OMG! As a mom, in my opinion, this woman is very irresponsible living an unhealthy life. I don’t understand that Donna Simpson from New Jersey who is already over 600 pounds wants to be 1000 so she can be in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Isn’t there another goal she can accomplish that won’t put her life in danger? She spends almost $800 a week on food for herself and makes some money on the internet where men can pay to watch her eat. Okay, I am just not going to say anymore because this is a road I just don’t want to go down even if I am just saying my opinion. Just take a look and see for yourself.
Well, there has been enough interest in my 60 day fitness challenge idea that I decided to go ahead with it. Here’s the rules and guidelines. The challenge will start April 1, 2010. That gives everyone about 10 days to get ready and sign up.
1. No fad diets. I want real results that will stay with you after the challenge. Fad diets only lead to temporary results and are unhealthy.
2. Post your starting weight and body measurements that you will be tracking (waist, chest, arms, legs, and hips are what I track) here on or before April 1.
3. You must exercise at least 3 times a week for a minimum of half an hour. I don’t really care what you do, an exercise video, go for a walk or jog, ride your bike are all fine. Just move for at least half an hour 3 times a week.
4. Post your completed weekly exercises on my challenge update posts for the week.
5. Weigh yourself once a week. Post your weight along with your completed exercises.
6. After the final week of the challenge, total the body change for each area tracked and weight lost so I can determine the winner for each area (best arms, legs, waist, etc) as well as an overall winner. I’ll write more about this toward the end of the challenge.
7. Drink plenty of water. I’m not going to require a certain amount, but drinking water helps flush toxins and fat out of your body. A good rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day. For example if you weigh 160, then you should drink 80 ounces (10 cups). Don’t up your water intake all at once though because you’ll get sick.
That’s it! Simple isn’t it? If you have any reasonable suggestions for additional guidelines, please let me know. In the meantime, get ready. I like the BeachBody motto: Decide, Commit, Succeed. It’s time to decide and post your commitment. Hopefully you’ll see success at the end of May!
This is something that a lot of people don’t know because too many people tell them to stop eating fat if they want to lose weight. The biggest reason people don’t get results is misinformation. Too much of it. Your body is in survival mode from the time you take your first breath. A lot about getting in shape has to do with understanding what this means and how it affects you. We will explain that in another post. For now, les talk about fat. Fat is your bodies main source of energy. Your body stores fat because it is in SURVIVAL mode. If you don’t give your body fat it won’t burn fat but store it instead. If you eat a HEALTHY source of fat, your body will immediately start burning fat. Your body notices that you are going to supply it with what it needs so it can get rid of what it has and use your new source for energy. This is Part 1 of this series. Look or part 2 soon.
28. Stick to my Weight Watchers diet and lose at least 10 pounds.
36. Work up to running 5k (just not in a race).
Although I’ve been unhappy with my weight and lack of fitness for a few years now, I hadn’t done anything about it. Buying my house and starting grad school in 2004 took up all of my free time and my gym days quickly came to an end. Then, I met Alex in 2005, fell madly in love and got very comfortable with my growing weight and eating. For the past few years, my doctor has (rudely) commented on my weight gain, but that only made me want to find a new doctor. (If you love your internist or GP, please give me his/her name and number. I’m leaving my current internist due to these insensitive comments.) That all ended this past Christmas. Alex and I made a pact to begin eating healthier (Weight Watchers) and begin exercising again.
Now it’s official; I have lost 10 pounds since beginning Weight Watchers. Although I had been heavier before my official start, I wanted to wait until I hit an official 10 pounds loss. A few of my NSVs (non-scale victories):
My wedding rings are a bit loose; when I shake my left hand, they move.
My wristwatch is more like a bangle bracelet than wristwatch.
All of my work pants are too big to even cinch up with a belt. I’m in the process of taking them to the tailor to have them taken in.
I’ve gone down in my jeans and pants size. Even new tops I’ve tried on, I need to go down a size.
I can tuck in shirts again because my waist isn’t bulging anymore. This has allowed me to begin wearing my suits again, opening up my wardrobe choices.
My students and other teachers have been complimenting me more often on my outfits, my hair, my make-up. Funny thing: I haven’t changed any of that. People aren’t saying, “Oh, you look great – you’ve lost weight!” They may not notice the weight loss, but people are realizing that I look better. Thanks! This adds fuel to my fire.
I really credit Weight Watchers for creating a plan that is easy to follow. Never do I feel like I can’t eat something; it’s all about portion control. Like over Christmas break, I had FOUR BOXES of chocolates from students. I was still able to eat them, just in smaller portions. It made me savor each chocolate that much more.
While I’m giving out credit, I have to thank my wonderful husband, Alex. For those of you who don’t know me, I despise food shopping, food preparation, and cooking. Eating, I love. If it weren’t for Alex searching for low-point recipes and getting creative with our food, I would never have been able to maintain this diet. Between his food preparation/planning and constant moral support, he has been a huge factor in my weight loss success.
In addition to controlling my eating, hitting the gym has been so important. Back when I was 25 (OMG – that was so many years ago), I began working out with a trainer and hit the gym 3-4 times a week for two years. I was in FANTASTIC shape. But that went down the toilet, as I previously explained. I know I can get it back; not quite at my 25-year-old shape, because that is unrealistic. I’m about to turn 33; my body has changed and will continue to change. But it can be better.
Again, Alex has been a huge inspiration when it comes to working out. He is extremely disciplined and his body (like most men’s) bounced back immediately. For this, I hate him a little bit. To begin, I hit the treadmill with my tried-and-true walking regimen. Well, tried-and-true from when I was 25 wasn’t cutting it. But due to my triple ankle injuries (see Goal #33 – Do not re-injure either of my ankles), I am very timid about impact cardio.
Enter the elliptical. OMG. Love. I can finally run, but my ankles are much more protected from pronating (rolling outward). Not only am I running – and YES, I have hit the 5k mark – but I am getting up at 4:30am to get to the gym by 5am. It has given me so more energy. Again, have to give a shout out to the incomparable Miss Meghann Williams for inspiring me with her Fierce Lady music to get me going.
Don’t get me wrong – it ain’t easy. There are a lot of things I miss and that are hard:
Grazing. Where I hang out in my limited free time at school always has cookies, cupcakes, cakes, and sweets galore. This is where so much of my weight gain came from. I’ve been very disciplined, but the temptation is very strong and yes, I have given in a few times (but in smaller portions!).
Chocolate. My mother ensured my chocolate addiction in utero. I have had to significantly scale back my chocolate consumption, but I have found creative ways to keep it in my diet: fat free pudding, chocolate meringues, 1 point-hot chocolate, and Weight Watchers 2 point-chocolate cakes.
The gym. I know I just raved about it, but it was very challenging getting back into it. By the time the school day is over, I’m exhausted and don’t want to work out. The 4:30am switch makes sense since I’m a morning person, but it took a bit of planning. I haven’t begun weight training again; I have to figure out how to work that in.
Eating out. As chronicled in Alex’s blog, I Cook, She Eats, we love to eat out at fine restaurants. Losing weight means we’ve had to cut back, but we refuse to cut it out. Since beginning our diet, we’ve managed to eat at Nicholas, Tinto, survive an eating extravaganza during our cousin’s bar mitzvah, and participate in Iron Chef Philly.
Hunger. I’m not going to lie: there are some days that I am still so hungry, I just want to eat whatever I want. It isn’t every day, or even most days, but it’s there. Part of my stomach remembers the days when I would eat raw cookie dough right from the package (my sometimes nightly private celebration for owning my own home) and it wants them back. But then I think of all my new “skinny” clothes and resist the temptation.
Recently, I was talking to my mom, and she asked if I was still on my diet. Funny thing is, I really don’t think of this as a diet anymore. It’s a life style change to eat healthier, eat less, eat smarter, and stay active. And know what? I think I can stick with it. :)
The week before last I weighed in with a +.2 pounds! I wasn’t discouraged…I decided to make this an opportunity to motivate me to get back on track and not even consider the things that I had encountered that had hindered my lack of weight loss. I take full responsibility for not standing up for myself and just saying “no thank you!”
This last week I went on vacation in Austin and my cousin and I ventured out and tried several new restaurants. I had a wonderful time and enjoyed trying new and delicious foods. I did not binge and I did not track either. My weight loss or lack there of is not going to run my life.
I probably sound like I am contradicting myself but what I am really doing is putting things into perspective. I am going to live my life to the fullest! I am committed to losing weight without losing myself in the process )
Today has been an awesome day…I woke up feeling good and mentally prepared to be on track in all areas of my life.
This morning I had my version of a Mocha Frap: 8 oz. Almond Breeze, 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, 2 tbsp of light chocolate syrup, a mug of Hazelnut coffee, and a cup of ice. Blend well and enjoy! Yummy!!
For lunch I had a fruit protein shake: 8 oz. light CranRasberry juice, 2 tbsp of protein powder, 1 banana, 1 cup of frozen blueberries, a cup of ice. Blend well….delicious!! ;^)
Dinner I am planning baked chicken breast and steamed veggies.
I have to work on my water intake…besides the shakes I haven’t drank anything…I better get to guzzling that H2O!!
Stay tuned for more consistent blogs and check me out @ youtube.com/lizzieloutx and youtube.com/thedailydiet
This is it folks…sit back…stand aside…take part…or watch from afar ~ I am planning on soaring through my journey!
Duplicate these easy tips and tricks to avoid overeating, and discover which foods make you feel full longer without extra calories, this way avoiding unwanted stomach fat.
1. Eat fiber in abundance:- One way to do this is by eating foods that contain fiber, such as most fruit, veggies, beans, and whole grains.
2. Have a soup with your meal:- Ever noticed how filling a warm bowl of soup can be? When you eat water-rich foods (such as soup), you’ll feel fuller without consuming extra calories. But be careful—some soups and chilis can load on the cream and sodium before you realize it.
3. Avoid seconds:- Instead of placing extra food on the table, leave those mashed potatoes on the stovetop. This way, you’ll become more conscious of the fact that you’re getting up from the table to get a second helping of food. That simple awareness might help you refrain.
4. Stick to planned serving seizes:- When you know what one serving looks like, it makes it easier to control your portions. For example, 3 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry is about the size of a deck of cards, and one serving of potatoes, rice, or pasta is about the size of a tennis ball.
5. Spice your diet with lean protein:- Lean protein, such as fish, skinless white-meat poultry, fat-free dairy products, and egg whites, are great examples of food that may help you feel fuller with fewer calories.
6. Trick your eyes to trick your stomach:- Use smaller plates and utensils. When the food fills the entire plate or bowl, it seems like you’re eating more. And using a smaller fork or spoon means you’ll have to take more bites.
7. Never eat straight from the package:- When snacking, put the amount of food you plan to eat in a bowl or container instead of eating straight from the package. When you portion out your food ahead of time, you’re less likely to overdo it.
JAKARTA — Indonesian David Gurnani, 25, who last week took home US$100,000 and a car after shedding more than half his bodyweight, from 157kg to merely 74kg, in the first Asian version of popular weight-loss reality show Biggest Loser, has completely disappeared from the face of the planet after continuing with his diet and workout routine, finally losing the other half.
ULTIMATE LOSER ASIA: David Gurnani before the show, at the finale and now
Speaking from his family home, Gurnani’s weightless spirit said that winning the show inspired him to continue his maniacal quest to lose weight, which he started at the beginning on the show late last year.
“Winning the show was initially my goal,” said Gurnani, warmly referred to as ‘King David’ on the show, as his invisible aura floated above the sofa in the living room. “But after losing so much of my body weight and fat right before the finale, I discovered a new, more confident me. The 100 grand wasn’t the point anymore, nor was the car. The point was the weight loss. I realised I could shed as much weight as I wanted, and it was then that I wanted to go all the way.
Reducing his already spartan daily intake of water, air and one raisin, Gurnani decided to cut the water and raisin, after learning each raisin had 2 calories and water retention could impair his weight loss plans.
“In the beginning, it was hard,” Gurnani admitted. “After my weight dropped to 5kg, I could not even lift what was left of my finger. I could feel the weight of my bones and skin holding me down.
“But after thinking about my ultimate goal, which is to be weight-free, I somehow garnered this amazing strength to move about and continue with my routine,” he said, adding that the largest organ on a human body was the skin, and for him, most problematic to shed.
“Having achieved zero-fat and zero-muscle mass content, I was left with my skin, whose weight I thought would be impossible to lose,” said the now ethereal being softly, as he struggled to keep steady what with the ceiling fan being on at half speed. “However, I discovered an ingenius way to shed it — by baking myself in the hot sun. After a full day, my skin became so flaky and dusty, it literally broke apart and fell off!” said Gurnani gleefully, his laughter freakishly echoing around the room.
“And then there was my skeleton,” he continued, voice cracking. “I thought, now, if I were to wait until my skeleton vanishes, it would take forever. I couldn’t wait that long — I mean, look at the ice man remains and the Egyptian mummies!
“So I was left with two choices: either I self destruct by cremating whatever’s left of my body, or I eat myself into oblivion. Seeing that cremating still leaves ashes behind, which still weighs a few grammes, I decided on the latter.
“After consuming my own bones from my toes to the very tip of my skull, I finally became absolutely nothing. I am now zero weight.”
Asked how life has changed after achieving his ultimate goal, Gurnani said that he has now transcended into a whole new level of being.
“I have no physical limits, really. Having removed physicality from the equation, I am pure energy. A zero-fat, zero-weight energy. If light had weight, I wouldn’t have a problem either, as I am now also completely invisible,” he explained, soaring across the room freely.
“Having realised my ultimate dream, I feel no more pressure. I have absolutely nothing more to lose. I feel as if this burden has been lifted off my shoulders.
“That is, if I had shoulders,” he ended the interview, laughing happily.
I often hesitate to talk about my experience with gender relations or family structure in the so-called Middle East. I am afraid of the assumptions people in the U.S. bring to these conversations and the value judgments that they will make about whatever I tell them.
For example, the most common question I heard before and after studying in Egypt was along the lines of “Did you have to wear a veil?” The phrasing—“have to” indicating force or obligation—uses a simplistic framework of choice vs. lack of choice for understanding women’s attire in this region. I don’t think of clothing here as something that is a matter merely of mandate, neither by men nor by religion. The historical changes and contemporary variety of “covered” clothing support my position, though I won’t go into details here. (Algeria is a particularly fascinating example—check out Marnia Lazreg’s work if interested.) Instead I will share a recent conversation between myself, a few other internationals, and a local staff member, who I’ll call Muna.
Last Thursday Muna told us about her family. One of her sisters lives in California, and Muna told us that on her last visit to that sister, she took off her hijab (this is the style of head covering that is worn over the hair but not the face and ends at the shoulders). The other internationals in the room were shocked and intrigued by this revelation. One of them indicated that she thinks most women who wear the veil here in Palestine would also choose to take it off if they lived in another country. I’m not sure what her reasoning is for that hypothesis, but I think that the rest of Muna’s story complicates the idea.
First, Muna’s sister still wears the hijab, though she has lived in California for years. Second, Muna told us that she herself did not start wearing the hijab till later than her sister (although she is older)—after she saw how beautiful her sister looked—in addition to being convinced of its religious validity. Another interesting aspect to the story was that when Muna decided to take off her hijab for few days in Palestine her father was angry. Not angry that she took it off, but angry that she had started to wear it if she wasn’t convinced of it.
The other reason I am uncomfortable with questions about women’s clothing here and the choice vs. lack of choice paradigm is that so often when I am in groups of U.S. American women, I listen to them discuss their “need” to lose weight or the efficacy-to-pain ratio of body hair removal methods. Does the fact that our appearance guidelines are determined by corporate ideals (note that a PURCHASE-ABLE remedy exists for all our image woes) rather than a religious text mean we have an abundance of choice in the matter? Though I have heard plenty of women lament the gap between themselves and these ideals, I rarely hear them acknowledge it’s not necessary or necessarily desirable to meet the ideals.
All in all, variety in dress is always an interesting aspect of learning about new cultures, but I wish we could just get over the colonialist fascination with women’s clothing in the Middle East and move on to talking about more substantial topics. There are a lot more “barbaric” things happening around in this land, and they’re happening in the supposedly-“civilized” realm of politics.
Most of this post has been a long preamble that I wanted to write before sharing two recent “cultural moments” I’ve had where the ignorance my assumptions were displayed in plain view. So, dear reader, please take these stories with a grain of cultural relativism.
1) Over the weekend when of my male Palestinian co-worker compared on my good posture to his own slouching, I told him he should come to my yoga class. As soon as it was out of my mouth, I realized—as did the others in the conversation—that my suggestion was totally unrealistic. Although a co-ed yoga class is normal in my world, it is not here. The women wear more form-fitting clothing than usual, and hence we put a curtain over the glass doors so that they may have an exercise space free from men’s eyes.
2) Last week a middle-aged women who volunteers as a TYO bus monitor stopped me in the hall, saying something about my class and Labeeba, who she referred to as her sister. Labeeba, a student in my art and storytelling class, is at most 10 years-old, so when I mentioned this interaction to the program coordinator later, I said that the woman must have meant “sister’s daughter.” Not so, Chelsey pointed out—this woman in fact has a brother in another intern’s class. Although the age gap seemed enormous to me, the woman’s father may have more than one wife, making it possible for her to have a 10-year-old sister.
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good challenge, which is exactly what this mini-lution is about! Growing up as an athlete, I’ve always been naturally good at staying in shape. Well, that was until I got a full-time job where I sit…all…day…long. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that sitting all day does not do wonders for the physique and I’ve certainly seen the less than pleasing results of a sedentary lifestyle. [Also known as a 10 lb. weight gain]. Although I still work out regularly and eat a balanced meals, the scale has yet to display any real downwards trends. [Being the perfectionist I am, 5 pounds does not register on my radar.]
So to combat the 10 pounds that refuse to leave and that longing feeling in my gut to accomplish something I’ve never tried, I signed up for a race!! Granted, I’m not talking about a marathon just yet, but a simple 5k. I’m using the 5k as a jumping off point to future marathons and triathlons.
Here’s the race I entered, so folks, please come and cheer me on! I plan on training hardcore until then, but I know I’ll need some support!
National Police Week 5K: http://www.active.com/running/washington-dc/national-police-week-5k-2010
I love…trying new things and being young enough to try again if I fail!
So my weekend was pretty hit or miss. I was at a LARPing convention and food was provided, which of course meant I didn’t eat very well, and I didn’t journal.
On Sunday I went to a living history museum, so I got a lot of walking in and come this morning I was down pounds… well one pounds anyway. I have vowed to take one day a week as a rest day and for the next few weeks it will be Mondays, but not today. I took Thursday, Friday and Saturday off this week and I need to get back to it.
a motorcycle (a really awesome sexay one with the VROOM VROOM and leather and chrome and GUH)
a new tattoo, but I don’t know what I would get where. I’m happy to take suggestions, though
to go dancing. I was listening to Gaga earlier on the BART, and bitch makes me wanna MOVE. I need to find me an awesome group of people and a club (of the non douchey variety, please) to get my freak on.
a hair cut
new jeans that fit really well
This weekend was fun, but I didn’t do a damn thing I needed to, which means I really need to buckle down the rest of this week before flying out to Pittsburgh. I have a LOT on my plate: school, jeans shopping, car stuff, packing, exercise, retrieving some books I lent to a friend, and I might want to hang out with this feller I’ve been seeing. Maybe.
Tomorrow after work, I’m (hopefully! barring being at work late) hitting the gym for yoga, and then I’m gonna come home to Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred. I’ve started reading the Shredheads blog, and that, combined with Mariam’s desire to run a 5k race, have convinced me that it’s Mother Fucking Go Time.
I tend to have a difficult time exercising/getting into shape because I’m okay with the way I look. I like my body, and while I would like to be more FIT, I’m not super concerned about shedding pounds (though dropping some weight would be nice and probably make my boobs more manageable). And also, I really like food.
But this time FOR REALLY REALS I’M TOTALLY SERIOUS ABOUT, REALLY I’m going to make a serious effort to get more fit. The plan is this: yoga at least once a week (twice would be better, but might be difficult to do), Couch to 5K 3 times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), and 30 Day Shred every day for the next 30 days (or as many as I can; traveling days this weekend might be a loss, but I’ll make them up).
I’m going to try to post everyday with, at the VERY least, a comment that I completed my daily workout, but I’m totally going to need help with accountability. Someone needs to kick my butt if I start slacking! Because this is IMPORTANT. For my health and longevity and waist. I’m probably going to need reminders that even though my body maintains a pretty steady weight I’m happy with, someday soon my metabolism is gonna slow down, and I could quickly end up at a weight I am NOT happy with. And also, that I have two pairs of Gap jeans in a size 10 that I’ve never been able to wear because they fit that ONE DAY when I bought them and then NEVER AGAIN, and I would really like to be able to get some use out of them.
I was in excess weight for many years. I have tried to remove weight by means of a diet and exercise, but it seems that my power will not so strong. Always it seems to me, sliding at the most inappropriate moment.
I have considered accepting tablets for growing thin, but I always worried about whether tablets for growing thin are safe or not. Eventually I do not wish to risk the health if the results of tablets for growing thin are not safe.
I have gone on search on the Internet to see what I can learn about safety of a tablet for growing thin. One teleconference I have gone has the reader who says that she suffers from excess weight condition and would like to know, whether accepting tablets for growing thin is safe or not.
There were some interesting answers to the question one person has answered that they tried many various tablets and some worked, and some of them gave no result, but had the majority of by-effects, such as dry skin.
Other answers, if you have any medical indications, you have to address the doctor before to accept any tablets for growing thin. I think, common sense will allow you to visit the doctor prior to the beginning something very sharp. The same reader has declared that some diet tablets contain amphetamines which are for appetite suppression. He has declared it can cause many problems, including hearts.
I have visited the following site, the reader asks about various tablets’ components and whether they are safely to accept.
The reader has received one of answers that tablets for growing thin can contain natural components, caffeine and other stimulators. Other answer has declared that a diet and physical exercises way, and tablets for growing thin are not necessary to risk the life. That is the firm opinion, but it really forces me to think of all these things.
Then I have gone to search for reasonable loss of weight answers. Consultations were everywhere. Here are some of the most reasonable offers for weight loss.
Do not try to lose more than pair pounds in a week. Losing more will put your body in a mode which does not burn the calories faster.
Elevating scales were offered as good way to lose pounds.
All sites which I have visited on the Internet conduct the majority besides I feel. It seems that the majority of people really do not think that it is not good idea to accept tablets for growing thin. You will find the same preventions and chatter on all Networks. It seems that the majority of people consider good old-fashioned methods of loss of weight better to go.
If you are searching for info about phentermine 37.5 pills – please go to this phentermine 37.5 web site. There you will find info about the dosage, regulations, effect and other necessary details about phentermine.
Right now we are living in the world where info quickly enhances the quality of our life.
That is why if you are properly armed with the info in your topic you can rest assured that you will in any case find the way out from any bad situation. So, please make sure to get back to this blog on a regular basis or – best of all – sign up to its RSS. Thus you will have your hand on the pulse of the latest informational updates here. Blogs can be helpful, you just need to understand how to use them.
Although there are strong differing opinions about this, I believe the true answer equates to personal preference. Probably the largest general consensus is to weigh once a week. If you can do that, you have my great respect. I am a daily weigher. I would not recommend this unless you can assure yourself that you will not be put off by the normal fluctuations our bodies undergo day-to-day. Hormones, water retention, sickness & any number of other variables can affect what the scale reports back to us. If you can say, oh yeah, I probably had too much sodium at dinner last night, etc, than you might be able to weigh daily if you want. If it’s a catalyst to binge when the weight has normal fluctuations, you’d probably see more favorable results by weighing in once a week. The down side of weekly weighing (besides not completely knowing how you’re doing), is that if you didn’t lose as much for the week as you hoped or expected, you have to be strong and press on.
I know one woman who is losing weight with Overeaters Anonymous, they recommend once a MONTH weigh ins. I would lose my MIND to have to wait that long. So determine which way will keep you on track, then set a regular weigh in time, first thing in the morning.
One other thing— have a great digital scale. This morning I was down .4 from yesterday. On my old analog I would never have known, so it is very rewarding when you are wanting to see results from all your hard work.
My “official” day to weigh is Sunday, even though I track it everyday. For me, this is a valuable way I can be a good steward of God’s temple. I do this to help me stay on my plan when our schedule changes from the weekdays. Remember that weight loss doesn’t take the weekend off.
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming is a tool aimed at giving you a whole new perspective on not only participating, but competing in Triathlon. It teaches you how to automatically accomplish more by employing the proper methods and techniques. It dispels the myths about swimming that may be holding you hostage. You’ll swim with much more ease and retain the energy needed for the other two legs of the race. Believe it or not, it can even make swimming your favorite part of the race.
The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming will help you to: -Swim freestyle better and easier than you ever imagined, with much more confidence, almost instantly -Conserve energy while swimming just as fast or faster than before -Prepare for your first race or help improve your stroke and workout routines to get the most from your swim -Make swimming the best part of your race -Overcome unnecessary pre-race anxiety -Have more confidence swimming in the open water with no surprises or unnecessary problems -Prepare for an Olympic, Sprint, Half-Ironman, or Ironman distance triathlon -Have more fun while competing -Compete in more triathlons.
You’ll learn: -Where 90-95% of your propulsion comes from -What part leg strength plays in swimming faster -Common swimming myths -The key to swimming effectively in the open water -The value of “sitting on your ankles.” -”To use or not to use” fins for training -How to avoid needless injuries -What single piece of equipment forces you to swim the correct way -What muscles to train to be a better, stronger swimmer -How to prepare for race day.
If that’s not enough, you’ll learn how to: -Get more out of your stroke -Swim more fluidly -Get more from less – swim more efficiently -Begin a training program in the pool -Attend masters workouts with an idea of what to look for, how to get the most out of the workouts, and learn the common swiming myths found in many of these sessions -Build your confidence so that swimming is the best leg of your race -The real secret to faster swimming -Which body parts are the most important while swimming -Lose your blind side -Swim like a fish -Balance out your stroke -Improve aerobic endurance -Be more flexible.
Price: $37.00 - The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming
For those of us still fighting the battle of the bulge, there is some hope in this recent study of the effects of green tea on that ridiculous belly fat which sometimes lead to obesity.
It was disclosed that researchers in Tokyo, Japan noted that the daily consumption of green tea containing 690 mg catechins for 12 weeks reduced body fat, which suggests that the ingestion of catechins might be useful in the prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases, mainly obesity.
Catechins, a natural components of green tea, help people lose weight by improving the metabolism of carbohydrates, preventing fat deposition and promoting heat loss.
This Japanese study showed that drinking a bottle of green tea extract containing 690 mg of catechins per day for 12 weeks helped test subjects decrease body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, body fat mass and surface fat area compared to a group that drank a daily bottle of tea containing only 22 mg of catechins.
Participants taking the green tea extract lost more than three pounds of total body fat and seven inches of surface fat, leading researchers to believe green tea extract may be an effective way to lose pounds and inches.
I couldn’t sleep very well last night…I felt like I was dying. I couldn’t breathe, I was snot filled all night, there is a rattling constricted thing going on with every wheezing, labored breath I take….I swear to God, I’m right out of some death scene in a movie!
I’m all for a good death scene, I mean, I got one coming up at some point…but I’d rather not do it right now if it’s all the same to you.
First thing I did when I got up this morning was to pat myself on the back for working out really hard yesterday and for swimming last night!
Oh! I almost forgot! Mr. Trainer complimented me TWICE about how hard I worked too! He’s seen the attitude shift! I told him, “I’ve learned GRIT, if nothing else!”
I don’t think that the cold outdoor night swimming hurt me that much last night…I mean, once I was in the water I felt REALLY warm…that water WAS warm compared to the air!
And I’m sure that the circulation that exercising created in my body was beneficial to me.
Plus, swimming is really relaxing to the entire body, so I probably slept better than I would have, had I not.
So after saying “Good job, Jayson”, I wrote the blog for yesterday. I just wasn’t feeling up to it last night, and I needed to go to bed.
And between 10a and now (6 hrs.), it’s all been about my Business:
Promotionally, I have:
Created a Mock Up of my ad for the graphic designer
Created detailed instructions for the graphic designer to create my ad (I have to go through a middle man at the magazine)
Created two versions of the new picture, cropped and uncropped
Attached two different past ads for reference
Attached my logo
Wrote and emailed my account manager new text for an additional ad in the back of the newspaper
Wrote and emailed the spa my new custom written bio for their website, along with my photo
Called my account manager and asked for an extension of my payment this week
Conducted a blast email poll to decide between the two new headshots
Scheduled future marketing opportunities on upcoming Saturdays
Answered the phone and dealt with a sleazy guy asking for “Gentlemen massages” from a female therapist
Emailed the signage company regarding adding my logo to the A-frame outside my office
Updated and saved new spa information that I need to know to work there
Scheduled additional training for the spa, to learn some more specifics
Chore wise, I have:
Dropped off a check to Billy for my Costco groceries
Checked my bank accounts, made financial decisions
Brushed the dogs & cats
Picked up the dog stuff on the deck
Emailed my trainer the new workout, for his review
At this point, I think it’s okay to be tired. I have been really productive today.
And while I’m at it, I think it’s okay to lay in bed the rest of the day and get some rest…I need to get better. I may practically be able to still move and think, but I’m pretty slow right now.
I’ve done a lot of work, and my job is to get well. If I rest today, I can do an hour of cardio tomorrow along with my Heavy day of weights. It’ll probably feel GOOD by tomorrow to move around like that.
For now, I’d like to work on some song lyrics for my Godfather’s Birthday (I’m writing a song for him, with Billy).
Or perhaps I’ll watch a movie, or just lie down, relax and TRY to keep all the contents of my nose OUT of my mouth….ACHOO!
Oohh…that hurt…
757p
Yo. Well, I watched some of “Temple Grandin” again…what an awesome movie. I really like how she says “Different, not less.”
I always feel “Different” and I always used to feel “less.” Now I know there is a difference.
The end of my nose is red and raw and I still sound like I’m trying to breathe through a snorkel that’s way too small…
I have done 2 more revisions, another poll, and weathered at least 4-5 really critical responses to my possible ad. You gotta have a tough skin to be a business owner and to put your picture out there.
CRITICISMS:
My eyebrows are too thick
My eyebrows are freakishly dark
My eyebrows are terrible
The picture is too much of a close up, and so it doesn’t show how handsome my face is….(oxymoron??)
The graphics and pictures in the ad are nice, but too busy. Move some stuff around.
I use way too many “!” and it looks unprofessional. (Happy is unprofessional? Enthusiastic is unprofessional? Hmm….)
REBUTTALS/ACCEPTANCE:
Yes, my makeup was heavy
Yes, the makeup HAD to be heavy for the Black and White shoot and the amount of light that was on me
Yes, my eyebrows do look rather manicured and perfectly strong: However, at actual ad size, they look well defined, not freakish like they do at full size.
I think the close up is what is needed to look into my eyes and say “I trust that guy to give me a massage.”
The graphics were too busy, and it’s getting fixed as we speak.
If people don’t like the amount of “!’s” that I use, who needs ‘em? I am obnoxiously hyper, happy. It’s me. If clients don’t like the “!’s”, they won’t like me anyway!
Well, I guess that’s it. Hubby got home, I went downstairs and asked him if he was going to be nice and supportive, sympathetic and compassionate…because when I called him a little while ago he answered the phone by saying “What?!”
I didn’t know how to respond to that…so I just said “Sorry for bothering you,” and hung up.
So I, in my sick state, threw a pity party and cussed at him. Great.
But frankly, if I didn’t have his support before, I wasn’t going to get it now, so screw him.
I’ll take care of my own damn self…even if I’m sick.
Is it the infection talking, or am I just tired of Hubby acting like a selfish F#&$*r everytime he feels like it, and not putting me first when I really need him?
Eh, probably both.
It just got to me, because he was sick a couple of weeks ago, and I took his temperature every 2 hours, and fed him pills, and made him breakfast, and fetched his water….
HE comes home today and it’s MY turn to be sick: He doesn’t even say hello, and when I say “I really need you to be nice and compassionate…you hurt my feelings when you answered the phone all rough earlier…he turns mute and ignores me.
Ignores me! I can handle anything but to be ignored! Tell me you love me, hate me, get out, come here, not now, be right with you, give me a second….but to ignore me? F*#$ YOU!
Pardon my French. I REALLY don’t like cussing…it’s SO who I USED to be….and when I have these moments, I can still go back there…
My Mom used to do that…you’d know she’s angry because she’d cuss up a storm….but I don’t want to be like that!
However, I’m SO not putting up with any BS from Hubby tonight. Help me, or stay out of my way…
Well, there I am. Completly imperfect, petty, insecure and still sick as a dog. But I’m trying.
Night.
Jayson!
1241a
I hate to add this late note…but things are a little sad for me.
Hubby’s attitude problem is not new, nor is the source of it.
Hubbyseems to feel that no matter how much I improve, the other shoe is eventually going to drop…and he’s counting the minutes and hours until it does.
He’s just waiting for me to mess up…he doesn’t believe in me. It’s as simple as that.
We’ve talked about this before, and here it is again. What can I do when I’m married to someone who doesn’t have any faith in me?
I know he’s been through my addiction cycles before, I know that he’s felt abused, neglected, smothered and then abandoned….but not for the last 8 weeks.
I’m on Week 8! This isn’t some “Baby, I promise I’m GONNA change, you’ll see!”
This is a “I’m am changing exponentially! Why can’t you see that and be happy with me?”
In the past he’s said he’s very supportive, we’ve discussed triathlons, and healthy living, and he’s given me cooking lessons…things were positive…
But now, just as I’m finally growing up and throwing off the yoke of childish behavior and low self expectations…this is where he thinks about throwing the towel in?
I just don’t understand. If you’ve been through all the bad, don’t you want to experience the good?
What did you hang onto through all the bad, if not the hope that things will get better, and that growth will happen? Isn’t that what he wanted? For me to grow up?
Well, it’s no mystery what I said to him. I said:
”I’m worth hanging onto! Feel what you need to feel, but use your Grit! I am learning how to be gritty with financial stuff, and practical follow through…use yours to Believe in your marriage!”
The rest is up to him. I’m just going to keep on doing what I’m doing, growing, improving, networking, working hard, and NEVER giving up on myself again.
Because you know what? I’m the only one who can choose to believe in me all the time. And I’m the only one who can save me.
This is going to be a quick post, today I weighed in at 244.4 which means I have gained 4.6 pounds in the last week and I have lost 30.4 pounds since August 16th, 2009.
I feel very guilty this week. I ate a lot of crap and did not workout as much as I should have in the past week. I just can’t seem to keep my motivation level up. Almost five pounds gained in a week is very depressing to me and I really hope I can get this weight off quickly.
I would really love to be close to 200 or below it by the end of July but I am not sure if that is going to happen at this pace. I need to focus more and keep writing, keep updating the blog here. It is amazing how easy it is for me to get distracted by television or other things in my life and lose focus on my overall goal.
Anyway, I am hoping to do better this week and get some more posts in.
We’ve all heard how important sleep is – in fact, the benefits of sleep are amazing. Did you know sleep:
Produces proteins that help repair the body and strengthen the immune system;
Lowers blood pressure and reduces the stress and inflammatory levels linked to heart attacks;
Allows the brain to better process the experiences of the day increasing your understanding and knowledge retention;
Can actually help you lose weight because sleep helps regulate the hormones that affect and control your appetite.
Personal rituals to achieve better sleep begin upon waking. Purposeful stretching upon waking tells the body it is time to get motivated. Before getting out of bed, lie on your back and raise your hands and feet toward the ceiling – rotate the wrists and ankles inwards ten times, then outwards ten times. Bend your knees and elbows and then straighten them toward the ceiling ten times; pointing the toes and fingers upward for the first five times, then flexing your feet and hands back the last five times. Now, get out of bed.
1. Always make the bed as soon as you awaken. The act of making the bed as a morning ritual is the trigger to start your day. Coming into a made bed at night is separates the waking time to the sleeping time.
2. Change the sheets and pillowcases often because fresh sheets welcome the mind and honor the body.
3. Use pillows that support your head properly, when pillows become flat and worn, get fresh new ones.
4. Add enjoying a nice cup of hot tea to your before bed ritual. In addition to producing a relaxing effect, the l-theanine in green and oolong teas has been shown to enhance immune system functioning.
5. The scent of lavender has assisted many people with insomnia. Try sprinkling your pillowcase with a couple drops of lavender oil, or keep a bowl of fresh lavender by your bed.
6. Studies show white noise, the smooth sound of rushing air, is beneficial to many people. White noise can mask unwanted noises and create a sense of calm, making it easier to concentrate, relax and sleep. There are a lot of machines and CDs out there, but usually a good fan works just as well.
Night-y night...
7. Try a sleep mask to block unwanted light. I often travel with a sleep mask and sprinkle it with lavender oil before I pack it for my trip.
8. Move your TV and computer out of the bedroom.
9. Stretch before getting into bed. Stand by your bed and stretch your arms up toward the ceiling, really reach five times with one hand then the other as if you are trying to touch the ceiling. Now brace your hands on your thighs, point your nose straight up and slowly, following your nose, bend at the hips. Let your arms pull the weight of your upper body down toward the floor in a good lower back stretch, slowly try to straighten your legs for a good calf & hamstring stretch. Breathe gently in for a count of four, hold for a count of four and breathe out for a count of four, repeat this breathing three to five times. Brace your hands on your thighs and slowly round the spine up. Now get into bed.
10. Let your last thoughts of the day express gratitude. Recall a job well done or just smile and think of the people and things you are grateful for in your life.
Pilates, which was originally developed to assist people overcome injuries, is gaining in popularity with people from all walks of life. This is largely due to the fact that it is quite helpful in so many different areas of our lives. Not only is Pilates exercises used for rehabilitation purposes, it is used to get our bodies in shape, sooth our minds, relieve stress and anxiety, boost our immune systems, help us manage our weight, increase our balance and coordination, and so much more.
So, one of my 2010’s New Year’s resolutions was to finish nutrition school and blog about what I’ve learned over the years. Being an obese teenager was something that changed me very early on in the realm of health and fitness. As a child and teen I was fed the SAD (Standard American Diet), which ‘allowed’ me to weigh in at a little over 200lbs as a 16 year old. Needless to say, that was a devastating blow when I got on the scale only to see what a disgrace I was and that I had finally hit 200 lbs. Not only that, but I literally was ALL fat. I had no neck at that time.
That single day in 1996 was and still is the biggest turning point of my entire life. On that day I realized I MUST CHANGE or risk always being made fun of, depressed, physically limited, self- hating and possibly face an early death. It really hadn’t occurred to me until that day just how serious obesity and unhealthy eating habits was and still is for millions of people around the globe.
I thank God for that day! I thank God that even though I would never take diet pills again now, being that I know what to do and what true health is, that my Dad took me to the weight doctor to help me lose weight initially. That appointment was what quite literally gave me a new lease on life! I’d like to share over 14 years of personal knowledge and life experience on this blog to help anyone that TRULY wants a new lease on their health, fitness level and overall standard of living.
I would like to challenge you with “The Time to Change is NOW, for You May Not Have Tomorrow!”
Lost another 1.5lb this week which I am slightly disappointed in but can also understand why because of the treats I have had over the last 2 weeks. Still it’s still a total weight loss of 5st 10.5lb or 80.5lb so compared to this time last year I can’t really complain.
Fully back on track this week as there are no special occasions or get togethers that can attempt to derail me.
I would like to thank everyone for their positive and encouraging comments both on this blog and my facebook. It all lights a fire under my bum and makes me more determined than ever to get this last 7st off.
I’ve been spending a lot of time on my writing career this week, both doing articles for different websites (and getting an offer to write for a new one), researching and querying agents and basically gearing my focus and attention toward the life that I want to have.
It’s been pretty awesome, but pretty busy. This blog became the first time casualty.
There were also problems with the back. I didn’t get to start my walking regimen on March 1st like I wanted. In fact that day I had a crippling spasm that threatened to put me out of commission all together.
Fortunately I was undaunted and finally got on the treadmill by the 3rd and walked for 15 minutes. I wanted to walk more but I made a promise to myself I’d stop if I felt any sort of twinge, and truth was it was getting pretty painful just at the 15 minute mark.
Today I went to the store for my walking exercise, and tomorrow back on the treadmill.
A little every day to help condition so that I can exercise more and change my body.
I’m still not quite happy with the fact that my weight is dropping but my body isn’t catching up yet with inches lost.
That being said, however, it did occur to me when I went to the store today it makes it a lot easier to pass by those things that used to have me under their spell, simply because of the way I felt in my clothes. When button down shirts now fit, that’s a pretty big accomplishment in my book.
And I shall relish it – even in the face of my adversary. (Bad food)
Now, with *that* being said I will confess I did eat some fish today. It was a dinner special at HEB for catfish and fries, and I thought if I’m going to go pescatarian eventually it was worth the experiment to see how I responded to fish now.
Truth be told… it wasn’t as good as I had built it up in my mind to be. I ended up feeding most of it to my four legged children.
(They loved it.)
Unfortunately, that’s not my only food confession for the week. Thanks to some drastic hormonal shifts I ended up plunging headlong into some comfort food earlier in the week. (Those veggie crumbles are a mixed blessing it seems.)
Because of this, I only lost a pound this week. I’m not discouraged, hell I’m too busy to be discouraged. But it gives me perspective if I want to keep up the momentum I really need to be diligent. Especially now while I can’t exercise.
With a total 21 pounds lost so far this year (and getting very close to my halfway mark for the Pound for Pound Challenge), I’m no where near ready to give up the progress.
I just have to remember that weight loss, as with so many other things, is a process.
A successful weigh in this morning! I hopped on the scale and dropped 2 1/2 pounds from last week. I’m VERY excited about this because that means that, as of today, I am less than a pound away from being in the 160’s! That’s huge for me. I haven’t been there in about 5 years!
I’ve also had some great runs this week already. 4 miles on Monday, 6 miles on Tuesday, 3 miles this morning and I still have a few days this week to get in some more workouts. I’m motivated to get good runs in over the next few weeks. It makes me feel great when I know I’ve gotten in good workouts during the week and it is helping build up my stamina for the 1/2 marathon in June.
I’m going to a hockey game with some friends tonight, which usually means a few “extra large” beers. No drinking for me tonight. Wish me luck… Got to break that 170 mark!
A woman’s wardrobe will never run out of space to accommodate a few more clothes and jewelry. However, our quest for more of these fashion items is hindered only by restrictions imposed by budget considerations, though with some smart planning, you can always have the best of both worlds. So that you can boast of a closet that has the perfect balance of cool clothing accessories as well as lot’s of costume jewelry.
The key to have your wardrobe filled with clothes that only look expensive but score high on affordability is to make wise choices with your clothing so that they match with most other cloth pieces present in your wardrobe. Combine this with plenty of jewelry at your disposal and what you will have is a vastly increased ability to put on a variety of new looks.
If your purchasing strategy is centered around this line than the LBD along with a range of other conventionally styled separates become extremely crucial. And all that it takes to achieve this is about half a dozen each of sweaters, blouses, vests, skirts and pants. Take into account the variations in fabric and textures and you will have the versatility in your wardrobe that you wish to achieve.
To make the best choices as far as costume jewelry is concerned is the next best thing that you can do. For instance, contemporary Italian jewelry in stunning bright colors can lend a touch of magic to even the most simple summer dress. Of particular mention is the jewel-toned sequined belts with black velvet as background that can make LBD look simply gorgeous.
Color schemes are an important aspect too as everyone has their own favorite choice of colors. While for some, it is a direct reflection of their personality and associations, others might go for colors that they believe will best compliment their color of hair or that of their skin. For instance, for a woman with creamy complexion, an outgoing personality and silky smooth hair on her head, her natural choice of color will probably be fire-engine red. The same for delicate blondes with green eyes and a rosy complexion might be sea greens along with shades of blue and violets, which are likely to be her first choice.
Your selection of jewelry should be all encompassing so that it includes the entire range of styles to match every occasion. Like you may want to have some that will make it right for formal occasions, everyday wear, for wearing to your workplace, or those that will let you put on a fun and trendy look. If the conventional pieces of jewelry embedded with faux pearls and diamonds don’t appeal to you, you may want to try pieces carrying the Renaissance theme that will let you make a bold style statement at say, a night at the theater. Then items like the painted enamel pieces, cloisonne, hoop style earrings or simple bangles fit the bill for your everyday use. There are also pieces like the ceramic Betty Boop-in-a-red-dress pin or the colorful ethnic necklaces that imparts on you a fun and trendy look while lending a touch of magnificence and splendor to even your casual costumes.
If its simple and classic styles that pervade your clothing choices then all of your pieces will be a perfect match with almost all dress material that you posses. A simple gray suit coupled with your Betty Boop pin complimented with several bangle bracelets in bright shades of red, yellow and black enamel is perfect for an office environment. The same dress with just the jewelry pieces replaced with ornate Renaissance styled necklaces and rings will make you just right for a presentation to a client.
Costume jewelry won’t cost you a fortune though they can lend your wardrobe a touch of class and almost limitless variety, letting you sport several fashion faces with the same set of clothes that you have.
@EatThisNotThat: twEAT THIS at KFC: 2 KFC Snackers Honey BBQ for 420 calories & 6 g fat!
After checking out the sandwiches I was stunned that this could be a healthy choice. It is apparently the chicken version of a pulled pork sandwich: a blend of white and dark chicken meat bathed in bbq sauce and served on a white flour bun. There really isn’t anything healthy in this food selection so how can 2 of them be a good choice?
I haven’t ever had one of these snackers but a couple of things stand out to me. When you look at pictures of them on their own, they look pretty big, but when you see a snacker in a persons hand it looks tiny. I think that is the trick with these food items. 2 of a tiny snack item can have a low calorie count. The key to this is that each snacker is 98 grams. I needed to find something to compare with 98 grams (or 196 for 2).
To find things to compare it to, I did a quick search for some things I do know. A hamburger at McDonalds is 100 grams. A quarter Pounder with Cheese is 198 grams. A 6″ Italian BMT sub at Subway is 245 grams and a 6″ turkey is 226 grams.
I am sure I couldn’t eat 2 hamburgers at McDonald’s and be full. I know for a fact that I would never be full after eating a Quarter Pounder with Cheese. I quite often eat a 6″ Italian BMT at Subway and even though I would never recommend it as a healthy choice I would also say that I am not full after eating it as well. I very often eat an apple or a salad with the sandwich. The 6″ turkey sandwich is a healthy decision but if the BMT isn’t going to fill me up there is no way the turkey will.
2 burgers 200 grams, 500 calories
2 bbq snackers 196 grams, 420 calories.
1 quarter pounder with cheese 198 grams 510 calories,
6″ BMT 245 grams 450 calories and the
6″ turkey 226 grams 280 calories.
A sandwich or a couple of small burgers is rarely a good meal. The turkey sandwich though is low enough calorie that you could turn it into a good meal. The point is, you can look on any value meal to find a couple of items that added together have less than 500 calories. Any idiot can do this, but that doesn’t help anyone. The important thing to know when eating healthy is what meal that will fill you up is under 500 calories and this is a concept that the Eat This Not That people never seem to get.
Nobody would recommend eating one Quarter Pounder with Cheese as a meal, nor would anyone recommend eating 2 hamburgers. This really isn’t a healthy choice, but to be honest, just dropping the french fries helps a meal out tremendously. If you leave a restaurant hungry though, what are the odds of not ordering the fries next time you are there. You are just setting yourself up to fail.
Eat the 6″ sandwich from subway, ideally the turkey or ham or turkey and ham. Eat an apple before hand or have there vegetarian sub salad (this is just a bunch of the vegetables from the sandwiches thrown in a bowl with some of the italian dressing poured on top). If there are other fruits or vegetables you can eat with your sandwich go for it. Have a small greek salad or some carrots or a banana. The fruits and vegetables will help fill you up and the sandwich will satisfy your hunger.
So thanks again ‘Eat this Not That’ for another useless health tweet…
I hate depriving myself of foodstuff when I have to go on a diet. I end up wanting it more when I cannot have food. That’s so, exasperating. It’s when we cannot eat that we value food so much. When I diet and hunger pangs hit, thats when I look for burgers, pizza and pasta. If only I would just crave for vegetables or fruit as an alternative. My daughter knows when I’ve given in to my hunger pangs when I steal her chocolate. I stop working my diet each time I give in to my food craving.
I heard there is this diet health supplement called Hoodia Gordonii that can suppress hunger naturally. I think Oprah and 60 Minutes showcased it on their shows a long time ago. It grows naturally in a desert somewhere in South Africa and looks like a cactus. What happens here is that individuals take it and think they will lose weight because of it. It doesn’t really make you lose weight but let’s you suppress hunger. No more hunger pangs and no more sneaking into the cupboard for snacks. It’s the perfect answer to breaking your diet.
It must be safe to consume because it’s all natural. Merely like an herb. Some time ago, a TV team went to Africa to look for the Hoodia plant in Africa. They located it, tried it and found they had lost their need to eat the whole day. I think that’s pretty remarkable and the greatest thing about it is it isn’t a chemical that can have serious side effects. Some diet supplements suppress hunger by putting some destructive chemicals that can harm your physical condition. In other cases they can kill you. You can get a heart attack or a stroke from these other diet tablets. The TV guys who went to Africa and tried it said they didn’t undergo any heart palpitations or become sick.Although it is a natural element we should still ask our physician before we take any brand of health pill. Prior to taking Hoodia, people with heart illnesses, diabetes and eating disorders must consult with their physician first. Needless to say pregnant women shouldn’t take desire for food suppressants. You’re not supposed to diet if you are pregnant anyhow.Be careful of where we buy Hoodia supplements.
Some Hoodia producers put additives and other chemical based medicines to suppress hunger. So, always check the ingredients before you buy Hoodia supplements. They may be in liquid, powder or pill form. Real Hoodia pills shouldn’t have chemical additives, ephedra, caffeine or any kind of stimulant. So watch out for these extra components you don’t need them to suppress hunger if you have pure Hoodia.Hoodia is the ideal counterpart for a food or work out diet to lose weight. It’s going to suppress hunger that you will commonly undergo throughout a diet.
Constant use of Hoodia can lead to undernourishment and excessive weight loss. It’s not healthy to misuse Hoodia and try to lose too much weight. Just take the correct dose and you will ultimately arrive at your target weight. Of course we can not starve to death, we just want to lose some weight. As you are on a diet, it is pretty customary to experience hunger.
You might also be interested in these articles: Stop Craving Carbs and Lose Weight You Can Stop Craving Carbs Naturally
Working on being less, how to put it…FAT. I am a plump 280 pounds and 5 feet 8 inches tall. Doing the math, that equals a BMI of 42, which is double the amount I am supposed to be. I wonder each day why I hurt everywhere; why it is hard to do everything? Really? I have made a verbal commitment before; declaring to everyone in cyber space that I am going to loose x amount of weight before x date. As you can tell by now, that has yet to every happen. I know why too, it is really simple; I am lazy. I make excuses for everything I can, including but not limited to: the laundry, cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes, cooking dinner, making lunches, grocery shopping, working out, taking my dog out, driving, going to work some days, cleaning the room, washing the carpet (we have a beagle), and pleasuring my husband. In a very large nutshell, I suck as a woman. That is why in my last post I stated that I should be single, but I am already married so it is a little too late for that revelation to have appeared.
My weight is my biggest crutch in which I lean against to get away with being a terrible wife, and therefore human being. I want to remedy that, so the issue is I need to find a good selfish reason to go through with it. I know that may sound terrible, but I get a lot of out being fat. I have learned that no matter how much I say I want to change, until I find that reason to really do it that is all about making myself feel good, I am not going to do it. If this were as simple as saying, “I am going to do this for my husband” it would have been done a year ago. So what is my motivation? I want clothing that fits, I want to look in the mirror and see something that doesn’t make me want to vomit. That is a good start! I want to be able to take boudoir photos like my clients and look as good as they do. There, I will use good old vanity on this one.
I may have a bad motivation to get me started but in the end it will be to improve my marriage and treatment of my husband. We all do what we need to in order to get to where we need to be in life. I need to be a better wife, but I am not going to be able to make a dramatic change overnight, small changes towards it will make it longer lasting changes. Today I will make dinner the minute we walk through the door. I think I will make some lemon chicken, which is a new dish for him so that should make him happy.
All right, this may be a bit of a lengthy post but only because I have made a couple of new decisions, the husband had his interview and life is always changing around us. Okay, so let’s get started!
First of all, I am not sure if I divulged my thoughts on why I had been feeling so exhausted over the last few weeks. I think it was initially caused by the antidepressants. I was feeling also like, when I finally laid down, I could not actually fall asleep. I was getting soo frustrated! And I could not figure out what was keeping me awake. Therefore, I did not take the pill yesterday in hopes of feeling more awake. And I did! Not only that but I slept like a dead person! So am longer self-medicating myself. In the past, I had heard of antidepressants making a person hold on to excess body fat so I am now beginning to wonder if I am not seeing as much stomach shrinkage because of it. However, I have squeezed into a sexy pair of my size nine jeans. It is not an attractive fit around the waistband but at least they are buttoned. *Chuckle*
Secondly, my handsome hubby did have his Air Force interview yesterday. He says that he has a really great feeling about it. We should know something by Tuesday. Exciting, huh?
Aside from all of that, I am feeling better already. I think my sinus infection (or whatever it was) has begun to clear itself up. Thank God. However, I am pretty annoyed that I have not lost more thant I have. I feel like I have absolutely been busting my hump on my elliptical for four weeks and, other than muscular solidarity, I have experienced very little change. So, starting Monday, I’m going to attempt to go back to my pre-wedding diet of pretty much starving the fat off. We’ll see how that goes. But I didn’t work out yesterday, seeing as I spent it off with my honey, so I have no stats for you. I have worn myself out today though so tomorrow’s will be good. Adios, mi bonitas!
This week, I tried something new. Most of my meals over the weekend were restaurant meals, and I basically ate whatever I wanted, with the exception of desserts. Friday night’s dinner was a hangar steak served over polenta, Sunday brunch was a delicious chicken and spinach crepe, and it was all topped off on Sunday night with a delicious fried calamari. Yum! On Monday through Thursday, I ate 200 calorie meals every 2 hours. That’s right, every 2 waking hours, for a total of 1600 calories per day! I really expected to gain a bit. As you know if you’ve been following this blog, I have failed to lose weight on 1200 calories per day. So I was fairly certain that 1600 per day would send me over the edge. I didn’t really put any restrictions on what I ate as long as it was 200 calories, although I tried to stay nutritionally balanced. I ate lots of whole grains and very little processed sugar, although I did not count the sugar grams in regular foods. At least one meal a day was a cup of plain yogurt sweetened with stevia and maybe a little fruit. I did not count carbs at all. My exercise level was the usual moderate; a few walks and a few sessions on the elliptical trainer. I did set the elliptical trainer on the “total body workout” setting, which is a little more interval training.
It really is all in your head
I have been reading The Younger (Thinner) You Diet: How Understanding Your Brain Chemistry Can Help You Lose Weight, Reverse Aging, and Fight Disease by Eric R. Braverman . According to Dr. Braverman, when we have difficulty losing weight it is because our brain chemistry is imbalanced. He explains how different chemicals in the brain affect aging, weight gain and energy levels while outlining how different foods, spices and teas can help to bring these chemicals back into their proper balance. Braverman discusses the brain chemicals dopamine, serotonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and acetylcholine and explains how imbalances can affect personality, weight management, food addiction and aging.
The book starts with a series of quizes designed to help the reader identify which brain chemicals they may be deficient in. Dr. Braverman also has a modified version of theses quizes on his website to help you get started. The diet itself is sensible and well-balanced, emphasizing lots of vegetables, fruit, herbs and spices. I’ve been following some of the suggestions to boost up the nutritional value of my meals. Braverman’s work on brain chemistry is interesting, and it extends way beyond dieting into overall health, well-being and aging. It’s a good read even if you’re not dieting; can’t we all use a little more balance in our brain chemistry?
Hello and welcome to my blog, Inspired by a word, written words have always inspired me. As I hope words inspire you too and that mine can do the same for you.
I would like to introduce myself to you and share a little bit about myself with you and hopefully I will get to know you as well. I am Gaylena, pen name Nia, or MissInk.
I have a back ground of five years experience and training in network marketing. Raised health conscious and into fitness and exercise, not as easy to keep up with as you get older and busier. More recently trained as a life/soul coach. Of course I am a writer and freelance writer more then anything else and love to write with a passion. I am also into personal development and write on the subject as well.
The subjects I will be writing about here, that I have much knowledge and experience with are: Writing, weight consciousness, gaining and losing it from a skinny lady’s perspective. Self-esteem and self confidence. Having a dream and going for it and having creating the beliefs to support it the dream.
All the above topics, are ones I am passionate about and enjoy sharing my experience with them and perspective on them. I look forward to this journey with you, so here’s to another new journey and new horizons along the way.
I broke it. I had lasted 6 days and then I went and broke it. I weighed myself and had put on the weight that I had lost and thought to hell with the rules. They obviously aren’t working. I hadn’t been to the loo before hand but it was so dispiriting that I couldn’t bear to go on any longer.
When I say I broke it, I didn’t go all out and order fish and chips for lunch but I didn’t do the ‘plan’. Today was meant to be brown rice, veggies and fruit juice. In a horrendous morning of upset and depression, I rushed out the flat without so much as a coffee. Arriving at the boyfriend’s in need of much love and food. Low and behold he didn’t have any brown rice so I thought ‘All Bran’ would do the trick. Being brown and all? Anyway, one bowl turned into two and then I had some little weetabix crunchy things and a whole weetabix. Before heading into Starbucks to get a latte. (It was a buy one get one free offer!)
This is the point where I probably tell you that I suffer from depression which has been linked to eating disorders, currently ‘fine’ I think I am heading for a downer, if not already cruising toward the bottom of one.
I saw it coming weeks, months back but now I am at the crying all the time stage and can’t seem to lift it. My circumstances at the moment seem to be fine, bar unpleasantness from certain colleagues but other wise I would consider everything fine. Boyfriend fine, parents fine, friends fine, weight not so fine, job not so fine. Mental hospital trip is next week and I will have to wait and see what the consensus is. Other than ‘lose some weight you fat cow’.
Yesterday although breaking the GM Diet plan, I didn’t go full belt. Morning was cereal (whole wheat) and milk (skinny), lunch was leaves and cereal, then supper was fruit, tomato soup, couple of slices of bread (one of which was wholemeal), two dairylea triangles (both light obviously) and then a fat-free bowl of yogurt with a smidgen of honey, with a tea to top. It could have been worse. Perhaps over did it on the carbs but it was the ‘carb’ day on the plan and I was aiming for whole meal rather than refined carbs…
Back to day one, it’s fruit and veg. Easy – I still have my fruit from day three last week. Give me strength to continue for a week two and a poo perhaps.
If you’ve never heard of Quinoa get to the store and buy some. It’s one of natures best foods- containing all the essential amino acids- and is as flexible as rice but so much better for you.
This is a one pot wonder. So put it all in-
2.c. rinsed quinoa
4c. low or no sodium organic chicken broth
veggies (broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, carrots)
Desired amounts of sea salt, pepper, turmeric, curry powder, sage, thyme, and basil
simmer covered until broth has absorbed into quinoa and it’s tender, and all the veggies have softened.
enjoy. The below picture shows this meal served with whole wheat flat bread and reduced fat crab and cream cheese wantons.
Many people, including me, struggle with comfort eating, which is sometimes called binge eating (or “compulsive eating”), particularly when it is accompanied by a feeling of being out of control. Although most of us experience emotional eating from time to time, binge eating can be a serious condition. I’ve found a few tips worth sharing, but keep in mind that some folks will need to visit a doctor or therapist in order to manage a binge eating problem.
My personal goal is to eat only when I am hungry and to keep emotional eating to an absolute minimum. The first step, for me, is paying attention to my eating. If I decide to have a snack, am I really hungry? If not, then I’m probably emotionally eating.
Here are a few simple ideas:
Find out what’s really causing you to overeat. People who binge or compulsively overeat are often driven by painful emotions that they do not want to face. Eating disorders are symptoms of deeper issues, so heal the pain that is driving the behavior. Depending upon your underlying problems, this could be as simple as finding an effective meditation or relaxation technique, or you might need to see a therapist. Don’t be afraid to ask your doctor for help with this! It may feel a little embarrassing, but think of how wonderful you’ll feel after you get through it!
I also like to remember that I am not “denying” myself anything when I refuse to binge eat… I am taking care of myself. Stopping the binge is an act of love, not an act of deprivation.
Find an alternative behavior to replace bingeing. I like to keep in mind some pampering activities that I can use to sooth myself without food. You might like a hot bath or shower, or a walk or drive in your favorite neighborhood or park. How about some good music, candles, flowers or a message from a loved one, a massage machine or, if the budget allows, a professional. Try calling an old friend!!
It may sound counter-intuitive, but some experts suggest that it is hard to focus on weight loss and stopping binge eating at the same time. Try focusing first on ending binge eating—you specific weight loss goals can be revisited in the future.
Eat when you’re hungry. You have probably already discovered that starving yourself is a good way to cause another binge. Give yourself a break: starvation will likely not stop the binging.
Focus your thoughts on something other than food. We give our cravings a lot of power when we think about food. Instead, try thinking about things that make you happy, like family or fun times, or things that make you feel good about yourself, like accomplishments or things you’re good at.
Use a cooling off period. When you have a craving, tell yourself that you are going to wait 15 minutes before you eat. During that 15 minutes, use your tools, including the other thoughts listed here, to manage your emotions. After 15 minutes, you may still feel the desire to eat. For me, this means I am actually hungry, so I eat!
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Easy does it. If you find yourself bingeing or overeating, do not beat yourself up (which for me would lead to more bingeing). Take another cooling off period; the urge is likely to go away.
Before I sign off, as always, I want to encourage you to visit HealthyWage, which provides health incentives for everyone. Incentives make accountability fun, and studies show that incentives increase your odds of success. Check it out! Best wishes everybody!
Today has been like heaven, if heaven were free. I mean, movies, polite husband, friends, happiness, dogs, food shopping & beautiful rain!
No money made today, no calls about my ad, no lessening of the stress which is coming on the first of the month when I’ll be up shit creek…but a nice Sunday anyway. =)
This morning I sat down and typed up my blog notes from the night before…and I put off doing Jillian #3 as long as possible. Eventually I went down and did it. Oy vey…I’m on day 28, which means that when I wake up it will be Day 29.
Day 29 is important for a couple of reasons. First of all, it’s a “Weigh-In” day, so I am a little bit apprehensive about that. But Day 29 is also one day away from Day 30. So tomorrow is all about planning what I am going to do on Day 31, and making a plan of attack.
Day 30 is a bitch. The only good thing about it will be that it is the last day of Jillian #3. I will be moving into other, more comprehensive workouts after the first 30 days. And I will also be doing Cardio & Weights only 5 days a week/each, instead of 6 or 7.
But Day 30 isn’t difficult because of a routine change. Oh no…it’s much more insidious than that. Day 30 is a milestone.
Day 30 is a marker that says “Do this 11 more times, and you’ll reach your goal.” Day 30 says, “You’ve made it an entire month, you’ve graduated. Time to slow down buddy, you deserve it.”
Day 30 has always been awful, no matter what I have done, it’s been a sense of letting myself down that moves into my brain. Day 30 has traditionally been the end of me.
Of course, I haven’t blogged about Day 30 before…and now I have that tool, which I DO believe will make all the difference.
On Dr. Oz the other day, there was a guy who lost over 100 pounds, and he talked about how he blogs every day to help his weight loss. He says that the blog keeps him accountable for his recovery, and it has helped him a lot, and has given him a lot of support from other people.
It was amazing. I heard myself right there, on National Television. Dr. Oz asked if he’d be willing to blog for Dr. Oz.com. I haven’t looked for him yet, but it was great to see him at the end of his journey talking about blogging. If it worked for him, it can work for me!
I’m not jealous! Shut up….jealous…what-ev-er!
Well, like I said, today was a great day. I hung out with best friend Billy…he’s going through kidney stones….so he’s on a LOT of Vicadin. Wee! We went grocery shopping, and he also wanted to go to Costco. So, I ended up going grocery shopping at Costco.
I’ll repeat myself: I went grocery shopping at Costco! AHH!!!!
It was cool. I mean, BOY did I get a lot of oranges, and celery, and carrots, and tomatoes, and apples, and a thing of Cottage cheese that is as big as my HEAD! LOL….I spent less than usual, and really did well…
I want to write about how overboard I feel, and how out of control I am…and then I want to talk about how all of this baking that Hubby is doing is driving me crazy, because he’s making all this white bread and biscuits and stuff.
But I can’t write something that isn’t true.
I’m shocked, I’m worried, I’m concerned and confused…but I’m not having a hard time with all of this food. I feel fine. I feel…dare I say? Normal.
I don’t want the warm, white bread rolls that Hubby toasted in the oven today and then put butter all over. It’s even my favorite bread (one of them) called “Pan de sol”; it’s Filipino bread.
And all of the food in my refrigerator gives me a nice feeling because I know I’m set for a while, but I don’t want to dive nose first into all of the good stuff…I’m not having my normal fantasies about bingeing on all the food I bought today.
It feels like I am cringing, bent over, because I’ve just been shot at point blank range…but then I realize I’m not dead, so I stand up, and start looking for bullet holes…but there are none.
Another gunshot, and Ah! But then again, I stand up, smooth out my shirt, and think “What the hell?” Either this dude is a lousy shot, or I’m suddenly bullet proof?
My emotions are evened out, I have constant energy (mostly), I am losing weight, sleeping well, not sweating for no reason, becoming a little “loosened up” all around, and smiling a lot.
I’m scared mentally, that I’m not emotionally scared at all….not even of the fact that I’m not mentally scared really, I just have to say I am, because I’m aware of this immense oddity that is my relative saneness.
I know I’ve done an awful job capturing this feeling I’m having, but it’s very important for me to try. My entire identity, in the past, has hinged on my addicted behavior, and my emotional swings. To be without my old crutches is a miracle to me, and yet not unexpected.
I have been in “food recovery” before. I know that whatever I’m doing to myself chemically, by eating the right things in the right amounts (No white flour, sugar, red meat, poultry, egg yolks or processed foods (except some soy products), always works.
But it has never been so easy.
And that brings me back to Day 30. This is the gate at which whatever system I’m using at the moment fails. Day 30, in the past, would be where I say “Enough of this restricted eating crap! I want peanut butter jelly waffle sandwiches and mayonnaise/ketchup/cheese white rice bowls topped with burnt ground beef by the pound!”
And yes, that made my mouth water. But only the thought of foods like that are attractive. The emotional memory is what is still pulling at me here and there. If it were in front of me, I feel like my body would say, “Hmm…smells good. I don’t need it though, thanks anyway. I feel amazing without that crap.”
Oh, I saw the movie “Frost/Nixon” tonight. It was pretty good. It’s raining outside, so I just looked at the clock while I was watching the movie, and I jogged in place for 30 minutes in front of the TV. It was amazing because the first 10 minutes went by so slowly! But then the next 5 minutes went faster.
After 15 minutes, getting to 20 minutes was only 5 minutes away, and then I only had 10 minutes left! That’s 2/3rds done! And the next 8 minutes just flew by like nothing! Those last 2 minutes were the slowest 2 minutes of my life though…isn’t that amazing?
There’s something in quantum mechanics that would explain that I’m sure.
Well, I don’t want to stop typing, because if I do, I have to face going to bed at some point, and that will only lead to waking up tomorrow morning, which I don’t want to do because that will only lead to more worry, stress, and another tough workout that I’m becoming testy about.
But I suppose I must do what I must do. Thanks for allowing me to rant and vent on here.
And for once my ranting wasn’t about my marriage! Imagine that!
Well…perhaps I’ll go crazy after Day 30, and stir up a whole bunch of drama in my life…but let’s hope not. I don’t need it or want it.
The doggies are doing well…Max keeps having accidents on the carpet. He doesn’t want to climb up the stairs anymore…he’s visibly slowed down yet again…I may be doing a lot more writing on here soon, if he dies or worse yet, is put down.
Hubby thinks that if his back legs go, we should put him down…(lump in throat.) That’s a whole other topic to be avoided until the last possible moment, I suppose. I’m certainly not going to deal with it right now…just putting it out there.
Anything else to say about today? Oh…well, I guess I should chat about my perceived week of weight loss. I think I did pretty good. I’m feeling slimmer every day. I wish I was at my goal all ready, but that’s nothing new.
I feel like I’ve lost weight, and I’m guessing 3-4 pounds perhaps. I’d be absolutely thrilled with 6 or more. I never know how to slim down the hours before my weigh in. Should I drink less water? More water? Not eat for 12 hours before weigh in? Exercise harder?
Well…I went with the moderate approach today. I simply did my Jillian, ate my calories (up til 7p), and did moderate cardio. I figure that any genuine weight loss will reflect over the weeks anyway.
The only weird thing about today was my 2 hour nap after breakfast. I’m not sure what caused it…I was just out like a light, and felt groggy and awful for several hours afterwar……..ds……….I KNOW WHAT DID IT! I took a Zyrtec! That’s what did it! It has to be! I took that allergy pill, and 20 minutes later I HAD to sleep!
How weird! I never noticed that throw me before…but I’ve been all pure and pristine for almost a month now, no pills or additives, etc., so no wonder! Hmm…okay, that’s a good thing to realize about medication and me.
My “Why” has emerge from the darkest corners of my mind. It was lurking in the shadows staying hidden from the fear, failure, and sorrow that had cast it away long ago. When I found my why it was painful, I hurt deeply realizing I have fallen so far from the path I was once on as a young man and as a boy with a dream. Today, I confronted my why and gained control of my mind once again.
So here it is…
I want to be the Man my Dog believed I was, the light at the end of the tunnel, I want to inspire others to believe in themselves and to believe there is still good in this world. I want to be the Superman that as a boy I believed I would become one day. My why is to do my best at everything I attempt and to finish it, to not make excuses for my folly’s, and to learn from my mistakes, failures, and losses. My why is to exist as me and cast a shadow that will still be here long after I am gone. My why is to make a difference.
I have been eating very healthy for the last few months, in order to lose weight and be generally healthier. Its been going well, and I’ve noticed the difference.
But since last weekend in Mosselbay, I have been struggling to get back on track. Been eating junk, and refined food again. Pizza last night… and again for lunch… well my body has had enough. I feel so sick today from all the rubbish. My stomach hurts, and I feel nauseous and bloated. Added to which I picked up 200g in the last week… So from NOW its back to all healthy, natural fibre-filled goodness.
Check out Naturally Knocked Up, Passionate Homemaking and Keeper of the Home for recipes and tips on healthy eating.
Lost another 2.5lb this week taking my total to 5st 9lb (79lb) so I am really happy with that considering I had a couple of bad food days on Friday and Saturday last week. Aysia was in work so unfortunately I have nothing to report for Aysia’s weight update but she is very close to her 50lb certificate.
Speaking of certificates I received my 75lb certificate last night which has given me a boost. I know it’s cheesy but getting something physical that shows how well I have done over the last six months or so really helps with the motivation levels.
Weight Watchers 75lb Certificate
The next target for me is another 6lb to get my second 10% of my weight lost and then after that it’s the 100lb certificate. It’s strange to think that by the time I get to my birthday in June I could be 100lb+ lighter.
Slightly pessimistic for this week though as Saturday I have a pub lunch with my Dad who I haven’t seen since Xmas followed by a video games/take away night with my mates. Suffice to say I al going to be super healthy for the rest of the week to counter act this.
I just got a call from my doctor’s office about the results of my blood tests done yesterday after my physical. Blood pressure, temperature, and heart beat were all normal in yesterday’s examination. I was told that my cholesterol was 202, up 3 points from 2 years ago, and that the doctor recommended I lose weight, go on a low-fat low-cholesterol diet, and begin aerobic exercise. All the other tests showed I was fine. Now to begin the journey I’ve been trying to embark for years. The path to losing the excess weight I carry with me.
I watched the Dr. Oz show on my DVR this morning, well at least half of it, and what I’ve learned is amazing in it’s own right. I will be posting the video that really explains just what an overweight individual experiences in terms of joints and waist size when being overweight and the fact that the body heals itself as the weight comes off.
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This is going to be a quick post, today I weighed in at 244.4 which means I have gained 4.6 pounds in the last week and I have lost 30.4 pounds since August 16th, 2009.
I hate depriving myself of foodstuff when I have to go on a diet. I end up wanting it more when I cannot have food. That’s so, exasperating. It’s when we cannot eat that we value food so much. When I diet and hunger pangs hit, thats when I look for burgers, pizza and pasta. If only I would just crave for vegetables or fruit as an alternative. My daughter knows when I’ve given in to my hunger pangs when I steal her chocolate. I stop working my diet each time I give in to my food craving. 
Another week, another 0.5 lbs gone!
