Designers have no clue. Really, they don’t. Herein is my conundrum and the conundrum of every woman of size.
Our clothing sucks!
Seriously. It truly sucks. Not only does it suck the life out you, but we look like shit wearing it. There I said it.
Being in my mid-30’s, I don’t feel I can pull of the uber-hip clothing at Torrid, but I sure as hell am not lusting over the Mu mu section at “FatGalsRUs”.
That being said, I have been combing the internet. Looking in every store in my town that carries my sizes and for what? Nada. Oh, don’t get me wrong, if I want to look tacky, trashy and/or frumpy, I can find what I am looking for. Where is the sophisticated elegance? The fantastic career clothes? The quality fabrics?
Let me tell you where they are.
In my imagination.
I don’t expect to look like a supermodel. I just want to look like me. The transition I am going through is hard enough, but to have to deal with it while looking like a Haus Frau just isn’t going to work.
Why am I being so picky? Well, I am going to be on tv. Not a long sketch, but anywhere from 5-7 minutes. I have to feel confident about myself so that I don’t go up there and totally fuck it up. What I would love to do is for to wear a nice, boring black outfit–which will totally make me look like ass. Let’s face it, my metalhead phase is long gone and I am none worse for the wear.
However, I do know what suits me. It is not what I am finding. A swing top? Gorgeous, forget it. I look pregnant. Turtleneck. Sure, I want to look like my boobs go all the way up to my chin. Skinny pants? Listen, I want to balance my ass out, not make it look like something you are supposed to orbit around.
Aaack!
After weeks of searching, worrying and fretting more than a hypochondriac in a doctors office, I found a dress. Wait, listen for the trumpets heralding with joy. Located in San Francisco is a nice little operation called Igigi. They make clothes for plus-sized women and it looks great! It’s a relief actually. I don’t look like a beached whale coming up for air and tempting people to stab me in my blowhole.
Quite literally. It’s time for designers to throw us a bone, there are more of us than the models on the runway.
I am going to start by saying I am not going to even post what I ate today cause if I do I will cry. I did journal and keep track today, it’s not that I didn’t cause I swear I did. Before I continue let me tell you the story that made me decide why I will not post my food count for today.
So, every once in a while my parent like to have chicken pot pies from Boston Market. Since, I myself don’t have Boston Market regularly because there is not one near where I live I figured..”:Hey, Why not?” I realize that pot pies are high in caloric value but I assumed that it wouldn’t be to high. Boy was I wrong!! I ate it then checked the calories and ugh!! 800 CALORIES!!! Now granted I did not eat the outer pie shell (which is the best part) so, it probably was not as many calories as it actually was, but still it was a lot.
Now I can not stress this enough. People before you put it in your mouth make sure you know how many calories it contains. Knowledge is Power and if I would have known maybe I would not have done it.
I have just had a “FOOD” day I haven’t eaten anything not healthy we aside from the pot pie, but everything else was high in calories so it REALLY ADDED UP!!
Well, I already told ya the worst so I might as well just post it lol.
It was just this past week that I really started getting serious, really serious about losing my pregnancy weight. For a couple of weeks, maybe a month I have cut my calorie intake and saw at one point a 5 lbs. weight loss in a week, to only learn that I gained it back over a weekend. Nobody I’ve asked can figure out why it happened, maybe too much sodium intake, no idea. At any rate, it was at that point that I decided I needed to get serious about this weight loss or I was going to keep this weight on for the rest of my life.
3 days old
But let me back it up a bit. Almost 16 months ago, January 31, 2008 I found out I was pregnant for the third time with our first child. I had two miscarriages before this pregnancy and so though I was elated to be pregnant, there was still some anxiety as to whether I would actually get to experience pregnancy this time. 8 months later, at 35 weeks (due to preeclampsia) I gave birth to Sawyer James, 5 lbs. 3oz. and 19 in. long. He was and is still perfect. I was able to breastfeed him for the first 5 months of his life. I was told around that time that due to my preeclampsia my body was just not going to produce anymore milk and I was going to have to give it up. I had such mixed emotions about not breastfeeding anymore, I didn’t want to lost out on that time nursing my son because it was so precious to me, but I knew that this may mean a chance to start losing the weight that I thought would have come off from breastfeeding. As you are probably already guessing, I am not one of those new mom’s who lost my weight within the next few months because I was breastfeeding my child. When I got pregnant with Sawyer I weighed in at my doctor’s office around 135 lbs. (Height 5′41/2″) It was more than I had wanted to weight when I got pregnant with my first baby, but it was what it was. Since I had to be induced and didn’t get to my next doctor’s appointment my best guess at how much I weighed when I delivered is somewhere around 170 lbs. I thought I was doing okay weight wise because I had only gained about 35 lbs, and my doctor told me to stay in the 25-35 lbs range and it should come right off. Well, with my preeclampsia I am not completely sure that was true.
So now my son is almost 7 months (March 6) and I am, as of a weigh-in yesterday, 145.8. I am determined to do whatever it takes to lose this weight and get fit again. Now you may be thinking, well, you only have 10 more lbs to go to be at your pre-pregnancy weight. True. However, I’d like to be fit and trim as well, so my goal is 125. I know when I am at that weight I tend to feel best about myself, I am working out and eating healthy to stay there, and I like the way I feel in my clothes. That’s really what this is all about isn’t it…feeling good about who you are in what you have to wear. So I have twenty pounds to lose and I am hoping to do it by May if possible.
So here is my plan and what I hope to blog about each day. I realized and embraced the reality that the only time I have to work out is in the morning before I feed my son, feed my dogs, and get myself off to work. So this past week I have been getting up at 5:00am and using Exercise TV as my means to exercise. For those of you who do not know what Exercise TV is, if you have cable on-demand you may want to check out the channels to find out if it is available to you. (In my local area, the channel is 426) Since we are currently on one income, I didn’t have money to work out at a gym and the thought of doing the same exercises over and over again from a DVD just didn’t seem appealing, I like variety. Exercise TV offers a wide variety of options and tells you exactly how long each workout is going to take. And, for the most part, it is exact. I say for the most part, because earlier this week I chose a workout and it said 22 minutes but the countdown clock said 42 and I didn’t quite have the time to finish a 42 minute workout. At any rate, my plan for the next 30 days, if not longer, is to workout each day taking one day off to rest. I will blog about the workout that I chose, share how I am feeling, what the exercise felt like to go through, maybe comment on the trainer, and share my food intake, etc.
Thus far I have seen some great benefits to working out. Since about my first trimester I have had sciatic nerve issues. I thought it would go away after I had the baby but it didn’t which is why I have been putting off working out for so long and why I stopped working out during my pregnancy. However, I have done cardio strength workouts, yoga, Pilates, and ab exercises and I have to say, except for the day that I did yoga, which increased the pain, I have had little to no pain since. I think the stretching and poses done during a yoga exercise, aggravated it a bit, but also helped to heal it. I also feel much better about myself already, I can feel some of my muscles again, especially in my abdomen and I am starting to feel stronger. I feel better about what I am putting in my body. I had found some recipes on food network this past Sunday and made a few of them throughout the week. I found them to be healthy, though some were lacking in flavor so I’ll have to tweak them for next time around.
Starting today, you’ll begin to read what I do throughout my day, what food I eat (how I liked it or didn’t like it), my mind-set, how my body feels, etc. I hope that this blog will speak to women who felt the same way I did about their pregnancy weight, but hopefully my actions will encourage them to do what it takes to take it off. The reality is only I can choose to take off this weight, no one can do it for me and thinking that it’s going to come off on its own or that it will come off later, will not get me anywhere. The time is now and so I am ceasing the moment and embracing a mantra a close friend once said to me, “I eat to live, not live to eat.” I get one body and it’s my responsibility while I am here on this earth to keep it healthy.
Oh, hi blog. Forgot about you for a bit. It has been a crazy month. Between sick kids, sleepless nights, and the husband traveling for work I’ve had little to no time to myself. Meaning no time to blog.
What has happened since last entry….lets see. Oh Biggest Loser Challenge, yeah screwed up my last weigh in by eating pizza and beer the Saturday before. Bad! I’ve moved to phase 2 of my plan though. Joined 24 hour fitness, which is perfect for me. Do something productive with those days I’m awake at 4am for no reason whatsoever. My tour guide told me it isn’t busy then, which is good. I don’t go to the gym to socialize. I’m in my own little world. And by that I mean concentrating so I don’t fall off the treadmill.
Work also is offering Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University for employees. So far I like it, so far he’s called me out on several things and it has been kind of an eye opener. For someone who pays bills and does accounting for a living, I’ve not carried that over to my real life. Time to change that….i’ve got things to I want to do, and I’m not gonna get to if I keep going the way we have. Scary wake up call.
Why do I feel like I should re-name this blog “Extreme Makeover Traci Addition” ?
If you spend enough time any time at all on the internet or watching late-night infomercials, you’ll probably hear about the so called belly fat diets.
It’s a very popular way to get you to spend money because the belly and/or love handles are an area that most of us are self-conscious about. Surely if we can take a magic pill to target just our trouble spot and make it all go away, it’s worth every penny right?
Don’t fall for it. Conventional wisdom, and my own personal experience back up the fact that there is no such thing as targeted weight loss. Plain and simple, you don’t get to choose where your body loses weight from, it gets to choose.
“But my buddy started the belly fat diet and it worked like magic!”
I don’t doubt it! Your buddy probably has a problem with visceral fat and that is exactly the type of fat that will almost always come off first. It’s not a special diet that’s creating success, that’s how the body is designed to work.
Visceral fat is the fat that exists under the abdominal muscles, among your internal organs — the so-called “pot belly”. This is the fat that doctors are so worried about because it’s collecting in places it really has no business collecting in. Fortunately it only takes minor dieting and exercise to start losing this dangerous fat because it’s been shown to be one of the first fat stores to come off during weight loss.
On the other hand if you have a problem with subcutaneous fat, you’re gonna need to do a lot more work. Subcutaneous fat is the fat that exists above the muscle, but under the skin — the so-called flabby tummy. Crunches and sit-ups aren’t going to help you here either. The best way to get rid of this is to reduce your overall body fat % through decreased calorie consumption and increased cardio exercise. Remember, you don’t get to choose where it comes from, so the only way to ensure less fat in your trouble spot is to have less fat overall.
I never had much of a problem with visceral fat, it was always subcutaneous for me, which I thought I needed to do tons of sit-ups and crunches for. I did an ab workout at least 2-4 times per week, every week for 6 months before I gave up on it because I wasn’t seeing any results. As soon as I started focusing more on cardio, my tummy problems got much better almost instantly.
Lastly, I have read lots of convincing information about consuming healthy fats to fight tummy fat. The so called “Mediterranean Diet”, rich in healthy fats such as olive oil is thought to decrease tummy size. While I can’t say for certain one way or another, it sounds like a yummy experiment!
First off, I have maintained my weight range for 8 weeks now without counting a single Weight Watchers Point. I think I finally found my health groove. I’m running more consistently, and am signed up for an 8k in April and a 10k in May.
Truth be told, I’m a little skeered. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do it, but Dave is a constant source of support and I have a team of amazing women (over at The Sisterhood) behind me, cheering me on every step of the way.
Speaking of The Sisterhood, we started a new challenge yesterday.
This challenge will run from Wednesday, February 24th until Wednesday, April 21st. That’s EIGHT weeks to shrink, shrink, shrink, and shrink some more! This is another team challenge, and I am proud to be a member of Team Fabulous!
Also, the last couple of weeks, The Sisterhood sponsored the Shrinking Jeans Olympics. I am proud to report that I brought home two medals! I won the gold as part of a 4×1 mile relay team (35:46 combined time), and I snagged a silver in the 2 mile fast walk (26:12 time).
That’s all for now! Happy Shrinking…or maintaining!
I just found out the my dearly beloved husband has taken the entire day off tomorrow in order to go to his Air Force interview so I will not be getting online tomorrow in order to post. Therefore, I am going to go ahead and list my stats for today so I cannot be accused of being a slacker again. Adios, mi bonitas!
The Damsel
Workout:
Elliptical – Resistance One and 25 Degree Incline – Three Thirty-Minute Sessions -> 776 calories burned.
There’s a lot that’s been floating around in my head, and I figured I’d just throw them in this one post. Good deal.
- First of all, I have some very good advice. Amazing advice. Follow it.
Don’t ever try to eat pizza while driving. Even 200 Calorie Digiorno pizza. Even though it looks so cute and portable.
Buy a Tide-To-Go pen. I just bought another one a couple days ago, and it has already saved me.. yea, from the pizza.
A garlic clove is one little piece of the whole garlic bulb. Not the whole thing. I did not know this until today.
- Right now, I am completely obsessed with The Weepies and Kate Nash. They are amazing and addicting and fun and comforting and great and all kinds of wonderful. Just listen to a couple songs. You will not regret it.
- I’m started trying to lose a few pounds again as well as get healthy, and I’m going to start using this blog to keep myself accountable so I basically cannot just ditch my plans without giving some sort of explanation. I think I’m going to jump on Kerri’s “Work It Out Weekends” thing.. maybe possibly so I can use the adorable banner..
- My happiness thing has been going pretty swell. I did a pretty bad job for a couple hours today, but then something happened that just completely brightened up my day which wasss..
- I applied at Old Navy today, and they called me two hours later to set up an interview! Ahhhh!! I’m so pumped.. I love Old Navy, and you get a sweet employee discount as well as apparently a 50% discount to Gap! Um, yes please. Right now. I’m insanely excited and nervous. I’ve been needing a job forever, and I just want this to work out so badly.
- I’m really happy with where I’m going with my life right now. I’ve been working on this whole being happy thing. I’ve been consistently doing my devotions at night. I’ve worked out everyday this week. I’ve been cutting down my junk food and sugar. I just feel so calm and happy right now. My muscles feel worked, and I feel content. I just hope I can keep this up.. all the work is definitely worth the feeling.
This weekend I was dragged to an Herbalife meeting. The girl in charge had this story to tell:
“I was over weight, depressed, and eating chocolate like it was nobody’s business. I wasn’t working out, and I slept a lot. BLAH BLAH BLAH. Then I starting taking these supplements and shakes. I started working out at least an hour a day and I am now on a roller derby team. I ditched the daily visit to Sees Candy and started eating right. I have lost 30 pounds in 6 months-all because of Herbalife!”
Did you catch that, Mom? All because of Herbalife? Really? So the change in diet and exercise and no longer eating Sees Candy every night wasn’t the reason for weight loss? My (real) Mom shares Nutrilite with people and they have supplements and shakes, but eating that stuff without a proper diet and exercise will only make your grocery bill larger! Even she will tell you that! It drives me nuts to hear people give their entire weight loss success to a product other than hard work and discipline. (See the Taco Bell Diet, because everyone wants to be as thin as Charles Barkley)
Mom, you don’t need a product to help you lose weight- you need a commitment. I’ll sell you that for free. A commitment to get moving and eat right is all you need. I love you!
Well I’ve given up wheat now for 5 days and a weird thing has been happening.
I find that it’s like I don’t even look forward to eating anymore. It’s as if my body is reconditioning itself to not even want to pass down that aisle in the supermarket/ the food court in the mall anymore because I know there is no point! No cake, no pastries, no cake, no bread, no cake, no patties!! I mean is there any reason to live anymore?!?!
And then the weird part comes…I don’t seem to miss it just yet :s
It feels weird, like I’m being rewired, retrained. My body has only put up passive resistance so far [thank God], hopefully it doesn’t get to the point where I feel I have to give in OR ELSE!!
You ever feel like this: You’re just taking a little stroll, la de da da, and then BOOM! It’s like your cravings jump you, corner you in some dark alley and force you to fulfill them at gun point!!
Well compared to that, it hasn’t been bad at all so far, there was banana bread in the house but it’s done so that temptation is gone. I never noticed how much I looked forward to eating. I mean I really did. I used to plan out my meals especially because I knew they were going to be delicious and I’d spend quite a bit of time thinking up new combos etc. but now, I feel like what’s the point of that. I can’t eat it so why bother torture myself thinking about what I could be eating? I’m not making much sense here, let me try to rephrase:
I never noticed how much time I spent thinking up ‘food’. Now that I’m off wheat and therefore not thinking up foods in that way, I see how much time I actually spent doing that!! Now I have to find other things to fill up that time and that’s proving to be the hardest part of it all!
I think I’m enjoying this though. Refraining from wheat, 5 days in, isn’t feeling half bad. I’m thinking, i may not even want to quit come April 1st! hehe stay tuned.
22-Feb
Breakfast
2 eggs
4
Snack
1/2 cup oatmeal
3
Lunch
1/2 cup rice and peas
2
white fish
2
Snack
1/2 cup oatmeal
3
1 pk yogurt
3
Dinner
1 corn on the cob
1
1 cup sweet and sour chicken stir fry
6
Snack
2 1.3 less fat turkey sausages
6
Remaining Points
1
Total
30
I had a family event to go to today. So I didn’t have time to eat breakfast because I slept too late. I was so surprised when I woke up. I couldn’t believe it! My waist actually looked smaller to my eyes. And it felt smaller too! I had to show off to my husband and he agreed I did look smaller.
At the family event I ate Ham, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, mayo and pickles. It was good. I drank a coffee also. They also had eclairs. It was pure torture! I love eclairs.
When I came home I exercised. This is the first time I’ve exercised without it being the first thing I do in the beginning of the day. It didn’t feel any harder.
For lunch I ate roast beef with steamed brocoli covered in cheese with a salad. It was delicious!
I went to bed early. Right after I ate my dinner. I don’t know what it was I just couldn’t stay awake. But I woke up with a huge craving for something sweet in the middle of the night. I didn’t find anything to eat as far as fruit goes. So I just drank some water.
Note to self: You need to eat more fish. Even though you don’t like it.
Diet foods, Ugh! What are the kinds of diet foods that you’re used to ? Carrots and celery sticks for a snack, chicken and brown rice for dinner? Maybe even something like Slim Fast? When you think of diet foods, do you think of foods that are low calorie and healthy–and flavorless? Sure, it’s great to eat healthy foods and they can help you to lose weight, but why do you dread them so much? Laura Fennamore, creator of Body Image Mastery, will tell you that when you limit yourself to diet foods, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Weight loss is something that happens naturally when you start loving yourself and respecting your body.
You probably have a favorite food that is forbidden when you go on a diet. Whether it’s a pizza, chips, or chocolate, we all have a food that we love to eat, but doesn’t eat these foods because you’re trying to lose weight, you end up feeling deprived. If you feel deprived, you’re less likely to stick with your diet. What’s worse, when you go back to your old habits, you’re probably going to binge because you haven’t had the food for awhile.
The truth is that there isn’t anything wrong with having a slice of pizza. The problem arises when you eat a whole pie. you can eat a few pieces of candy, but not a king bag. You don’t have to give up all of your favorite foods to loose weight. You just have to stop mindlessly eating.
What is mindless eating? It’s when you sit down in front of the TV with a bag of chips and are surprised when you realize you’ve eaten the whole thing. It’s when you get depressed and down a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. The key to getting slim without relying on diet foods is to learn the reasons why you overeat certain foods to begin with. By going through the exercises in Body Image Mastery, you’ll find out why your subconscious wants you to stay fat. Once you learn this, you’ll be able to work towards healing yourself, improving your body image, and losing weight.
When you respect and love yourself, you are more likely to reach for foods that are healthy and nourishing. Instead of seeing “diet foods”, you’ll begin to see….
For more on this article visit: http://www.onepinky.com/affiliates/idevaffiliate.php?id=156
Growing up, I struggled with my weight. It wasn’t because I ate out at McDonalds 7 times a week or because I considered chocolates and desserts as a food group. It all started with me being diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome, which then became vitiligo which then became other problems and so on and so forth. All together, I ate steroids for a combined total of 13 out of the 18 years I have been alive. Yipee! The doctor that gave me the steroids claimed they didn’t contribute to the weight gain. Other doctors said it was the primary reason. While I was in high school, I never really let it get to me too much. I was comfortable in my own skin and I was confident. Confident that I would be successful and make it somewhere in life despite how I looked.
After a rough year, and dropping out of university to take a year off, things changed. My appearance began to bug me a lot and I found it hindering my everyday life. I was all set to make a change.
Enter surgery. The surgery kept me out of the gym for a few months and I am finally back to try again. I even went and decided to get a personal trainer and do it the right way without giving up.
As motivated as I am, I am also very scared and self-conscious. I always feel like people are constantly judging you. Being of Indian decent, I am no stranger to being judging and stared at by others. Whenever I went back home to India to visit, my family, relatives, family friends, and anyone who cared to show up, would all stare and wonder why I was so “big”. Often times, they explicitly made a point of asking my parents or grandparents who had to regurgitate the sob story of my life. When I step into a gym, I feel all of that coming back. The feeling that people are staring and thinking, “oh look at her, she must spend all day eating” without even considering any other possibilities. Those feelings force me away from everyone into a little hole that I do not want to leave, Away from peoples opinions, expectations, or judgements.
Truth be told, I am sick of letting my weight control my life. I don’t want to be the “smart kid” just because I am not pretty enough to be good at other things. What if I really want to be a slutty party animal? Not that I have any intention of becoming that person, I’d like to have the option. And I’d like to be able to stare at a picture of myself without the process being painful.
Monday starts the beginning of a new journey. My attempt to lose more than 60 pounds by September. I hope I can use my perfectionist approach and achieve this goal the same way I do with others.
Type II diabetes is a major problem in this country. Type II diabetes is caused from years of eating poorly and can lead to serious health problems such as heart attack, heart failure and even death. In the US 23.6 million people have diabetes. The pharmaceutical industry knows this and makes a host of drugs to treat this disease, when it is most easily treated with diet and exercise. One of these drugs is Avandia and new research shows it is very dangerous.
Avandia is an oral diabetes medication that works by making the body’s cells more sensitive to insulin. A low carbohydrate diet and exercise also have the same effect, but without the risk of death. Now, the FDA is recommending that Avandia be removed from the market. GlaxoSmithKline, the drug’s maker, disagrees of course and from the outset has sought to cover up the potential problems with the drug. Reports, obtained by The New York Times, say that if every diabetic now taking Avandia were instead given a similar pill named Actos, about 500 heart attacks and 300 cases of heart failure would be averted every month because Avandia can hurt the heart. What if those people had been on an intensive diet and exercise program instead? Avandia also caused 304 deaths in the third quarter of 2009.
GlaxoSmithKline has attempted to cover up the information and it has been shown they did not warn the public of the dangers despite knowing more than 10 years ago that it was dangerous. The reason? It was a huge seller. Avandia was once one of the biggest-selling drugs in the world. Driven in part by a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign, sales were $3.2 billion in 2006. An upcoming bipartisan multiyear senate investigation sharply criticized GlaxoSmithKline for not waring of the potentially deadly side effects.
‘Instead, G.S.K. executives attempted to intimidate independent physicians, focused on strategies to minimize or misrepresent findings that Avandia may increase cardiovascular risk, and sought ways to downplay findings that a competing drug might reduce cardiovascular risk,’ concludes the report, which was overseen by Senator Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, and Senator Charles E. Grassley, an Iowa Republican.
Mr. Baucus said of the report, ‘Patients trust drug companies with their health and their lives, and GlaxoSmithKline abused that trust.’ (From The NY Times)
The first mistake is that you should never trust a pharmaceutical company. They are the most deceitful companies in existence and are only interested in big profits, even if it destroys lives. They seek to cover up unfavorable information and when confronted with the proof they attempted a cover up, simply deny or “disagree” with the findings.
Unfortunately, there is an internal battle within the FDA. Some are adamant that this drug should be removed. This comes from the public safety arm of the FDA. Other are not so sure. The FDA has requested that GlaxoSmithKline undertake a study to prove whether this drug actually does cause heart problems. First of all, this is a dangerous undertaking because the drug has already been shown to cause these problems, hence the reason the FDA is recommending it be removed from the market. Secondly, asking the drug’s maker to conduct the study is like asking the family dog to watch your food for you while you go to the bathroom. Nothing good can come of it.
Senator Grassley said the internal agency battle showed that the agency needed to be restructured to give more power to safety officials like Dr. David Graham and Dr. Kate Gelperin (who are part of the FDA and have recommended it be removed) over their counterparts who approve medicines and deal more directly with drug makers.
‘It doesn’t make any sense to have these experts who study drugs after they have been on the market for several years under the thumb of the officials who approved the drug in the first place and have a natural interest in defending that decision,’ Mr. Grassley said. ‘The Avandia case may be the most alarming example of the problem with this setup.’
Below is an exerpt from the NY Times article about the process through with Avandia has gone and shows that it has been known for years that this is dangerous.
The Senate investigation — the result of years of digging through more than 250,000 internal company documents — concludes that GlaxoSmithKline and by extension the F.D.A. delayed far too long in this process.
In November 2003, for instance, the company completed a study in which diabetics given Avandia had far more heart problems than those given placebos. Two months later, the World Health Organization sent the company an alert linking Avandia to heart ailments. In a June 2004 meeting, the company’s Global Safety Board said a hard look should be taken at all Avandia clinical trials for more signs of heart problems, documents show.
European regulators had earlier ordered GlaxoSmithKline to conduct a study — called the Record trial — to examine Avandia’s heart risks because hints of these problems appeared in the company’s earliest trials.. But the Senate report shows that by at least 2004, company executives were aware that the Record trial was going so poorly that it would never answer the heart question with any kind of certainty.
So company executives gathered dozens of Avandia studies and sifted their combined data. Called a meta-analysis, this combined look found first in 2005 and in an updated look in 2006 that Avandia increased the risks of serious heart problems by nearly a third, the Senate investigation shows. Because two-thirds of diabetics die of heart problems, this was hugely worrying.
In 2005, executives revealed the results of their meta-analysis to the F.D.A., and in 2006 they provided the agency with the underlying data.
Two large company-sponsored trials — called Dream and Adopt — were published near the end of 2006, and each provided more hints that Avandia hurts the heart, the documents show. In a March 2007 meeting of the company’s Diabetes Franchise Cardiology Advisory Board, advisers called the safety worries found in these many studies “disquieting.” Negotiations with agency officials about how and whether to alert the public continued.
All while this is going on, GlaxoSmithKline continued to market the drug aggresively, all the while knowing it was dangerous. The senate inquiry shows that as far back at 1999 there were attempts to silence doctors who spoke out publicly about Avandia.
Dr. John Buse, a professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina, gave presentations at scientific meetings suggesting that Avandia had heart risks. GlaxoSmithKline executives complained to his supervisor and hinted of legal action against him, according to the Senate inquiry. Dr. Buse eventually signed a document provided by GlaxoSmithKline agreeing not to discuss his worries about Avandia publicly. The report cites a separate episode of intimidation of investigators at the University of Pennsylvania. GlaxoSmithKline said that it “does not condone any effort to silence” scientific debate, and that it disagrees with allegations that it tried to silence Dr. Buse. Still, it said the situation “could have been handled differently.”
Again, there is a plethora of proof that:
A) GlaxoSmithKline knew this was dagerous for years and did nothing about it.
B) They actively engaged in covering up the data.
C) Tried to suppress and intimidate doctors who spoke out publicly about the drug.
GlaxoSmithKline will probably get a slap on the wrist for this, but they should be fined billions. Avandia is only one example of how crooked the pharmaceutical industry is. Until we get the lobbying money out of politics things will continue as is and people will continue to get hurt by corporate giants that have no regard for peoples’ health and safety.
As I stated in another post, I’ve been approved for beginning an Associates in Applied Science (AAS) degree program in Health Fitness Specialist. Everything just about is complete for my entrance. My ACT scores were finally received, and I scored well enough that I can get out of 4 foundation classes usually required. Speaking of classes, I still haven’t heard which of the UAF classes were able to transfer to the other university on my transcript. I’m hoping a lot of them transfer so I don’t have to take any general classes, but can get right down to the degree specific courses.
I have to do an interview for financial aid (required even if paying your own way) then I can register for classes. I was supposed to have done the interview this week, but with only one vehicle since the accident, we were extra busy and I wasn’t home during the times available. Hopefully this can be done on Monday. Then I can register for classes and arrange book shipments. I’m excited to start classes in early April.
Why a degree as a Health Fitness Specialist? I’m definitely not your typical health nut, nor do I necessarily consider myself one. I’m 35, not athletic by any means, and overweight. However, I do see the value in being fit and want to help others learn that you don’t have to be athletic to be fit. Nor is being fit just being skinny. Being fit is a lifestyle and as such, full of choices. I want to help others make healthy choices. This degree will give me more knowledge to do that.
I want others to know that you can change your life from unhealthy to fit. I’m doing it. It’s not always easy, but worth the effort. Not someone who hasn’t been there saying what a health book says weight loss should be. Nor someone drastically overweight telling how to get thin. I’ve gotten advice from both these types. Neither of them were especially helpful, even though they were both informational. Instead, it added to my frustration because I felt they didn’t understand where I was coming from. I want the book learning to go along with my personal insights so I can help with a range of fitness problems whether it be loosing weight, toning trouble spots, or injury rehab.
For this degree, classes include human anatomy, movement, nutrition, fitness evaluations, and how the body responds to exercise. There’s also some business classes. It’s more detailed than what most fitness instructors and personal trainers have and I’d be able to pass those exams. This is a 2 year degree with the option to continue into a bachelor’s degree which has more specialized training courses.
I’m taking most of this for my own knowledge rather than wanting a specific job. However, I would be able to work in almost any health setting including gyms and health clubs, physical rehab centers, schools, and even corporate settings. It’s definitely a portable degree. That’s good since I could likely get short term or part time positions while traveling if I ever wanted to. I want to help people as a wellness coach and fitness instructor to get over the blocks keeping them from being fit. I’ve already been approached for a potential fitness instructor position.
Maybe one of the easiest and simplest ways is breathing. This is done by gently breathing in through the nose, gently expanding your abdomen and then gently expelling the air through your nose pulling in your abdomen at the same time. Whilst breathing out the air you need to focus on that breath. After several breaths in and out you should start to feel yourself relax. You need to practice doing this exercise a few minutes a day to start with building up to five minutes in the end. You can also practice this when you are feeling stressed or when things are getting on top of you. Just a few minutes can slow your body down and help it to feel relax.
Life style changes can be like changing your eating habits for a healthier diet, getting enough sleep, or even organizing your time more efficiently so that you do not feel so stressed. Also looking after your body will help your body to cope with stresses that you come across during your day.
So if you are exercising frequently and eating properly but still not losing any weight especially from around the middle then maybe you are suffering from high levels of cortisol caused by stress. Look at ways to solve the problem and hopefully then you should see a difference in your weight and around your middle.
If you want to know the best tips on how to lose weight quickly and safely, come and visit http://www.learn-to-lose-weights.info/. There you will find the secret of losing weight.
There are many things that can interfere with your ability to give your best to whatever you are going. Sometimes we are tired, sometimes we just have too many other activities getting in the way, and sometimes we just get lazy. These distractions come and go. The one persistent problem that can get in your way is thinking.
Now, I don’t mean critical thinking where you truly assess what you are doing, how you are doing it, and make adjustments accordingly. I am talking about what is sometimes called “stinking thinking.” Stinking thinking is the idea that you are thinking too much about the bad and not concentrating enough on the good. All of us fall prey to stinking thinking as some point, no matter what career or activities we pursue. However, when stinking thinking invades our thoughts several times a day, we are working against ourselves.
Many of us were raised by parents who spent a lot of time worrying. They worried about everything: money, their spouse, their kids, even what they were going to have for dinner tonight. They spent so much time worry that they sometimes forgot to look at what was going well. Unfortunately, many of us picked up our parents bad habits.
How do you combat stinking thinking? Probably the most important thing is to have a plan. If you have trouble coming up with a plan yourself, work with someone, a mentor or a friend, to come up with a plan. Second, stick to the plan. If you have a goal in mind and way to get there, you are much less likely to get off track and start falling prey to self-doubt.
Don’t forget to look at what is going well. If you have gotten off track a little or things are going exactly as you planned, you are undoubtedly doing something right. As long as you are still working toward the goal and moving forward, then you are heading in the right direction. If you start worrying excessively about the fact that things have not gone exactly as planned, you can actually cause things to go even more off track. Again, don’t work against yourself. If you feel discouraged, go back to the person you worked with on the plan. Talk out what is going on and how you might change things. You might be surprised to find that you are doing everything right it is just taking more time than originally planned. Or you may find that you need to adjust something a little bit.
The ability to stay on track and stay positive takes discipline and practice. The effort is well worth it when your business thrives and you achieve success.
Food Consumed- ? Calories
x1 Footlong Chicken Breast Sub. Some pizza and a little cake (today was my brother’s birthday)
Workout- Did some core exercises on my exercise ball. Today was biceps and legs at the gym!
Supplements taken-
Took some multivitamins in the morning. Had a protein shake with creatine after my gym workout.
Overall thoughts-
Ah, I am in a good mood today after the gym. I had been looking forward to today to see if my biceps have improved. They did! I started off my first time on biceps, not even being able to curl 30 pounds with my left arm at all, to pumping out multiple reps of 35 pounds today. That may not sound like a lot, but it is a pretty big deal to me! Numerical improvements make me feel like I have been getting somewhere with this. My body weight has been literally stagnant this month so far, but at least my muscular ability is increasing. Good stuff. I really gotta keep up with the cardio though, because I think that will show more physical differences!
This week at my Weight Watchers weigh-in, I lost .4 pounds from last week. This was a little frustrating because I was only .8 pounds from getting another five pound star for a total of 80 pounds. So exciting. I’m thinking this coming Monday, I’ll be there though. I’m very excited.
Eric has been feeling under the weather this week. He awoke Monday morning with a sore throat and it’s just kinda made him feel yucky all week. We got some sudafed for him this morning and that seemed to help during the day. Praying he feels better quickly.
Jessica and I walked this evening. Becky came over and rode the stationary bike. We then went over to Subway and had dinner and worked on studying for Jessica’s GRE exam. I’m not sure how much help we’re really giving her sometimes. The math is so tough. I am so not a math person. This weekend is our nine mile walk. We’re trying to think of something cute to do for our shirts for the race. We don’t have any great ideas yet. Only three more weeks until our Princess Half. YEAH! I don’t know if I’ve posted this or not yet, but I’ve been trying to think of something I would like to do to celebrate getting to my goal weight in the end. I have decided that I want to complete the Chicago marathon for my celebration. I am very excited about it and I may not be able to make it by this year’s marathon – especially since I don’t know when it will fill up. I want to get to my goal weight before signing up. I should definitely be able to get to my goal weight and sign up for Chicago Marathon 2011. I wanted to let you all know what I am working towards.
I’ve been very excited lately at how many people are starting to notice my weight loss. It feels great to have people really notice. Eric took me shopping on Saturday and I got some new clothes as some of mine are starting to get too large to wear. I can’t tell you how nice it felt to fit into a size 12. It’s been SO LONG since I was a size 12.
I’ve started my new Beth Moore book on insecurity. Haven’t gotten very far yet, but I like what I’ve read. I really appreciate her sincerity and openness. Jessica and I were talking tonight about how imperfect we are and how God uses imperfect people – Beth Moore discusses this in her books I’ve been reading – just think about how anxious and messed up some of the people from the Bible were. God loved them and used them to do great and mighty things. We need to realize that we don’t have to be perfect.
Who is the couch potato mystery man/woman? In the past three days my blog, “The Contagious Disease Called Lazy” has gotten a ton of hits. Someone is reading it a lot and searching the words couch potato to find it. I am so flattered that this person(or people) are intrigued by this thought but I am dying to know what they think/feel/say/anything! But, I will leave it at that. Today I will write about this topic (being lazy) as apparently it is well read this week.
What does it mean to be lazy? What sets a lazy person apart from an active one? Is lazy something we are born with or learned? I believe that being lazy is something we do when we are living on the surface, not from our core. I believe when we live from our core we have passions, desires, excitement, and we love to move. We love to make our bodies happy and healthy. We love exploring and learning. This drive and activity comes from deep down inside. When we don’t tap into this portion of ourselves, I believe we stop caring, and we get lazy.
When I was in the dieting crowd, I was lazy. I mentioned in my earlier blog just how lazy I was. Everything felt like a hassle. Everything was hard and inconvenient. I didn’t care about the little important details, I didn’t care much about anything, most importantly, I didn’t really care about myself. This lead me down a journey of laziness that only continued to move downward.
Here are ten ways to jump out of being lazy and become that energetic, driven, positive person:
1. Do your dishes: Don’t wait until your dishes have a layer of disgusting, sticky filth stuck to them, wash them immediately. How much more will you enjoy your meal when your dishes are already done.
2. Do your laundry: Doing your laundry often saves you from devoting an entire day to 7 loads when your room has been taken over by dirty clothes. Do your laundry well before it piles up.
3. Brush your teeth: Well I hope this isn’t the first time you have heard this one. Brushing your teeth (even when you are sooo tired and you just want to go straight to bed) is surprisingly invigorating. Just as I feel like I am going to fall over from exhaustion, I get up, brush my teeth, and what do you know, my eyes perk right up!
4. Clean often: There is no reason you can’t wipe down counters and appliances everyday! Imagine how much easier it will be to deep clean when you have been cleaning all week!
5. Get moving: If you are someone that works best on a schedule, schedule your workouts for the week. Pick different activities for different days and write them in your calendar. If you like spontaneity, wake up and ask yourself what you feel like doing, then do it! The more you move, the more you will want to continue moving.
6. No more rolly chairs: This really only applies if you work in an office. When we have the comfort of sitting all day we tend to become attached to the chair. Get off the chair every time you need to get a copy. Do not roll around like you have no mobility. I did this when I worked in an office and next thing I knew I was complaining when I had to stand up and walk down the hall to the bathroom. Don’t make this a habit.
7. Start cooking: Everyone can read a recipe book so don’t tell me you can’t cook. If you hate cooking, too bad. That may sound harsh but you must, must, must find a venue of cooking that you enjoy. Get excited about the beautiful cookbooks they have out there. Discover new herbs and spices, get creative!
8. Get social: The more you get outside and mingle, the less you will find yourself melting into your couch. When you are surrounded by friends and family you will be happier, healthier, and more motivated. Don’t wait for them to make plans with you, call them, who knows maybe they were just waiting for you to make the first move!
9. Hobbies: I feel like a broken record with this one but finding your passions and hobbies is so important. You need to find things that you are good at and that make you smile. These are the things that get you away from the TV and into your core self. They will fill you up in a way that food, TV, and trashy magazines can’t touch.
10. Independence: We have learned to depend on many things to make our lives easier. I don’t think we need it to be quite this easy (we have an obesity epidemic!). If the microwave and dishwasher are your two best friends it is time to start searching for alternatives. You can cook! You can wash dishes! You can do just about anything… if you want too. Discover your independence.
These ten tips are not easy. It is not easy to live in your core, it is hard work. Once you live with fullness and energy, you will live the most fulfilling, fabulous life you can imagine. If you are someone who considers themselves to be lazy, it’s OK, you have the power to turn that around, so find your independence and kick lazy to the curb.
I did it again. The same thing that I’ve done so many weekends before, a total breakdown of my willpower. I didn’t track anything I ate, and I probably consumed more fat than I would in an entire week if I were sticking to plan. All I can say is that I’m not looking forward to weighing in on Wednesday, because I don’t think it’s going to be pretty.
I have to get back on track, but it seems whenever I have a bad weekend, making it through the next week seems that much harder. I don’t really have a choice, though, because I have to keep going, I had a really good stratch for several weeks, but the last few weeks, even before this weekend, just haven’t gone as well. I have to get some mojo going again.
That’s really all I have to say tonight. That about tells the story in a few words. This week will be a better week, though. It has to be.
This was a lot harder than I expected. Exercising took a lot out of me. I ran 1 mile it was difficult. I also did my push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges and walking. I can’t believe I made it through my exercise routine. My body feels great, especially my legs. I can actually feel the muscles in them. That’s so wonderful because I’ve always hated having a fat butt and fat legs. Those parts of my body will be my biggest accomplishment!
I’m really tired. When I don’t get to eat I get really frustrated. I feel angry. I hate feeling this way. I just need to relax… Easier said then done.
For breakfast I had 1 apple, 1/4 cup of almonds and a cup of coffee. I probably shouldn’t have coffee… But it gives me energy. Even if it’s only mental it helps me keep up this diet.
For lunch I had about 2 slices of cheese. I should have eaten more but I took too long exercising.
For dinner I had chicken soup. About 2 bowls. It had carrots, green beans, onions and of course chicken.
And another cup of coffee…
I weighed this morning it was terrible. I weighed 156lbs. I gained weight. So I’m very happy I stuck with my diet and exercise today. I’m only going to weigh every 2 weeks. On March 1st I’ll weigh again. I’m also going to measure my body to see where I’m at. That way I’ll have something to compare my size to down the road when I’m smaller. I’m only going to measure at each month mark so March 15th I’ll measure again.
33 in. waist
44 in. Butt
40 1/2 in. hips
15 1/2 in. calves
27 in. thighs
Lastly I posted my pictures so we can watch my progress. This blog is definitely increasing my determination.
For some unknown reason, many people seem to think that walking is a poor form of exercise. Hardly anyone ever recommends this exercise. Go to any fitness expert, health professional or sports expert and the first thing they always insist is that you buy expensive exercise equipment, join a gym or eat special diets- walking is the last word in their mouth.
The crazy thing is that many people believe these “soothsayers” and buy expensive machines for exercise and or join costly gyms which they rarely visit. The majority of people who but home exercise equipment get bored within one week and then hide the equipment underneath the bed or store it in the garage.
What should be understood is that intense exercises are not for everyone. There are many people who just can’t get on an exercise machine or start jogging.
For everyone who wants to lose weight, there is absolutely nothing wrong with walking. In fact over the long run, walking is better than any other form of exercise. Granted the results are not rapid, but over time, more people remain motivated to this simple form of exercise.
It is estimated that if you lose 3500 calories you will lose one pound in weight. Walking for 1 hr every day will help you burn about 300-400 calories day. This means that in 10 days, you can lose a pound. Further, if you combine this to dietary restrictions, the weight loss can be augmented. If you cut down 100- 200 calories a day and combine it with walking for an hour- the weight loss can be significant. The more you walk, the greater the weight loss. And of course if you walk faster, the more calories you burn.
Walking is the cheapest, safest and most cost effective way to lose weight. Plus, you get to enjoy the environment and appreciate nature. So start walking today and stop listening to the fitness experts who want you to spend your hard earned money on junk exercise machines.
The most important thing to remember when you are starting an Isagenix Program is that Isagenix can be flexible -
Make it fit your schedule.
Isagenix offers something for every”body”.
On the Total Wellness Plan you’ll cleanse two days a month. The rest are 1 shake and two meals.
On a 30 Day Nutritional Cleanse you will start with 2 Pre Cleanse Days, then 1 Cleanse Day. Follow with 6 Shake Days and repeat the Cleanse Day. Repeat 6 Shake Days/1 Cleanse.. That’s it. On a 30 Day Cleanse you will only cleanse one day a week. The rest are all Shake Days.
On a 9 Day you will have enough product to have 2 Pre Cleanse Days which are the same as Shake Days, 4 Cleanse Days and 5 Shake Days. You’ll start with the 2 Pre Cleanse Days.. Follow with 2 Cleanse Days. Than 5 Shake Days. Finish up with 2 more Cleanse Days.
You’ll do great! You are going to Love how you feel!
All of this info will be in you program guide book that you will receive with you first shipment. What is not included is EXACTLY what to do when. During my first 30 Day Nutritional Cleanse I found it helpful to follow a written plan. I picked the times because they worked for me. You can change or rotate anything you like. Good Luck and let me know if you have any questions and how you’re doing.
Pre Cleanse/Shake Days
AM 1 -2 ounces Ionix Supreme (not included in a 9 day cleanse)
8:00 Shake and Nat. Accelerator
12:00 Isagenix Snack (Optional) and Nat. Accelerator
1:30 400 – 600 Calorie Meal
4:00 Isagenix Snack (Optional)
6:00 Shake
8:00 Isagenix Snack (Optional)
9:00 1-2 Isa Flush (not included in a 9 day cleanse)
Cleanse Days
1/2 Cup Cleanse 4 life X 4
*Sprinkle Cleanse for Life with Want More Energy (Optional)
*Drink lots of Water.
AM 1/2 cup Cleanse for Life and Nat. Accelerator
8:00 Isagenix Snack
11:00 1/2 cup Cleanse for Life and Isagenix Snack
12:00 1 – 2 ounces Ionix Supreme
1:00 Isagenix Snack
2:00 1/2 cup Cleanse for Life
3:00 Isagenix Snack
5:00 1/2 cup Cleanse for Life and Isagenix Snack
7:00 Isagenix Snack
9:00 Isa Flush (Not in a 9 day or Total Health and Wellness)
When you’re ready to order again and/or you want to share Isagenix with your friends and family please visit www.CleanseMyself.com. Click “sign up and save” and find out how to receive wholesale prices on all your orders for the next year.
Let us know if you have any questions or need any support.
Stay Healthy,
Went on the treadmill today for an hour and did another hour of pilates… did pretty good with the food too, just one vegitarian tamale with beans and rice, some protein powder, two pickles and about four pieces of bread with butter… ok…….. maybe i ate a bunch of garbage today – this is why it pays off to think about it and write it down, lol! Had some coffee too…. geez! Will try harder with the food tomorrow
Too often we complicate things unnecessarily. The same can be said about working out. You don’t need to waste time performing fancy exercises or using every piece of equipment in a gym. There’s no need to entertain everybody with BOSU squats. Trust me, it’s not a “functional core” exercise…
In fact, if you’re just starting out, the focus should be on the basics. Learn to squat. Learn to deadlift. Learn, practice, and perform pushups. Learn, practice, and perform pull-ups. Believe it or not, you can structure an effective program, and make great gains, by simply using those four exercises. You can always throw in some lunges and rowing/pulling movements as well, but learn the basics first.
Below is a quick video from Bill Hartman on rowing. Too often people fail to engage and retract the scapula before performing the movement. Again, learn the basics…
A couple great articles to mention this week…
A great post by Lyle McDonald on Muscle Growth & Workout Nutrition.
An interesting post on Chocolate Milk, and whether it’s an ideal post-exercise drink.
“Rooted in the Infinite: The Yoga of Alignment” is one comprehensive system which can: -Align yourself from within so that when you mediate, you have a profound, authentic, transformational experience, right from the start. -Find it engaging and enjoyable to meditate. (You can use this system to prepare for any other type of sitting or movement meditation, including martial arts.) -Develop a regular inner alignment meditation practice that you look forward to. -Develop your talents (especially in the performing arts involving the voice, e.g., acting, singing, public speaking). -Cultivate wisdom, compassion, and equanimity. -Become an instrument of Divine Love. -Understand how the path of desirelessness and the path of desire are the same path. -Understand how the ego can lead to “enbrightenment.” -Support your physical and emotional healing from within. -Prepare yourself for the manifestation of the desires of your heart. With this book, employing Rebbie’s unusual mingling of the Upanishads, the Abraham-Hicks teachings, watermelon seeds, and chiropractic, you can become a more true version of yourself.
The exercises in the back of the book teach you how to: -Align your “energetic spine.” -Locate the now in your body. -Augment your healing. -Live in the now. -Prepare for deep meditation.
Here’s the Table of Contents: Introduction: How to Approach This Book Section I Preparing the Ground: The Basic Principles -Let the Water Flow: Life Force -Clearing the Path: Alignment -Seven Lotuses: The Chakras -Tilling the Soil: Techniques -Planning the Garden: X-Y-Z Section II Rooted in the Infinite: Creation -Locating Your Root -The Root of Time: Locating The Now -The Root of Space: Finding the Center of the Universe -Transformation and Creation: Cosmic Potential -The Root of Being: Balance and Healing -The Open Moment Section III Planting the Seed: Bringing Awareness to Each Chakra -The Wild Herbs of Paradox: Desire and Ego -Wild Flowers: The Heart That Sings -Expansive Perspective: Wisdom and Mastery Section IV Joyful and Abundant Harvest: Living in the Garden of Life -Alignment for Spiritual Purification -Alignment for Healing -Alignment for Joyful Manifestation -A Good Life Practice Section -Introduction -Session 1 Locating Your Root -Session 2 Locating The Now -Session 3 Locating The Center of the Universe -Session 4 Balance and Healing -Session 5 The Open Moment -Session 6 Desire – Ego -Session 7 The Heart That Sings -Session 8 Wisdom – Mastery -Session 9 Alignment for Spiritual Awareness -Session 10 Alignment for Healing -Session 11 Alignment for Joyful Manifestation -Session 12 A Good Life Index.
Price: $16.95 - Rooted in the Infinite: The Yoga of Alignment
6:30am – Wake up, make breakfast (egg whites and turkey wrap), chug water and take vitamins. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to work out this morning but my boyfriend did so I woulda felt like a bum not going, so I ran over to BSC and spent 13 minutes getting warmed up on the elliptical while reading Oxygen and listening to Lady Gaga. Then I stretched and boyyyyyy are my hamstrings tight from doing RDL’s last night. Then I did the following ab exercises all on the stability ball:
20 knees to elbows (10 each side) – Plank position with feet on stability ball, right knee to right elbow, and so on..
20 crunches on ball
20 elbow to knee crunches on the ball
20 passes (lie on back lift feet in air, pass stability ball to hands, lie flat, pass stability ball back to feet, etc)
40 crunches (place knees on ball, back on floor and crunch up)
10 knees to opposite elbow (5 each side) – Plank position with feet on stability ball, right knee to left elbow, and so on..
30 bicycle crunches
Yesterday at CATZ, Sarah, one of my coaches told me about the knees to elbow thing with feet on the stability ball, and I’m all about challenging my core, so I wanted to do it today and I really like it, but the knees to opposite elbow is REALLY hard, like, I fell off once. I just can’t quite reach my knee to my opposite elbow. If my foot is on the floor, I can, and I can touch my knee to the same side elbow, but opposite.. no. But I’m going to try again when I hit the gym tonight.
10am – Okay, so I completely forgot to eat because I was so busy at work. But I’m eating now and I’m having a low fat string cheese, an apple and 25 almonds. Here’s the nutrition:
Calories Carbs Fat Protein
String Cheese 50 0 2 6
Apple 81 21 0 0
Almonds 208 7 18 8
1:30pm – Definitely a little late eating again, but I just took my lunch break to go to H&M with my girlfriend Erica. I have to say that shopping for a size 4 makes shopping a lot funner! So today for lunch I had a piece of think sliced chicken breast with some yummy Ken’s wing sauce and I’d say what was a cup of spaghetti squash and one of those cute pink sugar cookies with sprinkles! Here’s the nutrition:
Calories Carbs Fat Protein
Chicken 140 0 2 29
Sauce 15 1 2 0
Spaghetti Squash 4 10 0 1
Cookie 150 21 6 2
So that cookie was totally naughty, but we are all human, right? I just know I need to run a few miles tonight at the gym or go to spinning perhaps. All those carbs were straight sugar, and I can tell because I feel like I really need to brush my teeth.
4:30pm – Ok, I’m getting ready to have my mid-afternoon/ pre-workout snack, so I need the perfect combination of complex carbs and lean protein. Obviously I’m on a Chobani kick, so I’m going to have that again. I really don’t ever get sick of eating the same things over and over again. I get to where I actually crave them if I go too long between. I was putting honey in my plain greek yogurt, but I’m not really wanting the extra calories, so I opt for Splenda. A lot of you may not like using artificial sweeteners, but I figure everything gives cancer.. I’m not all that worried about a little Splenda. I’m also having a sugar free Redbull because I’m getting sleepyyyy!
I decided to go to spinning. I’m really not a fan of spinning unless it’s with someone who really motivates and PLAYS GOOD MUSIC. It wasn’t a whole hearted attempt, I want to save my legs for a long run tomorrow. But I got a decent sweat going, then I got an especially good 20 minute stretch in and rolled out.
For dinner my amazing boyfriend picked up salads from Not Your Average Joe’s. Here’s the nutrition facts from my Ahi tuna salad…
Calories Carbs Fat Protein
344 34 10 31
I seriously love tuna.. I could be a fisher-woman and just eat raw tuna every single day.. its sooooo good!
I’m still working on getting my gallon in.. so far I’m at 15 cups… no problem.. I got this!! So all in all, today was okay, I could have eaten better.. I did have a couple of cookies but tomorrow is a new day.. CATZ first thing!!!
My good friend and client Amy Lundberg is starting her amazing “Self Care Before Sit-Ups” Group Coaching Program TODAY with a F*REE call…so if you’ve been wanting to lose the weight for good and get into shape so that you are energized and loving your body, you’ll definitely want to check this out!
Here’s her letter…
“Less than 24 hrs before my Accelerated Transformational group coaching program starts!
I have heard many of you and I am listening!
You are asking me for more details; not sure if this right for you; and the timing is a factor.
So two things:
1. There is never a perfect time to start when it comes to starting your journey towards improving your health, weight, balance, and lifestyle.
This only starts when the discomfort is too great…
so why wait until then, why not start now?
Life is always busy, my life is busy, but I know how to manage my energy (which I coach)not my time, to live a life of balance, peace, joy, and in my ideal healthy body. This gives me the energy to enjoy all the things I need to do and love to do without feeling depleted, guilty, or full of resentment.
So I invite you to looking within yourself with compassion and love and get in touch with your story, what has been holding you back from investing in yourself.
2. I am offering the first class f/r/ee to give you a taste and feel of what the class will be like and see for yourself if this is just what you are looking for and would support you in your personal journey.
Your next step: Send me an e-mail saying you would like to be a guest on the first call and I will give you the call-in details:
aimforit at arvig.net.
That’s it! I’m so excited! I know lives will transform because…they do! Love to have you be a part of it!
Like many people, I made a New Years resolution to lose weight. Actually, I resolved to do it back in November, but decided to wait until after the New Year. I admit, I wanted to enjoy the holidays!
I have gained about 35 pounds over the last few years. I had 2 back surgeries in 2009 and was off work . So, my wife and I are back on the South Beach Diet… It works. I lost 30 pounds when I was on it 4 years ago. So far, I have lost 18 pounds in 4 weeks. I would like to lose 15 to 20 more.
I was hoping to be at my goal weight before my vacation at the end of this month. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to make it… So, I guess I’ll go to Gatlinburg half way to my goal weight…
I made it to the gym today and did another 5 miles on the treadmill. I got to thinking on my way home and I think that 12 miles is the most I have ever done in my life during one week… it has to be! LOL! I am proud of myself though. I feel good… tired now, but good. It is amazing how one day, like Monday, I walked the 5 miles and felt like I could do another 5. Tuesday I did 2 and was completely done by that point. Today I could have stopped after 2, but still felt good, so kept going. By the time I got to 4.5 I was feeling like I was done, so I stopped reading my book and just focused on the walking. I got though it just fine.
My legs are pretty tight today. That’s a good thing!
[Keep in mind that I write these posts quickly & immediately after finishing my workouts, so I apologize in advance for any grammar errors,weak sentence structure, babbling, etc.]
Today’s workout was a:
As a matter-of-fact: I fucking killed kenpo X! Killed it!
Kept up the whole time, kept the same pace as on the video for the most part – these guys sometimes are really just to fast when it comes to exercises where let’s say you step, punch, upper cut, kick, step back for example. On the step back part, they do it so fast while I still take a little longer, so they end up being one or two ahead of me – but I do extra at the end.
AND I ACTUALLY FAST-FORWARDED THROUGH TWO WHOLE 1:30 BREAKS!
So in other words I “brought it” today.
And the most amazing thing? I can now actually touch the fucking floor with my palms when doing a wide-legged stretch! I know that this is no big deal to most, but when I started on day 1 I could only touch my knees! Now I can place both my PALMS on the floor while bending over. That’s like a holy grail for fat dudes!
I love this workout cause you’re pushing yourself so hard, the moves and segue between exercises is so quick, that you feel like you have only done a 20-25 minute workout when you’ve actually done a whole 60 minutes. It’s great.
Not much else to say today, quite excited that tomorrow is officially the end of my 2nd week of p90x and I’ll be taking updated stats,measurements and pictures which I will post up tomorrow sometime. Right now? I’ve got to go eat.
Oh how I dislike you plyometrics! I forgot just how painful you are to me!Well, I obviously did Plyometrics today and I hate to say it, but I only made it through about 30 minutes. I have a horrible knee problem and I thought I was doing pretty good until it started giving in. It felt as though it was going to pop out of place. I knew it was time to stop, as I have had it actually slip out of place and its not very much fun. It usually puts me out for several days, and if I allow that to happen, I will not be able to continue in my P90X journey. Therefore, I had to put a stop to Plyo. I’m still in pain though and I know tomorrow will be worse. I guess I just have to keep “bringing it” right?
As for food, I am attempting to follow the nutrition program this time and I noticed that I am having a hard time to get that much protein in my diet. I also noticed that I consumed a lot of carbs which I didn’t think I had until I went to log all my food in. Man how quickly those carbs can sneak up on you!
Well, drinking my protein shake now, then off to bed!
wow…today i got things back on track and i gotta say it feels GOOD!
only one day back and it’s almost like my mind and body are breathing a collective sigh of relief!
I went to the gym tonight and banged out 45 mins of cardio and strength and enjoyed it! Don’t get me wrong- it burned! LOL…while i was on the elliptical i felt like i was gonna pass out but i knew that that particular episode was a mind over matter game. SO right now it’s Lily:1; Total lack of self discipline: 0 and i’m in it to win it!
Paul in the Bible said that he will beat his body until it becomes his slave and i will do the same thing! I will train, exercise and eat my body into willing or unwilling submission. When I feel like eating garbage, i’m going to choose to eat right. When my mind KNOWS I can do at least 1280 strides in 15misn on the elliptical but my body wants to quit halfway, I will push it. When I fall off the wagon, I’ll dust myself off and get back on because really i will learn nothing until and unless i learn how to pick myself up and start all over again!
there is too much at stake to let a whole day’s/week’s/month’s/year’s worth of good work go to waste!
Why indeed, so lets explore this and understand whether there really is any point embarking on a Detox Diet, Body Cleansing, Detoxification or whatever you choose to call it.
First, what is the dictionary definition of Detox? Well the Oxford English dictionary defines it as the removal of toxic substances or qualities.
Wikipedia defines it as a treatment in alternative medicine which proponents claim rid the body of accumulated harmful substances that exert a negative effect on individual health.
So what do the experts, say, not the companies who try and persuade us to purchase detox products or go on detox holidays but the scientists.
Well, the Voice of Young Science Network reported that there is no evidence that products widely promoted to assist the body detox, actually work.
There is a world of difference between a Detox diet, i.e. products that you consume, and detox products for the body. For example a ‘detox face wash’. Well all this was found to accomplish was to remove make-up, skin oils and dirt, i.e. the same as any face wash.
What is a Detox Diet? A Detox Diet would generally last from five days to two weeks and involve drinking two to three litres of liquid a day, generally water. You would be asked to remove from your diet, caffeine, red meat, alcohol, tobacco, sugar and salt. You would eat lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, chicken, rice and grains and possibly juice. If you want to get away for your detox program, you may also expect some pampering, a massage with aromatherapy oils, but maybe also a colonic irrigation.
Detox diets come in a myriad of terms, for example, lemon detox diet, three day detox diet, simple detox diet, apple detox diet, liquid detox diet, marthas vineyard detox diet and even the beyonce detox diet.
Will the diet work, well it should simply because you are eating healthily, and, depending how it compared to what you eat prior to your detox, you may lose weight as you could be eating a lot less calories than you use to.
So, back to the scientists. Well, in all the research we’ve read, the general opinion is it is unnecessary. Your body is so sophisticated it is designed to clear itself. Urine and stools are how the body removes toxic substances.
So if there is no evidence of a Detox diet being beneficial, why bother. Well, I’d argue, there may be three reasons:
1. A lot of us lead fast unhealthy lifestyles. A Detox Diet will force you to eat healthily at least for a short period. So depending on what your normal diet is, it may be no surprise that you lose weight and feel great at the end of it
2. For the more expensive programs, it’s an excuse to go away and be pampered and potentially return glowing.
3. If it encourages you to change your diet for good and eat and drink healthily, then that’s a good thing
So if you have had a Detox or are thinking of embarking on one, let us know. Please also remember, if you are on any medication or receiving medical treatment, consult your doctor first.
Lana Soko is passionate about health and writes for http://www.lose-weight-with-us.com
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I hate exercise. I hate going to the gym. I’d rather stay home and play video games. So that’s exactly what I’m going to do — and lose weight doing it.
I’ve always struggled with weight and exercise. I’m definitely feeling the post-Christmas pressure on my jeans, but it is hardly a state exclusive to the holiday season.
I’ve tried to explain to my fitter friends that it is not that I’m lazy (ok, sometimes it is because I am lazy) — I just don’t enjoy exercise. I’m not good at it. It’s a struggle every step of the way, and I don’t get any sort of “athlete’s high” when I’m done.
I’ve pushed myself to run a 10 km race, and learned to ride a bike in this terrifying city. I’ve been to gyms but everywhere I looked people were fitter, stronger, and thinner than me. Plus, you have to go outside in the slush, sleet, and snow to get to a gym in the first place.
This time, I am going to have fun losing weight.
As a child of the mid-eighties I grew up playing video games, but only simple ones like Tetris and Super Mario Bros. I was never a serious “gamer”, and most systems beyond Super Nintendo became too complicated or violent for my tastes. That is why like the Wii so much.
It’s easy to use and fun to play. The selling point has never been about the most realistic graphics or the best war games. It’s a throwback to simpler times with modern features.
In a sort of low-tech virtual reality system, Wii Sports allows me to spar with my boyfriend in a boxing match, or hit baseballs out of the park. The controller registers my movements as I simulate a physical activity: In Wii Bowling I step forward, bend my knee, bring my arm back, then forward to release the virtual ball down the alley. It looks ridiculous to bystanders, but is incredibly engaging and works up a sweat in no time.
The Wii Fit game introduced the balance board. It is a rectangular platform, much like a bathroom scale, that measures balance, movement, and weight. The games include traditional “exercise” activities like aerobic step class and strength training yoga routines, along with games like ski jumping and hula hooping that require balance and timing. The new addition of Wii Fit Plus allows players to save routines for a regular workout.
The motion sensitive controls and simple graphics have made video games accessible to people who would never have considered playing them before. My partner’s grandmother plays Wii in her nursing home, and my semi-retired aunt played Wii at a resort in Myrtle Beach. Even my twenty-something best friend, who has never touched a video game in her life, enjoys Wii.
I see Wii as an opportunity to think outside the exercise box. For 8 weeks I will transform my living room into a gym (marvellously free of strangers’ sweat) and make friends with the Wii virtual trainers. A cartoon version of me (a Mii) will replicate my simulated actions as I stand in a Yoga tree pose or run laps in place. I have no idea if it will work, but that is the beauty of an experiment.
If it ends up just being a regular video game with some fancy features, then people should know that. But if it does work and it helps people get healthier, then they should know that too. At the very least, it is better than watching TV.
Now the only thing left to do is buy one. . . or borrow one. They’re sold out all over town.
Why won’t this thing leave me alone!!!
It’s back.. and it’s mocking me…
Look at it. It’s the face.. or at least the half-ball… of evil.
So I go to meet Amanda. Weigh in day, you know. My best guess is that maybe the new exercise plan will be flexibility. However Amanda has other plans. Like the Bosu of Death.
Amanda was recently featured in a local weekly newspaper as she for one of the teams in a “Biggest Loser” type contest this paper sponsors. In her interview, when asked what one of her favorite things in the gym to use, she said those evil words. The Bosu.
Now, okay.. I didn’t meet my weight loss goal this month. I missed it by
.4 lbs. Yes, 4/10 of a pound. I wouldn’t have thought that would lead to
this.. not this workout! Ack!!!
This new workout has BOSU written all over it. ALL OVER IT. Literally.
Okay here is the plan:
1 One the mat: Modified Planks & Modified side planks.
2- The Bosu. I have to do a single arm chest press while standing on one leg on
the bosu. Yes, your read that right! I have to get up on the bosu, my back
to the cable machine, stand on one leg, and pull my arm forward.
Here’s the deal. Last time I had to do this, it was on two legs and I still couldn’t
successfully stay on the bosu for 20 reps. Because your back is to the machine and the stack of weights, it pulls you backwards and because you
are standing on a half ball full of air, it often succeeds. Now do it on one foot.
Needless to say, by the end of the first set, Amanda crossed “one foot” off my
paper.
3- Next, because we don’t want to leave the bosu lonely, we are going to do
lunges with the bosu. So step on the ball with one foot, lunge, step back.
Easy enough. Sure okay..
4- Back on the bosu and back on one foot. Arg. This time it is for one arm
rows, so the cable machine, and luckily, facing the machine.
I didn’t fall off twice for ever rep this time, but I didn’t trust myself to put
my foot too high up, and I didn’t trust myself to leave it up longer than two
reps at a time.
5- And then we finally get to walk away from the bosu (for now!) and go to the
stability ball, roll out on my back and do skull crunches with a 20 lb bar bell.
Doing 20 reps this time instead of 10 like last time. Whew..
6- Now lets take that ball to the mat and do ham string curls. Lay down
on your back, feet planted on the ball and hips in the air. Roll the ball towards
you and then back out. I could really feel that in my hamstrings today!
7- And lastly, because you don’t want to say goodbye to your enemies
too soon.. back to the bosu. This time I am getting on the floor, laying with my back on the bosu, so my lower back hits the top of the bosu, and doing
crunches.
So that’s the plan. For the next two weeks. It can’t end soon enough.
Also Amanda told me that they are running a February special for personal training and since I see her twice a month for 30 minutes at $30 a session, she can offer me an additional 5 sessions for $15 each, so that I could meet with her once a week, instead of every other week. So by taking that package, I would get to work out once a week for approximately 2 and a half months. I am certainly going to do it. I have tried to ramp up the number of times a week I workout (tomorrow will be day #5 this week) as well as ramping up my cardio, I think this is something that will really help push me also.
I am now 20 lbs away from the lowest I hit when I did weight watchers 5 years ago, and I really want to get past that mark, and get on with it.
Good morning everyone!! I am up and ready to go. I had a wonderful workout this morning thanks to the Wii Fit! I worked out for 24 minutes this morning and worked up quite a sweat! I love it! I had a good breakfast and now waiting on the dryer to stop so i can put my clean sheets in there. Got a bunch of laundry to get done today and a Biology Exam this evening that I have to make a good grade on.
I am looking forward to weigh in Monday to see if I have made some progress. I’m sure I have I just want to see it and feel it in my clothes. I can’t wait till my jeans are to big and I can move to the next size down; that is progress. I do have more energy that I had in a long while. Wow if this keeps up I might be healthy again. Woot!!!
Ok off to take a shower and study; I might be able to write more later as the day progresses.
So I was not able to write for days four or five as I found myself busier than I had intended. I am back on day six, and right now I am working on a menu. I have found that making a menu actually helps on many different levels. Not only does it help in my planning for a healthy balanced diet, but it is a good habit to get into if I truly want to make this a complete lifestyle change. Having a menu in the home makes it easier to plan meals ahead of time as well as preparing them ahead of time if need be. I have also noticed that menus have helped me plan my grocery shopping and in saving money. I am able to properly shop for the ingredients and items that I need without going overboard on portions. This will cut down on food waste, which will save me money! A menu is a win-win if you ask me!
In preparing my menu, I have decided to go for five meals a day. They will be as follows:
Breakfast: A well balanced meal that will help in jump starting my metabolism and help fight hunger throughout the day. I will include a glass of water and my morning vitamins at this time.
Mid-Morning Snack: This snack will be a small snack consisting of either a fruit, vegetable or dairy product such as yogurt or string cheese (low fat of course) along with a glass of water.
Lunch: This will be a small meal that will be relatively easy to prepare and will be eaten with one to two glasses of water.
Mid-Afternoon Snack: This will be a very small snack consisting of either a fruit, vegetable or multi-grain alternative (crackers or granola bar) that will be enjoyed with a glass of water. What I choose will be based on what my morning snack was for the day.
Dinner: This will be a relatively small meal consisting of a meat and vegetable. It may also include a side that will be filled with fiber. This meal will take place no later than 7pm. It will include a small glass of skim milk and a glass of water and my evening vitamins.
I will drink water throughout the day to make sure that I am not mistaking a thirst for hunger as well as to make sure that I am not dehydrated. Portion size is very important. Since I will only be cooking for one person, I plan to make sure that I do not over-eat at any meal (especially dinner). If there are left overs from the dinner that I prepare, it will inevitably be my dinner for the following evening.
This is my plan for my menu. I find it hard to cook for only one person so it will be a challenge, but I know that I can do it. It may mean that I have to break down foods after purchasing them at the grocery store so that they are in a single portion size for the preparation. I also struggle with having a variety of meals to prepare as I do not eat pork product or red meat. It is hard to find new things to cook when you really only eat white meat. However, I will keep my eyes open for low fat recipes that are relatively easy and will add variety so that I do not get bored with my meals.
With this said, it is time to make my menu for the month. Wish me luck. I hope that everyone else is having good success as well.
Disney’s “Bambi” has always been one of my favorite movies (that and Boondock Saints, but that’s another story). I think of it often as I press on with the South Beach Diet, sometimes with good weeks, sometimes with not so good weeks. I’ve noticed a consistent theme. When I eat lots of vegetables, I lose more weight. Pure and simple. This time around, I noticed that SBD phase 1 requires two cups of vegetables at every meal. Yes, that’s a lot of freaking vegetables. This brings me to South Beach Diet tip #1, eat your veggies, and remember my friend Thumper.
Eating greens is a special treat, it makes thin waists and happy dieters.
For me, one of the biggest barriers to eating healthy is time. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no super woman. I leave the house at 7 a.m. and am lucky if I’m home by 6 p.m. Suffice it to say, Jared’s not getting a gourmet meal every night, because I simply don’t have time to cook a full meal and work out and be in bed by a decent time.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve found that planning out our meals has become extremely helpful in keeping us on track and not wasting valuable time in the evenings. I’ve always read about meal planning before and thought, “Who has time for that?” but it literally takes us about 2 seconds on a Sunday (sometimes Monday!) to plot out what we can eat for the week.
Planning out our dinners gives me an idea of exactly what we’re eating Monday through Friday. I’m tired most nights when I get home, and my poor memory usually doesn’t allow me to recall what we had the night before, or the night before that. We could end up having pasta and rice 5 days a week for all I care at that point (hey, I’m hungry when I get home!). Seeing it on paper allows us to strike the balance among all of the food groups and ensure we’re not heavily loaded one way or another. Also, knowing what I’m having for dinner allows me to better plan my lunches to ensure I don’t surpass my caloric intake for the day.
Making my lunch the day before is also important for keeping me on track. In the mornings, I barely have time to put my shoes on sometimes to make it here by 8 a.m. If I waited to make my lunch, I’d be grabbing whatever I could and not paying any attention to what it was. Seeing it out on the counter allows me to get a reality check on exactly what I’m eating during the day.
Finally, planning out our meals ahead of time not only helps us stay on track to better eating, but also prevents 2-3 trips to the store during the week. If I know we need chicken for Tuesday’s meal, we can get that and anything else we need in one shot instead of wasted trips. And that’s a huge time saver for me as well!
May sound like something only mothers with kids do, but I have to say, meal planning has made the evenings less stressful! About.com has some helpful guides for meal planning. Best of luck!
If you spend enough time any time at all on the internet or watching late-night infomercials, you’ll probably hear about the so called belly fat diets.
Speaking of classes, I still haven’t heard which of the UAF classes were able to transfer to the other university on my transcript. I’m hoping a lot of them transfer so I don’t have to take any general classes, but can get right down to the degree specific courses.
My good friend and client Amy Lundberg is starting her amazing “Self Care Before Sit-Ups” Group Coaching Program TODAY with a F*REE call…so if you’ve been wanting to lose the weight for good and get into shape so that you are energized and loving your body, you’ll definitely want to check this out! 
Look at it. It’s the face.. or at least the half-ball… of evil.
