Silly dog!

So I FINALLY went through my pictures on my camera and came across this pict. It was taken back in April as my "Day 0" for P90X so there was no way in hell I was going to post it on my blog, but check out my dog!

Not sure what she's doing, but it looks like she's trying to look at whatever it is I'm looking at (which would be my closet door)!

It's hilarious!

I couldn't have posed her like that if I wanted to!

Silly dog!

Warning: Big Head Coming Through!

There should be some type of warning for people who have decided to change their lives when they "reenter" the real world.

When I say "change their lives" I mean start exercising, start eating healthy, and/or start losing weight.

When I say "reenter the real world" I mean getting back to the non-healthy eating, non-exercising, weight-gaining type of people.

The other week I blogged about how great Facebook (FB) was as a new weight-loss tool, but I forgot that if it's too good to be true... then it's too good to be true. I got served a really good dose of reality by a "friend" on FB. I use the term "friend" loosely because that's all you can call people on FB. Anyway, this "friend" found his way over to my blog and then decided to get back on FB and post to everyone how disgusted he was with "people who love themselves too much".

Do I love myself too much?!?!?!?!

I doubt it! It's taken me so long to just like myself again!

I am DAMN proud of myself for losing weight (as anyone who makes this life-style change should be) and maybe this proudness has come of as arrogance. This blog is a place for me to write about my experiences, emotions, progress, set-backs... pretty much anything I want to. If someone finds there way here and decides to follow my blog, that's their choice (and one I appreciate!), but when someone finds there way here and then starts talking sh*t, that pisses me off.

This "friend" came to me to ask me questions about my weight-loss... I didn't find them and brag to them about what I'm doing. I wish they would have thought about how much hard work I have done and maybe realized this blog is not about being "in love with myself". This friend has been trying to lose weight for a couple of months now, so even more so they should realize how difficult it can be.

I'm here to help anyone who asks for help and hopefully inspire others to either start this journey for themselves or keep on going when they hit a rough spot.

As far as how I feel after this "friend" did this to me... well, even more motivated to keep pushing myself to lose the weight. So thank you, "friend", for that!

Stupid, stupid broken camera!!

This morning, the BF and I decided to head over to Hawaii Kai to do Koko Crater Stairs.

When we got there, I almost changed my mind because the weather was junk and I just wasn't feeling it. Anyway, we're there, so we just do it and start heading up the railroad tracks. We get to the top in record time (yea us!) and as we head back down, we realize that THE Dr. Dre is on the hike behind us... like right behind us. So much so that part of his entourage talks to us!

We also learned that Eminem was on the hike right in front of us!!

I was so flipping excited!! I'm a huge fan of Eminem and have almost every one of his albums... and for me, this is the biggest celeb siting I've ever had.

It was so random, but the only crappy part of the day... our camera was broken when we tried to take a picture!!! What are the odds? I was so upset!!

But hiking with Dr. Dre and Eminem were definitely the high lights of my summer so far!

(And btw, they both did fricken awesome on the hike! It's totally not a beginners hike!)

Another awesome one...

Another awesome blog from a fellow blogger. I normal don't "steal" blogs to take up room on mine, but when I read a blog that hits it right on the head for me, I have to repost it for others. This entry is from Jack Sh*t, Getting' Fit and I absolutely love his posts. He's hilarious and entertaining, but today's blog was a lot more serious. It really spoke to me so I hope it can speak to others as well...

Lion-Hearted

It’s a myth, you know, that overweight people suffer from low self-esteem more than the rest of the population. In fact, psychological tests given to overweight folks have proven that obese individuals are, on balance, just as mentally healthy (or unhealthy) as anyone else. There’s no support for the idea that overeating is generally associated with poor mental or emotional health. Quite the opposite, actually; many slim people who were interviewed said they wouldn’t have the courage to go out if they were obese. They’d simply stay at home and hide their fat faces.

Think about it: you get up every morning, get out of bed and face the world head-on. You accept strangers’ stares, children’s cruel comments and friends’ “helpful” advice, all with a wane smile and gentle good grace. You’ve recognized the inner demons that have put you in the state you’re in, and you’re going about doing something about it. You’re getting your life in check, as well as providing emotional support for others who are also getting their lives in check.

Here’s my point: you’re not weak.

Here’s my second point (and this may sting a little): you’ve got to get stronger.

You’ve got to get stronger because this is a long, uphill climb, and it will take its toll on you, both mentally and physically. You’ve got to get stronger because time is not on your side, and Life will jump up and throw hurdle after hurdle after hurdle in your path. You’ve got to get stronger because me and everyone else that follows your story aren’t going to be satisfied until you reach your goals.

We’ve all got our own ways of fighting this fight, our own methods to this madness. You may cut carbs, she may count calories, he may swim 50 laps a day, I may simply try to eat smarter and exercise more. There’s no one way–no right way–to get there from here.

But ask yourself this: Am I really doing all I can to succeed?

If you can honestly say “yes,” then God bless you, but I suspect that you’re in the minority if that’s truly the case. I know this is going to sound… well, funny… coming from a guy named Jack Sh*t who spends half his day telling fart jokes and making kooky lists, but you’ve got to get serious about this if you want to find the success you claim you want. You need to shift it into high gear, and start getting it done, and I mean like, today. You can half-ass it for as long as you want, but the real results aren’t going to happen for you until you knuckle down. Until you get serious.

There is a lion in my heart, and he’s roaring at the fat that I’ve saddled myself with by being stupid and lazy. Roaring at the complacency that allowed me to put my own health and future in jeopardy. He’s roaring at me every day, filling my spirit with grit and reminding me that this is my day, this is my time. He’s pushing me to run wild and pounce on this chance, this opportunity to reclaim my life.

This journey is not for the weak or the meek; it is for the strong-willed and the lion-hearted.

It’s time for you to roar.

PT session updates

So I've just realized it's been FOREVER since I gave an update on my PT sessions. Well they're still going A-W-E-S-O-M-E!! So much so, that I think I'm going to buy 30 more sessions after the ones I have now.

For anyone who's thinking about it, I highly recommend investing in a trainer. Their knowledge of of executing exercises with proper form is worth it for me, but they also provide a completely new form of motivation and inspiration. I can almost guarantee that the majority of people out there are either using bad/improper form of the body or the actual execution of the exercise... things like tensing up or using some of the wrong muscle groups, misplacement of feet, bending over too little or too much, keeping elbows and knees "soft" but wrists straight and locked, executing the exercise at a slightly wrong angle or plane to the muscle you're trying to work, flexing or curling of the toes for balancing exercises, alignment of neck and spine, chest up and back straight, etc.

Of course there are people out there getting awesome results without ever speaking to a certified personal trainer, but what I'm learning with my PT will make my future weight-trainings so much more effective.

And yes, a PT is all good and worth it, IF (and this is a big if!) they are good at their job and you like them!

Being good at their job means they make you feel comfortable working with them, they motivate you and push you just beyond your comfort limit, they pay attention to YOU when it's your time with them, they listen to what your goals are and they make an exercise plan to help you reach that goal. Don't settle for a trainer who's too busy looking at themselves in the mirror when you're working out or a trainer who has all his or her clients doing the same routine or who pushes what they think you should be doing, not what you want to do.

I was really lucky to find a trainer I liked on the first try because I have heard some horror stories from my friends who have tried a PT. But because my PT works really well for me, the reason why I'm thinking of getting more sessions is mainly because I don't feel comfortable with my form yet. I've come a really long way, but there are still areas I really need help with. My initial plan was to only get a trainer for one group of sessions to learn the basics then redo CLX and P90X on my own, but... the motivation I get from my PT is way different than anything I could get off of a dvd. Don't get me wrong, I love my Beachbody products, but until I know what I'm capable of doing beyond my limits (rep/weight wise) I don't think I will get the full benefit out of the dvds. My PT pushes me hard to get out the last reps that I thought I couldn't do and to me, this is just as important as improving my form.

After 30 more sessions with my PT, I can't wait to see what I can do!

The wonder that is Facebook

The other week I finally did... I joined facebook (find me there!). Well that's a lie. I've had an account for a while, but never did anything with it: no friends, no pictures, not even a profile update!

When I finally set up my account, I was debating on whether or not I would just keep my account as a "social networking" tool and keep the weight-loss/fitness/nutrition part out of it, but then I thought WHY?! My weight-loss journey, as well as fitness and nutrition, has become a part of me so why wouldn't I want to include parts of that on facebook. I'm totally okay with posting my most recent Bejeweled score but not okay with talking about something that's giving me a better life? HELLO?!

So, at the protest of some of my friends who are tired of hearing about exercising and eating right, I write about anything I want on facebook: what I ate that day, how the gym was, the latest updates from Beach Body (gotta love that company), anything! And you know what, I'm so glad that I do because facebook has opened up a whole new world of inspiration, motivation, and accountability for me! Not only do I have to check-in with my MFD groups and my blogger peeps, but now I have to keep accountable to people who actually know and remember me from high school or my previous jobs.

I have to make sure I walk the walk, not just talk the talk!

Because I live on a small island, it's so easy to run into people who I haven't seen in months or even years, so if I'm spewing all this stuff about eating healthy, exercising, going to the gym, etc., etc., etc., then I have to make sure I'm still making noticeable progress. HUGE form of accountability... and I'll take it

Facebook has also opened up opportunities for me to help other people who want to lose weight or start exercising. Because I always post any specials my gym is having, I've signed up three people already (gawd... the gym should be paying ME) and I've had several people ask me where to get started. I've got a couple friends interested in P90X but no buyers yet.

... I never would have thought that blogging and facebook would help me along this new lifestyle.

I'll eat crap, but nothing in plastic, please

"I'll eat anything, but nothing in plastic!"

That's what one of my friends, let's just call her "Sally", said to me the other day. She is obese for her height and she loads up on things from drive-thru's several times a week. Anyway, she usually brings her lunch (usually a variety of highly processed foods or left-overs from a night out) in these cute plastic containers and brings her water in a washable water bottle. But for the last several weeks I noticed that she was only using regular water bottles and bringing her food in foil - then she would use one of the ceramic plates in the kitchen to warm up her food.

When I asked her about it, she said she read an article (like this one or this one) about the dangers of using reusable water containers and plastic food storage containers. I kind of looked at her confused.

Yes, I know there are some recent studies about the dangers of bisphenol A, and although controversial, I do believe there is reason for some concern - but that's another blog.

So what confused me about what Sally said is the fact that she is willing to put crap (a.k.a junk food) into her body but she has sworn off all plastic containers because of something she read on the internet. Even though the "crap" she eats has been PROVEN over and over again, to be unhealthy and the cause of many health problems!

Priorities, people!

Hooray for BOOT CAMPS!!

Last night, against the advice of my PT, I did my first boot-camp style workout at the gym and LOVED it! (Side note: My PT didn't want me to do it because that doing the boot camp in-between my sessions with him would put me at three days of weight-training... he said it was "okay" but that I might be sore after and he is not going to take it easy on me when I see him later today... he's so nice!)

Anyway, yesterday about an hour before the "camp" started, I was so nervous... almost wanted to back out because I didn't know what to expect. I made my boyfriend and a couple of friends sign up for the camp with me so I would feel a little better.

Well, the minutes were counting down and when I got the basketball courts (this is where they set it up) I was surprised to see that there were only a handful of people there... 15 people max. We dived up into three groups but somehow the numbers were wrong because my group only had three people and one of the other groups had like 6 or 7 people. Anyway, in the court, there were three stations set up where we would be spending about 3-minutes at each station and rotate through the circuits. The first station was a plyo section (thank gawd for P90X!), second station was an agility/cardio area, and the last station was a strength station.

The first circuit consisted of:
plyo: 1 min of jumping squats, 1 min of rockstar jumps, 1 min of burpees
agility: 3 minutes of skaters (jumping for side-to-side in a low,
balanced stance)
strength: 1 min of squats, 1 min of lunges, 1 min of push-ups

Second circuit got a little harder:
plyo: kept the same 3 exercises... and those were hard enough
agility: 3 mins of ladder running
strength: 1 min 1-leg squats, 1 min sumo squats, 1 min of push-ups

Third circuit got even harder:
plyo: same 3 exercises
agility: 3 mins of faster ladder running/jumping
strength: 1 min jumping lunges, 1 min of open push-ups, 1 min jumping
1-leg toe touch

Last 15 minutes were spent on core work: crunches, bicycles, hip
raises, cobra/superman and boat hold.

So what was the best part of the boot camp... ME! (Warning: a little arrogance ahead!) Thanks to P90X, I could go through ALL three circuits without stopping. I could do the plyo moves but three minutes of non-stop plyo was hard so of course I threw in my own breaks. At the agility and strength stations, the trainers kept using me as an example for proper form and how to intensify the moves! For example, on the skaters it's just natural for me to only use one leg (vs. putting the back foot on the ground after the jump) and I wasn't even trying to do the harder version, but the trainer pointed out what I was doing and told the others "this is the advanced way". I was probably the "chubbiest" person there and to have the trainers notice my form/stamina/coordination felt so good! It was actually a little embarrassing.

Anyway it's good to know that I can hang with the "big dogs" at the gym... and even surpass some of them! BTW I was the last one standing in my group when circuit 3 came around... the one guy in my group dropped out after circuit 1 and the other girl in my group dropped out after circuit 2! :) Okay, I'll go deflate my head now!