November 3, 2009

Laura Ryan – way to go girl!!

Laura Ryan – lost 25 pounds!
(I love the running shoes in the background!)
Happy 1 yr WoW! Anniversary to Laura…and what a way to celebrate!  She just completed her 2nd Triathlon last month and weighed in 25 pounds less than she did when she started WoW! Boot Camp exactly 1 year ago.  

Laura’s big losses:
25 pounds
7 % body fat
4 1/4 ” off her hips
3 1/4″ thighs
2 1/4″ waist
2″ chest-above the breast-which really measures your “back fat” (lovely!)
1 1/2″ bicep

For 8 months Laura showed up at WoW! – consistantly – but only lost a few pounds here and there.  It wasn’t until the last 4 months that the weight literally started “falling off”.

I asked Laura to share with other WoW! Boot Campers what changes she made – especially in the last 4 months – to see te weight come off.  Here’s what Laura had to say!
#1-I quit going out at night.  Meaning – she cut way down on consuming alchohol.  She said there were two main reasons.  First, she started working longer hours and started attending grad school.  Second, she started training for a Triathlon.  “You can’t get up and have a quality workout if you’ve been out the night before”. 
Which leads to #2-I bought a bike and started training for a triathlon.  Laura  found that having something to train for made it easier to choose to exercise on her off days from Boot Camp-so she was getting in 5-6 days of exercise per week.  She added swimming, biking and additional runs to her regimen.  Nothing drastic.  Just 30-45 min of swim or run.  A little longer on the bike.
#3-I changed my diet-BIG TIME!  Laura said she dusted off her WoW! cooler pack and started using it.  She takes her snacks and lunches to work and school with her.  “In the morning (or the night before) I plan what I am going to eat for the entire day-then I take it with me and stick to it!”

WHAT CAN YOU CAN FIND IN LAURA’S WOW! BAG?
Always an apple!
String Cheese
1 cup of grapes
Low fat yogurt
8 Honey Wheat Pretzel Sticks
Veggie Wrap-La Tortialla w/ 2 T hummus, cucumber, carrots and any other veggies she has on hand.
Turkey Wrap-La Tortialla w/ Honey maple turkey & low fat pepper jack cheese.
Lean Cuisine Pannini-Chicken, mushroom & spinach

Laura says she always makes time for breakfast!
BREAKFAST
Mini bagels with WW Cream Cheese
2 egg whites with serving of cheese and topped with salsa
Fiber One muffin from Fiber One muffin mix
DINNER
Pastaroni (Tomato parmesan) with tons of sauteed veggies.  Like squash, zuccini, mushrooms.
Veggie Bowl from Transmetropolitan (Because it’s across from where i live).  It’s literally a bowl of veggies.  You can choose steamed or sauteed and it comes with a serving of bread.

All the time at boot camp prior to these last 4 months were not in vain though!  Laura would have been gaining weight had she not stuck with the WoW! program.  Additionally, she was building the cardiovascular strengh and endurance she needed to progress.  And she was learning-getting inspired by others & making small changes that were getting her ready for bigger ones!  REALLY BIG CHANGE happens when YOU are ready to put forth the effort necessary to take the next step!

Susan Little (WoW! girl!), Stephanie (WoW! 5:30 & 8:30am instructor) & Laura Ryan get ready for their first TRIATHLON!!

a note from Laura:

I just wanted to talk about the impact WoW! Boot Camp has had on me. When attending my first boot camp with a friend I felt like I was attempting the impossible. My first month was difficult, but I “truly” believe it was the power of WoW! Boot Camp that has motivated me to regain control of my body. Every single woman at WoW! has inspired me and kept me going when all I wanted to do was quit. This summer, I completed my fist sprint triathlon at Callaway Gardens.  April was there to watch me, Stephanie and my friend and fellow boot camper, Susan Little, compete in the race. I can’t explain how incredible it felt to run through that finish line; an accomplishment which I give credit to WoW! Boot Camp for providing me with the support, training, and motivation I lacked. It has seriously changed the way I live my life, and I feel so much happier than ever before.

So thank you April, all the instructors, and every single boot camper for being the inspirational people you are! – Laura Ryan

October 5, 2009

Born to Run!

Born to Run
Authored by Chris McDougall

April with Born to Run author Chris McDougall

Below is an excerpt from his book I felt compelled to share.

To set the stage:  Coach Vigil (a real character in Chris’s book) is an elite College cross country coach with 26 national titles & was named College Nat’l Coach of the Year a record 14 times.  He’s sitting in the woods at 4am waiting to catch a glimpse of the Tarahumara pack (& a female science teacher who’s trying to beat them) racing the Leadville Ultramarathon.  Then he sees them…

“SUCH A SENSE of joy!” marveled Coach Vigil, who’d never seen anything like it, either.”  Glee and determination are usually antagonistic emotions, yet the Tarahumara were brimming with both at once, as if running to the death made them feel more alive.

“How do you flip the internal switch that changes us all back into the Natural Born Runners we once were?  Not just in history, but in our own lifetimes.  Remember?  Back when you were a kid and you had to be yelled at to slow down?  Every game you played, you played at top speed, sprinting like crazy as you kicked cans, freed all, and attacked jungle outposts in your neighbors’ backyards.  Half the fun of doing anything was doing it at record pace, making it probably the last time in your life you’d ever be hassled for going too fast.

Game Day Run 10.3.09 with Chris McDougall

That was the real secret of the Tarahumara:  they’d never forgotten what it felt like to love running.  They remembered that running was mankind’s first fine art, our original act of inspired creation.  Way before we were scratching pictures on caves or beating rhythms on hollow trees, we were perfecting the art of combining our breath and mind and muscles into fluid self-propulsion over wild terrain.

Perhaps all our troubles-all the violence, obesity, illness, depression, and greed we can’t overcome-began when we stopped living as Running People.  Deny your nature, and it will erupt in some other, uglier way.

What an amazing experience this weekend meeting Chris!  I cannot put this book down & would love for all of you to read it!  It’s more than just a book about running.

WoW!…more than just a workout!

April

September 15, 2009

WoW! Fitness Lifestyle – Try a Tri

OK.  I did it.  I accomplished one item on my “bucket list”, to complete a triathlon.  I have a lot of work to do to actually compete in a triathlon but this weekend I did participate.  I learned quite a bit in the process.  Many thanks to April for escorting and coaching me along the way.  This is one sport that you cannot complete without some valuable conversations and preferably with someone who has experienced the challenge before.

Five lessons learned:

1.  Training is Important: When ‘they’ say to train in all three sports, that is good advice.  Advice that I did not listen to with both ears.  I am a good swimmer.  I depended on “Muscle Memory” from last summer to get me through 600 meters.  Not a good plan.  When swimming in an open lake, the water is deep, unmarked, without sides, coated with pollen, and full of others who seemed to want the very space I was struggling to move through.  Biking, no problem here, that was the restful part of the event for me.  Running, well, I covered the ground without stopping but a 3 legged dog could have easily beat me.

2.  Dress to Move: Michael (April’s husband) sent me a list of things that I needed for the event.  His list was correct–I hesitated to rent the wet suit that he highly recommended, but I did.  It arrived the Monday before the event.  I should have read the directions, but I didn’t.  I put the suit on backwards and no one pointed this out until I noticed that I was the only one with a zipper in the front.  I also struggled with swimsuit–I could not figure out how to get my head through the opening when I had the bottom on, so I reversed and put the top part of racing suit on first and I could get the bottom part on–I just went home. After I consulted with my daughter, she reminded me I should have entered from the opening at the neck.  Oh well.  Muscle memory failed me again.  I went back later an purchased a Speedo that I really didn’t need for the event anyway–I’ll use it for training.  I did get trishorts and a top–they worked out great.

3. Words are Everything:  There are so many subcultures in this world with their own set of rules, norms, and vocabulary.  Triathlons are not an exception.  Words I learned: brick – the period of time as you move from riding your bike and running and your legs melt; transition area – where your park your bike and lay out your things for the event–for athletes only; trishorts – biking shorts that are thin biking shorts that you swim and run in and you don’t wear underwear; marking area – where you go and people write on your arms and legs so that know who you are in case something happens.

4.  Make It Happen: The event is like no other that I have experienced.  We went to preview the course the night before.  My knowledge of geometry came back. The hypotenuse of a triangle is the longest leg–the longest leg of the swimming event triangle was 300 meters long.  I got the swimming picture.  The bike course seemed practical and non-threatening. The map on the web site showed the elevation so I wasn’t worried about that part of the day.  The race course looked pretty reasonable too according to the elevation map.

Rules–oh boy–I did not know there could be so may new rules–swimming–stay to the right of all buoys, keep your swim cap on, wade in to your waist before you start swimming, start taking off your wet suit as you ‘run’ up to the transition area, don’t get on your bike until you pass the transition line, keep 3 bike lengths between you and the next rider, always wear your helmet, if you are passed, drop out of the drafting zone, no drafting. I am quite sure there are rules that I broke and rules that I did not know about.

We arrived at the park over an hour before the start with 100 other women.  As the participants arrived I realized quickly that this was not a St. Joe’s 5K, this was a different group of people.  I wondered what we would do with all that time.  I soon found out that we needed every second.  You have to carefully lay out your equipment so that you can eliminate precious seconds when transitioning for the next event; you have to be marked–they write your race number 4 places on your body, and your age on one calf-thank you.  You have to make sure everything works, make a couple of trips to the bathroom, and get wet before the swim so that you are use to the cold water.  Oy.

Then it happens–first the swim–I was determined to relax and just experience everything.  And I did.  What I did not expect was to swallow so much pollen in the water.  This left me coughing — my arms and legs felt fine, but the coughing in the open lake was not fun.  I hailed the men in the boats several times to let me hold on and cough.  They were always present and became close friends by the time 600 meters was over.

Running (OK, I was walking) up to the transition area, was a good break. I was glad to get the wet suit off and into the comfort of my biking shoes.  I made all the changes without a problem and was off for the bike ride.  Even though I was the last one to leave the transition area–I know I was last because I heard the race officials say, “The last one, number 37, is leaving the transition area.” That was my number.  Well I biked right on up the first hill and passed 5 riders–I needed that little boost.

The transition to running was smooth, I did not experience the brick that I had read about.  Thank goodness.  I moved on out and passed about 10 more people.  After the 2-mile mark April showed up to run with me to the finish.  Now that was a treat–she would not let me walk.  I made it to the end in just over 2 hours.  I know that time because the scores were posted within minutes because of the computer chip around my ankle.  Very public display of progress or lack of progress.  They added in the time it took to transition both times–every second matters.

5.  Attitude Matters: I have no regrets.  I am very glad that I was able to check off another “bucket list” item–I have many more to go.  I registered for this event and for the Iron Girl in June on an impulse – impulse registration.  I treated this first triathlon attempt as just checking it out.  I wanted to know what was involved in completing a triathlon–I had never seen one.  Now I know.  I am going to alter my training (I should say begin my training)–I am scheduled for 2 swimming workouts next week along with 3 days of WoW! Boot Camp and my weekly bike ride.  My time is limited–I cannot spend the time that others might be able to spend.  What time I do have, I will spend training in all 3 sports.  I will continue to listen to others and learn from their experience.  I would encourage anyone who has the slightest interest to just do it (thank you Nike).  If you get in trouble, there is always help nearby.  Most of us can do anything for two hours (in my case 2 hours and 15 minutes).  The opportunity is there if you want it.  Try a Tri.
—
Sherrie Gibney-Sherman

Sherrie wrote this after finishing her first triathlon last year.  She has continued to train & compete diligently ALL year and i’m proud to say we’ll be competing in our 1st Half IRONMAN event in Augusta in 2 short weeks (Sept 27th).  What’s a Half Ironman?  1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike & 13.1 mile run.  We’re on it!!

Below is a picture taken at the Tugaloo Triathlon this past weekend.  We both placed in our respective age groups.  It’s the WoW! Fitness LIFESTYLE…not a Diet!

September 10, 2009

Easy Snack Option!

A snack provided by mother nature is always best (like fruit! w/ some nutbutter), but it’s not always convenient, available or what you want.

Try these high protein, low carb options for only 2 Weight Watcher points each.  You can find them at Wal-mart, Kroger or Target & i’m sure at your favorite grocery store.  Just look on the Nutrition Bar isles.  Great option for all WoW! men & women. 

Easy Snack Option!

August 23, 2009

Consistency & Balance

Want to get in shape AND stay in shape?  It is all about consistency and balance! 

DIET—get on a smart plan and stick to it at least 85% of the time! Give yourself occasional breaks on weekends to prevent cheating during the week! If you do goof-up a bit, get right back to it the next meal. Be consistent with the number of meals per day, portion sizes, and the times you eat. Balance your food groups. Eat whole grains, lean meats, fruits, low-fat dairy, nuts, and lots of vegetables! It is not about “low carb”, it is about the “right carbs!”

EXERCISE—Show up for Boot Camp on your scheduled days (that covers 2 or 3 days for you!) and do something (pilates, walk, elliptical, run, swim, bike, yoga….) at least 5x/week on average! Be consistent week to week…it should never be “all or nothing!” Balance cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training.

So…some of you may read the comments above and take it at face value.  Good common sense.  You grab onto it and say “yeah, I can do this.  It’s simple.  Let’s go!”  Many others of you will read this & think to yourself “yeah, whatever! It’s not that easy.  It’s hard!  I don’t have that kind of willpower.”

People think losing weight is all about willpower.  It’s not.  It’s also not about a moral issue.  You have not been bad.  You do not need to punish yourself with a life of white-knuckled deprivation.  It’s about self care.  It’s about taking time for self care.  It’s about changing your attitude – then your behavior and lifestyle!!

How did I make the transition to self care after years of neglect?  Consistency & Balance.  With DIET, EXERCISE & my most importantly my THOUGHTS!!

I use to think I was consistent with Exercise & Diet:  EXERCISE:  If I was truly honest with myself, I was only working out 1 maybe 2x per week.  I would have this really hard effort, feel wiped out and because I was sore I was done for the week. That kept getting me no where (but feeling defeated!) for a very long time.  It was the all or nothing approach, which I also took with my DIET:  I thought if I said no for one entire day to some yummy dessert or chips & cheese dip (because those are my major weaknesses) I should wake up the next day having lost 5 pounds or my pants should be looser.  When that miracle didn’t come to pass I would be pissed off and say “to hell with it” and go hit the “Hot Now” spot at Krispy Kreme.  I so didn’t get that I had to string a bunch of those “just say no” days together (like 9 months! worth) to lose the 40 pounds I eventually would go on to lose.  AND…learn that I could on occasion eat those things in moderation! without guilt (defiantly a concept that moves you towards Balance…which for some of us comes & goes and takes a lot of tweaking and patience!)

Ohhhh! How stinkin’ thinkin’  keeps you down!  I had to learn 3 main things when it comes to changing my thoughts: 

1.  Just because I think it, it doesn’t make it true.  (we’re thought to have some 2-3K thoughts per day!) That’s a lot floating around in our mind & it’s controlling our actions and our perception of reality.  Ever notice how there’s those 1 set of thoughts that can get you down every time.  It can spiral out of control like a whirling cesspool dragging you under…..”I’m never going to ______”  “I’m a terrible ________”. “If only ________”, “I shouldn’t have __________”.  Blame, shame, guilt, inadequacy, fear, resentment almost like a trance these thoughts can drag you down, keeping you from moving forward.  But the cool thing is….you can stop them & move forward! How do you stop them?  You talk to someone you trust.  You literally stop them by refusing to dwell on them.  When a defeating thought comes up, you don’t judge it (who knows why they come!)  you just don’t indulge or entertain it.  You don’t act on the thought.  Feeling angry and frustrated and kicking the dog only leads to kicking the dog some more and continuing to feel bad.  Gratitude is a miracle worker! 

2.  I can be done with the past.  I can have forgiveness for myself and forgive others.  Accept that we’re all doing the best we can at the given moment.  I choose to no longer pass harsh judgment on myself or others.  I hold fast to the truth that we are beautiful, complete children of God (whatever that may be for you!).  No matter how many times we have moments of being selfish, quick to anger, forgetful, disrespectful, impulsive, gluttonous, bitter….we’re still loved.  We just goofed – that’s all.  Period!  No need to take yourself down to the cesspool! 

3.  I can refuse to have thoughts of giving up!  I don’t have to awfulize a setback (injury, weight gain, mistake, missed workout, argument, etc.).  I can keep moving forward no matter what.  I now find encouragement in other’s accomplishments.  Ann participated in WoW! for over a year…hanging out between 170-150.  She finally unloaded some useless mental baggage, changed her attitude and now weighs a steady 129.  Marti gave me a magnet with a quote by Winston Churchhill.  It simply says “Never, Never, Never Give Up!”  I choose to live by this.

Realize that every day is an opportunity to create the reality you want for yourself!  You can be whoever you want to be.  (That’s worth reading again & again…until you believe it!)  Look for inspiration and encouragement.

First – shut out the negative.  TV, talk radio, the News…mostly they’re dishing out nothing but negativity – things I have absolutely no control over.  You’ll be amazed how hopeful and energized you are when you shut out the gloom & doom they’re selling. 

Meditate. 

Try a random act of kindness – make a difference for someone that’s literally right under your nose.  A family member, a neighbor, a coworker, a boot camper you haven’t yet spoken to.  A smile, a gentle touch, a word of encouragement, a compliment, a helping hand….goes a long way!

 I find lots of inspiration from reading about other’s successes in books.  A good self-help or motivational CD goes a long way & so does some uplifting, creative tunes. 

Find your happy place.  Creativity and Expression through dance, music, visual arts, is just as vital a part of health as diet and exercise.  Maybe you can find it at the bookstore, coffee with friends, the garden, an art museum, painting, writing, organizing.

Below is an excerpt taken from Jon Gordon’s The Energy Bus.

The fact is we all have positive and negative thoughts.  It’s part of our human nature.  The key is to feed the positive & starve the negative.  The more we feed the positive, the more positive and stronger we become.  Practice this every day until it’s a habit.  Here are just a few additional ways to feed that positive side: 

• Practice gratitude:  You can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time.  Gratitude is like muscle; the more you do it the stronger it gets.  Take 10 min each day and make a list of what you are thankful for.  You will fill your body & brain with costless & priceless anti-depressant.
• Take a 10-min “walk of gratitude” each day.
• Turn off the news.  Starve the negative.
• Smile more.  It enhances your serotonin levels and lifts you up.
• Focus on “get to” versus “have to”.  I get to get up and go to WoW! Boot Camp today.
• Reread uplifting books.
• Get together with a positive, uplifting person.
• Call or visit someone who has made a difference in your life and thank them (research shows this is a huge happiness booster).
• Write a few thank you notes!  When you thank other you feed them & yourself.
• Start a success journal.  Write down the one great thing about your day.  The more you look for success, the more you will find it!
• Decide to make a difference.  When you help other people with their problems you forget about your own.

April Williams
WoW! Boot Camp, Founder

August 9, 2009

Investing in your health!

Investing in your health in “squishy” economic times

Amy wrote to me about the WoW! Boot Camp session coming up in September. 

She said:  “The company where I work is streamlining staff. I’m worried. When things like this happen, I tend to eat more due to the stress I feel. I think I’ll retain my job but you never know. Some of my friends may be “streamlined.” I feel their stress too.

“I have heard about your Boot Camp and would love to come to the next one [Aug 31 - Sept 25] but I worry I won’t get much out of it due to my high stress levels now. And what if I do lose my job and I’ve spent the money on WoW?”

I said: I appreciate your email very much. Our minds have a way of easily seeing the roadblocks in our path, instead of the opportunities. If you want to lose weight, feel better about yourself, and design a more satisfying life for yourself, it’s time to look for possibilities and opportunities.

There are no assurances in life. You might lose your job. You might not. But, if you take action on your eating behavior, you’ll win no matter what happens. Getting in touch with some of the “beliefs” you have in place in your life, which apparently includes the belief that “stress = eating”, will help you make positive change that will affect every area of your life.

It will empower you to make better decisions for yourself. If you lose your job, you’ll be in a better position to deal with it positively and you’ll attract a new job that fits your new beliefs and is healthier for you. If you remain at your current job, you’ll learn to work through stressful times without putting on pounds. No matter what, you’ll feel better about yourself, and you’ll pay a small price for it, considering the low cost of boot camp.

In general, think of your purchases in terms of spending v. investing. If you spend money on a new blouse, when you already have perfectly good blouses, the money is gone. When you invest in your own health, growth or learning, your money pays off many times, like interest on a savings account.

I hope you decide to join us in Sept!

April

Danielle (YMCA Boot Camper) responded:
Sounds like Amy needs some encouragement. Please feel free to pass this to her.

 I firmly believe there is no price tag on your health and well being. This is coming from a penny pincher herself. I never thought I could afford bootcamp or that I should spend the money on myself rather than my family. (husband and 2 kids) I felt selfish. Little did I know they would reep the benefits of my “new self” Bootcamp has afforded me many things in my first 3 months. All of which have been worth every penny! Not only am I healthier physically but mentally as well.  I am energized and excited!

I want Amy to know she would become a part of a support system for a healthy lifestyle. Everyone is so positive and encouraging.  Exercise is exactly what she needs in this time of stress and I think she would feel so much better. I know it is an expense, as I’ve made a 6 month commitment. But guess what… I’ve already started putting a little money away each paycheck for the next 6 months! I hope you can make it next month, but if not, start putting a little money away (don’t eat out on a few occasions and save) then catch up with us as soon as you can.

Hope to meet you soon.

Danielle

5:30 a.m. (ymca) bootcamper

August 8, 2009

Keeping on…keeping on!

Happy Saturday!

It’s been an entire week since i last weighed in at WW.  The weight loss competition has really kept me focused, resulting in a successful weigh-in this morning.  I was down!!   I made it through a week of 3 family members having surgery, my mom & step-dad living in my living room, a super busy schedule, some really challenging workouts & “FRIDAY”!!  There were times when emotions ran high & low with a little  fear, stress, childhood “crap” & fatigue.  But i hung in there, concentrating on one meal/day at a time-determined to achieve my goals.  Completely thankful for the support & love and health of all my loved ones!

So what’s this?  I survived “FRIDAY”! ?!  Well, I don’t know about you, but Friday has always been the hardest day of the week for me to stay “on track” with my diet & with finding the motivation to exercise.  It’s routinely been my ”let my hair down, celebrate! it’s time to pig out kind of day”.  So having the 5:30am & 8:30am boot camp classes was an awesome way to start my day.  And I knew i needed prepare for the long day ahead.  Michael and I had to make a 4 hour drive (at 4pm) to get my mom & step-dad back home (long story) so i got in my swim workout, early.  I made a conscious decision to eat clean all day & NOT snack my way from my home to my mom’s and back (as the monotony of car drving has driven me to mindlessly munch in the past).  The stop at the convenience store was super tempting, but i settled on sugarless gum & a bottled water & ate the Fullbar i brought along.  As it started getting late on our way home, we got super hungry.  Realizing it was out of my control, I caved on my “no going out to eat for the week” goal and we finally decided on Amici’s in downtown Madison.  This was after passing up Waffle House, Chili’s, Ihop, an assorment of other seafood, steak and mexican restaurants.  Not to mention all the (not even remotely tempting, but somebody’s keeping these folks in business) All-You-Can-Eat options at CONVENIENCE STORES – crack me up!!!  The night was breezy so we chose a relaxing table outside.  I ordered smart & enjoyed everybite of my salad, tomato & basil & slice of veggie pizza.  It was relaxing & i was able to enjoy the moment with Michael without obsessing on “oh! i shouldn’t be eating this” kind of thoughts rolling around in my head!  One often gets these kind of thoughts if you’re doing something that’s in conflict with your goals or with what you SAY you want.  Like:  polishing off a basket of chips with cheese dip, but saying you want to lose weight.  Drinking too much the night before a road race, but saying you want to be a faster runner.  It’s the internal conflict that drags us down.  Eliminate the conflict & you eliminate the stress! 

It was awesome starting today off with a run/walk with WoW! folks at 8am!  A fine group of women & men looking to change their lives – one workout at a time!  EVERYONE of us has a story.  It’s our own.  I appreciate the diversity!!  It’s the amazing women & men at WoW! that make my life so rich and of whom i thought of as i was reading this quote this morning.  It was a quote from Carey Hart.  He’s a motorcyle stunt guy or some hollywood star (i think).  I don’t pretend to know anything about motorcycle riding and i can’t relate to that in anyway, but his quote inspired me nonetheless.  so here goes…After being asked, What have you overcome? Carey Hart stated: “Getting back on my motorcycle after all my injuries.  Every time I’m lying in the dirt saying I don’t want to do it anymore, I find a way to get back on.”  So i thought about myself and all of YOUR hardknocks & life experiences(self imposed or not!) and i thougth about how we all just have to find a way to “get back on”!  Even in the context of WoW! Boot Camp, to me it pertains to more than diet and exercise (how we handle missing a workout or making a bad food choice or drinking too much).  It’s about how we handle our marriages, friendships, jobs, the economy, saying the wrong thing, making a mistake, transitions, crisis, injuries, growth, family & goals.  Do we settle?  Do we give up or do we “get back on”?  Something to think about.

So here’s to keeping on…keeping on!
April

August 4, 2009

One meal(day) at a time!

I’m feeling great about this 12 week weight loss competition.  I’m cutting out a lot of unnecessary nibbles and what had become more than just occasional sweet treats.  (All justified by how much I was exercising & the fact that I’m fit & healthy & at an “acceptable” weight.)  In keeping with what works (the reason Michael & I lost so much weight in the first place) I made a BIG trip to the grocery & filled up one of those bottomless carts with copious amounts of healthy fare from the perimeter of the store.  I think Janie and I only went down the center isle for toilet paper and whole wheat pasta-which in her opinion belongs in the same category.  Additionally, I declared this week “no going out to eat week” at the Williams house.  I weighed in at Weight Watcher’s on Saturday (had to pay it’s been so long!) and started writing everything I eat down in my journal. 

I identified all the reasons I want to lose a few (about 7) pounds –keeping me well within the healthy BMI guidelines!!:

1. I’ll be a faster runner & biker.  The lighter the load the easier it is to carry.
2. I’m tired of losing the same 2-5 pounds over & over!
3. It was nice not having a little roll where my jeans button.  Especially when I sit down.  I want flat abs again like I had just 2 short years ago.
4. I want to have a smooth bra line on my back.
5. I feel better when I eat better.
6. I want better than “average”.
7. I want my clothes to fit better.
8. I will feel more confident.

This challenge has come at a really good time for me as the days are fast approaching my Sept 27^th half Ironman Race in Augusta.   So 2 days into the challenge I’m feeling confident & hopeful.  Then out of the clear blue ether I start having these random defeating thoughts.  I was leaving the YMCA last night sometime after 9pm following my swim workout (which I fully completed even though I REALLY didn’t feel like it!!)….

April’s random defeating thoughts & temptations:

• 12 weeks is such a very long time from now.  I’ll probably do well this week then just lose &  gain it back like I’ve been doing.
• Go ahead, drive to Jason’s deli and go out to eat.  Surely you burned off enough to eat that ice cream (with toppings of course!)
• This interesting dialog between “Yes, go out to eat” and “No, go home” got me so flustered and distracted I was driving away from my house & towards Kroger, Willy’s & Jason’s Deli before I knew it.  My mother-in-law called and snapped me out of it.  I turned around after she offered me a roasted turkey breast (She’s an angel!)  You must know…I made a REALLY big deal out of not going to eat with the whole family, so I couldn’t “cheat” on them!

It really surprised me how those defeating thoughts and temptations came out of nowhere!  Especially after doing something as positive as making my swim workout happen!  (A lot of you know that swimming is not exactly my favorite of the 3 Tri sports & I’ve been known to be a bit of a slacker when it comes to swim workouts.  I’ve often cut them short or downright skipped the entire workout!)  I tell myself to not get ahead of myself.  Stay in the moment.  Focus on this meal.  So I made it home – settled on pairing my turkey breast with my new favorite Kefir dish.  I’m proud I stuck to my goal of not going out to eat.  I’m off to bed.

I check my email this morning & read one from one of my favorite boot campers.  BAM!!  She’s sharing EXACTLY what I’d been struggling with.  And it’s very likely what most of us deal with when it comes to achieving our goals (weight loss in particular).  Self-doubt, impatience, fear.  She states “Am going to try and do better with food. We’ll see how long it lasts.”  So I type back, reminding both she & myself “Here’s your friendly reminder to take it 1 meal at a time.  Choose something you like and enjoy.  (That’s why I eat Kefir…for the Udi’s – even though it’s only ¼ cup.  I have to measure it though, cause it can get ugly!)  I like those darn Garden Burgers too.  You can do anything you put your mind to…I’ve see it!”

So we get impatient.  We look too far ahead and we don’t believe in ourselves or trust ourselves.  But we can!  Keep it simple.  Focus on one meal at a time and if you screw up…don’t thrash yourself.  Start over.  It’s all about a healthy lifestyle and eating well so that you can give yourself the gift of the best life possible – for YOU!  And if that means you’re more confident with a smooth bra line or a size 14 down from a 28 – GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!!

And laugh!  Michael, Sam & I were talking about a grocery shopping list on our way home from the hospital.

We decided we’d tell folks to keep it simple and don’t buy anything that ends with an “o”:

HoHo

Dorito

Frito

Cheeto

Potato (chips)

I’m sure you’ve got some clever additions of your own (I’ve already forgotten ½ of Michael’s)

For a more serious look at junk food to avoid:  http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/the-10-worst-snack-foods.html

Be willing to put forth the effort it takes to achieve your weight loss & fitness goals.  One meal(day) at a time!

Have faith!

April

July 16, 2009

Vacation…Ironman/girl style!

Whether you took last week off from your regularly scheduled class in Athens or attended one of the other WoW! options, I hope you had a WONDERFUL week!  My family certainly did!!

We vacationed IRONMAN style (or ½ IRONMAN in my case)! 

 Running:  While some of you were running the P’tree Road Race, we started our July 4^th celebration with a 10K (in the mountains at Lake Rabun).  It was a challenging course to say the least.  I took 1^st in my age group and Michael won Overall Men’s Masters (that means you’re over 40!, but the fastest) and he brought home a PRIZE for the family….8 hours of jet ski rental-FREE!  Kids were a little more excited about Dad’s win!!

 Swimming:  After our friends left, I took Robert’s place of guiding Michael down a part of the lake called “the narrows” in a kayak while he swam for 1 hour.  I had no idea what an upper body workout that is!  My triceps are still sore (or is it from holding on for dear life on the “Taco”?)!!  For the record, I only swim in lakes for races.  I find a lot of comfort in numbers.

 Biking: Then there were the bike rides!  We’d take off super early while the kids were still asleep ( I went 2.5-3 hours while Michael would have to continue on for 5!).  It was so beautiful riding in the mountains!!  Just beautiful and exhilarating .  We had lots of challenging climbs and crazy steep descents.  One minute we would be rolling along at 20 mph and the next struggle to maintain 6 mph then hit a wild 40mph downhill (you know …those kind of hills where you see the signs with a truck on it to show you how to stop if your brakes give out)!!  I was sceeeered.  It was so awesome being able to share this together!!

 And more running!:  I misunderstood Coach Michael one day when he told me where to run for 1 hour.  I started off on a beautiful course along the lake, over a dam, but ended up running a 2.5 mile climb!!  Cursing-wondering why he sent me up the side of a mountain like a darn billy goat?!?  Turns out I was to go left, not right.  Details!  I know I’m stronger for it…somehow!

FUN!-Training just got the day started.  All the swimming, biking & running were followed by a full day of skiing, tubing, wakeboarding, tacoing, fishing, reading, grilling, eating, and playing board games. Each day was a full day & we all slept sound at night!

I love that we’re an active family!  It’s fun having goals and sticking to them, even making them a part of our vacation.  Eat, train, relax & Fun!  I can handle that!!  It sure beats how I vacationed just 4 short years ago.  I still remember sitting in a beach chair, covered with a towel (and a blanket of insecurity) dreading the kids wanting me to get up.

 I’m glad I woke up and realized no one is in control of my happiness but me; therefore, I have the power to change anything about myself or my life…everyday – Just as you do!  Go for your BEST LIFE!!

I’m energized and ready to see you at Boot Camp for one fabulous contribution to your best life!!

April

July 16, 2009

Rewards!

Many of us have struggled time and time again to keep our body weight under control and our overall health at a good level.  The concept of rewarding & comforting ourselves with food is a common block that must change in order to achieve the good health & fitness we’re all looking for.

You know how it goes:  a bad day at work, traffic jams, doing a particularly nasty job around the house, dealing with an overbearing person, a bad night’s sleep, or even a really intense or particularly long workout.  Whoops, time for a treat.

Changing Habits

Habits die hard and, if you are rewarding yourself with food, you have probably been doing it for a very long time. We also know that trying to simply abandon bad habits is not easy to do.  In fact, it may be downright impossible to approach habits with that mindset.  

The most successful way to work with habits is to play with them.  Watch yourself closely to see what feels like a reward and what doesn’t.  Probably 90 percent of rewarding yourself with food actually feels like punishment — after you’ve eaten that pint of Ben & Jerry’s and the guilt sets in, do you really feel rewarded? 

Try substituting new and different rewards for those old ones.  Do it gradually, quietly and don’t expect immediate results.  Identify one particular “reward moment.”  Is it Friday night when the work week is over?  Is it Saturday afternoon after the house has been thoroughly cleaned?  I once counted 16 times I felt I needed a reward – for me it’s Friday after my last class or assessment is finished!  I replayed my thoughts (impulses!!) as I was driving home from the downtown post office…I drove home dreaming of all the food stops I could make between downtown & my house ( Barberitos, 5 Guys, Dunkin Donuts, Big City bread for cookies, Wendy’s for a Burger, The Grit for mac & cheese, Marti’s for Chicken Salad and lots of Pita chips…) Before I realized the pattern, I gave in to the urge countless times (and on occasion – gasp!- still do – ’cause I’m not perfect)!!  It’s not about these choices being “BAD” it’s the whole idea that I could “pig out” because it was the end of the week.  That kind of thinking has always added up to extra weight.

What do you really like?  If it’s something you love, that might be an appropriate reward, especially if you rarely get to do it.  If you typically eat ice cream AND read a book (or watch a movie), try separating the two events.  Is it just a habit that you eat when you give yourself time to read?  Would a cup of tea be nice at those times?  (Again, substitution will work much better than simple abandonment of the old habit.)

Giving Yourself Gifts

You may think that it sounds expensive to give yourself “gifts” but have you ever stopped to think about how much some food costs?  Especially “reward” food?  Perhaps if you stopped having Starbucks mochachinos every afternoon at work you could save enough for laser hair removal (or some other cosmetic treatment) before you know it!  Consider giving up an immediate reward for a bigger, more permanent reward you’ve been wanting for years.  She set your sights on a higher goal, and it will work for you.

As you lose weight, it’s often very productive to give yourself rewards along the way for each weight loss goal you reach.  Chose a reward that does not involve food that you can give yourself for reaching health and fitness goals. Pick rewards that do not interfere with your diet, nutrition or exercise plans.  Rewarding yourself in a healthy fashion will ultimately help you stay motivated to continue making steady progress towards your weight loss goals.

Changing Physicality

This reward idea will really appeal to men.  Have you always wanted to play a certain sport or try a physical activity?  Did you give up playing basketball or tennis when you reached a weight where it was uncomfortable or you did not feel you could play competitively?  A great reward might be a new tennis racket, running shoes, a set of golf clubs or joining a team. 

Or will your next adventure be more fitness oriented?  Step up to a more challenging goal like running a 5k, 10k , ½ marathon or completing a triathlon.   Adopting a new activity will help you lose even more weight and gain vitality as well, especially if you are adding metabolism-boosting muscle to your frame. 

Dump the Too-Big Wardrobe

Have you decided you are not going to buy clothes until you reach your ideal weight?  Many people do this.  But how good do you feel in clothes that are 2-3 sizes too big?  Besides being uncomfortable, they can hide the fact that you have lost weight from others and, most importantly, from yourself.  You do not have to buy a complete new wardrobe but a few items, even a new outfit, could help your self-confidence a lot.  If you’re concerned about price, designate a set amount for each 10 pound loss.  

When I was in the process of losing 40 lbs., I liked clothes from Ann Taylor loft because they were very flattering, used nice color schemes and were simple in design – this made them easy to alter as I lost weight.  I found that simple dresses and pants could be adjusted through the waist and hips easily.  Looking your best and paying attention to your appearance as you lose weight can be a great confidence booster as well as an important part of lesson in self-care.

Changing Chemistry

Did you know that, as you lose weight, you change chemically and your old perfume, cologne or aftershave may not smell the same on you?  Age can change that too.  And your tastes can change.  So, if you’re still wearing the same scent you got for Christmas 5 years ago, try something new.

Women’s attitudes towards makeup and cosmetics is another thing that also changes as you lose weight and that can be fashioned into a great reward system.  A new tube of lipstick or even a make over.

A Most Enticing Reward

Rewards are the ultimate motivation, whether it’s for reaching your goal weight or for losing your first 50 pounds!  If you are a jewelry lover, there is nothing more exciting than a beautiful ring, pendant or pair of earrings that you will wear forever.  A huge advantage to a reward that lasts a lifetime?  Every time you wear it, you will be reminded of your accomplishment!