Tag Archives: hello.iamphat

Fitness Gadgets

Me & My Gadgets

activelinkandjawboneupHappy Sunday Luv-lies,

Had an okay weigh-in….1 pound up {not an woo-hoo!} – but I plan to have a better week. I’ll keep you posted….

Immediately after my morning weigh-in, my routine is to do a cardio class – two doors down! This morning was no exception. :-). Zumba seems to get me going these days, so off to an hour class. It was very energizing.

Then it’s on to a return to my WW Meeting (where I’ve saved time by weighing in before my cardio class. Our meeting focused on moving your body as a strategy for ’emotional eating’ (but I plan to post later on today about that…and another issue that came up at today’s meeting).

I am proud to say that I am an ActiveLink fanatic! My other ‘move my body’ gadget is my Jawbone UP. Both of these little trinkets inconspicuously collect data about how much I move my body and reward me with feedback that helps to keep me motivated in getting in cardio, daily sleep requirements, meals/meal planning and much, much more.

Hey Luv-lies,
What’s your ‘move your body’ gadget?

Do share…..

Standard
Mindful Eating

Smart Snacking

Hello Luv-lies,

Remember growing up when you were told that snacking between meals would guarantee, not only spoiling your next meal, but would definitely help to pack on the pounds? Well…. you’ll be glad to know that, healthy snacking not only curbs your appetite- making the next meal a welcomed dining experience –  but it aides in weight loss by quelling the urge to overeat.

*HaHa! How’s that for great news!?*

As we all have discussed, at some point, while occupying the ‘green seats’, that PLANNING IS KEY! A planned snacks, liked planned meals, makes it a no-brainer when you need to grab something nutritious to hold you over until the that next meal and makes it easier to control and stick to your allotted portions. So what makes a snack, a snack and not a treat?

apple snackWell, this is my understanding of the difference between these two seemingly same ideas.
A snack is a nutrient-rich meal that serves to sustain you until your next meal...Food for survival.

Where a treat is a reward… something pleasing to eat because it is rare or a luxury…..Food for your soul.

So what makes one a smart snacker?

I have a few….

* Snack only when you’re hungry
 Many other feelings may disguise themselves as hunger: Boredom, frustration,
anger, happiness, loneliness…. Just about any emotional you can think of. When
the urge comes to eat to an emotional, channel that energy into doing something
physical – stay one more hour in the garden, bowl one more game, walk one
more mile….

* Watch, both, Points Plus and Nutrient Value of your snack choice
 In a word {or more}, all Point Values are not equal. Enough said.

* Plan your snacks ahead of time
 We’ve learned this again and again during the meeting. One little ditty that
I’ve learned from the members of my group is to mark point values on
food containers. I love this one because when I’m in a hurry, I don’t have
look up the point value. Just grab and go!

These are just a few things that I do to assure that I am snacking wisely and healthily. You should always make room for healthy snacks in your meal planning. Choosing them carefully will thwart the urge to overeat and assist with your weight loss success…

What tips do you use that help you with incorporating healthy snacks into your eating
plan?

Do Tell….

Standard
Friendships

Catching Up with Old Friends……

Hello Luv-lies !

And Happy Mother’s Day to you all!

Betty Boop's Mother's Day Wishes

I spent this Mother’s Day like so many of you Luv-lies… reminiscing about the past and sharing today & tomorrow’s thoughts with that very special person in my life….my Mom. After arriving in town {I went back home to the town where all of my fondest childhood memories began}, grabbing a small {yes….nutritious meal. Even Mother’s Day is not a reason to slack :-P} my Mother & I made our way home to get comfortable and catch up {I mean reallllly catch up} on all the news and adventures of not just ours lives, but, that of family, friends. We talked all evening and way into the night.

Despite my late night/early morning talkfest, I awoke early Saturday morning refreshed. Not so much from having ample sleep, but from the delight of being able to talk endlessly with this extraordinarily special woman in my life – My Mom. As always when I go home to spend time with my Mother, my activity schedule is, for the most part, unplanned – with one exception….. I always, always, always start my day with some activity of the cardio type!

I miss these guys!!!

I miss these guys!!!

I decided to go back to the place where, as an adult, my enthusiasm for fitness began…. I surprised my instructor and former fitness-mates {YES! Most of these ladies were still there and looking mah-vah-lous!}.  t has been years since I’ve stepped into a Jazzercise class! After a brief interruption in the class – where loads of hugs, kisses, and “how the heck have you beens” were exchanged, I eased nicely into the routines as if I’d never left.

The time after the class was spent catching up on the adventures of our children, grandchildren, families and the who/what/when of our individual lives.

Getting my cardio in for the day was definitely a secondary gain. Reuniting with woman who have been the thread in the fabric of my life was TRULY AMAZING!!

Hey my Luv-lies, what have you done for yourself that has felt utterly amazing?
….. do share

 

* {pic via:: special thanx}

 

Standard
Pamper Party

Anchors… & ‘… you mean I can’t eat a whole cheesecake?

8de0218188ce47da8c641f789a1948af_2

Hello Luv-lies,

It’s been a few days since we’ve talked {major bummer :-P}. So what’s been going on in your world? How’s the program going? Any challenges? Successes {of course}? Do share….do share.

So this week’s topic was about anchors. I forgot to bring my ‘anchor’ to share with my fellow ‘green seat’ luv-lies {and of course, I wanted to melt into the ground! Everyone else had managed to remember ‘their’ anchor…Whoa hoo!}. As I listened intently to the objects/episodes/experiences and comments that was just the motivation that my fellow ‘green seat’ Luv-lies needed to make the commitment to start living a healthy lifestyle…. minus the unwanted pounds. What is your anchor? What was the objects/episodes/experiences and/or comments that made you say ‘…that’s it! the weight has to go!…’?

Even though I did not remember to bring my anchor, the comments from, both, the Leader and the ‘green seat’ Luv-lies made me begin to ponder my ‘anchor’. What was the objects/episodes/experiences/comments that drove me to finally say
“That’s it! I deserve to live a healthier lifestyle! I deserve to feel great when I’m shopping for that seasonal wardrobe!…?” By the meeting’s end, I had realized that my anchor was that I had been blaming my weight gain and subsequently, the inability to take off the weight to having a child. What’s the problem with that? I’m sure you’re asking yourself. Lots of women gain unwanted pounds while carrying a bambino! The answer would be – nothing is wrong with gaining a few {unwanted} pounds while growing a child… UNLESS… that was an experience that happened thirty years ago!!!!

YES!!! My one and only offspring is now an intelligent, warm, loving thirty year old mother of three wonderful children! That being said, with much resolve, on January 1st 2013, I committed to stop blaming my unknowing, loving Daughter for my lack of taking control of my unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle.
I’m sure that she will be glad to relieved of that fifty pound weight ! 🙂

…. AS FOR THAT CHEESECAKE …

Blueberry Cheese Cake

So it’s that time during the meeting that we celebrate our ‘losses’… YEAH!!! I’m a little quiet about sharing my ‘loss’ successes. So I was surprised to find out that I had, again, reached another five pound weight loss! Whoa Hoo!!! Not being the only ‘biggest losing green seat’ Luv-lie, the Leader, after giving out all of the BRAVO stickers, asked the group how we celebrated our ‘losses’.

There were several ways that many of us ‘green seat’ Luv-lies rewarded our great efforts at taking off the pounds… getting a mani/pedi, nonfood shopping trips, new outfit… just to name a few. We were on the right track encouraged our Leader. We seemed to grasp the concept of rewarding our wins {or losses} with nonfood kudos. It was then that she told us the story of a meeting that she conducted; in which, one of the green seat Luv-lies’ intention, when she reaches her goal weight, is to “hurt a buffet”…OUCH!!

When I reach goal weight, I’m sure that I won’t be putting a “hurting on anybody’s buffet”, or downing a whole Oreo Cookie cheesecake!

I’m opting for a full mani/pedi…….

What’s your anchor?

How will you reward your goal weight success?
Do share, Luv-lies…
Do share

* {pic via::special thanx}

Standard
Fitness

Just Call Me a Flying Karamazov

1a4997a58c1a4ea882bf0ba4845f9325_2

Hello Luv-lies,

As you well know, the road to a healthy, successful weight loss (and maintenance) is not one void of roadblocks, detours, red lights & right of ways.

For me, one of the many challenges HAS NOT been meeting the activity piece of the program. I have Jazzercised, competed in Spinning class fundraisers, participated in a multitude of aquatic workouts and presently have found great pleasure in Pole Fitness. So, when invited by a friend to try-out an Aerial Fitness class, I thought “why not. This sounds fun and fascinating!

So dressed in my usual yoga-style attire, I awoke early  Saturday morning to meet her for my first seventy-minute aerial workout. I dare not have my usual breakfast and coffee prior to this challenge (WARNING-UNABASHED VERBAL VISUAL::goodness forbid that my breakfast make a spontaneous and impromptu appearance on the floor of the studio. (I would have been horrified!). Our drive to the studio consisted of a nonstop prep (and pep) talk about what I could expect once reached our destination…. that the class would take us through standing and seated poses, inversions and balancing postures – all using an aerial hammock suspended from the ceiling (by two hooks!). More eager than ever, we finally reached our destination. And the fun began!
Fast forward two hours later…. back in the car (and now on our way to lunch…yes! I survived and was famished and ready to eat) with great enthusiasm, I shared with my friend – who was excited to hear about my new experience. Initially I didn’t really ‘know’ what to expect, but I was elated with the lightness that came with soaring through the air in an almost defying gravity manner! I had not anticipated, but now welcomed, the ‘clearness’ of mind that the resulted from the many inversions and poses. So refreshing and liberating!
The workouts help with flexiblity and agililty and builds core and upper body strength. The are many mind and body benefits that result from this type of workout and for those reasons I will be soaring through the air again

 

…..like a flying Karamazov.

The Karamozov Brothers

Besides….It’s a great way to blow off steam and release stress! 🙂

 

What new work-out have your activity list?

 

Do Tell….

Standard
Food, Goals, Inspiration, My Weight Loss, The Weight-ing Game, WeekEnd Luv, Weight Watchers ... The Way I See It

Hey!! Take Your Foot off of My Scale

1e621dab01da4ecdab637e9c2f92dcfe_2

Hello Luv-lies,

I awoke this morning  in a relatively good mood – the weather is great, looking forward to a great workout (although a couple of hours away, still looking forward to moving this body to the rhythmic sounds of a Zumba class!), planning a great meal (new recipe for a spinach salad. …I’ll post the recipe soon :-)), – just relaxing and catching up on the leisure things (read… the stuff that keeps me sane) in my world.

But first, my Sunday begins, as it has in the last six months with an early morning weigh-in.  Over these four months, I have eagerly looked forward to stepping up on that scale – after disrobing to the bare legal minimum of clothing (come on…you know what I’m talking about, right?). Now I know that I was a “little bad” this week, but I was not prepared for the 2.4 pound weight GAIN!

There I stand in utter disbelieve….whhhhaat!! 2.4 pounds! WTW! {What The What!}. Well…. it took me a minute to step down off of that ‘awful’ scale – how dare it say that I’ve gained!. But once I re-donned my shedded clothing (perhaps I should have kept them on… then I would have something to, immediately, blame it on 😛 ), I took my place in the ‘green seats’ to receive the leader’s message on the topic of the week – Be a Tracking Pro. While sitting there, my mind couldn’t help frequently drifting back to the dreaded 2.4 pound gain and thinking how does the weekly topic pertain to my earth shattering bad news!

Somewhere during my self-indulgent drift back to my ‘bad news’ I begin to hear the message in the weekly topic. And as I tuned in and listened more to the Leader and my fellow ‘Green Seat Luv-lies’, I realized that one of the major tools that had brought me so much success in the beginning –TRACKING- I had neglected to implement (not just this past week, but for several weeks! … There I’ve said it! … Woosah…..).

After the meeting, I quickly made inventory of all of the (unwritten) food infractions that impacted this week’s gain….and they were many

Revisiting last week’s food intake made it very clear to me that I:

(1) must become a Tracking Pro, again,

(2) must move forward and not be bogged done in the gain and beat up on myself, but, learn from this experience, and

(3) celebrate what I DID RIGHT this past week

Clint Eastwood... You did it right =)Two of which are ::

Eight workouts – at the fitness center that I am a member – in 7 days.   I’ve started morning workouts – via My Wii- before going into work. In the past week, I’ve gotten three mornings in!

And, I live with my ActiveLink on my side.   According to it, I have met my daily activity needs 96% of the time this week  {YEY ME!!!},  Even though my ‘back’-tracking and the scale has served to snatch me back to the reality that the program tools do/can work, my ActiveLink has patted me on the back for a stellar physically active week!

I am eagerly looking forward to a better week!

What have been your program challenges?

I Luv to hear your thoughts…. Do Share

Standard
Goals, I am Woman....Roar!, Inspiration

Hello Blogosphere …. {now what?}

This blog is a space where I’ve  decided to share the musings of being a  Fabulously

Fifty-ish Babe with P(lenty),  H(ips) A(nd) T(highs) living a fit, healthy life-style while giving this aging thing a run for its money!!!!

As much as I would love to be surrounded by personal trainers, professional chefs and a well-equipped private fitness center, the reality for me –  like most of us –  is that’s just no in the cards.   I  will have more than my share of  challenges, slip ups and let downs that will intrude, overwhelm and otherwise, entice me to forgo my commitment to an all around healthier lifestyle, the plan is to stay on tract – or, in for the times that I fall off of the wagon- get back on track)

 The question, I’ve found,  is not so much how to avoid the assaults.  But, rather, how to make wiser and healthier choices in the face of these daily assaults.  Thank goodness that the good news is that I have choices  (and…. as I’ve always said to – my beautiful daughter – “… You always have choices.  They may not be the one’s that you want, but you always have them….” =)

 So, in my attempt to hold myself accountable for living a more well-rounded,  healthier  lifestyle, I’ve created this blog that I’d like to share with you.

 And, because I’m more than my workout & what I  eat – I’ve added a smattering of things that make up the ‘ whole’ me.

* as far as I see it, that is always a GREAT choice ! *

Stop by often … because I enjoy your company.

Next time bring a friend … because I believe that the more the merrier

And remember to leave a comment …. because it’s like the proverbial apple pie

images (16)

…… low-fat , of course

P.S. :: Oh yes. About the avatar.

As you can see, I’m neither a red-head or a White Woman. But I love this artist’s style. Only, He hasn’t drawn any pictures of a bald-head Black Woman. ❤

Standard