Thursday Three - Happy Thanksgiving!

1) I am happy to take a whole day to give thanks for all of the blessings I have this year. And I have been thinking about my cheat meal all week. I thought about making healthier, less indulgent versions of the things I love; but I changed my mind. Why have a cheat meal if it's not cheating?! Yum. Eating at 4:30. I'll behave til then, I promise.

2) I ran/jogged/walked in the Turkey Trot this morning. It did it in around 45 minutes, which isn't great, but I've never professed to be a runner. It was a perfect day for it and I was glad I was able to get some exercise in before the aforementioned cheat meal. Try to get a little activity in today. Maybe start a new family tradition of walking around the block at halftime or doing "turkey jacks" (like jumping jacks, but more festive & Thanksgivingy) before desert.

3) I got over a hang up this week. One of the trainers I have befriended at LA Fitness and hug on the regular, picked me up this week. I used to panic when someone tried to pick me up for fear that they would hurt themselves. I've never been a petite, delicate flower; so even when I weighed less than now, I would wriggle out of it if someone even tried. So when I hugged G on Tuesday, I let him pick me up - no squirming, just a giggle. I weigh 215 lbs. I'm still no fragile doll, but if someone wants to pick me up after looking at me, that's their problem. It's their risk. I'm just gonna giggle and let them do it.

Enjoy your day with your family and your Thanksgiving meal - and your Thanksgiving nap. Don't forget what I said about getting a little activity in. You'll feel great! And on Monday, I'll...

See ya in the gym!

This Thanksgiving, I'm Having a Big Slice of Humble Pie

I had to have a "come to Jesus meeting" with myself this past weekend. I sat myself down and interviewed myself to calibrate where I am in this whole thing. Am I doing it for me? Has it become about making other people proud of me? Can I even envision the lean version of me anymore? Am I already getting discouraged? You get the idea. I am a tough interviewer. I got right to the heart of it. And I decided I am doing it for me. I want to look back next Fall and feel really good about my accomplishment. But, next Fall is a looong time away! So, now I am looking to set some sub-goals; little milestones that will keep me chasing the carrot (or maybe celery, since carrots are high in sugar!) I'll be developing and sharing those with you in the next week or so. I just wanted to keep you in the loop as to where my head is.

On to the entitled topic! This Thanksgiving is a little different for me this year. My dad passed away in 1996 and Thanksgiving was his thing - 25lb turkey and all. The year he died, my mom and I took road trips to Cape Cod to spend our Thanksgiving on an adventure. My sister and niece joined us a few years ago and it was always a special trip. After mom passed away in 2009, we went to the Cape one last time and Thanksgiving of 2010 was spent with wonderful friends in Denver, CO. I have no plans for 2011. This will be the first year I have spent Thanksgiving at home in 15 years! It'll be odd, but it has given me a little time to reflect. I can dwell on being sad about my losses or I can search for the blessings in my life. I have a lot of blessings. You reading this right now is a blessing to me.

I am listing ten things for which I am very thankful this holiday season. Before you get caught up in the hustle and bustle that always manages to push out the tender excitement of this most wonderful time of year, take time to give thanks. Take time to thank God. Take time to thank others. Take time to thank yourself.

Here's my ten:

1. This is the time of year I have reflect upon the goodness of a loving God. I thank God for my salvation first and foremost. I am so fortunate to have found a good church home. If you haven't found one that suits you, keep looking. God loves to see His peeps hanging out together.
2. I am thankful for my health. It improves every day, and I am rarely sick or debilitated.
3. I am so thankful for my wonderful family - Jeff, Lil, Bonita, Greg, Corinn & Evan - I love you very much. Thanks for being you.
4. I am thankful that I have a roof over my head and a car to get me where I need to go. There are so many who are less fortunate due to any number of circumstances.
5. I am thankful for sweet potatoes. They are so delicious. And this is the best time of year to add eggs, butter, coconut, pecans and brown sugar to them to make them even more so.
6. I am thankful for Bruce Williams of Platinum Results, Erika Davitch of Max Muscle, Shelby McDaniel of ShelbyKFitness, and others who are helping me change my life for the better.
7. I am thankful for the encouragement of friends. You are an invaluable support system. I hope I tell you enough how much I love you.
8. I am thankful for technology (and still I love technology; always and forever [name that film reference]) that allows me to communicate with you in such a succinct and editable manner.
9. I am surrounded by music. What an amazing gift in my life. Christmas music is so fantastic, I can't wait til Friday to start listening. I have 615 songs loaded & ready to go.
10. Laughter. I am thankful that most of the time I can find the humor in things. Most days, I chose joy. My dad used to say "just as soon laugh as cry." I'm not exactly sure what that means, but I get the intent. I do love to laugh.

I am humbled and awed by this life I am living. What are you thankful for? Make your own list.

See ya in the gym!

Thursday Three

Send me your tidbits and thoughts and I will post them as part of the Thursday Three. Truth is, I'm running out of ideas! LOL!

• This week has been stinky. I have gotten the work done, but without much joy. My weight is back up this week and I am gumptionless. Next week, I will have to rock-n-roll to get back on track.
• Old Navy is making really cute, comfortable workout clothes (see. running out of clever things to share)
• Stop getting on your scale. I wish I would take my own advice. We have been conditioned to be conscious about our weight. Are your pants fitting well? Is your waist smaller that your butt? Can you run up the steps without getting winded? Can you button your shirt without fearing that a button will put someone's eye out? Then you're good.

See ya in the gym!

Seasonal Affective Disorder?

S.A.D.? I think I have something called S.I.D.W.T.D.A.B.S.I.B.D. "Seasonal I Don't Want To Do Anything But Stay In Bed Disorder". It's true. I've gotten there. This is the time when having an appointment with a trainer is so important. Even if I lie in bed and fantasize about what creative excuse I'll give him for not being able to come in...I get out of bed and I go. Thank you to those who will continue to keep me motivated through the winter months.

This is the time of year that I used to think I could be one of those 1,000 lb people who laid on the couch all day and only got up to pee and eat. Some days I still feel that way. I just don't feel like doing a dang thing. Although my fitness journey has greatly affected my motivation and choices, I have to be honest in saying that it is not an overnight fix. It is a journey. I don't want you to think that every day has me jumping out of bed and I joyously lunge all the way to the gym.

The difference this year is, I AM off the couch and in about 20 minutes I will get in my car and head in to see my beloved Bruce so he can kick my butt. I do love it. I am happier than I have ever been.

You know what's funny? I looked up the treatment for S.A.D. You know what it it? "Taking long walks during the daylight hours and getting exercise can make the symptoms better. Keep active socially, even if it involves some effort."

Well...here goes.

See ya in the gym!

Thursday Three

Here it is, folks. The Thursday Three - three quick thoughts for the day...

•  "Stop talking. Start doing." Saw that on a shirt at the gym today. Find someone to help keep you accountable. Someone who is not afraid to hurt your feelings when they have to remind you to stick to your goal. Start doing it. Whatever IT is. Doesn't have to be going to the gym. But we all have something we need to stop talking about and start doing.
• Sore quad and heiney muscles suck. It's awesome to be sore, but it sucks. I am very thankful that we have bars on the bathroom wall at work to assist in my arrival and departure from the seat. I need to install those at home!
• Compression clothing is another God send in my life. Everything looks so much better when squeezed like a sausage casing. Thank goodness I don't have to parade around in a bikini all of the time. Amen.

See you in the gym!

P.S. Dropped 6 lbs of fat & gained a lb of muscle in the past 2 weeks... Check it out here for all of my updates.

All The World's A Stage

All the world's a stage and this is the role of a lifetime! As I continue each week on this journey, I learn something "new" that really just points me to a truth I already knew. I suppose it's all part of maturing and better understanding the simple things we were taught as kids.

According to family accounts, I have been a performer from day one. While I am perfectly content to be alone, I have a need to feel the eyes of others on me; but in a controlled environment of my choosing. As a teenager, that exhibited itself as being an avid fan of the theatre. As a young adult, I was very comfortable and the first to volunteer to make presentations at work. I am at ease in front of a crowd. I didn't realize this was all leading up to performing on a stage in a tiny bikini - flexing my (soon to be) massive muscles!

But the concept of the world being a stage is true in every day life. We are being observed at all times. I'm not so bold as to say that I am being stalked by the paparazzi, but being aware that we are always accountable for our actions can be a motivator. I have a responsibility not only to myself to show up at the gym and get the work done; but to others, too. I am responsible to that lady who has been at the gym for two months - sitting on the recumbent bike, watching as I lunge across the gym with sweat dripping. Maybe she looks at me and realizes she can try a few of those without feeling silly. I am responsible to the trainers I have befriended. They are looking to see if I make it in because they want me to succeed. They want to cheer me on. I am responsible to my niece and nephew. If they see that their Auntie is inspired to maintain a healthy lifestyle, maybe they will consider their own choices to making a healthy lifestyle. I am responsible to you. It becomes very a very vulnerable position, but from this prone position, I find that I am giving back to to others. And THAT is empowering.

I want to take advantage of the opportunity I have been afforded and give back where I can. When I was making goo goobs of money in the defense industry, I was able to do that financially and regularly gave to charity and the church (my niece & nephew claimed to be a charity, too, albeit not a tax deductible one). But now I make a retail workers salary, so I have to find other ways to give back. I am so lucky to be able to work in the industry that I am obsessed with. I am awed and amazed by those who work a "regular" job and are still able to get it done with nutrition and gym time. My proverbial hat is off. Kudos to you! But I am in a perfect spot to do all the things I need to reach my goal. I am afforded no excuses. The lights are on me, the lines are memorized, the role has been researched, the curtain is up...

It's show time!

See ya in the gym!

P.S. Lost 2 more lbs this week.

Thursday Three

I'm gonna try something new. Every Thursday, you're gonna get three quick bullet points. Feel free to send me some tidbits you'd like me to share. I'll post them and give you credit.

• Skim Milk has 12 grams of sugar per 8oz serving! Who thought they were being healthy drinking skim?! If you add it to your protein shake, leave out the fruit. Or add the fruit and use water to keep the carbs low. 
• Richard Simmons is the only man who should wear baggy, shortie gym shorts. A young man came in the store the other night and I felt incredibly awkward. It looked really goofy. No no.
• I love TV. As much as I love working out and being active, there are days that I just want to sit on the couch and watch a marathon of Matlock or Law & Order or America's Next Top Model. It's the embarrassing truth. Amen.

See you in the gym!

Training Wheels, Piano Lessons & Flying a Plane

What do those things have in common with preparing for a bodybuilding competition? Hold your horses, I'm gonna tell ya!

First of all, let's talk about training wheels. How many of you used them to learn to ride a bicycle? (Well, I didn't. My dad thought you should just get in there & figure it out. You can just imagine "swimming lessons". But for the sake of my point, let's pretend I did, okay? It'll be our little secret.) We find the most success at achieving our goals when we have assistance. Are there people who can do it by themselves? Absolutely. But MOST people need assistance and training if they are entering into an arena which they know nothing about. That's where I was 2 years ago. I knew I wanted to start working out to get healthier, but I had no idea where to start. I had no clue what to do in a gym and that was the main reason I was intimidated about going in. And that became an excuse...

That's where a personal trainer can be an invaluable asset. When I got home from my trip to Europe in January of 2010, I was disappointed to learn that the trainer I had been working with had left and I had a new trainer. God could not have been more gracious. Bruce Williams of Platinum Results is an absolute gem and a life changer. If you can afford to work with a personal trainer, I guarantee that it will not be wasted if you work with someone like Bruce. He has pushed me to do things I had no idea I could accomplish. He teaches me the right way to do it - very important confidence builder. He encourages me when I don't feel like doing it. He praises me when I do it well. If you are thinking about starting on a fitness journey, look into getting the assistance of a personal trainer. Follow the link to his email if you are looking for an excellent, highly recommended one. With the knowledge he has helped me gain, I now strut around the gym like I own the place. I sweat profusely and breathe hard and grunt and make ugly faces and stick my butt right in the air and I don't care who sees it because I know I am doing what it takes to reach my goal.

Piano lessons...what the heck? My point here is only that the fitness journey really needs to be approached in a methodical and well-practiced manner. You cannot play Clair De Lune the first time you sit down and touch the keys. Likewise, you cannot do 50 squats with 80 lbs on your back and then do 120 pushups. I have never been good at this aspect. I am impatient. I like fast results. I have always had the gift of "winging it" and it has served me pretty well so far in life. I was the kid who did very little homework, but still managed to pull a B+ because I'd always ace the test. I've never had a formal singing lesson in my life, but always have been blessed to be surrounded by musical people from whom I can absorb what I need. I have a degree in Fine Art, but I'm anything but a fine artist. I was a successful Financial Planner with a major defense contractor and never took a math class past Algebra 2 (thanks, Mr. Dovel!). The idea that I had to start out struggling to do 10 pushups from my knees - like a girl - and only 15 minutes on the elliptical was new for me. I had a challenge that I couldn't just wing my way through. I am proud to say that 2 years later, I CAN squat 50 times with 80 lbs on my back (3 sets, no less) and do 120 pushups from my feet - like a dude - and an hour of cardio. But it has taken time. It has taken a lot of impatient, frustrated tears. I used to cry a lot in the beginning when I couldn't make my body do what I wanted. Now I understand that it will. I just have to keep trying. One of my sub goals for this year is to be able to do one unassisted pull up. Yep. I said one. I keep trying.

I reference flying a plane in the title because our bodies are a well tuned, powerfully made machines. We are amazing creatures with tons of intricate mechanisms and functions. We have to learn all we can about how to operate it and care for it before we use it. We can push our bodies past limits, but we have to properly recover and refuel. This is where it is a great idea to study and learn all you can about the human body and how it functions and responds to exercise and proper nutrition. I have just started the process in becoming a Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist at Max Muscle Sports Nutrition and it is so fascinating. So much we take for granted. I always think about the verse in Psalms that talks about being fearfully and wonderfully made. Boy howdy, we are! God designed us for so much more than a sedentary, slothful existence. Our bodies were made for streamlined fitness. I want to see just how streamlined this body can go. I guess then I'll be fly like a G6? (or as my friend heard the lyrics..."like a cheese stick"...)

See you in the gym!

Was The Cheesecake Worth It? ... yes, it was

I have been so neglectful on my blogging duties. I'm gonna blame it on the cheesecake, okay? My sister, nephew and I took a road trip to NYC this past weekend to see my niece. She is attending school at the New York Film Academy and it was time for a visit. It snowed like crazy on Saturday so I didn't get the cardio in that I was planning on. I did trot up the subway stairs every chance I got. (Hey, Washington, DC, there are NO escalators in NYC!) We did some walking on Sunday, including a brisk stroll to church; but our final destination was a restaurant that served...you guessed it...NY style cheesecake! I ate a huge piece and every bite was pure heaven. That one slice of cheesecake alone was my entire cheat meal for the week! I'm back home and back on track. No more cheescake for me...well...until the next time I have it.

Last week before I left for NYC, Erika, my nutrition specialist, took updated measurements for my (close enough to) one month milestone. Some of the results were discouraging. The 3 lbs I had lost were back. My body fat only went down a half a percent, but I lost almost 2 inches off my waist - in a month! The interesting part of it is that everything is getting flabbier. I know that is the cycle I will continue to see. When the fat is burned off, the skin loosens. It tightens back up as the skin recovers and as I fill the void with lean muscle. When I look at the updated pictures, (seen here) I can see the evidence of movement. I share these unflattering pics of myself to document the process and hopefully encourage someone else along their own fitness journey.

There will be ups and downs, lows and highs, laughter and tears. These 12 months will go by quickly. Heck, one month already has. Thanks for going on the journey with me. Thanks for your encouragement.

Do something active today. Run up the steps. Do dips on the edge of the couch. Close your office door and do ten pushups. Hold your grocery bags out for a count of thirty. Exercise can become addictive, trust me, I know. But by all means, STAY AWAY FROM THAT CHEESECAKE!

See you in the gym