The Biggest Loser Finale!

Tonight is the finale!  The end of it all!  I don't know if you've been watching this season of "The Biggest Loser", but I know I'm not the only one of my friends who promptly reaches for ice cream or a candy bar on Tuesday nights to make the viewing that much more enjoyable.  Wrong?  Yes, but for crying out loud, during those certain challenges with mounds of doughnuts and all the talk about food isn't just tempting the contestants!

Last week, we found the final three contestants:  Ramon (won his spot on the finale through winning the marathon), John, and Antone.  I guess it is the battle of the boys this season, and I was sad to see Becky and Vinny not in the final three.  The two of them just seem like such big-hearted people, but of course it's only reality tv.  Do we really know these people?  No.  For all we know, Becky and Vinny could be evil-doers in their communities by nightly dumping over  Miss Mabel's trashcan, taking bats to mailboxes, egging the Reverend's house, and setting the town square on fire.  This behavior surely wouldn't warrant a prize of such grandeur.

Then again, the title of "The Biggest Loser" and the cash prize isn't exactly determined by good behavior.  (Oh, we love to hate and love the contestants of reality shows and label them as "good" or "bad"!  In fact, I still harbor animosity towards the ultimate villain, Omarosa, from The Apprentice and that was years ago!  Lame, but true.)

I don't want to damn any of the contestants, but I would like to post what Antone said last week.  He said, "I'm really sick of John to be honest with you."

I'm excited to see what happens!  Cheers to our journeys and finding inspiration (even if it comes with a side of ice cream every now and then).

A Sampling from a Smorgasbord

Exercise TV on Cable...a blessing from above found on On Demand.  Seriously.  There is about every kind of workout found on this On Demand channel.  There's walking, kickboxing, yoga, cardio, dance, and weight training/toning workouts.  Some of these are almost a full hour, and others are ten minutes.

It is an exercise smorgasbord!

Lately, I've been trying out the "10 Pound Slimdown Kickbox" and the "10 Pound Slimdown Yoga" that are led by Chris Freytag.  The kickboxing surprisingly doesn't have a lot of kicking...hmmm.  It is a 40 minute workout and I know this because there is a daunting little clock in the corner of the screen that counts down the minutes.  Here is my experience with the workout...

Minute:Second/ Thought
39:14  Okay, here we go...so glad I'm making myself do this.
38:05  This feels great - not bad at all!
36:33  My legs do not want to stand after those squats and lunges...
35:28  Chris Freytag is crazy - appears to be on crack.
34:00  I look like an ass.
28:00  I'm going to die.
23:12  Pretty sure I shouldn't have heard that sound coming from my ankle.
18:29 Jiggling, jiggling, jiggling...again, so glad no one is watching.
16:00  Water, water, water
13:21 I am POWERFUL!
11:33  Did the music just speed up?
7:45  Dear Lord,...!!!
5:32  I AM IRON MAN
4:13  Shouldn't we be cooling down, Chris?
2:20 Cool down...finally.

I DID IT!

Within five minutes of finishing, I suddenly forget that it was challenging at all, and say, "That wasn't bad at all."  I don't know if it's my ego at work, or convenient amnesia so I do the workout in the future.  This is why I decided to break down the minutes so you have an honest perspective. 

I honestly love the Extreme Yoga workout - the one that is 20 minutes.  It's perfect and feels great after the kickboxing.  It makes the total workout last for a full hour and is a great stretch after the kickboxing since the cool down is lacking.

What workouts have you enjoyed...or have been making yourself do lately?  Any suggestions?

Fort Clog

http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Fort-Wayne-Comes-In-Second-For-Most-Likely-To-Clog-Your-Arteries-134796093.html


...but at least we're optimistic!

What is it about Fort Wayne that makes the second place city for clogging our arteries?

Here are a some things Fort Wayne has stacked against it:

Lack of sidewalks and bike lanes
Abundance of chain restaurants
Lack of great public transportation
WEATHER!

Any of these things is not a great determining factor in and of itself, but when put together they pack a punch!  Instead of focusing on these negatives though, I'd like to point out some great things I've noticed about Fort Wayne.  Such as:

The Rivergreenway which is ever-expanding;

the amazing people who live there that continuously inspire others with the lives they live;

(for me, these people are especially Dana and Dawn, but there are countless others!  I am in awe of you!)

And also our dear Samm, who quite smoking this year, currently lives in the supposed clog-forming city of Fort Wayne (I have yet to master this though I now live in a "healthy" city).

Fort Wayne is changing for the better, and this little study just shows that the city structure needs to change in order to support its citizens better.  We could focus on the negative, but we are optimists!

*Someday there will be a city layout that allows people to easily get around the city without a car, whether by foot, by bike, and aided by an improved city transportation system.

*Someday there will be an more restaurants that focus more on the food quality (healthy,local, organic) rather than the quantity, and more options for buying locally grown, and organic foods that are convenient and reasonable (Trader Joes too!).

*As for the weather, well, Fort Wayne does not yet own a weather machine as featured on a Smurf episode, but know that when other people around the country complain about their weather by saying, "If you don't like the weather in (insert city or state here), just wait five minutes", they have no idea what they are talking about.  :) 

P90X in P.I.N.K.?

Did you happen to catch Dr. Phil today?  He featured a new diet and exercise program called the "P.I.N.K Method" for the full hour.

It seems that the whole thing can be summed up as P90X for women...because women all like the color pink, especially on sets that look like back alleys or the set of a porn shot in an industrial park.  The barbie pink bubble letters in a street art style make me feel right at home.

So their whole marketing gimmick is a copy of another one...but the color pink adds that touch of femininity that makes women feel like, "Heck yeah - I'll be wearing bedazzled rhinestone pink g-strings that show over my skinny jeans in no time!"

Okay, so maybe I'm being harsh.  If it helps people feel confident and get healthy, what's the harm?

I have done a little research about it - here's what P.I.N.K. stands for:
P - Power
I - Intensity
N - Nutrition
K - Kardio?...Cardio.

I really hate that when people do that with Cs and Ks...but whatever...if I start complaining about that, I'll be that much closer to turning into Andy Rooney.  I better choose my battles wisely.  Afterall, maybe they were just simply trying to make people feel more comfortable.  Since they are all fit, thin, and the type of women other women are 'supposed to hate', they have to show some flaws in order to make others feel comfortable.  What better way than bad spelling showing a sign of poor intellect?  Genius, laddys, simply genis!

Here's a clip from YouTube about the P.I.N.K. Method:

The kit is $67.99 if you pay in one payment (saving 15%), or two payments of $39.99.

The biggest red flag that came up during the Dr. Phil Show was that the creator, Cynthia Pasquella, made the claim that it will get rid of cellulite completely.  She said it did for her.  Don't you dare tease me, Cynthia.  There is no cure for cellulite - you can minimize the appearance of it, but to say that it gets rid of it completely is a red flag statement.

So, maybe this will be a big hit, or maybe it will be a quick-to-go fad in the market of weight loss products and systems.  There's going to be people who have great success with it, and there are going to be people who do not.  Anything that helps one get exercising is a good thing, I'm not going to rain on anyone's parade if they try this out.  If it works, it works, and that's great!

However, I'm never going to love the color pink being shoved down my throat due to gender norms, and I probably will never feel comfortable in an environment that reminds me of a cheap porn set.

Barbara Is A Goal-Making Guru!

Somehow, some way, I have not completely ruined the progress.  I have gained 1.6 pounds, and I am now at 167.6.  Not as bad as what I thought it could be...(I was imagining 20).

As you can tell, a lifetime spent of going mostly up on the scale and rarely ever down has messed with my head.  I am out of tune with my own body.  If you told me that I weighed 50 pounds more, I would believe you.  I am out of touch with weight and what I feel like...especially since I've been ignoring exercise and eating mindfully for about a month now.

I don't really know what my weight goal even should be.  I have "wobbly bits" that I would like to get rid of, and the cellulite fairy definitely has blessed me with all sorts of fun celestial designs.  I feel as though I will know my goal when I reach it, which I'm thinking will be around 150.  I will not be defeated by a number though - in the grand scheme of living, who cares?  As long as I feel good, energetic, healthy, happy, balanced, I wouldn't care if the scale told me 350.

 Somehow, someday, somewhere we shall all feel amazing and healthy in our own skins.  There's a place for us - we'll be in tune with our health and bodies.  We all need hope for whatever we are needing or wanting from life.  Oh, dear friends, this is to you! hahahaha!  Enjoy the laugh and/or singing this loudly at your computer screens!

As Barbara sings, perhaps I will answer those questions...

Somehow:  Exercising 5 days a week however and whenever I want (including Dance Central!woohoo) and feel more connected.

Someday:  I shall set a bit of a goal right now - lose ten pounds by January 12th (birthday present to myself) in hopes of feeling more energetic, healthy, connected and confident.

Somewhere:  I shall climb the overlooking hills over Portland and throw my arms up in Rocky style celebration.

How would you answer those questions for your goals, whatever they may be?  You may have been knocked down before too, but forget about that nasty self-talk that many of us are so good at.  Let's do this!  Who knew Barbara was such a goal-making guru?

We Have a Blog?

Oh my goodness, WE SUCK!!!

hahahahahahaha!

Okay, to say that I've been disciplined and got back on the wagon right after my last post would be false, false, and false.  It's safe to say, I've had other things "on my plate" (see how I snuck that little stupid joke in?...).  Anyway, I've been crazily working on new artworks, website stuff, working and LIFE.  Well, I've been quite foolish about health lately, and I don't want a kick in the ass that is punishing before I get back on the damn wagon. 

SOOOOO, in the meantime...do you have any pumpkin pie left?  Apple?....

Again, let me remind myself - I do NOT want a big kick in the ass to get me back on track.  Meaning, I do not want to somehow gain 40 pounds in over night for 100 nights straight becoming some medical mystery.  I do not want my left butt cheek to come down with a case of elephantitis.  I will say, if any of that were to happen, hopefully I would laugh and make dumb jokes about it, but seriously, I do not want a huge slap in the face saying, "GET HEALTHY!"  I think right now, that's where I'm heading if I keep ignoring this blog and our quest to get healthy.

Speaking of ignoring, I've been ignoring the scale.  Not that the scale should be the only determining factor of this whole thing, but it certainly keeps me honest.  I've hidden it under the sink and haven't looked at it for weeks now.  This will end tomorrow.  I'll be weighing myself to see how bad the damage is.  Hopefully it is not too too bad...

We're all ok.

Since quitting smoking, almost 5 months ago, my clothes have taken on minds of their own.  My sweaters have become somewhat deceiving, my button-downs somewhat estranged, and my jeans - my jeans have become downright bitches.

Since I quit smoking, my clothes have all shrunk.

I don't know how it happened.  One day, I was happily puffing on a cancer stick, oblivious to the repercussions of abruptly throwing in the towel and the next I was 15 pounds heavier.

This photo

is a bit of a celebratory photo.  I don't care how much I've lost since starting this blog.

In fact, I've gained about 15 pounds.  Fat isn't funny, but neither is constant stressing about weight.

15 pounds.  That's a lot.  But when I start to think about the weight of the world - it's really nothing.

15 pounds.  It's life and death for a supermodel.  Thankfully, I've never been a supermodel.

15 pounds.  How many botox injections is 15 pounds?  I've never had one.

15 pounds.  It's worth a lot more in the United Kingdom than it is in the United States right now.

15 pounds.  It's insignificant.  Especially if I choose to focus on the rest of me.

We don't do that enough.  We focus on the small percentage of ourselves that didn't live up to the expectation we place on ourselves when we're excited about change and wonder where we went wrong.  Perhaps we go wrong when we expect ourselves to be perfect.

We're human, and while I'm not making excuses for my gaining weight after quitting smoking - I am acknowledging that I am just that - human.

And I'm happy to be me.

Fiercely Fighting Flab!

Fierce, right?  Yeah, well this is my action pose response to the war on the flabby.  Tyra would be elated...somewhat smizing?  Maybe just a little?

Okay, so maybe I'm not exactly photogenically gifted, but you get the idea, don't you?  I have lost some weight - still around 10 pounds lost so far.  I have also been sick for the last two weeks and now am finally feeling better.  It's good to have some energy back, now it's about spending it wisely.

I'm getting back on track.  I was inspired today when one of my best friends called me and told me that she joined the Weight Watcher's online program earlier this week.  I'm excited for her and I know that I needed a little kick in my arse to get going again.  So I am.  (Thank you, girlfriend O' mine, you know who you are!)  PS - Samm is doing the WW online thing too now!

Beginning tomorrow I will be back to the Tracy Anderson cardio dance and mat workout.  HOORAY!  In all honesty, I have missed it tremendously.  I am no longer "Consuela" - I found a different job and now need that exercise to be found outside of my work.  I am back to planning for it, and so Tracy Anderson's workouts are the answer once again.  I'm looking forward to spinning around like the Tazmanian Devil and jumping nonstop as if I've had a case of Red Bull.  Oh yes.  I'm back on the fighting flabby bandwagon...with FIERCEness.

I'm going to follow Tracy's recommendations this time by doing both dvd's at least 5 times per week.  I feel that I have worked up to that now and my body can handle it.  SOOOooo, it will be not quite 2 hours of workout for 5 days a week.  It sounds like A LOT, but really 10 hours out of 168 hours in a week is a small sacrifice when it comes to putting more time on our life clocks.

Coughing Burns Calories! Bring on the Pizza!

I cannot deny that it has been quite awhile since we last posted...we've both been dealing with the sickness that's going around.  Samm and I may be in different parts of the country, but our lives often correlate.  Amazing how we always manage to do that, but here we are and both of us have been sick for a week or more.

I have managed to forget about weight loss during this time, though I have kept an eye on my weight.  I'm staying strong at 166 - I guess my body has established a plateau of some sort.  I've been eating whatever my appetite has instructed...I'm not about to deny it pizza if that is what it wants.  I'm sick!  That's my excuse!  I already ate an apple and some orange juice today, so that is more than enough to make up for it.  Right?  Right!

I've never been one of those people who come back from being sick and are down ten pounds.  One of my good friends in high school had mono for a ridiculously long time our junior or sophmore year.  It went on for definitely a month.  I can't say I wasn't jealous.  To not have an appetite would be such a relief. 

I've always thought of the people who lose weight while being sick as the lucky ones.  I could be exploding for a week long and the scale will not quiver in the least.  The number will not change easily in either direction...maybe that's because I am still eating and allow myself the freedom of choice...
Ice cream for dinner?  Why not?  I'm sick!  Never ending shrimp?  Why not?!  I'm sick!  It's the perfect excuse to indulge. 

Oh!  Gotta go!  The pizza's here!

Spandex for $145.00! How Tracy Has Lost Her Mind in a Big 80s Way

I heard that Tracy Anderson was going to have a online chat session today on a Metamorphosis forum to answer questions from the masses about the program.  Out of curiousity, I went to the Metamorphosis website and began looking for the forum.  As always, I got sidetracked with other fancy links and saw that she was selling a few items of apparrel.  This is my finding.

$145.00

REALLY?  Perhaps she is a bit out of touch with economics.  Perhaps they are made of mysterious fibers that remove cellulite?  No...they are made of polymaid and spandex.  Also, aren't they a bit Big 80s in design?...I think I remember WWF wrestlers like Macho Man or The Hulk wearing similarly patterned pants, but what do I know about fashion?  Then I found this.

$25.99

80s Heavy Metal Rocker Halloween Costume

Includes:  Not only the pants, but also 2 scarves and a necktie

Proof positive that I haven't lost my mind...they are Big 80s and overpriced.  Just sayin'.  Not to mention that the Halloween hot pants cover the entirety of both legs instead of only upper legs, hence using more fabric.  It's all about value, people...

Though I'm willing to bet that at Kmart stores around the country there are random pairs of pants similar to this that have been in circulation on the clearance racks since the 80s that no one wants to buy.  They may be the running store joke and are priced for $.80.  The cashiers are waiting for a person to bring them up to the counter so they may all cheer out loudly and laugh wildly as the lucky buyer exits the building.

Gweneth Paltrow was recently criticized for being out of touch with the economic conditions of others as she would make overpriced suggestions for purchases and treatments on her Goop site.  Since Tracy Anderson is her trainer, I'm willing to bet Tracy acquired advice from GP about how to price her pants AND that GP owns a pair.