed out to me that you can turn the treadmill on and it will start a calorie count even if you don't step on it...wow...
The only way to lose weight is to eat less and better quality food and exercise.
That's it. No magic pills. No "easy button". You just have to eat right and move your body.
It's simple math---you have to put in less calories and put out (burn) more calories.
And no, you can't go for a 45 minute walk and then eat a plate of enchiladas and expect to lose any weight.
If you put off going to the gym, you won't go...
I find that unless I plan and know I am going at a later time (like meeting Dimples at 2:30 or going to Body Pump at 6:00 pm), I could easily procrastinate myself out of a workout. If you don't work, drop the kids off and go straight to the gym or your workout. If you work, put your gym bag in your car and go straight there---if you go home you will be distracted and not go.
You have to figure out what kind of exercise you like so you will do it.
I hate to run...I am still trying to find my love for it. I told Dimples today that I didn't think I was ever going to like running and he said "ok, but it gets your heart rate up and we are only doing it for a few minutes" and that made it all better. Because I don't want to run for 45 minutes but I WILL SPIN for 45 minutes without argument. So you find what you like. Try different classes, try different machines. I don't like the treadmill but I DO like the Arc Trainer and the elliptical. I don't like Pilates but I DO like spin and Body Pump. I have friends who HATE Body Pump and love the machines at the club...I hate the weight machines and I hate doing them. Different strokes...
So find what you like and do that. Vary it up so you don't get bored. But if you hate the treadmill and that is all you do, you will never enjoy your workout. Try everything...think of the gym as a buffet and give it all a taste.
But you need to try something more than once...
Maybe what you didn't like about spin or Pilates was the instructor, not the class. There are spin instructors who I adore as people but can't stand their spin classes. And I love J'taime Jamie's Body Pump and Spin classes but Pilates I can take or leave...I only take it when she or JayVee teach and if I really feel like it. So if you take a class and don't enjoy it...try it at least one more time with a different instructor or different time of day (maybe doing Pilates in the afternoon won't work for you but in the morning you would enjoy the stretch).
I did not like the Arc Trainer the first time I tried it, but I kept after it and started with 10 minutes and added 5 minutes every few days and soon it became my one-hour cardio workout. I do the treadmill all the time and I still hate it...but I do it.
Vary your intensity if you are using a cardio machine.
Dimples has me change the incline and speed constantly on the treadmill. He told me to do the same with the othe machines. So mix it up...go hard and fast for a minute or two and then back off a bit. Keep your heartrate up and challenged.
If you read or watch tv while working out, you aren't working hard enough...
Wear your heart monitor...try 1/2 your workout reading your magazine or watching "The View" (although Joy Behar does get my heart and blood pressure going). Then turn it off or close the magazine/book/eReader and go at it. You will work harder without the distraction. Try it...more than once...see if I am right. If you can do all your workouts reading "People" or watching "The Today Show" and work as hard as you do without it, I will take you to lunch...but you have to do it more than once and use the heart monitor to prove it. I know I am right about this one...
The exception to that: music...
I know, I know...I am a music freak. I love my music. Heck, my blogs are all named for songs! But...whether you realize it or not, if you play music your body will want to move to the beat. You WILL speed up during faster songs. On the slow songs, put on all the tension you can (if you are on a cardio machine) and climb hard. If you are running or walking, try and go double time to the beat.
The other exception to that...video spin
Spinderella plays videos for us when we spin...but we don't listen to it, we listen to music and she gives us a good hard beat to ride to and tells us how fast and hard to go. So while we watch "Mamma Mia" we ride hard and fast to music the whole time. It works...
Get a trainer...
I know, I totally love my Dimples. He's awesome. I told him so today. But working out with him is fun and he told me today he has fun too. I am a handful so I guess he has to enjoy it or he would fire me as a client. But I don't just love and adore him because he is sweet and those dimples are more than a little cute (he is a pretty pretty man), I love and adore him because he is so good at keeping me moving and working and having fun while doing it. I had to try a few trainers before I found my fit...and he fits me. He might not be for everyone, but it totally works for me and my OCD and ADD. Watch the trainers at your gym while they work with clients...talk to them when they are not busy. Find a fit...do you want a gentle lamb or a drill sargeant? There is no right answer except that you find who works for you. This also applies to group exercise instructors (see above). I have my girls I love love love...and I take all their classes because I like their style and music choices and how they pace their classes.
So why hire a trainer? Because you WILL work harder. Or at least hire one a few times to get you started. But if you find a fit, you will WANT to work with your trainer. Do what your pocketbook will let you. For me, it is a priority so I give up other stuff to have my Dimples time. And he is sooooooooo worth it. Not just 'cause he's pretty to look at...but it doesn't hurt...But mostly it is because he works me harder than I do myself and he is making me stronger and healthier with each workout. Yes, I <3 my Dimples each time I put on a smaller top or someone says "you are really looking good"...just in the time I have worked with him my body has changed a lot even if my weight hasn't made a huge leap...but it will... Ice works.
If you hurt, apply ice. It helps. Sore muscles might keep you from working out...so I ice my sore muscles and it makes a difference. When I don't, I hurt.
Advil works.
Advil and wine work extra good...
Hot baths work.
Put in some epsom salts. Pour glass of wine and bring to tub with you (no glass glasses...be safe!). Soak. Repeat often...
Drink water.
Do I need to explain that one? I didn't think so...
Take a day off...but don't take a week off...
I have to talk myself into days off. Dimples has to order me to take days off. But you don't want your body to break down so you have to let it rest. But if you take too much time off, you get out of the habit...
Set Goals.
But don't set unrealistic goals. Dimples reminds me all the time that they pyramids were not built in a day so I can't expect all this to change overnight. So we take it slowly. I set small goals. I have a big goal but I focus on the little ones. So don't say "I will lose 10 pounds by February"...say "I will lose 10 pounds. I will lose 2-4 pounds in January and then the rest...".
Reward yourself.
Not with food. Reward yourself when you reach goals with GOOD things...a new outfit, a handbag, A massage or pedicure. A new haircut. Treat your body with the reward...make yourself look as good as you feel.
Wear comfortable clothes when you workout or train.
That means find some stuff that doesn't bind, itch, or ride up on you. If you aren't comfortable, you will be distracted.
Make yourself and your health a priority.
I ignored myself and my health for 5 years. I let myself go. I took care of everyone else but myself. Now I still take care of others (that is how I snagged Dimples and you all know how much I love working with the kids at the middle school...that is my passion), but I make time for myself. I am lucky, my job at the school is not a real job but something I volunteer to do so I can go in, do what I need to do and leave...and GOTT and TTG push me out the door when I tell them I have a spin class...they are uber supportive (lucky me!)and I know that I do better at helping them because I feel better.
YOU deserve to take time to make yourself feel better and healthy. Do it. Just do it.
Well, for now that is about all I know...well, not really, and I don't know all that much but these are some things I have learned along this road I am on.
And now my contacts are driving me nuts so I am going to end this blog and go take them out!!!!!!
Inspiration Song: "All I Know" by Art Garfunkel. Yes, Art Garfunkel. It is a beautiful song that I have always loved. He sings it beautifully...no one does it better. I love you and that's all I know...
Bye Darlings...let me know what you know...I love to share!
This, for me, has been a big year of change...change in my body, change in my health, change in my outlook, change in what I think I can do, change in what I KNOW I can do.
In the 10 months I have spent changing, I have learned a few things...and many are things I should have learned long ago.
So what have I learned?
I'll share it with you...not because I am some sort of health or weight-loss guru, but maybe there is something in what I have learned that you can use for your own life.
And I know a lot of us set resolutions this time of year, so this might just help one or two of you get there...
My body can do more than my mind thinks it can.
The first time I stepped on to the elliptical machine I thought there was no way I could last 10 minutes. But I shut my brain off and went for an hour. The first time I stepped back into a spin class I thought I would only make it for 15 minutes---I did the whole class. Again, it was not letting my brain tell me that I was done. Today when I didn't think I could run one more step pulling my trainer along, he told me I could do it and I did...he constantly tells me "mind over matter" but what he is REALLY saying is that I just need to let my body do what it can and not let my thinking get in the way. My body is far more capable than what I give it credit for.
Nothing tastes as good as thin...or healthy...
Today I wanted a cookie. I wanted ice cream. I wanted a lot of bad things. But then I remembered how hard I worked with Dimples and realized it wasn't worth it. Because as tasty as the cookie is, it wasn't worth 10 minutes of hard work with Dimples when I could eat an apple instead.
I honestly do not miss french fries and hamburgers and Cane's chicken but I do miss Fuzzy's pizza.
So if I cheat...I eat the Fuzzy's. Because I don't miss the other stuff and so why do it. Lesson to others: if there is a food you really love, cheat with that, have a love affair with that...don't cheat with a food that is a "fling"...if you don't love it, don't do it. I also cheat with Crave Cupcakes...I have had a 2-year relationship with their Strawberry cupcakes (and I cheat on the strawberry ones with the candy bar ones) so if I am offered one and I have been a good girl, I eat it. I've had exactly 3 in the last 10 months...not bad...not bad at all...
I love wine. I am not cheating with wine...and a few glasses a week will not hurt me and might even be good for me.
Just read my "Red Red Wine" blog...it says it all. Best 150 calories of my day sometimes...
You will work harder and more efficiently if you wear a heart monitor.
You can spend $50-$150 on one. Buy the one that fits your budget and wear it every time you work out. Dimples had me buy a "Polar" one. I like mine because it has a recording feature so I can record each session and it will keep track of how many minutes I have worked out and calories burned. It is particularly useful because I can show him (Dimples) what I have done when I am not working with him. It pushes me harder...and it makes him push me harder.
Don't believe the calorie's burned amounts on the machines at the gym.
They lie.
Wear a heart monitor. It doesn't lie.
One of the trainers at the Racquet Club pointed out to me that you can turn the treadmill on and it will start a calorie count even if you don't step on it...wow...
The only way to lose weight is to eat less and better quality food and exercise.
That's it. No magic pills. No "easy button". You just have to eat right and move your body.
It's simple math---you have to put in less calories and put out (burn) more calories.
And no, you can't go for a 45 minute walk and then eat a plate of enchiladas and expect to lose any weight.
If you put off going to the gym, you won't go...
I find that unless I plan and know I am going at a later time (like meeting Dimples at 2:30 or going to Body Pump at 6:00 pm), I could easily procrastinate myself out of a workout. If you don't work, drop the kids off and go straight to the gym or your workout. If you work, put your gym bag in your car and go straight there---if you go home you will be distracted and not go.
You have to figure out what kind of exercise you like so you will do it.
I hate to run...I am still trying to find my love for it. I told Dimples today that I didn't think I was ever going to like running and he said "ok, but it gets your heart rate up and we are only doing it for a few minutes" and that made it all better. Because I don't want to run for 45 minutes but I WILL SPIN for 45 minutes without argument. So you find what you like. Try different classes, try different machines. I don't like the treadmill but I DO like the Arc Trainer and the elliptical. I don't like Pilates but I DO like spin and Body Pump. I have friends who HATE Body Pump and love the machines at the club...I hate the weight machines and I hate doing them. Different strokes...
So find what you like and do that. Vary it up so you don't get bored. But if you hate the treadmill and that is all you do, you will never enjoy your workout. Try everything...think of the gym as a buffet and give it all a taste.
But you need to try something more than once...
Maybe what you didn't like about spin or Pilates was the instructor, not the class. There are spin instructors who I adore as people but can't stand their spin classes. And I love J'taime Jamie's Body Pump and Spin classes but Pilates I can take or leave...I only take it when she or JayVee teach and if I really feel like it. So if you take a class and don't enjoy it...try it at least one more time with a different instructor or different time of day (maybe doing Pilates in the afternoon won't work for you but in the morning you would enjoy the stretch).
I did not like the Arc Trainer the first time I tried it, but I kept after it and started with 10 minutes and added 5 minutes every few days and soon it became my one-hour cardio workout. I do the treadmill all the time and I still hate it...but I do it.
Vary your intensity if you are using a cardio machine.
Dimples has me change the incline and speed constantly on the treadmill. He told me to do the same with the othe machines. So mix it up...go hard and fast for a minute or two and then back off a bit. Keep your heartrate up and challenged.
If you read or watch tv while working out, you aren't working hard enough...
Wear your heart monitor...try 1/2 your workout reading your magazine or watching "The View" (although Joy Behar does get my heart and blood pressure going). Then turn it off or close the magazine/book/eReader and go at it. You will work harder without the distraction. Try it...more than once...see if I am right. If you can do all your workouts reading "People" or watching "The Today Show" and work as hard as you do without it, I will take you to lunch...but you have to do it more than once and use the heart monitor to prove it. I know I am right about this one...
The exception to that: music...
I know, I know...I am a music freak. I love my music. Heck, my blogs are all named for songs! But...whether you realize it or not, if you play music your body will want to move to the beat. You WILL speed up during faster songs. On the slow songs, put on all the tension you can (if you are on a cardio machine) and climb hard. If you are running or walking, try and go double time to the beat.
The other exception to that...video spin
Spinderella plays videos for us when we spin...but we don't listen to it, we listen to music and she gives us a good hard beat to ride to and tells us how fast and hard to go. So while we watch "Mamma Mia" we ride hard and fast to music the whole time. It works...
Get a trainer...
I know, I totally love my Dimples. He's awesome. I told him so today. But working out with him is fun and he told me today he has fun too. I am a handful so I guess he has to enjoy it or he would fire me as a client. But I don't just love and adore him because he is sweet and those dimples are more than a little cute (he is a pretty pretty man), I love and adore him because he is so good at keeping me moving and working and having fun while doing it. I had to try a few trainers before I found my fit...and he fits me. He might not be for everyone, but it totally works for me and my OCD and ADD. Watch the trainers at your gym while they work with clients...talk to them when they are not busy. Find a fit...do you want a gentle lamb or a drill sargeant? There is no right answer except that you find who works for you. This also applies to group exercise instructors (see above). I have my girls I love love love...and I take all their classes because I like their style and music choices and how they pace their classes.
So why hire a trainer? Because you WILL work harder. Or at least hire one a few times to get you started. But if you find a fit, you will WANT to work with your trainer. Do what your pocketbook will let you. For me, it is a priority so I give up other stuff to have my Dimples time. And he is sooooooooo worth it. Not just 'cause he's pretty to look at...but it doesn't hurt...But mostly it is because he works me harder than I do myself and he is making me stronger and healthier with each workout. Yes, I <3 my Dimples each time I put on a smaller top or someone says "you are really looking good"...just in the time I have worked with him my body has changed a lot even if my weight hasn't made a huge leap...but it will... Ice works.
If you hurt, apply ice. It helps. Sore muscles might keep you from working out...so I ice my sore muscles and it makes a difference. When I don't, I hurt.
Advil works.
Advil and wine work extra good...
Hot baths work.
Put in some epsom salts. Pour glass of wine and bring to tub with you (no glass glasses...be safe!). Soak. Repeat often...
Drink water.
Do I need to explain that one? I didn't think so...
Take a day off...but don't take a week off...
I have to talk myself into days off. Dimples has to order me to take days off. But you don't want your body to break down so you have to let it rest. But if you take too much time off, you get out of the habit...
Set Goals.
But don't set unrealistic goals. Dimples reminds me all the time that they pyramids were not built in a day so I can't expect all this to change overnight. So we take it slowly. I set small goals. I have a big goal but I focus on the little ones. So don't say "I will lose 10 pounds by February"...say "I will lose 10 pounds. I will lose 2-4 pounds in January and then the rest...".
Reward yourself.
Not with food. Reward yourself when you reach goals with GOOD things...a new outfit, a handbag, A massage or pedicure. A new haircut. Treat your body with the reward...make yourself look as good as you feel.
Wear comfortable clothes when you workout or train.
That means find some stuff that doesn't bind, itch, or ride up on you. If you aren't comfortable, you will be distracted.
Make yourself and your health a priority.
I ignored myself and my health for 5 years. I let myself go. I took care of everyone else but myself. Now I still take care of others (that is how I snagged Dimples and you all know how much I love working with the kids at the middle school...that is my passion), but I make time for myself. I am lucky, my job at the school is not a real job but something I volunteer to do so I can go in, do what I need to do and leave...and GOTT and TTG push me out the door when I tell them I have a spin class...they are uber supportive (lucky me!)and I know that I do better at helping them because I feel better.
YOU deserve to take time to make yourself feel better and healthy. Do it. Just do it.
Well, for now that is about all I know...well, not really, and I don't know all that much but these are some things I have learned along this road I am on.
And now my contacts are driving me nuts so I am going to end this blog and go take them out!!!!!!
Inspiration Song: "All I Know" by Art Garfunkel. Yes, Art Garfunkel. It is a beautiful song that I have always loved. He sings it beautifully...no one does it better. I love you and that's all I know...
Bye Darlings...let me know what you know...I love to share!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Call on Me
I've always secretly harbored an ambition to be a writer...I can fully see myself on Oprah's couch, chatting up with her about my latest book and why the world has changed for the better because of it. But that will never happen because I'm not a writer, but just a silly woman with silly thoughts and the closest I will get to Oprah is my suburban---because my kids call it "Oprah" since it is big and brown (not being racist here...I am far from it...but it is a lovely caramel color...maybe I should rename it "Beyonce"?).
But I've got some friends who seem to think that I need to write and put my stuff out there for someone to read. My friend K (not using names here until I know they are ok with it) has bugged me about this for years...and now my friend V has pushed me to it and even shared another blog with me to give me some inspiration.
I've written a couple of blogs before...but just for my son's lacrosse team parents. They were goofy blogs about lacrosse and how I do not understand the game. I might post them here if I can figure out how to do it...not my best work but it might amuse one or two of you (the one or two who will read this at all).
V wants me to share my "journey" to reclaiming my skinny self. She says it might inspire others...I don't think anyone will ever be inspired by me but maybe another "fluffy" girl will see herself in this and go to the gym. As much as I would love to look like Edyta from "Dancing with the Stars", I know that will never happen---but I can at least get myself to the point where I no longer look like one of the women pictured in a "fat chicks" greeting card and if writing about it can keep me on track, I will do it even if I am the only person who ever reads this (as I proofread what I have written).
K just wants me to write...and she swears she is going to make me do it...even offered me space in her office. I am lucky to have a friend like her...she is a great cheerleader (even if she was a twirler in school and didn't want to shake her pompoms) and she often gets me to do things I don't want to do. V has been a creative force in my life since we were 10 years old at camp together...so her wanting me to do something creative and telling me she thinks I am good at it is an honor. After all, this is a chick who once decided we needed striped tights before heading out to the club and grabbed a magic marker and drew the stripes on our tights (albeit with our legs in the tights so we were striped for a while)...you have to love someone with that kind of inspiration and energy...
so V and K...this is for you...
I've struggled with my weight for all of my adult life. My teen years I didn't have to worry about what I ate because I was always active and had a good, cute figure. Then college came along and I did have to start going to aerobics so I could continue to drink beer and eat Taco Bell taco salads (with the shell) while I watched Dynasty.
Let's re-visit aerobics classes in the 80's shall we?
I spent hours in college and after college sweating to death while bouncing about like a crazy grasshopper to fabulous tunes like "Mickey" and "Rhythm Nation" all while wearing a leotard...with a belt...and amazing shiny tights or bike shorts...and a coordinating sports bra and leg warmer socks. Let's not forget a face full of makeup (because the gay instructor just might turn out to NOT be gay and if he was gay he was always sweet with the compliments telling you how great you looked) and giant earrings. And a high ponytail perched on top of my head so that everyone could see just how hard I was bouncing.
I had forgotten all about what a fashion statement I was and how incredible the workouts were (donkey kicks, really?) until my daughter, Ke$ha Barbie, told me about a great song (let me quickly explain the name "Ke$ha Barbie"...I won't use real names in this blog---and she would be moritified if I publicly put her name out there---so I call her this because she looks like a cross between that pop singer Ke$ha and Barbie---and sadly behaves more like Ke$ha than Barbie in her Dreamhouse). So anyway KB (Ke$ha Barbie) tells me that I need to download a song from her iTunes library (I'm cool like that , I have my own iTunes library and am savvy enough to know how to SHARE the libraries we have...end of my tech abilities).
The song is "Call on Me" by Eric Prydz. I quickly became obsessed with all 7 1/2 minutes of it and its driving beat and sample of "Valerie" by Steve Winwood...in fact that is all it is...Steve Winwood singing "Call on me" over and over with a driving disco beat. But the song is the bomb and it gets me going on the elliptical machine at the gym. I see there is a video for the song...she (KB) asks me if I have seen it...I look it up on You Tube...
OMG...
OMG...
OMG...
You have to watch this video to believe it...it looks like an aerobic class circa 1987 (even though the video was made in 2009)...but never in my best years did I look like the girls in the video...it is almost soft-core porn...men love it...for me it just brought back memories of Body Rock Houston and headbands...
Here is the link...peek if you dare...DON'T read the comments underneath because they are crude...but the video is pretty awesome if you are old enough to remember what group exercise class was before spinning, core classes and pilates took over:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fCqg92qks
if you can't get it to load, go to You Tube and search "Eric Prydz Call on Me" and look for the picture of the girl's backside...after watching the video go to iTunes and download the song...you will run, cycle, or burn on the elliptical machine like no one's business...and you can pray you might look a little like the girls in the video if you find a genie in a bottle to grant you a wish or two...
So my inner skinny girl woke up from hibernation in early March and she wants her body back. When I started this I was giving serious consideration to applying to "The Biggest Loser" show but couldn't imagine leaving my children for that long...even if it meant I could lose 100 pounds in no time at all. I still look like a Biggest Loser "before" photo but I have dropped enough weight to need smaller shorts and things are looking and fitting better.
I just have a way to go...
a long way to go...
a very long way to go...
but right now the skinny girl is winning the battle with the fat chick...I hope she (the skinny girl) wins...she has better clothes...
I go the gym daily, eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day (healthy food) and as much as I would like Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper yelling at me to keep going, I am going to try and do this myself and not embarrass myself on national television (nothing against the incredible people who do go on the show...they are my inspiration and I am floored by their willingness to do so...but I just can't).
So tomorrow I have my first meeting with my trainer...I found a gal at the gym who I can relate to and who seems a good match for me...I'm going to let her go all fitness nazi on me and help me with my strength training so that I'm not just living on the elliptical machine trying to lose a whole person by next summer.
I've done this before...just not this much weight...and I hope I never have to again...sometime I'll tell you how I got here (fat chick status, not blogging...that you read above). I'll write again tomorrow or the next day to express how thoroughly mortifying and horrible doing squats was for the first time in 6 years...
The last thing I will leave you with is why I named this blog "Shrinking Violet".
I didn't actually name it...V suggested it as a good blog name and I gave it some thought and decided it was perfect. I am, in fact, shrinking... and purple is my favorite color (all shades of purple)...but I decided that there was really more to the name when I googled "shrinking violet" and saw this (courtesy of thefreedictionary.com):
shrink•ing violet (shr ng k ng)
n. Informal
A shy or retiring person.
anyone who knows me knows I am the OPPOSITE...I am anything but shy or retiring! So I like the play on words (about my weight) and my favorite color but I mostly enjoy that since I am more of a SHRIEKING Violet that for once I can be described as...shy...
because, borrowing a line from my favorite tv show "Glee"---
I am Tinkerbell, I need applause to live!
so there you have it...
Bye darlings...
But I've got some friends who seem to think that I need to write and put my stuff out there for someone to read. My friend K (not using names here until I know they are ok with it) has bugged me about this for years...and now my friend V has pushed me to it and even shared another blog with me to give me some inspiration.
I've written a couple of blogs before...but just for my son's lacrosse team parents. They were goofy blogs about lacrosse and how I do not understand the game. I might post them here if I can figure out how to do it...not my best work but it might amuse one or two of you (the one or two who will read this at all).
V wants me to share my "journey" to reclaiming my skinny self. She says it might inspire others...I don't think anyone will ever be inspired by me but maybe another "fluffy" girl will see herself in this and go to the gym. As much as I would love to look like Edyta from "Dancing with the Stars", I know that will never happen---but I can at least get myself to the point where I no longer look like one of the women pictured in a "fat chicks" greeting card and if writing about it can keep me on track, I will do it even if I am the only person who ever reads this (as I proofread what I have written).
K just wants me to write...and she swears she is going to make me do it...even offered me space in her office. I am lucky to have a friend like her...she is a great cheerleader (even if she was a twirler in school and didn't want to shake her pompoms) and she often gets me to do things I don't want to do. V has been a creative force in my life since we were 10 years old at camp together...so her wanting me to do something creative and telling me she thinks I am good at it is an honor. After all, this is a chick who once decided we needed striped tights before heading out to the club and grabbed a magic marker and drew the stripes on our tights (albeit with our legs in the tights so we were striped for a while)...you have to love someone with that kind of inspiration and energy...
so V and K...this is for you...
I've struggled with my weight for all of my adult life. My teen years I didn't have to worry about what I ate because I was always active and had a good, cute figure. Then college came along and I did have to start going to aerobics so I could continue to drink beer and eat Taco Bell taco salads (with the shell) while I watched Dynasty.
Let's re-visit aerobics classes in the 80's shall we?
I spent hours in college and after college sweating to death while bouncing about like a crazy grasshopper to fabulous tunes like "Mickey" and "Rhythm Nation" all while wearing a leotard...with a belt...and amazing shiny tights or bike shorts...and a coordinating sports bra and leg warmer socks. Let's not forget a face full of makeup (because the gay instructor just might turn out to NOT be gay and if he was gay he was always sweet with the compliments telling you how great you looked) and giant earrings. And a high ponytail perched on top of my head so that everyone could see just how hard I was bouncing.
I had forgotten all about what a fashion statement I was and how incredible the workouts were (donkey kicks, really?) until my daughter, Ke$ha Barbie, told me about a great song (let me quickly explain the name "Ke$ha Barbie"...I won't use real names in this blog---and she would be moritified if I publicly put her name out there---so I call her this because she looks like a cross between that pop singer Ke$ha and Barbie---and sadly behaves more like Ke$ha than Barbie in her Dreamhouse). So anyway KB (Ke$ha Barbie) tells me that I need to download a song from her iTunes library (I'm cool like that , I have my own iTunes library and am savvy enough to know how to SHARE the libraries we have...end of my tech abilities).
The song is "Call on Me" by Eric Prydz. I quickly became obsessed with all 7 1/2 minutes of it and its driving beat and sample of "Valerie" by Steve Winwood...in fact that is all it is...Steve Winwood singing "Call on me" over and over with a driving disco beat. But the song is the bomb and it gets me going on the elliptical machine at the gym. I see there is a video for the song...she (KB) asks me if I have seen it...I look it up on You Tube...
OMG...
OMG...
OMG...
You have to watch this video to believe it...it looks like an aerobic class circa 1987 (even though the video was made in 2009)...but never in my best years did I look like the girls in the video...it is almost soft-core porn...men love it...for me it just brought back memories of Body Rock Houston and headbands...
Here is the link...peek if you dare...DON'T read the comments underneath because they are crude...but the video is pretty awesome if you are old enough to remember what group exercise class was before spinning, core classes and pilates took over:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_fCqg92qks
if you can't get it to load, go to You Tube and search "Eric Prydz Call on Me" and look for the picture of the girl's backside...after watching the video go to iTunes and download the song...you will run, cycle, or burn on the elliptical machine like no one's business...and you can pray you might look a little like the girls in the video if you find a genie in a bottle to grant you a wish or two...
So my inner skinny girl woke up from hibernation in early March and she wants her body back. When I started this I was giving serious consideration to applying to "The Biggest Loser" show but couldn't imagine leaving my children for that long...even if it meant I could lose 100 pounds in no time at all. I still look like a Biggest Loser "before" photo but I have dropped enough weight to need smaller shorts and things are looking and fitting better.
I just have a way to go...
a long way to go...
a very long way to go...
but right now the skinny girl is winning the battle with the fat chick...I hope she (the skinny girl) wins...she has better clothes...
I go the gym daily, eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day (healthy food) and as much as I would like Jillian Michaels or Bob Harper yelling at me to keep going, I am going to try and do this myself and not embarrass myself on national television (nothing against the incredible people who do go on the show...they are my inspiration and I am floored by their willingness to do so...but I just can't).
So tomorrow I have my first meeting with my trainer...I found a gal at the gym who I can relate to and who seems a good match for me...I'm going to let her go all fitness nazi on me and help me with my strength training so that I'm not just living on the elliptical machine trying to lose a whole person by next summer.
I've done this before...just not this much weight...and I hope I never have to again...sometime I'll tell you how I got here (fat chick status, not blogging...that you read above). I'll write again tomorrow or the next day to express how thoroughly mortifying and horrible doing squats was for the first time in 6 years...
The last thing I will leave you with is why I named this blog "Shrinking Violet".
I didn't actually name it...V suggested it as a good blog name and I gave it some thought and decided it was perfect. I am, in fact, shrinking... and purple is my favorite color (all shades of purple)...but I decided that there was really more to the name when I googled "shrinking violet" and saw this (courtesy of thefreedictionary.com):
shrink•ing violet (shr ng k ng)
n. Informal
A shy or retiring person.
anyone who knows me knows I am the OPPOSITE...I am anything but shy or retiring! So I like the play on words (about my weight) and my favorite color but I mostly enjoy that since I am more of a SHRIEKING Violet that for once I can be described as...shy...
because, borrowing a line from my favorite tv show "Glee"---
I am Tinkerbell, I need applause to live!
so there you have it...
Bye darlings...
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