Fat-Rat Mid Week (Anxiety Getting the Better)

Hi Rats.

I have been a bit off since last Friday.  I am just a ball of anxious energy, and all I want to do is run and hide from the gym.  I have not kept up this week with my no 0 physical activity challenge.  I did 5 minutes of nothing on Monday, and then, instead of going to the gym last night, I stayed home and watched 'Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants'.  How old am I, 12?  Next thing I know, I am going to be signing up for Miley Cyrus concerts.

As well, I just feel bloated for no good reason other than I am stressing and anxious.  I actually feel like a round medicine ball of stress, and no physical activity or stretching or food is making it go away.  I am a girl down without any crutch or mechanism to get herself back up.  I have been struggling like this now for days and it is starting to really get me down.

In terms of food, I was horrid on Monday.  I had a work dinner and they all wanted to go for Rodizio.  Ever do this?  It is Brazilian-style, meat fest.  Basically, it is an all you can eat meat buffet, except they bring the meat straight to your table.  You even have cards on your table that are red and green.  When the green card is up, the servers bring meat fresh from the grill straight to your plate.  They only stop when you submit defeat and flip the card to red.  So of course, I ate enough meat to make any carnivore proud.  I didn't binge, but I did want to try all the different options.  So, after 15 options, I definitely had too much and it has taken me days feel less gross.  I have been eating much less meat and much more veg these days, so this was just a total tail spin for my health.

The scale did move this week.  I lost .9 lbs, but it seems like a bittersweet win.  I do not feel defined by the scale, but I am not optimistic about going through a period of being stuck.  I just want some wins I can count and some consistent evidence that all this 'getting healthier' is paying off.  My mini goal for today is to get moving again and also do some extra PA to make up for my two days of weenie-hood.  For now, I will just pray that you are all having big wins and that my week will turn its head around.

Fat-Rat Mid Week (Whipped and Purdy)

Hello My Fellow Rats!

This week has been pretty good.  I am keeping in my fitness routine rather nicely.  Still keeping with my Physical Activity Calorie targets, still moving everyday.  I am whipped from today's cardio.  Can't you tell?

Today, I ran my best time to date:  under 15 minute mileage.  I am on week 3 of C25K.  I know this is probably slow for most, but for me, this is saying something.  I never thought my fat a$$ would ever run.  Well, unless something was chasing me.  It is satisfying to know that if someone chased me, perhaps someday soon I will not be caught... and if I am really snarky, they will choke on my dust!!  My nemesis right now is the potty.  I had to pee so badly at the 50 minute mark that I just had to stop.  It is really hard to do the pee-pee dance when you are running.

Lost some poundage this week too:  down 3.1 lbs.  Not too shabby.  I will take it for sure.  This brings me to a little over 40lbs lost.  So cool.  I am really looking forward to loosing the next 10 pounds.  When I do this, it means I will be a weight I have not been in at least 7 years.  7 years with an extra 50 lbs on my bones.  What the hell was I thinkin'?!?  I'll tell ya.  I was thinkin' Krispy Kreme baby.

For those of you who haven't had the pleasure, Krispy Kreme donuts are ridiculously good.  Hot, glazed are my favs.  I could easily inhale them in seconds.  However, I think they are pure trans-fats and are linked to cancer, heart disease and funny sores in monkeys, rats and flies.  :-)

So, now for the Purdy.  Remember the dress from last week I told you guys about?  Well, here is me in it.  I think I am fillin' out just fine.  If this was a year ago, you would never hear me tootin' my own horn.  So, if I sound vain, just think of it as a catch up for lost time!! I have a waist dang it!!

Hope you guys have a strong ending to this week!  I am cheering you on!!

Fat-Rat Mid Week (Training is Awesome)

So, maybe I am just basking in the glow of a shiny new toy, but my personal training is so cool. I feel like I am doing things that I have never done before, and I certainly have never EVER worked this hard in all of my life. I kind of knew that I needed some help to get to the next level, but this is way beyond what I had anticipated. I am starting to think that I had no clue how to exercise before. I think I have spent the last 10 years of my life being a weenie. (Sweat! Why dost thou forsake me!?!)
I am never going back to the meek and mild exerciser. I actually like the feeling that I am drenched through my clothes now. I love to watch my heart rate monitor beep when I hit all those high notes!!

To add to my current high, I am wearing a dress to work today that hasn’t fit in well over a year. In fact, I think it is now too big. I am still wearing it anyway, cause nanny nanny foo foo! The only drawback is I think the girls might fall out a bit, thanks to the extra ‘leg room’. I think people at work are starting to notice that I am not just the fat chick anymore. It is a weird adjustment to see people look at me this way. I think I have forgotten what is liked to be looked at, instead of looked through.

I have kept up with my Physical Activity Calories (PA). I am up to 1560 for this week thus far, well on my way to the 2200 weekly goal. If you want to know about how I calculate this, go to this site. http://www.hmrprogram.com/index.cfm/DietTools/Walk-O-Meter Click on ‘Calories for Any Activity,’ and it will give you a breakdown based on effort and current weight.

Besides my training victories, I also lost 1.8 lbs this week. I am totally stoked about this, because I felt so incredibly bloated on weigh-day. So, I anticipate Mr. Scale to be even kinder next weigh-in, provided I keep up the momentum for the back half of this week.

Eating has been pretty good. I have been keeping ‘in the box’ of my eating plan.
I had some yummy Indian food today for lunch. I love Sag and Dal and Chilli Mushrooms. Great veggie options that keep the calories down and the flavor up. Love it.

So, if you haven’t checked it out yet, Georgie Fear’s guest post this week is just awesome. Most importantly, if you go to her blog, http://www.askgeorgie.com/, she will really answer questions. I think it is rad that we all could have a Registered Dietitian as a reference.

Well, I hope everyone has a strong back-end of the week.. (Heh-heh, I said back-end.)

*image zazzle.com*

Guest Post: What to Look for in a Fitness Pro (Trainer or Dietitian)

As promised for the Fat-Rat Challenge, I have asked some pro's for some advice that we can all use.  Say hello to Georgie!

Georgie Fear is a Registered Dietitian and personal trainer.  She works as the nutritionist for Rutgers Athletics, which puts her in charge of 21 Division 1 NCAA athletes.  It's her job to help them eat right, stay lean and strong, and perform at their best. Her areas of speciality are counseling for body fat loss (not just weight loss), healthy and delicious cooking, and practical strategies for eating right while keeping one's sanity! Being a student-athlete has it's own hurdles, being a busy working mom has it's own difficulties as well. She's not a fan of crash diets, excessive supplement use, or "diet food". She teaches strategies that work in real life, and that her clients enjoy and can continue forever. 

Thanks again to Georgie for doing this guest post!!  Georgie will be in NJ until she relocates to Colorado in the Fall of 2010.

Feel free to contact her with any nutrition or diet questions through her website http://www.askgeorgie.com/.

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When you consider hiring a fitness or health professional, there are important factors to consider. After all, beyond the money (and effort) you’ll be investing, this person has your health and safety in their hands! Here are some things you should look for in a dietitian or personal trainer, to make sure you get the best experience possible.


1. Personality. Simply, you should like the person you are working with! If someone’s personality, language, or sense of humor rubs you the wrong way, it probably isn’t a good match. They may be a reputable, knowledgeable professional, but opposing personalities can decrease how much you look forward to your sessions. After your initial or first few sessions, you should be excited to work with this person and find their company enjoyable. You don’t want to work with an incompetent trainer just because they’re nice… but simple being likeable goes a long way to creating a productive and enjoyable working relationship.

2. Professionalism. Health and fitness professionals should always treat you with respect and consideration. Expect a fair, established policy on attendance and billing issues – and don’t be afraid to ask what their policies are. You may recognize a lack of professionalism in a professional who makes small talk for a large portion of your session, talks on the phone during your time, or is habitually late for sessions. They also should not let their personal lives or emotional state influence the productivity of a session. Talking a bit about one’s life is normal and friendly, but spilling dramatic stories or being overly emotional is not the mark of a professional. You should also talk with your fitness professional early on about what your goals are – and reassess them periodically. A high quality professional will also be able to guide you toward more appropriate goals if your initial objectives are unrealistic. They should be able to tell you exactly what they expect from you, and what you can expect if you choose to purchase their service.

3. Expertise. While diplomas on the wall are a good indicator of past education, you also want to know that the professional you work with continues to keep abreast of the latest research and continues to educate themselves. Ask other professionals for recommendations – dietitians know good doctors, trainers know good physical therapists, etc. You should also ask questions. If your trainer or nutritionist cannot answer most of your basic questions, they may not have much expertise. You will be best able to gauge a professional’s expertise by asking hard questions, and asking for more explanation if the answers seem hazy.

4. Communication. Even the most expert fitness professional isn’t worth to their clients if they can’t communicate their knowledge. A trainer should be able to clearly explain and show good technique for each exercise, in just a few sentences. They should not need an hour explaining one move. (If so, the move is probably too advanced and not a good choice for you.) A dietitian should be able to explain why they recommend certain dietary strategies, and what effect nutrients have on your body and health. They should be able to answer all your questions clearly, and eliminate any confusion before you leave the office.

5. Assessment. Right from the get go, a fitness professional should begin with assessing your current fitness, diet, and/or health.

· Health/Physical parameters may include a medical history, medication usage, blood pressure, and cholesterol tests, circumference measurements, body fat% testing, and weight

· Fitness assessments may include tests of strength, endurance, flexibility, range of motion, and biomechanics

· Dietary assessments may include food recalls, questions regarding supplement usage, allergies/intolerances, and analysis of nutrient intake

Assessments should also occur at regular intervals throughout your relationship with a professional. This is essential for monitoring progress and judging the success of the current program.

6. Your own safety. Some soreness is normal, especially during the early stages of a fitness routine. But be wary if you are routinely left feeling injured after personal training sessions, or if your workouts are exacerbating a condition you already had, such as worsening sciatica or foot pain. Discuss this type of problem with your trainer immediately; your trainer should be able to modify your program accordingly. Likewise, nutrition programming should also lead to you feeling well, energetic and improving your health – if you are left feeling unwell or your health seems to be deteriorating due to dietary recommendations you received from a nutrition counselor, it’s likely time to seek help elsewhere. In sum, you should never feel as if your health or safety are at risk.

If you have a weight loss, health or fitness goal, working with a personal trainer or registered dietitian can provide accountability, professional guidance, and individual attention that will enhance your chances of success. But be sure to make educated decisions when selecting a professional to work with. Individuals within a profession bring unique personalities, experience, methodologies and specialties to their clients. Don’t be afraid to “shop around” until you find the right person to provide the service you need.

I’d like to wish every one out there lots of success in meeting their fitness and health goals!

Go forth, well-fueled, and pursue your passion!

Georgie Fear RD
Registered Dietitian
Sports Nutritionist, Rutgers University Athletics
http://www.askgeorgie.com/

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!

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!

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!!

We Be Needin' Some Rules

Like all challenges, they need to have some guidelines. Some of you emailed me with some ideas and I am down with the suggestions. 


So, here are three basic tenants:

1. You need to set a SMART goal for yourself. Something, that if you achieve it, it will enhance your health. The only thing that is fixed is the time: 12 weeks.

Examples could include: I would like to lose 1.5 pounds per week for 12 weeks ( 18lbs). Or: I would like to burn a minimum of 2000 PA Calories per week for 12 weeks (24,000 PA Calories) Or: I would like to run/walk a total of 10 miles per week for 12 weeks (120 miles).

Remember, whatever your goal is, it needs to be:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Time-based


2.  We can measure these goals together. I will create a chart that can be shared and maintained by all of you. Each week, it will track two things: 1. Did you commit to your goal this week? (Y/N) 2. What is the value for this week. Remember, it needs to be something measurable. So, maybe it is -1 lb, or 2000 PA. But it is something that we will measure together. This way, we can route one another on. I would like you to post to the sheet on Monday.


3.  We will need to post/comment to at least one member of the Rat Pack daily. This means that we know someone is reading, someone is there for support.  I know most of you have quite a few following, but it is nice to know that someone is really going to look and be committed. 12 weeks of checking in on someone to make sure they check on you is kind of nice. I would also like all of you to post something to me specifically on Thursdays. This way, between your goal measurements and Thursdays, we are checking in at least twice a week and keeping one another accountable.

I will be creating a Page Link on my page where all of the challenge measurements will be displayed. We will use Google-docs to update because it allows us to maintain properly.

Throughout the 12 weeks I will dedicate at least 1-2 posts to how I am working on my SMART goal.  I will also be asking some of the blog rock stars out there to do some guest posts and weigh-in on being a Rat.  I have also asked some pro's (as in medical pro's) if they would also weigh-in.  I will keep you posted.

So, I have been thinking about possible rewards.  I feel maybe a mouse-pad with our new Rat Pal prominently displayed might be kinda cool.  The more who join, the cooler we can get.

So, for those of you who who are still interested, please send me a mail at losingethel@gmail.com
The more, the merrier!

The Fat-Rat 12 Week Challenge

Sesquipedalian: noun. one who uses large words


When trying to read about what the latest research in weight loss, one can become irascible, disjointed, even constipated by all the big, bloated words in these f#$%^ studies!

Dopamine D2 receptors in addiction-like reward dysfunction and compulsive eating in obese rats

So, a big one was published yesterday. Huge. It basically found that fatty food can cause the same type of addictive behaviors that we find in drug addicts. THE SAME. So, naturally, I want to know everything about this study. Here are key points I have decoded so far:


1. The brain releases a chemical, dopamine, when we do something that satisfies us. This chemical releases when we laugh, exercise, have sex, all kinds of natural things. This chemical can overload with the use of some drugs, causing people to crave that dopamine fix. Suddenly, that satisfaction feeling is not as easy to get and therefore drastic measures need to be taken in order to feel that ‘good’ feeling or just to feel ‘normal’. Thus, my friends: ADDICTION.

2. Your brain has a regulator for this chemical, called a receptor. Not only does this help us release the dopamine, but it also helps us determine that we have had enough and don’t need anything else to satisfy us. This receptor becomes dull/ less sensitive in addicts. This is why addicts need more and more and more, despite the fact they are overloaded, leading to possible overdose.

3. So, to do this study, they used rats. They fed the rats fatty food with the equivalent nutritional value of our typical fast foods. The rats got fat. They also started to eat all the time, ignoring when they were full. Later, they gave the rats options to eat the fatty diet or a healthier one. They went straight for the fatty foods.

4. Then, they took away the fatty chow and only offered the healthy food. At first, the rats did not eat, but eventually caved and started to eat the healthy chow. However, once they started, they just kept on eating. In order to keep eating, the rats put themselves in uncomfortable, cramped positions. They even subjected themselves to bright lights; something rats hate, all to eat.

5. Then, they killed the rats so they could look at their brains. (PETA< don’t start). Their brains showed the same atrophy and compulsion factors as those addicted to cocaine or heroin. BRAIN DAMAGE.

So, here is what they didn’t do: they didn’t see if they could break the rats of the habit. This is something I would like to know. Is this brain damage permanent? Once you become a compulsive-eating rat, is there no hope for you, other than removing the bad options? Maybe so. So, now, looking at us, how many of you are these rats? I know I am. I don’t have a cage to regulate myself. I need to use self-control, which apparently is not so easy for me, because like these rats, I have something in my brain that is preventing me. Now, thankfully, I am not a rat and have free-will. This means that I can make good choices, even when I don’t want to. But this study kind of confirms what I suspected: I am not like everyone else. I have a problem that is not easy to fix. I have to have discipline. I have to work harder than the masses. I need to force myself to do the right thing, to make the right choices. If not, I will be the fat rat, stuffed in the corner, with a hot-lamp burning my eyes out.

So, today starts week 12 of my journey. I am going to recommit myself to another 12 weeks after this. I will dedicate these next 12 weeks as the Fat-Rat Challenge. I will spend this week talking about what it means for me in more detail, but basically it means dedicating 12 weeks to healthy food, healthy exercise, healthy choices. I will leave the bad food, the bad energy and all the triggers to my addiction out of my rat cage.

Who is with me? I will start this 12 week challenge on April 5.  Send me a post or an email at losingethel@gmail.com  I will come up with some sort of reward for doing this together.  Unlike Pavlov's dog's, we all need a little reward, and not just a bell rung for us.