My Anniversary

Today is my 1 year anniversary since I decided to change my life. It's been one heck of a roller coaster so far.

Last February I began the journey weighing 294 lbs. I started walking on my treadmill and participating in The Game On! Diet.

On vacation January 2010

On March 29th I left for a 2-month journey living in Los Angeles working out Biggest Loser style.
When I returned home Memorial Day Weekend I was a runner (slow, but steady) and healthy eater...45 lbs lighter from when I started on February 15th.

June was spent getting reacclimated to living amongst my family and real life temptations...and taking lots of Zumba classes.

In July I nursed my ruptured cervical disc then proceeded to become a licensed Zumba instructor.

In August I worked out faithfully and did my best to stay on track with my food. Some days I'd win the battle and some days I'd lose.  I felt like I was a little lost.

In September I started working out with a trainer boot camp style and increased to a whole new level of fitness. I had worked out with the trainer in the past, but never like this.

In October I became a running demon and had a reunion with my girlfriends forms LA. We ran the 10K in the Marine Corps Marathon (Ginger ran the actual marathon) and had a blast doing it.

Maria, Me & Judy - October 2010

In November I stepped up my workouts with my trainer adding boxing to the mix.  I also began teaching Zumba fitness classes.

December was a great month for me.  I returned to my fitness camp in LA for a week.  I was thrilled that I was able to perform every exercise the trainers requested.  I not only surpassed my expectations, but also theirs!  They were all so impressed that I had really taken their lessons and trainings to heart and continued them at home.  In several cases I was the only person who could perform a certain exercise in some of the circuit trainings. I left LA the second time weighing 222.

Christmas Day 2010

In January I began teaching Zumba in the Circuit classes at Curves and entered another round of The Game On! Diet while also continuing to train with Mr. Clean.  He has such faith in me and continually gives me new exercises.  At this point I don't doubt I can do anything...I just look at him and say, "Okay you obviously think I can do this so I will!"  And I do it!  Such a change from when I first went to LA and didn't have that kind of confidence in myself.

And today, 1 year since I've begun this journey I'm down 85 lbs. I still have another 40-ish to go, but I've realized that "slow but steady wins the race!"

What living in LA did for me was change my mindset...I now exercise 6 days a week...anywhere from 1-3 hours.  I AM doing it, but this nasty winter weather has been wreaking emotional havoc on my body. I'm craving heavy fattening comfort food and I'm fighting the food demon! Sometimes I lose the battle but only for a day or so, then I channel my LA self and get back on track.

I have weighed over 200 lbs since my daughter was born...that was 20 years ago, but next month I will Finally be in the 100's. This past week I had to go through my closet again and sent 1/2 of it to goodwill.  All of this is very rewarding, because, trust me, I never thought I was the kind of person who could lose 100+ lbs., but that is the ultimate goal.

Last week my hubby & I were out to dinner and some friends walked in (3 couples).  I went to their table to say hello. 1 of the husbands was still parking his car and when he walked in he went around the table and said hello and kissed all the women...except me...he didn't recognize me!  Poor guy was so embarrassed, but I took it as a complement.

The scale going down, downsizing the closet, getting positive reaction from friends, and inspiring others have definitely made this journey worthwhile.  Some days I just want to be at my goal and am impatient, but I just keep on Doing It knowing that the goal is in my future.  And I love that the women taking my Zumba classes are inspired and working on their health goals!

Listen, if I can do it, I Promise you can do it too!!!!  Set your sights on your goal and just begin the journey. In a year you'll be celebrating your anniversary and be thrilled with your accomplishments.

As my buddy Rob Thompson of Get Fit By Rob always says, "Let's get it!"

Move, Shake, Drop

My body is my temple.

It doesn't agree.

It's too busy being sore - in different places everyday.

Getting in shape is hard work. Aside from working out with Marc (aka Mr. Clean), I've been doing more running to train for the Marine Corps Marathon 10K. You didn't really think I'd be running the marathon, did you? Nope. I'm leaving that up to my girl Ginger.

I'm so excited because my LA girls are reuniting for that weekend! Judy's flying in from Dallas and Maria's flying in from Miami. Our girl Kandee is flying in from LA to meet up with a friend. We're the smart ones - running the 10K. Once we cross that finish line we'll hang out and cheer Ginger on as she crosses her finish line a few hours later.

You see Ginger got herself in a pickle and I've never been a fan of pickled ginger. (That's one item always left behind on my sushi plate - ha!) Ginger has convinced a slew of people from work to run this marathon with her including her CEO and her Board of Directors. Now she's under stress to really perform!

But, Ginger, your LA peeps KNOW you can do it!

We're all moving, shaking and dropping (pounds, that is)!

So back to my body. This week's extra running is starting to affect my shins. They are sore and sometimes throb. I've been icing them and will continue to do so until they get used to keeping up with my determination. I've come to grips with the fact that new areas of my body will flare up on a regular basis.

As Mr. Clean said, "That's par for the course for an athlete."

Puts a whole new perspective on things, doesn't it?

Sugar, Oh Honey, Honey

Yesterday began on a great note but by 2:30 I was very cranky and I don't know why. I hate that out of control feeling I get when my mood goes south.  I guess it's hormones - I don't really know but I do know that's not the real me.

The 1st thing I thought of after a minor encounter with my Honey was: "I want something sweet." I actually caught myself thinking that!

Why do my thoughts go automatically there - to sugarland?

More specifically, it's not really plain sugar...it's actually chocolate and fat that I crave when I'm stressed or hormonal.  The only explanation I have is the serotonin, endorphins and other compounds inherently found in chocolate that lift your mood.  I think I crave not only knowing how delicious and decadent the chocolate would be, but also that consuming the chocolate will enhance my mood. 

But, alas, I'm playing Game On! and chocolate was not on my menu yesterday. So...I didn't have any. Instead I grabbed another bottle of water and took a quick break from reality by escaping into a book.  It did make me feel better and i finished my day with a perfect score!

I'm saving the chocolate for my day off.   

Pain Will Do You Good

Did my second boot camp with Marc today. I can do Anything he tells me to...I can't begin to tell you how empowering that feeling is.  He noticed that my balance is still not as strong as it can be and my hip flexors are very tight so we worked on those areas extra long today in addition to major core work.  

I can already tell I'll wake up sore tomorrow, but the best way I've found to overcome that pain is to jump on the treadmill for 15-30 minutes and get all my muscles warmed up real well so they loosen, then roll out on the foam roller.

I'm excited that my body will be in peak form in a few short weeks so I can continue to make the headway I started in LA. I'm even more excited that after just 3 short days of participating in this new Game On! session my stomach is no longer bloated and clothes are beginning to feel loser.

What will you do to get yourself on the right track?

My Summer Pantry

This summer these are the foods that have been in abundance in my house:

A large variety of fruits – it’s always a quick, healthy snack

Roasted chicken breast for quick meals – I roast 5-6 breasts at a time, peel off the skin, remove the meat from the bones and cut into approx 2 oz. pieces.

Par cooked veggies – broccoli, carrots, cauliflower & green beans are great to eat with a slight crunch as a quick addition to lunch or the final cooking step can be completed while cooking the rest of dinner (like a stir fry).

Grilled red onion slices – I usually drizzle with evoo or balsamic vinegar before grilling.  I love having a big plateful of these ready for when I want to add a little umph to a simple meal.

Bell peppers in every color – great to eat raw, on kebobs, in salads and, my fave, with sautéed onions.

We have a large pot out on the deck growing a myriad of fresh herbs: rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, savory, sage, etc. A simple chicken or fish can truly taste delicious if properly spiced even without fats.  Be sure to master the cooking technique.

And we always have bananas on hand for Nutritionist Karen’s famous Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake – my son and honey have both become addicted!

Karen’s Peanut Butter Banana Protein Shake

1 serving

1 scoop Jay Robb chocolate powder (or 1 packet)

1.5 tbl natural peanut butter

½ large banana (or 1 small banana)

½ cup unsweetened almond breeze

½ cup ice

Put the ice in the blender first, add remaining ingredients, blend and enjoy.

Let's Get It Started

Today was quite the awesome day.  Over the weekend I received an email from my gym's owner asking me to be the captain of a team filled with new players for our 4th session of Game On! I had played two previous games and was the grand winner of the 2nd game dropping 20 lbs. In 8 weeks.

I am excited to help out the new women. We'll email daily and support and inspire each other...just what I need after my disastrous August.

What I love about the game is that I get to add a new good habit and change a bad habit in my daily routine.  This time around I'm sticking with the "eating in front of the TV" rule.  I'm only allowed to eat a protein bar and drink either water or decaf green tea. My new good habit is to declutter and organize for 30 minutes a day.  My home will be looking real good when the game is over...woo hoo!

Today I also started my private boot camp sessions with my old trainer Marc. The man had a shit-eatin' grin on his face the entire time!

Why, you ask?

Because he had me doing exercises he's always wanted me to do but in my mind I couldn't do them.  That was 4 years and 60 lbs ago...now I believe in my abilities and did every exercise with a powerful attitude. Hey 90 minutes of boot camp preceded by 30 minutes of running was a breeze after my long, hard days in Marina Del Rey.

It's amazing how just one day of eating 5 small meals and drinking 3+ liters of water has on my body.  My stomach is already feeling lighter and smaller. I AM feeling the workout though...mostly in my back and shoulders. We'll see how I feel tomorrow.

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures. My trainer Marc and me after today's workout (note, I wasn't going for beautiful - I was going for empowerment and strength); and a picture of Marc's "gun".

Get motivated to make changes this week!

Here I Go Again

Welcome Back!  This summer has been hectic - filled with lots of travel, family, friends & fun, including becoming a Certified Zumba Instructor.  It's also been filled with a few demons.

The demons arrived in August and just finally went away…I think.  Those demons are my "old" thoughts: losing weight is so hard, preparing the right foods is time-consuming, I don't have the time to get a workout in today.

Yup, I thought them all throughout most of August.  Now don't get me wrong - I still did some bike riding, some running, and some Zumba, but not like I had been doing and certainly not with great focus.  In the summer at our house we tend to eat healthier than we do the rest of the year, but the wine bug got ahold of me and the sugar and salt bugs joined right in.  As a result I stopped looking at my portion sizes so closely and just enjoyed life…in more ways than I should have!

But that's what makes us human, right?  We are always going to have "life" which can get in the way of our real goals.

So, of course, I began mentally beating myself up about not keeping up with my LIFE program.  Old habits die hard.  It's been making me think about Daris from The Biggest Loser again…remember when he went home for 30 days and trained for the marathon but fought the food demons at night?

But "brain" help came in form of the doctor I saw in Santa Monica back in May.  We had a conference call last week and he told me my body chemistry is still so far off that unless I maintain my "California" lifestyle forever my body will slowly continue to gain it back.  Is he kidding?  Nope.

So he's sending me a regimen of meds, herbs, etc. to work on my body chemistry to get it balanced again.  Because once I regain balance - in my body and my brain and my life - things will begin working in my favor.  Hello!  That's all I need to make me smile.  The package should arrive today and I look forward to reading & digesting his full report plus beginning the "Fix My Body For Good" protocol.

On another good note, today I'm back with half of the Wonder Women (Sharon aka Sharona & Clare) and we're battling each other in Game On!  No matter what, I find the Game On! way of eating is the easiest, healthiest way for me to emulate my food at LIFE.  So I weighed in this morning and reported it to my Competitors…heh heh.  Because I weigh so much more than them I'll lose more every week, but I've got to make sure my scorecard is as perfect as can be.  We still haven't figured out a prize, but I'm thinking they have to detail my car, or buy me a Gucci bag, or make my meals for a week…ha!

I've already been to the gym today and did 45 minutes of interval sprinting on the treadmill.  My old trainer Marc saw me and my beet red face dripping with sweat and told me he was so happy to see me working hard that he wanted to kiss me!  I'll have to post a picture…you'll want him to kiss you too…ha ha!

I start a bootcamp with Marc next week - 3 days, 1.5 hours each day.  Plus I'll do another 45+ minutes of cardio on my own which is so easy to get in with my Zumba.  On the days I don't train with Marc I'll do a minimum of 1 hour cardio, but in many cases it will be 2 hours because I'm choreographing my own Zumba routines and I need to get them as close to perfect as possible so I can begin teaching classes.

So Fall is almost here and I'm back on track.  It feels great!