The Squish Belly Blues

*cue harmonica*

Woke up this morning, my to-do list a mile long
That’s okay, ‘cause I was feeling good and strong
Started putting stuff back where it belong

*harmonica*

Passed the mirror and caught a frightful sight
Inhaled real deep, pulled my core in tight
And wondered how this happened overnight

*harmonica*

That’s right, that’s right: I got me the Squish Belly Blues
How to fix it, I got some clues
But my *#%@ gym raised my dues... .


Okay, so Memphis may be the Home of the Blues, but chances are this little ditty will never be housed there. :)

While I don't think the cold days of winter resulted in any significant weight gain (clothes still fit), I did notice this morning that my abdomen is definitely feeling...well, squishy. I lost 100 pounds near the age of 50, so my abs were never of the "rock hard" variety. Even so, they looked better two months ago than they do now.

Okay, I thought, time to quit fooling around at home and get back to the gym for full workouts. No problem! I've been looking forward to getting back into the swing of regular strength training, and eradicating The Squish is a good challenge!

Imagine my dismay when I arrived at the gym and found that my key card didn't work.

My membership expired last month, and they won't extend my membership. The desk person said I have to enroll as a new member and pay a new member fee of almost $100.

(Don't worry, my neighbor just came over and confiscated my harmonica.)

This is a Sad Day, indeed. I signed up for that gym before it even opened, paying for two years in advance. I had only lost 20 pounds at that point, and I was feeling super motivated. This is the gym where I bawled like a baby when I realized I was actually going to achieve my goal. The gym where I bravely ventured into Manville for the first time ever. My gym. *sniff*

I've written to the Powers That Be to try to have that enrollment fee waived. Considering how many people I've referred to them, that I've already been a member for two years, and that I'm willing to spring for another 2 years up front, I'm hopeful they'll see the value in waiving the fee. (I might have also mentioned in my note that I'm a blogger .*g*) Keep your fingers crossed. If this doesn't work, look for a Waive Cammy's Fee page on Facebook.

I'll be using my non-gym time to check out other options in the area. One of the things I like most about my gym is that it's open 24/7. It doesn't offer much besides workout equipment, showers, and an old scale (along with tanning beds that I could care less about), but it's cheap, relatively clean, and less than a mile from my house. Other gyms in my neighborhood are closed at least one day per week and cost more. Oh well, it doesn't cost anything to look.

Meanwhile, I'll keep exercising at home.

And playing my harmonica.

~~

What do you like/not like about your gym? What do you look for in a gym? (I just want the free weights and cable machines.)

Product Review: Yoga Tune Up Therapy Balls

The folks at Yoga Tune Up were kind enough to send me a Yoga Tune Up Ball Kit for a look-see. Just in the nick of time, too, considering that I spent ALL of Sunday afternoon painting the ceilings of three rooms. Ouch! Talk about sore shoulders and neck!

The kit contains an Audio CD Program, 2 Therapy Balls w/Travel Tote, and Foldout Placement Guide. The balls are made of a "high grip" rubber material that's softer than a tennis ball (though similarly sized) but firmer than a stress ball. Crystal clear? That's as close as I can get.

The Foldout Placement Guide and the audio program guide, narrated by Gaiam expert contributor and Yoga Tune Up creator, Jill Miller, take the user through a series of movements designed to work out the kinks and knots--like a body massage. I have to say that the shoulder and neck movements were very effective! There are also some leg/foot exercises that feel really, really good. I didn't do as well with the lower back maneuvers, which leads me to my one complaint about the product.

The placement guide fits inside the CD case and contains photos for 12 tracks. This means that the photos are teeny-tiny. That, coupled with the audio-only soundtrack, meant I had to stop several times to scrutinize the guide and/or back up the soundtrack to get the ball placements right. This was my first time using the program, though, so maybe it gets easier over time. What would have worked better for me would have been to have the photos display on-screen during the soundtrack. Not only would they be larger, they could demonstrate more clearly the proper timing of some of the movements.

But that's my only quibble. Wait, no it's not. The kit also lacks Kenny, my massage therapist, who rubs warm almond oil into my back and places warm towels on it after the massage. I dunno, maybe that would've driven the cost up too much? (The kit sells for $19.95 on the website. Kenny charges $35 for a half hour massage.)

Even Kenny-less, the therapy balls worked really well on loosening up my aching shoulders. I'm looking forward to trying this program again. If I never master the lower body work, the effect on my shoulders was awesome! And I'm certain that as the warmer weather moves in and my walks are longer, I'll really appreciate the foot massage. I can also see how these might be useful for tossing into the car to ease the aches of a long road trip.

All things considered, I give the Yoga Therapy Balls two thumbs up, but with a suggestion for improving the guide. Or adding a Kenny.


(Disclosure: Yoga Tune Up provided the kit for evaluation. No other payment was requested or received.)

Spring is Springing and So Should We

I'm beginning to see signs of Spring. Exhibit A, the view from Home Depot's parking lot (with apologies to man behind me waiting for me to find my iPhone):

Isn't this a lovely sight? Such promise in these blossoms. I always feel such a sense of renewal and hope when Spring rolls around. That may be one of the factors in why I was suddenly successful in shedding my weight: I started in Spring.

I'm not sure where we ever got the idea that January was a good time to begin a weight loss or healthy diet plan. It's such a dismal time of year, at least here in Memphis. Cold, gray rainy days. Mostly lousy fresh fruit and veggie selections or too pricey to be enjoyed in abundance. Valentine's Day. Horrible time for yours truly to really get enthused or focused on health when I mostly want to curl up with Cheetos and a good book and wait for the pizza guy to stop by.

Spring is a different story! Warmer weather, lots of sunshine to accompany the seasonal rain, and fresh, luscious strawberries at affordable prices, soon to be followed by cantaloupe and tomatoes. (Except this year, when we've been warned that Florida's tomato crop was damaged. *mourns*)

If you're one of the gazillion people (formerly including ME) who started the year with a healthy bang and now feel your spirits fading, you might benefit from the article that follows, which I previously published last year as part of my Makeover Monday series. Not to be immodest, but I got a teensy motivational bounce out of re-reading it.

Spring Cleaning on the Inside

(originally posted on 3/16/09)

Think about your life (health, fitness, relationships, career, finance, etc.). Where are you now? Where do you want to be? Why aren't you there? Don't beat yourself up over it; just ponder the matter and see if any of these nasties have crept into your life:

Excuses: We're probably all guilty of making excuses for ourselves when we're trying to justify something we should or shouldn't have done. Surely, it's not just me. (Antidote: When you catch yourself making an excuse for something, ask, "Is this really true, or am I just making myself feel better?")

Rationalizations: Did you know that another way to spell "rationalize" is "rational lies"? These are the thoughts and words we use to give ourselves permission to do something we know is wrong. (Antidote: Unrelenting honesty with yourself. YOU know the truth about your efforts.)

Unfair Limitations: Many, perhaps even most, of the limitations we face are self-imposed. Why we would do this to ourselves, I don't know, but we do. (Antidote: Ask yourself, "If I didn't have xxx in my way, what would be by next step? Then figure out how you can do it--or some form of it--anyway.)

Regrets and Resentments: Writer Malachy McCourt once said, “Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” Holding on to past haunts and hurts prevents us from moving forward. (Antidote: Forgive yourself and any others involved, and focus on the future. At minimum, let it go.)

Procrastination: "Someday" thinking is fun for thinking about the lottery. For managing our lives, it doesn't work so well. (Antidote: See Makeover Monday: Getting It Done.)

RightThisMinute Thinking: We all want to see results fast. Whether it's successful weight loss, financial security, starting a family, or any host of other desires, many of us have a tendency to want to get it done rightthisveryminute. We should be applauded for our energy, but doing things too quickly can cause us to do them in a way that's unhealthy, inefficient, or ineffective. (Antidote: Patience. Focus on progress, not the goal line. Unless, you're looking at the goal line, of course, and then it's eyes on the prize time!)

These evil little habits have a way of creeping into our lives and derailing our progress. Join me this spring in spending a little time with a mental broom and dustpan, eliminating this clutter from our lives. Note that I didn't say we'd eliminate it for good. Old habits die hard, as the saying goes, and I'm sure we'll all face these pesky demons again at some time in the future. We're savvy enough to know that and strong enough to defeat them.

♣♣♣♣♣♣

I hope you found something helpful in all that and wish you much success in tossing the nasties and moving forward. I've definitely got a bit more "Spring" in my step this week!

Winner, Dick's Sporting Goods Gift Card

Hearty congratulations to Mary of The Inner Weigh, who has won the Dick's Sporting Goods Gift Card!

Congratulations, Mary!  Shoot your mailing info to me via email (ttdinbox at gmail dot com) and I'll get it to the kindly PR folks from DSG.

Thanks to those who played along, and thanks to those who sent a few votes in for The Starting Line-up. That was fun.

Dick's Sporting Goods Needs Me! (w/Giveaway Opp)

Disclosure stuff at the bottom of the post

I'm not much on competition. Against other people, that is. I compete against myself all the time. (That way, I always win! :)) But I'm fortunate enough to have been asked by Dick's Sporting Goods to participate in a little online competition to be part of their Starting Line-up. As part of the Starting Line-up, I would have:

• A chance to try out and preview new products
• A spot on an online panel of experts for one season (for approximately 3 months)
• Access to exclusive online surveys
• A chance to sound off on all things sports

Wouldn't that be cool?

Yes, you say, But what's in it for me?

Well, besides knowing someone newly famous for her inclusion in the Starting Line-up, you have the opportunity to win a $50 Dick's Sporting Goods gift card! (And you don't have to be on Twitter to enter!)

Oh, I have your attention now, do I? Good! That was my intention. I'll get to the contest details in a second, but first...

IF you'd like to support me in my bid to win a spot on Dick's Sporting Goods Starting Line-up, here's what you can do:

• Follow http://twitter.com/dickssportcmo.
• Vote for yourself (or someone else, like @tippytoediet) by telling @dickssportcmo who should be on the "Starting Lineup" and why. Sample Tweet: “@dickssportcmo my vote is for @TwitterID because...” Again not to belabor the point, but I'm @tippytoediet on Twitter. :)
• Recruit others to do the same.
• You can only vote for the same person once per day, but you can vote for multiple people in the same day.

*Make sure you're following @dickssportcmo or your vote won't count!

And that's that! I appreciate your consideration, but please know that you do NOT have to vote for me to enter the contest. This is all in fun.

To enter the contest and possibly win a $50 gift card (good in stores OR ONLINE), all you have to do is hop over to Dick's Sporting Goods and do some Windows-shopping (unless you're Linux or Mac, of course). Then come back and leave a comment sharing what YOU would buy from them with your gift card! (I'd buy this: The Wave by The Firm.)


I'll leave the contest open until Sunday night (03/14/10) at 9:00 p.m. Central Time. Contest is open to US residents only. (Sorry, int'l peeps!)


I hope you'll enter the contest, and if you're on twitter, I hope you'll follow @dickssportcmo and let them know how badly they NEED @tippytoediet in their Starting Line-up!  Oh, and feel free to share with your friends! Thanks and Good luck!

Disclosure: The only compensation for this post is the $50 gift card, which I have opted to use as a giveaway opportunity, despite the fact that it breaks my widdle heart to do so since I shop at DSG fairly regularly (Yaay! Asics socks and Life is Good t-shirts!)  I am receiving no other compensation, except perhaps some good Karma points.