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!
Showing posts with label excercise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label excercise. Show all posts
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Singing in the Rain/Umbrella
Today it was wet...very wet...lotsa rain...
So when I got up this morning I knew my workout was going to be vastly altered...and it started with my feet hitting the ground.
Because Dimples has a new plan for me...
You see, the scale is stuck...on an ugly number...and not in the range I want to be in.
That stupid scale has been stuck for almost 2 weeks...no budging in the weight, in fact...
It. Has. Gone. Up.
ARGH.............
I've been good as gold.
Really...
Honestly...
Cross my heart!
I've worked out every day...at least some form of cardio for a minimum of 45 minutes every day. Strength training every other day or so.
Good Girl...
But the scale...
Bad Scale!
So after massive pouting from me about it since Christmas, my sweet Dimples has given it some thought and research and he is determined to get it moving for me again.
So new plan...
Phase 1 is an early morning walk. 30 minutes.
Here is the kicker: I do it BEFORE I eat.
I've seen some research (and obviously, so has he) that indicates that it can help to exercise in a fasting state.
Now I can't do a spin class or body pump like that, but I most certainly can take a little 30 minute walk. So we are going to see if that does something to amp up my metabolism.
Because there really isn't any reason I am not losing weight. I am buring more calories than I am taking in and I am taking in ample calories but not too many.
I so fear he will make me give up wine...but I am almost, just almost, to the point of saying "ok" if it means that darn scale will start on a downward descent again.
So my feet hit the ground this morning, I threw on some "walking" clothes and strapped on the heart monitor, grabbed the iPod and hit "go" and went for a walk.
It was sprinkling a bit...sort of "spitting" on my when I left the house.
28 minutes into the walk it really started to rain and I was at least 15 minutes from my house. By then I was already wet so I figured I would just try and keep the iPhone (iPod) dry and finish it out.
When I got home my son handed me a towel and said "wow, you are wet"...and I was a bit cold, but not suffering.
Round 2 was a workout with Dimples.
But "our" park was flooded...so we had to improvise. Lucky for me, my son's school has an outdoor gym/basketball court/activity center so we went there and Dimples got creative and got me moving.
The rain was pounding on the tin roof as it beat down.
Lightning...there was lightning...and I was afraid it was going to hit a tree nearby and make it fall on the building.
The thunder crashed.
I almost ducked under one of the picnic tables after one particularly loud crash.
Me no likey thunder...
But despite the rain and the wet, I had an awesome workout...hit a new high on my calorie burn and kept Dimples smiling the whole time.
Normally on days like today I would have much preferred to hunker down at home, light a fire, and curl up with my cats...but curling up with Angel, Zulu, and Seringa (my kitties) isn't going to get that scale bar to slide down so since Dimples was willing to risk needing an ark to get home, I did my workout.
So there we were, singing, or rather working out, in the rain...but at least we were under cover.
When I got home---wet, sore, and tired---I cleaned up and headed to my aunt's house for some family time. I did obsessively watch the culvert in my side yard as it was full of water and the rain was coming down hard. In the past we have flooded (the house) with hard rains when the water doesn't run off quickly...and it all drains from the houses behind us towards our house and into the culvert...
While we were all visiting I was reminded of a story about my sister and her little "singing in the rain" episode. This is a GOOD story...and my friend CandyCane will know it well since she was there...
One year for our dance recital, my sister N had 2 costumes (I think we all did, but I remember hers in particular). She had a green satin leotard with a Christmas tree on it (I think it had a pull-on tutu) and she also had this very strange top that was basically Christmas tree icicles hanging from a choker at her neck. I believe she also danced with an umbrella for some sort of singing in the rain number in the icicle costume (I guess it was supposed to look like rain falling?)
So backstage the moms are helping everyone into their cotumes. My mother is helping N get into the icicle thing. She has on her tights and the icicle thing...but nothing underneath. My mom forgot to have her put on her leotard underneath.
There poor N went...in nothing but the pink ballet tights and the icicle thing...and once she spread her arms to dance with the umbrella...well, she went from rated "G" to "PG-13" pretty quickly. We all got a good look at her.
Thank goodness she was only about 8...
But she was mortified and I was mortified for her. And thankfully she had her green satin leotard on underneath for the real recital.
Recitals seemed to be a thing of mortification only amplified by my poor mother.
One year she gave us such rosy cheeks with the blush that we looked like we were sunburned. Our hair was always a little TOO plastered back. We always had on more blue eyeshadow than Tim Curry sported as "Frankenfurter" in "Rocky Horror Picture Show".
But the ultimate mortification...icicle costume notwithstanding...was the year my mother
DANCED IN MY JAZZ DANCE NUMBER IN THE RECITAL!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you read that right...she danced alongside us in our number.
There we were...13 year olds...and one 33 year old woman who thought she belonged there.
You got to give it to her...that took some brass cahones to do that...or blind ignorance.
I prayed up until the moment we went out on stage that she would change her mind and not do it. The teacher even secretly choreographed it so that she would not be missed.
But no....
My mother got out there in her one-armed bodysuit costume and danced that stupid jazz number with us. I think that costume had icicle things hanging from one shoulder too...the better to fan our arms out from underneath...they just stuck to us...
I need to remind my children that I have yet to mortify them to that extent. I stay IN THE WINGS AND BEHIND THE STAGE during productions. I've only ever hit the stage during rehearsal and that was to yell to GOTT in the booth. And this last show I did play a joke on him and came out with the feather fans (they were "wings") when one of the "Bird Girls" was out sick for rehearsal. GOTT loved it and then wondered if I could remeber the whole dance (hell no).
OK, enough amusement for tonight...as I sit here and type this I am still laughing at my poor sister in that costume and the look on her face when she realized she should have another part of her costume on.
I'm off to bed...tomorrow I have to walk before breakfast and then spin with J'taime Jamie and then see Dimples and maybe I'll see that bar on the scale slide down for the new year.
It sure would be nice to start off 2011 with a number that starts with a "1" since this is a year of ones...
I'll let you know if the "fasting walk" is doing anything for me...and hopefully tomorrow I can do it dry.
But if not, I'll just put on a jacket and go...I learned a long time ago that I won't melt because 1)I'm not made of sugar, and 2)I'm not a witch (like the Wicked Witch of the West).
Now I have promised you more recipes...so here is a good one for a rainy day...
Roasted Veggies
I find that almost any vegetable will taste better when roasted and it is so easy to do...do a large batch and re-heat if necessary...
Veggies to try:
asparagus (just trim off the tough ends)
butternut squash (peel and cube 1")
brussel sprouts (cut in half or quarter if large, leave whole if small)
sweet potatos (leave skins on after washing well, cube 1")
cauliflower (cut up into similar sized chunks)
tomatoes (the small grape or cherry ones...leave whole)
bell peppers (I like them cut into strips)
carrots (whole "baby" ones or cut into similar sized chunks)
parsnips (these are yummy! look like albino carrots...try them!)
I have not tried to roast turnips but plan to try...I love roasted beets but they get handled differently so I will do that recipe another time.
OK, so once you have your veggies washed, trimmed, and cut up (and yes, you can mix them up...just remember that some will cook a little faster than others), put them in a foil-lined pan. Pour a little olive oil over the veggies and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt. You can add other herbs if you like (thyme, rosemary) but plain old sea salt works great. Sometimes I add pepper.
Put into a pre-heated 450 degree oven, uncovered, and cook until the veggies are soft and done.
That is all there is to it. And I promise you, even veggies you don't think you like, you will like this way.
Inspiration Song: "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" mash-up from the Glee cast...sung mostly by Matthew Morrison and Gwyeneth Paltrow...yes, the Gwyeneth Paltrow...
Bye Darlings...stay dry!
So when I got up this morning I knew my workout was going to be vastly altered...and it started with my feet hitting the ground.
Because Dimples has a new plan for me...
You see, the scale is stuck...on an ugly number...and not in the range I want to be in.
That stupid scale has been stuck for almost 2 weeks...no budging in the weight, in fact...
It. Has. Gone. Up.
ARGH.............
I've been good as gold.
Really...
Honestly...
Cross my heart!
I've worked out every day...at least some form of cardio for a minimum of 45 minutes every day. Strength training every other day or so.
Good Girl...
But the scale...
Bad Scale!
So after massive pouting from me about it since Christmas, my sweet Dimples has given it some thought and research and he is determined to get it moving for me again.
So new plan...
Phase 1 is an early morning walk. 30 minutes.
Here is the kicker: I do it BEFORE I eat.
I've seen some research (and obviously, so has he) that indicates that it can help to exercise in a fasting state.
Now I can't do a spin class or body pump like that, but I most certainly can take a little 30 minute walk. So we are going to see if that does something to amp up my metabolism.
Because there really isn't any reason I am not losing weight. I am buring more calories than I am taking in and I am taking in ample calories but not too many.
I so fear he will make me give up wine...but I am almost, just almost, to the point of saying "ok" if it means that darn scale will start on a downward descent again.
So my feet hit the ground this morning, I threw on some "walking" clothes and strapped on the heart monitor, grabbed the iPod and hit "go" and went for a walk.
It was sprinkling a bit...sort of "spitting" on my when I left the house.
28 minutes into the walk it really started to rain and I was at least 15 minutes from my house. By then I was already wet so I figured I would just try and keep the iPhone (iPod) dry and finish it out.
When I got home my son handed me a towel and said "wow, you are wet"...and I was a bit cold, but not suffering.
Round 2 was a workout with Dimples.
But "our" park was flooded...so we had to improvise. Lucky for me, my son's school has an outdoor gym/basketball court/activity center so we went there and Dimples got creative and got me moving.
The rain was pounding on the tin roof as it beat down.
Lightning...there was lightning...and I was afraid it was going to hit a tree nearby and make it fall on the building.
The thunder crashed.
I almost ducked under one of the picnic tables after one particularly loud crash.
Me no likey thunder...
But despite the rain and the wet, I had an awesome workout...hit a new high on my calorie burn and kept Dimples smiling the whole time.
Normally on days like today I would have much preferred to hunker down at home, light a fire, and curl up with my cats...but curling up with Angel, Zulu, and Seringa (my kitties) isn't going to get that scale bar to slide down so since Dimples was willing to risk needing an ark to get home, I did my workout.
So there we were, singing, or rather working out, in the rain...but at least we were under cover.
When I got home---wet, sore, and tired---I cleaned up and headed to my aunt's house for some family time. I did obsessively watch the culvert in my side yard as it was full of water and the rain was coming down hard. In the past we have flooded (the house) with hard rains when the water doesn't run off quickly...and it all drains from the houses behind us towards our house and into the culvert...
While we were all visiting I was reminded of a story about my sister and her little "singing in the rain" episode. This is a GOOD story...and my friend CandyCane will know it well since she was there...
One year for our dance recital, my sister N had 2 costumes (I think we all did, but I remember hers in particular). She had a green satin leotard with a Christmas tree on it (I think it had a pull-on tutu) and she also had this very strange top that was basically Christmas tree icicles hanging from a choker at her neck. I believe she also danced with an umbrella for some sort of singing in the rain number in the icicle costume (I guess it was supposed to look like rain falling?)
So backstage the moms are helping everyone into their cotumes. My mother is helping N get into the icicle thing. She has on her tights and the icicle thing...but nothing underneath. My mom forgot to have her put on her leotard underneath.
There poor N went...in nothing but the pink ballet tights and the icicle thing...and once she spread her arms to dance with the umbrella...well, she went from rated "G" to "PG-13" pretty quickly. We all got a good look at her.
Thank goodness she was only about 8...
But she was mortified and I was mortified for her. And thankfully she had her green satin leotard on underneath for the real recital.
Recitals seemed to be a thing of mortification only amplified by my poor mother.
One year she gave us such rosy cheeks with the blush that we looked like we were sunburned. Our hair was always a little TOO plastered back. We always had on more blue eyeshadow than Tim Curry sported as "Frankenfurter" in "Rocky Horror Picture Show".
But the ultimate mortification...icicle costume notwithstanding...was the year my mother
DANCED IN MY JAZZ DANCE NUMBER IN THE RECITAL!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, you read that right...she danced alongside us in our number.
There we were...13 year olds...and one 33 year old woman who thought she belonged there.
You got to give it to her...that took some brass cahones to do that...or blind ignorance.
I prayed up until the moment we went out on stage that she would change her mind and not do it. The teacher even secretly choreographed it so that she would not be missed.
But no....
My mother got out there in her one-armed bodysuit costume and danced that stupid jazz number with us. I think that costume had icicle things hanging from one shoulder too...the better to fan our arms out from underneath...they just stuck to us...
I need to remind my children that I have yet to mortify them to that extent. I stay IN THE WINGS AND BEHIND THE STAGE during productions. I've only ever hit the stage during rehearsal and that was to yell to GOTT in the booth. And this last show I did play a joke on him and came out with the feather fans (they were "wings") when one of the "Bird Girls" was out sick for rehearsal. GOTT loved it and then wondered if I could remeber the whole dance (hell no).
OK, enough amusement for tonight...as I sit here and type this I am still laughing at my poor sister in that costume and the look on her face when she realized she should have another part of her costume on.
I'm off to bed...tomorrow I have to walk before breakfast and then spin with J'taime Jamie and then see Dimples and maybe I'll see that bar on the scale slide down for the new year.
It sure would be nice to start off 2011 with a number that starts with a "1" since this is a year of ones...
I'll let you know if the "fasting walk" is doing anything for me...and hopefully tomorrow I can do it dry.
But if not, I'll just put on a jacket and go...I learned a long time ago that I won't melt because 1)I'm not made of sugar, and 2)I'm not a witch (like the Wicked Witch of the West).
Now I have promised you more recipes...so here is a good one for a rainy day...
Roasted Veggies
I find that almost any vegetable will taste better when roasted and it is so easy to do...do a large batch and re-heat if necessary...
Veggies to try:
asparagus (just trim off the tough ends)
butternut squash (peel and cube 1")
brussel sprouts (cut in half or quarter if large, leave whole if small)
sweet potatos (leave skins on after washing well, cube 1")
cauliflower (cut up into similar sized chunks)
tomatoes (the small grape or cherry ones...leave whole)
bell peppers (I like them cut into strips)
carrots (whole "baby" ones or cut into similar sized chunks)
parsnips (these are yummy! look like albino carrots...try them!)
I have not tried to roast turnips but plan to try...I love roasted beets but they get handled differently so I will do that recipe another time.
OK, so once you have your veggies washed, trimmed, and cut up (and yes, you can mix them up...just remember that some will cook a little faster than others), put them in a foil-lined pan. Pour a little olive oil over the veggies and toss to coat. Sprinkle with sea salt. You can add other herbs if you like (thyme, rosemary) but plain old sea salt works great. Sometimes I add pepper.
Put into a pre-heated 450 degree oven, uncovered, and cook until the veggies are soft and done.
That is all there is to it. And I promise you, even veggies you don't think you like, you will like this way.
Inspiration Song: "Singing in the Rain/Umbrella" mash-up from the Glee cast...sung mostly by Matthew Morrison and Gwyeneth Paltrow...yes, the Gwyeneth Paltrow...
Bye Darlings...stay dry!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Show Me the Way
It is about to be "happy time" in my house. Mid-term finals are almost done.
For the last few days the black cloud of gloom and doom has hung over our house as my kids have been forced to study math, science, Spanish, English, and history.
Yesterday The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW)was studying for history. Bacchus, my wine god, is his teacher. Bacchus made a podcast and put it on his webpage for the kids to use as a study guide.
I was sitting across the house and suddenly I hear the booming voice of Bacchus, coming across the house like God himself talking to me...I hear this rambling stream of thought stuff as he lectures/informs the kids, via the podcast, what they need to know about the final.
It was pretty cool...even if it meant I had to hear Bacchus talking for like 10 minutes...
But then again, he likes to talk...a lot...
He likes to hear his own voice and fully admits to it.
He likes to talk...more...than...me...
That's saying a lot...
But what struck me, as I heard him going over the "need to know" stuff about various ancient empires, was how great technology is...and how lucky our kids are to live in this age.
That my son can hear a podcast and get a full lecture from his teacher.
He also has a smart board in every classroom. If you don't know what a smartboard is, let me tell you this...it is the coolest thing ever in a classroom. You touch it and it does things. It is a magic board!
I went to A&M in the dark ages when we still used computer punch cards to select our classes. My kids don't know what a punch card is...
Ke$ha Barbie didn't know what a vinyl record album was when she was little. Once, when I was driving her home from pre-school, she sang a song. I asked her where she learned it.
She told me that the music teacher taught it to her.
And now, I quote her, because this is good:
"Mrs. Fitzgerald put on a BIG BLACK CD and it played music and I could see the CD spinning around"
That is when it hit me that she didn't know what a record album was.
I drove straight home, sat her on the couch and grabbed my favorite album--"Frampton Comes Alive" and showed it to her. That was followed by "Edge of 17" and "Rumors" and "Hotel California".
I am proud to say that she now collects vinyl...and has a working turntable to play it on. It sounds like crap but she likes it...especially Led Zepplin's "Mothership".
It was a great teaching moment...brings a tear to the eye that she actually listened to me about something...even if she was only 4.
What I wouldn't give for one of those moments now...
oh well...
It does amaze me what my kids know how to do with technology. They both have showed me how to do things on the computer---excel spreadsheets, photo editing, iTunes libraries, Microsoft Word...
They are constantly teaching me how to do things...I'm not sure I ever taught my parents anything but to regret that they had more than one child once I hit the teenage years.
So Dimples made our football bowl game picks for me (us) and I have to say that I must have a lot of faith and trust in him because I agreed to not change the winner of the Cotton Bowl from LSU (his pick) to my alma mater, A&M.
I guess if I can put my faith and trust in him to train me and work me out, and to coach my son, I can certainly trust that he knows more about college football than I do.
Actually I think my cat knows more about college football than I do...but Dimples does know his stuff.
Today when he worked me out I presented him with a new toy...a weighted body bar. Yesterday he tried having me do some dead lifts using the large rubber band (the one I use to pull him up the hill endlessly). It was an epic fail. He almost fell over when he was showing me what to do and then when I tried it I kept falling over and then just completely lost it laughing until I was crying...I told him that I thought he was making that excercise up as a way to amuse himself. In fact I was wondering if I was being "punked" but he assured me it was a real exercise but I told him that there was no way, no how I was risking my face for a deadlift...maybe a facelift, but not a deadlift. So we quit that excercise.
That is why I bought the body bar...it was safer than pulling on a big rubberband.
But I am regretting it now as I am in grave pain because of all the little tricks he had up his sleeve to do with the bar. pain pain pain
But...he is showing me what to do and how to do it and the scale is inching down again and I see a little goal in sight...100 pounds lost by Christmas if I am a good girl. So even when he makes me do things that make me look pretty foolish, I know it is just to improve my body and health. Basically I am willing to look like a crazy person in order to lose weight...and I do it in front of a really good-looking man...I have no shame...
But when I slide into my mother's dress, it will all have been worth it...even if it meant that I did things that made me look like a deranged woman loose in the park.
I have faith in Coach Dimples...he knows what he is doing (Personal Trainer is his JOB...not just football coach) and he doesn't make me do these things just to laugh at me...but I'm sure it helps pass the time that I am pretty easy to laugh at.
He's showing me the way...and I am grateful.
Inspiration Song: "Show me the Way"...Peter Frampton...."Frampton Comes Alive".
Greatest. Album. Ever.
Bye darlings...let someone show you the way to a better you...
For the last few days the black cloud of gloom and doom has hung over our house as my kids have been forced to study math, science, Spanish, English, and history.
Yesterday The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW)was studying for history. Bacchus, my wine god, is his teacher. Bacchus made a podcast and put it on his webpage for the kids to use as a study guide.
I was sitting across the house and suddenly I hear the booming voice of Bacchus, coming across the house like God himself talking to me...I hear this rambling stream of thought stuff as he lectures/informs the kids, via the podcast, what they need to know about the final.
It was pretty cool...even if it meant I had to hear Bacchus talking for like 10 minutes...
But then again, he likes to talk...a lot...
He likes to hear his own voice and fully admits to it.
He likes to talk...more...than...me...
That's saying a lot...
But what struck me, as I heard him going over the "need to know" stuff about various ancient empires, was how great technology is...and how lucky our kids are to live in this age.
That my son can hear a podcast and get a full lecture from his teacher.
He also has a smart board in every classroom. If you don't know what a smartboard is, let me tell you this...it is the coolest thing ever in a classroom. You touch it and it does things. It is a magic board!
I went to A&M in the dark ages when we still used computer punch cards to select our classes. My kids don't know what a punch card is...
Ke$ha Barbie didn't know what a vinyl record album was when she was little. Once, when I was driving her home from pre-school, she sang a song. I asked her where she learned it.
She told me that the music teacher taught it to her.
And now, I quote her, because this is good:
"Mrs. Fitzgerald put on a BIG BLACK CD and it played music and I could see the CD spinning around"
That is when it hit me that she didn't know what a record album was.
I drove straight home, sat her on the couch and grabbed my favorite album--"Frampton Comes Alive" and showed it to her. That was followed by "Edge of 17" and "Rumors" and "Hotel California".
I am proud to say that she now collects vinyl...and has a working turntable to play it on. It sounds like crap but she likes it...especially Led Zepplin's "Mothership".
It was a great teaching moment...brings a tear to the eye that she actually listened to me about something...even if she was only 4.
What I wouldn't give for one of those moments now...
oh well...
It does amaze me what my kids know how to do with technology. They both have showed me how to do things on the computer---excel spreadsheets, photo editing, iTunes libraries, Microsoft Word...
They are constantly teaching me how to do things...I'm not sure I ever taught my parents anything but to regret that they had more than one child once I hit the teenage years.
So Dimples made our football bowl game picks for me (us) and I have to say that I must have a lot of faith and trust in him because I agreed to not change the winner of the Cotton Bowl from LSU (his pick) to my alma mater, A&M.
I guess if I can put my faith and trust in him to train me and work me out, and to coach my son, I can certainly trust that he knows more about college football than I do.
Actually I think my cat knows more about college football than I do...but Dimples does know his stuff.
Today when he worked me out I presented him with a new toy...a weighted body bar. Yesterday he tried having me do some dead lifts using the large rubber band (the one I use to pull him up the hill endlessly). It was an epic fail. He almost fell over when he was showing me what to do and then when I tried it I kept falling over and then just completely lost it laughing until I was crying...I told him that I thought he was making that excercise up as a way to amuse himself. In fact I was wondering if I was being "punked" but he assured me it was a real exercise but I told him that there was no way, no how I was risking my face for a deadlift...maybe a facelift, but not a deadlift. So we quit that excercise.
That is why I bought the body bar...it was safer than pulling on a big rubberband.
But I am regretting it now as I am in grave pain because of all the little tricks he had up his sleeve to do with the bar. pain pain pain
But...he is showing me what to do and how to do it and the scale is inching down again and I see a little goal in sight...100 pounds lost by Christmas if I am a good girl. So even when he makes me do things that make me look pretty foolish, I know it is just to improve my body and health. Basically I am willing to look like a crazy person in order to lose weight...and I do it in front of a really good-looking man...I have no shame...
But when I slide into my mother's dress, it will all have been worth it...even if it meant that I did things that made me look like a deranged woman loose in the park.
I have faith in Coach Dimples...he knows what he is doing (Personal Trainer is his JOB...not just football coach) and he doesn't make me do these things just to laugh at me...but I'm sure it helps pass the time that I am pretty easy to laugh at.
He's showing me the way...and I am grateful.
Inspiration Song: "Show me the Way"...Peter Frampton...."Frampton Comes Alive".
Greatest. Album. Ever.
Bye darlings...let someone show you the way to a better you...
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Lisztomania
Coach Dimples and I have a new partnership...we gonna play "who wins that bowl game" together and defeat the empire known at GOTT the GREAT...
GOTT always always always wins these things. He lets me play because I am so dreadful at it.
So he has set up some "predict who wins the bowl games" thing...there are 35 games...and we all know that I know less than a microgram about football. I take photos of football but I don't understand it.
Remember, Dimples had to explain what a "linebacker" was to me recently...he did it patiently and without irony I might add...
So I tell GOTT I will play his little game with him and I have high hopes of doing better than I did last spring in the March Madness contest when I came in 3rd from dead last.
But this time I have a secret weapon. I have Dimples! And he knows his football, oh yes he does...he even knows the name of the mascot for the team from Florida International (I didn't even know that was a college). So he picks the teams, I put up the $10 and we are going to split our fabulous winnings after we beat GOTT and Coach Supersweet (who always wins if GOTT doesn't).
I'm going to look like a football predicting superstar. But, because I am unfailingly honest about these things, I will admit I had the help of a football coach. You see, no one in my house wanted to help me...and I think Dimples has a better handle on this than they do. I did try and watch ESPN last night when they talked about bowl game predictions but completely zoned out after 45 seconds. Maybe if they broke out into song like the do on "Glee" I would have paid more attention.
People keep asking me what "diet" I am on. The truth is, I don't have a "diet" per se, but rather I am eating clean and healthy.
But here are some tips I have picked up along the way and some things that I eat...
This is in no particular order of importance...it's just as I think of it. Think of this as a roadmap whether you want to lose 5, 10, 15, or 50 pounds or just want to eat better...and remember, I am not an expert, just a woman who is trying to lose enough weight for Oprah to notice her (she and Dr. Oz are doing a weight loss thing for her new network...I could be on that...but I really would rather sit on her couch and talk to her...but again, this is all fantasy...)
OK, so here are some things to do/eat/try...
1. Dont' try and cut everything out at once. Try cutting out one or two things each week. Like, cut out corn and fried foods one week, the next week cut out something else.
2. Buy a water bottle. Fill it. Drink it. Repeat many times throughout the day. If you don't like water, add some lemon juice or make flavored water in your fridge. To make flavored water, simply put some fruit (orange, lemon, watermelon, canteloupe, lime, strawberry etc.) or cucumber, and or a bit of mint in a pitcher and add water. The fruit needs to be sliced or cut up. A delicious mix, courtesy of the Kahala Hotel in Oahu, Hawaii is the following: mint, cucumber, strawberry, apple, orange. You can add more water as you drink it down but I would pitch it after a few days or when it loses its taste.
3. Eat more good protein. A serving of protein should be about the size of a deck of cards...or maybe if you are really hungry and working out, the size of your hand (but only if you have a SMALL hand). Good protein: fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, lean pork. Not-so-good-for-you protein: fatty steak, hamburger meat, dark meat from poultry (but that is not as bad as sausage), sausage, pork and beef ribs.
4. You don't have to eat "breakfast" foods for breakfast...sometimes I eat some ground turkey (wrapped in lettuce leaves for some crunch), or leftover fish. But I always eat some form of protein for breakfast and if I eat carbs, it is usually steel cut oats...and protein.
5. Egg white omlettes can be good if you cook them right. You can even add an egg yolk for every 2-3 whites if you don't have cholesterol issues. Try leftover veggies, spinach, fat free cheese, picante sauce, or ground turkey in one. The fat free cheese isn't bad inside an omlette. I like smokehouse pepper on mine...makes me feel like I am having bacon. Smokehouse pepper is in one of those red and white cans and it has a smokey taste...really good.
6. Have dessert occsionally so you won't feel deprived. But ask them to bring you only half and box the other half up. or give half to a friend. or eat a few bites and then pour salt all over it...I'm serious...
7. Eat salmon. I haven't liked salmon much in the past but I have made it part of my diet and now I don't mind it. It is best not overcooked. Order it medium rare and I promise it will taste better. Salmon is so good for you---full of Omega 3 and a good source of lean protein. I'm a little obsessed with it these days.
8. Get rid of corn. Dimples made me do this. It doesn't offer you much nutritionally and, this one shocked me, they use corn products in batteries and diapers. I like the taste of corn but I have cut it out of my diet...even corn tortillas. Now when I am at the Mexican food restaurant, I ask for lettuce leaves to wrap my fajitas in...that is Asian style and it is good!
9. If you want an alcoholic drink, choose wisely. Believe it or not, champagne is a good choice. Red wine is good and has antioxidents. White wine is good. Not so good for you: margaritas, lemon drop martinis, cosmos, anything with sweet-and-sour mix or simple syrup. Too much sugar. Or try wine mixed with club soda to cut calories further and cut out some of the alcohol.
10. No good ever came from eating a french fry...unless it is from Houston's and then it is totally worth it. But it is better not to have even one or you will want more...the last time I ate fry---February...
11. Google "EAt this Not That" before you go to a restaurant...they have great suggestions.
12. Dark chocolate is my friend. It gives me a bit of sweet when I need it. The darker the better. I eat a tiny bit a couple of times a week. No, I don't eat a Hershey bar...just a little square of very dark chocolate. I eat it slowly and savor it and it really feels like a treat.
13. Eat your veggies first. Order extra veggies at a restaurant but ask them to cut the butter. Steamed or grilled veggies are best. And no, a baked potato is not a good idea unless it is a sweet potato...with no butter.
14. Don't eat "white" food...no white rice, no white bread, no white veggies (unless it is cauliflower and then you can have all you want).
15. EAt 3 small meals and 2 snacks...way better for you than 3 large meals. My daily intake is usually breakfast (egg white omlette and oatmeal, or ground turkey and egg whites, or something from Fit Foods), a mid-morning snack (fruit, yogurt, protein bar), lunch (protein and veggies as my carbs), mid-afternoon snack, and dinner (like lunch). Sometimes I add dessert. See below:
16. My form of dessert: I love cottage cheese mixed with a bit of sweetner (Splenda...yellow packets) and fruit, or fat-free Greek yogurt mixed with Splenda and fruit, or a Skinny Cow dessert, or a small square of dark chocolate, or a couple of gingersnaps, or yogurt.
17. Cottage cheese is good for you...calcium! So is Greek Yogurt...
18. No sodas with sugar. In fact, cut out or cut back any soda...
19. Roast your veggies. In fact, if you THINK you don't like a vegetable, try it roasted. My favorite veggies to roast: asparagus, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, and fingerling potatoes. For asparagus, just trim off the tough ends. For brussel sprouts, cut in half. For the squash and the rest, just cube it up. Toss the veggies with a few teaspoons of olive oil and some sea salt. Roast at 450 degrees until tender. Fantastic...it will change your mind aobut some vegetables. They take on a nutty flavor and get sweeter. Email me when you have done this so I can say "I told you so"...
20. My new favorite treat----Tasti D Lite. One location is on Post Oak near Berryhill. Another location in Highland Village. Coming soon to Dallas.
21. Try quinoa and couscous...they are good. I love couscous tossed with some cinnamon and dried cranberries and raisins.
22. Dried cranberries perk things up...salad, grains, pasta, roasted veggies...
23. If you go to a restaurant where the portions are really big, ask them to bring you a to-go box right away and put half of it away. Then don't forget it when you leave...
24. Try whole-wheat pasta. It is so good. Many Italian restaurants have it so ask.
25. If you live in Houston, go to George's Pastaria. It is worth the drive even if you don't live in far west Memorial. It is between Briar Forest and Westheimer on Dairy Ashford very close to the roller rink. Heatlthy food (and bad-for-you too). Great wine selection. Great prices. My dish: whole wheat angel hair pasta primavera with shrimp and extra spinach. Try it, you'll like it.
26. Keep a food log/diary. It will make you think about every morsel you put in your mouth.
27. I have found that I can eat (fairly) healthy just about anywhere. Most places have a chicken sandwich (ask for no mayo, be sure the chicken is grilled not fried), or have a small hamburger and only eat half the bun if you are forced to---but a lot of burger places now have salads. You can do it...you just need to look harder at the menu.
28. Order salads with dressing on the side and ask them to cut the cheese if it is on it. Dip your fork into the dressing. I promise you will get all of the taste and not so many calories. I can't stand over-dressed salads now.
29. Keep protein bars in your purse/bag/car. That way you always have a snack and keep your metabolism going and won't overindulge when you do get to eat.
30. Eat slowly. You will eat less. I promise...
31. If you have a My Fit Foods near you, try their stuff. There are other companies that do what they do----make fresh, healthy food in controlled portions that are convenient to pick up and eat. I've been eating it since April and I'm not tired of it yet...
32. Cut out all but natural sugars like those that you get from fruit. Try it for 2 weeks. You won't miss it. And if you commit to it for a couple of weeks, you will find tht you lose your taste for it.
So there you have it...basically this is how I have been eating for the last 9 1/2 months. There is no magic to it. It is just making good choices. Cutting out the bad stuff. You don't have to go "no carbs" or "juice fast"...just eat clean and healthy.
Don't try and tackle this all at once...just pick some things and I bet you will begin to see changes...if not in how you look, but HOW YOU FEEL. I feel GREAT now...I don't look great but I feel great. I have energy. I sleep better. My skin is better. I don't crave things.
My trainer writes a blog about food and excercise. It is GREAT information. I have learned a lot from him (when I am not yelling at him about making me run up the hill). Take a look:
http://trainingwithjesse.wordpress.com/
OK, now I have to go and look at football stuff...so I'm not completely stupid about it all...but then again I might just go to bed and let Dimples handle it all.
Inspiration song: "Lisztomania"---because it was the only thing close to having "list" in the title on my iPod. It is by Phoenix. It is a really good song!
Bye Darlings...let me know what works for you...
GOTT always always always wins these things. He lets me play because I am so dreadful at it.
So he has set up some "predict who wins the bowl games" thing...there are 35 games...and we all know that I know less than a microgram about football. I take photos of football but I don't understand it.
Remember, Dimples had to explain what a "linebacker" was to me recently...he did it patiently and without irony I might add...
So I tell GOTT I will play his little game with him and I have high hopes of doing better than I did last spring in the March Madness contest when I came in 3rd from dead last.
But this time I have a secret weapon. I have Dimples! And he knows his football, oh yes he does...he even knows the name of the mascot for the team from Florida International (I didn't even know that was a college). So he picks the teams, I put up the $10 and we are going to split our fabulous winnings after we beat GOTT and Coach Supersweet (who always wins if GOTT doesn't).
I'm going to look like a football predicting superstar. But, because I am unfailingly honest about these things, I will admit I had the help of a football coach. You see, no one in my house wanted to help me...and I think Dimples has a better handle on this than they do. I did try and watch ESPN last night when they talked about bowl game predictions but completely zoned out after 45 seconds. Maybe if they broke out into song like the do on "Glee" I would have paid more attention.
People keep asking me what "diet" I am on. The truth is, I don't have a "diet" per se, but rather I am eating clean and healthy.
But here are some tips I have picked up along the way and some things that I eat...
This is in no particular order of importance...it's just as I think of it. Think of this as a roadmap whether you want to lose 5, 10, 15, or 50 pounds or just want to eat better...and remember, I am not an expert, just a woman who is trying to lose enough weight for Oprah to notice her (she and Dr. Oz are doing a weight loss thing for her new network...I could be on that...but I really would rather sit on her couch and talk to her...but again, this is all fantasy...)
OK, so here are some things to do/eat/try...
1. Dont' try and cut everything out at once. Try cutting out one or two things each week. Like, cut out corn and fried foods one week, the next week cut out something else.
2. Buy a water bottle. Fill it. Drink it. Repeat many times throughout the day. If you don't like water, add some lemon juice or make flavored water in your fridge. To make flavored water, simply put some fruit (orange, lemon, watermelon, canteloupe, lime, strawberry etc.) or cucumber, and or a bit of mint in a pitcher and add water. The fruit needs to be sliced or cut up. A delicious mix, courtesy of the Kahala Hotel in Oahu, Hawaii is the following: mint, cucumber, strawberry, apple, orange. You can add more water as you drink it down but I would pitch it after a few days or when it loses its taste.
3. Eat more good protein. A serving of protein should be about the size of a deck of cards...or maybe if you are really hungry and working out, the size of your hand (but only if you have a SMALL hand). Good protein: fish, chicken, turkey, lean beef, lean pork. Not-so-good-for-you protein: fatty steak, hamburger meat, dark meat from poultry (but that is not as bad as sausage), sausage, pork and beef ribs.
4. You don't have to eat "breakfast" foods for breakfast...sometimes I eat some ground turkey (wrapped in lettuce leaves for some crunch), or leftover fish. But I always eat some form of protein for breakfast and if I eat carbs, it is usually steel cut oats...and protein.
5. Egg white omlettes can be good if you cook them right. You can even add an egg yolk for every 2-3 whites if you don't have cholesterol issues. Try leftover veggies, spinach, fat free cheese, picante sauce, or ground turkey in one. The fat free cheese isn't bad inside an omlette. I like smokehouse pepper on mine...makes me feel like I am having bacon. Smokehouse pepper is in one of those red and white cans and it has a smokey taste...really good.
6. Have dessert occsionally so you won't feel deprived. But ask them to bring you only half and box the other half up. or give half to a friend. or eat a few bites and then pour salt all over it...I'm serious...
7. Eat salmon. I haven't liked salmon much in the past but I have made it part of my diet and now I don't mind it. It is best not overcooked. Order it medium rare and I promise it will taste better. Salmon is so good for you---full of Omega 3 and a good source of lean protein. I'm a little obsessed with it these days.
8. Get rid of corn. Dimples made me do this. It doesn't offer you much nutritionally and, this one shocked me, they use corn products in batteries and diapers. I like the taste of corn but I have cut it out of my diet...even corn tortillas. Now when I am at the Mexican food restaurant, I ask for lettuce leaves to wrap my fajitas in...that is Asian style and it is good!
9. If you want an alcoholic drink, choose wisely. Believe it or not, champagne is a good choice. Red wine is good and has antioxidents. White wine is good. Not so good for you: margaritas, lemon drop martinis, cosmos, anything with sweet-and-sour mix or simple syrup. Too much sugar. Or try wine mixed with club soda to cut calories further and cut out some of the alcohol.
10. No good ever came from eating a french fry...unless it is from Houston's and then it is totally worth it. But it is better not to have even one or you will want more...the last time I ate fry---February...
11. Google "EAt this Not That" before you go to a restaurant...they have great suggestions.
12. Dark chocolate is my friend. It gives me a bit of sweet when I need it. The darker the better. I eat a tiny bit a couple of times a week. No, I don't eat a Hershey bar...just a little square of very dark chocolate. I eat it slowly and savor it and it really feels like a treat.
13. Eat your veggies first. Order extra veggies at a restaurant but ask them to cut the butter. Steamed or grilled veggies are best. And no, a baked potato is not a good idea unless it is a sweet potato...with no butter.
14. Don't eat "white" food...no white rice, no white bread, no white veggies (unless it is cauliflower and then you can have all you want).
15. EAt 3 small meals and 2 snacks...way better for you than 3 large meals. My daily intake is usually breakfast (egg white omlette and oatmeal, or ground turkey and egg whites, or something from Fit Foods), a mid-morning snack (fruit, yogurt, protein bar), lunch (protein and veggies as my carbs), mid-afternoon snack, and dinner (like lunch). Sometimes I add dessert. See below:
16. My form of dessert: I love cottage cheese mixed with a bit of sweetner (Splenda...yellow packets) and fruit, or fat-free Greek yogurt mixed with Splenda and fruit, or a Skinny Cow dessert, or a small square of dark chocolate, or a couple of gingersnaps, or yogurt.
17. Cottage cheese is good for you...calcium! So is Greek Yogurt...
18. No sodas with sugar. In fact, cut out or cut back any soda...
19. Roast your veggies. In fact, if you THINK you don't like a vegetable, try it roasted. My favorite veggies to roast: asparagus, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, and fingerling potatoes. For asparagus, just trim off the tough ends. For brussel sprouts, cut in half. For the squash and the rest, just cube it up. Toss the veggies with a few teaspoons of olive oil and some sea salt. Roast at 450 degrees until tender. Fantastic...it will change your mind aobut some vegetables. They take on a nutty flavor and get sweeter. Email me when you have done this so I can say "I told you so"...
20. My new favorite treat----Tasti D Lite. One location is on Post Oak near Berryhill. Another location in Highland Village. Coming soon to Dallas.
21. Try quinoa and couscous...they are good. I love couscous tossed with some cinnamon and dried cranberries and raisins.
22. Dried cranberries perk things up...salad, grains, pasta, roasted veggies...
23. If you go to a restaurant where the portions are really big, ask them to bring you a to-go box right away and put half of it away. Then don't forget it when you leave...
24. Try whole-wheat pasta. It is so good. Many Italian restaurants have it so ask.
25. If you live in Houston, go to George's Pastaria. It is worth the drive even if you don't live in far west Memorial. It is between Briar Forest and Westheimer on Dairy Ashford very close to the roller rink. Heatlthy food (and bad-for-you too). Great wine selection. Great prices. My dish: whole wheat angel hair pasta primavera with shrimp and extra spinach. Try it, you'll like it.
26. Keep a food log/diary. It will make you think about every morsel you put in your mouth.
27. I have found that I can eat (fairly) healthy just about anywhere. Most places have a chicken sandwich (ask for no mayo, be sure the chicken is grilled not fried), or have a small hamburger and only eat half the bun if you are forced to---but a lot of burger places now have salads. You can do it...you just need to look harder at the menu.
28. Order salads with dressing on the side and ask them to cut the cheese if it is on it. Dip your fork into the dressing. I promise you will get all of the taste and not so many calories. I can't stand over-dressed salads now.
29. Keep protein bars in your purse/bag/car. That way you always have a snack and keep your metabolism going and won't overindulge when you do get to eat.
30. Eat slowly. You will eat less. I promise...
31. If you have a My Fit Foods near you, try their stuff. There are other companies that do what they do----make fresh, healthy food in controlled portions that are convenient to pick up and eat. I've been eating it since April and I'm not tired of it yet...
32. Cut out all but natural sugars like those that you get from fruit. Try it for 2 weeks. You won't miss it. And if you commit to it for a couple of weeks, you will find tht you lose your taste for it.
So there you have it...basically this is how I have been eating for the last 9 1/2 months. There is no magic to it. It is just making good choices. Cutting out the bad stuff. You don't have to go "no carbs" or "juice fast"...just eat clean and healthy.
Don't try and tackle this all at once...just pick some things and I bet you will begin to see changes...if not in how you look, but HOW YOU FEEL. I feel GREAT now...I don't look great but I feel great. I have energy. I sleep better. My skin is better. I don't crave things.
My trainer writes a blog about food and excercise. It is GREAT information. I have learned a lot from him (when I am not yelling at him about making me run up the hill). Take a look:
http://trainingwithjesse.wordpress.com/
OK, now I have to go and look at football stuff...so I'm not completely stupid about it all...but then again I might just go to bed and let Dimples handle it all.
Inspiration song: "Lisztomania"---because it was the only thing close to having "list" in the title on my iPod. It is by Phoenix. It is a really good song!
Bye Darlings...let me know what works for you...
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Running Up that Hill
Today you get two blogs for the price of one...actually "Santa Baby" is just a silly little thing on my part...if you missed it and want to read my reworking of the song, look to the right side of the page where it lists post and click on it...
Well, I must have done something right because I was able to walk today and the knee wasn't killing me. I got through spin class with absolutely no pain.
It did, however, hurt a bit after working out with Dimples today...but that was because I ran. So we stopped the running part and the hurting stopped.
Dang...just when I thought I was going to like to run...nah...I don't think I was ever going to LIKE running...
He did get creative...
we went to the PLAYGROUND!
But that was only after he made me do some horrendous thing on the ground that kept him laughing at me...and me covered in grass and dead leaves. I won't even try and describe the torture that the excercise was, but suffice it to say that had I ever been a debutante and took a "Texas Dip" bow, this excercise would have made that easy...
OK, I'll describe it...because you might really want to do it yourself.
Lie on the ground. Bend your right knee. Raise your right arm straight up (like a "chimnney" he tells me). Left arm down on the ground at a 45 degree angle. Push up with left arm, keeping right arm straight up in the air. Slide left leg under right knee. Use left hand and right quad to stand up. Keep right arm straight up. Do the opposite to go down. Reapeat 10 times FAST. Change sides...
Hell...it was hell...
And then we jogged over to the playground (a tiny jog) and I got all excited because I thought he was going to push me on the swings but instead he made me use the playground equipment to do push ups and pull-ups and lat pulls and nothing nearly as fun as swinging.
But it was a change of pace.
After 20 minutes or making a circuit of it we jogged back to the park part and he decided that I needed to run up that damn hill.
I knew when I found the park for us that the hill was going to be the devil in my day. And every workout he finds a new way to torture me on the hill. But today he truly outdid himself...
Because he made me run up the hill to him....over and over...run as fast as I could up and then jog down...multiple times....
When I got to the point where I was ready to throw up he grabbed the huge black rubber band thing and had me hold one end and he held the other and I pulled HIM up the hill...while I went backwards.
I don't like to go backwards...so the whole time he was telling me I was fine.
I had flashbacks to pulling my heifer around. He was like my heifer...I had to pull pull pull to get her (and him) to go anywhere.
See, once upon a time I had a heifer who was wonderfully named...
5
yes, the number 5...
because it was her brand number.
I named my steers names, but my cows were just numbers...I don't know why...
My steers had names like:
Sirloin (peverse, I know)
Filet Mignon (again, perverse...)
Idi Amin (he was big, black, and mean)
and...
Monster (my BFF Amy named him because he was so big)
Monster was a sweetheart. 5 was not. She was awful. Idi Amin was awful but I sold him after the first stock show. Monster was my ticket to championships...and so was 5.
I showed them at the stock shows my Senior year of high school. I calculated that because of livetock shows (and one golf tournament that I think I finally broke 200, yes 200, in) I only went to school 5 days during the month of February.
5 liked to drag me around...she would just start going and I would hang onto her halter for dear life. My friend Trey once deciced he was going to "show her who's boss". He told me that since she had control of me I was never going to control her so he was going to fix it and do it.
His brother and I had a moment of joy as we waited for him to "show her who's boss"...
I think his heel track marks are still in the pasture....
Needless to say, 5 was still the boss.
One day I had to leave high school because of 5. I got called to the principal's office (that was a big "oooooohhhh...she's in trouble" moment in my Trig class) and he told me the following:
"Tiny called. He says 5 is loose. He says that you have to get to the barn and get her because all the men are in the rafters".
Then he asked me what that meant.
I asked him if I could leave and he said I could if I explained the message.
I told him that basically she was horrible and if she was loose, the men that worked in the cattle barn were scared of her and she was obviously causing terror.
He let me go.
I got to the barn and found 3 men in the rafers (cursing in Spanish) and Tiny (who weighed 350 pounds) and Hank (who was 6'7") locked in their office.
And one very mad cow stoming about like she was a bull.
We had a little showdown. She stood at one end of the barn and I stood at the other.
I looked her in the eye. She glared.
And then I yelled at her to get back into her stall and quit being so bad.
I know you think I am kidding. And I know you think I am lying when I tell you she put her head down and walked into her stall.
She snorted as I shut the door. The cursing in Spanish continued.
I left the barn and went back to Trig...which was over by then...so I guess I went to English...
She pulled one other stunt on me and drug me around the ring during the San Antonio Livestock show. I never let go of her halter. I think my boot skid marks are still in the arena.
I won the show.
The judge told me that the only reason he didn't toss me out was that I didn't let go.
So today as I was dragging Dimles up the hill all I could think of was 5 and how she would refuse to go where I tried to drag her. I told him he was a heifer...and explained...
Thank goodness he is a cute heifer or I wouldn't have bothered with all the pulling and dragging...
I'll save my Monster stories for another blog...they are good but long and I think one or two cow tales are enough for one blog.
I still have 5's trophies...I am looking at them as I type this blog. She lived a happy cow life after we won all that we could on the stock show circuit.
But I bet she terrorized the other cows...
And back to my workout today...he made me do it all...the running up the hill/jogging down 5 times, the pulling him up the hill 5 times...he made me do it all...TWICE...
my quads are screaming...
I think tonight is a night for Advil...and wine...it's a great combination!
Inspiration Song: "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush (the original and haunting and beautiful)or the version by Placebo that is strangely beautiful...both are good...I have both on my iPod...
Lyrics:
It doesn't hurt me.
Do you want to feel how it feels?
Do you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me?
Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?
You, It's you and me.
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
Say, If I only could, oh...
You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware, I'm tearing you asunder.
Ooh, There is thunder in our hearts.
Is there so much hate for the ones who love?
Tell me we both matter don't we?
You,
It's you and me,
It's you and me who won't be unhappy.
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
Say, If I only could, oh...
You,
It's you and me,
It's you and me who won't be unhappy.
Come on baby, come on darling
Let me steal this moment from you now
Oh come on angel, come on come on darlin'
Let's exchange the experience oh...
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
Say if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
Say if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
Say, If I only could...
Oh...
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
If only I could,
Be running up that hill...
Bye Darlings...go running up that hill and see what is up there...for me it is just my fabulous and adorable trainer...but on the other side is...fitness!
Well, I must have done something right because I was able to walk today and the knee wasn't killing me. I got through spin class with absolutely no pain.
It did, however, hurt a bit after working out with Dimples today...but that was because I ran. So we stopped the running part and the hurting stopped.
Dang...just when I thought I was going to like to run...nah...I don't think I was ever going to LIKE running...
He did get creative...
we went to the PLAYGROUND!
But that was only after he made me do some horrendous thing on the ground that kept him laughing at me...and me covered in grass and dead leaves. I won't even try and describe the torture that the excercise was, but suffice it to say that had I ever been a debutante and took a "Texas Dip" bow, this excercise would have made that easy...
OK, I'll describe it...because you might really want to do it yourself.
Lie on the ground. Bend your right knee. Raise your right arm straight up (like a "chimnney" he tells me). Left arm down on the ground at a 45 degree angle. Push up with left arm, keeping right arm straight up in the air. Slide left leg under right knee. Use left hand and right quad to stand up. Keep right arm straight up. Do the opposite to go down. Reapeat 10 times FAST. Change sides...
Hell...it was hell...
And then we jogged over to the playground (a tiny jog) and I got all excited because I thought he was going to push me on the swings but instead he made me use the playground equipment to do push ups and pull-ups and lat pulls and nothing nearly as fun as swinging.
But it was a change of pace.
After 20 minutes or making a circuit of it we jogged back to the park part and he decided that I needed to run up that damn hill.
I knew when I found the park for us that the hill was going to be the devil in my day. And every workout he finds a new way to torture me on the hill. But today he truly outdid himself...
Because he made me run up the hill to him....over and over...run as fast as I could up and then jog down...multiple times....
When I got to the point where I was ready to throw up he grabbed the huge black rubber band thing and had me hold one end and he held the other and I pulled HIM up the hill...while I went backwards.
I don't like to go backwards...so the whole time he was telling me I was fine.
I had flashbacks to pulling my heifer around. He was like my heifer...I had to pull pull pull to get her (and him) to go anywhere.
See, once upon a time I had a heifer who was wonderfully named...
5
yes, the number 5...
because it was her brand number.
I named my steers names, but my cows were just numbers...I don't know why...
My steers had names like:
Sirloin (peverse, I know)
Filet Mignon (again, perverse...)
Idi Amin (he was big, black, and mean)
and...
Monster (my BFF Amy named him because he was so big)
Monster was a sweetheart. 5 was not. She was awful. Idi Amin was awful but I sold him after the first stock show. Monster was my ticket to championships...and so was 5.
I showed them at the stock shows my Senior year of high school. I calculated that because of livetock shows (and one golf tournament that I think I finally broke 200, yes 200, in) I only went to school 5 days during the month of February.
5 liked to drag me around...she would just start going and I would hang onto her halter for dear life. My friend Trey once deciced he was going to "show her who's boss". He told me that since she had control of me I was never going to control her so he was going to fix it and do it.
His brother and I had a moment of joy as we waited for him to "show her who's boss"...
I think his heel track marks are still in the pasture....
Needless to say, 5 was still the boss.
One day I had to leave high school because of 5. I got called to the principal's office (that was a big "oooooohhhh...she's in trouble" moment in my Trig class) and he told me the following:
"Tiny called. He says 5 is loose. He says that you have to get to the barn and get her because all the men are in the rafters".
Then he asked me what that meant.
I asked him if I could leave and he said I could if I explained the message.
I told him that basically she was horrible and if she was loose, the men that worked in the cattle barn were scared of her and she was obviously causing terror.
He let me go.
I got to the barn and found 3 men in the rafers (cursing in Spanish) and Tiny (who weighed 350 pounds) and Hank (who was 6'7") locked in their office.
And one very mad cow stoming about like she was a bull.
We had a little showdown. She stood at one end of the barn and I stood at the other.
I looked her in the eye. She glared.
And then I yelled at her to get back into her stall and quit being so bad.
I know you think I am kidding. And I know you think I am lying when I tell you she put her head down and walked into her stall.
She snorted as I shut the door. The cursing in Spanish continued.
I left the barn and went back to Trig...which was over by then...so I guess I went to English...
She pulled one other stunt on me and drug me around the ring during the San Antonio Livestock show. I never let go of her halter. I think my boot skid marks are still in the arena.
I won the show.
The judge told me that the only reason he didn't toss me out was that I didn't let go.
So today as I was dragging Dimles up the hill all I could think of was 5 and how she would refuse to go where I tried to drag her. I told him he was a heifer...and explained...
Thank goodness he is a cute heifer or I wouldn't have bothered with all the pulling and dragging...
I'll save my Monster stories for another blog...they are good but long and I think one or two cow tales are enough for one blog.
I still have 5's trophies...I am looking at them as I type this blog. She lived a happy cow life after we won all that we could on the stock show circuit.
But I bet she terrorized the other cows...
And back to my workout today...he made me do it all...the running up the hill/jogging down 5 times, the pulling him up the hill 5 times...he made me do it all...TWICE...
my quads are screaming...
I think tonight is a night for Advil...and wine...it's a great combination!
Inspiration Song: "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush (the original and haunting and beautiful)or the version by Placebo that is strangely beautiful...both are good...I have both on my iPod...
Lyrics:
It doesn't hurt me.
Do you want to feel how it feels?
Do you want to know, know that it doesn't hurt me?
Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making?
You, It's you and me.
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
Say, If I only could, oh...
You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware, I'm tearing you asunder.
Ooh, There is thunder in our hearts.
Is there so much hate for the ones who love?
Tell me we both matter don't we?
You,
It's you and me,
It's you and me who won't be unhappy.
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
Be running up that building.
Say, If I only could, oh...
You,
It's you and me,
It's you and me who won't be unhappy.
Come on baby, come on darling
Let me steal this moment from you now
Oh come on angel, come on come on darlin'
Let's exchange the experience oh...
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
Say if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
Say if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
Say, If I only could...
Oh...
Be running up that hill,
With no problems...
If only I could,
Be running up that hill...
Bye Darlings...go running up that hill and see what is up there...for me it is just my fabulous and adorable trainer...but on the other side is...fitness!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Black Heart Inertia
The following is copied from wikipedia:
Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest. It is represented numerically by an object's mass. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to describe the motion of matter and how it is affected by applied forces.
Inertia...
the resistance (my will/my body)
of any physical object (me)
to change (what I am trying to do)
in its state (not to be fat and out of shape)
of motion (I am constantly moving! spinning! walking! training!)
or
rest (what the heck is that? rest? you mean the couple of hours I lay down?)
I never took physics...
Ke$ha Barbie is in HONORS physics. She loves it...
I never took a class in it, but I do "get" what some of the principles of physics are and I somewhat understand them.
This comes from physicsclassroom.com:
Inertia and Mass
Newton's first law of motion states that "An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." Objects tend to "keep on doing what they're doing." In fact, it is the natural tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. This tendency to resist changes in their state of motion is described as inertia.
Trust me...I get Newton's first law...because when I am at rest I want to stay at rest as long as possible!
As for the staying in motion with the same speed and in the same direction part...well, it doesn't take an unbalanced force to get me to slow down, stop, complain, whine, fuss, or just generally drag my rear when it comes to a workout.
Now I know you don't read this blog to get a physics lesson, but it does apply to working out...and what I have been doing with myself these last couple of days.
Because I have had some real "light bulb" moments...
And I am talking about high-wattage light bulb moments...
Light Bulb moment #1:
Coach Dimples.
He rocks...he really does...even if he is totally killing me and my quads. Because, my friends, they really really really hurt right now. Because he is killing me. But in a good way. He has me doing some of the craziest things, but boy can I feel it. And he is making me sweat---and swear---and want to just drop on my mat and beg for a nap. But he keeps me going and he really is the perfect person to take me to the next level in my fitness and its nice to have someone guide me on this journey that can make me work so hard that I hurt---and I don't want to kill him for it so he is doing it right. And because I am in this kind of pain I have come to realize that maybe I am not working as hard as I should be when I work out. Which leads me to...
Light Bulb Moment #2
Body Pump is good, but I need to work harder at it.
I have never made myself sore from Body Pump. Even with the new 5 minute squat track. So I don't think I am putting enough weight on or going deep enough with some of my squats, lunges, or lifts. Because Dimples got me in pain without putting any weight in my hands...just the squats and lunges. I complain endlessly to him about them...and I can tell you that when he made me lunge up the hill I was ready to tackle him (he is, after all, also a football coach so tackling would be appropriate). And then today I had another "light bulb" moment in Body Pump which is...
Light Bulb Moment #3
The Damn Heart Monitor is a blessing and a curse.
So I got the heart monitor because my trainer says I need it. I sprang for one that will "record" so Dimples and I can tell how hard I am working, how hard I worked, how many calories I burned, and what my average heart rate was during the workout. He gets me to burn almost 300 calories in about 40-45 minutes. When he aksed me how much I burn doing cardio I (rather smugly) told him that I burn 700-1000 calories in an hour according to the machine and what I have been able to tell by plugging information into a "calorie burn" algorithm (here I go with science again---Dimples gave me the word). I thought it was correct. I thought it was right.
WRONG
WRONG
WRONG
The heart monitor is more accurate. And here is where it got really depressing for me today---I'm not buring 700 calories in a cardio session. I worked my arse off today in 48 minutes of spin and I did just over 300 calories. This is with my height, weight, and age plugged into the monitor. Remember, this thing calculates off of your heart rate which is directly related to how hard you are working.
UGH!
Double UGH!
Body Pump was barely 200.
Triple UGH!
The good news---it makes me work harder when I see my heart rate...
The bad news---I wasn't burning what I thought I was...
so bummed...
My only consolation is that now I know the truth. (At least that is what Dimples told me when I sent him a very fussy whining email about it all). And I told him that I know that he knew that I wasn't burning as much as I thought I was but he let the monitor tell me that and he didn't...guess he gets a kidney from me if he needs one for being one of the only men I ever met that didn't instantly want to tell me I was wrong when I was wrong and wasn't smug about it.
GOTT is usually pretty good about it (like 95% of the time).
Precious and Adorable History Teacher also qualifies but I'm usually the one telling him what to do instead of vice-versa so he is not often presented with the opportunity to inform me that I am screwed up...and I think he is too precious and adorable to do so. Bacchus never misses an opportunity to correct me...no kidney for him...but I do love and adore him...but no kidney...
So that is 3 men...they all get kidneys...except I only have 2.
I guess Dimples is better at talking "woman" than I thought he would be (because he talks "coach" so well). Because only a man that understands a stubborn woman like me would refrain from saying "nah nah nah nah nah...you are wrong...the machine is wrong...the algorithm is wrong...you are screwed!".
He let me figure it out on my own...with the help of the heart monitor...
Damn...he's good...
even if as I type out this blog my quads are screaming in pain because he likes to make me lunge/squat up a hill...
he is good...
and so is the heart monitor...
Go and get one...it makes a difference...just like a good trainer, it will make you work harder, push further, go the distance!
Inspiration Song: "Black Heart Inertia" by Incubus...love that song...great beat changes that make it fun to use for spin/elliptical/arc trainer. Put it (and your heart monitor) on and go!
One last thing...hug a veteran today! They did something most of us are unwilling to do...and we are all enjoying freedom because of it.
Bye Darlings!
Inertia is the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest. It is represented numerically by an object's mass. The principle of inertia is one of the fundamental principles of classical physics which are used to describe the motion of matter and how it is affected by applied forces.
Inertia...
the resistance (my will/my body)
of any physical object (me)
to change (what I am trying to do)
in its state (not to be fat and out of shape)
of motion (I am constantly moving! spinning! walking! training!)
or
rest (what the heck is that? rest? you mean the couple of hours I lay down?)
I never took physics...
Ke$ha Barbie is in HONORS physics. She loves it...
I never took a class in it, but I do "get" what some of the principles of physics are and I somewhat understand them.
This comes from physicsclassroom.com:
Inertia and Mass
Newton's first law of motion states that "An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force." Objects tend to "keep on doing what they're doing." In fact, it is the natural tendency of objects to resist changes in their state of motion. This tendency to resist changes in their state of motion is described as inertia.
Trust me...I get Newton's first law...because when I am at rest I want to stay at rest as long as possible!
As for the staying in motion with the same speed and in the same direction part...well, it doesn't take an unbalanced force to get me to slow down, stop, complain, whine, fuss, or just generally drag my rear when it comes to a workout.
Now I know you don't read this blog to get a physics lesson, but it does apply to working out...and what I have been doing with myself these last couple of days.
Because I have had some real "light bulb" moments...
And I am talking about high-wattage light bulb moments...
Light Bulb moment #1:
Coach Dimples.
He rocks...he really does...even if he is totally killing me and my quads. Because, my friends, they really really really hurt right now. Because he is killing me. But in a good way. He has me doing some of the craziest things, but boy can I feel it. And he is making me sweat---and swear---and want to just drop on my mat and beg for a nap. But he keeps me going and he really is the perfect person to take me to the next level in my fitness and its nice to have someone guide me on this journey that can make me work so hard that I hurt---and I don't want to kill him for it so he is doing it right. And because I am in this kind of pain I have come to realize that maybe I am not working as hard as I should be when I work out. Which leads me to...
Light Bulb Moment #2
Body Pump is good, but I need to work harder at it.
I have never made myself sore from Body Pump. Even with the new 5 minute squat track. So I don't think I am putting enough weight on or going deep enough with some of my squats, lunges, or lifts. Because Dimples got me in pain without putting any weight in my hands...just the squats and lunges. I complain endlessly to him about them...and I can tell you that when he made me lunge up the hill I was ready to tackle him (he is, after all, also a football coach so tackling would be appropriate). And then today I had another "light bulb" moment in Body Pump which is...
Light Bulb Moment #3
The Damn Heart Monitor is a blessing and a curse.
So I got the heart monitor because my trainer says I need it. I sprang for one that will "record" so Dimples and I can tell how hard I am working, how hard I worked, how many calories I burned, and what my average heart rate was during the workout. He gets me to burn almost 300 calories in about 40-45 minutes. When he aksed me how much I burn doing cardio I (rather smugly) told him that I burn 700-1000 calories in an hour according to the machine and what I have been able to tell by plugging information into a "calorie burn" algorithm (here I go with science again---Dimples gave me the word). I thought it was correct. I thought it was right.
WRONG
WRONG
WRONG
The heart monitor is more accurate. And here is where it got really depressing for me today---I'm not buring 700 calories in a cardio session. I worked my arse off today in 48 minutes of spin and I did just over 300 calories. This is with my height, weight, and age plugged into the monitor. Remember, this thing calculates off of your heart rate which is directly related to how hard you are working.
UGH!
Double UGH!
Body Pump was barely 200.
Triple UGH!
The good news---it makes me work harder when I see my heart rate...
The bad news---I wasn't burning what I thought I was...
so bummed...
My only consolation is that now I know the truth. (At least that is what Dimples told me when I sent him a very fussy whining email about it all). And I told him that I know that he knew that I wasn't burning as much as I thought I was but he let the monitor tell me that and he didn't...guess he gets a kidney from me if he needs one for being one of the only men I ever met that didn't instantly want to tell me I was wrong when I was wrong and wasn't smug about it.
GOTT is usually pretty good about it (like 95% of the time).
Precious and Adorable History Teacher also qualifies but I'm usually the one telling him what to do instead of vice-versa so he is not often presented with the opportunity to inform me that I am screwed up...and I think he is too precious and adorable to do so. Bacchus never misses an opportunity to correct me...no kidney for him...but I do love and adore him...but no kidney...
So that is 3 men...they all get kidneys...except I only have 2.
I guess Dimples is better at talking "woman" than I thought he would be (because he talks "coach" so well). Because only a man that understands a stubborn woman like me would refrain from saying "nah nah nah nah nah...you are wrong...the machine is wrong...the algorithm is wrong...you are screwed!".
He let me figure it out on my own...with the help of the heart monitor...
Damn...he's good...
even if as I type out this blog my quads are screaming in pain because he likes to make me lunge/squat up a hill...
he is good...
and so is the heart monitor...
Go and get one...it makes a difference...just like a good trainer, it will make you work harder, push further, go the distance!
Inspiration Song: "Black Heart Inertia" by Incubus...love that song...great beat changes that make it fun to use for spin/elliptical/arc trainer. Put it (and your heart monitor) on and go!
One last thing...hug a veteran today! They did something most of us are unwilling to do...and we are all enjoying freedom because of it.
Bye Darlings!
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...
"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...
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Halfway Gone
Yesterday I jumped onto the scale...
AND I AM HALFWAY TO MY GOAL WEIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woo-hoo!
Let's all do a little dance now...boogie in front of your computer screen because I'm dancing and I don't like to dance alone...unless I am in my bathroom (where I am a prima ballerina).
I did it...
I did it...
I did it...
I can feel you all giving me a fist bump (or is it a fist pump?) right now...
Put on a smaller skirt today...wore that smaller skirt...didn't care if it made me look like a fat old Cheerio (that is a "Glee" term for cheerleader)...
Saturday I am taking all the "fat" clothes to Goodwill.
I never want to wear black stretchy pants again unless they are leggings and I am wearing something cute on top.
I have wanted to write this blog for a few weeks now...so happy I got to do it today...because I didn't have time yesterday.
Because the Cutest Boy in the World had a football game...and I had a new camera to try out.
My friend sold me his "old" camera...it is a huge step up for me...I have to adjust things with this camera. But when I get the hang of it I will feel all "Sports Illustrated photographer" with it. So I am also looking for a new HUGE lens...you know, one of those big ones that make me look all "I know what I am doing with this camera and I'm taking pro-style shots and they are GOOD".
I took the camera to the game and warned Coach Dimples that I was maybe not going to get the best shots this time but I would try. I gave myself a B+ this time...but I didn't care because I am halfway to goal weight...
My friend David-chi (rhymes with Da Vinci) was there. I am giving him this blog name because he is an artist with the camera. He takes amazing photos. I treasure the ones I have that he has taken. So he came out with his big camera and BIG lens and shot with me and tried to help me...but he shoots a Nikon so he could only help me so much with the camera...but he was good with the tips on shooting better. I even let him take a photo of me...might share it but I have to see it first.
I also had fun hanging with my sideline pal, Trainer Girl. She's awesome...wish she was a teacher at my kids' schools. We talked about our vampire crush and our love of crushed grapes. I'm going to have to bring her a bottle of red next time because she takes such good care of our boys. At one point the ref called my son for holding but she ran over to tell me that he WAS NOT holding and that the coaches knew it...love her for that...I was feeling sad for my boy because it cost the team a touchdown. The next play he took out the boy that was going for the quarterback and the QB scored a touchdown so it was all good. They got the goal...
and I am halfway there...to goal...and I don't want anyone to call "holding" on me! I'm not going to hold back...I'm going to go out there and hit like a tackle...
So being halfway to goal got me thinking...how am I going to make sure I fully commit to going all the way with this?
The answer...all of you...
and this blog...
I feel accountable now. I feel like one of those people on those reality shows where you have to re-do the house and the cameras are rolling. You have to get it done. The cameras are rolling...
And then...God willing...I will go on Oprah.
And she will give me my wish...a Vera Wang dress.
I met Vera Wang once when I was with my mother and Ke$ha Barbie. I told her that one day I would be thin enough to wear one of her dresses. My mother had one. I cannot find it. It depresses me because I once was small enough to wear it but chickened out. It was small, tight, short, and backless. I could wear it but chickened out. If I can find it, I will not chicken out.
Back to Vera...
When I met her and told her that one day I wanted to be small enough to wear one of her dresses. Even if all I did was clean the house in it. She told me that she wanted me to lose the weight and wear one of her designs. Maybe she will give me one...if Oprah asks her.
That is my fantasy...I go on Oprah...I walk through the "fat" photo of me wearing a Vera dress and Vera is standing there clapping and telling me that I don't have to give the dres back after the show is over. And then I come home and put on the dress and clean the house...
the house cleaning is part of the fantasy too...
I know I can go to Kohl's and buy a Vera Wang from her line there. And I think I will as a litle promise to myself. But I want the real deal...
So I need the body for the real deal...
I will have the body for the real deal...
And maybe Oprah will call...I have until May...
Until then I will wear Vera perfume and let it inspire me...
Inspiration music: "Halfway Gone" by one of my very favorite bands---Lifehouse...
Bye Darlings!
AND I AM HALFWAY TO MY GOAL WEIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Woo-hoo!
Let's all do a little dance now...boogie in front of your computer screen because I'm dancing and I don't like to dance alone...unless I am in my bathroom (where I am a prima ballerina).
I did it...
I did it...
I did it...
I can feel you all giving me a fist bump (or is it a fist pump?) right now...
Put on a smaller skirt today...wore that smaller skirt...didn't care if it made me look like a fat old Cheerio (that is a "Glee" term for cheerleader)...
Saturday I am taking all the "fat" clothes to Goodwill.
I never want to wear black stretchy pants again unless they are leggings and I am wearing something cute on top.
I have wanted to write this blog for a few weeks now...so happy I got to do it today...because I didn't have time yesterday.
Because the Cutest Boy in the World had a football game...and I had a new camera to try out.
My friend sold me his "old" camera...it is a huge step up for me...I have to adjust things with this camera. But when I get the hang of it I will feel all "Sports Illustrated photographer" with it. So I am also looking for a new HUGE lens...you know, one of those big ones that make me look all "I know what I am doing with this camera and I'm taking pro-style shots and they are GOOD".
I took the camera to the game and warned Coach Dimples that I was maybe not going to get the best shots this time but I would try. I gave myself a B+ this time...but I didn't care because I am halfway to goal weight...
My friend David-chi (rhymes with Da Vinci) was there. I am giving him this blog name because he is an artist with the camera. He takes amazing photos. I treasure the ones I have that he has taken. So he came out with his big camera and BIG lens and shot with me and tried to help me...but he shoots a Nikon so he could only help me so much with the camera...but he was good with the tips on shooting better. I even let him take a photo of me...might share it but I have to see it first.
I also had fun hanging with my sideline pal, Trainer Girl. She's awesome...wish she was a teacher at my kids' schools. We talked about our vampire crush and our love of crushed grapes. I'm going to have to bring her a bottle of red next time because she takes such good care of our boys. At one point the ref called my son for holding but she ran over to tell me that he WAS NOT holding and that the coaches knew it...love her for that...I was feeling sad for my boy because it cost the team a touchdown. The next play he took out the boy that was going for the quarterback and the QB scored a touchdown so it was all good. They got the goal...
and I am halfway there...to goal...and I don't want anyone to call "holding" on me! I'm not going to hold back...I'm going to go out there and hit like a tackle...
So being halfway to goal got me thinking...how am I going to make sure I fully commit to going all the way with this?
The answer...all of you...
and this blog...
I feel accountable now. I feel like one of those people on those reality shows where you have to re-do the house and the cameras are rolling. You have to get it done. The cameras are rolling...
And then...God willing...I will go on Oprah.
And she will give me my wish...a Vera Wang dress.
I met Vera Wang once when I was with my mother and Ke$ha Barbie. I told her that one day I would be thin enough to wear one of her dresses. My mother had one. I cannot find it. It depresses me because I once was small enough to wear it but chickened out. It was small, tight, short, and backless. I could wear it but chickened out. If I can find it, I will not chicken out.
Back to Vera...
When I met her and told her that one day I wanted to be small enough to wear one of her dresses. Even if all I did was clean the house in it. She told me that she wanted me to lose the weight and wear one of her designs. Maybe she will give me one...if Oprah asks her.
That is my fantasy...I go on Oprah...I walk through the "fat" photo of me wearing a Vera dress and Vera is standing there clapping and telling me that I don't have to give the dres back after the show is over. And then I come home and put on the dress and clean the house...
the house cleaning is part of the fantasy too...
I know I can go to Kohl's and buy a Vera Wang from her line there. And I think I will as a litle promise to myself. But I want the real deal...
So I need the body for the real deal...
I will have the body for the real deal...
And maybe Oprah will call...I have until May...
Until then I will wear Vera perfume and let it inspire me...
Inspiration music: "Halfway Gone" by one of my very favorite bands---Lifehouse...
Bye Darlings!
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