Gym Evaluations are Underway!

In my last post, in addition to entertaining you with some of the finest blues music in recent history, I also did some crying over my encounter with the desk clerk at my gym. Once I got that out of my system (and aren't you all sweethearts for listening?), I set off to see what other options were available within easy walking/biking distance from my house, which would be about 2 miles. I was surprised with just how many options I found:

Physiology Associates
The Jewish Community Center's Wellness Center
YMCA
24-Hour Fitness

While these all cost 2-3 times as much as my gym, they also all offer lots more, including swimming pools. I've toured all except 24-hour Fitness, which I'll be visiting via a 7-Day Pass next week, and I've been impressed with the friendliness of the staff at each facility. They actually come out from behind their desks and mingle!

Another option I checked into, just because it was located near one of the other gyms, was Curves for Women. To be honest, I'd never considered Curves before, and I'm not sure why. I dropped in at my neighborhood Curves, and I have to tell you, I was impressed! As the name implies, it's a workout option designed for women. It's all based on hydraulic resistance equipment and cardio (not regular old gym equipment), and you follow musical/voice prompts to change machines. The standard workout is scheduled to last 30 minutes (but you can go longer if you wish), which includes time at an amazing stretching apparatus. Seriously, if I hadn't given them my real name wasn't such a moral and law-abiding citizen, I'd be backing up my Dad's truck to their door some night.

There was a feeling of camaraderie and "belonging" at this Curves location that I haven't experienced at any other gym I've worked out in. Granted, part of their job is to sell a membership to me, but it really came across more as, "Come play with us!" I like that! Staff members are available to help (and push you!), which almost felt like having a personal trainer.

The cost of a membership, which permits unlimited visits, is $100 sign-up and $34/month. For the month of March, though, they're waiving the sign-up fee in exchange for a bag of healthy groceries to be donated to a women's shelter! (This is apparently a program going on at all Curves, not just my local facility.) There are now Curves franchises all over the world, and you get guest privileges at all of them, plus they have some online activities and support as well.

By now you're probably thinking I'm being paid by the Curves people, but I'm not, I promise. Simply put, I was impressed with the place and honestly do think that it just might be a good resource if you have avoided working out at a gym because you felt intimidated or self-conscious. As for me, as much as I'd love to hang out with them and be part of what looks like a fun and supportive group, I think I'm at a point where variety in my workout is important. Besides, I have you guys for fun and support. :)

I'll make a decision next week and have an update from my gym. Until then, I'm going to have fun exploring and perhaps even widen my search to the five mile range just to see what else is out there!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

The Squish Belly Blues

*cue harmonica*

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

*harmonica*

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

*harmonica*

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meanwhile, I'll keep exercising at home.

And playing my harmonica.

~~

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

Some Friday Topic Hoppin'

Greetings from the tiredest person you know. This home remodeling biz will definitely take the wind out of your sails. Having paid someone to paint both bathrooms, with less than remarkable results, I've decided to tackle the next paint project myself. They're two itsy bitsy rooms (guest/exercise room and home office)--what could go wrong? Next week should be fun. :)

In some good-Cammy news, I received the lab results from my recent doctor visit! I'm sharing them here as a measure of my success:

Results	Factor	Goal
168	Total Cholesterol	Less than 200 mg/dL
101	LDL ("Bad") Cholesterol	LDL cholesterol goals vary.
		Less than 100 is Optimal
		100 to 129 is Near Optimal/Above Optimal
		130 to 159 is Borderline High
		160 to 189 is High
		190 is Very High
55	HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol	50 or higher
58	Triglycerides	150
120/80	Blood Pressure	120/80
76	Fasting Glucose	100

I am quite pleased, especially with that "good" cholesterol number. It was 30 last year.

I am also pleased with my snazzy table and sincerely hope it displays properly in your browser. I used a nifty little online app called Tableizer, which requires only that you copy/paste your spreadsheet contents into a little box. Then, presto! They generate the code. FOR FREE! Next, I'll learn how to align it properly. :)

Oh, and in the event you're like me and didn't understand why total cholesterol didn't equal HDL + LDL, you have to add in 1/5 of the total triglycerides. I've checked this off my to-do of "learn something new every day."

Okay, on to starred links from my reader:

From Lifescript Health Bistro: Women: Critical Tips to Recognize a Heart Attack or Stroke

From MakeUseOf: A review of a new app - BetterMe: Self-Improvement with Anonymous Feedback

From Healthy Theory, a post on one of my favorite topics: Napping Does a Body (and Mind) Good

And with that, I'm ready for the weekend. Nothing going on here but work, work, work. Unfortunately, the two rooms I've decided to paint contain all my computers and related peripherals, books, office supplies, files, and exercise equipment. And that all has to be relocated somewhere else in this house.

So unless you can give me a good reason why not, I'll expect you all here tomorrow a.m. at 10:00. How 'bout it? What have you got going on this weekend that's somehow more important than helping me move heavy crap a few things from room to room?

Whatever it is, I hope you enjoy it! :)

By Request: Doing Nothing, Almost Explained

After my post yesterday, several of you asked about the concept of "doing nothing." (If you missed it, I first mentioned it in my quasi-book review of Martha Beck's The Joy Diet last week.) What follows is my interpretation of Martha Beck's suggestion to "Do nothing for 15 minutes every day."

I once read a quote attributed to Dr. Stephen Covey that went something like, "A ladder leaning against the wrong wall will only get us to the wrong place faster." We get so caught up in doing every day that we sometimes lose sight of what's truly important to us. The purpose of the daily exercise of doing nothing is to filter through our thoughts and feelings, to tap into the core of who we are what matters most to us.

The only hard-and-fast rule for doing nothing is that you have to remove yourself from the distractions of your life. It may mean that, for fifteen minutes, you have to leave your house, or lock your bedroom door, or sit in your car in the parking lot at work. Let anyone and everyone know that you are off limits and assure them that they will possibly survive it. Then walk away.

The next step is to find inner stillness. Martha Beck suggests either stilling our bodies, or if that feels too restrictive, then to engage in some sort of repetitive motion (walking, jogging, etc.) that requires no conscious thought. [Note: The motion thing doesn't always work so well for me, as I'm sure the startled driver I stepped in front of will agree. It does work well on the treadmill or the elliptical, though. And also while washing dishes, oddly enough.]

As we enter this zone of inner stillness, we should begin to observe the thoughts flitting through our minds, almost like watching them on television. Or, if you have a big life, perhaps a movie theater screen. Ms. Beck suggests visualizing these thoughts on a ticker tape or waterfall or some other moving instrument. {My thoughts ride past on bicycles. :)) Let them go by without judgment, assigning a name or short phrase to each as it passes through.

And that's the point of it all: we're letting these thoughts pass through. We acknowledge the emotion or feeling they create, but we don't let them take root or even find a resting place. Not for these fifteen minutes.

The final component of the exercise is to find our "happy place," a memory of a time when we felt at peace. (If you don't have one, make one up for yourself.) Recalling these times during our observations is relaxing and reminds us that even during times of stress or turmoil, the good things in the Universe are still with us.

It took me a few days to get into the flow of it and to understand the intent behind each of the actions and how they work as a whole together. At first, my thoughts went along these lines:
-I'm tired.
-No, you're lazy.
-Now, I'm being judgmental.
-I'm doing this wrong.
-Oh look! That woman should NOT be wearing that shirt with those pants.

After a few days, it became the intended stream of consciousness stuff:
-Not having a job scares me.{fear}
-The sun feels warm. {gratitude}
-I wonder why I'm so sleepy.{curiosity}
...and so on.

I became more aware of patterns, which is how I figured out I was feeling more anxiety than normal last week. When fear, worry, and nervous appeared multiple times in one day, I kind of took that as a clue. I'm quick that way. :)

I'm sure I've muddled this layman's explanation of doing nothing, and I may not interpret it as Martha Beck intended. You're probably better off reading the book and figuring out a way that works for you. That said, I'll be happy to return to the comments and mop up any muddy water. :)

Chime in with whatever you're thinking, or be on your happy, contemplative way! :)
Hope you're all having a wonderful week!

My First Lent, My Way

As an unaffiliated (or non-denominational, if you wish) Christian, I've never observed Lent. Many of my friends do, however, and in past years, I've simply nodded to show my attentiveness as they described what they intended to abstain from during the countdown to Easter. Chocolate, alcohol, caffeine, bread, and other such foods were the usual victims, but sometimes activities or perceived bad habits made the hit list: the snooze alarm, unnecessary spending, smoking, watching television, etc. All very interesting, but never enough to lure me into the observance of it.

Easter, on the other hand, has always been one of my favorite holidays. There are spiritual reasons, which I won't go into, but there are also mental and physical components to this holiday for me, probably because it's so handily observed in Spring, when my mind and body are beyond ready to be rid of the winter doldrums. Whatever the reason, I always feel more energized and alive around this time of year.

If you've read here for any length of time, you know that I like to shake things up now and then, to toss something new into the mix. Some things "take", some things don't. The joy is in the trying. And that's why I've decided to observe Lent this year, for the first time in my life.

As I understand it there are three general areas of focus in Lent: prayer, sacrifice, and charity/almsgiving. I've got the prayer/meditation thing covered, which leaves abstinence and charity.

You're probably on the edge of your seats now, wondering just what I plan to give up, aren't you? Well, if you guessed anything food-related, guess again! :) Now that I've cleaned up my daily diet, there's not much to sacrifice without giving up a nutritional component. Not a road I care to travel.

No, I've decided to go another route. When I think about some of my daily practices and habits, along with the ways I want to grow, I've chosen three Lenten-ish sacrifices (I chose three because it's such a big deal number in Christianity):

1) Reading fiction - I don't consider any reading to be time wasted, but I've been spending an inordinate amount of time with my nose buried in a cozy mystery or silly romance novel. I have a shelf full of unread non-fiction books, all obtained with the purpose of enriching my mind and/or spirit. For the next six weeks or so, I'll direct all of reading time to these books and the stack of unread magazines that have accumulated since the beginning of the year. In addition to a recharged inner self, I'll also accomplish a bit of decluttering. A two-fer sacrifice, if you will.

2) Free Cell - I have a healthy practice of using a few minutes of Free Cell play as a reward for getting some task accomplished. Finished my workout? Cool down with a few games of Free Cell. Complete a somewhat difficult item on my to-do list? Two games! Or I'll use it as a distraction from nighttime snacking urges. No problem there, and much healthier than large amounts of popcorn or chocolate. Lately, though, I've noticed that I'll head over to Free Cell when I want to avoid doing something difficult. I recognize it now as a form of fear, a way of hiding from risk, and it's NOT healthy. Taking away Free Cell as an option will give me more time to spend on more enriching pursuits. More on that in a minute.

3) 40 Personal Items & 40 Books - I've been blessed to live a life of abundance, and I'm grateful for that. I'm also embarrassed about the amount of stuff I have. While I've been made progress in ridding myself of some of it, I still have things I don't use, need, or love. In addition, my bookshelves are spilling over again, and many of those books will never be opened again. I've set up two boxes in my office and for the next six(ish) weeks, I'll be filling them with 40 unused items from my house and 40 books from my shelves. The purpose of this sacrifice is two-fold: to rid myself of unnecessary clutter and to put some useful-to-someone-else items back into circulation via a charitable donation.

Speaking of charity, for that component of Lent, I'll be attending a weekly series of Lenten lectures at a nearby church. They caught my attention with this title: Just Eating: Practicing Our Faith at the Table. Some of the topics look very interesting:
A Call to Action - changing our lives with faith in action steps, making our eating just, our bodies healthy & energizing our spirits to serve others.
On Nutrition - food as fuel, how our choices make a huge difference in our energy & our health as we make caring for our body a priority.
Food & Community - creating community with food, the importance of gathering at table and the power it has to nourish our bodies and souls.
Food & Environment - food and our environment, awareness of local cuisine and how to build ties between farmers, food artisans and community.
Food & Hunger - the problem of hunger in the Mid-South. Needs in our community can inform our actions & inspire us to examine our lifestyle.

I expect this series to be personally enriching and also to educate me on how I might better serve my community.

(Any Memphis people plan to attend? Give me a shout! The church is on Quince, just West of Kirby Parkway. There's a Starbucks around the corner that would be perfect for a meet-up! No pastries allowed. Not where I can reach them, anyway. :))

So this is my version of Lent. I'm sure to be breaking some sort of rules, but I don't particularly care. I'll be pushing aside some things (panicky note to self: fiction=temporary) to allow time and space for building a better me, both on the inside and on the outside, to the community at large. That seems to be the purpose of Lent, within my limited understanding of it. And who knows? If it works well, I may create a Supplemental Lent to follow it. :)

Feel free to chime in with your own Lenten intentions. Or not. I know it's a highly personal thing. :)

Whatever your beliefs, I wish you peace...

Blogging with My Heart

I’m asking a special favor of you today. It will only take a minute. Literally.

For just one minute, I’d like you to sit back, close your eyes, and think about all of the influential women in your life, past and present, those who have loved you, taken care of you, taught you, supported you, and inspired you throughout your life. Let your mind's eye see their images: the wisdom and compassion in their expressions, the laugh lines around their eyes, the joyful glow that lights from within. Think about the powerful effect these women had on your life and what your life might have been like without their positive influence. (Guys? You are not exempt. Get to it!)

One minute. Sixty little seconds. Go on, I’ll wait…

…If you’re like me, that minute of reflection overflowed with influential women: mothers and grandmothers, sisters, daughters, beloved aunts, teachers, doctors, friends, co-workers, mentors, and maybe even women we don’t know, like athletes and actresses, writers and musicians.  Bloggers even!   (And yes, I do mean YOU!)  We are all richly blessed by the positive influence of women.

The reason I asked you to join me in this one-minute exercise was not only to honor these amazing women, but to also point out something you may not know: In that single minute of reflection, a woman in the U.S. died from cardiovascular disease. A woman who, no doubt, would be counted as someone else's life-changer.. Mother, sister, mentor, friend--she made a difference in someone's life. And now she's gone, one of the 450,000 women--about one every minute--who die each year from heart disease.It's a sobering statistic, to say the least.

This statistical woman now joins the influential women in my life, and they're ALL why I'm joining the American Heart Association and fitlosophy, inc. in encouraging you to...

Go Red and Go Red For Women are trademarks of AHA. The Red Dress Design is a trademark of U.S. DHHS.

When you consider the following stats from the Go Red for Women organization, it only makes sense:

• As mentioned earlier, cardiovascular disease kills approximately 450,000 women each year, about one every minute.
• While 1 in 30 American women die of breast cancer, about 1 in 3 die from cardiovascular disease.
• More women die of cardiovascular disease than the next five causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.
• Ninety percent of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease.
• Only 1 in 5 women believe that heart disease is her greatest health threat.
• Heart disease is largely preventable. In fact, 80 percent of cardiac events in women may be prevented if women make the right choices for their hearts, involving diet, exercise and abstinence from smoking.

What do you get out of it?

• Research shows that women who “Go Red” are more likely to make healthy choices.
  
• More than one-third have lost weight.
• Nearly 55 percent have increased their exercise.
• Six out of ten have changed their diets.
• More than 40 percent have checked their cholesterol levels.
• One third have talked with their doctors about developing heart health plans. 

Almost anyone who's reading here is in search of a healthier life. We're making wiser food choices, we're exercising, and we're learning to take better care of ourselves every day. So why not add a little spark to that fire and take yet another minute to explore the Go Red site and check out the available information and programs?

And then share it with every woman you know. YOU can be the difference in someone else's life!

I'd be honored if you wanted to give a shout-out to any of the influential women in your life--either here, or on your blogs. And maybe give a nudge to your readers to check out the Go Red for Women campaign for themselves.

We CAN make a difference!

Personal note: This post is dedicated to my friend, Kathleen, who died last year of complications of diabetes and heart disease, at the too-young age of 59.

The Week That Was

This was one of those weeks that peaked on Tuesday and then kind of tumbled and stumbled to a dismal finish. Nothing horrible at all, for which I'm humbly thankful, but a couple of disappointing turn of events, a root canal with feverish complications (I look like a chipmunk!), the apparent death of my treadmill, and endless gray days have me very much looking forward to a fresh new week!

On the plus side, nutrition and exercise were pretty decent this week. When my treadmill went into a coma, I learned that my parents still had an old stationary bike I'd purchased years and years ago, so I hauled it to my house. It's pretty pathetic, as cardio equipment goes, but after I put on my 10-pound ankle weights, I was able to get in a good workout on it. Where there's a will, there's a way, eh? :)

Also on the plus side, I "discovered" a really cool international food market near my house that has fruits and veggies I never even heard of. It's been there for several years, and I only drive past it every two or three days, but I'd never bothered to stop until yesterday. My goal of trying new foods every few weeks just got a whole lot easier.

Another bright spot to the week was that a number of new-to-me bloggers dropped in to comment, and now I have some fun new blogs to check out! Following other people as they achieve their goals always inspires me to keep chasing my own. Funny how that works, isn't it?

Finally, these articles also brightened my otherwise gray-ish week:
- Kat over at BodyIncredible.com shared How to Boost Your Metabolism in 3 Minutes 29 Seconds (Caution: If you need to pee, I suggest you do it before watching the accompanying video.)

- The folks at Wisebread posted some great tips on Frugal Gluten-free Living. While I'm not gluten-free, I know some of you are, and these seem like pretty good ideas.

- Healthy Theory had this informative post: Not All Sugars Are Created Equal.

- MakeUseOf clued me in on this free online food diary, exercise, and weight loss tracker.

And last, but far from least, DumbLittleMan had an awesome post on 50 Ways to Create a Better Day. Today I'm focusing on #27 and NOT wallowing. :)

Hope you're looking forward to an amazing weekend!

~~~

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!

Nutritional Self-Check: Two Years Later

I was searching for something in my posting history the other day, and I stumbled across this old post, which was a nutritional self-check based on an article I'd read. I thought it might be helpful to share the message again and fun to see how (if!) I've improved in two years.

What I liked about the original article was that it suggested a series of small and reasonable changes that could be implemented and/or improved upon over time. At the time I read it, I had been "transitioning" over a period of seven or eight months, and it fit right with my Tippy Toe sensibilities.

Suggestions from the article are shown below in bold italic, with my 2008 responses shown in italic.

Don't skip meals; plan for three meals each day.
- Like that's a problem for me. :) I absolutely certify that I am having three meals each day. I excel at it even. Grade A+
-2010 Update: Eating enough is still not a problem for me. Imagine that. :) I have 3-5 meals and snacks every day. Grade A++

Start reading food labels so you'll become more aware of what you're putting into your body.
- I'm better at reading labels, but I still don't have all of the bad stuff memorized. Grade B-
2010 Update: The amount of time I spend in the grocery store has doubled, especially when I have to buy anything from an aisle. As we all know, that's where the processed stuff is, which requires a "flip the box" approach to shopping. You'd think I was on an archeological dig, given the amount of time I spend scrutinizing labels.  Grade: A+  (Btw, if you have no idea how to read a food label, here's a good primer with which to start. We'll get to ingredients another day.*G*)

Plan for healthier snack choices at work.
- I take fruit to work every day, and a protein snack bar if I have a workout scheduled, but on the odd day I'm caught without, I'm blessed to have a company cafeteria with lots of fresh fruit, yogurt, and other healthy options. Grade A+
2010 Update - Well, there is no workplace now. Fortunately, my kitchen--much like my former workplace--is filled with fresh fruit, yogurt, and other healthy options.

Between lunch and dinner each day, aim for five servings of fruits and vegetables.
- Hmm, I'm not sure what this means. Between those two meals and snacks, I probably get about four servings of fruits and veggies. I also have fruit in the morning, and sometimes as an after dinner snack. I've also been known to snack on carrot sticks in the evening. So I'll give myself a B+. After all, they are healthy snacks no matter when I have them.
2010 Update: Still eating my fruits and veggies. I didn't do as well during the holidays as I would've liked, managing only 3-5 servings on a few days. I'm back on track completely now, and I'll give myself an A+ for overall practice. :)

Stop adding salt to foods.
- Er. Better than I was, not where I should be. Grade C.
- 2010 Update: Much, much, much better. I do sometimes add salt to certain foods, but rarely and sparingly. I'll give myself a B+.

Eat nothing after 8 p.m.
- Er again. Grade D. (So sue me, I get hungry at night. Again, I stick with the healthy stuff.)
- 2010 Update: I'm not convinced eating after 8 p.m. is a problem. What I eat after 8 p.m. is what counts, IMO. Christmas cookies in great numbers? Not good. A serving of yogurt or cheese? Not a problem in my book. But grading according to the article's author, I'd have to go with a C.

Try a new food each week, to help you introduce more variety into your diet.
- How far do good intentions get me? Grade N (Not attempted)
-2010 Update: I don't try something new each week, but I do try new foods (or variations of "old" foods) every few weeks. I'll give myself a solid B. (I know, I'm pretty generous with myself.)

Eat less meat to reduce your fat and cholesterol intake.
- Grade A+! I never did eat a lot of meat anyway; however, back then I replaced the meat with chocolate, a methodology that didn't work so well for me. :) I'm 98% lean meat/protein now. I allow myself one beef-oriented meal weekly, but many weeks I pass it up.
2010 Update: Still sticking with lean meats. No change here.

Make sure that your breads, cereals, pastas, and crackers are made with whole grains.
- Along with the one beef serving each week, I give myself a 'white bread' option. This helps if I want my red meat splurge to be a burger or a burrito or spaghetti. Again, many weeks I pass on it, but every now and then is okay. Grade A-
2010 Update: I've improved in this area, having learned to look for the "100%" indicator on whole wheat products. (It should be the first ingredient listed on the label, not third or seventh or beyond.)

I see that I'm still grading on the curve, and that's okay. I'm still progressing and that's all I ever really asked of myself. Getting to the 100%healthy/100% of the time stage hasn't been a goal and isn't likely to be. I do feel best when I'm in the 90-95% range, though.

So, are you already following any of these suggestions? Or do you see one or two you might want to tackle over the next few months? Don't be shy about singing out if you're just getting started and need some help! I may not be much of a guide, but some really smart people read here and I'm sure they'll be glad to pitch in! :)

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

Time Flies: Celebrating the Second Year

Two years ago tomorrow (Monday), I posted my first entry on The Tippy Toe Diet. I had been blogging about my weight loss journey on my original-and-now-defunct blog, Singlespace, but that was mainly for myself and a few friends. By the time I started this blog, I had crossed the halfway mark (50 pounds lost) and felt secure enough to share with the outside world. (Trivia buffs will remember that my blog name came about when people kept hounding me for the name of my diet, and they didn't seem to believe me when I told them I was simply making small, cumulative changes here and there. Finally, and partly from frustration, I blurted out, "It's the Tippy Toe Diet--you sneak up on it!" )

Last year, I posted a 2008 year in review entry, and I thought I'd do the same this year. Lots happened, that's for sure.

2009 Year in Review

I declared my 2009 Rest-olutions and kept most of them. I never did explore the concept of the power nap, mostly because....

...It went right out of my head when I appeared in my first (and last) ad campaign for Fitness Together, the training studio that helped me make such great progress.(Note to PR folks: Am still available to be your brand ambassador and have added many, many areas of expertise since the original post.)

I went on a sock diet and had quite a bit of success until November, when I bought 4 pairs of Under Armour Crew Socks. In my defense, I didn't own any crew socks, and my ankles were freezing.

I discussed the gifts we have and the debt of honor we owe ourselves to use these gifts.

Geez, Louise, I'm in the news again, at the state level this time.

I politely suggested you all go SWOT yourselves

Cammy - 1, Girl Scouts - 0: the Girl Scout Cookie Attack.

I survived the loss of my job of 23 years. I might have even thrived a little bit.

One of the happiest days of my life: I rode a jet ski for the first time ever!

On that same trip, I got to meet Natalia of A Little Bit About a Lot of Things and Diana of Scale Junkie fame. I was still thrilling over that when I had the opportunity to meet Patty, now blogging at Our Nutritional Endeavor.

The lovely Sahar at fatfightertv.com made me a Woo-hoo! I had never been a Woo-hoo! before and was quite honored. I'm still all warm and fuzzy over it.

I wrote an open letter to the guys at my gym. Shortly thereafter, I switched to a Sun., Tues., Thurs. schedule and had a much nicer experience. I even got a "You're rocking those push-ups" from one guy. Be still my heart.

I somehow managed to work Samuel Coleridge into a blog post on weight loss: Put the Block on Porlock! A little weird, but it worked for me.

During the summer, I attended BlogHer '09 and met some interesting people and was overrun with swag: Report 1, Report 2, Report 3.

I found the secret of Mo-Mo.

And then there were some marginally interesting insights on weight loss, transferred from my life in Corporate America.

I even began to cook, if only a little.

And then I left town for a month-long road trip to the western U.S. One of the highlights was riding a tram up to the top of Sandhia Mountain in Albuquerque. Other highlights included riding bikes across the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and hiking a bit in L.A.'s Griffith Park. Some pictures can be found here.

National publicity in the form of a wee mention in Woman's Day magazine, along with other fitness bloggers, Roni and Shelley.

I presented some tips on finding the tiger inside ourselves. Not the lying, scheming, adutery-committing Tiger (unless that's your thing, and who am I to judge?) but the one that makes you want to FIGHT for a better life for yourself.

The rest of the year is kind of a blur, to tell you the truth, likely caused by the sugar increase of the holidays. But all things considered, not a bad year at all.

And I passed my first year in goal weight range---whew!

YOU are a large part of the reason I continue to blog. Your input, your support, your guidance, and your wisdom inspire me, motivate me, and enchant me. It may sound hokey, but the greeting card had it right: "When I count my blessings, I count you twice."  Thank you for letting me play in your world for another year!




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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!

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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. )

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One Holiday Down, One to Go

As splurges go, this annual event wasn't particularly spectacular. Oh, there was a slab of chocolate cake, sure. But that's pretty much it. I tried to splurge on catfish for dinner, but I had only two small pieces. One serving of mashed potatoes, one serving of green beans (country style), and a wheat roll. I'm probably pretty close to calorie count for the day. I failed the Splurge Test. Me!!

Oh well, at least my nutritional goals were shot. I guess I'll have to hold on to that. And try harder at Christmas. :)

It was a beautiful Thanksgiving Day in Memphis, and I had the bright idea to ride my bicycle to the restaurant where I was meeting my family. It was an easy 5 mile ride, one way, and it gave me time to contemplate my blessings and to be thankful for them. I also gave thanks for making it to the restaurant without getting squished by a turkey-dazed motorist.

On the way home, I happened upon a cute little dog running across a fairly busy street. I stopped and tried to catch him, but he wasn't interested. He darted back into the street and into the path of a car. Fortunately, the driver slammed on his brakes and while the car did make contact with the dog, it was apparently a glancing blow as the dog got up and dashed across the street again. I followed and found him visiting with some dogs (properly behind their fence) on another street, probably bitching about the car that got in his way. I hope his owners found him. He wouldn't let me near him, before or after the incident.

With the great dog adventure, I wound up taking a different route home and eventually rode 12 miles. That's a decent ride for me, and I am pleased.

So tomorrow is the so-called Black Friday. I'm no hardcore participant, but I will be at Sports Authority when they open the doors. The first 80 people in line receive a gift card with a value from $10 to $500 (who wants to bet mine will be worth $10?), and I need some new Duo-fold thermal pants. I would also like to find some fleece pants. If I should happen to get the $500 card, I'll be bringing home an elliptical. :)

Other planned stops: Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Pier 1, and Target, if the parking lot doesn't look too crazy. Oh, and maybe I'll stop at this store:


Obviously a typo, but wouldn't it be nice? :)

Hope you all had a wonderful day today, whether you were celebrating Thanksgiving or just enjoying a beautiful Thursday!

Hello, Woman's Day!

The December 1st issue of Woman's Day magazine has a wee article mentioning three weight loss/fitness blogs and just who do you think was among the three? If you guessed The Tippy Toe Diet, you'd be correct! I'd heard about this but hadn't mentioned it because I hadn't seen it with my own four eyes. Today I saw it.

From Blogger Pictures

To be mentioned at all is quite flattering, but to be included with Roni and Shelley is beyond awesome as they're spectacular bloggers.

Big thanks to Woman's Day for the article. We all know the importance of the community aspect of blogging, and it's nice to think other folks who are struggling might give it a try. I only wish they hadn't titled the article, "Blogging Your Way Skinny." Given that the three blogs mentioned have a specific focus on becoming healthier (not skinny!), the title makes me cringe a little. Oh well, if it catches someone's attention and convinces them to give blogging a try, I guess it's worth a little suffering on my part. :) But to clarify to any Woman's Day readers checking in here: I'm not skinny and don't care to be, so if you see me on the street, don't get the wrong idea that I'm letting myself go. :D

(Disclosure: I don't have any affiliation with Woman's Day, although I do have a subscription to their magazine. I'm pretty sure they didn't make the connection. :))

Tippy Toe Re-Start

Boy, you leave home for a month and the routine is hard to find again. Three time zones changes, the change in Daylight Savings Time, and two strong bouts of PMS haven't helped. :)

While it feels as though my vacation was one month-long splurge, when I think back on it, I realize that I really didn't stray too far from The Good Path (if you exclude Las Vegas which is now just a sugary blur.) I had more beef in one month than I had in the previous twelve (FOUR cheeseburgers!), and more sweets than I did in the previous two years, but other than that, it was mostly lean meats, veggies, and fruit. I'm feeling pretty pleased about that. It feels like I passed some sort of test.

Exercise wasn't much of a problem on the trip. I didn't do much in the way of structured workouts, mainly because I was too busy walking and biking so much, but most days had some sort of activity built into them. Some days had LOTS of activity.

I haven't gone back to the gym--or the scale--yet, as I've been busy catching up (17 bags of leaves, so far.) I've bicycled some of my errands, and I'm counting two hours of leaf raking/bagging as one hour of gym time. I'm using the fact that all my clothes still fit, and that I (mostly) like the way I look in them, as permission to continue this path. Until Sunday, at least, when I plan to begin with structured workouts again. :)

Having the opportunity to take this trip was truly a gift. I had never seen the southwestern US or any part of the Pacific coastal areas, although I always wanted to. I can't say that the itch has been successfully scratched. More like, whetted my appetite to see moremoremore!

Favorite places: San Francisco (CA), Albuquerque (NM), and Venice Beach (CA)! All very active and vibrant communities in which I felt very much alive and at home.

Close runners up: Lake Mead (outside Las Vegas) and the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. Peaceful and hauntingly beautiful.

A few photos are here: Cammy's Western Tour. I took a gajillion more photos, but after a jillion, the desert shots start to look alike. :)

With that, we return to our previously scheduled blogging.

(Edited to fix photo link: Thanks for the heads up!)

Makeover Monday Redux: Handbag Re-do

Greetings from New Mexico (again)! I've made the turn east and am headed for home, where I will probably land on Tuesday or Wednesday. Photos have been updated through San Francisco. (linked)

This week's Makeover Monday post is once again revisiting a topic from last year. This revisit is inspired by the sore shoulder I've acquired from carrying around a purse/tote bag crammed with...stuff. I've done so well on keeping an organized handbag, until this trip. Now, it's all a jumble of papers, maps, brochures, and...stuff. Time for a re-do, for sure.

If your handbag (wallet, gym bag, briefcase, etc.) could use a makeover, check out this post (linked) for some handy tips!

I've missed you all so much! My reader is at 623 unread posts, so I know what I'll be doing while I'm catching up laundry. :)

Be well...and have an awesome week!

Makeover Monday Redux: Pucker Up!

Greetings from the giddy traveler! And profuse apologies for not updating more frequently. This has been a whirlwind couple of weeks with lots of miles and even more smiles. So far I've visited Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. I am living in a state of bliss. Fatigued bliss, but bliss nonetheless.

Some of you may remember one of my earliest posts on this blog on the reasons why I wanted to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle. I'm happy to report that I can check another one off the list:

To travel to San Francisco and ride a bike uphill with my friend

On Saturday, my friend Morgan and I, along with two other dear friends, bicycled across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito, CA. There aren't enough words to describe how awesome I felt being able to complete that ride. It wasn't always elegant, but I made it!

Morgan has also taken me on bike rides to the Castro District and the Haight-Ashbury area. While she's been careful to avoid the truly horrific hills, there have been some tough spots for this Delta-dwelling gal. I've truly been thankful for all the squats and lunges I did this past summer. :)

As you might expect, I've also been doing LOTS of walking. Six hours one day in Venice, CA, five hours my first day here in San Franciso, and two hours today before our bike ride. I'm so grateful for being fit enough to do it and even more importantly, to enjoy it.

One negative of all this outdoor activity has been some serious chapped lips. First there were the desert winds, and then the beach winds in LA. The strong winds and cool temps on the Golden Gate Bridge certainly didn't help. That's why this Monday's re-visit is a January 2009 post with tips on treating chapped lips (linked). Hope you enjoy it.

I don't know when things will be back to normal here. Thank you for hanging in with me while I indulge myself in this joyous journey!

P.S.
I've updated photos through L.A. I'll update with San Francisco when my computer starts behaving properly.

Makeover Monday Redux: On Sleeping

Greetings from Las Vegas, where I have just spent five laugh-filled days with a fun and lively group of friends. The calories have been empty,the exercise mostly of the laugh-until-you-pee variety, and the sleep non-existent--pretty much the opposite of my normal life. But as they say, what goes on in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. Our gathering is officially over, and I'm looking forward to getting back to normal.

As I did last week, I'm "recirculating" a previous Makeover Monday post. To Sleep, Perchance to be Fit focused on the importance of establishing a sleep routine to benefit your sleep routine . Given that I've had 20 hours sleep in 5 days, it seems especially topical. :)

As posted on June 18, 2008:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And back to the present...I've taken few photos of Las Vegas, but I hope to get a few tomorrow. On Tuesday, it's on to Marina Del Rey, CA and then San Francisco later in the week. Photos will follow in the days ahead.

Needless to say, my RSS feeds are a teensy bit backed up. I apologize. I hope you're all doing well, and I'm very much looking forward to catching up with your worlds!
(photo by striatic)
~

Western Tour: The First Four Days

Four days, 1700 miles, 4 bananas, 4 yogurt parfaits, 3 apples, and 1 chocolate-dipped pretzel later....

You know, I've always been sympathetic to the Native American community, but until now, I never really understood the whole "sacredness of the land" thing. I get it now. The southwestern U.S. is truly a magical, amazing area.

My favorite place so far was Albuquerque's Old Town area. Lots of shops and restaurants, but also a large plaza to sit and people-watch. (It's also the locale of the choco-pretzel mentioned earlier.)



This is another favorite place and also a favorite memory. I actually rode up in this tram, which is something I never would've done before weight loss, for fear that other passengers might get off the car when they saw my size or the tram operators would've said I was too much of a risk. (The things we worry about!) Getting on the tram wasn't easy after weight loss, given the height and the slenderness of the cables holding the thing up, but I was determined to give it a whirl.
The view of Albuquerque was worth it. The sense of accomplishment was, as they say, priceless.

Eating has been in check, but well, let's just say it's also been luxurious. :) Very little "official" exercise, but hours of walking and stair climbing. I did try yesterday, but the tiny hotel fitness center was packed. As I post this, I'm heading to today's hotel fitness center (I have to, it's next to the breakfast area), and then more walking today at Hoover Dam and Las Vegas!

I have a few photos posted here.

Hope you're all having a spectacular week!

The Tippy Toe Tour: The Western Edition

I apologize for my absence here and on your blogs. I'm frantically clicking away on a travel to-do list as I plan my next great adventure: a 30 day road trip out west. I've never had the opportunity to do anything like this before, and I probably shouldn't be doing it now. But I'm doing it anyway.

Here are the definite destinations:
Albuquerque, NM
Santa Fe, NM
Las Vegas, NV
Marina Del Ray, CA
San Francisco, CA

Most of those are sight-seeing stops, but I'll be visiting friends in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Much fun (and chocolate) will be had!

I still haven't finalized the return trip. Probable destinations:
Palm Springs, CA
Tucson, AZ
Las Cruces, NM
Fredericksburg, TX
Austin, TX (Miz, I'll let you know)
and then home.

Should I win a big jackpot in Vegas, any/all plans may change. Given that I have about $30 in my gambling fun, I'm not counting on it.

As you might expect, I'm slightly-to-moderately worried about weight gain. Since I know Las Vegas will be a food-centric experience (two buffets, an Italian restaurant, and homemade toffee on the agenda and those are just the events I know about), my plan is to avoid too much splurging on the trip out and to make sure I get in at least 30 minutes of good exercise every day. That won't be a problem in Santa Fe, Marina Del Rey, and San Francisco, but I'll have to be mindful in the other cities.

I'm going to violate one of my vacation rules, I think, and carry my exercise/food logging notebook with me. Usually, I don't bother logging when I'm on vacation, but with this one covering such a long period of time, I'm going to start out with the log. I do NOT plan to be obsessive about it, though. I'd rather gain 5 pounds--heck, 20 pounds!--than miss fun and meaningful experiences because I was in the room doing push-ups!

If nothing else, this will be a good experiment in moderation and balance. Unless, of course, it descends into some sort of adventure in gluttony and sloth. But I kind of doubt that will happen.

The adventure begins on Saturday! I'll be checking in as time allows and will hopefully have photos to share. (I heard the collective groan.) Consider yourselves warned! :)

Cooking Up a Storm with Cammy

We've been having daily thunderstorms lately, and I've decided it might be my fault. I cooked twice this week, which may have confused the Universe.

My all new favorite chicken marinade is a combination of frozen pineapple orange juice concentrate and barbecue sauce. I scoop a couple tablespoons of the concentrate into a bowl and let it thaw. Then I stir in an equal barbecue sauce. (I'm using commercial sauce, since I have it on hand, but there are loads of recipes out there for DIY.) I marinate the chicken in the fridge for a short time and then toss it in the slow cooker overnight. Voila! Dinner for the next two days is ready before I even have my breakfast.

Tonight I'm pairing my chicken with Tomato-Cucumber Salad (I'll be adding black olives) using these tomatoes:

Guess where I got them? From my backyard, that's where! Yep, I grew these with my very own well-manicured hands.

Tomorrow night I'm trying Wild Rice Salad with Orange Vinaigrette. A Minnesota friend gifted me with local-to-her wild rice, and I'm eager to try it. Why do I have visions of me picking rice off my ceiling?

My new favorite snack/mini-meal on workout days is homemade pizza, using Orowheat/Arnold Sandwich Thins (no affiliation), tomato sauce, mozzarella, black olives, and turkey pepperoni. I can get a little over 15g of protein from this "snack", which is paying off energy-wise.

As you can see, I don't do complicated cooking. I'll save that for you masters of cookery. For me, this is enough.

And that's enough from me this week! I'm off for my walk and then to get flu shot #1. After that, who knows what I'll get up to. I've already finished my to-do list for today, so I might go exploring.

Any special plans for you this weekend?

I'm Shining, Are YOU Shining?

It will come as no surprise to anyone that I don't know many Bible verses. I'm not opposed to the Bible; I just haven't committed much of it to memory.

I do know a few verses, though, and one in particular came to mind recently:

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14

I remember this one because I first read it around the time a co-worker began discussing her newfound religious fervor. "D" willingness to share her joyous conversion with us knew no bounds. In fact, the only time she wasn't talking about it (and trying to convert the heathen among us) was when she was dishing gossip about someone else or sneaking off to shop on company time. When I saw first saw the verse above, I remember thinking, D, if you'd just hush and let your self-described light shine from within, you'd make your conversion much more attractive and desirable.

In losing 100 pounds, I'm afraid I may have gone the "D" way. Erasing old habits and replacing them with better ones has been exciting, especially since many of the changes were made with a little tweak here and tiny shift there. I was eager to share my joy with everyone I knew!

Maybe a tad too eager. Someone recently told me she didn't want to go to lunch with me because she didn't want me to see what she ate for lunch. (Ouch!) I assured her that I couldn't care less what she ate, but that I did care that she enjoyed it. And then to bridge the awkward gap, I told her I wouldn't go to lunch with her if she was the last person on Earth. She laughed, I laughed, and we're meeting for lunch next week.

I can't recall criticizing anybody's food choices or lack of exercise, and if I did I'm truly sorry. I'm the last person on the planet with any right to be judgmental about these topics. I never meant to come across like a religious extremist or an Amway salesman.

But maybe that's not the case. I honestly don't think I've been proselytizing too much. I dunno, maybe I'm conveniently forgetting a few dozen conversations. Something I've definitely noticed is that people volunteer what they've been eating or how they've been exercising. I never even bring it up. I ran into a co-worker last week and the first thing she said to me after hello was, "I'm still climbing the stairs!" (See this link for relevance.)

See? She brought it up! (And I'm glad she did and thrilled she's still climbing! She was reluctant to try it.)

So I'm used to friends and such offering their successes. I was bumfuzzled for a few seconds yesterday, though, when the young clerk at Office Max blurted out, with great enthusiasm, "I biked this morning!"

At first I wasn't sure he was talking to me, but there was no one else around. "Oh yeah? Where did you ride?" Brilliant conversationalist, me.

He went on to tell me the route in his neighborhood and how he chose to go up some "bad ass hills." I noticed as he talked, his eyes drifted to my chest a couple of times. Losing 100 pounds has resulted in that area not getting much attention these days, so I glanced down to make sure nothing was showing that shouldn't be.

Turns out I was wearing my "What Have You Done Today?" t-shirt, which has a bunch of forms of exercise printed on it. Biking was one of the choices. Duh. Still, he was proud and I was proud for his accomplishment. We talked about biking a few minutes more and I left.

Later yesterday, after I had walked to the gym (twice, which is a story for another day), I walked over to Subway for my post-workout snack. As I was leaving, a man said, "Great workout today!" I recognized him vaguely as having been at the gym while I was there. (I had one of those "being where my butt is" days and was totally focused on my workout.) He went on to compliment my push-ups and my attitude during my workout. I was deliciously embarrassed but thrilled, as you can imagine. We talked about workouts for a few minutes, and I walked home.

So, you see, even people I never met bring up this healthier living thing without my asking. It can't just be me over-talking it. Not all the time, anyway.

It makes me think that there might be something to this city on a hill thing. Maybe if you do the things you need to be doing and you do them with the right attitude, the satisfaction and the pleasure will shine from within you and serve as their own form of attraction.

Oooh, that reminds me of that old Sunday School song (since I got away with the Bible verse already): This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Okay, so maybe the writer intended something else, but it works here as well. Our efforts and our attitudes will make people want what we have, and maybe--just maybe--that will inspire them to find their own light!

Now all we need are some pamphlets to put under people's windshields at the supermarket and we'll be set! :)

Thus endeth today's sermon. I can't find the collection plate, but we will resume passing it next week.

Go in peace. And good health.

~

How Corporate America Helped Me Lose Weight

I'm going to lunch today with some of my former co-workers. I've met with a couple of them a few times since I left the company, but I'll be seeing some of them for the first time since April 30th. While I certainly don't miss the corporate life, I do miss many of the people I worked with for so long. I'm looking forward to it.

I learned a lot about business from my company. As so often happens with lessons learned, they were useful in many other areas of life as well. I wrote about a few of them on my very first blog, four years ago (!), and I thought now might be a good time to re-visit them, from a health/fitness approach. (I'll do anything to get out of housework.)

You don't get better at something by not doing it.
Richard, one of my favorite managers ever, said that to me when I tried to get out of giving a speech. He was right. The only way to get better at public presentations is to do them, and do them A LOT.

So often when we try to change our approach to healthier eating and exercise (and for me, emphasis on the exercise), we become discouraged at the limitations of our size or the absence of a meaningful skill set. It's difficult to go to a gym full of people who are running and lifting and squatting and lunging, and we're able to manage (barely!) 20 minutes on the treadmill at low speed.

When I first started building my exercise habit two years and 100 pounds ago, I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes at 1.8 miles per hour. I stayed at the speed until I had worked up to 45 minutes ( a couple of weeks, if I remember correctly) Then I started working on pace. I have a notation in my exercise journal of the date I made it to 2.0 mph. It has an exclamation point, indicating my joy in the accomplishment. It seems silly now, but I remember feeling so proud. I was exercising regularly and I was getting better at it.

Today, I don't walk on the treadmill so much, opting instead for outdoor walking or biking. When weather forces me indoors, I head for the elliptical or the stair climber. Going by time and distance calculations, I now walk at a pace of 4.0-4.5 mph.

We get better at something by doing it.

The only people not making mistakes are those not doing anything.
I learned this bit of wisdom from Jim, the manager of the systems development staff responsible for putting back together a system I blew sky-high. The documentation said, in effect, "Run Step A, then Step B, then Step C." Easy enough, right? Why, then, did I run step A and then Step C? Oh yeah, I thought I'd found a shortcut. Wrong.

It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't happened during Game 4 of the NBA playoffs--one of those Lakers-Celtics years, no less. The lead computer operator stood outside my door during the entire debacle and glared at me. I cried.

But then Jim stopped by, gave me the pep talk, and in the ensuing repair work, the programmer was able to make some improvements that made future recoveries as easy as the click of a button.

It's the same with converting to a healthier way of living. We of the overweight persuasion tend to compare ourselves to others and then to judge ourselves harshly when we fall short. We screw up...and give up. (Or maybe that was just me?) We frequently don't see that the very people we think are living the optimal lifestyle are out there making their own mistakes. Our commonality is not success, but the mistakes we all make in working toward our goals.

None of us is perfect, and by acknowledging our screw-ups as simple human frailties and reminding ourselves that the only way to avoid messing up is to not try at all, we'll move much closer much faster to our goals.

The trick is to keep trying.

Don't let best get in the way of better.
Our society rewards excellence and there's nothing at all wrong with that. Excellence should be recognized and rewarded. But sometimes it seems we're so focused on Being The Best that we miss the opportunities for small victories and accomplishments along the way. Or worse, we refuse to accept these stair-step improvements as evidence of our progress simply because they're not The Best.

My former company's CEO is fond of saying this: "It's better to reach 80% of a stretch objective than to achieve 100% of an objective that wasn't particularly challenging."

I agree. Eliminating bad habits and creating a healthier version of ourselves requires tremendous effort that sometimes seems overwhelming. We need to take pride in the accomplishments we do achieve, even when we aren't 100% successful every single minute of every single day.


And that's what I learned about losing weight and gaining fitness from Corporate America.

As always, your thoughts and stories are welcome. I learn from you as well. Which is another whole blog post of its own. :)

Makeover Monday: To Insure Proper Service

Makeover Monday topics cover a wide field and are generally not related to exercise or weight loss. I believe that many of us can benefit from focusing on the non-physical “big picture,” whether that’s related to emotional health, financial stability, intellectual curiosity, or even personal care. One area I don’t focus on nearly enough is the topic of making ourselves feel better by making others feel better about themselves or their contributions to the planet. Today’s post is my small attempt to remedy that.

I went to dinner with a large group recently and saw something that made my jaw drop. We were a group of 22 people with 22 checks (every restaurant’s dream group) and we had amazing service. Seriously amazing. It was a locally-owned, casual-type place, and when we received our checks, several of us commented that the restaurant had NOT included the normal “large party” automatic gratuity. We made sure that everyone else noticed that too.

Imagine my surprise when one of the women left a $1 tip on a $15-20 check. Apparently one of her table neighbors mentioned that the check didn’t have the gratuity included, and the $1 lady responded, “Oh, I know. I never tip more than $1. I’d never be able to eat out if I tipped more than that.”

My response (silent, of course, since I was a guest of the group) was that she shouldn’t eat meals out then. My physical response (and that of a couple of people seated near me) was to add a little extra to our tips to compensate.

Tips aren’t a requirement for any profession, but quite a few jobs have pay structures that factor in tips as part of income. This can result in an hourly pay rate well below minimum wage in some job. For example, according to payscale.com, wait staff depend on tips for up to two-thirds of their incomes, and bartenders aren’t far behind at 60% tip-dependent incomes. The pizza delivery guy is counting on 40% of his income from tips. Your hairstylist earns 26% of her income in tips. And we can rest assured that none of these incomes are likely to land these folks anywhere near a Forbes Top-Whatever List.

With all that in mind, I figured it couldn’t hurt to post a listing of commonly used services and the suggested tipping guidelines for each. These are, of course, based on US customs. Check out tipping.org for a comprehensive listing of US and international guidelines by country. CCRA Travel Solutions provides another good resource. And of course there’s always Emily Post.


Generally Accepted Tipping Guidelines

Dining out:
Wait staff (full service) - 15-20% pre-tax
Wait service (buffet) - 5-10% of bill. At least $1 per person.
Sommelier – 15-20% of total cost of wine
Bartender $1 per drink or 15-20% or tab
Tip jars - No obligation, but you might want to tip occasionally if you are a regular or if the person went above normal service. (I don’t generally do this, but for a few of my regular haunts, I’ll drop in my change.)
Restroom Attendant $0.50-$3, depending on service
Valet $2-$5 (in addition to any valet fee)
Coat check attendant- $1

Dining in:
Take Out - No obligation, but up to 10% if the person went above normal service
Delivery drivers - 10-15% (delivery charges usually go to the restaurant/business)

On the road:
Skycap - $2 first bag, $1 per additional bag
Doorman - $1-$2 for carrying luggage, $1-$2 for hailing cab, $1-$4 beyond the call of duty
Bellhop - $2 first bag, $1 per additional bag
Housekeeper - $2-$5 per day, left daily (I’m soooo guilty of not having small bills and rather than going downstairs and getting it, I leave the tip on the next day.)
Room Service - 15-20% of total bill
Concierge - $5 for tickets or reservations, $10 if hard to get; no need to tip for answering questions
Taxi driver - 15% plus an extra $1-$2 if helped with bags
Tour guides - $5-10 for ½ day

Vanity tipping:
Hair Dresser - 15-20%, ask to be split among those who served you
Manicurist - 15-20%
Facial, waxing, massage - 15-20%
Shoe shine- $2
Tattoo or piercing artist - 10-20 percent

A few others:
Barista - $1
Car detailer - 15 percent
Car washer - $2-3 for a car; $3-5 for an SUV or truck
Emergency locksmith - $5
Flowers - $1 to $10, depending on the size of the arrangement.
Furniture or appliance delivery person - $5-10
Pet groomer - 15 percent
Pet sitter - 15 percent
Tire changer - $4 - $5
Tow truck driver - $5

For other services, it is more customary to tip annually. An amount equal to a week’s pay for those you employ (baby sitter or regular cleaning service) is a good amount, and $15 to $25 is usually a good amount to offer those whose services you use without compensation (mail carrier, newspaper deliveries. )

Side story #1: I don't remember where I first heard this tip on tipping, but I thought it was a good idea then and now. Given that service staff probably need their incomes just for survival, consider double-tipping between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It could add a lot to their holiday experience, not to mention a real boost for those with kids. Plus, it just feels so darned good!

Side story #2:
Many years ago while on assignment in New York, I attended a Mets game at Shea Stadium. When we showed the usher our tickets, he escorted us to our seats and wiped them down with a chamois cloth (even though they didn’t need it), before stepping to the side. I noticed he kept standing there while we got settled, but being the sometimes-clueless hillbilly that I am, I didn’t think much about it. He eventually stomped off.

A few minutes later, he went through the same routine with another group of guests and I saw the gratuity passed along. Ah, I understood then. So the next time he came by, I stopped him and gave him a couple of dollars, explaining that I didn’t realize tipping was customary for ushers. In my defense, in Memphis in those days, ushers generally looked at your ticket and pointed in the general direction of your seats. They only went to the actual seat if there was a discrepancy.

I share that not just to show my ignorant ways, but to point out that it's always a good idea to pay attention to the happenings around us for clues and cues on tipping customs. :)

I've always been a pretty good tipper, but perhaps being "on my own" has made me more acutely aware that many people (and their families) are living on very little income and that in some of those cases, such as those described above, I truly can make a big difference even if it's just a dollar here and there.

As always, I turn it over to you guys. Any tipping tips from you? Or an embarrassing tipping story to rival mine? Please share in the comments.