Rearview Mirror: April 30, 2008

It was an intense day, much more emotional than I thought it would be. Still, it would have been sad to have spent 23 years with a company and not feel something upon leaving.

I received a lovely card and wonderful "parting gifts", including a Reebok aerobic step! (Thanks again, John, if you're reading this--the perfect gift to offset the homemade choco-chip cookies you also brought.) I left early afternoon and went straight to the gym. :)

Given the number of previously mentioned cookies I ate today, it seems particularly appropriate to take a look back in time at a previous post I had on SMART Splurging.

That's all I have for today. I'm wiped out. My body and my mind are screaming for pampering, and I'm going to indulge them. My RSS feeds are piling up, but I promise I'll get caught up over the next few days!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

Product Review: Dole Fruit Bowls with Sugar Free Gels

Note: If you are a "whole foods only" type person, this is not the review for you.

The kind folks at Dole asked me to conduct a taste testing of their Fruit Bowls in Sugar-free Gel, which they promote as a "satisfying, lower-sugar snack that fits your life." According to Dole, the sugar-free gels are 70 calories for each 4.3 oz. cup with 25% of the RDA of Vitamin C. Gels are sweetened with maltitol, a sugar alcohol. If consumed in too-large quantities, maltitol may cause a bit of digestive discomfort. Like so many processed foods, smaller quantities are advisable.

Which brings me to a disclaimer:, of sorts: I'm a firm believer in fresh, whole fruit as a grab-and-go healthy snack, but there are times when I run out of fruit before grocery day, or maybe my taste buds are wanting something a little "snack-y", or whatever. At those times, it's nice to have something lower in calories, but rich in flavor, on hand to fill the gap. This seemed like a product worth testing.

Dole said they'd send me "some product." Oh.My.Word. Did they ever! Two big cases of it. I had strawberry with pineapple and cherry with mixed fruit gel packs stacked all over my kitchen. It was beautiful. Snackville USA.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for me to realize there were far too many snacks for me to tackle on my lonesome. Enter The Tippy Toe Test Crew I (a.k.a. my co-workers), who were delightfully surprised to arrive at the office to stacks of free snacks, just one of the cartons Dole sent my way. (I'll get to the other test crew in a minute.)

My co-workers are a diverse group of folks, mostly accounting/finance professionals, who range in age from early 20s to mid-50s. They come from all over the US and beyond, including Turkey, Israel, Argentina, Canada, and Texas. (tee hee, couldn't resist the last one) Most are healthy-ish eaters, but few of us ever pass up a chance for cake if it presents itself. I was really curious as to how they would respond to this product.

The first comment was on the cherry jello. "T" said that she was surprised at the strong cherry flavor. She had expected some watered-down, hardly recognizable version of cherry present in so many products, but found the opposite to be true.

Fifteen minutes later, "S" reported in, saying that the cherry tasted watered down and was hardly recognizable as cherry.

Like I said, they're a diverse group. :) Both agreed that the fruit tasted crisp and fresh, and that the consistency was just right. I agree with both of them on that (especially the crispy fruit part), and I liked both the strawberry and the cherry flavors.

Comments compiled from other responses:
Just the right amount of sweetness, with no aftertaste.
Coloring on the cherry could be improved (a little pale)
Light and refreshing
Sweet tooth satisfied with one serving
Need to come up with another name than "gel"--kept thinking about hair gel
People will send you free food just for having a blog? Uh, I'll be in my office. {whispered: how do you start a blog?}

Saving the best for last, my favorite was from "J's" 2-year old daughter, who commented, "'Dis is good stuff!"

So the Tippy Toe Test Crew I's overall view of the Dole Fruit Bowls with Sugar-free Gels was positive.

I'm quite impressed with how seriously the crew members have taken on their taste tester roles. I'm not sure it's occurred to them that when I leave this week, I take the free food wth me. LOL I do appreciate their time and their honest comments.

Now, as to Tippy Toe Test Crew II--well, that plan took a right turn along the way. I had planned to send the other case of gels to my parents for testing with their Sunday School class, which is completely made up of the 60+ crowd, most on restricted diets and always on the lookout for treats What they've elected to do instead is to forward the gels to one of their pet projects, The Ronald McDonald House. The class provides and serves lunch there once a month for sick children and their families, and they're sure the kids will LOVE the snacks. I think they're right, and I don't think the Dole folks will mind. (If they do, they can let me know and I'll reimburse them for the products.)

If you made it this far and you're interested in trying this product for free, send me an email (see the sidebar of my blog for the addy) with your name and address. I'll send you some coupons. (Offer good while supplies last. I'll come back and do a strikethrough when I'm out of coupons.)

Thanks to Dole for providing this opportunity. Thanks to you for reading the review.


(For the record: I received no compensation from Dole for this review, and if the results had been negative, I would've reported that, too. I'd have tried to be nice about it, but I would have reported it.)

~

Makeover Monday: Storganizing Your Off-Season Clothes

Ahh, my favorite task of my favorite time of year. Putting away the bulky winter clothes and breaking out the crop pants, t-shirts, and flip flops. Unfortunately this year, I'm doing mostly putting away. It seems that most of my summer clothes are too big now. (It's a cross I'll gladly--and gratefully--bear.)

Looking on the bright side, at least I don't have a need to buy any office-y summer clothes. :D

So in the middle of sorting clothes, I decided the subject of storing and organizing (a.k.a. storagnizing, a term I did not originate) off-season clothes might be a timely and useful Makeover Monday topic. Please keep in mind that in addition to being an anti-example of weight loss and fitness, along with not being a physician nor a nutritionist, I am also not an expert on clothing storage. These are *my* steps and although I haven't lost a piece of clothing to storage in quite a few years, it is entirely possible that I am wrong. (Which would also make me lucky.)

Steps for Storganizing Off-Season Clothes

(Note: rampant linking to The Container Store occurs below, not because I'm affiliated with them, but because it's one of my favorite stores and I could get all my example links in one place.)

1) Before you dash off to any store to buy containers and such, first seize this opportunity to sort through your clothes and eliminate any that are unnecessary. This would include clothes that are torn, stained, stretched, out of style, etc.

Normally, I might include clothes that don't fit in the list, but we People of Many Sizes have "special issues". Some of us are waiting to fit into smaller clothes and others of us (who, me?) are hanging on to larger clothes, "just in case." My own rule of thumb is to keep only one size up, and only my favorites of those. You do what feels right to YOU, with the knowledge that I understand. :)

2) Go through the pockets of any clothes you're putting away. Not only might you get lucky and find ~$14.00 like I did, you'll also ensure that no pesky lipsticks or other products that could stain when the clothes are packed away are hiding, waiting to attack.

3) Launder or dry clean clothing before you pack it away. Minor stains could set, plus bugs and other icky creatures will eat through your clothing in search of that teensy little grape jelly (sugar-free, I'm sure) on your favorite sweater.

A couple of notes about dry cleaning: DO NOT store your clothes in their dry cleaning bags. The chemicals used in cleaning build up, along with (possibly) mildew and mold. Eeeew. Also, DO NOT have your clothes starched at the dry cleaners before packing them away. Bugs *love* starch.

4) Sort clothes by fabric type. Protein-types like wool, silk, suede, leather, or--Heaven forbid!--fur should be packed together in breathable containers to prevent drying out or cracking.

Plant-type fabrics such as linen, cotton, and rayon should be packed separately. Since bugs are more likely to go for the protein-y fabrics, having these clothes packed elsewhere eliminates them from the feast.

5) Choose your containers. For breathable storage, think canvas or mesh. For airtight storage, I prefer the under-the-bed type storage boxes for their size. I stack them on a closet shelf, instead of under the bed) as I find them to be less bulky to lift than the big tub-style storage boxes.

6) Consider using some sort of moth repellent. (Not everyone can, because of the strong scent.) Cedar is a good choice. Just remember to give the pieces a light sanding between seasons to reactivate the oil in the wood.

If you're using airtight containers, consider adding some desiccant packs to capture moisture and help prevent mildew.

7) Choose your storage location, which should be a cool, dry place. That, of course, eliminates the storage places most of us have and use: basements, attics, garages, and outside storage buildings. But moisture invites mold and mildew, and excessive heat can break down the fibers in fabrics, a lesson I learned the hard way when I bought my first house. Cool and dry is the way to go.

Guest bedroom closets are great for off-season storage. Under the bed works well if your bed is high enough. If you've got room in your main closet, stack the boxes in the back of it.

Another possibility is to create functional storage. Stack boxes bed or sofa arm height, and then put a round piece of wood and a cloth over them to create a nightstand/end table. (I know, too much HGTV.)

~~

And that is all I know about storganizing off-season clothing. Ironically, I am this (--><---) close to not needing any extra storage. After The Big Purge of "too big" clothing, I've done a pretty good job of a) not buying too many clothes (sports bras and socks, not included), and b) giving away things as I undergrew them. Given that I have a walk-in closet, I'm thinking I might be able to get away with winter clothes on the right, summer on the left. :)

Lord, have mercy, I do go on. You know the drill. If you've got any off-season clothing storage advice, PLEASE sing out! Do the same with any questions, and I'll pop back into the comments to offer an answer or an "I don't know."

Hope you all have a most marvelous week! It's gonna be a stressful one for me, but I'm going to survive it. Not without a few tears, I'm sure, but I *will* survive it.


~

Just When You Thought It Was Safe

Just When You Thought It Was Safe #1

I usually drive to my gym because I go straight from work, but since I had to go home first last night, I decided to walk. It was Earth Day, after all. Plus, it's not that far.

So I'm sauntering along, enjoying the fading sunshine and Fleetwood Mac on my shuffle, when out of nowhere I was viciously attacked!! In broad daylight, no less!! There were 5 or 6 of them all together--I lost count after a while--and I hate to say this, but they all looked alike. Fortunately I managed to get a clear picture of one of them:



I was so scared I actually broke into a run. I might have knocked one of them down as I zoomed past. I didn't stop to look, just snapped the picture and hightailed it to the gym, where I was extra vigorous in case some of their cootiecalories got on me.

The danger is past now, but I wanted to let you all know--it's still not safe Out There.


Just When You Thought It Was Safe #2

Today we had a going away lunch for a co-worker whose job was also eliminated. She chose Texas de Brazil, a Brazilian steakhouse kind of place. I checked it out online first (of course!) and felt reasonably secure in that they advertised a 60-ingredient salad bar. Also, I saw something about grilled chicken. Whew! I didn't bother to read any closer, because their webpage plays music that's incredibly annoying after about 12 seconds, but I felt okay about going.

Hah! What I didn't know was that it's a $20 fixed price (lunch only--dinner is much more) restaurant. Oh sure, they have an extensive salad bar with lots of fresh veggies and Mediterranean-influenced foods: black beans, tabbouleh, olives, etc. Plus they have about 40-50 varieties of olive oil and vinegar for dressing. (They have the creamy dressings, too, but not any that I like--double whew!)

When you return from the salad bar, you're given a small paper disk, green on one side, red on the other. The server tells you to turn the disk to the green side when you'd like someone to bring you meat and turn it to red when you don't want any meat. And he looks so innocent when he says it.

No sooner had the server moved on than swarms of servers started circling the table with huge slabs of grilled meats: garlic sirloin, something lamb, Peppercorn Beef, Brazilian sausages, Prime Rib, Parmesan Pork, Something Else Beefy (and really, really red), Spareribs--EGADS! It was non-stop! And my card was on red the entire time! I really wanted to enjoy my healthy (and rather significantly sized) salad first, but no--they were relentless!

After a while, a server stopped by with smallish pieces of grilled chicken breast wrapped in bacon, and having cleared a small open space on my plate, I took a piece. Well worth waiting for. By the time more chicken came by, I took two more small pieces. We guesstimated each piece to be about 1-1/2 ounces, maybe smaller. I also took a small piece of slow-roasted pork.

It was all delicious, but I swear, I've never seen so much meat in my entire life! Lord knows, I met my protein target for the rest of the week!

Desserts were magnificent, too. Since most of my co-workers are mostly healthy eaters like me, we ordered a variety and shared them along the table. I sampled turtle cheesecake and something chocolately. Good, but I'm just not used to a heavy lunch like that. Even during my bigger days, I didn't eat like that. It was like some sort of food orgy.

My going away lunch is next Wednesday. I'm not sure where we're going, but it won't be anything on that scale, I assure you. It was delicious, but there oughta be a law against serving that much food!


Just When You Thought It Was Safe #3

THIS would be so wrong.

And that's all I'm going to say about that.

~~

I'm looking forward to a wonderful weekend (starting with my last T.G.I.F. at work) full of exercise and fresh air. What's going on in your world this weekend?

~

Healthy Planet, Healthy Me (Recycled)

In honor of Earth Day 2009, I'm recycling last year's Earth Day post, which was a post I recycled from my old blog! If ever there was good reason to post recycled content, today seems especially fitting!

These are just a few things those of us pursuing a healthier life can do along the way to make our world a little better.

1. Opt for filtered water over bottled water. In 2001, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) reported that around 1.5 million tons of plastic are used each year to bottle 89 billion liters of water. Yes, we can recycle plastic containers, but do we really need to? How can we use our local water supply safely? Check out allaboutwater.org for all the info you can use about making your drinking water safe. (At minimum: why not commit to reusing half –or more—of the bottles you do consume?)

2. Eat less meat. Easy for a vegetarian, less so for those of us who like meat. But did you know that reducing our meat consumption (even by as little as 15%) would greatly reduce our risk of heart disease, diabetes, or stroke?

Why, yes, you say, I do know that, but what’s it got to do with the environment? Some sources report that livestock production is responsible for up to 18% of greenhouse gases created by humans. Factor in the amount of water required and the number of forests destroyed in favor of grazing land, and you have even more reasons to reduce your consumption of meat. You can find more info at eatlessmeat.org (At minimum: try going meatless one day per week by following some of these great tips.)

3. Buy fewer packaged products. We need more fresh foods anyway. By shopping the outer aisles of most grocery stores (bakery, fruits/vegetables, dairy, meat), we’ll cut down on sodium and other chemicals, for one thing, and for another, we eliminate a lot of packaging that will likely end up in a landfill.

4. Buy organic and buy local, when possible. We avoid those messy chemicals used in production and the noxious fuel consumed in transportation. Oh, and don’t forget to get yourself some re-usable canvas grocery bags. Opt out on paper AND plastic.

5. Walk your errands every chance you get. I'm fortunate in that my gym, a grocery store, a pharmacy, and a dry cleaner are close by, along with Subway, Starbucks, SmoothieKing and a couple of local restaurants.

6. Commit to carrying a sack and a pair of gloves on your walking route just one day per week. As you’re walking, pick up any trash you see and take it to your own garbage can/recycle bin. You’ll get extra exercise, your neighborhood will look better, and fewer items will be headed down the drain and into a local river or stream.

Those are just a handful of ways we can improve our environment as we improve ourselves. If you have more, I’d love to hear them.

~

Winners: NURU Exercise Anywhere Cards

Congratulations to Lisa and Emily, winners of the NURU Exercise Anywhere Cards.

Send me your mailing info (cammysaid [at] gmail [dot]com) and I'll get the cards out to you ASAP! Or Tuesday, whichever comes first.

Thanks to all who commented, and welcome, lurkers! You were all such great exercisers this weekend! Me? I worked out at the gym on Saturday morning and walked Saturday afternoon, then more walking on Sunday. A good weekend for me.

Questions answered:
Lisa asked how I got the NURU folks to send me the cards. Answer: No clue. The offer just showed up in my inbox. PR folks troll (in a positive sense of the word) the blogs looking for candidates that fit some profile they're looking for, and I guess mine matched this time. Woo-hoo! If only the Smart Car people would come by here! (C'mon guys, I'll take your cute little car--in red, please--all over the country and blog about it.)

SpunkySuzi asked how long it took me to get the cards. Answer: ForEVER, or so it seemed. It was probably more like a month. :) I had almost crossed them off my list, but they came through.

Kristi asked where to get the cards. Answer: Right HERE, for $9.95, which seems pretty reasonable.

Thanks to all! And thanks again to the lurkers, for giving me new blogs to read! Yum!

~

Makeover Monday: Take This Job....

As many of you know, my job is being eliminated at the end of this month and for the first time in over 30 years, I will not have an office to go to. This isn't entirely a bad thing. I’ll miss most of the people I work with, but I won’t miss working in such a large company (~3000 folks in our local operations alone.) As if having to work isn’t bad enough, with that many people crammed into a relatively small space(s), it’s an environment ripe with drama and stress. And I know that’s not a pitfall limited to large companies.

We savvy, fit people know that stress is not a good addition to a healthy lifestyle. Not at all. And we’ve got enough to deal with trying to get ourselves all shipshape without having to worry about some workplace brouhaha messing with our heads.

So this week, in anticipation of my next-to-the-last week at work, I’ll share with you some of my office stress coping strategies from the last 30 years, in hopes that any/all of them might help your days be a little smoother.

1. Be who you are. It sounds simple enough, but too often we let the expectations (real or perceived) of others shape our behaviors, especially if the so-called “others” are higher up the operational food chain. At the same time, we want to fit in and be comfortable with our peers. As we all know, frequently there’s a gap (and sometimes a gaping canyon) between the behaviors expected of the upper level folks and the ones we work with every day, and if we adjust how we behave to meet those differing expectations, pretty soon we’ll start feeling like we’re caught in an endlessly revolving door.

The best way to handle this duality, IMO, is to eliminate it. Be the same you (in all your wonderfulness) to everyone up and down the ladder. Sure, some folks might not like it at first, but you’ll be presenting your authentic self (the wonderful one) to all. Who they see is who they get—no matter who they are, and you’ll soon be seen as someone with integrity and without guise.

2. Don’t confuse who you are with what you do. I remember reading a quote years ago (and I’m sorry I can’t attribute it—it’s been eons since I read it), but it went something like this:

“If you are what you do, when you don’t, you aren’t.”

Meaning, of course, that if you base your sense of worth on your position, your salary, your perks, your proximity to the boss’s office, etc., then what happens if that’s suddenly taken away from you? You’re left with an identity void, and I can’t answer for you, but I’d be heading for the nearest Little Debbie rack to deal with that.

Now imagine viewing yourself based on your actions and character traits (honesty, compassion, committed, efficient, trustworthy, etc.). Those are portable and you can exit with your head held high and breathing deeply, because you know that no matter what you DO for a living, your value to the planet is still yours. Always.

3. Skip the gossip games. I fall victim to this far too often, which is why I almost listed it as #1. To make myself feel better, I distinguish between “informational gossip” vs. “malicious personal gossip”. The latter is never helpful, and I do a decent job of avoiding it. The problem with the “informational gossip” is that it’s still gossip—unconfirmed, unsubstantiated, and possibly unrealistic. While it’s sometimes nice to anticipate oncoming issues and start working on a plan (or an escape route), it’s often a waste of time and a senseless source of stress. It’s hard enough dealing with what you KNOW to be true to take on additional stress of possibly phantom issues.

4. Find a good vent partner. This is the person to whom you can “let it all out” but who you can trust to “keep it all in.” Sometimes the best stress reliever of all is a good old-fashioned rant, and once it’s out of your system, you can focus on the actual issues.

5. Create a positive personal space. Bring in pictures of people or things you love to create a calming influence. Keep small bottles of essential oils (lavender for peace, citrus for energy, peppermint for energy) in a drawer or cabinet. Play music or nature sounds in the background.

Caveat: Your need for calm shouldn’t shift your stress into your co-workers’ workspaces, so don’t go overboard with the scents, and play your music softly. Better yet, use earphones. Skip the music entirely if you can’t resist singing along.

6. Take small breaks throughout the day, including your lunch break. Get up, walk around. Find an unused quiet space to do some deep breathing. Stretch. Laugh. Read a chapter of a book. If you can get outside for a few minutes for some sunshine and fresh air, fantastic!

For lunch, leave your work area. (I can count on one hand the number of times each year that I eat lunch at my desk, and some of those were because I used my lunch hour for shopping or something else fun). A midday break can clear your mind and re-energize you for the rest of the day. If it’s accompanied by a healthy lunch, even better!

7. At the end of the day, leave. Completely. Create an end-of-day process that signals your mind that your workday is over. You might take a moment to jot down your stopping place and where you want to start the next day. Put away any items you no longer need to have out. Develop a ritual that says, “I’m done here for today.” And then leave.


Not a lot for 30 years, but those are the highlights. I left out profanity usage and snacking, because while they made me feel better for the moment, in the end they weren't particularly effective coping strategies.

I know folks (self included) would love to hear any good strategies you've developed for dealing with workplace stress, so don't be shy about shouting them out. And if you have any questions, ask away. I'll do my best to hop into the comments and see if we can't figure out a solution.

Meanwhile, here's me, wishing YOU a calm, stress-free, and productive workday, no matter where it takes place.


~

Saturday Double Feature (includes a giveaway)

How many of you are old enough to remember Saturday Double Features? (Not me, I'm sure I just read about them in a history book or something.)

First Feature: It seems I am the 259th blogger to receive the Nuru Exercise Anywhere cards, but I'm not complaining. (Though I might have if I hadn't liked them.)

But I do like these cards.

If you haven't read about them, the Exercise Anywhere product is a deck of thirty 2"x3" (approximately, since I can't find my ruler) laminated cards containing illustrated exercises that can be done...well, anywhere. In addition, the cards contain information and advice on strength training--how to work the major muscle groups (chest, back, lower back, shoulders, arms, etc.) along with sample workout suggestions, including some cardio work.

The deck is divided into sections based on muscle groups and each exercise is presented in easy-to-read language with decent illustrations. They also include variations for beginners to advanced, so there's a little something for everyone. And the best part of the program (IMHO) is that you don't have to have any special equipment to do the exercises! A couple of exercises use a towel or a step, but the focus is on using body weight, which is what makes the exercises so portable.

Plus, you gotta love an exercise product that encourages TV watching. (Really! They actually said that on the back of card #3! )

Okay, what they said was to use commercial breaks to "Work hard, then reward yourself with a cool glass of water and 10-15 minutes of TV goodness." Which is pretty much the same as ordering me to watch HGTV for hours, in my book.

While I have no complaints about the cards or the exercises (quite the opposite, actually), I will mention that the little clip ring thingie they provided to link the cards together almost took out one of my freshly manicured nails. Had it actually happened, this would've been an entirely different review, lemme tell you.

But disaster was averted, and I can happily give the product two thumbs up. Or I guess I should use two toes up to follow my blog theme. But that reminds me of my sister's wedding pictures, in which yours truly has her big toes pointed skyward in every single photo. No idea why, but there it is, recorded on film for the merriment of my family forever. (Pity the photos didn't last as long as the groom, which was a matter of months. ::snerk!::)

Good Lord, could I get any further off topic?

Back to the Nuru Exercise Anywhere Cards: I have a couple of sets available for two lucky readers. All you have to do is GET UP and do some sort of exercise (yes, you may count walking to the mailbox and back as long as it's more than 25 steps away). Then report in and let me know what you did to move your body.

Contest is open until Sunday (April 19th), midnight, central US time. I'll ship them anywhere humans deliver, so international folks are welcome, too! De-lurkers get two entries.

Thank you to the Nuru People for providing the cards and for eventually getting them to me. ;)

Second Feature, two shorts:
For those of you who like to keep your goals in plain sight, these goal boards (via unclutterer) are cute. Unfortunately, I don't have a giveaway for them, but you can't win 'em all, can you?

And an article published a few weeks ago on DLM that I forgot to link here, Seven Dieting Mistakes You Don't Know You're Making, is a really good checklist of things to watch out for when trying to lose weight.

Sheesh. so much typing! I think I need to go soak my fingers in ice. (Hey! I heard that, whoever made reference to soaking my head! Not funny. Okay, it was, a little.)

I hope you've all had a marvelous Saturday and that the trend continues on Sunday!


~

Things You May Want to Know

First, a personal note: Thank you all so much for the well-wishes! I'm definitely on the mend and returned to work today...just in time for a group birthday lunch at a local restaurant, The Half Shell. Not too much of a problem, though, as they offered a blackened chicken salad that seemed harmless enough. Until I forgot and chewed on the right side of my mouth. (Only took a split-second to remember!)

Okay, onto the news o'the day:

This from Associated Press: There's a product recall on certain brands of fitness balls sold between May 2000 and February of this year. Brands listed include Bally Total Fitness, Everlast or Valeo. Apparently the problem occurs when the ball is overinflated, which causes it to burst during use and sending the exerciser crashing to the floor. (This would come in just as I'm ready to blow up my brand new ProSpirit 75mm ball. But all is well. I double-checked the proper inflation and I feel good about the results.)

Picture Yourself Thinner reports that the updated price for the "projected results" images is $19.99. You'll remember this firm from the generous giveaway last month. (Winners, you're welcome to share links to photos if you'd like. Or not. Your choice. :))

A Weight Lifted is hosting a Mother's Day Essay Contest you'll definitely want to check out. The prize is a week's stay at their spa, Green Mountain at Fox Run, which looks like a little bit of Heaven.

The Daily Plate, which I know some of you use, was reviewed (positively) on MakeUseOf.com today. If you've been wondering what all the fuss was about, you might check out their review. (They also link to reviews of other weight loss tools.)

Anyone see this video, which captures Jillian Michaels between segments promoting her new book? I'm not sure what to think about it, so I've decided to actively NOT think about it. If I could see an uncut version of the video, I'd feel okay getting all puffed up about it, but since I can't be certain of the context, I'll let this one slide. Could be something, could be PR for the book. ;)

(10:43 a.m. edited to add an alternate link, since the one I previously provided doesn't go to the correct video. Thanks, Ceres, for the heads up!)

I'd much rather be happier, and in case I didn't know how, the folks at yahoo provided this interesting article, "9 Ways to Get Happy in the Next 30 Minutes."

That's it for me today. I'm pooped! Hope you're all looking forward to a fantastic weekend ahead!

Recovering...and Dreaming

Greetings from post-op (a.k.a my bedroom). I survived the oral surgery just fine, although I look a lot like Jay Leno just now. Only without the million$. Or the penis.

The procedure I had is an apicoectomy, which I think of as an inside out root canal. It involves a small incision, a little grinding and snipping, and then a few stitches. I was able to have the procedure with a local only and was done in about an hour, start-to-finish. The aftermath yesterday wasn't pleasant--not because of the surgery, but because of a severe bout of nausea caused by the pain killer. I switched to ibuprofen last night, and all has been calm since then. Just sleeping a lot...and reading blog posts...and thinking.

On this blog and in comments on your blogs, I've tried to share the possibilities of success for all, but I often lack the right words to express what I'm trying to say. It's frustrating beyond measure, because I know how much we all want to realize our dreams. And I know we all can.

Yesterday I saw something that underscores the point beautifully. If you've been anywhere on the internet, you've seen this story, too.

Susan Boyle dreamed of being a professional singer since she was 12. She's now 47 and lives in a small village in Scotland. Last weekend she appeared on Britain's Got Talent, where her performance....well, check it out here. Please.

Listen to her beautiful voice (but not the lyrics; like most of Les Mis, the lyrics will make you want to slit your wrists), and then think about what that moment meant. For 35 years, Susan Boyle dreamed about it. She faced enormous struggles and roadblocks, but did not let them derail her completely. She sang in her church choir and at karaoke nights, continuing to develop her voice, and then she stepped out. She signed up for the show and in a matter of minutes has taken the world by storm.

What strikes me when I watch the video (and I've watched it several times over the past few days), it's that while her voice is truly breathtaking, it's not those few minutes onstage that tell her story. It's 35 years of dreaming, 35 years of never giving up, 35 years of judging herself by what she had on the inside, not how she looked on the outside, that make her performance not just beautiful, but heroic.

In my eyes, anyway.

I believe that each of us has the power to achieve our dreams...or some measure of them, anyway. If we step away from the mirror and look inside ourselves, we can find our strengths, our tenacity, and our courage, and we can succeed.

I've enjoyed (am enjoying) the achievement of one dream--losing 100 pounds and getting healthier. You may all be very thankful to know that it is NOT my dream to become a professional singer. No, my other dreams are to maintain a healthy lifestyle and also, to use that success somehow to inspire others to do the same. Oh, and to find a sustainable income afer April 30th. :)

I have just one question for you: do YOU believe YOU can achieve your dream? If not, what can I (or any of us) do to help you get there?

Wishing you all sweet dreams...and the joy of achieving them.

Makeover Monday: Happy Feet, The Sequel

In one of our earliest Makeover Monday posts, I went on and on discussed the necessity of treating our feet well, especially now that many of us are discovering our inner athlete.

I've linked to the original post, but for the digest version, basically what I said was this:

There are three fundamentals of foot care:
• Wearing appropriate shoes
• Exercising your feet daily
• Pampering your feet after each exercise session

Now, those are all great tips, but raise your hand if you see the glaring omission.

SOCKS! I never mentioned the importance of choosing the right workout socks! And me a confirmed sock-a-holic, yet. Sheesh! All I can say is I apologize, folks, and will do my best to remedy the situation right this minute! After all, choosing the appropriate socks is every bit as important as getting the right shoes!

For me, there are three fundamentals in choosing the right sports socks:

• Fit
• Fabric
• Thickness

The Right Fit
I have big feet and for some reason, the sports store I frequent is often out of my size. {grrr} I used to make the mistake of buying men's sports socks in an equivalent size and that just doesn't work for me. Men's socks typically have a bit more toe room, and the extra material tends to bunch up on my feet. Ouch.

I'm a firm believer now in buying socks that are shaped like your feet. The ones with ribbing around the middle part are great for holding the sock in place. Also, I prefer a seamless toe in the sock, the better to match the seamless toes on my feet.

The Right Fabric
Cotton and wool are fine for dress socks, but acrylics or acrylic blends are the best way to go with sports socks. Why? One word: wicking. You'll need it if you're going to be doing some serious exercising. Wicking pulls the moisture from your feet and help keep your feet nice and dry, thus limiting the potential for developing ugly (and workout-halting) blisters. Watch for words like CoolMax or Dri-Fit on the sock packaging.

The Right Thickness
It took me a while to get this, but I finally figured out that different workouts are better served by choosing a variety of sock thicknesses. For strength training in the gym, I like a thicker sock as I tend to sweat like a stuck pig perspire more. For walking or straight cardio, a thinner sock seems to work better. It makes sense that if I'm choosing which workout shoe to wear based on what I'm doing, that I'd want to consider different socks as well.

My favorite brands of workouts socks are Balega, Thorlo, and Asics. (They're not paying me anything to say that, either. Although I wouldn't be above accepting it, if they offered. Even if it's just a pair or 10 of free socks.)

For another list of recommendations (probably from someone more learned than yours truly), click here.

Bet you think I've exhausted my knowledge of socks, don't you? Well, you're wrong. Two more, and then I'm on my way.

1) In an embarrassing display of "do as I say, not as I do," I will caution you to inspect your socks for wear and tear and get rid of them when they begin to look worn. For one thing, the wicking might be less effective, and also, even a teensy, tiny hole can cause a blister. (I'm working on this one, I promise. I now have the world's largest collection of dust rags to prove it.)
2) Don't forget to take your sports socks with you to try on athletic shoes. Street socks just don't cut it for determining how well shoes will jibe with the socks you wear when working out.

And that's it! I'm done!

Oh wait. No, I'm not. It probably doesn't have to be mentioned, but I'd be remiss (negligent, even) if I didn't mention that socks should be laundered after each use. I'm all for cutting down on our water usage, but workout socks should be exempt from double usage.

Okay, nowww I'm done! If you have any sock info or a favorite brand to pitch, or even a cute design for a sock puppet, feel free to shout it out!

I hope you all have a marvelous week!

And a sekrit message to those of you who indulged in chocolate-y goodness over the weekend: it's not the end of the world. Chin high as you embrace a fresh week! You'll be fine!

PEEPing in for an Update

HUGE thank you for the amazingly helpful responses to my previous post re: smoothies, used sports bras, and music. (A weird combination when I see it like that.) I went to the grocery story this morning and got some OIko yogurt and bananas. I already had a lot of the other ingredients. Although thanks to Selma, I have to make a last minute dash for some 1% cottage cheese, but for something as decadent-sounding as a cheesecake smoothie, it will be a journey well worth making!

I think I've found a taker on the sports bras, but I thank you all for weighing in on the issue. In the end, I don't think I would purchase a sports bra at the thrift store (though about 1/2 my current wardrobe comes from there), but if I needed one and didn't have enough money to buy one new, it would be nice to have the opportunity to buy some that were in good shape. (The worn ones are history.)

Again, I appreciate all the comments and recommendations. You guys are awesome--I hope you know that! And I hope you know that I know that! :)

In personal news, today was the dreaded/cherished Family Easter Dinner. The menu: Turkey, dressing, green beans (greasy Southern style), corn, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, two kinds of fruit salad, deviled eggs, and rolls. Needless to say, with all those carbs I had to use my monthly splurge. The good news is that when I went for my post-feast walk (45 minutes), I fairly flew!

In anticipation of the feast (which I just learned of yesterday), last night's gym workout was strenuous. I tried something a bit different in that I started with 10 minutes of elliptical intervals, then did my first circuit of weights (squat/bicep curls with the ball, tricep kickbacks on the ball, and shoulder presses--you guessed it!--on the ball), then went back for 10 more minutes on the elliptical, before moving on to the second circuit (drop lunges with weights, vertical rows, and lat pull-downs.)

I had planned to do another 10 minutes on the elliptical, but I was running out of time so I moved straight to core (jackknife, twisting leg raisees, crunches on the ball). Finally, 5 minutes of moderate bicycle while I stretched out my upper body. A good workout for me, and I brought it in just under an hour. I think next time, I'll skip the middle elliptical and do some mountain climbers or jumping jacks to perk things up between sets. :)

Before I close for the day, I would be remiss if I didn't pay homage to that Easter icon, The Peep.

Photo credit: Brent and MariLynn on Flickr

Did you know...
It takes six minutes to make one Peeps chick.
Original Peeps have a shelf life of two years.
More than 5 million Peeps are produced each day.

(From RealSimple magazine, April 2009)

I'm not really a Peeps person (until they come in mashed potato flavor), but if you want more Peeps trivia, click here.

Okay, I've got to go. I just noticed that the Peep is driving a Little Debbie Swiss Roll and my mouth is starting to water uncontrollably.

Wishing you all...
Happy Easter, Chag Pesach Sameach, one really great Sunday, or all of the above!

In Need of Your Advice

I know what you're thinking. Isn't she supposed to write a post giving us information?

Sorry about that. I'll try to find something useful to impart over the weekend. But I'm not optimistic.

A few things I could use your advice/thoughts on: (yes, I *know* that's a preposition dangling there at the end)

1) Calling all smoothie recipes - I'm having oral surgery on Monday morning (after I have a pile of pancakes), and I'm thinking I'll be on soft foods for a few days. I'd love to have some smoothie recipes to try, so if you've got a fave, I'd be grateful if you shared the recipe. I'll be doing the yogurt, oatmeal, and pudding thing, too, but I thought some smoothies might be a welcome departure.

2) On sports bras - As I mentioned some time back, I have a few sports bras. Many of them are size extra large which is about 1-1/2 sizes too large for me, but they're in great shape (like their owner--tee, hee, couldn't resist) and I hate to toss them. Is it bad manners to offer them to someone else or even to donate them somewhere? Would YOU buy used sports bras, if they looked nice and clean? (Would you like to receive some free used sports bras via mail? LOL)

3) Workout music -- I'm about ready to download some new tunes for my workouts. What's one tune on your play list that you can't live without?

And there was something else, but I forgot what it was. It's been a long week.

(Edited, with great embarrassment, to add a big THANK YOU for your help! Told you it had been a long week.)
Hope you all have a spectacular weekend! And safe travels is you're on the road!

12 Quotes To Help Us Focus

I always feel great when I'm able to talk myself "up" on a stressful or blues-y day, but sometimes the well is dry. Or maybe it's a just a little low. Or maybe the pump handle is just rusted. Or...well, you get the picture. It's on those days that I turn to my quote file to make use of other people's words. Here are a dozen or so quotes that always seem to help me refocus:

Ever notice how your mind calms during or after exercise, or you find the perfect solution to a problem?
"Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity." - John Fitzgerald Kennedy

When the scale or the tape measure have you feeling blue...
"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going." - Beverly Sills

Have you ever thought you'd screw everything up, and then you went out and did it?
"If you don't have confidence, you'll always find a way not to win." - Carl Lewis

When you feel like taking a day (or a week or a month) off your plan...
"Continuous effort -- not strength or intelligence -- is the key to unlocking our potential." - Liane Cardes

I get this now...
"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination." - Tommy Lasorda

For when you find yourself trying to 'splain your actions...
"Bad excuses are worse than none." - Thomas Fuller

Day after day after day...
"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." - Jim Ryun

Most of us want to BE fit; how many of us want to GET fit?
"What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." - Peter F. Drucker

I'd have been in the gym YEARS ago if only I'd listened to the Babe
"Never let the fear of striking out get in your way. " - George Herman "Babe" Ruth

For the chronic over-thinker (and I know it's not just me)...
"You cannot plow a field by turning it over in your mind. " Unknown

and my two all-time favorites:

To remind us it's all about growth
"Success is never final and failure never fatal." - George F. Tilton

I use this one almost every day.
"Fall seven times, stand up eight." - Japanese proverb

I hope any or all of these will inspire you as they've inspired me!

Makeover Monday: EggMania!

Not a vegan-friendly post. Sorry!

Easter is next weekend and even for non-observers, it’s kind of hard to miss what with all the Easter candy advertisements. For Unhealthy Cammy, this season used to be an excellent opportunity to stock up on peanut M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. In celebration of the end of candy-centric holidays until Halloween, Healthy Cammy is choosing to focus on that other Easter staple: Eggs!

Many years ago, the prevailing wisdom was that eggs were Dangerous! and should be avoided or severely limited. Eat more than a couple eggs a week and you might as well keep a defibrillator on hand, because a heart attack was likely imminent. We switched to egg whites, EggBeaters, and other egg substitutes, or we scanned e-Bay hoping to pick up a defibrillator at a good price.

Fast forward a few years. The whole egg lovers among us rejoice in the news that conventional wisdom has shifted. For most folks (that would be those who don’t have high cholesterol, diabetes, or other heart issues), eggs are now seen as a healthy addition to a nutrient-focused diet.

Consider this: one hard-boiled egg has 70-75 calories, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 6.3 gram of protein, and lots of cool riders like Vitamin b12, phosphorous, lutein, selenium, riboflavin, and so on. It also has 200+ milligrams of cholesterol, which is 2/3 of the daily reference level and virtually ALL of the recommended daily TOTAL for cholesterol patients. So, the fine print is that it’s all in our preparation and what other cholesterol-bearing foods we’re having that day. (Turns out that butter we scrambled our eggs in and the sides of bacon or sausage might have put us a little over the top. The buttered biscuits and hashbrowns likely didn't help.)

Some healthy options for preparing eggs:
-My favorite is hard-boiled, straight from the fridge. An ideal grab-and-go breakfast, especially when accompanied by an oatmeal chaser.
-My second favorite is hard-boiled, chopped, and stirred into my tuna salad, along with apples and celery.
-A friend’s favorite is one raw egg, stirred into her morning serving of oat bran.
-Other people’s favorites:
Deviled Eggs
Eggs Florentine-style Breakfast Sandwich
Red Beet (or Pickled) Eggs
Spanish Breakfast Scramble

More egg considerations:
- The types of eggs you buy makes a difference. Gone are the days when size was all that mattered. Now, most grocery stores carry all kinds of eggs, from standard to cage-free to Omega-3s. Nutritional components vary, so know your eggs. Click here for a nice guide.

- Egg safety is also important. Click here to find a list of good safety tips, including how to choose your eggs, how to store them, how to cook them so that you don't get salmonella and die (even though your heart is healthy), and other important info.

- Finally, the almighty egg is also good for more than just your belly. Who knew they were also useful outside the kitchen? I'll tell you who knew: the folks at Reader's Digest and Lifehackery, whose interesting suggestions include:

* Using the whole egg, the white, or the yolk in facials and shampoos
* Use the egg white as an effective paper glue
* Scatter the nutrient-rich egg shell in your compost pile
* Water your plants with the water in which you boiled your eggs
* Place a few broken egg shells around and on plants as a pest repellent (and try not to think about the fact that your breakfast is also an effective tool to combat slugs)

Your turn. Any exciting egg news or recipes or uses to share? Let us know in the comments!

Weekend Roundup

Me!Me!Me!
I went for my annual blood pressure screening this week. Still on the medication, but it was close. Normal EKG. Resting pulse rate: 57! (Woo-hoo! Down from 80-something two years ago!)

I also checked with him about the bald spot, and he believes it's some sort of fungus. When I haughtily informed him that I don't DO fungus, he informed me that I'd be dead if I didn't. :) Turns out we're all just walking bundles of fungus just waiting to attack. Who knew. Anyway, he's prescribed some sort of ointment that he thinks will take care of it. For $117 (more expensive than all my shampoos combined), it should clean my house and mow my lawn, but if it brings back my Brazilian-Bronze-with-Honey-Caramel-Highlights hair back, it's well worth it.

Blood test results are due in next week. Along with the normal scans, we're checking for thyroid issues. The good news is that absent any other symptoms than hair loss, the good doctor doesn't expect to see anything icky (my term, not his.)

Interesting Links I Found Recently
I got this link via Unclutterer: Still Tasty . You can read all about the shelf life and safe storage of your favorite foods.

Alex Shalman, writing for Dumb Little Man, had a great article: How to Avoid Overreacting and Acting Like a Juvenile. Not that I needed it; I just thought some of you might. ::snerkle!::

Money Savers
How to Save $100 (or More) at the Grocery Store This Month, from Get Rich Slowly. Mostly common sense things we already know, but I bookmarked the article for the links to good coupon sites.

The Picture Yourself Thinner folks read your comments on our giveaway last week and were inspired to offer a special rate to readers f The TippyToe Diet. Instead of the regular price of $24, for the next two weeks you can get a "thinner" photo for $15.99! Woo-hoo! I love a sale! (non-disclaimer: I receive no compensation from PYT, unless you count the warm fuzzies.)

And that's my contribution to the end of the week! Other than to wish you all a most marvelous weekend!

SWOT Yourself

Don't worry; I'm pretty sure it's legal in most jurisdictions.

What is this SWOT of which I write? SWOT is an acronym for a planning tool used in business and project management. I've used it before at work, but it also has a place in our fitness world.

Simply put, the idea is to take an objective (lose weight? work out regularly? drink X amount of water? eat more fruits and veggies?) and analyze the factors that will impact your chances for success using these categories:
- Strengths: internal traits that could prove helpful in achieving the objective
- Weaknesses: internal traits that prevent you from achieving the objective
- Opportunities: external helpful factors in achieving the objective
- Threats: external and potentially harmful factors in achieving the objective

For example, one of my objectives is to do "core work" every day. Let's SWOT that:
Strengths - an established workout habit, can make workouts "fun"
Weaknesses - borderline laziness, inhibited at gym
Opportunities - gym membership, access to online core workouts, support through blogging
Threats - too many beefies at gym, bikini magazine covers

A short (and little thought-out) SWOT, but we're talking theory here.

Okay, what do I do with this information? (Hint: this is the fun part!)

The trick now is to analyze and strategize. How do I make the best of the best and overcome the worst?
-How do I capitalize on each strength?
-How do I improve my weaknesses?
-How can I make use of each opportunity?
-How can I mitigate each threat?

A few things that come to mind are to:
* dedicate part of my current workout to core work
* scout the fitness websites to find good core exercises
* create a game or "contest" to challenge myself
* find out when the beefies aren't at the gym and go then (until comfort factor is improved), OR do core work at home (I have all the equipment I need)

You get the idea. It's all about identifying what works well and doing as much of it as possible and finding "work arounds" for the things that get in the way. I hadn't realized it until today that I basically SWOT-ted my way through 100 pounds.

But what if the weaknesses and threats are too overwhelming, or the strengths and opportunities don't exist? Well, maybe that particular objective isn't worth pursuing.

I hear you: So, you're saying I shouldn't keep training for this marathon?

Not me. I'd never say that. What I'm suggesting is that if your objective is to run a marathon but your SWOT looks like this:
strengths: desire to run marathon
weaknesses: have never run a 5k
opportunities: a good pair of running shoes, lots of books on running marathons
threats: working two jobs, going to school

...that maybe--and I do mean MAYBE--you re-think that particular objective. Temporarily, anyway. Maybe your objective changes to "Run a 5k" with an eye on the marathon objective for later.

I realize that this may only make complete and total sense to me. And that's okay. It wouldn't be the first time, won't be the last.

But if you've a mind to take a good hard look at your fitness objectives, I toss out the idea of the SWOT to help you sort things out. If you'd like to share here, that's great, but if you want to keep things to yourself, that works too. The intent is to get your mind in gear so that the hiney might follow. :)

Happy mid-Week!