Get Your Mo-Mo Going

Mo-mo, in tippytoe speak, refers to momentum and motivation. I'm a strong believer in both as key factors in weight loss success.

It's easy to understand how motivation helps us. We list the reasons we want to lose weight, usually post them somewhere, and then refer to them for inspiration. Or that's how it works for me.

Momentum has always been tougher for me to explain. But yesterday, I ran across the following passage in my book o'the week:

"The moment you fall in love with the sound of progress is the moment you stop hearing everything else."

Richard Murphy Confessions of a Contractor

Happy sigh....That sums it up perfectly for me! The energy from momentum often drowns out the internal chatter along with the external temptations, and provides the fuel I need to keep moving forward.

Wishing you time this weekend to get your mo-mo going, to remember your motivation(s) and then to be still and listen for the sounds of progress...

Link Sharing and Pearl Winners

Good morning! I'm not naming names, but someone on this blog isn't going to fit into her pants if she doesn't get out of Chicago (beware the Greek diners in the suburbs!) and move on to other venues. Meals have been healthy but larger than normal. Thank goodness I'm still getting in lots of walking. I did the Brookfield Zoo on Tuesday and Oak Park (Frank Lloyd Wright homes) yesterday. Today it's on to Grand Rapids and a meet-up with some friends.

Before I hit the road (and sit there, most likely, with Chicago traffic being what it is), I'll congratulate LadyVea and Vraz60 for winning the Pearls of Wisdom! Ladies, if you'll email me your shipping info, I'll get them in the mail to you from Grand Rapids. My blogbiz addy is ttdinbox at gmail dot com.

Last thing, interesting (I thought) links accumulating in my reader:

App Review: Markadee: Achieve Goals By Tracking Your Steps Daily

17 Things you Should Stop Doing via (via unclutterer.com)

3 Ways to Maintain Your Weight While Working Behind a Desk

Finally, great article and interesting (and funny) video:
Buying Food: Grocery Shopping Tips from 1950

And that's it from this traveler. I've had my slice of pb&j toast and a dose of caffeine, and I'm ready to hit the road. Hope you all are having a splendid week and are looking forward to a great weekend!

PSA: Pearl of Wisdom

Getting the swag at BlogHer'09 was fun, but if you added up the retail value of all of it, it would probably total something like $50. Except for one piece.

This swag fell more into the realm of "priceless":



This is a Pearl of Wisdom, a small pin created to symbolize cervical cancer awareness and prevention. The pins are sold by The Pearl of Wisdom Campaign to Prevent Cervical Cancer. Proceeds are used to support cervical cancer prevention programs and activities. You can also send a virtual pearl via the linked website.

Cervical cancer is preventable, but since it doesn't usually cause symptoms until the advanced stages, regular screening is critical! The Pearl of Wisdom site contains good information about both the Pap Test and the HPV test, so please take a moment to check it out.

I got caught up with my testing earlier this year, and what a relief that was! I had gotten a few years behind due primarily to body issues and such, but I've made a commitment to myself to stay current with my tests in the future. I hope you'll do the same, or for the fellows, that you'll encourage the women in your lives to do so. The peace of mind is worth the indignity of the test, I promise.

Back to the pearls, I received two pearls and I'd like to share them with two of YOU. Requirement for entering: visit the Pearl of Wisdom site and check out the articles on HPV and Cervical Cancer. And that's all that's required for entry. Let me know if you learned anything new. (I know I did!)

I'll draw two names on Thursday a.m. (US Central) and ship the pearls out as soon as I can find a post office. Contest open to ALL.

Outside of the contest, if you are behind in your screening due to body/weight/size issues, I am available for private and virtual hand-holding through the process. No doubt, others would be more than willing to step in, too. (Chime in here, others!) YOU are worth it, so please reach out if you think it would help!

Makeover Monday: Something New-to-You Week

Let's do something fun and simple this week, something new.

That's the whole thing. That's this week's Makeover Monday tip: Do something new to you this week.

Before you start shouting for refunds, consider two things:
1) I'm seriously sleep-deprived
2) This is free [insert adage about getting what you pay for here]

But also consider how much fun it is to try new things. The planning, the anticipating, the trying. Sometimes, if you're like me, the trying is followed by the laughing, but just as often, it's followed by the loving it. It doesn't really matter, because either way, we win.

I like the comfort of the familiar as much as the next person, but I also have a tendency to get a little stuck there. The familiar is usually easier and almost always safer. You can't fail if you don't try. What a horrible way to go through life and a reminder that on occasion, the trying is followed by the crying.

Years ago, I made a mistake at work (disclosure: it wasn't the only one) that resulted in 5 people having to stay late on the very night the Lakers and Celtics were playing Game 4 of the NBA championship. That bit of trivia stands out because one of the guys reminded me of it every few minutes.

As I sat there trying to recall if there was a nearby rock to crawl under, one of the managers of the group stopped by my desk and offered me a bit of wisdom that has stayed with me for all this time:

The only ones not making mistakes are the ones not doing anything.

I use that phrase a lot for inspiration for work, yet never thought about how it applies to this healthier living stuff until a few years ago. I realized that I wasn't even trying to address my weight and health because I was so afraid of failing again. So I didn't do anything.

But that was then. Now, I'm trying new things all the time.

Life is fun that way. Trying new things--regardless of their success potential--will keep life interesting and keep US interesting. There are other benefits to trying new things, two I wrote about previously:

JOLT Yourself to Good Health
Aerobics for the Brain

I hope you'll join me in trying new things this week. If you care to share, we'll cheer you on in the comments.

My new things for this week will mostly involve exploring new-to-me areas of Chicago and southwest Michigan. (Anyone in the Grand Rapids area? I'm there at the end of the week.) At the end of the week, I'll be visiting with some old friends and meeting some new ones at a writer-ish type event.

I'm also learning the ins and outs of Twitter. Yes, they got me. I had planned to have accounts for other things, but I was nagged encouraged to add @tippytoediet to the Twitter family. I'll learn badges and such later, but feel free to look me up and let me know you're there.

This was a scattery kind of post (like that's something new), but my brain is an itsybit fried at the moment. Please forgive.

*(Anyone in the Grand Rapids area? I'm there at the end of the week.)

ETA: 4:38 p.m. My brain is so fried, I forgot to hit publish. LOL

BlogHer '09: The Aftermath

The BlogHer organizers warn you that you'll want to leave room in your suitcase for carrying your swag home. Someone even suggested packing an extra collapsible bag. Forget the extra suitcase: I need an extra car. Seriously!



This is the Day 1 stuff. Add in two more tote bags of goodies, including two free books, and you'll see my dilemma.

And this is not to mention all the food and drinks available every time we turned around. Before it was over, I was making a conscious effort to avoid making eye contact with anyone who looked like they might want to give me something.

I even passed up the free Levi's post-it notes! (And y'all know of my love for office supplies.)

While the swag is lovely and fun, the biggest bang for my dwindling bucks was participating in the community of it all. It's the strangest experience, alternating between feeling empowered and capable of achieving every single dream I've ever had...and feeling humbled, awed, and totally inadequate in comparison to some of the amazing accomplishments of others. But even that's good. If nothing else, I had the concept of infinite possibilities proven to me. Over and over and over again.

BlogHer'10: New York City Start saving now!

Today's a vacation day for me. After a swing by Mary's place, I'm off to the 'burbs for a visit with friends. I have no idea what we'll be doing, but I hope it doesn't involve walking. Or cookies. :)

Hope you're all having a splendid weekend!

BlogHer'09: The First Day

What a capital-I-Incredible Day! I'll give you the quickie rundown before I scoot out for yet ANOTHER day of craziness.

I did meet-up with that delightful and charming JC, who is every bit as wonderful as I thought she'd be. (I wasn't REALLY worried.) We keep passing in the hallways but have not managed, so far, to actually sit down and talk. I'm hoping that changes today!

I'd had the pleasure of meeting Carla, of MizFit, last fall in Austin and really looked forward to seeing her again. Fortunately, I got my wish! She's as fun and funny as ever!

My next treat was meeting the seriously gorgeous Sahar from Fat Fighter TV. In addition to being a passionate advocate of all things healthy and sharing her knowledge with the rest of us, Sahar also makes beautiful wine charms. Who knew?!

My walking buddy Mary dragged (yes, dragged, as in I would have kicked and screamed but I didn't want to cause a scene, plus I was too tired) to a room party sponsored by the Energizer-bunny people, where we received lovely party swag but even MORE importantly, I scored a trifecta in the people-meeting sweepstakes! Are you ready for it? Krissie from Questions for Dessert, Miranda from Fat Bridesmaid, and Lorrie from Token Fat Girl! We only talked for a few minutes, but it was enough for me to know that I want to move wherever they live.

Non-fitness bloggers who were suuuuper nice and fun to talk to:
Andrea at MommySnacks.net, a deal$ finding DIVA!

Carrie at Money Saving Methods, who said she could save us some serious money and after a quick glance at her blog, I think she may be right.

There were quite a few other folks, as you can imagine, and more than a few truly great moments. I'll have more to share in the days (months, perhaps) ahead, It's been a most awesome event, and we're only at the halfway point.

Bye for now...

BlogHer Starts with a Bang

Well, it hasn't actually started yet, but yesterday was so much fun I decided to lump it in with the whole event! I met MerryMary mid-afternoon for a much-anticipated walk through downtown Chicago, and oh my Lord, how we did walk! We covered Millenium Park, the Navy Pier (where we waited out a rain shower and yakked), Lake Shore Drive, the Gold Coast, and Michigan Avenue. I think we were up and walking for something like 4-1/2 hours. Due to our damp-from-rain-and-perspiration states, we opted out on meeting other bloggers last night.

So this morning it all gets official. I'm hopinghopinghoping to meet up with my other Southern sister, JC, at breakfast! And then even MORE bloggers! There are a couple of presentations I plan to attend today, along with the exhibitors area. I'm also hoping we fitness/weight management people got our own table for the community lunch.

Tomorrow will be more of the same, I'm sure. There are fireworks downtown tomorrow night, and I'm looking forward to that as much as anything else. :)

Hope you're all having a wonderful week! I'm being a lousy supporter this week, and don't think I don't feel badly about that, but I hope I can make it up to you later!

On The Road Again - North

Technically, I'm not yet on the road, but I soon will be. I had a gazillion and two things I wanted to post about today, but there's just no time. The cooler summer weather here in Memphis and all points northward have thrown a kink into my planned traveling wardrobe, so I've been scrambling to patch together a different plan. Crazy weather.

I'll blog from the road, but I wanted to share one of the new stories from StoryPeople. (Y'all remember them from the lovely giveaway they provided.) This one is called Saving Up:

saving up a bag full of peak moments she's going to have someday if she can ever get away from all the same old stuff that's holding her back & you can pretty well guess how it's going

I love this reminder that life is not meant to be "saved up." It's meant to be lived, every single day. No waiting for a someday that might never get here. We have to go out and get it.

Or get as close as we possibly can to it. Life isn't perfect, and we can't always have what we want rightthisveryminute, but we can damn well sure try.

With today's sermon completed (apologies for that, but I have my reasons), I'm shutting this computer down (and remembering to turn the power strip OFF) and heading off on my newest adventure.

But first a mani/pedi. :)

Makeover Monday: Got Confidence?

The long-awaited BlogHer'09 conference is this week! After months of planning and anticipating, scrimping and saving, I'll finally have the opportunity to meet some of my fellow bloggers and chat Live! In Person! I'm looking forward to two days of learning and laughing.

But as much as I love meeting new people, I still approach these situations with a little bit (or a lotta bit, depending on the event) of apprehension, wondering how I'll be perceived by others and hoping I "measure up." Years of frequently being "the biggest girl in the room" will do that to a person. (A few of you may know where I'm coming from with that.)

My confidence level is actually pretty good right now, but just to be on the safe side, I'm dragging out my bag o'tricks to make sure it stays there. If confidence is an issue for you, feel free to join me in slaying the savage beast!

7 Ways to Build and/or Maintain Your Self-Confidence


Inventory Your Assets - They're the things that make you uniquely YOU, the qualities and characteristics that draw other people to you. You have them in abundance. I wouldn't allow you to read my blog if you didn't. The way we see ourselves often affects the way other people see us, so list the things that make you special and worth knowing. Review your list daily, several times a day if it helps.

Use Instant Replay - Remember a time when you were successful at something. It might have been a work project or helping a friend resolve a problem or getting your kids through a difficult situation. Recalling those times will help cement the notion that you HAVE experienced success before, and there's no reason the trend can't continue.

Imagine the Worst - Give yourself a finite amount of time (5-10 minutes or so) to visualize the worst that could happen. Work through all the possibilities. Blow it way the hell out of proportion. Of all the things you come up with, I'll bet the only one you probably couldn't handle would be a worst case scenario that ended in death. I'm serious. If I think about BlogHer, the worst thing that could happen is that I drop dead of a heart attack when I walk in the door. Anything else seems rather minor in comparison.

Act the Part - There's absolutely nothing wrong with acting confident until the real deal catches up with you. I remember a story that was used in workshops of days gone by about a young girl being pushed down onto her school bus seat by her brother and his friend. Every time she started to get up, they pushed her down again. And again and again. Finally she was still, but with her fists clenched tightly, she scowled at the boys and shouted, "You can push me down all you want, but I'M STANDING UP INSIDE MYSELF." That's all acting the part is, standing up inside yourself.

Clean Up Your Language - Now is not the time for I can't or I'm not or I'll never. Or any of their cousins, for that matter. It's perfectly okay to acknowledge your limitations, but take care to phrase them properly. I'm building, I'm trying, I'm working toward--these are all honest, but positive and filled with possibilities. (This is my personal toughie.)


Visualize Your Success - I use this one a lot, as it's part of every goal-setting project I've ever undertaken. In this case, take a moment to close your eyes and see, with your mind's eye, the confident version of yourself. Do it enough times and it starts to merge with reality. The neat thing is that YOU don't even break a sweat!

Smile - So simple. So effective. When you feel your confidence slipping, smile, smile, smile. And then hold on tight for the surge of endorphins. Smiling makes you feel better about life in general.

Those are just a few of my tricks for maintaining (and sometimes resurrecting) my confidence level. Feel free (read: I'm begging you) to share any of YOUR techniques.

Wishing you all a marvelous Monday!

~

Crazy Thinking

Every morning I run through a little Cammy Inventory. How do I feel? Exercise going okay? Eating in check? Clothes still fit okay? To-do list getting smaller? Things like that. This morning was an awesome inventory, unexpected given the emotion and stress of attending (and being asked to speak at) Kathleen's memorial service. Not to mention that Mother Nature is gearing up for the big whammy. But I had worked my way through the week in good form and felt good about myself as I headed off to the gym.

And then (c'mon, you knew there as an 'and then' coming, didn't you?), as I was walking into the gym, I decided to get on the scale for a "sneak-peek" weigh-in prior to the weekend. Silly Cammy. According to the metal beast, I am up a whopping four pounds since Monday! Talk about surprised.

The fifteen-second walk to the back of the gym was gruesome. Four pounds might as well have been forty. Why was I even at the gym, when it was clear it wasn't doing any good? I was doomed and regretted giving away all my larger clothes, because I was certain to need those size 22 pants before the weekend was over. Crazy thoughts.

As I was cleaning my mat, the niggles started:

• Hey, weren't you the woman who, not fifteen minutes ago, was praising herself for being on track? Yeah, you said your nutrition could use a boost (hello leafy greens), but you also said that your calories were normal and that your clothes felt fine.
• And aren't you the woman who has already done 250 push-ups this week and is preparing to do 125 more in the next half hour, not to mention all the sit-ups and squats and cardio? Didn't you move from week 3 to week 4 of your training even though you thought you couldn't?
  
• Think, Cammy, think. Did you have 14,000 extra calories between noon on Monday and this morning? Have you had 14,000 extra calories this year even? Because that's what it would have taken to earn a 4-pound gain. Use your brain.
  
• And hasn't it always been your belief that the scale captures a single moment in time and isn't the greatest measure of success? And that sometimes it's a big fat liar, anyway? Especially if you've been doing the right things.
• And do you think there's the slightest chance that Mother Nature hovering around your body, poised to attack at any moment, might explain how you could take an unjustified gain and transform it into disaster and certain ruin?

That was the point at which I started laughing. I laughed so hard that I'll never get invited to breakfast now. The breakfast club probably thinks I'm certifiable, and they wouldn't be far from the truth. Because that's just crazy thinking, the kind of thinking that kept me in the diet cycle for far too many years. The kind of thinking that traps many people.

Our weight fluctuates, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot. Mine usually bounces around 2 pounds or so, up and down, before coming back to the goal mark. It doesn't seem to be related to anything I'm doing. It appears to bounce of its own free will. That's why I don't record weight in my notebook, but I do record the minutes exercised and any splurges I have along the way. Those are the only things I can control.

Even though the whole episode lasted less than a minute, it bothered me. Not the fact that I was surprised. Who wouldn't be if they'd been on track, even a wider track like mine? What bothered me was the way the crazy thoughts rushed in. I thought I was beyond this kind of crazy thinking, but it seems I'm not. I do pat myself on the back for stopping it fairly quickly, and I'll take it as a sign of some progress.

This is the largest gain I've shown in the nine months I've been at goal, and I'm guessing that's the reason I didn't take it so well. Since I haven't even had any splurges and I've been exercising regularly, I suspect I just haven't caught the scale at this particular time of the month yet. Thus, my plan is to do nothing different this weekend and see if the scale returns to normal next week. I suspect that it will.

I share this in the event that anyone else is experiencing, or feels close to experiencing, a scale-based meltdown. My hopes are that you will also see that that's just crazy thinking, and that even when our thoughts go wacky, a quick reality check can talk us down from the ledge, so to speak. As long as we focus on the actions we can control and react with our brains as opposed to our hearts, we'll be fine, with doom and ruination nowhere on the radar. :)

Hope you have a great weekend!

Put a Block on Porlock

Anyone ever read Samuel Coleridge's poem, "Kubla Khan"? If I have, I don't remember it, but I'm fascinated by the story behind its composition. And my fascination means you suffer. That's not fair, is it?

According to Coleridge's notes, the poem came to him during a vivid dream (likely assisted by opium, to which he had an addiction) and consisted of several hundred lines. When he awoke he immediately began writing like crazy to capture the dream on paper, but he was interrupted after the the third stanza by "a person on business from Porlock." Returning to his poem an hour later, Coleridge discovered that he could no longer recall either the dream or the lines he had composed while he slept. It was all gone!

This "person on business from Porlock" has never been identified, nor has the reason for his visit, but he has come to symbolize the way life can sometimes trample visionary genius.

Oh, I hear you: What in the hell does this Porlock's visit have to do with weight loss?

Nothing really...unless you liken it to the beginning of your weight loss/fitness plan. It's all very clear exactly what you want to achieve. You can see it, hear it, taste it, feel it--your future success is so vivid in your mind that it has practically already happened.

Time passes and you're living the dream, making it happen, seeing the results in front of you...

And then some wacko like Porlock knocks on your door.

He may come in the form of an unsupportive friend or family member. Or maybe he's not a person at all, but an event--a family celebration, a holiday, or a vacation that sends you off your plan completely.

Your Porlock may be the clock that you can't wrestle into coughing up an extra hour for your exercise, or the bakery on the corner with all its tempting delights.

Or maybe you're your own Porlock, interrupting your vision and getting in your own way.

The trick is to identify this Porlock's knock and DON'T ANSWER THE DOOR. Know that he's out there, ready to visit at any moment, and develop a strategy for dealing with him effectively.

~

Porlock has been quiet lately around here, thank goodness. In previous fitness attempts, stressful situations such as family illness or work crises would send me to the nearest drive-through. Now, I head to the gym or lace up my walking shoes instead.

Porlock can't interrupt me if he can't catch me. :)

But I still know he's out there, wandering the streets. Waiting.

~

Who or what is your Porlock? And what can you do to stay on track despite the loud and insistent knocking?

Does This Dress Make You See Red?

You may have seen the news that some Delta flight attendants are upset over the addition of a new uniform option designed by Richard Tyler. What makes this newsworthy is that the dress is available only to those who wear size 18 or lower--a "small 18", according to the union rep. Some attendants want that changed, arguing that other uniform options are available up to size 28.

My first thought (beyond why would anyone want that dress?) was surprise that some flight attendants would require a dress in plus sizes. When my aunt was a flight attendant (back in the day when they were called 'stewardesses'), there were strict height and weight restrictions and pre-flight weigh-ins with penalties for exceeding the guidelines.

But then I remembered reading reports several years ago that those restrictions had been "relaxed." Since I firmly believe that fitness and capability are not tied to a size, it makes sense to me. I'd much rather have a strong and able size 22 woman taking care of my flight than someone like my aunt, who was sometimes so weak from starving to meet the pre-flight weigh-in that she could barely stand up to deliver the pre-flight instructions.

But back to the dress. This story brought up some strong memories for me, primarily the overwhelming embarrassment at not seeing my size 3XL listed on an order form for a softball jersey or event t-shirts and having to ask whoever was coordinating the order if larger sizes were available.

Or another memorable moment when a co-worker kept insisting--in front of our entire department--that I try on a size medium jacket. I was probably 1x or 2x at the time, and I could look at the jacket and see that it was too small. (Another friend opined that our co-worker probably didn't see me as being obese, which is a good thing, but she should have hushed after my first no.)

The most recent memory occurred a couple of years ago and now that I think about it, it may have been one of the catalysts in my newfound resolve. It's a long story, but the short version is that everyone at the family reunion was taking turns having their pictures made in a specific shirt. (It was a joke for a cousin who couldn't attend.) I knew the shirt wouldn't fit me, and I tried to avoid the photo by being the photographer (raise your hands if you've ever done that!), but a well-intentioned aunt kept prodding me to put on the stupid shirt. After the third time, I told her that it wouldn't fit. She replied, "Well, you can just hold it up in front of you."

Um, no. I didn't care to have the moment memorialized forever in film, that I was too fat to fit.

And that brings me back to the red dress. In my 98% emotionally-tinged opinion, Delta should make the red dress available to all attendants. Even the guys, if they're so inclined. Not doing so sends a message that larger employees "don't fit" and that they're not valued as much as smaller employees. I don't like that.

All that said, I still wouldn't wear that dress.

It is entirely possible that I'm missing something big here (no pun intended), since I am awash in some ugly memories. What do YOU think? Should Delta provide the dress to all employees, regardless of size? Or do you think this is just one of those 'tough luck' situations?

Makeover Monday: Are Your Affairs in Order?

I'm offering something of a downer topic this Monday, and I apologize for that, but I have my reasons--two, in fact: Beverly and Kathleen.

Beverly was one of my best friends for 15 years. Estranged from her own family, she adopted mine and often shared holidays and other special events with us. We all loved her and she loved us. Beverly died four years ago at the far-too-young age of 52. When she was diagnosed with colorecetal cancer, she assured me she had her "affairs in order", but she didn't. I don't know if she thought she had taken care of things, or she just really didn't want to deal with it, but it made her final days a living hell for those of us trying to ensure she received proper care and that her wishes were honored.

Kathleen was also a good friend, one I had known for 23 years. Kathleen died yesterday with her family at her side. (I had visited her just two hours earlier.) Like Beverly, Kathleen did not have her "affairs in order", which has kept her family's hands tied in trying to handle things over the past few weeks. It will all work out okay in the end, but it just didn't have to be this difficult.

None of us likes to think about it, but estate planning is something all of us should do, no matter our ages, our marital status, or the number of assets we do or don't have. We should do it simply to take the burden from our families and ensure that our desires and wishes are honored.

I won't even pretend to know all the intricacies of estate planning. I *do* know that there are two aspects we need to consider:
1) A plan for living
2) A plan for...well, not living

Pause for a moment of re-emphasis: None of what follows constitutes legal advice. Please consult an attorney for that, not someone whose legal knowledge comes from Perry Mason, Petrocelli, and endless reruns of Law & Order.

Our living plan should include the following (at minimum):

a) a durable power of attorney, which basically enables someone to handle financial matters on your behalf. In preparing this document (or having it prepared), you can choose to limit its effect to only those situations in which a doctor certifies that you are unable to handle your affairs, or you can set up an active power of attorney that allows someone to take care of issues for you in the event you are temporarily incapacitated or unavailable. Without a POA, your family or other survivors will have to petition the courts for the right to transact business for you.

b) a medical power of attorney or health-care proxy, which appoints a person to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. This includes consenting to give, withhold, or cease any medical treatments or procedures, including those that are life-sustaining. If the person you wish to designate as your proxy is not a family member, you will also want to include a statement that this person is allowed to visit you in the hospital. (In the U.S., this is especially important for gay/lesbian couples and straight-but-unmarried couples, in the event the hospital has a family-only rule, or if the family chooses to be…difficult.)

c) a living will details the types of medical treatment you do and do not want and can be used in the event you are unable to speak for yourself.

One important note: in addition to completing the necessary paperwork and filings, be sure that you discuss each of these issues with your family members, especially those you are designating as your “agents”, so that everyone understands your wishes and their roles in your future.

You can find out more about power of attorney issues at nolo.


Okay, that takes care of the living plan. What about the alternative? Ick, but let’s cover it anyway.

A will is a road map for distributing your assets and property, establishing guardianship for your children, managing any property on behalf of your children, and ensuring all of the above are done properly. Without a written, signed, and notarized will, your family and/or loved ones will have to navigate the court system, which could cost countless hours and dollars, not to mention emotional hardship.

If you don’t have many assets or personal property and don’t need to establish guardianship for children, you may be able to use a simple no-frills will using a standard form such as the one available on nolo.

If, however, you have children, or if you have complicated distribution issues, you need to work with an attorney. (Personally, I’d consult with an attorney either way.)

Two notes:
1) Remember that, by law, pets are property too! Be sure to include them in your will.
2) As with the living plan, discuss your will with your family and loved ones so that everyone understands your wishes.

All of this is depressing to think about, but making plans now can save your loved ones a lot of stress and potential legal hassles at a time when they are least likely to be able to handle it well. If you haven’t gotten your “affairs” in order, I encourage you to do so NOW. I met with an attorney not long after Beverly died and for one fee, he set up both the living and the not-living plans. It was neither easy, nor pleasant to work through, but I feel much better having it all in place.

Again, I'm sorry for such an intense subject, but I truly did feel it was a very necessary topic for the day. (And I promise to choose something cheerier for next week!)

With that, I'm going to do everything in my power to spend the remainder of today celebrating life. I hope you will do the same.

~

Weekend Wrap-up

Wowza! What a week!

Good thing I took a rest day on Thursday because Friday's workout was brutal. I actually double-checked all the little training booklets to make sure I had written down the appropriate number of reps, and more than once I considered backing up to the the previous day's counts. But I was determined to try (we have to at least try, don't we?) and before it was over, I had completed (spread over five sets) 100 push-ups, 152 sit-ups, and 137 squats. I freely admit that the last 3 push-ups in set 5 were mostly just elbow-bends with only a slight dip of my body, but there's time enough to work on that next week. I won't be moving forward on the training plan until this particular day is a little easier to complete.

Today's exercise was a Surprise! walk, in that I went to saddle up (a.k.a. get on my bike) and found the back tire flatter than a...flat thing. I vaguely recall a few pieces of info from a bike maintenance workshop I attended last year, but it involves gears and chains and stuff, so I think this will be one of those outsourced things. (Besides, I just got a fresh manicure and I don't want to risk the nails.)

So instead of riding 10 miles, I walked 5. That seems like a fair exchange, especially since the heat index was about 147 degrees, give or take. Unfortunately, my iPod shuffle continued to act up and I was without music for the second half of the walk. There are some days that would be fine, but today the music would've helped.

That's it for me. I'm pooped.

Hope you're all having a great weekend.

So that this post might prove even somewhat useful, I'm including a handful of links for your reading pleasure:

8 Perfect Fitness Foods from Yahoo!

10 Little Tips to Turn Negatives into Positives from Persistence Unlimited

Don't Break the Chain (goal-setting software) from makeusof.com

Ready to Buy Some Exercise Equipment. Read This First. from WiseBread.

Oh, the Joy of the Beloved Rest Day & Links

First of all, a huge Thank You for your wise, funny, creative, and supportive comments on my last post. If I haven't told you all lately how much I adore you, I'm doing it now. You rock!

Yesterday's gym workout was much the same, although I don't think there were any breakfast discussions. I wasn't really paying attention. :) There's a new guy at the gym, one who actually makes eye contact and smiles. When he sat down to use the bench next to me, he even asked if he was "crowding" me too much. And that was it. Friendly, without being chatty, and courteous. Perfect. (Caveat: I don't know if he wiped down the bench when he was done, but he looked like the type who would.)

Those of you who have been around here awhile know I'm fairly preachy about observing the weekly rest day. When we're working out regularly, our bodies need the break. In fact, they'll often demand it. Even if I wanted to work out seven days a week, my body would signal its inner three-year old to drop to the floor and throw a full-out tantrum.

Yesterday was my "6th day workout", and my body reminded me of that fact, emphatically. So today is a rest day. Ahhhh. I've been accomplishing so much around the house that I have declared it a "to-do" free day as well. Ahhh-to-infinity. I think I'll head to the zoo--where I will stroll, not zip--and then lunch somewhere new. And then a nap, of course. I'll finish the day with a manicure and a Diet Coke.

Life is so very good.

With all of that on my agenda, I need to get going, but before I do, here are some interesting links from my reader:

Are y'all familiar with igigi? Beautiful plus-sized clothing that I never knew about when I was in plus-sized clothing. Their dresses are gorgeous, and I'm not even a dress person! I also no (via A Weight Lifted)

A contest giveaway from Feed Me I'm Cranky, a new-to-me blog that I'm enjoying a lot. The giveaway is a $40 gift certificate to Whole Foods!

From DumbLittleMan: 4 Reasons You Fail to Achieve Your Goals. Brilliant. Concise.

Check out this folding shopping cart highlighted on Stacks and Stacks. It just might inspire you to walk to the grocery store. (I do sometimes walk, but only if I know I'm picking up a couple of things.)

And finally, How to Get Companies to Send You Free Stuff with No Catches from Makeuseof.


With that, I'd better get busy resting. :)

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

The Lonely Little Gym Bunny

Open letter to the guys at my gym:

I wouldn't go to breakfast with you if you were the last people on Earth and it was my last chance for a meal. So there.

Really, I was completely comfortable when you three regulars started working out next to me and talking to each other across my sweaty body. You seem to do that every single time I go to the gym. Nor did I think anything of it when you all decided you needed to go out for a "Paul Bunyan" breakfast after the workout. I salivated a little, but I didn't think anything about it after that.

The awkwardness (and subsequent loneliness) came into play when you introduced yourself to a new guy (stepping around my bench to do so) and invited him to go to breakfast with you and then did the same when another guy wandered into the area. I don't know how many guys ended up going to breakfast, although I did note during my last circuit that the place had cleared out.

But the one gal in the place wasn't even invited. I guess it's enough that I'm even allowed to workout in Manville.

Whatever. I didn't even want any stupid hashbrowns*.

I've thought it over and have narrowed down the possible reasons I wasn't invited to the Tippy Toe Gym Post-Workout Breakfast:
1) I am invisible and you never saw me.
2) You saw me, but you don't like me.
3) You're all married and your wives would have hissy fits if you sat within 5 feet of another woman outside of their presence.
4) You're all insanely attracted to me and are afraid you won't be able to control yourselves if we leave the gym area.
5) You (the one in the red shirt with the flabby white arms) are jealous because I do rows at the same weight you do.
6) You all know that I know that NONE of you ever wipes down your benches after you've sweated all over them.
7) I am invisible and you never saw me.

Never mind. I'll just continue my workouts as if you don't exist, which will not faze you in the least, since you don't see me.

Signed,
The Lonely (but increasingly toned) Little Gym Bunny


*total bullsh*t. I would've eaten my serving and anyone else's leftovers.

Makeover Monday: Make Up Your Mind

A friend of mine despises exercise. She says it's boring. Sometimes I get bored with exercises, too, so I suggested she try changing her routine or venue, but she says that doesn't help, that it's her mind that's bored, not her body, and that all she thinks about while she's exercising is how bored she is and how much she despises exercising.

That had me scratching my Brazilian Bronze with Honey Caramel highlights head, as it's a completely opposite experience from mine. I can honestly say that in two years of exercising regularly, my mind has never lacked for things to do while I put my body through its movements o' the day. In fact, I will unashamedly confess that sometimes I exercise because of the glorious things my mind gets up to while I'm moving:

Organizing/planning Activities - Now that I'm mostly working out in the mornings, I like to spend a few minutes thinking about and visualizing the day ahead. I don't spend a whole lot of time on it, especially if it's a particularly busy day, because I have a tendency to start stressing about getting busy with that instead of being where my butt is. A few minutes to get the plan in place is okay, though.

Solving Problems - When I was working for The Man, I frequently found answers to lingering problems from the workday while I exercised. Exercise unlocks the right brain, which makes it a great time to find answers.

Creating - Speaking of right brain activity, I lovelovelove to let my creative brain run wild while I work out, especially with respect to my creative writing. I love to compose scenes or dialogue in my head while I'm walking. Good dialogue has a cadence to it, as does walking, so the two work really, really well together. If I have a sex romantic scene in mind, I head to the elliptical where I don't have to worry about getting flattened by a car and thrown into the same gutter my mind is inhabiting at the moment.

Pondering - Some days I dedicate to thinking about nothing in particular. I just let my thoughts skitter around wherever they wish to go. Sometimes I think about your posts and how I might implement some of your strategies, or I think about issues you've presented and whether or not I might have some answers.

Something I don't do but other people LOVE to do is to listen to podcasts while they exercise. Thus, we could easily add Learning to our list.

Then, of course, there's always watching movies or television shows. I love reruns of Monk, when I'm on the home treadmill. It's fun solving crimes while you pedal away on the recumbent bike!

I exercise because it makes me feel better, in body AND in mind. Giving my mind over to negative thoughts while I'm exercising isn't going to help either of those causes. To that end, these are the areas I try to avoid while exercising:

Overthinking - I do have a tendency to obsess. :)

Comparing - One of the biggest momentum killers for me is comparing myself to other people, and I'm glad to say I've mostly rid myself of that urge. If I feel the need to measure my activity, I look at what I did yesterday.

Regretting - I discussed this in a previous Makeover Monday. Regretting is just wasted time, in my opinion, and there are much better things my mind could be doing. Like writing a good sex scene. :)

Criticizing - This is something I'm really working hard on right now. Working out at the gym, with all its floor-to-ceiling mirrors, presents a challenge, as I notice every wrinkle, bulge, and flaw. Focusing on breathing, counting, and using proper form helps, along with the knowledge that I'm doing really groovy things for my body.

Like most people, I have a tendency to avoid things I don't enjoy doing. Sometimes finding the joy in it is simply an issue of mind over matter.

I'm going to share this post with my friend, in hopes that it will give her some ideas and maybe the motivation to try again. If anyone here has had the same experience with boredom and/or negative mind games and have any suggestions, I'll add them to the list.

And if this gives you any ideas to try, let us know how it works out for you!

This Makeover Monday post brought to you by Newman's Own Organic Spelt Pretzels, my current snack of choice. One word: yum!

~

Let the Festivities...End

This may look like fireworks, but it's actually an action shot of me exploding after an abundance of celebrating.

I was doing okay until my grandmother trotted out homemade (still warm) banana pudding. You don't get an opportunity to have homemade (still warm) banana pudding every day. At least, I don't. Thank God. It was yummy, but it put me over the edge.

Thank goodness I got in an hour's walk early this a.m. I certainly wasn't fit for it after dinner.


Actually, this photo is one I snapped a couple decades ago (egads!) in a local celebration. The bridge you see, with lights vaguely forming an M for Memphis, crosses the Mississippi River. Tennessee is on the right; Arkansas is on the left. And that's it for the travelogue.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and/or Saturday! I certainly enjoyed mine, but it's back to business as usual tomorrow. I predict leafy green vegetables in abundance for me. :)

On the Book Winner and Gym Barfing

So sorry for the delay in posting the winner of the Younger (Thinner) You Diet by Eric R. Braverman, MD. I've had network "issues" today, in addition to the normal issues with which I live every day. :)

Without further ado...congratulations, Jenera! The random gods have smiled on you and determined that you are the proud owner of our prize. Well, you will be as soon as you send me your shipping info. My brand-spanking-new email address for all things tippy toe is ttdinbox [at] gmail [dot] com.


Re: the gym barf bag. While I would happily (and gratefully) accept the label hardcore, I'm afraid the United Hardcore Workout Union would not accept me for membership. When the bile rises up the back of your throat while trying to stretch the second set of jackknife-on-the-ball from 12 to 15, the current hardcore membership just smirks. And when you take the aforementioned bile as a sign that you're done for the day and drop the third set, well, the truly hardcore point at you and laugh. When you leave the gym after a mere 45 minutes of working out--your personal maximum allotment for strength training--they throw things at you. :)

So far I haven't actually thrown up at the gym or when working with the trainers (and I don't really care to), but I do experience the bile/nausea problem from time to time. I didn't worry about it in the trainer studio, since the bathroom was about 15 steps away and should the worst happen, I could get there in a jiffy. But it occurred to me at the gym on Wednesday, as I was trying to focus on being very still and NOT tossing my breakfast, that the locker room was a lonnnng way from the workout area.

I've noticed the nausea usually occurs in the latter half of the workout, and I've pinpointed two common threads: 1) overheating and/or 2) ab work. I have two possible solutions in mind. When I worked with the trainers, I kept a hand-held, battery-powered fan on standby. I would only use it for a few seconds at a time, and it didn't do much more than move air around my face, but it seemed to help. (Distraction, maybe?) Now I just need to find it and drop it in my gym bag. Also, I'm wondering if I'm breathing properly during my ab/core segment. (That's been a problem in the past.) I'm going to focus on that during tomorrow's workout.

To be on the safe side, I think I'll also tuck an old plastic grocery bag in the pocket of my gym pack, just in case. :)

That's it for me today. Unless you'd like me to describe in loving detail how I've spent the day cleaning out my file cabinet. I didn't think so. What can I say? It's just one exciting day after another here in Cammyland.

I'm staying local for the upcoming holiday and will be checking blogs as time allows, but I'll take this opportunity to wish you a safe and happy Independence Day (U.S.), or a safe and happy Day Between the Third and Fifth of July (Intl).

Progress Check-Tippy Toe 500

I'm catching up on blog reading tonight, but I wanted to record my progress on my personal challenge, The Tippy Toe 500.

After following the various training protocols for two excruciating weeks, I completed my first assessment on Monday morning. The results:

Push-ups (full): I increased by ONE push-up, completing 26 as opposed to 25 in the pre-assessment. Not nearly as much as I hoped for, considering I did 40 push-ups on my last personal training assessment, but it is what it is. I've clearly lost upper body strength since I quit training with the professionals. Part of the problem, as I see it, is that I can't do some of the bench work because I don't have anyone to spot me. I'm going to explore a few of the machines to add in to the mix in addition to the free-weights. The bottom line is that two years ago, I couldn't complete that ONE push-up and now I'm building upward from 26. I'll take it and keep trying.

Sit-ups: Big, big progress! I've been focusing more on core and it shows. I went from 35 to 81 sit-ups in two weeks. My biggest problem is the counting. :)

Squats: More progress. I completed 60 squats, compared to 45 during the assessment.

Overall, I'm quite impressed with myself. :) Disappointed in the push-up results, but I'll try to use that to push a little harder.

My reward download tune for the week was Oh Yeah by Yello. I don't really know why it struck my fancy, but it's working for me.

Today I repeated the last workout of the second week plan, and I'll probably do that again on Friday. If all goes well (meaning: I don't die from it), I'll move on to week 3 next Monday.

One lesson I learned was to do the assessments on Friday so that I have two days rest. Today, with only one day's rest, was brutal. It did, however, give me a great product idea: a gym barf bag! Small (and cute!), foldable wax-lined paper bag to slip into your gym bag for those days when you might dig a little too deep.

What'cha think? I'll let you know the date for auditions for the infomercial. (Hey, if that guy can talk about his bowel movements--not to mention his kid's poo--for a half hour, gym barfing ought to be okay too! With somewhat insincere apologies to any fans.)

Lastly, for my permanent record, the weigh-in was EXACTLY where it was supposed to be. Always a relief when a Cake Day has been observed. :)

And this was supposed to be a quick post. Sigh....

Happy Canada Day to all who celebrate(d)!