There is something about the dropping temperatures that makes me want to make hearty home cooked meals. Below are a few of my favorite recipes I've stolen from cookbooks and amended over the years. Let me know if you try any and how they turn out!
Three Bean Tacos
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp chili Powder
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1C chopped onions
1C chopped bell peppers (any colour)
1C black beans (from a can drained and rinsed)
1/2 C kidney beans (from a can drained and rinsed)
1/2 C chick peas (from a can drained and rinsed)
9oz can of tomato sauce
12 taco shells (hard or soft)
In a pan over medium heat sautée onions, garlic and bell peppers until soft (2-5 mins), add all spices, beans and tomato sauce let simmer until it thickens (20 mins). Stuff soft or hard taco shells, top with lettuce, tomato and hot sauce! Non-vegans can also top with cheddar cheese. Makes 12 tacos. YUM!!!
Tomato and Navy Bean Soup
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp marjoram
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
1C brown rice
1C chopped onions
2 - 15oz cans of stewed tomatoes (preferably unsalted)
1 large can of navy beans
In a large pot sautée onions and garlic until translucent (2-3 mins), add spices and bay leaves, 1C uncooked brown rice, 2 cans of stewed tomatoes plus two cans of water and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 45 mins add beans and let simmer for another 5 mins. This is a wonderful thick soup that will warm any cold day!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Friday, October 29, 2010
Trolling for men as a Big Girl.
Let's be honest, we all want a partner in life, a partner in crime, someone to blame shit on. As a Big Girl throughout my 20's I did have the odd boyfriend, even a couple semi-serious ones. My size didn't really seem to effect my dating until I passed the age of 25. It was like I ran smack dab into the back of a bus! And yes I left a dent. Apparently I was plus-sized and over-the-hill. What the hell?
So how does one navigate the dating battlefield when each thundering step sets off another land-mine? Well booze helps, ok I know I should be all clean living, people love you for you crap but lets be honest, if you are a 5'1" 200+ pound woman in her late 20's you are swimming in a very small pool of eligible bachelors, really its not a pool its more like a shot glass. I'm not saying get all drunk and slutty but there is some truth to meeting a guy over drinks in a dimly lit bar, win him over with your charm and ability to down shots and you've got a chance at a date.
If you don't like the booze route there are always co-ed sports. Yeah I know you're thinking what guy is possibly going to be attracted to a sweaty chick, all red faced and breathing hard....that's right ladies men are only ever one thought away from sex. They think chicks working out are hot, so sign up for your local Ultimate Frisbee cult, recreational volleyball league, and if you like the bookish type, badminton. Work it on the court, leave a sweaty trail...you'll find a follower.
Online dating is an option but lets be honest because you're not going to be on your profile and neither is he. You'll meet a few maybes, maybe, but I still think there is something to be said for that random first in-person interaction, the first look in the eye, the first smile...sober or not.
Break out your funny bone. Everybody loves the funny fat chick...ever notice that 99% of all female comics are on the large side? Think how many fat jokes there are, notice how they are not funny when told by a skinny chick? I was always a funny fat chick, I was up for anything, a gag, a prank, you name it, if it got a laugh I was loving it. The guys that like the funny chicks are usually funny themselves, so see that guy that has his buddies rolling on the floor? He's your target.
And finally remember guys aren't the end all be all. I didn't have a single date from 2001- 2004. That's right a three year drought, not a drought of biblical proportions but man it was a dry spell. So what did I do for all those years? I had fun with my friends, they loved me no matter my size.
So how does one navigate the dating battlefield when each thundering step sets off another land-mine? Well booze helps, ok I know I should be all clean living, people love you for you crap but lets be honest, if you are a 5'1" 200+ pound woman in her late 20's you are swimming in a very small pool of eligible bachelors, really its not a pool its more like a shot glass. I'm not saying get all drunk and slutty but there is some truth to meeting a guy over drinks in a dimly lit bar, win him over with your charm and ability to down shots and you've got a chance at a date.
If you don't like the booze route there are always co-ed sports. Yeah I know you're thinking what guy is possibly going to be attracted to a sweaty chick, all red faced and breathing hard....that's right ladies men are only ever one thought away from sex. They think chicks working out are hot, so sign up for your local Ultimate Frisbee cult, recreational volleyball league, and if you like the bookish type, badminton. Work it on the court, leave a sweaty trail...you'll find a follower.
Online dating is an option but lets be honest because you're not going to be on your profile and neither is he. You'll meet a few maybes, maybe, but I still think there is something to be said for that random first in-person interaction, the first look in the eye, the first smile...sober or not.
Break out your funny bone. Everybody loves the funny fat chick...ever notice that 99% of all female comics are on the large side? Think how many fat jokes there are, notice how they are not funny when told by a skinny chick? I was always a funny fat chick, I was up for anything, a gag, a prank, you name it, if it got a laugh I was loving it. The guys that like the funny chicks are usually funny themselves, so see that guy that has his buddies rolling on the floor? He's your target.
And finally remember guys aren't the end all be all. I didn't have a single date from 2001- 2004. That's right a three year drought, not a drought of biblical proportions but man it was a dry spell. So what did I do for all those years? I had fun with my friends, they loved me no matter my size.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Are You Wearing a Girdle?
For the years I was obese I was always on the hunt for a magic undergarment that would instantly take me from a size 18 to a size 2. I bought belly tamers, thigh thinners, corsets, knee to neck numbers, you name it I tried it.
Each and every year I was faced with the inevitable Christmas Party dress shopping expedition, which always led to further undergarment purchases, until I saw an infomercial for Spanx! I drank the Spanx kool-aid on the rocks with a delusional chaser. Off I went to the mall and found a very frank sales person who asked me two very important questions. "Do you want to gently smooth out your lumps?" or "Do you want to suck your lumps in?" My response of course was "Lady, I want these lumps sucked into my chest cavity, I am willing to sacrifice a lung if I can squeeze some of this belly fat into its place." Now I dare you to try to squeeze yourself into one of those full-body numbers and watch as all your lumpy bits just ooze out the top and give you a nice back roll or worse squeeze out the bottom and give you a second set of ass cheeks. It's very good for your self-esteem. If you can do it in a 3 x 3 change room under florescent lights in front of a full length mirror, even better!
I never found my magic undergarment, but I did manage to make a trip to the bathroom the most difficult experience ever! I loved having to strip down to my birthday suit because my slimming unitard didn't have a access hatch, if you get my drift. This is especially wonderful in a public restroom. I'd rather have a jiggly belly any day than have to explain my back-boobs and double-bum or be accused of lewd acts in a public restroom (no offense George Michael) because I've thrown my party dress over the door as I attempt a Cirque de Soleil routine in the bathroom stall.
...oh looks its October almost time to start dress shopping.
Each and every year I was faced with the inevitable Christmas Party dress shopping expedition, which always led to further undergarment purchases, until I saw an infomercial for Spanx! I drank the Spanx kool-aid on the rocks with a delusional chaser. Off I went to the mall and found a very frank sales person who asked me two very important questions. "Do you want to gently smooth out your lumps?" or "Do you want to suck your lumps in?" My response of course was "Lady, I want these lumps sucked into my chest cavity, I am willing to sacrifice a lung if I can squeeze some of this belly fat into its place." Now I dare you to try to squeeze yourself into one of those full-body numbers and watch as all your lumpy bits just ooze out the top and give you a nice back roll or worse squeeze out the bottom and give you a second set of ass cheeks. It's very good for your self-esteem. If you can do it in a 3 x 3 change room under florescent lights in front of a full length mirror, even better!
I never found my magic undergarment, but I did manage to make a trip to the bathroom the most difficult experience ever! I loved having to strip down to my birthday suit because my slimming unitard didn't have a access hatch, if you get my drift. This is especially wonderful in a public restroom. I'd rather have a jiggly belly any day than have to explain my back-boobs and double-bum or be accused of lewd acts in a public restroom (no offense George Michael) because I've thrown my party dress over the door as I attempt a Cirque de Soleil routine in the bathroom stall.
...oh looks its October almost time to start dress shopping.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
What the Hell are you eating?
I'm sure most of you know by now that I am a vegan, with the odd fall off the wagon into a delightful pillow of spongy mozzarella, but that is very, very infrequent. I have no issue with people consuming meat it's a personal choice and I don't carry around my pulpit of vegan-ism.
I get asked a lot about my diet. What do I eat? Where do I get my protein? Do I miss meat? Why for the love of God would I stop eating meat?
Let's start with missing meat...no I don't. I thought Thanksgiving or Christmas would be hard but really there are so many other things to eat I still manage to roll myself to the couch. There is the odd time I smell a hamburger and my saliva glands shed a tear but other than that its pretty smooth sailing.
What made me give up meat? That's an easy one..Skinny Bitch. If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it (http://www.skinnybitch.net/) it very entertaining and informative, I also watched Food Inc (http://www.foodincmovie.com/) and read Fast Food Nation and it was a done deal. In fact I was on a plane reading Skinny Bitch and was so disgusted by the chapters about the food industry I stopped eating meat that very minute and haven't looked back.
Where do I get protein? Vegetables have protein, as do grains, legumes etc. People rave about meat protein vs plant protein, you can live a very healthy life without animal products. There are lots of resources out there (http://www.vegsoc.org/index.html) and (http://www.vegansociety.com/) to help you out. A dietitian is a great source of information as well.
And what do I eat? There is a wide variety of options for vegans and vegetarians. There are hundreds of different types of vegetables, grains and legumes...there are only a handful of different kinds of meat.
My usual day starts with a vegan protein shake (1C Almond Milk, 1 scoop Vegan protein powder, 1 Banana and 1C frozen berries). Lunch is usually homemade soup, veg chili, veggie wrap, etc I have a mid-afternoon snack of a piece of fruit and some almonds and supper options are endless. I don't eat after 8pm and I only drink water, no coffee, no tea, no soda (diet or regular), no alcohol. I know I should be locked up.
For great vegetarian meal ideas a few of my favorite cookbooks are Rebar (http://www.rebarmodernfood.com/cookbook.html) and Veganomicon (http://www.theppk.com/nomicon.html). It's not all tofu, Eye of Newt stuff. I make a three bean taco that my husband swears is better than anything he's had in a restaurant, sweet potato and black bean enchiladas YUM!, tomato and navy bean soup, mushroom and black bean burger...shall I go on?
I get asked a lot about my diet. What do I eat? Where do I get my protein? Do I miss meat? Why for the love of God would I stop eating meat?
Let's start with missing meat...no I don't. I thought Thanksgiving or Christmas would be hard but really there are so many other things to eat I still manage to roll myself to the couch. There is the odd time I smell a hamburger and my saliva glands shed a tear but other than that its pretty smooth sailing.
What made me give up meat? That's an easy one..Skinny Bitch. If you haven't read the book I highly recommend it (http://www.skinnybitch.net/) it very entertaining and informative, I also watched Food Inc (http://www.foodincmovie.com/) and read Fast Food Nation and it was a done deal. In fact I was on a plane reading Skinny Bitch and was so disgusted by the chapters about the food industry I stopped eating meat that very minute and haven't looked back.
Where do I get protein? Vegetables have protein, as do grains, legumes etc. People rave about meat protein vs plant protein, you can live a very healthy life without animal products. There are lots of resources out there (http://www.vegsoc.org/index.html) and (http://www.vegansociety.com/) to help you out. A dietitian is a great source of information as well.
And what do I eat? There is a wide variety of options for vegans and vegetarians. There are hundreds of different types of vegetables, grains and legumes...there are only a handful of different kinds of meat.
My usual day starts with a vegan protein shake (1C Almond Milk, 1 scoop Vegan protein powder, 1 Banana and 1C frozen berries). Lunch is usually homemade soup, veg chili, veggie wrap, etc I have a mid-afternoon snack of a piece of fruit and some almonds and supper options are endless. I don't eat after 8pm and I only drink water, no coffee, no tea, no soda (diet or regular), no alcohol. I know I should be locked up.
For great vegetarian meal ideas a few of my favorite cookbooks are Rebar (http://www.rebarmodernfood.com/cookbook.html) and Veganomicon (http://www.theppk.com/nomicon.html). It's not all tofu, Eye of Newt stuff. I make a three bean taco that my husband swears is better than anything he's had in a restaurant, sweet potato and black bean enchiladas YUM!, tomato and navy bean soup, mushroom and black bean burger...shall I go on?
Monday, October 25, 2010
Embarrassing Moments: Part Deux
Since my first round of fitness foibles seemed to be such a hit I thought I'd give you some more. Enjoy at my expense folks! Not to worry I have an endless supply of embarrassing moments.
#1 Raising Money For Charity
A group of colleagues and I decided to raise money for charity, pretty easy stuff, get some pledges, run/walk 5km or walk 1km. I eagerly started collecting pledges looking forward to the big day. The event was on a Sunday so naturally what do you do on a Saturday night? Go to the bar! It quickly turned into a personal pub crawl and before I knew it it was 3am and I was standing in line for a poutine. For our American friends poutine is a heavenly dish of french fries covered in cheese curds and gravy and in my case also topped with half a bottle of ketchup. Around 4am I crawled home, stumbled into bed...only to awake at 8:20am with a jolt. OMG I didn't set my alarm and I was suppose to be at work to meet my colleagues in 10 minutes! I bolted out of bed, threw on my team t-shirt and ran out the door. Man I wasn't feeling great but this was for charity! I ran up the office stairs looking a fright and was greeted by my co-workers' looks of displeasure. I excused myself to the washroom to freshen up...and to my horror peel the giant strip of hardened ketchup off my chin. Good times!
#2 Church Picnic
Growing up my sisters and I attended Church on a regular basis and of course attended the obligatory Church picnic. At one of these Holy events all the kids were running around playing Frisbee, which of course turned into tackle Frisbee, and I of course proceeded to get assaulted by a fellow Parishioner as he cocked his arm back to throw the Damned disc and hit me squarely in the face, splitting my eyelid open. Praise Jesus I didn't lose the eye! After many Prayers we headed to McDonald's to give thanks for the day with a Happy Meal, as all good Christians do, and to partake in some of that delightful orange syrup drink they call juice. I was feeling closer to God then ever and me and my swollen eye headed out to Playland to Rejoice, where I promptly regurgitated a tidal wave of orange beverage down the Captain Cook slide. Hallelujah!
#3 Get Your Ass Back in the Boat
My wonderful friend Connie kindly invited me for a weekend at her cousin's cottage, on beautiful Lake Ontario, with her family. We spent a great day on the boat, touring the lake and decided it was time to go for a swim. We frolicked about in the warm summer waters, lounged on the white sand beach and after much frivolity swam back to the boat. I don't know if you've ever been to Sea World but its amazing how those huge Orca whales glide out of the water and up onto the pool deck with the greatest of ease. Hoisting my ass back into the boat was not quite as elegant. I climbed the rungs to get back on and couldn't for the life of me hoist myself up over the edge, so Connie's father politely lent a hand...no luck...her cousin grabbed an arm and pulled...no luck and much to my horror the final heaving push came from below as Connie balanced my wide load on her shoulder and pushed me over the threshold toppling me onto the floor of the boat. Beat that Shamu!
#1 Raising Money For Charity
A group of colleagues and I decided to raise money for charity, pretty easy stuff, get some pledges, run/walk 5km or walk 1km. I eagerly started collecting pledges looking forward to the big day. The event was on a Sunday so naturally what do you do on a Saturday night? Go to the bar! It quickly turned into a personal pub crawl and before I knew it it was 3am and I was standing in line for a poutine. For our American friends poutine is a heavenly dish of french fries covered in cheese curds and gravy and in my case also topped with half a bottle of ketchup. Around 4am I crawled home, stumbled into bed...only to awake at 8:20am with a jolt. OMG I didn't set my alarm and I was suppose to be at work to meet my colleagues in 10 minutes! I bolted out of bed, threw on my team t-shirt and ran out the door. Man I wasn't feeling great but this was for charity! I ran up the office stairs looking a fright and was greeted by my co-workers' looks of displeasure. I excused myself to the washroom to freshen up...and to my horror peel the giant strip of hardened ketchup off my chin. Good times!
#2 Church Picnic
Growing up my sisters and I attended Church on a regular basis and of course attended the obligatory Church picnic. At one of these Holy events all the kids were running around playing Frisbee, which of course turned into tackle Frisbee, and I of course proceeded to get assaulted by a fellow Parishioner as he cocked his arm back to throw the Damned disc and hit me squarely in the face, splitting my eyelid open. Praise Jesus I didn't lose the eye! After many Prayers we headed to McDonald's to give thanks for the day with a Happy Meal, as all good Christians do, and to partake in some of that delightful orange syrup drink they call juice. I was feeling closer to God then ever and me and my swollen eye headed out to Playland to Rejoice, where I promptly regurgitated a tidal wave of orange beverage down the Captain Cook slide. Hallelujah!
#3 Get Your Ass Back in the Boat
My wonderful friend Connie kindly invited me for a weekend at her cousin's cottage, on beautiful Lake Ontario, with her family. We spent a great day on the boat, touring the lake and decided it was time to go for a swim. We frolicked about in the warm summer waters, lounged on the white sand beach and after much frivolity swam back to the boat. I don't know if you've ever been to Sea World but its amazing how those huge Orca whales glide out of the water and up onto the pool deck with the greatest of ease. Hoisting my ass back into the boat was not quite as elegant. I climbed the rungs to get back on and couldn't for the life of me hoist myself up over the edge, so Connie's father politely lent a hand...no luck...her cousin grabbed an arm and pulled...no luck and much to my horror the final heaving push came from below as Connie balanced my wide load on her shoulder and pushed me over the threshold toppling me onto the floor of the boat. Beat that Shamu!
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Company Pool Party…whose idiot idea was that?
I don't think there is anything that strikes the fear of God into those fighting the battle of the bulge than an invitation to a Pool Party. Believe me I know! A few years ago we did a company party at a local lake with kayak lessons, beach volleyball, Frisbee etc. and I was petrified. I was getting close to my goal weight but was by no means comfortable traipsing about in a swimsuit in front of my colleagues.
When Doomsday arrived I was on DEFCON 1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON), I had tried on my swimsuits from previous years, and all were saggy and misshapen. I should have been happy I was now too small to wear them but instead was struck with the fear I would have to go shopping, the HORROR! So instead I stuck my head in the sand and decided I would not be participating in water activities...team building be damned.
However my attempts to avoid the water were squashed by powers greater than I. As we prepared for our kayak lessons I entered the water in my 1890's swimming costume, complete with to-the-knee shorts and long shirt, I may have been wearing a bonnet as well, I can't recall. I would have worn a onesy had it been socially acceptable. Now in 2010 we can say we are practicing safe sun exposure but inside I'd know I was hiding my jiggly bits.
We did the kayak lesson, which turned out to be a lot of fun. A life jacket hides a lot and I considered making it part of my daily attire, sort of like a sweater vest only more practical. I played Frisbee and volleyball, enjoyed the BBQ and all in all had a wonderful day.
Lesson Learned: There are moments like these for all of us where we get so overwhelmed in our appearance and how we think people will judge us. All the hours I spent stressed about that company party I could have used feeling proud of myself for needing a smaller swimsuit, or thinking a year or two earlier I couldn't have even gotten myself into a kayak. I know hindsight is 20/20 but next time you are faced with a similar experience remember to celebrate the small goals, and if you can muster up the courage to strut your stuff in a swimsuit there will be a group of people who had the same fears and you will forever be their hero.
When Doomsday arrived I was on DEFCON 1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DEFCON), I had tried on my swimsuits from previous years, and all were saggy and misshapen. I should have been happy I was now too small to wear them but instead was struck with the fear I would have to go shopping, the HORROR! So instead I stuck my head in the sand and decided I would not be participating in water activities...team building be damned.
However my attempts to avoid the water were squashed by powers greater than I. As we prepared for our kayak lessons I entered the water in my 1890's swimming costume, complete with to-the-knee shorts and long shirt, I may have been wearing a bonnet as well, I can't recall. I would have worn a onesy had it been socially acceptable. Now in 2010 we can say we are practicing safe sun exposure but inside I'd know I was hiding my jiggly bits.
We did the kayak lesson, which turned out to be a lot of fun. A life jacket hides a lot and I considered making it part of my daily attire, sort of like a sweater vest only more practical. I played Frisbee and volleyball, enjoyed the BBQ and all in all had a wonderful day.
Lesson Learned: There are moments like these for all of us where we get so overwhelmed in our appearance and how we think people will judge us. All the hours I spent stressed about that company party I could have used feeling proud of myself for needing a smaller swimsuit, or thinking a year or two earlier I couldn't have even gotten myself into a kayak. I know hindsight is 20/20 but next time you are faced with a similar experience remember to celebrate the small goals, and if you can muster up the courage to strut your stuff in a swimsuit there will be a group of people who had the same fears and you will forever be their hero.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
How Much Should You Weigh?
I think sometimes we get distracted by some magic number we hear, like women should weigh 110 lbs etc, that is certainly not healthy for the vast majority of people. The calculation below has been very helpful for me and motivated me to reassess my current weight and make that final push to reach my goal of 115. Here we go!
Here is an easy calculation that I use myself to calculate a weight range.
Note: these are just estimates if you want more detail on your ideal weight you should discuss with your doctor or dietitian.
Women: 5' = 100 lbs, add 5 lbs for each additional inch of your height, plus or minus 10% based upon differences in skeletal structure, muscle mass etc. For me that means at 5'1" I should weigh 105lbs but anywhere between 95-115 lbs is perfectly acceptable.
Men: 5' = 100 lbs, add 6 lbs for each additional inch of your height, plus or minus 10% based upon differences in skeletal structure, muscle mass etc. A 5'10" should weigh 160 lbs but anywhere between 144-176 lbs is a-ok.
Keep in mind these ranges do not apply to pregnant women, body builders, performance athletes etc. But can be used as a rule of thumb for the average human being.
Reference: Nancy Clarke, MS, RD http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/
Here is an easy calculation that I use myself to calculate a weight range.
Note: these are just estimates if you want more detail on your ideal weight you should discuss with your doctor or dietitian.
Women: 5' = 100 lbs, add 5 lbs for each additional inch of your height, plus or minus 10% based upon differences in skeletal structure, muscle mass etc. For me that means at 5'1" I should weigh 105lbs but anywhere between 95-115 lbs is perfectly acceptable.
Men: 5' = 100 lbs, add 6 lbs for each additional inch of your height, plus or minus 10% based upon differences in skeletal structure, muscle mass etc. A 5'10" should weigh 160 lbs but anywhere between 144-176 lbs is a-ok.
Keep in mind these ranges do not apply to pregnant women, body builders, performance athletes etc. But can be used as a rule of thumb for the average human being.
Reference: Nancy Clarke, MS, RD http://www.nancyclarkrd.com/
Monday, October 18, 2010
Embarrassing Moments: A Retrospective
Ok so we've all had those moments where we're not as coordinated as we should be or say something so asinine we roll our own eyes. I thought I'd highlight some of my more memorable embarrassing moments as they relate to my endeavor to become fit.
#1 - Treadmill Hurdles
When I first joined the gym the treadmill was my cardio machine of choice. How hard could it be? Press Start, pick up your feet and start walking, maybe even, dare I say it, a light jog? On one particularly invigorating day I decided to run on the treadmill, not my usual slow jog but a true run. I climbed on put my water bottle in the handy dandy cup holder, and hit start. Off I went increasing my speed steadily until I was thumping along at a pretty good pace...unaware as I pounded along, entranced in a repeat of 90210, my water bottle was bouncing along with me in the cup holder...until it bounced right out! BAM!! With lightening speed it sped toward my feet and I realized I had to jump over it. Seemed easy enough, so like a gazelle I gracefully leap over the bottle as it passed, only to realize as I landed that the treadmill was still moving rapidly and I had come to a stop...so like the bottle before me I rocketed off the treadmill and soundly hit the wall behind me. Some of the people on the other treadmills had the common decency not to laugh.
#2 Static Cling
If you like doing laundry I have a full time position for you, send your resume. I hate everything about laundry but since I live in a society that glorifies cleanliness I do it. I started kickboxing three years ago, its an awesome workout, you get to punch and kick things! We usually start with jumping jacks, some jabs etc to warm up. I'm in front of the class of about 40 people, doing an awesome display of jumping jacks, checking myself out in the mirror when I see something waving like a flag on my pant leg. With every jump this thing flaps up to say hi! What the hell....a thong.
#1 - Treadmill Hurdles
When I first joined the gym the treadmill was my cardio machine of choice. How hard could it be? Press Start, pick up your feet and start walking, maybe even, dare I say it, a light jog? On one particularly invigorating day I decided to run on the treadmill, not my usual slow jog but a true run. I climbed on put my water bottle in the handy dandy cup holder, and hit start. Off I went increasing my speed steadily until I was thumping along at a pretty good pace...unaware as I pounded along, entranced in a repeat of 90210, my water bottle was bouncing along with me in the cup holder...until it bounced right out! BAM!! With lightening speed it sped toward my feet and I realized I had to jump over it. Seemed easy enough, so like a gazelle I gracefully leap over the bottle as it passed, only to realize as I landed that the treadmill was still moving rapidly and I had come to a stop...so like the bottle before me I rocketed off the treadmill and soundly hit the wall behind me. Some of the people on the other treadmills had the common decency not to laugh.
#2 Static Cling
If you like doing laundry I have a full time position for you, send your resume. I hate everything about laundry but since I live in a society that glorifies cleanliness I do it. I started kickboxing three years ago, its an awesome workout, you get to punch and kick things! We usually start with jumping jacks, some jabs etc to warm up. I'm in front of the class of about 40 people, doing an awesome display of jumping jacks, checking myself out in the mirror when I see something waving like a flag on my pant leg. With every jump this thing flaps up to say hi! What the hell....a thong.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Making a deal with the Devil...Heidi, Gisele...
I don't think I'm the only one who gets frustrated by seeing celebrities drop 40 pounds of baby weight in a month, gain huge amounts of weight for a movie to then drop it two weeks later. So I think its time to assume there is some Devil's work happening.
Example #1 Heidi Klum
A German super model who amuses me to no end on Project Runway. It's no doubt Heidi is stunning but let's look at the evidence: 37 years old, mother to four children under the age of 6!!
Example #1 Heidi Klum
A German super model who amuses me to no end on Project Runway. It's no doubt Heidi is stunning but let's look at the evidence: 37 years old, mother to four children under the age of 6!!
 |
| Before Children |
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| When the Devil took over! |
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| After Baby #4! |
Friday, October 15, 2010
So you've lost a few pounds....now what?
As anyone who has lost a noticeable amount of weight can attest there comes a point where you wonder, what's next? After dropping twenty pounds I was into smaller sizes, feeling good, getting compliments (granted I was still in the 180's) all was right with the world. Then I got lazy. It had been a few months, I was pretty good with the diet, no more pop, was managing to go to the gym a couple times a week but really I was dialing it in, no zest, no vigor, no huts-pah!
It's hard to maintain focus on one goal for a long period of time. It can seem daunting to have to lose another 60lbs and it was. So I slipped....for five months the scale slowly crept back up...thankfully I nipped it in the bud at 10 pounds. I was beyond frustrated with myself.
It's hard to maintain focus on one goal for a long period of time. It can seem daunting to have to lose another 60lbs and it was. So I slipped....for five months the scale slowly crept back up...thankfully I nipped it in the bud at 10 pounds. I was beyond frustrated with myself.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Kicking My Coke Habit
I seem to be on a bit of a booze and drug theme these days....but I digress.
Throughout my 20's I had a severe Coke addiction. I had to have a stash on hand day and night, at home, school, work..you name it I had some or knew where to get some quick. I don't mean the Robert Downey Jr, Less Than Zero kind of coke addiction, I mean that sweet elixir sold at corner stores, in every restaurant, and every vending machine in North America....Coca Cola. At its peak my insatiable thirst for Coke saw me drinking over two liters a day, a day!! That my friends is over 800 calories per bottle consumed everyday, sitting on the couch drinking glass after glass or at school plus a few cans while at work, let's tack on another 300 calories for those. At that rate I was consuming roughly 1100 calories a day in pop...that is 400,400 calories a year! It's not surprising from 1995-2000 I gained 75 pounds. Not only was I packing on the pounds at warp speed it's a wonder I still have teeth in my head, and I'm sure with the calcium leeching effects of carbonated beverages I have the bone density of Rocket Man.
As part of my new desire to get healthy, and drop a few dozen lbs I knew I had to give up the Coke. I'm not going to lie, it was tough going. Water was a foreign beverage idea to me, I was still drinking at this point but certainly couldn't replace two liters of pop with two liters of beer, or could I? Kidding! So I did what most people do, I switched to Diet Coke. Here's the amazing thing (not to worry I'll bad mouth Diet Coke in another blog), I stopped drinking regular, sugar laden pop... and my diet was still far from ideal...but I lost 20 pounds in just over two months!!!
There were times over the years I would contemplate severing a limb to get that damn scale to go down...and still to this day the biggest weight loss I have seen that I can attribute to one change in my diet was cutting out soft drinks. I haven't had a regular soda in over six years now.
There have been numerous studies linking soda to obesity, no great news flash there. Here's an interesting article which shows soda consumption increases and climbing obesity rates over the last 30 years.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060305/news_1n5soda.html
Don't drink your calories folks...
Throughout my 20's I had a severe Coke addiction. I had to have a stash on hand day and night, at home, school, work..you name it I had some or knew where to get some quick. I don't mean the Robert Downey Jr, Less Than Zero kind of coke addiction, I mean that sweet elixir sold at corner stores, in every restaurant, and every vending machine in North America....Coca Cola. At its peak my insatiable thirst for Coke saw me drinking over two liters a day, a day!! That my friends is over 800 calories per bottle consumed everyday, sitting on the couch drinking glass after glass or at school plus a few cans while at work, let's tack on another 300 calories for those. At that rate I was consuming roughly 1100 calories a day in pop...that is 400,400 calories a year! It's not surprising from 1995-2000 I gained 75 pounds. Not only was I packing on the pounds at warp speed it's a wonder I still have teeth in my head, and I'm sure with the calcium leeching effects of carbonated beverages I have the bone density of Rocket Man.
As part of my new desire to get healthy, and drop a few dozen lbs I knew I had to give up the Coke. I'm not going to lie, it was tough going. Water was a foreign beverage idea to me, I was still drinking at this point but certainly couldn't replace two liters of pop with two liters of beer, or could I? Kidding! So I did what most people do, I switched to Diet Coke. Here's the amazing thing (not to worry I'll bad mouth Diet Coke in another blog), I stopped drinking regular, sugar laden pop... and my diet was still far from ideal...but I lost 20 pounds in just over two months!!!
There were times over the years I would contemplate severing a limb to get that damn scale to go down...and still to this day the biggest weight loss I have seen that I can attribute to one change in my diet was cutting out soft drinks. I haven't had a regular soda in over six years now.
There have been numerous studies linking soda to obesity, no great news flash there. Here's an interesting article which shows soda consumption increases and climbing obesity rates over the last 30 years.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060305/news_1n5soda.html
Don't drink your calories folks...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Before and After Pictures!!!
I think we all like a visual reference, so I guess its time to unveil the Wizard...or in this case the Ugly Truth (by the way a surprisingly entertaining movie with Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl). Just for my own humiliation I'll post a few "Before" pics, why sit here in the comforts of home when you've all been so kind as to read my daily blathering and perhaps have been wondering... how bad was it?
Keep in mind these are the most flattering before shots I could find. Scroll with caution.
This is the look I had in almost all the before pics I could find, Don't poke the bear!
Keep in mind these are the most flattering before shots I could find. Scroll with caution.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
As Nancy Reagan said "Just Say No!"
When the Reagans issued in the era of "Just Say No!" I'm pretty sure they were trying to discourage the youth of America from caving to the peer pressures of drugs, well what about the peer pressures of fast food, sweets, nachos at the pub...shall I go on?
How many of us have tried to go on a "diet" to then go to a family dinner and feel guilt-ed into a piece of pie that Auntie Sue spent all afternoon baking? The look of such sorrow and hurt in her eyes when you decline. Well Auntie Sue is my drug dealer, or in the immortal words of Ice T, she's my Pusher.
I know we all associate food and emotions. Who hasn't buried their face in a bag of chips on a Friday night after a stressful week? Or who am I kidding a bag of chips every night of a stressful week? Who doesn't have fond memories of special occasions around the family table dining on roast beast, all the fixins' and of course followed with dessert, until we rolled like little sedated cartoons to lay semiconscious in front of the tv until we could eat some more?
Don't we all have Mothers and/or Mothers-in-law who are always pushing a plate of sweets toward us. Even at my heaviest no one ever said "Dear, I think you've had enough." There is this satisfaction of seeing others enjoy the fruits of our labours, I've done it, we've all done it.
I made a promise to myself last year that I would no longer feel guilt-ed into eating anything I didn't really want or need, or know later I would regret having eaten (hello, seventh evil lemon square?). I wouldn't leave another family gathering thinking "Why did I eat all that? Why?" No more beating myself up over food. And do you know what slowly started to happen when I started declining the sweets and the cakes and the pies? Healthier options started appearing at family gatherings, a plate of fruit beside the pie! I smile on these occasions knowing in some little way I've made an impact, I've pushed back ever so gently against my Pusher and no tears were shed, no one died, and as I see more of those around the table reach for a bowl of fruit salad instead of a piece of cheesecake I know slowly but surely I'm becoming their Pusher.
Thanks Ice T.
How many of us have tried to go on a "diet" to then go to a family dinner and feel guilt-ed into a piece of pie that Auntie Sue spent all afternoon baking? The look of such sorrow and hurt in her eyes when you decline. Well Auntie Sue is my drug dealer, or in the immortal words of Ice T, she's my Pusher.
I know we all associate food and emotions. Who hasn't buried their face in a bag of chips on a Friday night after a stressful week? Or who am I kidding a bag of chips every night of a stressful week? Who doesn't have fond memories of special occasions around the family table dining on roast beast, all the fixins' and of course followed with dessert, until we rolled like little sedated cartoons to lay semiconscious in front of the tv until we could eat some more?
Don't we all have Mothers and/or Mothers-in-law who are always pushing a plate of sweets toward us. Even at my heaviest no one ever said "Dear, I think you've had enough." There is this satisfaction of seeing others enjoy the fruits of our labours, I've done it, we've all done it.
I made a promise to myself last year that I would no longer feel guilt-ed into eating anything I didn't really want or need, or know later I would regret having eaten (hello, seventh evil lemon square?). I wouldn't leave another family gathering thinking "Why did I eat all that? Why?" No more beating myself up over food. And do you know what slowly started to happen when I started declining the sweets and the cakes and the pies? Healthier options started appearing at family gatherings, a plate of fruit beside the pie! I smile on these occasions knowing in some little way I've made an impact, I've pushed back ever so gently against my Pusher and no tears were shed, no one died, and as I see more of those around the table reach for a bowl of fruit salad instead of a piece of cheesecake I know slowly but surely I'm becoming their Pusher.
Thanks Ice T.
Monday, October 11, 2010
For the Love of God Pour Me Another One!!
Ahhh booze, let me say it again, ahhhh booze.
Now I may have indulged in a beverage or two in my time, or in enough beverages for my time, your time, your Uncle Bob's, Aunt Mable's, Cousin Dick's...you get my point. There are those of us I call reverse drinkers, we're the ones at the bar appearing sober at 11pm when everyone else is morphing into staggering, slurring rag dolls, we are the ones that pick up the speed and the frequency of which we consume alcohol as the night wears on. We're the ones at 2am with four drinks (in anticipation of last call) on the table, wondering where we are going after the bar to keep the party going, who at 4am when people are passing out we have some how managed to drink ourselves sober. I am that person. And man I was a lot of fun....
But here's the tricky thing about booze, some people can handle it and some people can't. You're in either of those two camps. I was enjoying a pretty good run until I started to close in on my 30th birthday. I woke up one morning and my tent had been moved from the Can Camp and squarely placed in the Can't Camp. Father Time can be a harsh teacher. We've all been there, the hangover from hell, the I'm never going to drink again song, the vomit, the sweats and everything else unappealing which I will spare you from. Some of us have a handful of these in our lifetime and learn to grow out of the phase, some of us need the Hangover Ogre to come and kick the living shit out of us over and over and then finally drive it home with the hangover to end all hangovers.
I've learned my lesson Ogre...me and booze are no longer friends. Sure I had a glass of champagne at my wedding, and I plan on savoring some wine when I finally visit Italy, but here is the thing about booze not only is it a drug that messes with the function of our organs, our brain cells, every cell of our bodies, booze is also just a giant glass of empty calories and drinking all those empty calories makes your body crave calories from another source and weakens your resolve to resist temptation, you hear me 3am pizza, poutine, shwarma, chicken wings. Nothing good comes from those late night binges on booze and fast food.
If you want to know the calories in your favorite drink check out this site: http://caloriecount.about.com/tag/food/booze
Sip wisely.
Now I may have indulged in a beverage or two in my time, or in enough beverages for my time, your time, your Uncle Bob's, Aunt Mable's, Cousin Dick's...you get my point. There are those of us I call reverse drinkers, we're the ones at the bar appearing sober at 11pm when everyone else is morphing into staggering, slurring rag dolls, we are the ones that pick up the speed and the frequency of which we consume alcohol as the night wears on. We're the ones at 2am with four drinks (in anticipation of last call) on the table, wondering where we are going after the bar to keep the party going, who at 4am when people are passing out we have some how managed to drink ourselves sober. I am that person. And man I was a lot of fun....
But here's the tricky thing about booze, some people can handle it and some people can't. You're in either of those two camps. I was enjoying a pretty good run until I started to close in on my 30th birthday. I woke up one morning and my tent had been moved from the Can Camp and squarely placed in the Can't Camp. Father Time can be a harsh teacher. We've all been there, the hangover from hell, the I'm never going to drink again song, the vomit, the sweats and everything else unappealing which I will spare you from. Some of us have a handful of these in our lifetime and learn to grow out of the phase, some of us need the Hangover Ogre to come and kick the living shit out of us over and over and then finally drive it home with the hangover to end all hangovers.
I've learned my lesson Ogre...me and booze are no longer friends. Sure I had a glass of champagne at my wedding, and I plan on savoring some wine when I finally visit Italy, but here is the thing about booze not only is it a drug that messes with the function of our organs, our brain cells, every cell of our bodies, booze is also just a giant glass of empty calories and drinking all those empty calories makes your body crave calories from another source and weakens your resolve to resist temptation, you hear me 3am pizza, poutine, shwarma, chicken wings. Nothing good comes from those late night binges on booze and fast food.
If you want to know the calories in your favorite drink check out this site: http://caloriecount.about.com/tag/food/booze
Sip wisely.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Lowered Expectations
Damn you scale! Damn you!
Don't get me wrong, I love shows like The Biggest Loser but for those of us who have struggled with losing weight watching people lose 10 - 25 pounds each week just makes me want to give-up! Based upon this level of weight loss I could have met my goal of losing 80 pounds in less than two months..yeah right!
There are much more realistic shows on weight loss. Personally I love Paul Plakas' show X-Weighted http://xweighted.ca/ on Slice, I love his no nonsense way of training, and that he addresses lifestyle and nutrition options. If you are not familiar with Paul his site is great http://www.paulplakas.com/ He's intense and inspiring. If you are in Edmonton you can also train with Paul!
Since shows like The Biggest Loser have set us up to think the healthy weight loss goal of .5-2lbs a week is a failure, we get on the scale more times than not with dreams of seeing huge drops only to be greeted with -.5 or worse, nothing, and God forbid, a gain! When starting out on a weight loss plan whether its 80 pounds or five pounds you have to lower your expectations. Our bodies are smart, they want to keep all the nice warm padding, they love the jiggly bits, it is a struggle to shrink those fat cells, but it can be done.
It's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend so I'll lay off the diet pulpit today. Gobble Gobble
Don't get me wrong, I love shows like The Biggest Loser but for those of us who have struggled with losing weight watching people lose 10 - 25 pounds each week just makes me want to give-up! Based upon this level of weight loss I could have met my goal of losing 80 pounds in less than two months..yeah right!
There are much more realistic shows on weight loss. Personally I love Paul Plakas' show X-Weighted http://xweighted.ca/ on Slice, I love his no nonsense way of training, and that he addresses lifestyle and nutrition options. If you are not familiar with Paul his site is great http://www.paulplakas.com/ He's intense and inspiring. If you are in Edmonton you can also train with Paul!
Since shows like The Biggest Loser have set us up to think the healthy weight loss goal of .5-2lbs a week is a failure, we get on the scale more times than not with dreams of seeing huge drops only to be greeted with -.5 or worse, nothing, and God forbid, a gain! When starting out on a weight loss plan whether its 80 pounds or five pounds you have to lower your expectations. Our bodies are smart, they want to keep all the nice warm padding, they love the jiggly bits, it is a struggle to shrink those fat cells, but it can be done.
It's Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend so I'll lay off the diet pulpit today. Gobble Gobble
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Why didn't anyone tell me?
I look back at photographs of myself and realize I WAS OBESE and no one told me. When and how did this happen? I never felt large, I knew I was heavier than I should be but I had fun, lots of friends, boyfriends, always up for a party. I wasn't shunned because of my size, I wasn't lacking self confidence, believe me there are enough photos of me in circulation as the life of the party to know I was no shrinking (no pun intended) violet.
Sure there were signs along the way, inseams of jeans that seemed to fray in a short period of time, realizing the largest size in the "regular" stores was a little too snug, most of my photos were taken from the neck up or me hiding behind another person or object. But I felt good!!! Well that's what I told myself anyway.
At 208 pounds I had a BMI of 39.3, which put me in the 93rd percentile for my age and height. Meaning only 7% of the women in my age group and at my height were larger than me! Seven is not my lucky number, things had to change.
Here's a pretty easy tool to calculate your BMI http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ and a pretty useful web site from Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/weights-poids/guide-ld-adult/bmi_chart_java-graph_imc_java-eng.php
I understand no one is going to go up to their overweight friend and tell them they should drop a few. But do your friend a favour, instead of inviting him/her out for dinner and drinks invite them out for a walk, a stroll through a new neighborhood, antiquing, what ever your interests are just something to encourage movement and fun.
Sure there were signs along the way, inseams of jeans that seemed to fray in a short period of time, realizing the largest size in the "regular" stores was a little too snug, most of my photos were taken from the neck up or me hiding behind another person or object. But I felt good!!! Well that's what I told myself anyway.
At 208 pounds I had a BMI of 39.3, which put me in the 93rd percentile for my age and height. Meaning only 7% of the women in my age group and at my height were larger than me! Seven is not my lucky number, things had to change.
Here's a pretty easy tool to calculate your BMI http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ and a pretty useful web site from Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/weights-poids/guide-ld-adult/bmi_chart_java-graph_imc_java-eng.php
I understand no one is going to go up to their overweight friend and tell them they should drop a few. But do your friend a favour, instead of inviting him/her out for dinner and drinks invite them out for a walk, a stroll through a new neighborhood, antiquing, what ever your interests are just something to encourage movement and fun.
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Weigh-In...dom dom dom
So the time came where I decided to break a sweat from activities other than walking to work (4 blocks), eating, and dancing drunkenly on weekends....it was time to join a gym! Feel free to shriek in horror at the thought, I did. Thankfully the local YMCA was only two blocks from my apartment, why burn extra calories trying to get to the gym?
On that fateful day, from here forward to be known as Doomsday, I walked, yes walked, to my local Y and began my journey toward physical fitness. A very patient Y employee walked me through the equipment and set me up with a starter fitness program. For an hour I jerked around weights, stared at the stair master (I won that competition) and gave a wide berth to the modern torture devices called treadmills and ellipticals. I left with a new resolve that I could do this....then I woke up the next day.
Kidding! I dragged my sorry ass back to the Y and completed the weight training circuit designed for me, though I was astonished they didn't have weights less than 2 pounds! (I had an unrealistic fear of adding to my current bulk with muscle bulk.) Then it was time to step on the treadmill. I'm proud to say I kicked that treadmill's ass...for three entire minutes I beat that machine into submission, then I almost passed out.
Once I regained my faculties I headed to the change room, and there waiting for me under a beacon of light, was a device I was familiar with but had avoided for years, THE SCALE! To get on the scale or to not get on the scale, that was the question. Every race has a start line, that hulking piece of metal was my start line. So I climbed on, having not weighed myself since The New Kids on the Block were all the rage, I had no idea what I was about to see. So I fiddled with the sliding weights, damn the lever wouldn't move, move it over another slot, nothing, move it another, repeat, repeat, repeat..my heart is palpitating just reliving this...finally the damned lever found a nice little space floating on the scale. So I got out my abacus and calculator and tried to read my weight. 208! Well that had to be a mistake, there was no way at a mere 5'1" tall I weighed 208 pounds!
So off to Canadian Tire I went to buy a reliable scale. After much debate over which model to buy, really who wants to know their body fat percentage every morning, I bought the basic digital model and decided to wait until the following morning when I was at my thinnest to weigh in again. Doomsday II I awoke, tripped over the damn scale on the bathroom floor and the horrors of the previous day washed over me like a tidal wave. I would prove that LIAR of a scale at the Y wrong! So after shedding my pajamas which I assumed weighed at least 10 pounds I climbed on...208!!!
Insert image of tearful head hanging.
On that fateful day, from here forward to be known as Doomsday, I walked, yes walked, to my local Y and began my journey toward physical fitness. A very patient Y employee walked me through the equipment and set me up with a starter fitness program. For an hour I jerked around weights, stared at the stair master (I won that competition) and gave a wide berth to the modern torture devices called treadmills and ellipticals. I left with a new resolve that I could do this....then I woke up the next day.
Kidding! I dragged my sorry ass back to the Y and completed the weight training circuit designed for me, though I was astonished they didn't have weights less than 2 pounds! (I had an unrealistic fear of adding to my current bulk with muscle bulk.) Then it was time to step on the treadmill. I'm proud to say I kicked that treadmill's ass...for three entire minutes I beat that machine into submission, then I almost passed out.
Once I regained my faculties I headed to the change room, and there waiting for me under a beacon of light, was a device I was familiar with but had avoided for years, THE SCALE! To get on the scale or to not get on the scale, that was the question. Every race has a start line, that hulking piece of metal was my start line. So I climbed on, having not weighed myself since The New Kids on the Block were all the rage, I had no idea what I was about to see. So I fiddled with the sliding weights, damn the lever wouldn't move, move it over another slot, nothing, move it another, repeat, repeat, repeat..my heart is palpitating just reliving this...finally the damned lever found a nice little space floating on the scale. So I got out my abacus and calculator and tried to read my weight. 208! Well that had to be a mistake, there was no way at a mere 5'1" tall I weighed 208 pounds!
So off to Canadian Tire I went to buy a reliable scale. After much debate over which model to buy, really who wants to know their body fat percentage every morning, I bought the basic digital model and decided to wait until the following morning when I was at my thinnest to weigh in again. Doomsday II I awoke, tripped over the damn scale on the bathroom floor and the horrors of the previous day washed over me like a tidal wave. I would prove that LIAR of a scale at the Y wrong! So after shedding my pajamas which I assumed weighed at least 10 pounds I climbed on...208!!!
Insert image of tearful head hanging.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Mooooootivation
Someone once told me you can't motivate people to take action but I think you can inspire others to want to do better.
When I say I was a couch potato, I don't mean a small spud sitting elegantly on a chaise lounge, I mean a fully cooked steak house sized baked potato strewn across a heavily indented IKEA sofa. I know what its like to know you've left the remote in the kitchen on your last snack run and not have the energy to get up to get it so instead watch an hour of a mind-numbingly boring nature documentary until you have to return to the kitchen to refill your gallon sized glass with soda.
So what motivated me to get off that indented couch? The fear of Jerry Springer and a back-hoe? Bathing with a washcloth tied to a stick?
No, the fear of entering my 30's as I had lived all of my 20's, obese, tired, hungover and pathetic. I made a pact with myself on my 28th birthday to get my shit together. It wasn't easy and over the upcoming posts I'll share how I lost over 80 pounds, changed my lifestyle and am now a personal trainer inspiring others to get healthy.
Thanks for reading....now I have to get ready to go to kickboxing...my next deadline is a trip to Hawaii this winter and I want to be in peak condition. That is motivation, finding the next thing to keep you moving toward your goal.
When I say I was a couch potato, I don't mean a small spud sitting elegantly on a chaise lounge, I mean a fully cooked steak house sized baked potato strewn across a heavily indented IKEA sofa. I know what its like to know you've left the remote in the kitchen on your last snack run and not have the energy to get up to get it so instead watch an hour of a mind-numbingly boring nature documentary until you have to return to the kitchen to refill your gallon sized glass with soda.
So what motivated me to get off that indented couch? The fear of Jerry Springer and a back-hoe? Bathing with a washcloth tied to a stick?
No, the fear of entering my 30's as I had lived all of my 20's, obese, tired, hungover and pathetic. I made a pact with myself on my 28th birthday to get my shit together. It wasn't easy and over the upcoming posts I'll share how I lost over 80 pounds, changed my lifestyle and am now a personal trainer inspiring others to get healthy.
Thanks for reading....now I have to get ready to go to kickboxing...my next deadline is a trip to Hawaii this winter and I want to be in peak condition. That is motivation, finding the next thing to keep you moving toward your goal.
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