Happy Healthy Hearts

February is American Heart Month and National Heart Month in the U.K. and Canada. It's a great time to learn about or recommit yourself to heart healthy strategies. I blogged about Heart Month on this date last year. Check it out to learn more about heart disease, especially as it affects women. (Note: As far as I can tell, the HEART for Women Act is still stuck in some Senate committee and has not been passed.

Friday, February 5, is National Wear Red Day (February 11th in Australia. Show your support for women's heart health--Go Red! Get your co-workers to do the same. My office did it last year, and it was soooo energizing to see how many people--women and men--showed their support. You can see me in my red finery by clicking here.

In New Zealand Annual Appeal Week will be held February 8-14th. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it sounds like a fund-raiser to me. So if you're in NZ, give early and/or often! :)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

In other news, my heart is very happy today! Lots of reasons, but not the least of which can be found at #11 on my List of 10 Things That Make Me Happy. If you recall from the aforelinked post, I had entered Chocolate-Covered Katie's Vitamix Giveaway and in a burst of positivity (and general silliness), added it to the list of happy-inducers at the last minute. Well, guess what?

I won!

Yeps, out of the gazillion people who entered, my name was chosen. (Bless you, Katie! and thanks to all of you who cheered!) After years of pining, I will soon be the proud owner of a Vitamix 5200.

And with fresh strawberry season just around the corner...

Be still, my heart.

Wait! I don't mean that literally. My heart should keep on pumping like it's supposed to, only happier and healthier. :)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Wishing you all. a heart-healthy and heart-happy February!

Smorgasbord

Greetings from Sparkletown!  It's a nice trade-off for the inconvenience of the ice.

We never did get any real snow in my part of town, despite being promised LOTS of it. We did have lots of sleet, but the main roads were mostly passable.

I survived the weekend in healthy fashion, with no unnecessary snacking. I decided to log my food for the weekend, which may have helped me stick to the plan.

Or maybe it was the stress of hearing melting ice chunks crashing onto my roof from the tree limbs above. Who can say.

How'd you do?

In other news,RunningBetty kindly nominated me for Best Plus-Size Blog. Thank you, Betty, I'm honored that you thought of me! 

I'm not sure all the wheres and whyfores of this contest, but if you've got a second and would like to cast a vote, just click on the icon below:

Thank you.

A few links I bookmarked this week:

If you're struggling a bit staying on plan, maybe it's time to take a step back and focus on some basics with 7 Easy Ways to Lose Weight without Starving or Breaking a Sweat.

If you're like me and spend waaaay too much time at the grocery store trying to weed out the products with high fructosse corn syrup, the folks at StopHFCS have a handy listing of HFCS-free products. They also have a forum in which members share their finds.

Runners who are suffering from tight hamstrings and sore calves might want to check out Yoga's Benefits for Runners at Healthy Theory.

Last but not least, if you're the type who responds better to a little financial incentive, check out MUO's  review of Lose It or Lose It. I can tell you already that my money's on you! :)

And that's it for me! I'm headed to the treadmill and then off to watch "Worst Cooks in America", which is interesting but embarrassing, in that they're all 10 times better cooks than I am. :)

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Look Who's Talking: Exercise

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend!

You know, even after two years of rambling around the weight loss/maintenance and fitness blogosphere, I'm constantly discovering new, or new-to-me, bloggers. Just when I think I've been everywhere, I spot a comment from or a link to a blog I haven't seen before! Each has its own distinct flavor or flair, and I'm always learning something new--I love it!

It occurred to me last week that to the the folks just starting their quest for better health and fitness, the breadth and depth of our little corner of the internet might seem a bit daunting. How do we find our tribe-within-the-tribe, those bloggers who are on a similar course to our own? Which people farther down this path will inspire us and motivate us to keep on going? Who might feed us with lots of delicious, healthy recipes? Or keep us up to date with all the latest health and fitness happenings? Who makes us laugh and feel a little less like we're on this road alone?  The possibilities are so far-reaching that it can boggle the mind.

Enter: the Tippy Toe Shortcut. This is the first post of a new series I'm calling "Look Who's Talking." For each post, I'll ask a cross section of bloggers the same question and report their responses here. Then the rest of us have our turn to share!  Given the diversity of blogs and bloggers out there, the results should be verr-r-r-y interesting! I think so, anyway.

HUGEHUGE thanks to this awesome group of bloggers, who so graciously agreed to go first. I asked them:

What is your favorite exercise or form of exercise? And your least favorite?

Lynn, who blogs at Actual Scale, will someday join those of us in the 100-pounds lost club. She's already halfway there! Lynn says:

I think my favorite types of exercise are the ones that do not feel like exercise. For instance, I absolutely love my weighted hula hoop, boxing with the Wii, doing a kid's yoga dvd with my 6 year old and my belly dancing dvd. They may not be hard core workouts, but they are the ones I look forward to doing. They are the ones I will never skip because, "I don't feel like it"...which is what happens with my cardio sometimes.

Least favorite exercise? Hands down it is cardio. Give me weights any day intead of spending 30-60 minutes sweating my butt off, jumping, bending, jogging, kicking, etc...I would rather do a gazillion squats than walk on a treadmill for 30 minutes. I don't mind the recumbent bike, and actually like walking (but only outside & I live in a 4 Season area) but I dread doing them. For some reason I have convinced myself that it is easier to work in 20 minutes of strength versus 20 minutes of cardio. Yep, I'm mental that way.

Thank you, Lynn! We're all mental about something! :) Mine is running. And thank you for continuing to inspire me to master the hula hoop. Someday...

Rebeca at All Vegged Out is a blogger with irons in many fires. Fortunately for us, one of those fires is sharing awesome (and awesomely nutritious!) recipes and meal ideas. Rebeca's favorite form of exercise is yoga, about which she said:

I know that there are a lot of people who shy away from yoga because they claim that they are not flexible but I would have claimed the same thing a few years ago.  I love how it stretches my body and really opens me up.  While I don't subscribe to some of spiritual aspects of yoga there is no denying that its practice makes you more in tune with your body.  For me, this deep connection that I feel afterward gives me such a sense of calm and centers me in a way that nothing else ever has.  I also think that it makes you a lot stronger than you realize as you go deeper into your practice you find all sorts of defined muscles just from your own body resistance that leads to toning.

Least Favorite: Strength Training with Dumbbells. I'll admit that I'm a little lazy at times.  Which makes the dumbbells and I a lethal combination.  Instead of grabbing a heavy set, I'll grab the smallest ones and then fake my way through the reps. Then I end up bored and quit a couple of minutes in.  I really like machines though and like to compete with myself on them, but if I'm alone at home with the dumbbells then they're probably gaining dust while I gain weight!

Thanks, Rebeca! I'm s-l-o-w-l-y building a yoga practice, and it does work the muscles in a different--yet wonderful--way.

Andrew of the aptly-titled blog, Andrew is getting fit has moved from the world of morbid obesity to one that includes multiple marathons. His passion for running is evident in each of his posts, so I knew that was his favorite. I just didn't know why. Here's what Andrew said:

I find running gives me some "me" time where I can ponder the mysteries of the universe, listen to my favourite podcasts or just zone out.  It's also quite helpful with the weightloss efforts!

Least favorite? This is tricky as there is not one I particularly despise as such.  Although if I think about the gym I always avoid the stepper as it just seems a bit too much like hard work!

Thank you, Andrew! I've been following you for some time now, and your commitment to and enjoyment of your program inspire me every day. Plus, I've learned a lot about New Zealand. :)

Sahar blogs at FatFighterTV, and her blog is packed with health news, recipe makeovers, videos, and inspiring stories. I have Sahar to thank for the snazzy Weight Loss Woo-hoo button in my sidebar. About exercise, Sahar has THREE favorites:

Pilates, hiking, and group classes. I love Pilates because of the great strengthening and toning effects it has on my core. I adore hiking in the mountains because I get a such a great workout while I am enjoying all the beauty in nature. And I often get hooked on aerobics classes because the music makes it so fun that I forget I am exercising.

My  least favorite is cardio on the treadmill - I get very bored and feel like I am spinning when I get off the treadmill!

Thank you, Sahar! I'm an outdoor-exerciser , too! I keep saying I'm going to join a local hiking group, but so far no doing. That needs to change--NOW.

Tiff has been blogging at Project 365 for a little over a month now. Her spirit and enthusiasm shine in her posts and are a definite bright spot in my day!  About exercise, Tiff said:

I really enjoy walking at this point. It's low impact and can be done almost anywhere- on my lunch break, at a park, even indoors (thx to the lovely Leslie Sansone!). It's also great because you can go with a friend and chat which helps the time to go by faster; it's an exercise that almost anyone can do!

Least favorite? PILATES...my body was SO not made to do any of those things! :)

Thanks, Tiff! I share your enthusiasm for walking, but I still haven't tried the Leslie Sansone DVDs. (I must fix that.)

And that's what this group of bloggers had to say about exercise! I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about what makes them tick, and I appreciated the reminders of things I want to do, or re-do, in some cases.

As for me, my favorite form of exercise is anything that gets me outdoors. Whether it's walking or riding my bike, there's something about being outside in the fresh air that gets me going--physically and mentally! (I do love the afterglow of a good strength training session, though.)  My least favorite exercise is the pull-up, because it demoralizes me. :)

And now it's YOUR turn. Favorite? Least favorite? We wanna know!

Thanks again to Andrew, Lynn, Rebeca, Sahar, and Tiff for your time and graciousness in sharing your answers with us!

And to everyone else, be warned that I'll likely be coming to you someday with some other burning question! :)

Mailbag and Things You Might Have Missed This Week

Greetings! Don't you just love those weeks when LIFE grabs you by the whatzits and says, "Deal with me NOW!"

This was one of those weeks. In between the tile guys, the plumber, and the electricians (so many men going in and out of my house, it's starting to look like a bordello), I managed to develop an abscess on a tooth. Trying to be gracious with stabbing pains shooting all over my head ain't easy, lemme tell ya. But I made it through, and the dentist was able to see me this morning....only to refer me to an endodontist for a root canal. (In addition to having a curvy body, I apparently have curvy roots on this tooth.) Of course, the endodontist didn't have an opening until February 2nd. Please pardon if my posts seem a bit terse over the next week.

But enough about me. It's on to the show!

I received a couple of questions re: nutrition, and as you all know, I'm not a nutritionist. I did a smidge of research, but I'll count on your kindness in jumping in with any additional info.

Question 1: Are strawberries not good on a regular basis?
My answer: Strawberries are never "not good", especially if they have chocolate anywhere near them :)  And that's mostly true. According to the folks at World's Healthiest Foods, strawberries are "an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. They also qualified as a very good source of dietary fiber and iodine as well as a good source of potassium, folate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, vitamin K, magnesium, and copper." Wow, that's a lot of health packed into one cute little berry! 

But we know there's always fine print, don't we? There's a little wrinkle with strawberries. Conventionally grown berries are high on the pesticide list, so organic is the preferable purchase. Also, these juicy red gems contain naturally occurring oxalates that might cause problems for people with kidney, gall bladder, or digestive tract issues. Might want to talk to your M.D. before eating too many strawberries.

{Insert your answer, amendment, or comment here}

Question 2: Why is soy or almond milk healthier than skim?
My answer: I don't really have a good answer. This is a highly (and sometimes hotly!) debated issue.  Ultimately, the decision for each of us will probably be based partly on our personal philosophies and partly on health goals/issues. For me, the basics are that soy and almond milk are absent any animal fats, but they're both highly processed. Skim milk is lower in animal fat than whole milk, but it also undergoes significant processing. But that just scratches the surface.

When i was in LA last fall, the LA Times ran a fairly balanced article profiling the benefits and concerns of a variety of milks. Also the folks at World's Healthiest Foods have a good discussion on their site.

{Insert your answer, amendment, or comment here}

Surely between all of us, we can provide enough info to be...you know, helpful. :)

Closing out with a few links I liked this week:

44 Ways to Improve Your Health and Happiness  (Wisebread)
Weight Loss Tracker: Monitor Your Weight Loss Online (Makeuseof)
Exercise Tracker: Monitor Exercise Routines Online (MakeUseOf)

Gym Etiquette (Healthy Theory)
12 Questions You Should Be Asking Yourself (The Rat Race Trap)

And I'm finally done. :)

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Online Helpers for Your Fitness/Weight Loss Journey

When I'm handing out credit in my own weight loss successes, I always include the power of the internet in the list of contributors. Having these "go-to" places to find answers (or questions) when I needed them, not to mention support and inspiration, was (IS) a huge factor in my progress. HUGE! 

With the coming of the new year, I'm suspecting we'll have some new-to-the-community folks dropping by, and I thought now might be a good time to share some of my favorite resources. These first two resources are probably the "huge-est" contributors:

Sparkpeople  has been used by 6 million people in 150 countries. Personalized eating plans, calorie and exercise tracking, health and fitness information, recipes, exercise demonstrations and videos, interactive forums for virtually every interest group. You can do as much or as little of it as you want. No requirements, no pressure. Best of all, no $$$. It's all free.

The Healthy You Challenge  gave me access to some of the most motivated and motivational health and fitness bloggers out there. Provided by the gracious Diana, a.k.a. ScaleJunkie, the HYC is an index of bloggers all pursuing the same goals--better health and fitness. As the commercial says, PRICELESS. I honestly can't imagine where I'd be right now without this network.

A few other "go-to" sites for me:

Cooking (as viewed by the non-cook):
AllRecipes's Healthy Cooking section - lots of fresh ingredients and nutritionally rich recipes here.

Green Lite Bites - Healthy recipes and tips from Roni, of Roni's Weigh . Her young son helps with many recipes, so be prepared for rampant use of sprinkles. :)

HungryGirl - You've probably seen the cookbooks at your bookstore. If you're transitioning from a junkfood-filled existence to healthier eating, you might find some of these recipes useful. Long-term, they're probably not the healthiest way to eat (lots of processed foods like Splenda), but face it: sometimes a girl/guy just wants something a little bit decadent.

IAteAPie - "Diet" food reviews.

Exercise:
Virtual Fitness Trainer - information and exercise instructions.

Oxygen Magazine's Training Tips - For me, it's a little too much focus on how we should look rather than feel, but that's probably just me being cranky. The exercises are generally good.

Others:
The Happiness Project - Gretchen Rubin's recounting of her path to happiness may help you find your own way. She's just released a book of the same title, available from Amazon or other book retailers.

lifehacker - Thouands of tips for making life more manageable. 

zenhabits - Too commercial for me these days, but the archives are full of excellent articles on living a simpler life, many by guest bloggers from across the spectrum.

I didn't include personal pages because I have (at last count) over 100 of those in my reader. If you're new to the community, you can start with the HYC, as mentioned above, or check out my side bar for my (currently not updated) list of favorite bloggers, or click on the links of other folks responding to this post. When you find something you want to comment on, don't be shy--jump right in! I haven't met a blogger yet who didn't welcome new commenters! (Heck, some of us stand up and do a cheer when someone new shows up! Or maybe that's just me?)

Those are just a few of my "go to" online resources.  What are your favorites? Any tips for those who might be new to this fitness community of bloggers?

Goin' Out with a Bang

Two years ago, I started a new New Year's tradition. On New Year's Eve (day) I have an excellent workout. On New Year's Day, I have an excellent workout. I consider them an open and closing parentheses for the year. During the NYE workout, I try to summon up any and all lingering malice or ill feelings leftover from the preceding months and let them roll off with the sweat. (You'd be amazed how well this works!)

On NYD, my workout is all forward focused. I don't imagine what the year ahead might bring, since I can't possibly know that. Instead, I think about the steps I know I'm taking in the months ahead, and I imagine how good I'll feel when I've successfully tried them. Note, I said tried. Some of these things may not work, but I'll be enormously satisfied for having given them a shot.

I like this bracketing of my year with exercise. It's fun, it's energizing, and it reminds me that no matter the caloric excesses of the holidays, a vigorous workout is a really good treat for myself! (Who is this strange woman inhabiting my body?)

Happy New Year to all! 2010 is going to be a blast--I can feel it!

The focus is there, the confidence. You can see it in everybody's eyes - the eagerness, the desire, the want.   ~ Danielle Ward

DVD Reviews: Yoga for Beginners & 30 Day Shred

I've never been much for exercise DVDs, but in my quest for different types of workouts while avoiding the gym, I decided to use part of a Christmas gift card to give a couple of DVDs a try.

First up: Rodney Yee's Yoga for Beginners (link to my Amazon account, but on sale at Target this week for $11.99) A yoga-instructing friend had expressed a profound adoration of Rodney Yee early in her yoga practice, so I thought this might be a good choice. I'm not disappointed. The DVD contains two routines: a series of morning poses for energy and an evening routine for relaxation and rejuvenation. More importantly to me, it contains a separate segment focused solely on poses--their purpose, the correct positions, common mistakes, etc. Everything a klutzy girl needs!

I'm going to seriously work at developing an almost-every-day practice, but at minimum, I'll work through some of the poses each day. This DVD will definitely get some use.

My second DVD choice was based solely on blogger community popularity. I bought it despite the fact that I'm not a huge Jillian Michaels fan (keep your tomatoes; it's nothing personal!)  The DVD I'm referring to is, of course, Jillian Michaels - 30 Day Shred.(link to my Amazon account, but on sale at Target this week for $8.00) If you're one of the 12 bloggers who hasn't tried this DVD, I'll dish: It's based on a 3-2-1 formula, which is 3 minutes of strength, 2 minutes of cardio, and 1 minute of ab work. Repeated several times, in circuit fashion. There are also active stretches to warm-up and stretchy stretches to cool down. All together, it's a little less than 30 minutes for each workout. There are three total, and within each there are demos for a beginner and a more experienced exerciser. (Note: in all honesty, even the beginner level would've been too difficult for me 100 pounds ago.)

So far, I've only tried one workout and wasn't able to fully execute it. My workouts normally consist of heavier weights with fewer reps, which meant I wasn't able to do all the reps with the weights I have. (I went to fail on each circuit, then tossed the weights on the bed and continued the exercises in proper form, sans weights.) I'm also accustomed to 30-60 second recoveries between sets. Not having those recoveries was tough, but that may have been because of the too-heavy weights. I'll try again with lesser weights. (I'm thinking I'll fill a couple of empty water bottles with sand and see how that works. Or I'll cave in and buy some lighter weights at Target. They're also on sale this week.)

Another problem I had was with the cardio portion of the workout. It has a lot of jumping about and for the girl who has leftover belly flab, jumping about is very uncomfortable. And not in a good way. I'll have to figure out a workaround for that. It's do-able.

The bottom line is that I didn't hate this DVD. In fact, even in the one partial workout, I liked most of the exercises (yaaay! squat punches!)  It's a good workout and due to the lack of recovery periods, it's a quick workout. If I have the proper equipment, it might be just the ticket on days when I need to save a few minutes.

So there you have it. I haven't fallen in love with exercise DVDs, but I'm not sorry I bought either of these. One will get ongoing use and the other will be a good fill-in during the cold dreary days of winter when the long, 20-yard sprint from the car to the gym door is too much to bear.

Your opinions on these or other exercise DVDs are always welcome and greatly appreciated!

~

My Dog Ate My Workout and Other Randomness

My dog ate my workout? Well, that's a marginally better excuse than "I forgot to work out yesterday." But only marginally.

How does this happen? Something that's been a routine part of my day, six days a week, for two years and I forgot? Sad, but true. Yesterday was one of those runrunrun days, and I got a tad behind. It was only as I was on my way home from an art show last night that I realized I had never actually done my workout. It was planned for 3:00 (when Law & Order comes on TNT), but I was out delivering Christmas goodies then. The early evening was taken up with the art show, and I've learned not to work out after 8:00 p.m., lest I be sitting up , wide-eyed, at two a.m. So no workout for Cammy on a planned workout day.

I don't like to miss my planned workouts. It leaves me grumpy. I don't like being grumpy either.

I've missed a handful of workouts over the past couple of years, and I dealt with it by tacking on 5-10 minutes to workouts in the following days. It worked well, and I thought that's what I might do this time. Until I got up this morning and saw the large number of leaves in my front yard. I predict 2-3 hours, at least. More than enough raking, bending, stooping, lunging, and lifting to make up for yesterday.

Whew. Close call. :)

In random news, here's a lovely story from yesterday's local paper. It seems a young woman was trying to send a box of Christmas items to Australia. When the post office clerk told her it would cost $190 to ship, it was clear to all that it was more than she had expected. She stepped outside to make a few phone calls to see if she could find the money somewhere. While she was outside, the man who'd been behind her in line...paid for her postage! On his way out, he told the young woman that the clerk wanted to see her. He never mentioned that he had paid the $190 to ship her package. Needless to say, she was overwhelmed, as were many in the post office at the time.

Since this young woman didn't get to thank him, I will. Thank you, Post Office Santa Angel! You brightened more than one life this week!

Now that you're feeling all warm and fuzzy (and I wonder about you if you're not), here are a few interesting posts I've come across recently:

7 Great Lessons You Can Learn from Helen Keller

Wake Up! Five Ridiculous Alarm Clocks

Tiny Steps Make Major Leaps

How to Finish Something Hard


Random enough for you? Feel free to share any random and interesting links you found this week. It will give me something to read while I recover from all the leaf raking. :)

Happy Weekend!

~

I See Things

I had a wonderful pondering time this morning, mostly thinking about my future, both long-term and immediate. By immediate, I mean the weekend ahead. I'm a big believer in visualizing myself being positive and energetic and active and all the things I want to be in life. That way, I'll recognize them as they happen. :)

Anyway, as I sat pondering, the cautionary words of a former co-worker popped into mind:

"There's a mighty big difference between a vision and a hallucination."

Wise words, indeed, and it made me think about what I envision when I see myself being successful (by my own definition of successful).

Hallucination: I exercise two hours a day, 6 days a week, always giving 200% to my workouts.

Vision: I exercise 5-6 days per week, 30-60 minutes per day, giving 100% of my energy that day to my workouts.


Hallucination: I am at goal weight always. If my weight goes up, I increase my workouts to four hours a day.

Vision: My weight fluctuate but usually stays within 2-3 pounds of goal. When my weight goes up and stays up, I evaluate my nutrition AND my exercise to see if either needs to be improved.


Hallucination: I never eat chocolate.

Vision: I eat chocolate fairly regularly, but in tiny portions 98.521% of the time, excluding major holidays and vacations. (I consider a Hershey's Kiss to be an example of "tiny." Two is semi-tiny. More than that is a splurge.)


Well, you see what I'm getting at. All too often, we define our success by over-reaching measures that may not be attainable, much less sustainable. Weight fluctuates, schedules get crowded, and if we're lucky, LIFE happens. I'd much rather experience it than hide from it inside a set of rigid expectations. I want to live a vibrant life, healthy AND happy, and part of that is being available for it.

I'm not suggesting that we "lower the bar." It's good to have high standards for our behavior, especially regarding health and fitness. It's equally important that we be mindful of life unfolding around us and incorporate it into our visions of a successful future. And the future is beginning right now.

If you're still reading, I thank you. This was one of those mornings I needed to give myself a little preaching, and I appreciate your indulgence. If you got anything out if, all the better. :)

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Steppin' Up

I've been avoiding the gym lately. I'm not sure why, but I think it has something to do with avoiding that "stuck indoors" feeling that winter brings. (I do not like winter. )(At all.)

The good news is that I'm not avoiding exercise. I have a treadmill at home, and over the past couple of years, I've acquired a few other at-home exercise tools. One item, a going-away gift from a friend/former co-worker, is a Reebok 5-Position Step Deck*. I've used the step a few times for basic step-ups with weights, but not much more. Until last week, that is.

This particular fitness step comes with two DVDs, one for toning and one for cardio. I'd set them aside and forgotten about them, to be honest, but last week I decided to give them a whirl.

Verdict? Not bad. Not bad at all.

Both DVDs allow for beginner and intermediate levels. Since they do not have a clumsy-and-uncoordinated level, I decided to start with beginner and fill in with other exercises if I didn't feel I got a proper workout.

I really do need to film myself doing the cardio workout. I could upload it to YouTube for your benefit. (I have it on good authority that belly laughing probably burns a couple hundred calories.) As I mentioned, I have zero coordination. I can do the basic step on/step off movements just fine. Ditto the kicks and the "repeater knee." I can even clumsily do the side steps and crossover steps. The problem (and the hilarity) comes in when the demo lady says, "Okay, get those arms moving!" I try to match my movements to hers (and that of her two sidekicks--which, btw, why do these exercise DVDs always have two sidekicks?). The results are dismal, but amusing. At some point, I give up and just flail my arms about. I figure movement is movement. Who cares if it's synchronized?

I'm sticking with the beginner level on cardio for my next two workouts, as I try to master--or even just tame--the coordination. I have, however, raised the step to its highest level. At the end of the 30-minute cardio workout, I have a nice little sweat going. On days when 30 minutes is all I have time for, this will work, and on those days when I want to do more, I can always repeat the DVD or hop on the treadmill. Or Mother Nature willing, bundle up and walk outside!

The strength training DVD also provides a decent workout, if a bit too short at 15 minutes. Instructions for beginniner, intermediate, and advanced are given, with the differences primarily related to auxilary equipment used (resistance bands and dumbbells) and step position. I started at the intermediate level, because I couldn't find the right resistance band. I found the more resistant band yesterday, so I'll move to advanced level today. To get the benefit I want, I think I'll repeat the DVD at least once and toss in a few extras, like jackknife and hamstring curls. Maybe some pushups and lunges. After all, bodyweight is free. :)

My goal with strength training is to find that edge between soreness (I'm opposed to it) and knowing that the targeted muscle groups are fully engaged and pushed. I believe that if we properly warm up before and stretch after a workout, soreness is totally unnecessary. And for me, soreness is also detrimental to the process. I'm not going to consistently do something that makes me hurt.

It's nice to have this at-home option for a gym alternative, and I'm looking forward to developing it into a full strength training workout. If you have any other step DVDs to recommend, I'm all ears.

And flailing arms.

Do you have a gym alternative for indoor exercise? Or is the gym your One True Love?



*Link is through my Amazon Associates account. You can also find them at many sporting goods stores and Target.

Fitness Wish List

I hope you all had a most marvelous Thanksgiving weekend! I sure did, which gives me even more reasons to be thankful. Funny how that works out, isn't it?

For those of you whom I left sitting on the edge of your seats all weekend, fretting about the value of my Sports Authority gift certificate...drumroll...$10!! (Everyone who is not surprised, raise your hands. Ah, a majority. :) ) Still, every little bit helps. I purchased new Duofold base layers (top and bottom, in black) and some Columbia fleece pants. I shall be nice and toasty warm now!

At another store, I purchased the Bender Ball (it was on sale AND I had a 20% coupon!) As of this writing it is serving as a paperweight, but I hope to use it later today.

It's interesting how many fitness-related items are on my Wish List these days. In fact, other than a new desktop computer (current one is about 8 years old) and a few household items, everything on my wish list is related to fitness. Since I grudgingly gave up visits from Santa so that he might focus on the children, I no longer send him a list, but if I did, it would look something like this:

- Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor or any Garmin, for that matter.
- Sunny Health & Fitness 25 Lbs. Adjustable Chrome Dumbbell - I like this one for compactness.
- Columbia Sportswear Women's Pagora Hiking Shoe - I'm thinking about joining a local hiking group, now that the snakes are sleeping it off for the winter.
- Bosu 3D System Balance Trainer - I loved working out with the BOSU ball. My balance is pathetic, which is part of what made it so much fun. I may have to make this a reward purchase for something big.

I should stop there. I could add bike accessories galore and sports bras in every color, but I don't want to look greedy. :)

Huh. I should stop writing about exercise and get out and actually do some. But before I go, I'm wondering what would be on your Dear Santa fitness wish list? (I'll take notes, in case I ever win the lottery.)



(Disclosure note: Any links to Amazon are through my Associate's Account. Should you make a purchase after following one of my Amazon links, I will receive a 4% commission. )

~

In the Beginning (Giveaway Post)

(Disclosure: Contains a couple of my shiny new Amazon Associate links. Yeppers, I'm an Amazonian now. I figured I linked there all the time anyway, I might as well try to earn a couple of dollars a year. But no pressure on you guys. I've read your blogs and know that most of you are as broke as I am. I'm just hoping some millionaire on a shopping spree stops by here. Okay, enough yammering--on to the post!)

I'm in a nostalgic mood today. Maybe it's because of this week's Makeover Monday topic (for those of you who skipped a day or are perhaps having a senior moment, it was about taking the first step), or maybe it's because I'm approaching the one-year mark at goal weight. Or maybe I'm just bored.

Anyway, I was remembering back to my first steps at getting on the exercise bandwagon. These were definitely tippy-toe steps. I started by walking on the treadmill 20-30 minutes (and quite slowly, I might add) several times per week. And that was it.

I did that for a while, and then I stopped. Started again and stopped. And then again. The clue bus finally stopped in front of me, and I realized I was bored. I needed something extra.

Enter yoga. A dear friend had completely transformed her life (body, mind, and career) with yoga and was living proof that it did indeed improve flexibility, increase strength, and reduce stress. I decided to give it a try and ordered a couple of DVDs via Netflix.

FAIL. Falle. Versagen Sie. 失敗します échouer.

No matter which language you use, it wasn't good. (Although it doesn't seem so bad in Japanese.)

The problem was that the DVD instructors kept telling me to do things my body just couldn't do. It wasn't a matter of flexibility; the problem was my size. A girl with 100 extra pounds mostly around her midsection doesn't go easily into child's pose.

Frustrated, I gave up on yoga. Soon after, I quit walking too. Woe, woe is me.

I'm not sure where I heard about Megan Garcia and the Just My Size Yoga DVD*, but I'll forever be grateful for finding it. This DVD is made for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. The moves have been modified to allow room for our extra bits. And if the moves are still troublesome, there's a whole segment devoted to even more alternate methods.

But it's not just the modified poses that made this DVD so precious to me. The fact that the teacher is the aforementioned Megan Garcia, a plus-sized model who is completely, serenely, comfortable in her body, made me want to practice for the right reasons. Not to "be skinny", but to feel truly good about myself and what I was doing. I was on my way!

Later, I found MegaYoga*, Megan Garcia's book, which presents many more yoga poses with modifications for "curvy women." This is my yoga bible. The pictures and text combine to make the moves easily understandable and executable. Well, most of them. There's this pose called Eagle that I'm about to wave the white flag on. For now, anyway.

To commemorate and celebrate my first steps toward fitness (over two years ago now!), we have two giveaway opportunities: a copy of the DVD or a copy of the book. You may enter for one or the other, or both. Just let know in the comments if you're interested. Sharing any yoga tips you might have will gain you extra appreciation, but will not increase your chances of winning.

Anyone on the planet may enter, as long as you have a shipping address. I'll mention that the DVD is region 1 format, which is normally US or Canada. If you have a region free DVD player and live somewhere other than the US or Canada, feel free to throw your name into the hat for the DVD as well.

Drawings will be Friday, October 2, at 6 a.m. (central U.S.)

*I've included my spiffy new Amazon associate links here, but the DVD price appears to have doubled since I bought this one several months ago. I suppose that's because they're in such short supply. Netflix and Blockbuster both have copies for rent. Your local library might also be a good resource. If you asked me nicely, I might even loan you my copy. :)

Book Review: 101 Things to Do Before You Diet by Mimi Spencer

(Disclosures: I received no compensation for this post, other than a copy of the book for review. Also, while I'm including links to the book on Amazon, I am not an Amazon affiliate. That may change in the near future, but I'll be sure to let you know if/when it does.)

I'm not much for "diet" books, so when Rodale Books offered me the opportunity to review 101 Things to Do Before You Diet by Mimi Spencer, I almost politely declined. It was the subtitle that intrigued me: Because Looking Great Isn't Just About Losing Weight. Ain't that the truth!

As it turns out, this isn't a "diet" book at all. Author Mimi Spencer, a U.K.-based fashion & beauty journalist, offers a collection of small changes {pause for TippyToe Tingle!} the reader can make to feel better about herself at her current weight. These include not only suggested changes to menu and movement, but also tips and tricks for dressing to flatter the body, no matter it's shape or size. To round things out, there are also several tips on changing mindset and outlook. (Tip #4: "Stop Worshipping Thin and Love the Skin You're In"--one of my favorites.)

Many of the tips are things most of us already know. It's just that we sometimes don't do them very well and need reminding. Ms. Spencer's writing style lends itself to that. She's not a medical professional nor a psychologist, and she doesn't pretend to be. Her voice is much more Auntie Mame than Dr. Oz, if you know what I mean.

I did find a few quibbles here and there (with 101 things, I was bound to), but overall I enjoyed the book, so much so that I'll forgive the careless "muscle weighs more than fat" advice and tip #68: "Wear Heels. Always" (these tippy toes don't do heels, not for more than an hour).

With a nutritional focus on eating mostly fresh, whole foods in proper portions and an internal focus on loving who we are as we are, there's more than enough to keep me happy and returning for reference.

101 Things to Do Before You Diet is available through Amazon (or Amazon.ca or Amazon.uk).

One of you won't have to bother with Amazon at all, because Rodale has offered to ship one of you your very own copy of the book! Just let me know in the comments if you're interested. Yes, lurkers, that includes you!

I'll draw for the winner at midnight Friday, Sept. 18th (or early, early Saturday if I fall asleep.) Times are US Central. Unfortunately this is a USA/Canada only opportunity, but don't worry, international peeps, I've got you covered in a different giveaway week after next!



~

What Fresh Hell Is This?

Today's title is actually a quote attributed to Dorothy Parker. It also describes perfectly my return to the gym.

Before I left for Chicago, my knees were bothering me during squats and lunges, so I thought that would be a good opportunity to give them a break. Apparently the break went on a little too long. On Monday, I added them back into my routine, and while my knees are just fine, my quads and glutes are not happy with me. Not at all. It reminds me of when I first started training. I'm not big on post-workout pain, so I spent extra time stretching after today's gym session. So far, so good.

Monday was also my first weigh-in, post-vacation, post-birthday celebration. The good news is that I'm right where I was when I left for Chicago. The bad news is that I was up a couple of pounds when I left for Chicago. So I need to shed two pounds, or possibly a little more. I'd like to be at or even slightly below my goal weight when I leave for my Western Tour in early October. I'm setting October 1st (or so) as the goal date for goal weight. Surely I can lose 2 or 3 pounds by then.

Reporting in on a new snack I tried: Yoplait Yogurt Parfait. (The link will take you to a site with a $1 off coupon.) The parfaits are combinations of different flavored yogurts. I've only tried the Creme Caramel, but they also have Lemon Torte, Chocolate Raspberry, and Triple Berry Creme. With 13 grams of sugar, this product definitely falls in the realm of dessert yogurt, but it also has 5g of protein and the other goodies yogurt provides. Functional dessert, in other words. One more word: yummy!

Busy times here this week, but I'll do my best to catch up on my reader tonight and tomorrow!
I hope I discover that you are all having a most marvelous week!

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!

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!

~

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)!

Giveaway Post: Younger (Thinner) You Diet

I don't read many diet and/or fitness books. It's not that I don't think they have value; it's more that there are so many, each with its own set of experts and studies to prove their theories. Lacking a degree in bio-anything, I'm often left scratching my head wondering just who's right and how right they might be.

Two of the diet/fitness books I do have are from Rodale (8 Minutes in the Morning by Jorge Cruise and Eat This Not That by David Zinczenko, with Matt Goulding), and I enjoyed both of those, so when the kind folks Rodale contacted me offering a copy of of Younger (Thinner) You Diet by Eric R. Braverman, MD for a giveaway, I gratefully accepted.

I didn't read this book (merely skimmed it), but it seems well-organized and easy to read. The basic premise is that obesity is fundamentally a brain chemical imbalance that can be treated successfully with a combined approach of diet, nutrients, and hormones. Four critical brain chemicals--dopamine, acetylcholine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and serotonin--and how they affect aging, weight loss, and health are discussed in detail, and recommendations and guidelines for ensuring optimum balance of these chemicals are provided.

In my not-reading-but-skimming session, it seemed to me that the nutritional recommendations are similar to those many of us follow (make that "mostly follow" for some of us): avoid sugar, choose lean protein and fiber-rich foods, drink water, eat fruits and vegetables, etc. In that regard, there wasn't much new for me here. What was a nice twist was the rather significant emphasis on using spices as a nutritional supplement. There are even tasty-looking recipes and shopping lists included!

One aspect of this book that makes me uncomfortable is that it includes suggestions for using bioidentical hormones. My discomfort is not in using these hormones, but in my lack of knowledge in this area. Given the recent controversy on the subject, I don't think it's something to be approached hastily. I do like that the author suggests talking to your doctor first, before following that path.

There is, of course, a chapter devoted to exercise, with recommendations for strength training (emphasizing weight-bearing exercise--yaaay!) along with aerobic activity. Again, though, not much new if you've been immersed in this for a couple of years. :)

If I had more time, I'd definitely read this book in greater depth and research some of the new-to-me concepts. It is well-written and easy to follow, even for someone who doesn't have a degree in bio-anything.

Should you be intrigued and want to explore Younger (Thinner) You Diet further, just leave me a 'count me in' comment below! (Oh, and I'm sorry to report that you should also live in the U.S.) I'll accept entries through midnight (US Central) Wednesday, July 1st and then use the random number generator to choose our winner!

Since You Asked So Nicely...

Pardon my tardiness in responding to kind questions asked during the week. I've been running like a chicken without a head in preparation for my garage sale today. But more about that in a sec.

First, in the shocked aftermath of my having actually cooked (with my own widdle hands) a meal this week, the ever-lovely Hanlie asked: "What do you normally eat if you don't cook?"

Excellent question, Hanlie. One of the things that always stopped me in previous weight loss efforts was having to prepare my meals. I don't mind stirring or chopping or mixing now and then, but I just plain don't enjoy cooking on a regular basis. As I started my tippy toe journey, I decided to follow what worked for my lifestyle, which means meals on the go much of the time. At home, I eat lots of salads and fruit, tuna, yogurt, cheese, almonds, popcorn, peanut butter, etc. I'm very fortunate to live near several grocery stores that offer healthy prepared foods that I can buy in portions *I* determine. Even my local Kroger (a regional/national big box chain) has gotten it together and now offers a large selection of fresh, whole foods. When I'm on the go, I have easy access to a few restaurants (both local and chain) that offer healthier fare at reasonable prices.

It wouldn't work for everyone, but somehow it works for me. It does take a certain amount of discipline, and some places I now know to stay away from completely. But as the saying goes: Where there's a will, there's (usually) a way.

Next up, the equally lovely Sherre asked where she might find the Pancho's Taco Dressing.

Thank you, Sherre. I should have included a mention of that. Pancho's products are available in the dairy section of many grocery stores in the Mid-South: Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama, and Kentucky.

If you don't live in the Mid-South, that doesn't do much good, does it? Well, here's a link to a "Copycat" version of Pancho's Taco Dressing. I might try to make it (I hear some of you laughing!) when my current batch runs out, but I'll cut the amount of sugar in half, at least. Since Pancho's packaging lists sugar as the fourth ingredient, and it doesn't set off my sugar-dar when I eat it, I'm thinking the copycat version might be overdoing the sugar a bit.

And finally, my delightful breakfast buddy Patty questioned my possession of a working stove. Yes, Patty, there IS a Santa Claus, and I do have a stove, a very ugly one, which is one of the reasons I don't use it. If I had a cute cooktop, I might cook more. (I've heard that if you say something enough times, you can actually convince yourself it is true.)

For the record, I also have a double wall oven. It is also ugly, which I can prove without photographs and in two words: harvest gold. It is, however, a wonderful place to store my phone books and my extra crockpot.

Thank you, Patty, for allowing me to assure everyone that I do have appliances. I just have to dust them before using. :D

In TippyToe500 news, I completed the first two weeks of training (pats self on back) and will perform an assessment on Monday. Day 6 (Friday) was a killer, and I'll probably repeat it on Wednesday and Friday of next week before continuing with the training program.

As a reward for my dedication and determination, I am gifting myself with a new download for each week completed. For Week 1, I chose "Boom, Boom, Pow" by the Black-eyed Peas. The lyrics are explicit (the ones I understand, anyway), but this song is PERFECT for me when my energy starts fading on a longer walk.

Still working on my week 2 download. Decisions, decisions...

Winding up what turned out to be a very lengthy post, I'm happy to report that my garage sale was a sweaty, steaming success. With a heat index of 107F, I probably lost 22 pounds, give or take. Since I don't own a scale, that's really a ballpark estimate based on sweat produced and effort expended. It could be a tad high. To combat any potential (or perceived) excessive weight loss, I declared today a Cake Day and had a slice of Strawberry Cake after the sale was over. Ahhhhh!

Tomorrow, I restore my house to its normal pre-sale messiness. I'm also setting aside the afternoon for a) catching up on blog reading, and b) napping.

Hope you're all having a great weekend. Sorry for the longwindedness! It appears to be terminal. :)

Casa de Tippy Toe and Other Happenings

Not to alarm anyone, but I cooked! With heat and everything. Granted, not Cordon Bleu fare. Just simple taco salad. And I do mean simple: lettuce, tomatoes, taco beef, a smattering of cheese, some sliced black olives, and Pancho's taco dressing. I also sprinkled a few crumbled blue corn tortilla chips on top and had a few along side with some salsa.

I lovelovelove Mexican food, both the real thing and the more Cam-Mex-ican variety, but I tend to overdo on the chips and dip so I rarely have it. Taco salad is a good way to get the spicy, meaty flavors without a bunch of calories. Plus, the good thing about the blue corn chips is that I only want a few. I could eat an entire bag of the yellow corn chips. But that would be wrong.

The taco salad was an excellent dinner last night and delicious as a re-heat for a combo lunch/dinner this afternoon, but I'm done with it for a while. I froze individual portions with the leftover taco beef for next week and the week after.

In other news, I'll be sporting new kicks on my next walk!

According to the salesman, my Mizunos still have some life in them but I'm not loving the feel of them on longer walks. I'll still use them for my running about town and zoo walks and such, but for my intentional exercise, I'm going back to Asics. I love the way they hug my feet.



As an additional treat for embarking on my Tippy Toe 500 challenge, I treated myself to new socks. Yeah, yeah, I know. I have loads of socks already. But these are low cut (no tan lines!) with a little tab thing that pokes up in back to keep them from sliding down like my other low cut socks did.

To compensate for the splurge, I'm putting my perfectly good Thorlo low-cuts in the donate bin.

Some interesting links to share:
From MakeUseOf.com:
WhatsOnMyFood: See What Pesticides are Used in Your Food
LifeTango: Goal Sharing & Tracking Tool

From unclutterer:
Convenient dry goods delivery from Alice.com

FromBalanced Health and Nutrition:
Nutrition By the Numbers – NuVal Grades Popular Yogurts

And that's all I have for today. It's back to cleaning and pricing items for the garage sale I anticipate having on Saturday. (One fun day after another here at Casa de Tippy Toe.)

Hope you're all having a splendid week!

Melting but Moving Nonetheless

I knew this would happen. I complained about the lack of warmth and sunshine for two months. Now, after the first week of real heat, I'm back to complaining again. I've made a note for next year to remember that cool weather is annoying, but it is generally mosquito-less and doesn't require a change of clothes every four hours.

So what have I been up to? Not much but strangely busy all the same.

I completed day 3 of my "500" challenge without any problems, although I dawdled and dallied before getting to the gym. I don't know what that was about, but I had a great workout when I finally dragged myself in there. (Oh, and noting for the permanent record: weigh-in was on target.)

While at the gym, two women were doing crunches in a way I hadn't seen before: they were lying on the floor with their legs propped against the wall (think, the letter 'L). I didn't want to look like Cammy CopyCat, so I didn't try them yesterday, but they're on my list. Anyone ever try crunches in that position?

For my cardio yesterday, I dragged my bike out of the storage room (and cleaned out that area while I was at it) for the first time this season and rode for 30 minutes. I must have done several thousand lunges and squats since I last rode my bike, but apparently those aren't the same muscles used in pedaling. My legs were screaming for the first 5-10 minutes!

Today's cardio was delayed because I didn't want to get all sweaty and have to have yet another shower before our Father's Day/Memaw's birthday festivities (fried fish=indigestion). Then the heat was too bad, so it was after 7 p.m when I got started, just in time for the mosquito feedings.

Oops, I'm complaining again.

Back to the positive: The storage room clean-out turned up some old paint and stuff, so I had to make a run to the hazardous waste recycling center this morning. On the way there and back, I made a few stops at yard sales. Today's loot:

• The tower of "suitcases" is actually two nicely-sized storage boxes. Stacked, they'll make a nice end table in my den. A frugal purchase at $4 for both.
• The vase on the right now resides on top of the TV armoire in the den. At $6, it was slightly over-priced, but the seller was a nice old lady who was regretfully parting with many "treasures" from a lifetime of travel (the vase was not one of those treasures as it was mass-produced somewhere in Asia). She seemed so sad to see her things go that I decided to earn karma points by paying full price.
• Karma points were cashed in at the next stop, where I picked up the blue/white tote bag and small vase with multi-colored stones for $1 total. The tote bag will become a beach/picnic bag and the small vase will be used as a make-up brush holder on my bathroom vanity.
• The red Vera Bradley bag ($4) is my new toiletry bag for traveling. There are loads of pockets inside, perfect for small bottles and jars.
• Rounding out these purchases: a small journal and a picture frame (soon to hold my jetski photo), purchased for $1 each. The journal was a no-no purchase as I have a dozen journals in my supply cabinet, but a) it rounded out my purchase at that stop to $10 and b) I am weak.
• Not pictured are a book ($2) and a pack of index cards ($.25).

I am pleased. With the exception of the journal, all items have an immediate purpose, and two compensating items for each are headed out the door!

All things considered, not a bad few days! Tomorrow's plan is to get the cardio in early (going to try for a 5-mile walk) and then sit around and sip iced tea all day while I catch up on what's going on in YOUR worlds.

Dads who are dropping by, I hope you have a very special Father's Day! Non-Dads: Don't tell the Dads, but I wish you an equally special day!

Too Pooped To Post

Some rest days sneak up on you and others slam into your body demanding to be heard. I'll give you one guess which one I'm experiencing today.

I don't think my challenge workout is the culprit. The second day of the workout went well. I'm not only enjoying the challenge program, but the secondary workout is proving to be fun as well. I do see trouble on the horizon in that squats, in abundance, are boring to do. I'm going to try moving into the TV area of the gym on Friday in hopes that there will be something on there worth watching while I squat, squat, squat.

I suspect the reason for my fatigue is the walking I've been doing, or more precisely the HEAT in which I've been walking. We're in the mid-90s in temps now and with our ugly humidity, I'm just drained after a walk. It was a struggle to stay up past sunset last night!

So today I rest. If there's any walking to be done, it will be at stroll pace. That's really difficult for me now as I have so much more energy and tend to zip everywhere. :)

Before I zip--I mean, stroll-- out of here, I'll remind you of the storypeople giveaway. Tonight's the deadline, so go put your name in the hat if you're interested!

Have a wonderful day!

Cammy Has a Crush...or Two (a giveaway post)

Happy Tuesday, and congrats on making it through Monday! Let's celebrate!

As today's title suggests, I am besotted. It happened last month while I was in Tampa, when I stumbled across a shop with artwork by Brian Andreas. Am I the last person on the planet to have discovered his amazing Storypeople? Certainly I'm not the first to have developed a fairly significant crush. Although maybe it's the art I'm swooning for, since I've never actually met Brian Andreas and besides, I think he's happily married and I don't do that.

Anyway, the first piece I saw was Imagining World, in the form of a wooden sculpture inscribed with this bit of prose that grabbed my heart:

In my dream, the angel shrugged & said, If we fail this time, it will be a failure of imagination & then she placed the world gently in the palm of my hand.

As I do so often, I immediately thought about my weight loss and how I now feel as though I have a brave new world in the palm of my hand, ripe for the taking. ::happy sigh::

Since then, I've visited the Storypeople site and browsed the brilliant stories there. Some favorites:

Big Plans
Your job is to focus on my personal happiness, she said, & I've got big plans, so break time is over.

My sometimes-mantra the past couple of weeks has been "break time is over." Works every time!

Hoping to Fall
Leaning out as far as she can, hoping she'll fall soon, so she can stop worrying about whether it will happen or not.

I think about this one in terms of previous efforts of fitness and wonder if I set myself up for some self-fulfilling prophecies along the way? Probably.

Life Plan
I asked her what she planned to do with her life & she said she was way beyond that point already. I'm just happy I remember to be there when it happens, she said.

This one is good for me when I'm trying to be where my butt is. :)

Hindsight
I didn't listen to her because she was my mother & wouldn't know anything until I was much older.

Finances willing, I found my next year's Mother's Day gift.

I'll admit that some of the stories I just don't get, but they all make me think or feel or laugh or cry or some combination of any of those things. Thus, I sent a fan letter to the Storypeople people, and guess what? They have graciously and generously gifted us with a box of all occasion cards!

Each set contains 3 cards each of the following stories:
1. Imagining World: In my dream, the angel shrugged & said, If we fail this time, it will be a failure of imagination & then she placed the world gently in the palm of my hand.
2. Bittersweet : She said she usually cried at least once each day not because she was sad, but because the world was so beautiful & life was so short.
3. Illusion of Control: If you hold on to the handle, she said, it's easier to maintain the illusion of control. But it's more fun if you just let the wind carry you.
4. True Things: They came to sit & dangle their feet off the edge of the world & after awhile they forgot everything but the good & true things they would do someday.

I bought this set of cards in Tampa, and I've framed three of them (1,2,&3) for hanging in my home office. The others will be shared at special times, with special people.

If YOU would like an opportunity to win this set, all you have to do is leave me a comment saying so. If you check out the Storypeople site and share the title of your favorite story, I'll give you two entries!

The contest will be open until Thursday (6/18) at midnight, US Central. I'll let the random number generator pick the winner on Friday morning. And this time, the contest is open to everyone on the planet, no US-only!

Thank you, Storypeople! (Note: I received no compensation from them for this review other than the cards, which they supplied expressly for the giveaway!)

In other news, you ALL have an opportunity to win $1,000. Not from ME; I don't have that kind of budget. Heck, I don't even have a budget other than postage. :)

Nope, this giveaway opportunity is located at the The 50 Million Pounds Challenge. This initiative, led by Dr. Ian Smith (object of my second crush, because he's cute as can be), is helping to unite people in their efforts to get healthier and lose excess pounds. The site contains tools for tracking food and exercise, as well as a journal and forums for sharing progress. Oh, there's lots of other stuff...and it's all F-R-E-E!

Also, from now (well, yesterday) through June 25th, for each day that you track your activities, you're automatically entered in a daily drawing for $1,000! (I was contemplating joining, but I don't think they'd be amused by my current goal of losing 1/2 pound to get back to my target weight. *G*)

Anyway, check it out for yourself and if you enter and win, thank the PR people for letting us know about this. :)

On a personal note, the first day of my new challenge was a success. Given my assessment results, I probably should have started with week 2 or week 3 but I've always been a bit of an underachiever, so I started with Week 1, Day 1. :) I added in some tricep pull-downs, lat pull-downs, low rows, and lunges with weights, along with some core work for a well-rounded workout! As the weeks progress, I'll probably have to jettison some of the add-ons, but for now it feels great!

Hope you're all having a spectacular week!


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