New Trainer Debbie & My A$$ Hurts

Hello!  I hope you all got great weather like we did in the Northeast! It was fan-flipping-tastic outside for the second weekend in a row.  I am thrilled.  I took walks in parks and at the beach.  It was lovely.  The other reason I took walks is that I need to keep my hip to quad attachments warm, because OM-friggin'-G are they sore!!

I had my first training session with the woman who may not know it yet, but is in for it with me for the next 12 weeks.  Her name is Debbie.  Debbie and Ethel met and they seem to be at odds with one another.  I like that.  Ethel is kind of uppity at times and she needs to know her place.  Debbie seems to be funny, but also is really passionate about what she does.  I like that.  I am thinking positive things after meeting and working with her.  She made me sweat hard-core, but I felt like I accomplished something.  I went home on Friday feeling like I could take on the world.

*Note* The next paragraph involves a true story, but it take place in the bathroom.  If potties are too graphic for you, skip the next paragraph*

That is, until I woke up on Saturday.  Saturday, I rolled out of bed and felt pretty sore.  I made my way to the restroom, dropped my pants, and then realized that I could NOT lower myself onto the toilet.  My legs were shaking.  It hurt.  So, I gripped the sink, and slowly lowered myself down.  I was sweating, however mission accomplished!...  Or so I thought. 
So, here I am, on the can and I can't get up (insert LifeAlert joke here).  I sat there for a good 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get off.  Could I slide forward?  Could I just roll myself into a ball and fall to the floor?  Nope.  In the end, I needed to call in backup.  I had to ask my Sweetheart to get me off the commode.  The poor guy.  He is such a Gentleman.  He was taught that ladies don't fart, let alone use the bathroom, so this was hard to ask.  However, he came thru.  He got pulled me off the seat and got me moving again.  Later, after we finished laughing, he did in fact rub my ailing backside and hips like a champ.  I love that guy.

*you can keep reading now*

So, I had a healthy walk on Saturday to keep my body moving all that nasty lactic acid out, and continued with that prescription today as well.  Thank goodness for good weather!  My next training session is on Tuesday, so I should be recovered by then for the next round of abuse.  Like many things in my life, if it doesn't hurt, then it isn't working....
I hope you all had a great weekend, and may tomorrow start another strong week!

Fat-Rat Mid-Week Check-In

Hello Fat-Ratters!  Welcome to the Pack!

For this week, I have in fact been keeping up with my Physical Activity challenge.  I did envoke the 5 minute rule on Tuesday, and got up to about 10 minutes before deciding stopping was ok.  However, so far for the week, I have rocked out 1540 PA Cals!!

Eating this week has been good, but I did have a little set back in the form of the Bagel-monster. We had a baby shower breakfast at work on Tuesday. They brought in bagels and lox and bear claws and cakes; all from this awesome Portuguese bakery. I went a little nuts. I had one bear claw, two bagels with lox and a small piece of cake. SO BAD. However, after that binge, I didn't eat lunch and had a pretty modest dinner. Now that I think of it, I bet this is why my fitness was so poor this day too. Bread is the enemy man.



Upcoming Challenges:  I have a work dinner tonight that undoubtedly will involve some heavy dinner choices and drinking.  It will also severely limit my chances of getting in a strong workout.
To counter this, I think I am just going to do a bit of walking at lunch today.  I have some walking pals at work, and they are just going to have to come with me and have a laugh.

Had an RMR test yesterday.  Anyone ever do this?  RMR is Resting Metabolic Rate.  Basically, it tests how many calories your body will burn in a day if you did nothing.  For me, that is 1800 Calories.  For my height, weight and age, this is about where I should be.  It is comforting to know that I do not have a slow metabolism.  That is just one more invisible enemy less that I have to fight!

I hope you are all having a rockin' week.  Please let me know how you are all doing this week with your progress!

Being Your Own Leader

I had a great first consultation with the personal trainer.  I got to watch him train someone else, and also watch a group training class.  I was totally impressed.  He and his team actually paid attention to people's needs.  He paid attention to my needs.  He asked real questions and embraced my idea of setting a SMART goal.  I dug him.  So, I will be training 1x per week for the next 12 weeks.  My first session is on Friday.  Score!  Team Missa is growing.

Most of us are smart, resourceful people who know how to use the tools provided (books, literature, health professionals, personal trainers, etc.).  However, these are tools, not the mechanism that gets us to excel.  Our success comes from within us.  We are our own leaders of our own team.  You can do this, and not just 'cause I believe in you. 

If you Google 'leadership,' you get 148,000,000 hits. But, what if the stuff that is out there doesn't really make the mark?

So, let's get rid of some myths and BS.

1.  "Leaders are born, not made."  Totally untrue.  Most people, if called to Leadership, will come through.  I can't tell you how many blogs I have read where you guys tell me about your leadership skills:  strong mothers who care for their sick children, strong friends who help them through moves and deaths of loved ones.  You all have been a Leader for something or someone.  Channel that energy to yourselves.

• Stay clear on your own principles and act with the courage of your convictions
• Balance and resolve conflicting priorities, don't ignore them
• Confront reality, not more wishful thinking
• Take the time to pay attention to people and you, not only tasks

2.  "Leadership can be learned & read in a book."  Not really.  There are thousands of books on the subject.  Just ask your local bookseller.  They will tell you that self-help and leadership are the best-selling sections of the entire store.  You can't tell me that all these books are made with the best intentions.  I would say many, if not most are gimmicks with the intent of making $$$.  Instead:

• Support yourself to take intelligent risks
• Ask yourself the tough questions.  Ask yourself why, so you can understand
• Do not shelter yourself like you would a child.  Be responsible and deal with the hard truths.

3.  "Managing is the same as Leading."  Nope.  Management is organizing a situation and executing.  Leading requires you to synergize strategy and execution. It usually involves drawing a picture of how you can get to the end of the finish line and convincing yourself and others that it is truly possible.  I think this is why I hate most managers.  They just point and shoot.  Leaders think, plan and gain understanding, all before they really execute.

So, now this is 148,000,001 for leadership.  Again, I believe in you.  Really.

Week 12 Weight Loss, Progress Pics, & Fat-Rat Begins!

Progress Time!  First, let's see some before.  I went to Australia in October of 2009.  (282 +/- a few lbs) Spring was just setting in.  As such, I was able to have dinner right outside of the Sydney Opera House.  It was lovely.  For a Yankee like myself, going to Australia was like going to another planet.  It is so far away, yet filled with so much of the same creature comforts of home.  Food is fantastic.  They have the best beef, lamb and seafood I have ever tasted.  I really loved it there.  If things ever go 'tits up' in the good ol' USA, Australia is definitely where I will be hanging my hat. (If they'd have me!)

So now, here is me from yesterday (246.8 lbs (-35.7lbs lighter) & -28.6 Inches (That's 2.4 Feet)). 

Two very important things to point out: 

1.  I am no longer afraid to wear white. 

2.  I am wearing Charcoal-Sequined Converse All-Stars, and yes, they ROCK.

Today is the first day of the Fat-Rat 12 Week Challenge!  So excited to get started.  (Don't forget to send me a mail at losingethel@gmail.com if you want to join the fun.)  I have made an appointment to meet with a personal trainer this evening.  Totally stoked to see what happens.  This trainer is from outside of my gym.  He has his own business, seems BS-free, and has serious credentials (B.S. Sports Physiology, Kettlebell Certs galore, and is a Certified Massage Therapist.)  If all goes as I expect, then I will be meeting with him and his team once per week.

Have a great Monday!

An Easter Message For Us All

Regardless of your faith, I hope this message shows that not just the composition of the words we post here, but also order and intent can mean so much.  Happy Easter, whatever that means to you.

I Am NOT Just Background Noise

In reading Jules post (BigGirlBombshell), and then linking back Carla's post (MizFit), it seemed fitting to set some truths in place.  I need to be honest to myself and honest to the people around me.  I have to do this, even if it means others are affected or lost along the way.  The gloves are off.  I am not just background noise.  I am sharing this truth with all of you.

This week, my heart was challenged.

Someone close to me accused my Sweetheart of a physical attack.  Sounds horrifying.  It was at a party a few weeks ago.  He apparently hugged a little too close and a little too long for this person's comfort level.  I am totally ok with communicating that a personal boundary was crossed.  However, I am not ok with the idea of someone waiting several weeks to say anything.  In fact, it makes me question whether there was any issue at all.  This was a public embrace, and no one who witnessed thought it was a bad thing or even something to be noticed.  Just her.

We have all been friends for years, and she should have known better.  She should have had better instincts.  Instead, she accused someone dear to me of doing something completely unlike his character.  Instead, she replayed a simple, friendly embrace over several weeks in her head; making it something that it wasn't.  She made herself a victim in a victimless situation.  She decided to recruit sympathy within our circle of friends. 

My Sweetheart is mortifyed.  He tried everything in his power to appologize at even the hint of malpractice. He has no idea how a friendly hug could be contrued as an attack.  I, however, am just furious.  He deserves better.  I could not keep silent.

So, I confronted her.  I told her how I felt.  I told her I felt strongly that she had a problem.  Being her friend, I know she has intimacy issues in her past: something she has shared with both me and my Sweetheart.  I am nothing but sympathetic to that issue, but not when it is used to tarnish the reputation of a trusted friend.
I told her that I had 0 confidence in my ability to continue our friendship.  I do not need all of my friends to be best of pals with my Sweetheart.  However, he is a good man.  Anyone who cannot see that or would try to convince others that he wasn't a good man, has no place in my life.  I stood my ground.  I find that I do not mourn the loss of the friendship. I do, however feel sadness that I thought she was a friend for so long and I was mistaken.  I feel sad that she may ruin her ability to have any real friendships.

In that moment, I never realized how tough I am, and how much I need a certain calilber of friends in my life.  I don't know if I would have been this brave if this had happened 12 weeks ago.  I think I would have just stewed in silence so I wouldn't make waves.  I would try to work hard to just 'fit in'.  I would have just caved in from my feelings so her thoughts/behaviors/feelings took priority.  I would have eaten my feelings.

Most unexpectedly, my Sweetheart thanked me for supporting him.  I never realized how much that would touch me, but it did. 
Support, especially in the face of something awful, is just so essential.  He supports me so well on this weight-loss journey, and I am just tickled that maybe I can reciprocate.

So, that is my truth for today.  I am a tough bird.  I don't take sh*t.  I require good people.  This knowledge in hand will definitely help for these next 12 weeks ahead.

my SMART Goal- 12 Weeks Start Monday!!

My Fat-Rat Challenge SMART goal is going to be around fitness.  I am going to committ to a minimum of 2200 PA Calories per week, and no 0 PA days.  This means that I will burn 26,400 Calories.  So, if there are 3500 calories in a pound of fat, then that is 7.5 pounds of activity in 12 weeks.  (Measurements are cool)

Click here to see how I calculate my PA Calories.  This will take you to a chart where you enter your weight and it gives you a calorie to minute-of-activity ratio.   You get more calories based on level of effort (low, medium, intense, very-intense).  When I compare the number to what some of the machines tell me, it is pretty darn close.  Of course, a body-bug would be the most accurate, but this works for me!

So, 12 weeks with physical activity in it.  No breaks.  This is a serious challenge.  I know I get tired and lame.  To make this happen, we are going to use the 5 minute rule.  I will give some level of activity at least 5 minutes everyday.  If I am dead after 5 minutes, I will stop.  But, if not, then I will keep going. 

On my main page, I will continue to post my weight and measurements.  Since I already do this, I thought my challenge should be something different.  As adults make habit out of anything they do for 6 weeks or more, maybe this will become more than a challenge!  Fingers Crossed!

I have been soliciting bloggers and health professionals to do some guest posts.  If you or if you know someone who would be a good candidate, just send me a mail at losingethel@gmail.com  So excited to start this next step of the journey with you!!