I know this was a weight journal originally, but I just want to write whatever I need to here. And, this is something I need to write.
First of all, please know that my thoughts are with all of the victims of this scandal and their families.
For some reason, the coverage of this scandal has me listening to ESPN Radio as if this is a train wreck. I can't seem to get enough, just because I am in such deep disbelief that this is happening. There are so many levels of "wrongdoing" that I keep thinking I'll get information that will change the complexion of the story. The only information that would do that, though, is if the accusations of the sexual abuse are retracted because the actions never happened. Nothing else would come close.
Here is my opinion regarding those playing a role in this based ONLY on what I've heard through the media. I haven't been to Penn State nor do have any known connections to Penn State, so the media is my only connection.
Jerry Sandusky: No words can appropriately convey the contempt I have for his behaviors.
Mike McQueary: Why did it not occur to you to SAVE THE CHILD as you witnessed him being assaulted by Sandusky? Not understanding your actions, or lack thereof.
John McQueary: How dare you tell your adult son to leave the area after he explains to you the horrors he just witnessed! He could have gone back to help the child and stop the activities.
Any Staff/Faculty/Administration To Whom This Was Reported: You are NOT so important that you can make decisions based on these reports. THAT IS WHAT THE POLICE ARE THERE FOR! NO campus policy trumps the LAW. There, inevitably, is a MANDATED REPORTER among you. How dare you "protect" your reputation and staff as opposed to caring for anything/anyone else!
Penn State's Current PR Staff: Not mentioning this scandal does NOT make it magically disappear. Your reputation is dropping minute by minute by NOT talking about this and by NOT making some kind of comment regarding the victims and the actions that MUST be made by your institution.
Those rallying for Coach Paterno: Please re-direct your "hero worship" to people in your community who care, like the police that cuffed and took away Jerry Sandusky.
Members of the Penn State football team: You are in a crappy position and I am sorry that you are involved. You should still be able to play the game you have trained and focused on for so long. You are caught in the middle of this, and your position isn't enviable.
Thanks for letting me vent. I've been listening to coverage here and hope that I got the facts right. I will continue to listen with hopes that this NEVER happens again.
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
September 11th, 2001
This past weekend, we all saw a spike in coverage of 9/11 for the tenth anniversary of the events. I watched a ton of the shows, from documentaries to dramatizations. I watch them every year and own one particularly moving one on DVD. I thought I'd share my thoughts about it all here.
Where I was:
Laying in bed, I could hear the phone answering machine click on and could hear Mom, already at her office, telling me to pick up the phone. Lazily, I rolled out & picked up the phone. She began telling me of a plane crashing into a building in New York City. Now, this wasn't unusual for Mom. Knowing how I feared plane crashes and knowing how the special reports they usually bring give me nightmares, she would always call to warn me of tv coverage of these things. Yes, even at 28 I'd get a nervous feeling everywhere from these things. She told me it looked like the planes crashed deliberately. This was the first time I heard the plural "planes" and replied, "you mean, on purpose?" It was that foreign a thought to me. In retrospect, I sounded like a moron, but at that moment, it made so little sense to me. I still hadn't turned on the tv, so I'm picturing small planes in my mind with only enough room for a maniacal pilot on board. I heard a concern in Mom's voice that I hadn't heard before and ask if she's okay. She let me know that she's okay and we hang up. On my way to the room with the TV, the other phone rings. My then-fiance of 4 weeks, J.J., called the line in my room. I picked it up, knowing he was probably calling to help me through my fear of plane crashes, too. His voice also was in a state I hadn't been familiar with before. I took the cordless phone into a room with TV and turned on the set. Not knowing what I was seeing, I was very confused, but as J.J. talked me through it, it all became far too clear for me. He hung up and I sat, motionless, on the bed changing channels for different coverage, but seeing the same thing everywhere. Channels that could give me something else on a regular day were giving updates as well. VH1 was carrying CBS broadcasts instead of pacifying me with music videos. This was huge. I knew I'd have to start getting ready to go into work for my day that was to begin at 10:30 (a late day for me) but had troubles tearing myself away to take my shower. J.J. would call every so often to let me know what he'd found out. Since his office building had a local cable channel headquartered in it, he had access to watching TV there, too. During one of his calls, the news broke about fire on the Mall in Washington, D.C. I let him know of the update and he asked, "The Mall? Really?" He said he'd call me back later & hung up as if in a hurry. I thought that he just wanted to see the updates on the TV they had, but when he called back, he told me his folks were in Washington and they were staying near the Mall. My heart skipped a beat. I asked him what I could do to help him out. He gave me the phone number of where his folks were staying, so I began to call, leaving messages requesting that they return the calls to J.J. so he knows all is okay with them. As this is happening, NBC is now scrolling government agencies that are evacuating in downtown Chicago. At the time, I was working for government, so I called my office to see if this was happening there, too. The clerical staff I spoke with huffed and puffed, thinking I was trying to get out of work. "Of course you have to come in! We aren't closing!" Okay...okay! Didn't need any attitude, but thought everyone was a bit emotional. I was now ready to leave for work when I saw what I had thought was impossible. I was on the phone with J.J. for the last talk before I was to leave when all I could get out of my mouth was, "Oh, wow! It's gone!" "What's gone?" "The tower. It's just plain gone!" My jaw dropped as I watched the tower drop into a fog of debris covering everything and everybody. I had to leave this coverage and get to work, not knowing hat was happening there. As I walked into the ofiice, I remember seeing my then-manager, Judy, give me a weak "hi" from the corner of the office hovering over a radio she was listening to everything on. My co-workers were asking what coverage was like and some were letting me know that the conference rooms down in our basement were showing the news, too. I was relaying all I was seeing while keeping my ears open to Judy's radio. The audio wasn't doing it justice. It was too unbelievable to be conveyed that way. About 30 minutes into my workday, the order was given: evacuate the building and make sure that before you do, you have an emergency phone tree for further notices. What? We were really evacuating? Just being sent home? Now, my heart is racing. After all, do they know of a threat to this place specifically? I was put in charge of the phone tree as everyone was leaving, but people were out so fast, it was tough to make sure all had phone numbers. I got into my car, but took my time getting to it. Looking up, I saw the pale blue sky with nothing in it. Not a cloud. not a plane. This was a rarity. After all, we aren't far at all from O'Hare Airport, one of the busiest in the nation. There were ALWAYS planes.
As I drive away from work, I wondered what I was to do. I drove through downtown Wheaton on m way home, which wasn't unusual. What WAS unusual was the amount of passengers getting off of the trains! Huge crowds coming home so early. I recognized a face as someone who used to work at the Health Department with me and asked what was going on. She, too, was evacuated as were most skyscrapers in Chicago. This crowd was the result of that. I continued on after finding out she had a ride home. When I made it to Roosevelt Road, I looked through the clear sky. It was such a pale blue that it was almost white. There is one elevated section of road that, on a clear enough day, one can see the skyline of Chicago from. I was terrified as my eyes fixed on the Sears Tower. After all, was I to be witness to another attack? No one knew.
Sorry, but I need to take a break from this. To Be Continued...
Where I was:
Laying in bed, I could hear the phone answering machine click on and could hear Mom, already at her office, telling me to pick up the phone. Lazily, I rolled out & picked up the phone. She began telling me of a plane crashing into a building in New York City. Now, this wasn't unusual for Mom. Knowing how I feared plane crashes and knowing how the special reports they usually bring give me nightmares, she would always call to warn me of tv coverage of these things. Yes, even at 28 I'd get a nervous feeling everywhere from these things. She told me it looked like the planes crashed deliberately. This was the first time I heard the plural "planes" and replied, "you mean, on purpose?" It was that foreign a thought to me. In retrospect, I sounded like a moron, but at that moment, it made so little sense to me. I still hadn't turned on the tv, so I'm picturing small planes in my mind with only enough room for a maniacal pilot on board. I heard a concern in Mom's voice that I hadn't heard before and ask if she's okay. She let me know that she's okay and we hang up. On my way to the room with the TV, the other phone rings. My then-fiance of 4 weeks, J.J., called the line in my room. I picked it up, knowing he was probably calling to help me through my fear of plane crashes, too. His voice also was in a state I hadn't been familiar with before. I took the cordless phone into a room with TV and turned on the set. Not knowing what I was seeing, I was very confused, but as J.J. talked me through it, it all became far too clear for me. He hung up and I sat, motionless, on the bed changing channels for different coverage, but seeing the same thing everywhere. Channels that could give me something else on a regular day were giving updates as well. VH1 was carrying CBS broadcasts instead of pacifying me with music videos. This was huge. I knew I'd have to start getting ready to go into work for my day that was to begin at 10:30 (a late day for me) but had troubles tearing myself away to take my shower. J.J. would call every so often to let me know what he'd found out. Since his office building had a local cable channel headquartered in it, he had access to watching TV there, too. During one of his calls, the news broke about fire on the Mall in Washington, D.C. I let him know of the update and he asked, "The Mall? Really?" He said he'd call me back later & hung up as if in a hurry. I thought that he just wanted to see the updates on the TV they had, but when he called back, he told me his folks were in Washington and they were staying near the Mall. My heart skipped a beat. I asked him what I could do to help him out. He gave me the phone number of where his folks were staying, so I began to call, leaving messages requesting that they return the calls to J.J. so he knows all is okay with them. As this is happening, NBC is now scrolling government agencies that are evacuating in downtown Chicago. At the time, I was working for government, so I called my office to see if this was happening there, too. The clerical staff I spoke with huffed and puffed, thinking I was trying to get out of work. "Of course you have to come in! We aren't closing!" Okay...okay! Didn't need any attitude, but thought everyone was a bit emotional. I was now ready to leave for work when I saw what I had thought was impossible. I was on the phone with J.J. for the last talk before I was to leave when all I could get out of my mouth was, "Oh, wow! It's gone!" "What's gone?" "The tower. It's just plain gone!" My jaw dropped as I watched the tower drop into a fog of debris covering everything and everybody. I had to leave this coverage and get to work, not knowing hat was happening there. As I walked into the ofiice, I remember seeing my then-manager, Judy, give me a weak "hi" from the corner of the office hovering over a radio she was listening to everything on. My co-workers were asking what coverage was like and some were letting me know that the conference rooms down in our basement were showing the news, too. I was relaying all I was seeing while keeping my ears open to Judy's radio. The audio wasn't doing it justice. It was too unbelievable to be conveyed that way. About 30 minutes into my workday, the order was given: evacuate the building and make sure that before you do, you have an emergency phone tree for further notices. What? We were really evacuating? Just being sent home? Now, my heart is racing. After all, do they know of a threat to this place specifically? I was put in charge of the phone tree as everyone was leaving, but people were out so fast, it was tough to make sure all had phone numbers. I got into my car, but took my time getting to it. Looking up, I saw the pale blue sky with nothing in it. Not a cloud. not a plane. This was a rarity. After all, we aren't far at all from O'Hare Airport, one of the busiest in the nation. There were ALWAYS planes.
As I drive away from work, I wondered what I was to do. I drove through downtown Wheaton on m way home, which wasn't unusual. What WAS unusual was the amount of passengers getting off of the trains! Huge crowds coming home so early. I recognized a face as someone who used to work at the Health Department with me and asked what was going on. She, too, was evacuated as were most skyscrapers in Chicago. This crowd was the result of that. I continued on after finding out she had a ride home. When I made it to Roosevelt Road, I looked through the clear sky. It was such a pale blue that it was almost white. There is one elevated section of road that, on a clear enough day, one can see the skyline of Chicago from. I was terrified as my eyes fixed on the Sears Tower. After all, was I to be witness to another attack? No one knew.
Sorry, but I need to take a break from this. To Be Continued...
Thursday, August 04, 2011
A blog that began about physical weight...
Emotional weight and baggage can be just as troubling as the physical stuff. Although this isn't news to me, it still boggles my mind. My mind, however, has had an easier time of staying boggled lately.
One thing people think about when others are unemployed is that it must be nice to have so much spare time on one's hands. Sadly, the spare time is excessive, only feeding the brain with moments to ponder tons of crap with. That is the pitfall I have to recover myself from. Too much time to think.
When I leave the house, I inevitably spend money that I cannot afford to spend. Whether it's adding a few things to the grocery list or buying a meal, it's money that need to stay in our pockets...just to leap from them when bill paying time arrives. I adore spending the extra time with the pups, though! If I was physically able to walk them, I don't think I"d be complaining as much about the time. I would be able to get some exercise & spend time with them all at the same time. However, I don't have the money to get the pups and I into obedience classes and without those, I cannot handle the two of them solo. Hubby gets up & walks them daily, so that is bonding time away from me, which really does break my heart. Can't seem to win on that one.
Trying to get things done around the house with the pups can be challenging, but I try sometimes. At other times, I think, "why bother?" and know that my depression has crept in once again.
I really don't know what to do this time. I thought I'd be employed by now. I am on my 3rd extension of unemployment and still struggling to find work. I really wish I knew how long this was going to last. Anyone have a crystal ball????
One thing people think about when others are unemployed is that it must be nice to have so much spare time on one's hands. Sadly, the spare time is excessive, only feeding the brain with moments to ponder tons of crap with. That is the pitfall I have to recover myself from. Too much time to think.
When I leave the house, I inevitably spend money that I cannot afford to spend. Whether it's adding a few things to the grocery list or buying a meal, it's money that need to stay in our pockets...just to leap from them when bill paying time arrives. I adore spending the extra time with the pups, though! If I was physically able to walk them, I don't think I"d be complaining as much about the time. I would be able to get some exercise & spend time with them all at the same time. However, I don't have the money to get the pups and I into obedience classes and without those, I cannot handle the two of them solo. Hubby gets up & walks them daily, so that is bonding time away from me, which really does break my heart. Can't seem to win on that one.
Trying to get things done around the house with the pups can be challenging, but I try sometimes. At other times, I think, "why bother?" and know that my depression has crept in once again.
I really don't know what to do this time. I thought I'd be employed by now. I am on my 3rd extension of unemployment and still struggling to find work. I really wish I knew how long this was going to last. Anyone have a crystal ball????
Monday, February 14, 2011
Weight-y Issues
I know that my weight is impacted by my depression. It is not a stretch of the imagination to think that the more I get down, the more trips I make to the fridge. Also, depression keeps me at home. I don't like leaving the house a lot when m depression "flares up" and I have access to my kitchen all day long.
Another issue that plays a part in this is my unemployment. I stay at home and wish I was elsewhere, bringing me down...starting the cycle.
Trying to break this cycle requires a lot of planning...and, eventually, DOING. The planning part I'm pretty good about. I plan a ton of things. It's the taking action that is tougher. There is always a great excuse out there for not doing something.
I've passed on many things in life because the main reason I don't do things is that they pose too large a risk to me. At least, that's what I think. I didn't fly in a plane for years because of that fear. Then, I got to such a low point in life that I didn't really mind if I died, as long as it was while trying to live. I got aboard a plane headed to Las Vegas, held on tight, and loved it! Coming back, our flight hit such turbulence that people were gasping loudly & throwing up. Even Hubby, who didn't mind flying, was getting rather tense. I dug my head into my headphones to concentrate on the humor of "Blades of Glory" so I could put all other sounds out of my head. It was terrifying, but we made it. That flight taught me to handle turbulence (though it still isn't a favorite time in the air for me) and I overcame most of my fear of flying. It takes me just ACTING on it rather than thinking of it and planning all of the time. However, with my unemployment and other current situations, all I feel I can do is plan.
Planning to diet & planning to exercise is simple. Actually, I don't mind exercising! I really like it and would rather do that than diet any day, but I know I need both. Dieting is really rough when I am at home. Have to work on psyching myself up for that one!
I hate how everything impacts my weight!
Another issue that plays a part in this is my unemployment. I stay at home and wish I was elsewhere, bringing me down...starting the cycle.
Trying to break this cycle requires a lot of planning...and, eventually, DOING. The planning part I'm pretty good about. I plan a ton of things. It's the taking action that is tougher. There is always a great excuse out there for not doing something.
I've passed on many things in life because the main reason I don't do things is that they pose too large a risk to me. At least, that's what I think. I didn't fly in a plane for years because of that fear. Then, I got to such a low point in life that I didn't really mind if I died, as long as it was while trying to live. I got aboard a plane headed to Las Vegas, held on tight, and loved it! Coming back, our flight hit such turbulence that people were gasping loudly & throwing up. Even Hubby, who didn't mind flying, was getting rather tense. I dug my head into my headphones to concentrate on the humor of "Blades of Glory" so I could put all other sounds out of my head. It was terrifying, but we made it. That flight taught me to handle turbulence (though it still isn't a favorite time in the air for me) and I overcame most of my fear of flying. It takes me just ACTING on it rather than thinking of it and planning all of the time. However, with my unemployment and other current situations, all I feel I can do is plan.
Planning to diet & planning to exercise is simple. Actually, I don't mind exercising! I really like it and would rather do that than diet any day, but I know I need both. Dieting is really rough when I am at home. Have to work on psyching myself up for that one!
I hate how everything impacts my weight!
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
Snow day!
Being unemployed means I have no struggle getting to work, so a snow day is just another day at home, cuddled in flannel and trying to stay warm without having to stay fashionable.
My problem with staying in all the time is access to food! I'm feeling truly hungry on a regular basis and have the ability to walk down the stairs to the pantry whenever I get the urge.
There are a couple of things that help me when I get this way (though they aren't surefire):
My problem with staying in all the time is access to food! I'm feeling truly hungry on a regular basis and have the ability to walk down the stairs to the pantry whenever I get the urge.
There are a couple of things that help me when I get this way (though they aren't surefire):
- Drink really cold water by the liter. I fill up on this and slosh my way around the house!
- Instead of going to the fridge/pantry, detour to the Wii and be active!
- Make sure the fruit & veggie bins are filled so I don't snack on sugary stuff.
Monday, January 31, 2011
If only...
Friday, January 28, 2011
Not 100% Ready...But Getting There
The thing about dieting & losing weight, for me, is that I do some parts before I try to augment the plan. For example, I am working out rather regularly. I love it & want to take advantage of the time I have while unemployed to do so. Once I get a job, it may be more difficult to fit it in to my schedule, but I'll cross that bridge once I get to it. I love the Wii workouts that I do on Active 2 and the NFL Training Camp. Plus, I love being active on my days off of those with the dance games on Wii, too! It's an investment, but well worth it!
As of now, though, I haven't changed my eating habits (as evidenced by my Facebook status last night of needing pizza). Stress still influences me to run to the fridge or, worse yet, the grocery store while hungry. Sadly, so does boredom. Hubby & I are planning the grocery shopping for the first week of using the FoodMover again, and I'm excited to do so. I just have to be ready to run with it.
Here's an admission I bet you didn't expect...I LOVE FOOD! Yep, I said it. I don't know if I'm a food addict, but I do know that I love the stuff! I love socializing over it. I love trying new foods. I love going out with Hubby for meals. I love the all-you-can-eat Las Vegas buffets! I've even dreamed of fast foods bouncing across my point of view when dieting (no joke!). Hubby said I was downright adorable, mumbling "Chicken wings...tacos...Portillo's...pizza" one night when we had been on our diet years ago. The funny thing is, though I do love fast food, I love slow food, too. And, I love me some veggies! Okay...getting hungry...gotta stop talking about this so much!
Truth is, I have to get ready for the process of dieting, but can't take too long in doing so. After all, this is my health & happiness. It's a fine balance that I know many people go through. To them and to myself, good luck!
As of now, though, I haven't changed my eating habits (as evidenced by my Facebook status last night of needing pizza). Stress still influences me to run to the fridge or, worse yet, the grocery store while hungry. Sadly, so does boredom. Hubby & I are planning the grocery shopping for the first week of using the FoodMover again, and I'm excited to do so. I just have to be ready to run with it.
Here's an admission I bet you didn't expect...I LOVE FOOD! Yep, I said it. I don't know if I'm a food addict, but I do know that I love the stuff! I love socializing over it. I love trying new foods. I love going out with Hubby for meals. I love the all-you-can-eat Las Vegas buffets! I've even dreamed of fast foods bouncing across my point of view when dieting (no joke!). Hubby said I was downright adorable, mumbling "Chicken wings...tacos...Portillo's...pizza" one night when we had been on our diet years ago. The funny thing is, though I do love fast food, I love slow food, too. And, I love me some veggies! Okay...getting hungry...gotta stop talking about this so much!
Truth is, I have to get ready for the process of dieting, but can't take too long in doing so. After all, this is my health & happiness. It's a fine balance that I know many people go through. To them and to myself, good luck!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Product Review: The Richard Simmons Food Mover
The Richard Simmons Food Mover & kit
I know what people think about Richard Simmons: he isn't in the spotlight like he was in the 80s, but he's still wearing those metallic shorts & bouncing around! True. However, what people don't think about is how he is able to bounce around at almost 63 years old!
When I began this program years ago (the first time), I found it to be simple and fun and requiring little math to calculate calories, fat grams, etc. I had chosen it over others because I figured that he would be out of business by now if what he said wasn't successful. I spoke with my physician about it & he just looked at me and said, "This is how people are SUPPOSED to eat, so go for it." That was a great endorsement and one that I followed through with for longer than any other diet.
The idea is simple with the actual Food Mover: in order to maintain a specific number of calories daily (as explained in the instructional booklet that is included with the kit), one needs to have so many servings of fruit, grains, proteins, veggies, fats (YES...one NEEDS fats), dairy, and water. With each serving that counts (I'll explain in a bit), a window gets closed. Close the windows all day long and the calories are tracked. As a bonus, there are motivational windows with positive mantras to help one keep on track.
For someone like me, the BONUS foods are a complete and utter blessing! Bonus foods are foods for which NO windows close. For examples, if you want to have a salad comprised of lettuce, cucumbers, celery, & mushrooms, HAVE ALL THAT YOU WANT! I eat dry salads, so this fills me up. The dressing must be measured, but for me, that didn't matter one bit! These are bonuses! HOORAY!
The first week is the only one in which someone needs to eat specific foods. It jump-starts the metabolism for what is to come. It is the "Blast-Off" week (better known at our home as the "Blast-OUT" week) & it is high in fiber and gets its name from that. After week one, it's all up to the user. There are meal plans given online through the Richard Simmons webpage (membership has a monthly fee and the support, I believe, is well worth it) or one can look at the dietetic exchanges to find out which windows the must close. Since Mom is a type 2 diabetic, I was familiar with the exchanges and found cookbooks that offered that information on each recipe. That was all I had to do.
It seems very similar to the points systems taught through Weight Watchers as well. I haven't tried that program, so I can neither judge it negatively or positively, but this I have tried and I loved it! "Why did you get off track?", you may ask. I made excuses for letting my stress get to me and the easiest one to make was monetary. I believed it to be more expensive...WHICH IT IS NOT. As with any change in lifestyle, one has to be ready, and I wasn't at the time.
So, I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone starting out! My rating is (out of 5):
Ease of Use: ❤❤❤❤❤ Recipes are as simple or difficult as you want them (with the exception of the 1st week, which are SO simple, too!)
Cost: ❤❤❤❤ It may cost a bit more if one chooses to join the online support of the Clubhouse on his site (I recommend this if you have the ability, but do not feel it's absolutely needed to start up.). The kit is $20 and the foods are what you can manage in your budget.
Enjoyment: ❤❤❤❤ Yes, I'd enjoy being able to eat anything I want without thinking of it, but that isn't how the body is going to work with me. I'm going to have this the rest of my days, so I'd rather enjoy my body than enjoy stuffing my face & feeling sluggish & guilty later on.
Results: ❤❤❤❤❤ Both Hubby & I lost weight on this & kept it off for a good period of time. That's why we are taking it on again!
I know what people think about Richard Simmons: he isn't in the spotlight like he was in the 80s, but he's still wearing those metallic shorts & bouncing around! True. However, what people don't think about is how he is able to bounce around at almost 63 years old!
When I began this program years ago (the first time), I found it to be simple and fun and requiring little math to calculate calories, fat grams, etc. I had chosen it over others because I figured that he would be out of business by now if what he said wasn't successful. I spoke with my physician about it & he just looked at me and said, "This is how people are SUPPOSED to eat, so go for it." That was a great endorsement and one that I followed through with for longer than any other diet.
The idea is simple with the actual Food Mover: in order to maintain a specific number of calories daily (as explained in the instructional booklet that is included with the kit), one needs to have so many servings of fruit, grains, proteins, veggies, fats (YES...one NEEDS fats), dairy, and water. With each serving that counts (I'll explain in a bit), a window gets closed. Close the windows all day long and the calories are tracked. As a bonus, there are motivational windows with positive mantras to help one keep on track.
For someone like me, the BONUS foods are a complete and utter blessing! Bonus foods are foods for which NO windows close. For examples, if you want to have a salad comprised of lettuce, cucumbers, celery, & mushrooms, HAVE ALL THAT YOU WANT! I eat dry salads, so this fills me up. The dressing must be measured, but for me, that didn't matter one bit! These are bonuses! HOORAY!
The first week is the only one in which someone needs to eat specific foods. It jump-starts the metabolism for what is to come. It is the "Blast-Off" week (better known at our home as the "Blast-OUT" week) & it is high in fiber and gets its name from that. After week one, it's all up to the user. There are meal plans given online through the Richard Simmons webpage (membership has a monthly fee and the support, I believe, is well worth it) or one can look at the dietetic exchanges to find out which windows the must close. Since Mom is a type 2 diabetic, I was familiar with the exchanges and found cookbooks that offered that information on each recipe. That was all I had to do.
It seems very similar to the points systems taught through Weight Watchers as well. I haven't tried that program, so I can neither judge it negatively or positively, but this I have tried and I loved it! "Why did you get off track?", you may ask. I made excuses for letting my stress get to me and the easiest one to make was monetary. I believed it to be more expensive...WHICH IT IS NOT. As with any change in lifestyle, one has to be ready, and I wasn't at the time.
So, I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone starting out! My rating is (out of 5):
Ease of Use: ❤❤❤❤❤ Recipes are as simple or difficult as you want them (with the exception of the 1st week, which are SO simple, too!)
Cost: ❤❤❤❤ It may cost a bit more if one chooses to join the online support of the Clubhouse on his site (I recommend this if you have the ability, but do not feel it's absolutely needed to start up.). The kit is $20 and the foods are what you can manage in your budget.
Enjoyment: ❤❤❤❤ Yes, I'd enjoy being able to eat anything I want without thinking of it, but that isn't how the body is going to work with me. I'm going to have this the rest of my days, so I'd rather enjoy my body than enjoy stuffing my face & feeling sluggish & guilty later on.
Results: ❤❤❤❤❤ Both Hubby & I lost weight on this & kept it off for a good period of time. That's why we are taking it on again!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Well, here we go!
I thought I would blog about how it feels to be a gal of my size. I was inspired by the A & E reality show, "Heavy." I've been watching it and have been quite moved, since the struggles of the participants are not far from the struggles I have had for decades now.
I was in 8th grade when it really first hit. My folks went to parent-teacher conferences at my junior high school and were told by my gym teachers that they should urge me to choose "Modified P.E." for my freshman year at high school. "Modified P.E." was known to us students as "Fat People Gym." I was very heavy for my height and not active or skilled at P.E. whatsoever. I was a super target for bullies, especially other girls, who could be amazingly cruel at that age. I had never been popular and had been picked on by many a girl (there was even a 24-hour period in grammar school that I was teased for being too tall and too short by different girls...quite the conflict) but this time was tougher than most. My tin grin and chubby cheeks all added up to a horrible outward show to others and an insecure mindset inside me.
I signed up for "Modified P.E." and was pleasantly surprised to know there was no need to feel alone. I was in a class of about 8 people with the same struggles and a caring teacher. Weekly, we would weigh in and support one another. Our workouts would alternate between weight room days, running through the halls of the school, & aerobics tapes (they were big in the '80s and we did the biggest: Jane Fonda & Lyle Alzado are the tapes I still remember). I didn't lose much weight when all was said and done, but I felt better anyhow. I was about to go through my best weight loss ever: PUBERTY!
By the end of high school, I had grown taller (a skyscraping 5'5") and thinned out. My diet had actually become the worse it would ever be. I would pocket much of my lunch money for the latest records by Cyndi Lauper or Huey Lewis & The News from J.R.'s Music Shop at Yorktown Mall, so I would settle for a chocolate shake and a soft pretzel. Yes, I lost weight with even that diet! It was all a matter of my metabolism and my age. I still wasn't active, but I was hanging with friends, going to dances, and not sitting all hours in front of the TV playing ColecoVision. I had ColecoVision and I played it and I loved it. I just didn't spend too much time with it. Not in high school, anyhow. Having friends & going boy crazy were my favorite past-times.
I went to my community college after graduation. I was curvy and weighed the least I ever have in my adult life, but wasn't toned. That didn't matter to me, as long as I fit in m clothes. As time went on, though, and I transferred to my dorm living at Northern in '93, I put on the pounds. I still had curves and gained a size or two, but it was manageable. I also injured my back with two slipped discs in my lumbar spine, so my mobility...and my time on campus trying to live independently...were cut short. I stayed at Northern 1 year before I had to come home instead of limping to and from classes. My grades were low because the sciatica caused by my discs kept my attendance low. Getting out of bed was a chore. I would be on campus for the week & return home almost every weekend for help. It was far from what I needed to live on my own. Luckily at the time, I was dating someone who had gone through his own ordeal with slipped discs. He was quite understanding & helpful. He even gave me a referral to his doctor, which wound up being a Godsend. Still, I suffered through low points of self-esteem, knowing this was my shot to be on my own & I had blown it. I felt like I would never be truly flying solo because of this injury and that hurt. For me, someone who felt like she had been overprotected her entire life, the idea of living on my own was invigorating. It was hanging in front of me so very close, yet out of reach.
I returned home after that first year feeling defeated in many ways. I took the opportunity to get my associate degree, attend physical therapy, get steroid injections, and be relatively pampered for about a year and a half before my doctor "fired" me and I was feeling well enough to return to Northern. I was mobile and able to live by myself on campus again. I was 23 and starting up all over again.
My weight had fluctuated with physical therapy keeping me active, but not active enough. I gained my "freshman 15" and then some after my return to campus, attempting to adjust to dorm food & beer nuggets again. I really didn't mind, though. I was thrilled to be back and thought that I'd have the rest of my life to get active and fit. This was my time to learn more about how to be me.
I signed on for P.E. classes like Weight Training 1 and Physical Fitness just to push myself a bit and learn about the tools needed for the future. I was even complimented in Weight Training on my form, which I had learned about through physical therapy. I liked the adrenaline rush, but knew I couldn't push it with my injury. I would just be glad to maintain my weight instead of gaining.
When I finished school & went directly into my internship & job at the health department, I worked for the department infamous for having food days & celebrations. There were few Fridays when there wasn't a coffee cake or donuts. We did it up big with a few tables and desks filled with homemade goodies on a regular basis. Employees from other programs in the building would come to visit up if they had the munchies, knowing we probably had a few bites of fuel for them. It was easy to overeat, though it wasn't the entire problem with me.
In the very late 90s, I went through a bout of depression, during which, I turned to food for help and it gave me none. I gained another size, but was able to maintain this one a long time. I felt okay with this, thinking I had to work on the mental issues more than anything else. As a Christmas gift from my folks, I got my first membership to a gym. A friend belonged to it & I swore I would meet up with him for working out often. That never happened, but I did go there a handful of times & felt better because of it. I used equipment I never had thought of using before. I pushed myself to a point of sweating, which I hadn't done before. I just didn't do it often enough. I never liked working out by myself, but pushed myself to do it now & then. I was living at home and Mom, being the great cook she is, kept the homemade meals coming. Being the Greek Mom she is, though, she offered food as a way to comfort me. I accepted it. (Please note that I don't blame her. To see me hurting the way I did through the depression, she felt she could offer so little to help and offer it in abundance, she did).
After a particularly rough break-up, I worked out more & lost 2 sizes, but not in the traditional way. I was hitting Ladies Night a the local watering hole with friends. I would dance away the evening with friends and drink water for the most part. On rare occasion, I would be doing my favorite Jaeger shots, but the vast majority of the time, the dancing gave me the high I searched for. I was sweating with all of the other bodies and hot lights on the dancefloor (it was no wonder no one found me attractive) and I was burning calories effortlessly. I loved the music and the youthful feeling I got out there. Then, I met Hubby and my single days came to a quick end, with Ladies Night becoming a distant memory. I was settling down at 28.
Once we married, those sizes were back. The stress of adjusting to married life & learning how to cook helped pack the pounds on again. I got a new gym membership & was rather faithful to it, even working out at 4:30 a.m.! What inspired me this time was that I had been diagnosed with workout-induced asthma and was on an inhaler. I was so thrilled that I could finally breathe when doing cardio that I wanted to test it out often. The other inspiration was that Hubby got a gym membership, too. We could be fitness partners! I loved this idea! It was something I truly responded to better than most plans to workout but it didn't last long. I would start hitting the snooze button or Hubby didn't feel like going. It just wasn't meant to be.
Along came puppies! Getting Butterscotch & Chewbacca was a blessing beyond all others! No need for a gym membership, I thought. I would be able to walk them and all would be right with the world. Unfortunately, even to this day, Chewbacca pulls and on more than one occasion, my back has responded with pain that made me miss work. We couldn't afford to have that continue. I had to stop walking the pups. Now, I as inactive, depressed, and feeding my face. Putting on the pounds came so easy that I needed to think of something to try.
I began the Richard Simmons FoodMover diet with Hubby early in the year. We would eat very healthy meals during the week & Saturday, but Sunday, we were free to eat anything (that is not part of the official Ricky diet, but that was the house rule for it). Dieting with Hubby helped so very much! We were really shedding pounds with little working out. It was wonderful, but became a bit expensive to us and we quit the program after a few months. We felt we could maintain our weight, but that didn't last long. We were back to bad habits and higher weights. We joined the local gym again, but without having a partner to go with, since Hubby wasn't a fan of the working out like I was, it was wasted. When I bought my "Meet & Greet" package with Barry Manilow, I had a limited time to shed some pounds, so I invested (yes, a BIG investment, but well worth it) in a personal trainer package at the gym. Finally, I would have someone to workout with, someone to push me, and I could get results. It worked like a charm & I lost enough pounds and inches to get into a size I hadn't seen in many years! The pride I had within myself was huge! I loved the sense of accomplishment...and the clothes shopping I had to do! I even had people at work helping. When it was my birthday, instead of everyone bringing sweets and snacks, they made a huge salad bar for us! It meant so much to me!
It wasn't long after I returned from meeting Barry and came home from Las Vegas that old habits kicked in again. Plus, I found out I was being laid off soon My budget could no longer support a personal trainer. I used up the sessions I had, but there weren't too many remaining after wanting to be thin for Barry.
That brings us to this last year. Being home and jobless, it's very easy to allow the only treat to be inexpensive fast food. It's very easy to go downstairs when I get the munchies at the computer as I fill out job application after job application. It's very easy to stay in instead of spending money at some store just to get out. There are only so many trips to the library one can make and still be amused. Needless to say, I'm far from the shape I was in when I met Barry in April of '09 and I really struggle with that.
I am now starting to use the Wii workout discs regularly and, though I haven't seen results yet, I'm feeling good about this. I am planning a budget that includes doing the FoodMover again, too. I had great success with it before and know that my doctor recommends it highly.
I'd like to use this blog for issues related to the above roller-coaster & invite you along for the ride. If you have any advice or comments, I encourage you to share! So, welcome aboard!
I was in 8th grade when it really first hit. My folks went to parent-teacher conferences at my junior high school and were told by my gym teachers that they should urge me to choose "Modified P.E." for my freshman year at high school. "Modified P.E." was known to us students as "Fat People Gym." I was very heavy for my height and not active or skilled at P.E. whatsoever. I was a super target for bullies, especially other girls, who could be amazingly cruel at that age. I had never been popular and had been picked on by many a girl (there was even a 24-hour period in grammar school that I was teased for being too tall and too short by different girls...quite the conflict) but this time was tougher than most. My tin grin and chubby cheeks all added up to a horrible outward show to others and an insecure mindset inside me.
I signed up for "Modified P.E." and was pleasantly surprised to know there was no need to feel alone. I was in a class of about 8 people with the same struggles and a caring teacher. Weekly, we would weigh in and support one another. Our workouts would alternate between weight room days, running through the halls of the school, & aerobics tapes (they were big in the '80s and we did the biggest: Jane Fonda & Lyle Alzado are the tapes I still remember). I didn't lose much weight when all was said and done, but I felt better anyhow. I was about to go through my best weight loss ever: PUBERTY!
By the end of high school, I had grown taller (a skyscraping 5'5") and thinned out. My diet had actually become the worse it would ever be. I would pocket much of my lunch money for the latest records by Cyndi Lauper or Huey Lewis & The News from J.R.'s Music Shop at Yorktown Mall, so I would settle for a chocolate shake and a soft pretzel. Yes, I lost weight with even that diet! It was all a matter of my metabolism and my age. I still wasn't active, but I was hanging with friends, going to dances, and not sitting all hours in front of the TV playing ColecoVision. I had ColecoVision and I played it and I loved it. I just didn't spend too much time with it. Not in high school, anyhow. Having friends & going boy crazy were my favorite past-times.
I went to my community college after graduation. I was curvy and weighed the least I ever have in my adult life, but wasn't toned. That didn't matter to me, as long as I fit in m clothes. As time went on, though, and I transferred to my dorm living at Northern in '93, I put on the pounds. I still had curves and gained a size or two, but it was manageable. I also injured my back with two slipped discs in my lumbar spine, so my mobility...and my time on campus trying to live independently...were cut short. I stayed at Northern 1 year before I had to come home instead of limping to and from classes. My grades were low because the sciatica caused by my discs kept my attendance low. Getting out of bed was a chore. I would be on campus for the week & return home almost every weekend for help. It was far from what I needed to live on my own. Luckily at the time, I was dating someone who had gone through his own ordeal with slipped discs. He was quite understanding & helpful. He even gave me a referral to his doctor, which wound up being a Godsend. Still, I suffered through low points of self-esteem, knowing this was my shot to be on my own & I had blown it. I felt like I would never be truly flying solo because of this injury and that hurt. For me, someone who felt like she had been overprotected her entire life, the idea of living on my own was invigorating. It was hanging in front of me so very close, yet out of reach.
I returned home after that first year feeling defeated in many ways. I took the opportunity to get my associate degree, attend physical therapy, get steroid injections, and be relatively pampered for about a year and a half before my doctor "fired" me and I was feeling well enough to return to Northern. I was mobile and able to live by myself on campus again. I was 23 and starting up all over again.
My weight had fluctuated with physical therapy keeping me active, but not active enough. I gained my "freshman 15" and then some after my return to campus, attempting to adjust to dorm food & beer nuggets again. I really didn't mind, though. I was thrilled to be back and thought that I'd have the rest of my life to get active and fit. This was my time to learn more about how to be me.
I signed on for P.E. classes like Weight Training 1 and Physical Fitness just to push myself a bit and learn about the tools needed for the future. I was even complimented in Weight Training on my form, which I had learned about through physical therapy. I liked the adrenaline rush, but knew I couldn't push it with my injury. I would just be glad to maintain my weight instead of gaining.
When I finished school & went directly into my internship & job at the health department, I worked for the department infamous for having food days & celebrations. There were few Fridays when there wasn't a coffee cake or donuts. We did it up big with a few tables and desks filled with homemade goodies on a regular basis. Employees from other programs in the building would come to visit up if they had the munchies, knowing we probably had a few bites of fuel for them. It was easy to overeat, though it wasn't the entire problem with me.
In the very late 90s, I went through a bout of depression, during which, I turned to food for help and it gave me none. I gained another size, but was able to maintain this one a long time. I felt okay with this, thinking I had to work on the mental issues more than anything else. As a Christmas gift from my folks, I got my first membership to a gym. A friend belonged to it & I swore I would meet up with him for working out often. That never happened, but I did go there a handful of times & felt better because of it. I used equipment I never had thought of using before. I pushed myself to a point of sweating, which I hadn't done before. I just didn't do it often enough. I never liked working out by myself, but pushed myself to do it now & then. I was living at home and Mom, being the great cook she is, kept the homemade meals coming. Being the Greek Mom she is, though, she offered food as a way to comfort me. I accepted it. (Please note that I don't blame her. To see me hurting the way I did through the depression, she felt she could offer so little to help and offer it in abundance, she did).
After a particularly rough break-up, I worked out more & lost 2 sizes, but not in the traditional way. I was hitting Ladies Night a the local watering hole with friends. I would dance away the evening with friends and drink water for the most part. On rare occasion, I would be doing my favorite Jaeger shots, but the vast majority of the time, the dancing gave me the high I searched for. I was sweating with all of the other bodies and hot lights on the dancefloor (it was no wonder no one found me attractive) and I was burning calories effortlessly. I loved the music and the youthful feeling I got out there. Then, I met Hubby and my single days came to a quick end, with Ladies Night becoming a distant memory. I was settling down at 28.
Once we married, those sizes were back. The stress of adjusting to married life & learning how to cook helped pack the pounds on again. I got a new gym membership & was rather faithful to it, even working out at 4:30 a.m.! What inspired me this time was that I had been diagnosed with workout-induced asthma and was on an inhaler. I was so thrilled that I could finally breathe when doing cardio that I wanted to test it out often. The other inspiration was that Hubby got a gym membership, too. We could be fitness partners! I loved this idea! It was something I truly responded to better than most plans to workout but it didn't last long. I would start hitting the snooze button or Hubby didn't feel like going. It just wasn't meant to be.
Along came puppies! Getting Butterscotch & Chewbacca was a blessing beyond all others! No need for a gym membership, I thought. I would be able to walk them and all would be right with the world. Unfortunately, even to this day, Chewbacca pulls and on more than one occasion, my back has responded with pain that made me miss work. We couldn't afford to have that continue. I had to stop walking the pups. Now, I as inactive, depressed, and feeding my face. Putting on the pounds came so easy that I needed to think of something to try.
I began the Richard Simmons FoodMover diet with Hubby early in the year. We would eat very healthy meals during the week & Saturday, but Sunday, we were free to eat anything (that is not part of the official Ricky diet, but that was the house rule for it). Dieting with Hubby helped so very much! We were really shedding pounds with little working out. It was wonderful, but became a bit expensive to us and we quit the program after a few months. We felt we could maintain our weight, but that didn't last long. We were back to bad habits and higher weights. We joined the local gym again, but without having a partner to go with, since Hubby wasn't a fan of the working out like I was, it was wasted. When I bought my "Meet & Greet" package with Barry Manilow, I had a limited time to shed some pounds, so I invested (yes, a BIG investment, but well worth it) in a personal trainer package at the gym. Finally, I would have someone to workout with, someone to push me, and I could get results. It worked like a charm & I lost enough pounds and inches to get into a size I hadn't seen in many years! The pride I had within myself was huge! I loved the sense of accomplishment...and the clothes shopping I had to do! I even had people at work helping. When it was my birthday, instead of everyone bringing sweets and snacks, they made a huge salad bar for us! It meant so much to me!
It wasn't long after I returned from meeting Barry and came home from Las Vegas that old habits kicked in again. Plus, I found out I was being laid off soon My budget could no longer support a personal trainer. I used up the sessions I had, but there weren't too many remaining after wanting to be thin for Barry.
That brings us to this last year. Being home and jobless, it's very easy to allow the only treat to be inexpensive fast food. It's very easy to go downstairs when I get the munchies at the computer as I fill out job application after job application. It's very easy to stay in instead of spending money at some store just to get out. There are only so many trips to the library one can make and still be amused. Needless to say, I'm far from the shape I was in when I met Barry in April of '09 and I really struggle with that.
I am now starting to use the Wii workout discs regularly and, though I haven't seen results yet, I'm feeling good about this. I am planning a budget that includes doing the FoodMover again, too. I had great success with it before and know that my doctor recommends it highly.
I'd like to use this blog for issues related to the above roller-coaster & invite you along for the ride. If you have any advice or comments, I encourage you to share! So, welcome aboard!
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