Makeover Monday: Beauty Shouldn't Itch

I was cleaning out my bathroom vanity this weekend, and I came across some eye shadow that I bought when I lived in my old house. That was about five years ago. I think I was keeping it to match the shade. I certainly know that it's not healthy for skin or eyes to wear eye shadow that's that old. And then it occurred to me that everyone else might not know that, so I've made makeup shelf life the subject of this week's makeover.

That's right, it's time to clean out the makeup drawers and bags! And why, you ask, should you throw away perfectly good foundation that has lasted you four years? Trust me, your skin will thank you for it. Most makeup products have preservatives which allow us to use them longer; however, this also allows more time for bacteria, fungus, and/or mold to grow on products. Ewwwww.

Which brings me to the first really good rule of thumb: If your makeup smells bad, trash it. That's likely a sign that it has turned rancid. Ewwwww.

Another good rule of thumb, if you can't remember when you purchased a makeup product, toss it. (And a good tip: keep a Sharpie fine point marker in the bathroom vanity and mark your purchase date on the product.)

Here are some general guidelines for makeup storage:

Eyes:
Cream eye shadow: 12-18 months
Powder eye shadow: 2 years
Pencil eyeliner: 2 years (sharpen regularly to prevent bacteria build up)
Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
Mascara: 3 months

Face:
Oil-Free or Water-based Foundation: 12 months
Cream or Compact Foundation: 18 months
Concealer: 12-18 months
Powder: 2 years
Blush and Bronzer: 2 years
Cream Blush: 12-18 months

Lips:
Lip gloss: 18-24 months
Lipstick: 2 years (If you store lipstick in the refrigerator, it lasts longer.)
Lip liner: 2 years

Other necessities of life:
Nail Polish: 12 months
Cream & gel cleansers" 12 monhts
Brushes: Wash every 2-3 weeks in a mild detergent (a friend of mine uses baby shampoo)
Sponges: Wash weekly; discard monthly
Exfoliating gloves: 3 months

If you use natural makeup products, check with the store or manufacturer for storage information. Typically, natural products do not have as long a shelf life as other products.

Tips to keep your makeup "healthy":
- Keep containers closed tight when not in use.
- Keep make-up out of the sun and heat, which can kill the bacteria-fighting ingredients. (Don't leave your makeup bag in the car this summer!)
- Don't use makeup if you have an eye infection, such as pinkeye, and throw away any products you were using when the infection first occurred.
- Never add liquid to a product unless the label tells you to do so. This increases the chance of bacterial infection. And don't get me started on the incorrectness of using spit. (All together now: Ewwwww.)

Since Sephora moved into town a few years ago, I've begun spending more $$$ on makeup, and as an otherwise frugal sort of person, it's hard to fight that instinct to stretch a product as far as I can. But wouldn't it be a crying shame to work so hard to get our bodies in better shape, only to develop some godawful skin infection that could have been avoided with a little care.

As always, I hope any of this was useful. If not, I'm sorry you got this far before finding out!

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

P.S.
photos by karen_d courtesy of flicker. Even *I* don't have that much makeup)

Cake Day, Explained

Because a certain Someone doesn't seem to be able to use the copy/paste feature correctly, Lynne and Sagan have asked for more info on my beloved Cake Day. (Not to worry, I've spoken to Someone about it and she has learned the error of her ways.)

Cake Day worked its way into my fitness plan last winter, when I had challenged myself to complete an extra 1,000 minutes of cardio (beyond my 3-a-week strength training sessions), and I was getting bored.

Plus, I really, really--I mean REALLY--wanted some cake!

I had managed to work all my other favorite foods into my eating plan by allowing myself a monthly splurge meal, but a splurge meal AND cake seemed too much for even me. So I decided to use the cardio minutes I was accumulating and use them for something besides good health and longevity. I'd use them for cake!

A tweak here and tweak there, and now the plan has me enjoying a piece of cake every 2500 cardio minutes expended. So far I've had two piece of cake and was }-{ that close to a third, but I had cookies instead. Which is okay in the end. I'm thinking the next Cake Day might actually be a banana split or a hot fudge sundae. It's the spirit of the event that counts most! It's a celebration of healthy living and joy.

I hope I've explained it enough. If not, let me know in the comments and I'll respond there.

Meanwhile, I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. Mine started with a nap and that's always wonderful!

Cookies 1, Cammy 0

I was so close. Less than 500 minutes from another Cake Day, and I blew it. The plan was to have one cookie at the staff meeting. I had three-and-a-broken-piece before the afternoon was out. They were smallish cookies (about 2 inches in diameter), but still. One cookie is a splurgette and allowable; three-and-a-bit are a full out splurge. And a splurge violates The Cake Day Covenant. Thus, the Countdown begins anew. I think I will assess myself "penalty points" by not counting tonight's walk (post-splurge, so technically part of the new countdown) toward the new Cake Day. It's only fair.

The cookies were delish, though. :) And thanks to Jason's Deli Salad Bar with all their healthy options, I'm still within calories for the day. My carbs are just a teensy bit skewed.

In better news, I did something fitness-oriented at the staff meeting: I challenged my group to join the 100 push-up challenge (no one looked excited at the idea), and then I presented a challenge I call Top of the World.

Our offices are on the 6th floor of a 10 story building (7 and 11, respectively, if you count the lower level). I looked up the number of stories or story equivalents for some major landmarks around the world, and challenged the group to climb the stairs in our building and report the number of floors they've climbed. They'll earn "badges" when they've climbed the number of stories equal to each of these landmarks. For example, when they climb 102 stories, they earn an Empire State Building Badge. We're climbing the Eiffel Tower, the St. Louis Arch, and Mt. Everest, among others. We're even climbing down and back up the Grand Canyon (800 stories).
We'll see how many takers I have on any of this. If I have 10 out of 50 folks, I'll be surprised. :)

That's about it from my neck of the blogosphere. I'm behind on reading and commenting, but I hope to rectify that in the next hour.

Hope you're all having a wonderful week and are looking forward to a great weekend!

HYC Update Week 25

Remember the 2.8 lbs I lost last week? Gone, all gone. Thanks so much, Mother Nature.

No tangible (or formerly tangible) reason for the gain, so it should come right back off. Nothing to do but wait.

::drums fingers on desktop::

Or, I suppose I could pretend I'm having a dress rehearsal for future years. What am I going to do a year from now, or two years from now, if/when a weekly weigh-in has a similar result?

Same thing I'm doing this week. Nothing. :)

If this sort of gain doesn't come right back off, or even worse, if there's another gain in a second week, then I'll start logging what I'm eating and look back through the little desk calendar where I jot a note about my daily exercise (aka The Cake Day Countdown Diary.) If I see a bad pattern, I'll break it. No pattern? Nothing to do, but continue doing the right things.

We can't control our weight. We can control our actions.

I need that tattooed somewhere.

Hope you all had a wonderful week, full of lots of healthy choices and great decisions!

Makeover Monday: Healthy Travel

First, for those who asked about the Ginger Muscle Rub, the supplier is Ophelia Snodgrass Apothecary (website is in development, but there's contact info), and the ingredients are, as described on the label, "sunflower oil, Vitamin E, raw beeswax, essential oil of Ginger root, 12 additional healing essential oils." I think the combination of taking an unscheduled rest day and the Ginger Muscle Rub have done the trick on my ailing hamstrings. I no longer walk like Groucho Marx. :)

And now, a quick hit this week for Makeover Monday...

In a little less than two months, I'm headed off for a vacation to visit friends in Maryland and touring the Appalachians a bit. Many of you have posted recently that you've got vacations coming up soon, too. Thus, this Makeover Monday will focus on vacation planning.

I'm no expert, but I'd hazard a guess that many a good diet or fitness plan has been destroyed by an ill-timed vacation. Or is that just me? :) We either throw caution to the wind (especially if our focus has been to lose weight specifically for this trip) and go completely off our plans, or we set unrealistic or improbable goals for staying on track while we're vacationing. Success, I think, lies somewhere in the middle. A little planning, coupled with a set of realistic expectations, may help us enjoy our vacations without destroying our fitness progress.

Sparkpeople offers The Healthy Vacation Guide to help us plan for the the big event. I won't repost it here, because it's just a click away, but I do think it makes a nice little checklist of things to at least consider before we head out for the fun and games. Sparkpeople also has some pretty good travel exercise videos up on YouTube. You might want to check them out before you go.

Vacations are meant to be enjoyed and that includes meals out, some indulgences, and some downtime to just relax. It's possible to enjoy all of those things while still staying focused on an overall healthy lifestyle, or at minimum, not returning ourselves to square one in the process.

No matter what your summer plans, I hope they're safe, healthy and happy.

~

Black Cloud, Blue Skies

You can't help but think it's going to be one of those days when this is how your day starts. That's right, flat tire, and this is as far as I got changing it. The lug nuts were set by the factory, and despite my improved strength I wasn't able to budge them a centimeter. I even stood on the ^$*@ lug wrench and--nada! I doubt I could have budged them at my previous weight, either. It was like they were welded on.

When I next buy a new car, I will ask the dealer to break the seal on the lug nuts and have them torqued on by hand. Then I, a mere mortal, have at least a slim chance of removing them. I had to pay a tire service to come out and even though I had done what you see here, they still charged me the full (and hefty!) price. Adding insult to injury, the tire couldn't be patched and worse, all four need replacing. I managed two today, the other two will wait until next month.

Reeling from the double whammy (I spent almost $300 before 8 a.m.!), I headed off on my errands, black cloud notwithstanding.

And then something wonderful happened. All traffic stopped while Mama Duck and her teens took a stroll. A group of about 20 had crossed just before these stragglers.

It's hard to stay under a black cloud when you get a moment like this.

My first major stop of the morning was a farmer's market. This one is at the train station in downtown Memphis and features, as one might expect, all locally grown vegetables as well as other vendors selling all sorts of natural or handmade products. I bought tomatoes, organic granola, and an ointment for my aching hamstrings.

I also learned that the local bike club sponsors a downtown bike ride that leaves from the market. I'll have to check that out further.

My favorite purchase, though, was a bouquet of fresh flowers from a local grower. In addition to these splashy zinnias, he made me a big, beautiful bouquet that included sunflowers, gladiola and {insert name of two flowers I can't identify here}.

What black cloud?

I returned home from errands in early afternoon, snuck in an hour's nap, and then headed out for a five-mile walk. As it turns out, it will be my last outdoor five-mile walk until the weather cools. I ran out of water around Mile 4, and my fanny was dragging. I'll either bike, use the treadmill here, or hit the elliptical at the gym for any longer workouts for the foreseeable future.

And that brings us up to now. I've just massaged the new Ginger Muscle Rub in to my fractured hamstrings and am waiting for it to miraculously return them to their underdeveloped but pain-free state prior to Wednesday night when Trainer Matt thought it would be fun to wrap a towel around my feet and hang from it while I attempted to "curl" him. My hamstrings may thank him later, but right now? Not so much.

A perfectly ordinary day in the end and not a cloud in the sky. I hope your day was just as blessed.

~

Notes from Nutrition Class I

I've never been a very good note-taker. I write things down and they make sense as long as I'm in the classroom, but once I factor in a little space and time, they're mostly nonsensical. I was afraid that would happen with my notes from my nutrition class on Tuesday, but this time I think we're in luck. I almost understand most of what I wrote. So without further ado...


As I've mentioned earlier, the instructor, Leslie, is a licensed nutrtitionist and follows a middle of the road approach to nutrition, mostly along the guidelines of the USDA's Food Pyramid. (I mention that to allow those of you who disagree with said pyramid a chance to bail out.)


Start where you are.
Leslie's opening comments included the advice she gives to most of her clients: "Let's start where you are now." (I *love* that!) She told the story of one man who needed to lower his blood sugar and lose about 30 pounds. When she asked him to share a typical day's meal plan, she learned that he was eating a cup of almonds and drinking 32-ounces of orange juice every day. (Proper servings are 1/4 cup of almonds and 8 ounces of orange juice.) She had him reduce just those two items to regular servings and his blood sugar corrected itself within a week. He only had to make a few more changes to get within the food pyramid guidelines. I believe she said he lost the 30 pounds in four months, but that's one of those fuzzy notes.


Macronutrients
Have you ever heard this term before? I hadn't. Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories and energy. They include carbohydrates, protein, and fats.


Carbohydrates (4 cals per gram) are the body’s main source of fuel. They are necessary for the needed for proper functioning of the central nervous system, the kidneys, the brain, and muscles (including the heart). Carbohydrates can be stored in the muscles and liver and later used for energy. (The trick, apparently, is to actually do something to use these jewels.)


Protein (also 4 cals per gram) are needed for the immune system and tissue repair . They preserve lean muscle mass and are used as energy when carbohydrates are not available.


Fats (9 cals per gram) are the most concentrated source of energy and are necessary for normal growth and development. Some vitamins (A,D,E,K) require fat to be absorbed into the body.
In a meal, fats slow down the digestion process so the body has more time to absorb nutrients. Fats are required to make hormones found in every cell in the body. Finally, we get our soft skin and hair from fats.


Micronutrients
Another new term for me and one that refers, generally, to vitamins and minerals essential to the body. Vitamins do not provide energy, but support energy processes. Some are water-soluble and any excess amounts consumed are excreted. The fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K), as mentioned earlier, are not excreted and it is possible to consume too much of those vitamins.
Minerals are not broken down during digestion. They aid in energy production, healthy bones and blood, and fluid balance in the body.

Leslie has a thing about Vitamin D, which is needed for the development of healthy bones and immune system function. It is also aids in the body's ability to absorb calcium. Vitamin D does not naturally occur in very many foods. It was believed that most Americans got sufficient Vitamin D through exposure to sunlight; however, if I noted this correctly, she said that new theories indicate that if you live north of Atlanta you are probably NOT getting enough sun exposure to meet the body's need for Vitamin D. (We are supposed to continue the fascinating discussion of micronutrients and Vitamin D at the next class.)

Functional Foods
Never heard of this category before either. Basically, functional foods may provide a physiological health benefit beyond those attributed to its naturally occurring benefits. Here, I listed insoluble fiber, probiotics and soy protein as examples. This area of food research is the most dynamic right now and new studies are emerging daily. Along with 40,000 new products exploiting those studies.


And that's that. Not a lot most of us don't already know (except, for me, the technical jargon), but it's certainly pointed out a few areas I want to explore further. More next week....

~

HYC Follow-Up and Class Mini-Report

You all sure know how to make a girl's heart sing! Thanks for the great feedback on this week's check-in! Following up on a few items...

Val, I think you might be on to something. It is probably that I'm doing it "the easy way"--proper portions, healthy foods, and exercise--which I didn't really think would work this well. :)

Katy and Skinny Inside, I wish I knew the final magic number--the weight charts are all over the place. My BMI is under 20 (still waiting for final assessment results), and I'm not sure what that means, if anything, in determining my ideal weight. At least a dozen people have told me not to lose anymore weight, but I still see the flabby stuff and can't help but wonder if it's possible to lose some of that flab if I lose a few more pounds. I just don't know what's the right thing to do. That's why I'm going to play around with setting my own goals (kind of try them on for size, if you will) but to be honest, if I don't lose another pound from what I weigh now, I'll still be satisfied with my results. For fun and entertainment, though, I've decided that I might be about 7.4 pounds from goal #1, 12.4 pounds from goal #2, and 17.4 pounds from goal #3.

It would be soooo cool to reach one of these goals, decide I'm too thin, and then have to actively try to GAIN weight. Something tells me it wouldn't be that difficult. :) Well, unless I was all healthy about it.

In case anyone has ever wondered why I don't post my actual weight on my blog when I have posted it in comments on your blogs, it's because I let some folks at work in on my blog link, and while I think I trust them, I'm a bit anxious that somehow the link might get spread around. I really don't want to sit across from a bunch of folks at a meeting and have them know what I weigh at any given moment. I'm not trying to hide anything here, so if you think it would help you to know where I started and where I am now, or if you're just plain ol' curious, drop me an email at cammysaid (at) gmail (dot)com and I'll spill. (There will, of course, be a slight charge for the information. Just to cover shipping and handling, you know.)

Deborah, you flatter me! You're also afraid of me and know that if you drop it all now, I'll just hop in my car and come to the mountainside. :) Seriously, you've come so far (over halfway to your goal). You're in it to win it, as they say, and I truly don't think there's anything that can stop you.

Pattie - I thank you for the offer of construction assistance, and while I hope I don't need the help, I'm awfully grateful it's there! Thank you.

Grumpy Chair - I haven't read Thin for Life, but I added it to my reading list tonight. The instructor in my nutrition class (more about that in a minute) recommended it. Two recs in one day will probably get it boosted up in the order. Thanks!

Those of you who commented about reaching goal range, well, let's just commit to sticking together on this thing. There's safety in numbers, or so I hear. :)

Thanks again for the wonderful comments!

On to the class! Who can guess what's unique about this picture? Besides the subject. (tee-hee!)


Give up? Okay, I'll tell you. When I walked into the room and saw these chairs, my first thought was, "Oh, shit." (Sorry for the language, but it's what I thought.) Many a miserable hour of my life has been spent crammed into one of these things. I used to pray for a lecture-style classroom with regular tables and chairs and would always cringe (and head for the back of the room) when I discovered this sort of classroom setup.

But that's over. For the first time in 30 years, I fit in a classroom chair. No spillage, no squished bits, I could even turn around and look behind me. I could freaking breathe. I was so excited that I asked a nice lady named Eileen to snap a photo to commemorate the occasion. ::is a nerd:: Besides, I needed a new photo to go with my new bling, which I forgot to update until midday. ::is a scatterbrained nerd:: Anyway, this is my -92.6 lbs picture to go with my new bling.

Now are we ready to talk about the class? Well, no, not really, because the instructor didn't cover much we don't already know. As a nutritionist, she follows a middle-of-the-road approach, especially with a diverse audience like a classroom setting, and pretty much follows the standard food guide for us average bears. She's also a bit of a Vitamin D freak, believing that we don't get nearly enough. I'll find out more about that next week. Tonight she mainly covered macronutrients (carbs, protein, fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and how our bodies use them. I did take notes and will try to get them transcribed and posted later in the week for discussion and debate. I'm out of time for now.

Hope you're all having a great week!

HYC Update - Week 24

I'm pleased, and a tad surprised, to report a 2.8 pound loss from last week (-1.6 from Friday). I honestly don't expect to see those kinds of losses this close to the goal range, but then I've never been anywhere NEAR a goal range before, so what do I know.

Average exercise was good last week, somewhere around 75 minutes per day. That includes a significant amount of heavy yard work (my neighbor keeps yelling at me to rest! LOL), two strength training sessions, one walk and one 8-mile bike ride.

Tonight is the first session of the nutrition class I signed up for. I'm really looking forward to it, as I'm starting to feel the faint stirrings of anxiety as I get closer to a maintenance lifestyle. Even though I'm the one who has made the healthy eating decisions, and I'm the one who exercised six days a week for the past year, and I'm the one who changed her longheld beliefs about fitness and weight loss, it all still feels a little bit "magical", as if I didn't really do that much. Which is crazy girl talk, I think, but then again, I never said I wasn't a teensy bit crazy. :)

Oh well, if the first year was "Getting to the Promised Land", we'll make the second year "Building a House in the Promised Land." I'm going to do everything I can to make it a sturdy house, able to withstand the fiercest storms, because it's where I hope to live for a long, long time.

I hope you all had a magnificent week. I'll try to check in throughout the day, but I'm not sure how far I'll get due to the class tonight. But I'll catch up eventually!

~

Makeover Monday: To Sleep Perchance to Be Fit

By now, most of are aware of the studies that show a correlation between getting proper sleep and successful weight loss. I don't know about you, but I took to my bed for a week after I first read about it. Nothing happened. Apparently it works best in conjunction with proper diet and exercise. (There's always #$@&$ fine print, isn't there?)

When I first started reading about this notion of sleep as a weight loss aid (and if you haven't read up on it, click on the link in the previous paragraph—it's interesting!), I decided to add improved sleep habits to my fitness repertoire, at least on weekdays. No more getting started on some writing project at 10:00 p.m., no laundry at 11:00 p.m., no midnight chats with friends—oh wait, I still do that on occasion. (West coast friends, you know…)

It's not as easy as setting an alarm to go to sleep. I can't just stop in the middle of an email, get in bed, and fall asleep within minutes. Unless, of course, I haven't been getting proper amounts of sleep for the previous days, and then I've been known to fall asleep on the way TO the bed.

No, for me it's a transitional thing. My mind and body need time to adjust to the new event. First, we were up and moving around for 16-17 hours, now we're going to be still and horizontal for 7 or 8 hours. I have to go through the routine of shutting down all my systems, so to speak, and getting ready for bed. A bedtime routine does that for me.

I've sought out various tips and tricks over the past months, and I'll share some of them here, just in case they may be helpful to anyone else who needs to improve their sleep habits.

- Take a warm bath just before bedtime. The drop in body temperature may send a message to your brain that sleep is needed. Using aromatherapy products (I like lavender anything!) via bath oils or scented candles will improve the effects. This is also a good time to brush your teeth, moisturize, wonder if you have any clean clothes for the next day, etc. All signals to your mind and body that bedtime is imminent.

- Complete some gentle stretches, breathing exercises, or meditation to calm your mind and body. My favorite is to breathe slowly, counting backward from 60, inhaling on the even numbers and exhaling on the odd numbers. (I 'm usually asleep before I reach 30. *g*)

- Going against some popular weight loss advice, I find that a light snack close to bedtime helps me sleep better. A couple of slices of cold pizza and a short beer
will usually have me snoozing—gotcha! I'm kidding, of course. I usually have a small piece of low-fat cheese or a container of Dannon Light n' Fit yogurt (vanilla, if you were wondering). I think the reason I've made a habit of dairy or soy products as a bedtime snack is that they contain tryptophan which can make you feel quite sleepy. (Think about the glass of warm milk concept.) I don't drink hot tea, but I have it on good authority that a pre-bedtime cuppa is also a wonder worker.

- Avoid activities that stimulate the brain or body just before bedtime: email, computer games, physical exercise, caffeine, horror or action movies, spicy foods, etc. (You'll note the absence of sex on the list of stimulants to avoid. It is, of course, an exception. So go forth and stimulate with glee.)

- Go to bed at the same time every night. This is easier for those of us who don't have kids, I think. And don't care if there are dirty dishes in the sink and/or a load of laundry still to be done.

- If you've done all of these things and sleep still doesn't happen, it's best to get up and go into another room until you're ready to try again. Reading a book or listening to soft music might just help! (I would suggest reading my past blog entries as a sleep inducer, but getting on the computer isn't advisable as a pre-bedtime activity.*g*)

Establishing a bedtime routine that promotes deep, restful sleep isn't accomplished with a snap of the fingers. It takes a little practice. But it's well worth the effort! We'll be more mentally and physically alert, and better able to withstand the temptation to choose the wrong foods or tank the exercise in favor of the sofa.

How do you ensure you're getting proper rest? Do you have a bedtime ritual? Feel free to share….

Happy Monday, everyone!


(photo by striatic)
~

Assessment Digest

The trainer's computer is down, so I'm not able to give a breakdown on improvement, but the short version for my one year anniversary assessment is....

81 lbs lost since June12, 2007, total lost 91 lbs!
50 inces lost since June 12, 2007
current resting heart rate: 66 bpm (last year: 80)
3-minute step test heart rate: 89 bpm (last year: 110)
bench press: 95 lbs (I tried 100 twice and just couldn't do it)
push-ups: 30 (a year ago I did 5 "elbow bends", not one single proper pushup)

I'm a little pleased. :)

Quickly thanking the academy:
A big thanks to my friends (Morgan, Moon, Marcy, Sonal and my workteam for encouraement, motivation, and handholding.

Unending gratitude to the trainers at Fitness Together for their assistance. I never expected getting fit to be so much fun!

A huge thank you to all of YOU for your constant and unconditional support. Going through this with people who KNOW what this struggle entails has made all the difference in the world. I thank you for sharing your journeys with me and for allowing me to share my progress with you!

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Now, I'm off to do yard work!

~

A New Day

You know, it's very difficult to maintain a blue-sy demeanor with you people dropping by with such warm and genuine good wishes. Thank you. :)



Today is a new day, and yesterday was an okay day after all. As luck would have it, I ran into a mutual friend of the disappointing friend and I, and without bringing up the subject myself, still learned that I'm not the only one who has been put off by her behavior. Doesn't make it any easier, but it does eliminate that pesky What did I do? thing that hovers around my heart even when my head knows it's not about me.

Last night was a good workout: a new exercise (renegade rows--bascially, plank position with dumbbells in my hands that had to be alternately pulled up into my ribcage) and a new world record plank for me: 2 whole minutes!

After the workout, I worked in the yard for an hour: SweatFest '08. It's incredibly humid, but it feels so good to be able to do these normal things now. Before, my lower back started hurting at the slightest exertion, and simple things, like cleaning out a flower bed, took forever to finish. Today, I'm squatting and lunging and bending and lifting without a thought about my back or anything else. I love progress. :)

I worked until after dark, and the reward for all of that effort was the sight of dozens of lightning bugs flitting around my back yard. I sat on the patio for a while and just enjoyed them. It's hard to be blue watching lightning bugs, too.

I'll catch up with your worlds today, and I thank you again for making mine a whole lot brighter!

Melancholy

I’m having the kind of day Timmi* here is having. I hate when that happens.

Normally I’m a pretty cheery kind of girl, but this week has been tough. I recently found out a friend wasn’t as…authentic as I believed her to be, and that’s sad. There are a lot of things I’m not (rich, thin, educated, etc.) , but you can count of me to be as honest, trustworthy, and real as I can be. Authenticity is important to me.

Okay, so what am I doing about it?

Absolutely nothing. Borrowing from MizFit’s Monday message: I’m not the problem.

Still, it’s sad to see a friendship fade, so I’ll allow myself a blues-y day. As long as it doesn’t involve climbing into bed with a box of Little Debbie’s Swiss Rolls and pulling the covers over my head, I think it should be okay. :) Besides, since tomorrow night is manicure/rest night, tonight is my “last chance workout” before the big assessment on Friday. That will be a big emotional energy booster, even as it drains every ounce of physical energy from my body. LOL

I hope you’re all having a Wickedly Wonderful Wednesday !
~

*Timmi is my favorite gibbon at the Memphis Zoo. She appeared to be so sad that morning. I honestly think it might have been some sort of primate PMS.

~

HYC Update Week 23

Happy Tuesday to all!

I was SO sure this would be a new bling week for me, but that blasted scale gave up a miserly 0.6 pounds, leaving me 0.2 lbs from 90! See, I *knew* I should've shaved my legs! (kidding, kidding. They're not that bad. ::shudder::)

Ah well, what are you gonna do? Cry about it?

Oh wait, tears have weight, don't they? Hmmm….Nah, they make me blotchy.

Big week for me this week on the fitness front. Friday is my one-year anniversary of working out with the Fitness Together folks (although I missed about two months of workouts for toe surgery and vacations) and we're going to do an assessment, the first one I've had since last September. (I'm holding onto a scant hope that there will also be cake to commemorate the occasion, but considering the look I got when I suggested it, I may have to wait until Cake Day, later this month.)

The assessment consists of a weigh-in, measurements of neck, shoulders, bust, waist, arms (upper and lower), hips, thighs and calves. Since my breasts are now located where my waist was and my waist slid down to the hip area, the results should be interesting. :)

Also in the assessment is a body fat reading, a resting heart rate and a post-cardio heart rate involving step-ups, push-ups, bench presses and a flexibility test. There might be other things I'm forgetting.

And an ultraslim possibility of cake.

Other than that, it will be another ordinary (and hot!) week for me. Hope you're all having a magnificent week! That's my wish for you, anyway.

Makeover Monday: Heads, We Win!

A few weeks ago, our Monday Makeover focused on feet. This week we'll move all the way up to the tippy tops of our heads and pay a little special attention to our scalps.

I don't know about you folks, but my scalp hasn't seen so much sunshine and sweat in years and years. Working up said sweat six days a week means that I'm shampooing and conditioning more than ever. Plus, having lost a significant amount of weight, my hair has "thinned" (my stylist's term), which is not unexpected and not irreversible. Between the exercise and the weight loss, my scalp must be very confused. It deserves a good pampering.

Massage is a good place to start with the scalp TLC. It stimulates blood flow which will help feed the hair follicles. This will help to prevent and fight thinning such as I've experienced and reestablish the natural development of healthy hair. Not to mention that it's very calming and relaxing.

Scalp massage is easy AND you can do it yourself, even while shampooing if you wish:

1. Starting on your forehead, move the pads of your fingers in a
circular motion all along the arteries in the front, side, and back of the head.
2. Take a moment to continue those circular movements along the tendons on
the back of the neck. Ahhhhh.
3. Work your circles back up toward the top of the head.
4. Continue the pattern for about five minutes.

To be most effective, scalp massage should be done twice daily, morning and evening. (Oh goodie, a new habit to build!)

More kindnesses for your scalp:
Avoid using blow dryers too close to your scalp and hair. Too much heat isn't good for either one.

Avoid getting hair products (conditioners, styling gels and sprays) directly on the scalp as this can clog your hair follicles.

As with your skin, avoid over-exposing your hair and scalp to the wind and sun.

After swimming, shampoo your hair as soon as possible to remove any chlorine residue. Chlorine is extremely damaging to the hair and scalp.

Avoid tight hats and caps as they contribute to poor circulation, depriving the hair of proper nutrition.

Speaking of nutrition, avoid "crash and fad" diets. (As if I needed to tell you all that.) Proper nutrition is a key factor for healthy hair and skin.

~

And that's that! Not a lot of work but a pretty nice payoff. Your scalp and your hair will thank you for it.

I hope you all have a healthy, happy week!

~

Bike Riding with an Attitude

Simply put, I am a rock star.

If you'll remember, I was planning to ride 12 miles today. Well, I overshot my mark and rode 13.2 miles!

My legs are a quivering mass of jelly right now, but I'm hoping that's a temporary thing.

I'm proud of this ride (as if you couldn't tell), because I was really lost in some negativity at around the 3-mile mark. I was on what has to be the bumpiest road in Memphis, it seemed as though I was having to tackle one hill after another, and my legs were just dead. My mind was cycling through (hee-hee!) one put down after another. I'm never going to get the hang of this. I ought to be able to go faster. My flabby legs look ridiculous. All sorts of useful stuff like that. Over and over and over.

Finally, after a mile or so of that, I got sick of my own self, and got back on track with more helpful internal stuff. I'm not going to get better by NOT doing it. I couldn't go even this far on my first few rides. My legs may be flabby, but they're strong. Ah, much better.

Only two significant events occurred on today's ride, both rather marginal. The first was when I approached an intersection and encountered one of the bike packs that regularly ride the area on Sunday mornings. These are Serious Bikers. They even have jerseys and wear bike shorts and keep pace with traffic.

And then there's me. Riding along at a whopping 10 miles per hour, with my too-big Fitness Together t-shirt and my flabby (but strong!) legs. They all looked at me and then at each other, as if to say, "Who the hell is this person, riding in our territory."

Then the light changed and they rode off, thus avoiding a potentially ugly Jets and Sharks moment.

Something about the way they looked at me (or the way I perceived it, to be more correct) sparked a little energy fuse in me, and I had a new mantra for the remainder of the ride to breakfast: I belong here, too.

The only other item of note was that I passed a dead possum on the side of the road. (If only I'd gotten there sooner!) I'm proud to report that I can now add 'Riding a bike with eyes closed and holding breath for 1/10 mile ' to my biking skills resume. Yuk!

Nothing else of note to report. Oh, wait! I almost forgot! JCPenney! No tip jars, but the cashier certainly deserved a big tip. They were having some sort of "early-bird" sale, and she got me an extra 10% off my purchase. It helped a LOT because I bought a pair of workout shorts, two workout tops (sleeveless!), two pair of every day shorts, a t-shirt, and a pair of pants. Pants and shorts were size 8's (!!!) and tops were all larges due to the flabby belly. (That's not a complaint: I started out in 2x and 3x. Large is a very good thing! *G*). I'm much more comfortable shopping in the "regular" section of the store now, feeling a lot less like an imposter than I did before. An NSV? I'll take it as one.

Is it lunchtime yet? That's the thing about a long ride. It takes a lot to fill up afterward. I'm off to do the countdown. I hope you all have a super Sunday!

~

An Epiphanette and Some Randomness

This doesn't quite qualify as a full-blown epiphany, but it is a damn fine idea, if I do say so myself. You know those cable ties used for organizing computer cables? You bought them but you never managed to get around to using them so they've just been cluttering up a drawer for the past four or five years? Oh, c'mon. I know I'm not the only one.

Anyway, did you know these cable ties are the perfect instrument for scrunching up t-shirt sleeves? Official sleeve scrunchies are around $5/pair, while cable ties can be found for as little as $1/dozen on Amazon.

Decluttering and new fitness apparel, all in one swoop. Some days I amaze even myself.

Continuing randomness...

Trainer Kevin is off in some bodybuilding contest this weekend, so Trainer Wayne pinch hit. Ouch. Dumbell Walking Lunges, Bulgarian lunges, and a whole host of other forms of torture. I loved it. :D Seriously, it was a great Friday night workout. Considering that my work schedule kept me from a proper workout on Wednesday night, I'm not going to complain too loudly. Well, except to Wayne.

More randomness: Today's DLM feed contained an interesting article: The 60-Second Guide to Healthy Living. Nothing new, but a nice checklist all the same.

Final randomness: Here's a new trend I'm noticing in local food-type places: tip jars at the cash register! ::scratches head:: I stood in line for 10 minutes, then waited the 2 minutes it took them to slide my sandwich down the veggie line, wrap it in paper and hand it to me across the counter. And for that they want a tip? Lest you think I'm sounding miserly, I promise I'm a generous tipper in full-service restaurants and other service venues (manicurist, hair stylist, etc.) I even double tip between Thanksgiving and Christmas! I just don't feel it necessary to tip for a 2-minute interaction in which the transactor moved a total of 3 feet. I'll admit I've given into it, to some degree, by dropping the coinage from the return cup into the tip jar at my favorite Subway (they start making my turkey sandwich when I drive up!), but I'm not all that happy about it as a general trend. And so help me, if there are tip jars at the cash register at JCPenney tomorrow, I'm going to 100% online shopping. I'll just have to learn to cook. ::shudder::

Well, I've zigged and zagged all over the place and made myself a little dizzy. I'm sure I've forgotten something along the way. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, I hope yours is superb and that you have a most enjoyable weekend!

~

On a Serious Note

Nothing funny or fun today, my friends. Our fellow blogger, Lisa, and her family are going through a terrible time just now. Lisa's sister, Michelle Barnoski, has been missing since last week. In her post today, Lisa shared a video link of a news story of her sister's disappearance. I hope you'll all take a moment to view it, especially if you live in Canada or the even the northern U.S.



There's not much really that any of us can do, except perhaps to send prayers or healing wishes the family's way. I can't even imagine what they must be going through.

~

Looking to the Future

One of the things that scares intrigues me about the future is how I'll adjust into a routine that allows the proper balance of nutrition and exercise for maintaining my weight. How many calories will I eat? How much exercise will I have to do? That sort of thing.

Today I took a step toward figuring it all out. I signed up for a class entitled "You Are What You Eat". (In my prior life, I guess I would've been Little Debbie Tostito, or something like that.) According to the course description, I will learn "...about types of nutrients, how much you need, functional foods, grocery shopping, meal planning, and physical activity recommendations." Among other things.

I probably know some of the material already (one would hope), but I figure it can't hurt to check this thing out and, perhaps, get some one-on-one time with a nutritionist. Besides, there might be people of the m-e-n persuasion there. :)

And of course, I'll share anything I learn! For free, too!

~

HYC Update Week 22

Well, well, well. You remember that pound I mysteriously, and through no fault of my own, gained last week? The one I subsequently named NED (not effing deserved)?
Well, NED has just as mysteriously disappeared into the night, taking a few of his unsavory friends with him!

Do NOT ask me how or why, but the scale shows a loss of 3.8 lbs this week! (I checked it twice!) That's a total of 89.2 lbs.!! Yikes! I still have no idea what my goal weight will be, but I do think I see land ahead. :)

Not much different planned for my week. I'm turning up the heat by planning a 12-mile bike ride this weekend. Other than that, business as usual.

I hope you all had a wonderful week and are looking forward to a great week ahead!

~

Makeover Monday: Turn Up the Heat

While our neighbors to the south will appreciate the warmth, many of you in the northern hemisphere might wonder why we're turning up the heat NOW (I heard you whining), with summer just around the corner. I'll tell you why: We NEED it.

So many of us are struggling with boredom and/or apathy and/or plateaus and/or regressions. Or all of the above. It's time to snap out of it and turn up the heat.

Clicking on the image below will take you to one of the best corporate motivational videos I've ever seen. Be warned, while the content is work safe, it does have sound! Powerful, inspirational sound. I recommend watching it with the speakers turned up LOUD. :) While it's great for the workplace, this video really packs a punch for the fitness-minded, especially those whose spirits might be flagging a bit.

From simple truths:

At 211° water is hot. At 212°, it boils.

And with boiling water, comes steam.

And steam can power a locomotive.

The one extra degree makes the difference.

I challenge everyone reading this (self included) to search within themselves to find that extra one degree this week. That extra minute on the treadmill, that one temptation resisted, that one elusive goal we just haven't been able to manage.

Until now.

None of these things, singularly or all together, is going to cause our weight to suddenly drop off. But then we're not looking for miracles; we're long past that. What we're looking for here is…steam. Steam is POWER, the very thing we need to drive ourselves to the finish line. Or at the very least, to keep us focused and moving in that direction.

The power to succeed is within us already. We just have to generate it. :)

How will you turn up the heat this week?

~

In Appreciation

Thank you all so very much for your kind words and warm hugs. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness.

There are times when death is a gift, and this was one of those times. A few weeks ago, my Aunt Cene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was a delightful woman, strong and independent (read: ornery) and fun. Until a few years ago when she suffered a stroke, Aunt Cene loved to read--four or five books each week, mostly Harlequin romances, to my dismay--and to cheer her grandchildren on in their Little League pursuits. Simple pleasures for a woman who was grateful for all that she had, even when it wasn't so much. She will be missed, to be sure, but then again, she left a little bit of herself in all of us who knew her. For that, I'm grateful.

The drive up to Nashville for the funeral was uneventful, thank goodness, as was the trip home. I stopped for gas at about 10:00 a.m. and realized then that with the visitation and services scheduled for 11:00 am. - 3:00 p.m., lunch wasn't going to happen. (Thanks, cousins.) A convenience store in Bucksnort, TN (really!) doesn't have a lot of healthy options, but they do have peanuts, and that's what got me through the next few hours. I'll tell you, though, after I cleared Nashville traffic on the trip home, I vowed to stop at the first fast food place I saw! LOL Wendy's won, and it was good.

So was the TCBY fat-free yogurt I had later. :) I'm not worried about the calories. According to the folks at caloriesperhour.com, driving consumes 200 calories per hour and I drove nine hours. If they're even half right, I'm covered.

I managed to get in a good workout yesterday, and I just came home from--ahem!-- an 11-mile bike ride. The hills, the hills....my legs are screaming bloody murder. I may have to spend the rest of the day soaking in the bathtub. LOL

I' m looking forward to catching up on what you all have been up to, and I think that's how I'll entertain myself throughout the day as I attempt to complete some of the multitude of chores. I also need to think about our Makeover Monday post. All I'm going to say is that it will be...intense. :)

Have a super Sunday, everyone! And thanks again for your many kindnesses!