tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61714076972190272522023-06-20T05:23:22.834-07:00fantasiastic hippo momAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-85889636451660283472013-06-20T21:57:00.002-07:002013-06-20T21:57:43.828-07:00Swimsuit? Already?Have you ever tried to buy a swimsuit in mid-June? It's not a pretty experience...especially for the "hippoesque" figure. That's exactly what I spent about four hours doing today, and this was my second venture of the year.<div>
My first venture was last weekend...and I scored black board shorts with POCKETS! I was one proud momma, but we all know where pride leads to. </div>
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"All right D. All I have to do is find a top to go with these and we'll be good to go."</div>
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30 minutes later. Nada. My daughter was wide-eyed at the mistakes in fit. Thankfully, she understood it was the poor designs of the suits. After all, HER mommy was beautiful.</div>
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Today, all errors from that dressing room were magnified. At least I know how to laugh about it.</div>
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Quotes from today:</div>
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"That sports top is so pretty. I wish I could just wear that as a swimsuit top."</div>
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"Why not?" asked the sales lady.</div>
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"Honey, you don't understand. I don't just have a muffin top. It's an all out layer cake."</div>
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(Notice my tact in not mentioning my lower abdominal front-butt. Oh come on. You all KNOW your belly button gets longer with every baby..and I've had several.)</div>
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At another location, talking to another customer....</div>
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Her: "No big flowery things. I don't want to look attractive to bumble-bees."</div>
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Me: "I hear ya. And nothing too low cut either. I don't need to look like a 'lady of the night.'"</div>
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At yet another store. "This is pretty on the hanger, but it makes my boobs look like basset hound ears. Not good. Not good at all. It definitely needs more support."</div>
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Which brings me around to my general gripes about "womens" sized swim suits. I want to know if the people designing them are a size 2, or male. It's got to be one or the other because they tend to have at least one of the problems below.</div>
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<u>Color issues:</u></div>
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1) Would you like Black or black with a bit of white? Just black. : Most women do not look good in black, and it's hot! Hello? Do I want to look matronly and sweat? I think not. It is not slimming. It is aging. Get it straight. Going to the pool is supposed to be fun, not a kind of mourning. Blinding neons are the other extreme.</div>
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2) Gaudy prints: Whoever thought huge tropical flowers looked good on ANY article of clothing, mens shirts or women's swimwear needs to have their heads checked. Oh, and the teeny-tiny geometrical prints are going to give someone a seizure one of these days.</div>
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<u>Brassiere issues (or lack of):</u></div>
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1) Inadequate boob support: You want to know why there are soooo many halter swimsuits on the clearance rack in the "plus" sizes....because plus sized women tend to have plus sized boobs. Halter + D cup or above = disaster. Likewise on that light lining with the spaghetti straps. Nobody wants their nipples resting that close to their belly button. Nobody else wants to see it either.</div>
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2) Inadequate strappage: Even the suit I settled for really didn't have wide enough straps for a breastasuarus. BUT they were there and didn't cut into the back of my neck, my shoulders, or let the girls fall down completely so they were a moderate success.</div>
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3) Being "overlined". I do not need a padded bra with structured cups. Trust me. Neither does anyone else who wears a D, DD, or larger in real life. </div>
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4) Being too low cut. There are some parts of my body that are just meant for me and my husband. There is such a thing as too sexy for a mom to wear in public. My teen boys don't need to know I can go THERE.</div>
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A swimsuit, while it should fit like lingerie shouldn't look like it...at least one I'm wearing shouldn't.</div>
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<u>General Style/Fit issues:</u></div>
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A lot of these have been mentioned above, halters, stuff that looks like it should be sold at Fredericks, horrible prints and limited colors...but my real pet peeve is the swim dress....and it's cousin, the swim "skirt."</div>
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To be fair, I can't wear a one piece to save my life because there's a full 2 size difference between my lower half and my upper, but my general peeve about these styles is that they force our legs to rub together in wet conditions. Let's just say that can lead to some uncomfortable redness, to say the least. I do like being covered, thus why I covet swim shorts...but I'd rather wear granny panties than those skirted things.</div>
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Especially since they like to make most of it black w/ some hideous neon-tropical print for the bra cups.</div>
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I really think it's a conspiracy to keep fat chicks out of the pool...but it won't work, because I found a suit that WILL this year. </div>
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And I'll be celebrating the first day of summer tomorrow at the pool.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-740806480259999012012-08-18T14:33:00.003-07:002012-08-18T14:33:50.851-07:00school has started again!I know I haven't checked into hippoland for a while, but hey, I'm a mom. Life is busy.<br />
I haven't given up the fitness thing entirely..<br />
Over the summer I clocked several hours at the pool, some of them doing aerobicish moves while my kids played, sometimes playing with them, and sometimes reading and sunning nearby.<br />
We now live 1/2 mile from our kids school. This week I walked to and from with them every day. So 2 trips Mon & Tues, and three trips Wed, Thurs, and Friday, that clocked in 13 miles of walking. <br />
Next week I'll add housework.<br />
And then, after that...my master plan kicks in. With Si Guy gone from 8-11 every day, I can hit the 9am classes at the gym...or dust off my Golds Gym Wii game. With Mr. man working from home, and how entertaining he finds it to distract me while exercising, I'm strongly motivated towards the gym.<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-31595150459933431092012-03-28T19:29:00.001-07:002012-03-28T19:29:46.824-07:00Aqua at 9amis a totally different experience than aqua at 5:45 am.<br />
1) there are about 7x more people there.<br />
2) I'm mostly awake.<br />
3) At least on Wednesdays, the teacher is a guy....who likes using water dumb-bells.<br />
I really enjoyed practicing my boxing moves I learned on the Wii underwater with weights. I also enjoyed the relative anonymity in a group that size. All was well until it was time for the dreaded noodle.<br />
I'm sorry for sounding sexist, but for decency's sake, a guy really shouldn't be teaching a bunch of middle-age/old ladies how to use a noodle...at least not in a pool.My inner juvenile thought "pole dancing" when the first thing we had to do was straddle it. We were instructed on having a "happy noodle", and a "sad noodle" as well. One lady near me shared my thoughts apparently, saying<br />
"I'm not sure I can make mine sad under water. It's kind of stiff."<br />
Soon after, we were all waving our noodles in the air.<br />
Everything after that was kind of anticlimactic. We cooled down, shook it off, and stretched. Overall, everyone was friendly, and really, Mr. D was an absolute riot. Who knows, I may even go back next Wednesday.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-61437531200787875062012-03-27T16:59:00.001-07:002012-03-28T20:36:39.799-07:00Yes, i am back at MRCC.Community center how I love thee. Thy variety of classes at a reasonable cost.<br />
The hours ranging from 5:45-12:00 for start times, and again from 4-7.<br />
Yet there's not much variety in what I do. <br />
I'm back to Tai Chi. Yes, for now, I'm back at the ever-controversial yoga. I'm just not comfortable using weights, so my own body is my best resistance for strength training for now. The extra flexibility is a bonus. I've been to an aqua aerobics class....I'm going to try a mid-morning
one tomorrow since getting up at 4:45 isn't my area of strength. <br />
This go round though, if I miss a day, I have back-up at home. Today I chose to stay in bed at 4:45 this am when dh's alarm went off. Therefore I used my "golds gym Latin workout" personal trainer on the Wii. I was sweating at the end, so that's a good sign right?<br />
My husband was smirking at the end. He was working from home today, and apparently likes the rhino dance moves. I told him he should do it himself next time since he found it so entertaining. This is why I need to get up at 4:45 to make my class....or he needs to go back to the office.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-34495611563380074952012-02-27T08:09:00.002-08:002012-02-27T08:09:17.313-08:00March!March begins at the end of this week. I have my clearance for the gym again. There are no more excuses.<br />
If I can't get to the gym, our Wii has 3 exercise programs at home, and a balance board!<br />
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The thing with the Wii is it isn't terribly accurate. I suck at yoga. This is a fact. The Wii, through how it interprets my weight distribution from the balance board, thinks I'm adequate to great.<br />
As long as I have the arm movements down on the dance games I'm golden. Even though my feet are following about as well as a dyslexic elephant.<br />
And a computerized trainer is not another human. I like the human thing.<br />
The Wii is still great fun. I just think it needs to be an accent instead of the center of my program.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-68053486534925891812012-02-07T08:08:00.000-08:002012-02-07T20:53:35.861-08:00Goals. Did you read about the Romanian model on the news? No girl should sit at home with a bag of mars bars wishing she was fat. Just like no girl needs to starve herself wishing she was thin.<br />
Our goals should be about health, and whatever size we are when we are healthy is fine. Yes, I am losing weight right now and happy about it. Yes, I am tracking what I eat on Spark.<br />
Yet if I'm eating decently and exercising 4x a week or more and the scale stops at 200 that's fine. If I get back to 180 that's fine. If, by some miracle, I hit the number "I should be" on the chart, that's fine too....but I'm not going to stress about an imaginary goal. <br />
There are plenty of other goals to be had. I recently listed some I have for this year. Here are some I've reached.<br />
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1) I can now RUN, without pain. Not very far or long, but even as I child I could not run without pain.<br />
2) Ditto with multiple flights of stairs going up.<br />
3) I am not wiped out by our bi-weekly grocery store gauntlet.<br />
4) I'm slowly learning to ditch the guilt about doing things for myself. <br />
5) I am learning how to prioritize things better. Kids wants do not come before my needs. <i>Needs</i> come before needs. <i>Wants</i> come after, no matter whose they are. They need a healthy mother more than they want what they think they "need." <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-72925670965317380122012-01-11T21:44:00.000-08:002012-01-13T14:03:46.155-08:00January Check in. Well, I've been sidetracked by some pain issues recently, and it seems I have middle aged mom's syndrome and need my gall bladder removed. The surgery is next week, so hopefully I will be back in community center form about two weeks after that.<br />
Yes, I said community center! I <i>have decided</i> to keep resume to the aqua class & tai chi class I love, and maybe one or two others a week, or not. <br />
That's because I think I can do the cardio thing with the Wii. I still play racket sports, and love the bull dodging and cardio boxing on the latin dance disc. <br />
(The Latin Dance itself, um, awkward. My hips catch instead of roll it seems. I'll keep trying.) The kids love mimicking the instructors too, so it's something I can do around Si...but will probably be more effective when he starts school.<br />
My big thing this week is I've started tracking my food on Sparkpeople.com again. It's good to see where I'm doing well, and where I'm still a work in progress. It's nice seeing the little report at the end of the day. It's also motivation not to just sit down and randomly graze, because I have to quantify it later!<br />
Sure there's still a lot of "in progress" to consider.<br />
1) Getting fiber intake back up to 25g a day. <br />
2) Consistently getting 60g of protein a day<br />
3) Drinking enough water<br />
4) Getting a "real gym" membership eventually <br />
5) Using more than the nutrition tracker on Sparkpeople<br />
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BUT, I am doing something, and that's definitely better than nothing. I'm a hippo that's about 30lbs lighter than last year. That's something to dance about.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-87301941364901667922011-12-31T07:03:00.000-08:002012-01-11T21:30:03.549-08:00the year in reviewI would vote this year an overall success from the hippo fitness point of view. We started this show in March, made regular trips to the gym and lost 35lbs by September, and even now, maintained through gym-free but outdoor active September and October, still maintained through kicked by life to the curb November, and only gained 3lbs back in Holiday Blitz December.<br />
We got a Wii for Christmas, and I got a Latin dance fitness game with bull dodging I really enjoy. I forsee a balance board and some additional fitness games coming in January, along with hopefully getting the hippo back in the water by February. Cheers to 2011 and hoping for similar results in 2012!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-53180143921738638522011-12-12T16:59:00.000-08:002011-12-13T14:11:14.203-08:00The hippo mom has been a bit out of it lately. Somehow, November kicked my fitness oriented self to the curb. Maybe it was having a kid in the hospital. Maybe it was hosting national overeating day. Maybe it was just the weather changing.<br />
My November fitness plan involved raking two houses yards twice each. I guess if we count each day raking a yard as a weeks worth of exercise, I still made goal. I definitely made it if you count the hours upon hours of shopping I put in at the end of November too. I park in the back of lots, and carry bags instead of pushing carts out the store. Surely that's something.<br />
December, with all it's candy, cookies, and another holiday food fest, or two, or three....isn't looking a lot better on the diet front. On the up side, of the thirty five pounds I've lost, only three have come back to visit.<br />
On the exercise front, I'm toying with options. <br />
I enjoy walking, especially if it's "crisp", not "Freezing." The trick is to walk farther than Wal-Mart or Quick Trip. Walking is free...except for what I spend at Wal-Mart or QT. Si Guy and I get some playground time in to when the weather is okay.<br />
I do miss the community center, but money, gas, and kid schedules really mucked things up once we got back into school and sports. I think this is the direction I may head back in, now that we're down to just basketball.<br /> Mr. Man's work offers a discounted membership at several places. Only one is a couples deal though, and I just don't see too many hippos hanging out at Gold's Gym. 24 hour fitness looks fun, and has childcare, and doesn't have a monthly payment plan. The other two, Jazzercise & Curves, are the closest to our home. The thing with those is I'm not sure there's enough variety available in what they offer to keep this hippo happy.<br />
That's what brings me back to the community center. I can do tai chi on Monday, and aqua aerobics on Tuesday, and try spin again if I ever feel masochistic. So it really is coming down to convenience, or variety? Which one is more important to keep me keeping at it?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-44295344410741143682011-10-05T20:38:00.001-07:002011-10-05T20:42:22.022-07:00Tiny Tot fitnessToday I didn't do any structured fitness activities, but Si Guy took me walking for about 2 miles. One mile before lunch in the form of a "squirrel hunt", and another one after lunch in mall laps. I checked on Google maps to be sure. I did some using my weight as resistance climbing playground structures and lifted an approximately forty pound child several times during these outings as well. While he was playing independently I snuck in some Tai Chi warm ups....so one doesn't have to be a gym rat to be active. It was definitely fun this way!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-17097731745457001452011-09-29T14:33:00.000-07:002011-09-29T14:33:55.161-07:00YogaYou Yoga. Me. owcha. That sums out class today pretty well. It serves me right. My attendance of late has been well, sporadic. Almost nonexistent. I wasn't even really planning on going today. I just had a moment of guilt.<br />
"Hey, Si, wanna go to child watch today?" (expecting his usual scream of NO!)<br />
"Sure! Chil-watch! Yeah!" (damn.)<br />
So to yoga we went. Today was a dog day. (oof. I mean woof.) More up and down dogs than I could count. Thus I spent a lot of time in child and table...because this dog only goes down so many times. On the plus side I did get to be a warrior princess. I LOVE the warrior poses.<br />
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Si guy was ready by the time I got back. We rewarded ourselves with an hour at the park. Outside beats a sweaty studio anytime.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-75399527083958429102011-09-28T08:55:00.000-07:002011-12-12T17:00:20.392-08:00Judgement day is comingTo keep from an automatic 10% rate hike next year, Mr. M's insurance company is requiring a biometric profile....so they can legitimately raise our rates by classes instead. In a way, that's what got this ball rolling...but I'm glad it did.<br />
Even though there's no way I'll have a "passing" BMI or waist circumference, I'm going in the right direction and motivation is good.<br />
My other numbers will probably all be okay. They were last year, and I'm eating better and more active now than I was then. How's the workout schedule going?<br />
Fall has blown it to bits. I still get to tai chi, most of the time. I would like to get to aqua more, but at the moment am being thwarted by kid football, soccer, and before school activities. Si Guy is willing to go to child watch occassionally, so yoga is kind of back in the picture. On the "unofficial" front though, I walk regularly to local stores, walk and play on the playground with my other kids during practices, and walk laps w/ Si at the football games...so I'm still doing something. It's just a lot more outdoor something and less at the community center. Come November, I'm sure that'll change.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-77825069294897932982011-09-14T13:15:00.000-07:002011-09-14T13:15:07.781-07:00The pool is open! The pool is open!Finally. Hyper-chlorination "just in case" "even though we never had a problem" at my favorite community center is done. So tomorrow, the hippo is hauling herself out of bed at 4:30am for a 5:45 aqua class. Really.<br />
I thought this on Monday afternoon about Tuesday morning too....but then there was the skating party. Yes, the hippo mom skated, for about an hour. So come Tuesday morning her body was saying, "I don't think so. You exceeded your 500 calorie per workout limit. Today is rebound day." But tomorrow will be different. Really. I believe it so, so so it will be.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-34839440464195491502011-08-18T11:29:00.000-07:002011-08-18T11:29:10.039-07:00back to yogaI took the summer "off" yoga. My lower back did not thank me, so I went today...and then remembered why I took my "break."<br />
Yoga is hard. Yoga is hot. Yoga is my muscles being to the point of quivering, threatening to collapse. Yoga is pain.<br />
After I left class though, I felt better because of the other side of yoga.<br />
Yoga is being in the now. Yoga is clearing your mind. Yoga is remembering to breathe deeply. Yoga is about embracing your limits and then expanding them. Yoga is being centered. Yoga is there for the challenge, and as long as you take the challenge you are successful. There is no try in yoga. You just do. Maybe that's why it rhymes with Yoda.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-38780832905889527562011-08-15T08:48:00.000-07:002011-08-15T08:59:26.676-07:00Launch Day!Today is the first day of school for my four oldest kids. Three of them woke up on their own before 6:30 am. Amazing. New outfits, new backpacks, new shoes, new lunch boxes. Each and every kid was excited to pack their lunch. Also amazing. All the kids enjoyed a hot breakfast. All were ready to go. Dad dropped off the three elementary kids, and the brand new 7th grader headed to the bus stop.<br />
I turned on PBS for the youngest two, and sat down with a sigh a relief.<br />
8:26am, the 7th grader returns.<br />
"Mom, the bus didn't show up."<br />
"Okay guys, shoes on and in the car NOW!"<br />
We made it, at 8:42. Horribly close to the official 8:45 start time. This would never do.<br />
The bus company had warned me that if they didn't anticipate any students at a stop, they might skip it. I had changed our address with them(twice.) Did it not take?<br />
So I came home and called the bus company.<br />
"The bus driver was late. Arrived at the stop at 8:22."<br />
One minute after my almost tearful 7th grader gave up. Argh.<br />
A friend reminded us that "bus riders don't count as late if the bus is late."<br />
BUT it's the first day! At a new school! I wanted this to be perfect for him! Standing in the rain for 20 minutes just to have mom drive you isn't perfect.<br />
But your 4 &5 year old instantly obeying, stop watching tv, and get in the car in less than 3 minutes is.<br />
The seventh grader trying to launch at drop off with a smile is.<br />
The seventh grader saying "thanks mom." is.<br />
The no fighting between the 4 &5 year old in the car is.<br />
The 4 year old, buckling his own seat belt <i>for the first time</i> is.<br />
And maybe, for the twelve year old, knowing mom will have your back in the face of uncertainty is too. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-56292829510516436532011-08-04T09:06:00.000-07:002011-08-04T09:06:30.582-07:00nonscale victoriesIn the group I'm in on FB, we have a type of post we call non-scale victories. I think it's one of the best ideas ever. It helps us all through those times when we're not "perfect" (like say, every day.) It keeps us from getting discouraged. It keeps us from getting too hung up on weight and numbers. It says, "SEE, this is making a difference! What you do DOES matter!" So today, since I'm on another gym lapse until school starts, I thought I'd dedicate this post to nonscale victories, some of which I've already posted on the board.<br />
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1) Stairs. They don't hurt anymore, even going up. I can walk them one foot each. I don't even think about them, except to marvel at how easy they are when I get to the top. <br />
2) Public restrooms: I'm not limited to handicapped stalls anymore. Yep, I was so wide I couldn't "reach" in the regular ones, or my knees would hit the sides. Not true anymore.<br />
3) Clothes: They're smaller, and fit better. I've always been that dreaded "apple" shape. Now there are more inward curves, so I don't have to buy sizes that are too big in the shoulders and hips to fit across my bust/abs. I thank aqua aerobics for this. <br />
4) Food. I'm not feeling too rushed to eat breakfast anymore, because the payoff later in the day is HUGE. Piece of cheese and fruit takes no time. Or peanut butter and fruit. Yeah, my kids became fruitetarians honestly. Also, cutting down/out junk food is a great way to make room in your grocery budget for better quality proteins. The kids will adapt. Really. Mine did.<br />
5) Self perception: It's good to feel like I can accomplish something. It's nice to look in a mirror without squirming. There is so much more to my mental game and how it's changed and is changing than I can fit in a single blog.<br />
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Remember, just keep dancing!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-13901415819854665392011-08-02T11:37:00.000-07:002011-08-02T11:37:37.547-07:00It is August,at the moment, my gym time has screeched to a halt. The pool is closed I take aqua at for the next two weeks, and my motivation go to bed early/get up early has been sorely lacking. Evening is my best window in this heat for cooking and cleaning. We've been pretty busy with all the back to school and sports starting stuff too. That does not mean I've given up on my 'be healthier' journey though.<br />
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What I've noticed lately is, the change in my perception of food. I really am starting to <i>not even want </i>food that makes me feel like garbage. I may think I want it sometimes, but I'm catching myself avoiding it more and more.<br />
There's chocolate syrup available, but I put fresh blueberries on my ice cream instead, because I want to.<br />
The kids make a frozen pizza, but I eat a salad, <b>because I want to.</b><br />
We ate dinner at BK. I ordered onion rings, then gave most of them to my kids <i>because I didn't want them</i>.<br />
Obviously, our eating habits are still far from perfect, but my preferences are shifting...and I'm not the only one. Si Guy always prefers milk to soda. Princess D eats fruit instead of fries. My husband has given up soda altogether. It's a ripple effect, one that will give our family better health and better futures.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-77038232720756684892011-07-22T13:12:00.000-07:002011-07-22T13:12:23.804-07:00tai chi....I am still really enjoying Gary's class. He's an excellent teacher. He knows how to leave a good bread crumb trail leading you at your own pace down the path. If you want to push yourself more physically, he has multiple levels of classes. If you're a word nerd, he'll sell you books. If you're into weapons, he has a weapons class and makes really pretty broadswords. Tomorrow, he's doing a workshop. I'm thinking about going. Push Hands. Tai Chi w/ partners, broken down for beginners. This is something I'd like to see. Anyone else in kc curious about tai chi, here's the link to Gary's site<div><a href="http://www.threedragonsway.com/">http://www.threedragonsway.com</a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Further on and Further in y'all.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-78886077625190089492011-07-20T08:53:00.000-07:002011-07-20T08:53:28.552-07:00getting my *spark* backThe last couple of days, I've restarted tracking what I eat on <a href="http://www.sparkpeople.com/">http://www.sparkpeople.com</a> . Like many things it's a tool. I like the daily water tracker. They have greatly improved their food tracker. It's much easier to use than my last go round. <br />
The only thing that bums me out on this site, is it's "exercise tracker." Sometimes I don't know what "category" my exercise should go in. I'd rather have a tool where I enter what I do for how long, and the program tells me if it's "cardio" or "strength training" or whatever other categories are in at the moment. <br />
I understand the point of having variety in our exercise. Different types of exercise have different benefits. Yet a lot of what I use the site for is "getting a pulse" on what I'm doing, if it's enough, and is it balanced. The idea of these trackers is to have something quick and convenient. Spending twenty minutes figuring out which box is the right one to enter tai chi in is neither.<br />
Overall it's a great site, with a wealth of information and articles, support boards, and more. It sends out weekly e-mails based on my interests, since I want them. It's a way of keeping "self" accountable and that's a good thing. It allows you to have "friends" and form your own groups and that's a good thing too. It's got a lot going for it. I suspect I'll be more consistent with it once we have a data plan for our phone. So thank you Spark, for being one of the resources that keeps me trying, whether I feel like it or not.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-75070134679897934992011-07-19T07:37:00.000-07:002011-07-19T08:27:34.792-07:00Something that's been gnawing on me I'm a member of a facebook group to help keep my motivation for exercise. A lot of this groups members are doing the high protein/low carb thing. Some of them have decided all grains are evil, and try to get all those carbs from fruit veggie sources. So to be fair, and make sure I haven't missed the boat, I've been doing a lot of reading, (and rereading) about nutrition lately.<br />
<br />
In my opinion the truth is, they're <i>partially</i> right. BUT, so are my already thin and extremely healthy friends who avoid animal products like the devil.<br />
Through the pages, and pages, of contradictory slanted, "research" I've been reading there is one truth.<br />
<br />
<b>Overly processed food is crap.</b><br />
<br />
This means avoiding white flour and processed sugars like the plague, something both extreme camps agree on.<br />
It means eating more dark green leafy stuff, again something both camps agree on.<br />
It means avoid eating "fake" food, like artificial sweeteners and trans-fats...Both camps agree again.<br />
<br />
I'm not ready to jump in the low/carb high protein boat. I know what ketosis is, and have already had a broken bone. I remember my dad's kidney stones courtesy of Atkins. I have enough memory issues...mostly from having too much to keep track of already. <br />
<br />
I'm not ready to ditch animal products either. Meat tastes good. It has *ready to absorb * iron, B vitamins,etc. Look at our teeth. We're meant to be omnivores.<br />
<br />
So what do I do? Well, *when I'm paying attention,* this is what has always worked <i>for me. (</i>Insert I'm not a nutritionist, doctor,etc. disclaimer here.)<br />
<br />
1) Drinking more water. I have a diet soda habit, a fierce one. Every time I cut back on soda, I lose weight. I've never had any success quitting cold turkey, but I have had a lot of success alternating water with my flavored beverage of choice, preferably with a lot of ice in it so I get even more water. Interesting side note, the more I exercise, the less I want to drink soda too.<br />
<br />
2) I aim for the 25g of fiber thing, through FOOD. One way I do this is if/when I eat grains, they should follow the 4g fiber per serving rule. That pretty effectively douses the enriched food thing. I also look at the sugars. The lower the better. <br />
<br />
3) Making sure I eat some decent protein from an animal source. The vegetable sourced stuff has been associated w/ longer life spans & all that, but I am sluggish and cranky without meat. Not just any meat will do. Bacon, sausage, and really high fat beef will still leave me sluggish and cranky, so it has to be protein w/ some fat, not fat with some protein. Research has backed me on this one too. A <i>moderate</i> protein diet has been declared the winner on sustained weight loss.<br />
<br />
4)Eat a green veggie every day. Other veggies can be whatever color I want, but dark green leafy (or cruciferous) kinds are something special. <br />
<br />
5) Exercise. Do it. Preferably daily. <br />
<br />
I'm not saying I'm great about all these things. I'm just saying they have worked for me in the past, and in the present are working me back down to where I should be. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-10018961662292977672011-07-16T20:17:00.000-07:002011-07-16T20:17:47.232-07:00The week in review.This week my class schedule looked like this.<br />
Monday-Tai Chi<br />
Tuesday-Aqua Aerobics<br />
Wednesday-Zumba Lite<br />
Thursday-Aqua Aerobics<br />
Friday-cardio dance lite + Tai Chi + shopping<br />
<br />
Shopping? <br />
Sure, why not. We park in the back of the lots because of my van. After tai chi I went to Penzeys and Whole Foods. That afternoon we went to ALDI, Sam's Club & Trader Joes. I probably got close to a mile of extra walking in, (especially if you include Trader Joes. Not so smart move going there on opening day.)<br />
Want weights? A case of 32 24 oz bottles of water comes in at around 50lbs. Now throw a whole brisket, a pork loin, about 5lbs of cheese, + the bonus sized cleaning supplies in the cart. My cart at Sams can push 200lbs, especially in sports season w/ the bottled water & gatorade & drinks for kids lunches in there. Juice/milk boxes alone can weigh over 20lbs!<br />
If you want lifting instead of pushing, just forget to have a quarter for ALDI.<br />
<br />
The difference is now, I'm not totaled for the entire weekend because of gauntlet. I made the lighter runs to Kohls, Hy-vee and Price Chopper today, and my first thought is not Ow! That alone has made gymfest worth it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-67996198530060344162011-07-13T18:33:00.000-07:002011-07-13T18:33:39.617-07:00Zumba!! (Lite)Dance classes used to be my favorite. This go round I felt like the hippo amongst the alligators, very old alligators at that. But the hippo is still part of the dance, so I fit in okay. Some things I learned today.<br />
All those lunges from Tai Chi are handy for Zumba.<br />
There are just some things my hips won't do.<br />
Fast music makes the class go faster.<br />
Given time, I can learn new dance routines.<br />
<br />
I still am on opposite time. 1-2, 123, is more like 1-2-3,12, oh crud. Using hand motions too makes it worse. Still, no one made me feel stupid. And I was even invited back for "next time." I need a Wed aerobic thing. This was way more my speed than cycling, so come next Wednesday I'll try again.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-18278470023263351372011-07-12T07:56:00.000-07:002011-07-12T07:56:54.882-07:00back on trackI've been to Tai Chi Friday & Monday. The class sizes have shifted. Friday morning Tai Chi has shrunk down to the core group, and even lost a couple of those to Wednesday afternoon. I've mentioned before how tai chi is my physical "center" the rest of my exercise ripples out from. It's also my support group. One lady in my class mentioned she might start on long form in January. <br />
"What? You won't be leaving us, will you?"<br />
"Oh no dear. This group has become a family."<br />
That describes how I feel too.<br />
<br />
This morning I went to aqua, and it's gotten big! (Especially given it's at oh-heck-thirty a.m.) Today, I'm a bit sore, but I was able to keep up for the most part. Noodle balancing in deep water is not my strength. I'm still fat enough my midsection wants to float anyway, so holding it down and a noodle under each foot, walking? Um...maybe in another twenty five pounds or three months, whichever comes later. Other than that, the other big shocker wasn't I wasn't the youngest person in the class. We have added a beautiful, bikini wearing and worthy, member of the under twenty set. She was sweet, graceful, and someone new to talk to. It made the class fly by. Now, my quads and shoulders are informing me the rest of the day will be at a little slower pace, but that's okay. It's good to be back.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-21246332467031508112011-07-07T19:16:00.000-07:002011-07-07T19:16:25.202-07:00still not at the gymbut had another successful month. I've been clocking a fairly consistent 8lbs a month down since I started my "serious efforts". I suspect July may plateau if I don't get back into a formal setting soon. <br />
Right now it's still waiting for the washer to fill? Do some tai-chi warm ups.<br />
Waiting in line at the grocery store? Tree pose, or pick a warrior.<br />
Wanting to lay in bed a few more minutes in the morning? Do a couple spinal twists.<br />
Don't sit on the floor to pick up. Do lunges. <br />
Take that basket of clean laundry up to the boys room myself.<br />
Never sit when I can do a job standing.<br />
The little things count, even it's not walking miles a day at camp.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6171407697219027252.post-1738329453890995962011-06-06T16:12:00.000-07:002011-06-06T16:12:16.713-07:00Temporary delay in the journeyBetween VBS and the upcoming day camp for Girl Scouts, the amount of gym hours I've put in this last couple of weeks resembles my shape. 0.<br />
That said, I've been sneaking stuff in. Tai Chi and yoga poses both lend themselves to the "something to do while waiting for water to boil" catergory.<br />
Even if my "official" activity hasn't been great, I wish I had a pedometer. It feels like I've walked miles gathering supplies, making copies, and chasing kids at the pool and park. Next week I will walk miles as the TAGS Unit Leader at day camp.<br />
After that, back to class I go! (I hope.)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09973374541641774861noreply@blogger.com0