Life Style Changes are for Those Without Taste Buds

Do you work out because you have to or because you want to? Are you on a diet or have you experienced a life change?

I started reading "Such a Pretty Fat" by Jen Lancaster because I wanted a break from all the dieting, nutrition, and exercise advice that I read in my usual arsenal of fitness magazines. Lancaster is a comedian who documented her failing (at least so far) attempt to lose weight. She has brought up two major points in this chapter alone that made me think. First, I exercise because obviously I need to, but more importantly I exercise because I want to. I think I have at least above average athletic ability that I enjoy using and I like the self-confidence that exercise brings. There are other obvious benefits like my shrinking post c-section/ lost 30 pounds in one day/stretch marked/saggy-skinned belly, but really I just plain feel cool leaving the gym and talking about an upcoming race. I also really like the fact that my delightful husband and I get babysitters for Sunday races almost every month. It's our thing.

On the other hand, what worries me about this weight loss process is the fact that when it comes to food, I am still a dieter; this has not been a life style change. How do you know the difference, you ask? It's plain and simple really. When you are a dieter, (totally assuming I can't be the only one here) you think about food ALL THE TIME! You look at what other people are eating. You know where all the drive-thru Starbucks are. You think about when you can eat what and how delicious it will taste. You still want the ice cream, cookies, candy, and cake; you are just trying to convince yourself that you don’t. Life changers don’t obsess the way dieters do. The thought of a pizza and beer doesn’t fill them with excitement. They actually want to do what is healthy. Me… I’m a dieter. I look forward to eating. I look forward to an ice cream cake on my birthday and the pastries a friend is bringing me back from NYC next month. I am a dieter, and even if it’s not that great for my health, at least I’m trying to do what is best. I can look and just not touch, right? Maybe eventually I will choose the apple over the brownie sample at the grocery store (like the lady in the Special K commercial), but it’s going to take a while to convince my brain, belly, and will power. 

Finally. Just to update the mass:

Down 2.8 this Saturday

Total so far since joining WW is now down 15

Total since December when I had to swear off everything delicious, down 20

Music Makes the Legs Go Round

Music Makes the Legs Go Round

I spend a lot of time sitting in my car while my baby sleeps in the back seat. It is at these times that I update my food and activity tracker, read fitness related magazines or books, check Facebook and email, and write blog posts. So the other day as I sat in front of the scrapbook store, aka my mother's homeland, I sat and read Fitness, a magazine obviously related to fitness. As I was reading an article about how to boast your energy, and although a great deal of important advice is listed, all I can focus on is the part about what songs to listen to when, where, and why. According to their professionals on the topic, music does everything from relieve stress and lower blood pressure to provide motivation and help you run really fast when it gets dark earlier than you thought and the trail you are on alone makes you think of a horror movie. When I read magazines like this I always look at the recommended playlists that everyone from interviewed celebrities to fitness instructors to the health editor always want to share. Everyone recommends Rhianna, the Black Eyed Peas, and a bunch of other people that I have either a) never heard of or b) just don't like. So here is my recommended playlist that I have split into sections like the magazine did.

Here it goes:

What to listen to while running (Hip Hop/Rap/Pop):

            ‘When I Grow Up” Pussycat Dolls

            “High School Never Ends” Bowling for Soup

            “Live Your Life” T.I.

            “Let it Rock” Kevin Rudolf

            “Low” Flo Rida (I’m rebellious and call him Florida)           

            “That’s Not My Name” The Ting Tings (only a good song if you put both             headphones in)

            “I’m in Miami Bitch” LMFAO

            “Hey Mama” Black Eyed Peas

            “The Way You Move” Outkast

What to listen to while running (Rock/Metal)

             “Burn it to the Ground” Nickleback

            “Porn Star Dancing” My Darkest Days

            “Savior” Rise Against

            “Bleed it Out” Linkin Park

            “Dragula” Rob Zombie

            “Crazy Bitch” Buckcherry

            “Equalizer” Finger Eleven

            “Are You Going To Be My Girl” Jet

            “The Beautiful People” Marilyn Manson

What to listen to while running (Reggatone… I’m not proud of including Reggatone but it reminds me of salsa dancing, which reminds me of my hubby whom I want to look good for. Plus its kind of fun when it’s playing at any time besides the middle of the night like my neighbors used to do):

            “The Anthem” Pitbull

            “Hotel Room Service” Pitbull

            “Na De Na” Angel y Khriz, Gocho, & John Eric

What to listen to when you about to finish a long run or bike ride (think the home stretch of something difficult):

            “Welcome to the Black Parade” My Chemical Romance

            “Love Me Dead” Ludo

            “The Day That I Die” Good Charlotte

           

What to listen to when stretching after a workout:

            “Welcome Home” Rehab (more upbeat than the others)

            “Bittersweet Symphony” The Verve

            “Song for the Rich” Tristan Pettyman

            “The Weary Kind” from the motion picture Crazy Heart

Now looking at the thirteen people that follow this blog I can already see who will tell me I have bad taste in music and frankly I don't care what you think. If you don't like my taste, don't download the songs! Also I would be more than willing to download some of the songs onto a CD for you if you feel I am a mastermind of playlist making and you must have all my favs too.

Birthday Party! Oh Birthday Party!

Birthday party! Oh, birthday party!

I hate you! You stink!

I wish I could wash you away in the sink.

With your cake, pizza, beer, and wine,

If I say not to the treats

The host is sure to whine.

I'd rather eat salads

With dressing on the side,

Or hop on a bike,

And ride and ride.

Running, strength training,

oh the fun,

How do you say no,

When everyone is turning one?

Birthday party! Oh, birthday party!

You're last on my list,

I simple can't see why you even exist,

If you just disappeared

It would tickle me pink.

Birthday party! Oh, birthday party!

I hate you! You stink!

I'd like to dedicate this masterpiece to the five One Year Old birthday parties I will be attending in the month of February. I understand that two of those parties honor my own child in some way, but that's OK she knows I love her even though I write songs about how much her birthday bugs me. I would also like to give a big thumbs down to my own birthday that is rapidly approaching. Although I do take cash:). 

Also weigh in number 5 occurred today...... down 4.4!!! Very excited since the nugget and I were very sick last week. I would like to thank my brain for not telling my tummy that time at home means time to eat. The 4.4 pound lost brought me down to 186.2. This means I hit my first goal at Weight Watchers of 10% of my original weight! I got a very expensive key chain to celebrate. And by expensive I mean not really. 

I Missed a Weigh In but Found Other Positives This Week

Thats right I missed my weigh in today.

Isa and I have been sick all week making it very hard for me to get workouts in. I have eaten well all week but without the option of the gym's daycare, gym visits have been scarce. In complete exhaustion I finally called my mom yesterday and begged to come over for some TLC for both Isa and I. I looked up both cardio gym classes at the Livermore 24 Hour Fitness and local Weight Watchers meetings with the intent of going to both this morning. Instead I was so tired and sick I went to bed really early last night and was rewarded with my attempt to go to bed early and sleep off my sickness, with a 5am wake up call from the offspring. Together we coughed, wheezed, and whined on the cough until my mother relieved me for a mid morning nap- a nap that took place during the one and only WW meeting in Livermore on Saturday morning. So yes I missed my weigh in. I was kind of bummed because this should have been the weigh in that I reached my first ten pounds aka 10% of my body weight but instead I slept like a log with my dog by my side and my saintly mother watching over the other plague patient.

I guess life gets in the way of our efforts to lose weight sometimes. I was pretty good at first suffering through some strength training and spinning at the beginning of the week but as the week went on my lung functioning went down the drain. I had one last ditch effort at pilates on Thursday when my wonderful husband came home early to help me get to the gym, but without the cardio who knows if I would have even lost the weight anyway. Oh well. Lesson learned, when I get sick just do the best I can. excellent week for yoga, pilates, and strength training I guess. Lets just hope I don't die during my 10K tomorrow. I have to go even if I cant breathe because not only did I pay for it, but I also need to pick up my prize winnings and strut my Steelers running gear.

Oh yeah and as mentioned in the title that drew you into reading this post, there were two major bravos that happened this week.

1. I fit into size 12 jeans!! This is a big deal for two reasons, again with the 1. this was my pre-pregnancy jean size. Although I had lost the pregnancy weight I was not the same jean size until now. 2. I was a size 16 in December when I first started to try to lose weight. 3. I got said size 12 Gap jeans at Goodwill! Yay for $8 jeans.

2. Because working out has nicely shrunken down the massive boulders and spare tire a bit I fit into both my Steelers jerseys again. SO not only do I have a jersey to run in tomorrow, I have another one for the game! Yay!!

When it seems like there is no time for exercise

I often read material on fitness to keep myself motivated through rough days. As in today. When I read said fitness magazines I often am amazing by all the topics that I want to steal from them and add to my blog. Today I want to share a topic on exercise. 

I know that as a mother/wife/woman there are a million things to do in far fewer hours then available in the day. At times fitting in exercise is hard and often the last on the list of priorities. Here is a list of why exercise should be moved up on the list and why we should invest in our own health more and invest in washing the dishes and watching Jersey Shore less. 

"As little as 30 minutes of cario three to five days a week will add six years to your life" according to researh at the Cooper clinic in Dallas. But that's not all, if you add strength training you will look younger, feel happier, have more energy, stay slim, and as previously stated live six more of your spouse, children, and grandchildren's lives. Here are a few more fun facts to get you out into the fresh air or meatheaded gym: 

As you work out...
 Your lungs are getting stronger.
 Your motivation is at it's peak.
 Your fighting flab.

Within one hour of exercise...
 You're protecting yourself against colds, flu, you name it.
 You're feeling zen.
 You're blasting calories, even at rest. 

Within one day of exercise...
 You're adding lean muscle.
 Your heart is healthier.
 You're super alert and focused.

Within one week of exercise...
 Your risk of diabetes goes down.
 You're fitter.
 You're slimmer.

Within one month of regular exercise...
 You're getting stronger.
 You're blasting belly fat.
 You've got more brainpower.

Within one year of regular exercise:
 Working out is way easier.
 You're heart rate is lower.
 You're a fat-melting machine.
 You've cut your cancer risk (can be as much as 55% lower chance of breast cancer).
 You're adding years to your life.
 You feel fantastic.

During a week like this one in which my daughter and I are both sick I need to be reminded why I should find low impact exercise during the week. I may not feel well and the gym may not be an option but there are so many reasons why I should find something aerobic to do. When you are feeling like today is not the day to work out, look at this list and remind yourself why today is the day to get moving. Everyday is important in your quest to be fit. Sure you can start again on Monday but you would feel better if you started again today. A walk around the block or a game of fetch with the dog may be all you can do with your sneezing and coughing but it will keep you on track for those extra years. Today while ISA and I are ill I will be doing pilates. Low impact on the lungs but big impact on my core. Huge impact on my quest to lower my weight and get more fit.

Thank you Alyssa Shaffer for writing "power surge" in the Nov/Dec 2010 issue of Fitness. Please don't sue me for using your material, I quoted you so you got your credit.
Colleen

Would You Invest in Yourself?

Would you invest in yourself?

Would you?

Do you know how?

Can you afford it?

What stands in your way?

Who would support you?

Hinder you?

Would it be easy or hard to invest in yourself?

On Sunday a friend of mine invited me to join her for Bikram Yoga (aka hot yoga). My response was that although I really like Bikram, I couldn’t afford it. I mentioned that I had a little extra money coming in but that I wasn’t sure if it could go to yoga or if I should put it into the groceries or savings account. Should I invest in my financial future or my physical, mental, and emotional health? Is it safe to invest in my health when I’m not sure if I can keep up this rigorous workout and eating routine? Or should I invest into a savings account where I know it will be needed one day. I honestly don’t know which option is better?

I feel like this is a concern that Americans everywhere are facing. In a time when pennies are being pinched and you have to really want something to spend on it, can money be put towards your health? I have several family members and friends that say yes, your health is all you have. These brave souls take lower paying jobs to apply for medical or spend way too much on organic and raw foods from Trader Joes and Whole Foods. Then I have several friends who put every last penny earned into their children’s college funds. How can you deprive your children from a higher education when the price of schooling will be in the hundreds of thousands when they get there in twenty years?

I have not decided what to do yet. I have a body that needs help, a household that needs a bit more money, no 401k, and a child who I pray will want to go to college. How should I invest in myself?