But It's a Dry Heat...

Surely you've heard that phrase before. My mom used to say it all the time when she would talk about moving to Arizona. People would always comment on the heat... to which my mom always replied, "But it's a DRY heat." Honestly, I don't see it... hot is HOT... dry or wet. Well, I can honestly say that I sound like my mom or at least am trying to. Nah, not about the heat but about the PAIN.

Yep, that's right... I said Pain. Remember my post from yesterday when I mentioned that my calves had woken up and we're firm and saying, "Hello, we're awake." Yeah, well about that... my legs are screaming today. Apparently doing step aerobics 3 days in a row after a summer of none was a bit too much. Then consider that I added BodyRev legs to the mix this morning, my legs are burning. It's not nearly as bad as when I first started exercising a year ago... then I couldn't even bend over far enough to tie my own shoes. No, I am not quite that bad (yet?). However, every move I made today... every step... was felt. And, lawd, going up and down stairs... all I can say is "Ouch!"

Today was a good day though despite the pain. Rather than sleep in I set the alarm and woke up at 6:30 (hey, whaddya know, that was sleeping in for me). I started with abs and moved onto step aerobics and after 20 minutes, BodyRev Legs was on the agenda. I had put it off for far too long.

I was thinking about what Alden said on the BB this week... specifically, the routine and enjoying it. Why is it so easy to do stairs? Simply said, it's the music. I am able to lose myself in the music for 5, 10, 15 minutes... the next thing I know is 30 minutes have passed. I began to think about what other things used to help me enjoy the routine. Of course, music, so I made sure to have my exercise playlist pumping out of the computer. I also burned some candles. I remember on those deep breathing techniques, inhaling the sweet scents of vanilla, cinnamon or citrus was so much better than the smell of my own sweat.

After I was done (which in total took less than an hour), I could feel my legs tightening up and started to think about why I am doing this and what I am getting out of it. Not long term as that is too easy... but what am I getting from it now... right this moment. First and foremost, is the energy increase. I am not a morning person and the couch calls to me. There are many days where I start the day as a slug. I move in slow motion and the brain processes are slow. But after exercising, I am jazzed up and ready to go and face the day. The couch no longer looks like a comfy place to finish sleeping. Now, I will take care of dishes or do some laundry before I head out the door (after a shower, of course). So you can also add the feeling of accomplishment to the immediate results. (There are other immediate results but I will save them for a later post.)

So yes, I may be hurting right now... "But it's a good hurt."

Exercise is Fun...

Exercise is my friend.

This is my new mantra... and it's worked for two days. Yesterday and today, this is the attitude that I have tried to wake up with. Normally, I would stay in my pj's for a bit, hit the computer and be around for whatever cries of help came from the kids as they got ready for school. Yesterday, I started to make some changes.

First thing I did when I woke up was get dressed... off came the pj's and on went the exercise clothes. I tried to figure out at which points I would have enough time to get some exercise in with the least amount of interruptions and then planned my exercises accordingly. BodyRev abs at only 15 min is easy to fit in first... this is when K2 has showered and is getting ready and K1 has just woken up (Beware of Grizzly signs should be posted in my house during this time.) By picking the right time, I can work out and still be done with enough time to help K2 with any last minute aid. Then right after K2 leaves the house, I wake K3 up, grab my mp3 player and hit the basement stairs. Yesterday I told myself just do 15 minutes but once I had the music going, I couldn't help but keep on going. I made it 30 minutes before K1 was asking for help because he had only 5 minutes left before he had to catch the bus.

I still need to work on adding more Revving to the mix. My intentions were to do some at night but that didn't work last night. My kids used to have an 8:00 bedtime (at least, be in bed at 8:00 and they could read for awhile). Now however, no one is in bed before 9:00 mostly because of homework and practicing their instruments. Two nights this week we spent at the library. K2 had a paper due and finds that she gets so much more done using the study rooms at the library. No TV interuptions... no sibling interruptions. And to be quite honest I am pooped by that time of night. Since my alarm goes off at 5:30, I have been trying to be in bed by 10:30 so I can read for a bit. Lights out by 11:30 and time for 6 hours of sleep.

So I need to figure out how to fit more time in... maybe I will try for after work. I am home by 3:30 and should easily be able to fit 15 or 30 minutes in then. Maybe I should... No. What I need to do is sit down and write out a schedule and then just stick to it. Right now I am still being too wishy-washy with what I want to do and when I am going to do it.

But as for Alden's words...

make sure you remember and appreciate how you feel after completing a REV workout whether it be ABS, Legs, Arms or Cardio

This has been so true. I have always LOVED abs... even when I am straining to keep my legs up in the air and pull my hips off the floor while counting one alligator, two alligator... I am loving the feeling of calm and relaxation that completely overtakes my body. I sometimes even find myself yawning... not from boredom but relaxation.

And yesterday when I was walking up to the house after work, my calves were tight... not cramping or in pain but just nice and tight... as if to say, "Hello? Remember us? We are finally waking up again." At that point, I just needed to "put a smile on my face."

So here's to two days of changing my attitude... to waking up my brain and body... to remembering the good stuff.

Alden's Words of Inspiration...

Earlier this week, Janet started a Gator Patrol thread on the BB. It actually got a lot of responses. I guess there were more than just a few of us who missed them. In the past, Alden usually tried to post at the top of the thread after everyone had posted only this time THE MAN posted to quite a few individually. What a guy!

He is always right on the money with the right amount of praise, encouragement, advice and butt-kicking. And his one-liners aren't bad either... maybe not up to par with his swim buddy T but close. :)

For me this week, his advice was perfect...

CARRIE - love your honestly and your motivation! You know the drill now - it's all about routine and ENJOYING the routine - so as you start to get back into the REV swing of things, make sure you remember and appreciate how you feel after completing a REV workout whether it be ABS, Legs, Arms or Cardio...by remembering the positive you'll create an anchor that will only help you turn your single workout into a daily FIRED UP routine that you'll never want to miss...remember anyone, anytime can form a new habit - it just takes a little time and a whole lot of persistence.

Also - the one of the best things you mentioned is that you and your hubby are enjoying exercise TOGETHER - HOOYAH!

CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

And he was exactly right, too. It used to be FUN! I got such a high from exercising. I remember doing the stairs for my cardio and I would tell myself that I would start cooling down... only another great song would come on and I would have to do just one more. And revving... doing two or three (abs, arms, legs) was like nothing... the time passed so fast. And when DVD Alden would say, "Put a smile on your face" I couldn't help grinning like a damned Cheshire cat.

I need to get back to that point again. Right now it is still like work... where I have to PUSH myself to do it. And we all know that work is never any fun... time to change my attitude and start fresh.

First Year Reflections...

It has now been one year since I made the move to try to improve my health and weight. And while I had some success, I found myself reflecting back on my summer and its failures. While my summer was busy, hectic and yes, lots of fun (I can't forget that) it was also a step back on my road to fitness. I did good up until the beginning of July. Then it all seemed to fall apart from that point. I basically stopped exercising (my new bike sat in the garage unused). While I didn't resort back to my old eating habits, I wasn't as good as I should've been. I started drinking regular soda at restaurants. I was visiting Starbucks everyday which in itself isn't horrible except that along with my iced tea I was also getting bakery to go with it. Do you know how many calories are in a lemon bar? 440!! With 22g of fat!! I can't even admit to how many of those I ate in the month of July. So the fact that I put 10 lbs on this summer should really be no surprise. Actually it's surprising that I didn't put more back on.

However, another factor that I never really thought about until I was reading the Gator Patrol posts yesterday was the loss of computer time that I dealt with. You might think that spending less time on the computer might be a good thing, right? Less time sitting on your backside. BUT by not being on the computer I lost the support and encouragement of so many people. I was no longer posting on Gator Patrols (did they still do them this summer?) By being on the BB, I no longer had access to Alden's Fire Up speeches. I was no longer posting on the Revving for Life SparkTeam (which I am team leader of, I might add!) All of these things help in so many ways but I never realized their true impact.

I have tried (half-hearted) for so many years to lose weight --- really, it was more like talking about losing weight. It wasn't until I bought my bodyrev that I actually thought maybe this time I would do it. Then so many people on the BB had one and were using it (or saying they were using it). I was so terrified at first to even try it. What if I post that I am using it, going all out and then like everything else I tried, gave up and quit. How embarrassing would that be? So it was easier to NOT use it. But I had friends (bookpimp) who knew I owned it and would send me emails asking how it was going... or would get Mr. Bodyrev himself to do a shout out on the BB ("Congrats to Carrie for winning a Bodyrev at the silent auction in Atlanta.") This was even more embarrassing. People knew I had one and hadn't even tried it. So I bit the bullet and pulled it out of the box. Yep, it sat in the box for 2 months after I brought it home -- 2 months!

After I started using my BR, I had some other insecurity issues to overcome... mainly my embarrassment of exercising in front of my family. But they were the most supportive especially my girls (I think J was still waiting for me to quit like I had everything else). But the girls would comment on the changes (I can get my arms all the way around you for a hug.) or would ask me flat out... "Aren't you going to Bodyrev today? (That was K3, aka the Drill Sargent). And then the kicker... "I am so proud of you mama." My family was and has continued to be supportive.

But it was that other family... that family that I met on the BB that consisted of other bodyrevvers and fitness seekers. Every week, someone either Alden or one of the ladies would post a Fire Up or How are you Doin'? And people would post... successes, failures, strengths and weaknesses. If you had an awful crappy week, there were people in the same boat who encouraged you. If you had an awesome week, there were others there to cheer you on. No matter what the situation, support was there.

By spring the gator patrols were becoming less.... I mean after all this was an author's message board... did it bother others to have to read these posts. I don't know. But by this time I had found Sparkpeople. I was slowly getting into it... logging my food, my exercise, posting on message boards, joining Sparkteams. It was then that I decided to start a Bodyrev team on there to maybe lessen some of the posts from the BB. A few people joined and came over. And for awhile we were doing the same thing there that we did at the BB.... weekly encouragements... support... cheerleading.

But then I went AWOL from the computer (trying to fight 3 kids for the computer wasn't much fun and I gave in). It didn't seem to matter at the time... I was busy doing other things. But when I stopped logging my food, I stopped watching so closely what I was eating. When I stopped visiting SP and the BB and I stopped reading those weekly support sessions, it was too easy to give up on exercise. I didn't have to think about it... there was no one to remind me about it.

For awhile I was calling this summer a waste - hello, 10 lbs?!? After losing a total of 35 lbs? That was more than two steps back. But after reading a post on the Revving for Life team, I realized just how much that lack of support... those weekly check-ins... those people saying "I need some help."... had an effect on me. I could probably do this alone if I absolutely had to. But it would be so hard and seriously, in all honesty, I don't know that I would succeed. But with the support and encouragement of others who are going thru the exact same thing that you are... are having the same good days, bad days (weeks?)... it is so much easier. Just the fact that you are not alone has the power to help carry you along.

So know this... to those who during this past year who have offered support, encouragement, cheers... I thank you deeply from the bottom of my heart. I hope you know how much it has all meant to me... I realize that now even more. And to those of you who need help, who want to join me on this road to better health and feeling fit, know that I will be here for you. Just give a shout and I will be there.

We can do this together.

And Because I've Did Good This Week....

Okay... I didn't have the chocolate ice cream but I figured I deserved some dessert... so here it is...

Trying to get back into the rhythm...

After a very dismal summer of falling off the fitness wagon, I am trying to find my way back. All summer long I had all sorts of excuses... mostly it was a lack of time. I told myself once school started again, I would be back to a schedule and it would be easy to start up again.

So starting today, I am trying to get back into a rhythm.. a groove. This morning I was up at 5:30 helping the first of the 3 kids get off to school. I told myself that I needed to keep the promise to myself. So I pulled out my Essential Abs DVD and did the Beginner segment... beginner?? how sad is that??? There were some that my legs were cramping so bad... on exercises that used to be so easy!! I'll pay for that. I had plans to do a 20 minute segment of Walk Away the Pounds but my son missed his bus this a.m. (mostly because he didn't know what time it was coming nor where his stop was) so I had to squeeze in a trip to the high school.

Idid manage to arrive at work 15 minutes early however so that means that I was able to take a 15 minute break and head down to the fitness room. Fifteen minutes on the stationary bike might not seem like much but it still felt good.

Then tonight after chasing around for last minute school supplies... oboe reeds, latin dictionary, binders and calculator (can you say $100?!?!?!)... J and I headed outside and walked. It was hot... It was wet and muggy... and the mosquitoes are out in full force! But we walked... 45 minutes. So I got some cardio in today and it feels good!

I promised myself that I wasn't going to put the weight back on... I promised myself... but this summer the scale did start to creep up a bit... nothing insurmountable... but still, I can't let that continue.

The body obeys the brain, right? Now I just need to make the brain understand that we can do this.

Revving...

I have had a great couple of weeks re-introducing my body to the BodyRev. It has gone smoother than in past reintroduction sessions mainly because I have stayed active if not revving with other Cardio and strength training exercises. Last week I almost made the goal that I set for myself... I missed by one abs session. An abs??? Hard to believe since that one is my favorite but I have a very good reason for it. I loaned my BodyRev out to my boss for the weekend.

S. has some physical ailments which prevented her from ordering a BodyRev earlier. She wasn't sure if she would be able to use it. I encouraged her to email Alden and/or Mark to discuss her unique situation but I had also been promising to loan her my BodyRev for a weekend. Finally, last Friday I remembered to take it and the BodyRev Essentials DVD to work. I gave her some tips and let her have at it.

On Monday, she had it ready to be returned to me. I couldn't wait to her her response. Well, let's just say she felt the burn! :) She couldn't do the legs or cardio segments but she could do the abs and arms. She apparently felt enough of a difference from just using it in one weekend that she had decided to order a BodyRev for herself... Hey, Alden... do I get a commission? :) She ordered it on Monday and is anxiously awaiting it's arrival.

She made the comment about bringing it to work to use in our fitness room. Since it is lined with mirrors, she thought then she would be able to see if her body was positioned correctly throughout the segments. Hmmm, something to think about.

So another Revver has been born!

Not Tonight, Dears, I Have to Read...

I was going to do another post but decided against it. I posted enough last night besides I just did a big one on the BB... although it might not be there in the morning... I really want to delete part of it... I posted pics... for gawd's sake, WTH was I thinking???? But I am trying to be brave... I am trying to live out loud... and if owning up to how big I was and showing that I've come a little way helps me or anyone else out there then I will leave it... We will see how I feel in the morning.

Now... I am tired... I put in almost 90 minutes of exercise today and that includes BR legs, abs and CARDIO!!!! Plus, I did step aerobics and the stationary bike at work today. Now I am off to bed to read for a bit. Let's hope I can make it past 2 pages!

Night, all!


Hmmm... now that I look back on this... I guess I did a post after all. :)

Back to Revvvin' ...

Finally, I have found my BodyRev again! For the last two weeks, I have been using it regularly. Not quite as much as during the winter but I have more to supplement it with now that it is warmer. Last week on the Revving group I started on SP, I set a goal of 5 abs, 2 arms, 2 legs and 1 cardio. I didn't quite make it. I decided to keep the same goal for this week... AND almost made it. I did everything but the cardio (don't know what my problem is with that one... it's harder to work up the energy to do it.) But I feel great anyway! I got my 5 abs in along with the legs and arms.

I have this great, easy to use piece of equipment, why wasn't I taking advantage of it? It feels so good to be revvin' again. I love... absolutely LOVE... the abs workout. It is my complete relaxer. You don't burn a lot of calories during it (but hey! I will still count those 40 or so anyway) but it just settles me... calms me... centers me. I can't wait to do it again tomorrow... I just have to make sure that I do one other one with the abs too... maybe it will be cardio...

SparkPeople and BodyRev

There are a lot of factors which have helped me on this road to being fit and healthy. Support I would have to say is #1. The support I have received from my family and friends on the BB has been HUGE. It is so much easier to do something when you have people cheering you on whether they are in the same race or on the sidelines. The second thing I would have to credit is myself and being in the right frame of mind at the right time. Things just finally clicked for me this time whether it was my age, a new maturity level, or whatever... it just made sense for me to do it and to follow thru this time.

However, there are two products which have also helped. One that started it all for me and one that is newer. The first, of course, is the BodyRev. Even when it sat on my floor still in the box, it taunted me... challenged me. When I finally worked up the courage to pick it up, I was amazed. It wasn't difficult... challenging, yes... difficult, no. It was convenient. It was perfect to get me moving. Now I haven't always been faithful to my BodyRev and have suffered thru slumps but the BodyRev was always there waiting for me to get my act together. The only I may have suffered with the BodyRev was mild boredom from doing the same thing over and over again. However, I bought some of the other DVDs and tried to spice it up a bit. And now with summer, I have more options for getting my exercise in. But my BodyRev is always there... I even use it when I just need to do some quick strength sets. I love my BodyRev and will always have it sitting in the living room so it is always at hand when I need it.

The newer product in my life is SparkPeople. This website offers an array of articles and tools to help anyone trying to lose (or even gain) weight. No matter what your problem, you can find something to help you over it at SP. For me, the biggest help has been the logging of food and exercise. Now Alden has been trying to tell us for months the effect that logging has but for some reason I just didn't put the effort into it. Well now that I can do it regularly on the internet, it is so easy. Plus, being able to see my caloric (or at least a good approximation) intake and the calories (approximate) burned each day has helped a great deal. I find myself thinking more about food... not as in... "I'm starving, I need to eat" but more in the way of "Am I really hungry? Or am I bored?"... "How many calories are in that and is it worth it? What are some better choices?" Plus exercise has become easier when I can actually see the immediate result (calories burned) for that day. Sometimes I find myself thinking... "If I just add another 15 minutes to this bike ride... " SP is a fantastic tool and so easy to use.

So I found myself thinking about myself and all the people from the BB who have found the BR and the support helpful. So I decided to create a SparkTeam specifically for BodyRev users. It is my small way of continuing to get the message out about BodyRev and to continue and pass on the fantastic support that I have recieved thru the BB.

If you'd be interested, check it out... Revving Towards Being Fit and Healthy.

I had to do it...

On the BB, our resident fitness guru... our Admiral of the Fleet has been MIA and no one... I mean, NO ONE! has posted at all these last two weeks. I don't know about everyone else but I love the support and encouragement that is offered on the BB. I am sure that it is how I was so successful in the early days of my new fitness self. So I decided to take the plunge and post a Gator Patrol report. I hope the others out there report in and I sincerely hope Alden isn't offended that I reported him as MIA. I am sure the man is extremely busy.

So here's my report request...


Gator Patrol Report in... I miss Alden but we can still do this while he is MIA...

Posted by Carrie on 4/23/2007, 20:47:53

Hey, all! I miss us all getting together to talk about our struggles and successes. I hope no one has given up while Alden is MIA. We can do this! We are still a team and have always provided support and encouragement to each other while under Alden's fantastic leadership. So how is everyone doing???

I finally have my ship headed in the right direction!!! All I see is blue water ahead and I am so excited!!!! I have changed my focus and not letting it be about weight... which is good considering that I have added 2 lbs in the last two weeks... but I have been working out harder than I have in a long time and I can feel muscles forming once again, so I am not worried!

I am revving, biking, walking and doing strength training exercises. I have joined SparkPeople and am using it to help log my daily food intake and my daily exercise. It is fun to watch how many calories go in and how many calories are burned up. The part I am struggling with most is my water intake. I am aiming for 80 ounces and making it about 4 days... its those other 3 that I am really missing on it. But I am trying to find different solutions to help me acheive that goal and things seem to be improving!

ALDEN... if you are out there (or anyone else who might know)... I should know this but do any of the BR exercises qualify as cardio (except for cardio, of course). It seems to me that you mention in the dvd that legs is a cardio workout. Also, have you ever determined how many calories are burned using the BodyRev? Curious minds want to know...

Okay here's last week...

Bking - 5 miles... 6X
Walking - 40 minutes... 3X
BR - legs 3X
BR - abs 3X
BR - arms 3X

Plus a routine of 10 strength exercises (2 sets, 12 reps each) on S, T, Th.

Goal for next week... BR Cardio (I have been avoiding it for too long! Face thy fears, Carrie!)

Hope everyone else is having a good week!!!

Commitment...

There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either IN or you're OUT. There's no such thing as life in-between.
- Pat Riley, basketball coach

So when it comes to getting more fit... am I in or out? I thought I was in... I really did. Even when I got sidetracked and lost my focus, I still thought I was in but looking back I know that I wasn't. At the time I really believed that I wanted to be in the game but just couldn't find the motivation, but then how could I really be in the game then? I think deep down, I just got tired... I was upset that I wasn't seeing results... although I know I wasn't putting my all into it. How could I expect to see results?

Right now, I feel like I am more in the game than ever before. I am not going gang busters on the BR... But I now have a plan in mind... M, W, F are my BR days... these are the days that I need to do 3 - 15 min workouts. On Sun, Tues, Thurs, I need to do some sort of strength exercises and try to fit in some cardio workout, like walking, biking or BR cardio, plus these are the days to add an extra abs if I feel like it. Before I was trying to BR 5X/week. And while some weeks I did it, others I fell short... and when that happened then I was down on myself and felt like a failure. I think this plan will work out much better for me. I love doing my BR but I started to get bored with it. I think by doing this plan I should be able to avoid the boredome since I have a little more choice in what I do plus, it allows me Saturdays off. But so far I have put a bike ride or a walk on those days anyway.

So it's only been two weeks but I feel great! I am back to logging my food intake... becoming more aware of calorie count (my SP plan says I should be eating between 1400-1800 calories/day... for the most part it has been pretty close to the 1400 mark). I am getting some sort of exercise every day. I am reading nutrition articles to make myself more aware and more informed. This time I think that I am really committed.

Rev Report...

Alden posted his Rev Report today on the BB... I finally had something to say. For too long, I have been struggling trying to figure out what it is going to take for me to get moving in the right direction. I started off so good... lost 30 lbs in 3 months. Then I had a bad spell for parts of December and most of January... finally got my butt back into gear towards the end of January and worked at it... but the weight wasn't coming off like it was earlier. I worked and worked and still nothing... I got frustrated... lost focus and quit working so hard. Then I really hit a downer period in March where I was trying to work out and my brain wasn't co-operating. I got some good advice from some and tried to work at what I liked, namely Abs and walks. That was doing just enough to keep me from falling any further behind. But I certainly wasn't going to see results doing that. But I told myself that was okay...

When I started this yes, I wanted to lose weight and I wanted to become healthier and extend my life... I wanted to be able to play with my kids without getting winded... I wanted to live to see my grandchildren. But when I started exercising along with the weight loss, I also noticed that I had more energy, I felt strong and I was walking taller, straighter... When I stopped exercising, I lost all that. At one time I even had muscles in my butt!!! Who'd a thunk it??? But I lost that.

Getting sick last week reminded me of all that I lost when I stopped exercising... I kept telling myself before that I wasn't in it just to lose weight but I think I was lying to myself. If that wasn't the case, then why was it so easy to just stop and give up? I lost sight of everything else that I was gaining by exercising. I lost that feeling of muscles... I lost that energy... I lost that posture I was acquiring... and I was losing ground in the weight loss by putting some of it back on. When I got so sick, I found myself wondering if I would've been that bad had I been exercising throughout... maybe... maybe not... By getting sick, I was given a reprieve... my weight dropped back to my lowest point. I could start again... pick it all back up... wipe the slate clean and begin again. But first I had to answer some questions...

What was I fighting for this time? Was it just to lose weight? Because what was going to happen if I hit a plateau again or worse yet.. if I failed to go any lower than where I currently was... Was I going to give up again? In order to succeed this time, I need to make sure that it is about more than just watching the numbers lower. What about the 30 lbs that I already lost? Aren't those pounds worth fighting for? What if I never lose another pound? Thirty pounds is still something to celebrate... that is three 10 lb bags of potatoes that I am no longer carrying around... do I really want to add that to my load again? NO!

What about that energy level I had when I was exercising? Wasn't it nice to walk up and down the stairs and not be winded? I could actually come home from work and still manage to stay awake until after K3 left for school... now it is all I can do to make it til she wakes up. I am tired all the time... whether I worked the night before or not... I want that energy level again.

What about the muscle tone I was getting? I could actually see results in my arms... my legs and yes, even my butt... I, who can't remember the last time she could actually feel muscles on her body... had some muscle definition going on. I want that again!

So what's it going to take on my part... I need to commit to exercising... no excuses this time... No depressions/plateaus/brick walls can stop my progress. Now that doesn't mean that I need to become an exercise fiend... but I do have to put out an honest effort if I expect to see results. I need to do the BodyRev on a regular basis... Ideally, legs and arms 3-4 times a week, abs 5 times a week and hopefully cardio 2 times a week. All this needs to be supplemented with walking... bike riding (if it ever gets warm here!) and other strength exercises as suggested by my sparkpeople plan.

I also need to continue to log my food intake ( I am not posting it regularly here anymore... too hard trying to capture the image... but it is being done on my sparks page). I am not going to worry about tying in my mood to the food but I do NEED to continue to log the food... everyday!

So let's see where this goes this time... I WANT to succeed... I think that I am worth fighting for... and if I don't fight for myself... no one will do it for me.

Back at it...

Well, it seems like I have my momentum back again... at least as far as working out is concerned. After a few weeks of mindless drifting and being completely stalled, I then had some good advice from a friend and was able to ease back into it. But it was definitely easing... my attempts were sporadic at best. But now I seem to have renewed vigor and am taking it to the mat...

Starting with Sunday, I have 2 walks in and they were both with J... imagine 6'2" height...thus long leg stride, so I had to work to keep up with him. Then I came home each time and went right into Abs Essentials - Level 1. I will pick some of the BR Essentials back up (especially arms and a cardio or two) but I have decided to do it progressively. Right now I can feel that my legs have been worked but I am not stiff and sore... but my abs... they hurt. All that muscle tone that I had spent months working on... yeah, it was pretty much gone, but I am getting it back. Hell, it even hurts when I sneeze...but I am looking at that as a good thing.

Food consumption has been fairly consistent. I am still trying to make better choices and have stuck to some of my life changing decisions... skim milk, greatly reducing soda intake, wheat vs white (bread, pasta). I eat breakfast everyday... sometimes it is a Slimfast shake with fresh fruit or some peanut butter toast with fruit. And my biggest success has been at work... I am still avoiding the vending machines and am taking lunch from home... turkey sandwich, salad or soup. One area where I seem to have faltered is water intake. It was a real chore to get my water level up to 60-80 ounces a day and I found that if I don't think about it and work at it then I don't do it. So back to THINKING about it! I have another visit to the vampires coming up and I want it to be as easy as the last couple of times... so time for a glass of water!

Sunday:
1 Hour walk
Essen Abs - Level 1

Monday:
1 Hour Walk
Essential Abs - Level 1

Good Things:
Feeling muscles again
The smell of clothes dried on the line
Walking with just the husband

So it's been awhile...

I really don't know what happened but I haven't been around for awhile. My food/mood logging went straight into the toilet along with my Revving. I think it was a combination of things that just made me hit the wall. The frustration of working so hard but being stuck at 30 lbs for so long. There are those that tell me I should be happy with the 3o that I have lost but when you feel like you are putting in the effort and not getting any visible gains (or in this case losses), it is so frustrating!

Then there is also what J says is the biggest factor... the weather. Winter started off so nice this year. Mild temperatures thru December and most of January. Then we got hit with the BIG CHILL and subzero temps. And then came the snow... it seemed like we couldn't go more than a few days without having to pull out the shovels. Now we are halfway into March and finally... FINALLY... can I hear an AMEN? ... getting some decent warm temps. Today it is supposed to hit the mid 60's. I just love seeing the sun... it feels like it has been too long!

So last week I missed my first Rev Report in quite awhile. Boy! Did I hear about it!! People that I didn't know would even care, emailed me to ask if I was okay and that my posts were missed. Well, let me just say that was quite an eye opener. I have to admit that I do my posts strictly for myself. Someone has commented on how honest they are...but what's the point in lying about what exercising you are doing? It's not gonna help me in the long run and the worst case scenario... meeting at a Suz event and still looking the same if not heavier. So nope... no lying for me on my posts. But having said that, I really don't think that anyone cares what I have to say and in fact, I sometimes wonder if people are complaining about having to hear another story about my kids or telling me to quit whining/bragging/etc. But judging from some of the emails I got this week, I was flabbergasted to think that there are those who actually enjoy reading my posts. And just the fact that they took the time to send me an email asking me if I was okay and if I needed help in any way, really just made me feel good.

So... the sun is shining, friends are cheering me on... there should be no problem with starting back up, right? However, I still seemed stalled. But a friend gave me some great suggestions... first, I needed to get myself outside in these mild temps and sunshine, and get myself walking... simple enough, right? Just go outside and get a walk in. Then it was suggested that since I enjoyed the Abs portion so much (I have often described it as my Yoga), that I should focus on just that for a bit. Don't worry about legs... don't worry about the cardio... Just do the abs and try to relax and enjoy it again. But since I own the Essentials Abs DVD and haven't used it yet, I should switch to that hoping to alleviate some of the boredom that may have set in from doing the Essentials DVD over and over and over.

I am hoping that I am back on track... I am definitely not moving at full steam yet. BUT I have done 3 walks since Saturday and have done Essential Abs once... will try it again today. I am not sure if I am going back to the food/mood logging... even when I was faltering on the exercising, my food intake seemed to stay fairly consistent with what I had been doing. The only difference right now is that we have girl scout cookies in the house!!! I may do posts about eating in on occasion but I don't think I am going to keep up with the logging part of it. Right now with my fluctuating schedule, I don't always eat at normal times. And one day may be a shortened day while the next is a 24 hour day. Plus, with being tired from my schedule it is hard to find the food/mood connection. However, I may be moving to a daytime job and if that happens I may consider giving the logging another try. The one thing from the logging that I would like to keep up is the Good Things portion... not sure how I will do it though.

So thanks to those of you who checked in on me... it was greatly appreciated. I am lucky to have friends that I "talk" to everyday but hearing from those of you who I didn't know I had a connection with...just really helped bring me out of my funk. So... thank you!

BodyRev Sitrep Reports - Week of 19 FEB

REVVVVPORT!
REVMATES - I hope you all took advantage of the long weekend and energized those muscles while on FIRED UP adventures!

First - thank you for all your book feedback - I've just now been able to decipher all your points - it's very helpful to me, and much appreciated. On that note, many of you listed "Aldenisms" as a compelling topic of interest - my question to you is - What are your favorite Aldenisms?? - list as many as you want - it's hard for me to understand your "Aldenisms" until I hear it from you directly.

Second - as my ship leaves the harbor to start this book journey, many of you have add terrific feedback - some so good, I'd like to be able to quote you. However, if there is someone that is not Okay with me using their first name (or call sign, I will respect your privacy) please let me know.

Third - lets hear it about your food/mood log - I want honest answers - if you didn't do it, say so, but don't try to BS anyone, otherwise it will send the wrong message for those we have truly discovered that their mood is directly linked to their food...next up, and get ready, we're going to explore how exercise is linked to your mood....

STANDING-BY - ALDEN

My response to this week's report request...

FAIR week...

Legs - 2X (2wts)
Arms - 2X (2wts)
Abs - 2X (2 wts)
Cardio - 1X (1 wt)

3 - 1 HR walks
1 HR Snow shoveling

Exercise was only FAIR this week... I can and normally do better so I am not happy with my effort last week. Need to do better this week.

As for the food/mood log, I was doing very well documenting it until this weekend. And even then I didn't stop because of what I ate, I just fell short on time. I really like keeping the food log... it has helped me to make some decisions about what is going in my mouth (because not only am I logging it BUT I am doing so publicly by putting it on my blog). This is not to say that I have eaten perfectly but just knowing that I am going to have to put it down has sometimes changed what I have decided to eat (like that piece of vanilla bean cheesecake last night - passed on that!) BUT here is my problem... the mood part. First of all, TIRED. I am almost always tired. I work overnight part-time. And because of my involvement with the kids it is rare that I sleep more than 4-5 hours at any one time. Saturday nights are the only night where I can actually guarrantee getting an 8 hour night. It is so hard for me to tell if I am tired because of food or just simply because I am tired. As for mood, I had a few situational incidents going on the past two weeks that really affected my stress levels more so than any food I was eating. So while I still haven't been able to notice any correlation yet I will keep on blogging my logging simply because I like the effect that the food logging has had.

I have noticed extremely HIGH cravings for chocolate lately. I have had some success in fighting them but have sometimes given in... not sure what that is all about. Could it be the stress? Maybe...

On the subject of honesty... I have received comments from people appreciating how honest my logging is. I figure there is no other option as that is the only way that it will help me. Lying to make my results or food intake look better may make others say "Wow! Look at her go!" But in the long run, how do I benefit from that? And that is what this is all about for me... benefitting from the results of the revving and diet changes. When I first started out, I would avoid posting on the bad weeks. Too embarrassed to say, "I sucked this week! I was lazy!" But that too has been changed... now I am posting no matter what I did (I have to say how hard it was to post my Revving activity for this week...didn't want to do it and this little voice kept saying "Add another rotation... who will know" ... well, I will). I will post every week...good or bad... and then it goes onto my blog so I will always have what I posted. To quote Martha Stewart... Honesty...it's a Good thing!

So speaking of honesty... how's this... here's my other problem... discouragement. I know, Alden, I know, I know, I KNOW , that you have said DO NOT watch the scale. I know that but seeing the numbers dwindle in the past has helped give me the push when I really needed it. However, the end of December was the last time that I had a "loss". Ever since then I had fluctuated up and down 5 lbs but never lower than my last great loss. Now December I was horrible at exercising and the first two weeks of January were horrible as well. But I have been revving consistently (Even my fair week this last week was more than I was doing in December and January) for the last month. And still I have not lost any more weight. I am trying to stay upbeat and positive telling myself that I am building muscle, etc. etc... But I am someome who definitely has weight to LOSE and lots of it. So it is getting to be a little discouraging but I am trying to work thru it. Thanks to a pic posted of me on the BB this last week, I have received some nice emails from people commenting on my success. And I have pulled pics of me from last summer as a comparison to help me "SEE" the changes... it helps. But when people post that they have lost 20, 30, 50 lbs and have dropped 2, 4, 6, 8 dress sizes (And I am so completely thrilled for them, truly!) but I have lost a total of 30 lbs but only one jean size... I look at that and say "Huh? What is going on with me?" I know everyone is different thus the results will be different but sometimes getting our mind over that distinction takes a bit of work.

So enough of my whining... I just needed to post where I was at and the difficulties facing me right now. I am working thru it... I am thrilled with the success so far and am not ready to quit because even if I don't lose another pound, I am still less than I was 6 months ago... I have muscles where I didn't know you could have muscle and I am overall feeling better. I will focus on that and keep on revvving!

The response from the BB ladies was overwhelming... here are just a few... edited for space...

From Carole: Carrie, You are right (see, I remembered) when you said you'll focus on your success -- you are feeling better overall. You have muscles where you didn't have them before. Don't worry about the size thing.

To me, the important things are health and fitness, feeling good overall, and feeling better about myself.

From Quiche: You already know this but a reminder never hurts. Everybody attempts a new fitness or weight loss regimen for different reasons. When we all first started this a lot of ladies mentioned wanting to being inspirational (or even around for the longterm!) for their kids and I thought *dang, am I the only vain one who wants to look the best that I can naked??* but in reality our reasons for exercising change. Sometimes it's vanity because we want to look good for an event, sometimes it's fear because we see somebody else who hasn't taken care of their health and we don't want to suffer the same repercussions or fear because of a doctor's warning. So when you've been working it and have a minor slow down it is perfectly normal to ask/think WTF?? and then get over the hurdle by focusing on another goal. Just today it is all over the news about women and heart disease and it is suggested we get 30 minutes of exercise a day and take an aspirin. How many of your neighbors/coworkers are getting 30 minutes a day of exercise? Unfortunately, I bet there aren't a lot.

I think you have one of the best built in motivators out there...after seeing their Mom make the right choices your children are far less likely to grow up to be unhealthy adults.

Again, you know logically if you eat healthy and exercise you will continue to lose weight so don't let a sucky week get you down.

From Natalia: First off, congrats on losing 30 lbs! That is nothing to sneeze at! And keeping it off is fabulous as well. Sending a great, big hug your way.

I think, like others have said, it's different for everybody.

Me, I've lost somewhere between 20 & 25 pounds, to drop the first pant size. Dropping the next pant size was all about toning, I think. (FYI, that's in work/dress pants, not jeans. I'm still wearing my 14 jeans.) And, as a good friend pointed out, I carry my weight in my breasts, hips/thighs and butt. I have the upper/lower abs fat rolls, but have a much trimmer waist. Even in size 16 the waist line on pants were always too big for me, but to put them on over my hips/thighs/butt, I had to go that size.

I noticed the largest weight loss when I did the cardio at least 3x a week. And kept my calories at 1500 per day. Now that I'm focusing on arms and abs and legs (occasionally legs, I'm having a hard time motivating to that or cardio) I'm not noticing weight loss. Maintaining where I'm at, building muscle and toning.

P.S. Have you talked to your doc about being so tired? It could be lack of sleep, lack of good sleep, or it could be something else (low iron, thyroid, etc). Also, how much red meat do you eat? I've found that the less red meat in my diet the more tired I am. Just a thought!

From Erika:You're down 30 pounds!!! That's great news. I'm down pretty much none, but my arms look good :)

Here's the thing. You're not alone in the weight vs size thing. If I gain/lose 25 pounds,I'm less bulgy and look and feel a lot better, but I can pretty nearly wear the same wardrobe. I see people say they lose 10 pounds and lost 2 dress sizes (8 to 4, say) and I don't understand it. I *notice* when I gain/lose 5 pounds, but I can fluctuate that much in 1-3 days with various hormones. I know some people that need a different size clothing to accommodate that, I usually don't.

So, it's good that you posted your frustration about that as I have the same frustration. If I wanted to get down to a solid size 12, from my current 16 bordering on 18, I have to lose 50 pounds. And this is my target, although I'm perfectly happy being a 14, because I know I look fantastic at that final weight.

I don't lose weight from exercise unless I do hard cardio at least 3X a week, and it works better if I do 4. 2X is enough to keep me from ballooning. I've done too many weeks of 2X so whatever I lost before Xmas I gained back.

Your efforts posted today are what I would consider to be a 2X/week workout. So if your body works even remotely similarly to mine (and it seems to), celebrate the fact that you're stable and not going up and realize you need to double that up if you want the exercise to drive the weight loss. I seem to be doing well every other week and maintaining only in the off weeks. I have enough severe off weeks that I need to see a doc.

From Beki: You should have someone determine your frame size and figure your ideal weight based on that---body size is more than just how much fat you carry. I was thrilled to find out my ideal weight was way higher than what I had thrived for all my life.

I will be happy with a size 14 as my absolute smallest size because I want some padding. I don't want to be skin over bones---been there, done that---it was not attractive.

I figure I carry ten pounds just in breast tissue. I should have asked for extra weight allowance for that. LOL

Anyway I thought I needed to lose 80 pounds but found out from a Gastro specialist in Birmingham at UAB that 50 puts me a couple pounds under my ideal weight for my height and bodyframe. It really made my day . : )

From Emily: carrie, don't let that scale discourage you!! i know it's hard not to, but please don't... you inspire me every single week - when i read your blog, when i read your posts here... i love your attitude, and i love that you post when it's good, bad AND ugly, because i have all of those days too, and your honesty helps me accept that it's not all sunshine and roses, and that's ok, because other people have those days too...

i've lost a whole pound since we measured ourselves in mid-january and i've been revving consistantly and eating relatively well since then (minus this weekend, of course lol)... yipee skippee... =o( i feel different, i can feel muscles where i didn't feel anything before, but the scale hasn't budged... i'm finding clothes i own are fitting differently, but when i went out to buy new jeans i discovered that i wasn't really down a size at all - more like a half size, and i could wear different styles that i wouldn't have looked at before... *shrugs* it's frustrating at times 'cause i can tell you, nothing is melting off me... i'm thrilled it's worked that way for some of the ladies who have seen huge changes quite quickly, but i'm also a bit envious because i'm definitely not one of them...

From Mary Jo: first of all, don't use jeans to compare sizes with. Use some other form of clothing. Reason being is that my experience when buying jeans is you have to try on every pair! You can pick up three pairs of jeans the exact same size and type and they will all fit differently. Try something else.

Secondly, you have lost 30 lbs! Great job! Remember that it takes a lot longer to take weight off than to put it on! You are feeling better about yourself over all right? So don't let those numbers on the scale stumble you. You have reached a plateau but you WILL get past it because you have come so far and you have so many people here that will help you not to mention the feedback from your blog

From Laura: You really are doing great. You are just at one of those awful plateaus. I lost about 45 pounds a few years ago and I remember hitting plateaus that lasted for a while and I would get really discouraged. But, you have lost 30 pounds and that is awesome.

At the time I was losing weight, I had a friend who also wanted to lose weight. I was a size 12, ready to burst into a 14 - my friend was a 6, but felt she wanted to be thinner. Her waist was already so tiny. She lost 10 pounds and went to a size 2. I lost 45 and went down to a 6/8, but I still had plenty of "belly". It didn't matter what I ate or how much I exercised, that pooch was and still is there. We are all built so differently and carry our weight in such different ways, I learned to not be so hard on myself. I really tried to focus on being healthier (yeah, losing weight was great), but the being healthier is SO much more important. And remember, you might not be losing "weight" if you are replacing fat with muscle.

We are all here for you. Don't feel like you are whining - believe me, we understand where you are coming from.

And the one that literally made me cry...

From Andrea: I am going to be brutally honest here, so bear with me :)

I think you really need to look at pictures of yourself 6 months ago and those today. Look at the pitcures of the WI gathering you guys had. You do NOT look like you lost 30 pounds. You look like you lost 50!!! Your face is beautiful...not just without the weight you just LOOK happier. {I think there are pics of you in Jaypalooza from Atlanta before BR go compare those} I noticed a difference immediately and I haven't even met you! I have spent the past few days gushing to some other board members about how great you've done and you have motivated me to really get my butt back in gear. Hey I did Boot camp twice this week because of you :)

Don't think that just because YOU don't see the results or you don't hear about how you are affecting others, it isn't happening. Those of us who will never get down to single digit sizes need our own heroes too :) Thanks Carrie for taking this journey and being my hero ;)

Aren't they a fabulous group of ladies? Always supportive, always encouraging but not afraid to give a kick in the ASS when it is needed!

Here is what Alden had to say, in response to our posts...

SITREP 23FEB07

REVmates – I’m referring to this week as FLEET WEEK – because it is major milestone in your accomplishments as individuals and as a team (fleet).

Milestone #1 – THE STORM - Carrie. Now, before I begin, realize I’m not picking on you – I’m praising you! Carrie’s post depicts one of the most important challenges every single one of us have or will face in life – I’m not just talking about losing weight – I’m talking about accomplishing a goal…you see, losing weight is a goal – it’s no different than making money or finding love – it’s a goal – plain and simple. Her post describes her frustration of not seemingly accomplishing her goal of losing weight…even though she’s already lost 30lbs. I’m highlighting your post Carrie, because you are at the door to your future – you are on the edge of your comfort zone – you have an opportunity in front of you that will completely change your life if you choose to press-on; conversely, if you choose to turn around your ship and head back to port in commiserate with the other rust buckets beached at the pier, your life will become one of complete predictability – it will be mired in misery – period.

Carrie, what you’ve so eloquently and honestly written is what happens to EVERYONE single one of us in life – we get frustrated, we get angry, we want to blame someone or something for preventing us from getting what we want – your feelings are 100% Natural – understand this – now understand that this is the most critical juncture of your journey – this if your first storm – the waves (your weight) are about a Sea State 4 (4-6 ft swells – in your case 4-6lbs of fluctuations) – the currents have pushed you back a bit during the holidays, and some of this you’ve allowed to happened, but you’re not giving yourself a reprieve for it – so your frustration grows even stronger…and then the winds chime in (your friends, and their success – “I lost, I lost, I lost”)…and here’s where the going gets the toughest, because now you’re doubting yourself – your brain, your captain – is beginning to question your course – indecision will set in – your ship will lose it’s power and it’s rudder…and then…you’re back to port before you know it…..CARRIE NOW IS THE TIME – FULL SPEED AHEAD, DAMN THE TORPEDOES (as quoted from the famous Naval Admiral Oliver Hazard Perry). Your REVmates have stepped up brilliantly with their support – you have done EXACTLY what you should have done – explain how you feel and send out a message for help – you see, you ARE NOT ALONE – there’s an entire FLEET at sea weathering similar storms….this is IT – this is your moment to breakthrough, to realize that YOU are in CONTROL, and that you can CONTROL so much than you realize…and WHEN you weather this storm you will be a different person – stronger, more confident and more in control…each storm makes us stronger…embrace this storm Carrie!

***About your frustration – a watched pot never boils…remember this – stop watching your weight and starting watching your food and exercise input and output. Remember, your brain and your body are ying and yang – or in nautical terms – ebb and flow….realize that stress, sleep, water, food, fun, movement, and much more are all connected together – if you only ever focus on the weight and not the bigger picture of enjoying the journey then you’ll constantly be in storms during your journey.***

Milesonte #2 – THE GIFT – Emily/Sauerpaus/Natalia…welcome to your new you – each of you in your own way has accomplished the very essence of what all my posting are all about – enabling you to take control…Emily – you have taught yourself the link between your mood and your food – this in the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach him how to fish and feed him for a lifetime”…you now know how to fish – understanding this connection can be the difference between happiness and sorrow – you now can completely control your attitude if you so desire – of course, that’s up to you J but now you’re in control! HOOYAH EMILY!! Sauerpuss and Natalia, you both have also learned how to fish, but you’ve also shared one of the most important elements of your “new you” – your new found ability to do things that you formerly believed you couldn’t or shouldn’t do….what you’ve done is empower yourselves…and there’s no greater gift – congratulations!

REVmates, many of you already have experienced the Storm or the Gift – please share it, and understand, this is what it’s all about…and Welcome Isabel wholeheartedly so she understand that our Fleet leaves NO ONE BEHIND.

CHARLIE MIKE – ALDEN

Next week – I’ll answer questions – this weekend, think about your storm and your gift.

Aye, Aye, Captain!

I am bailing the swells of frustration that have started to seep over the sides of my ship. Storm is being weathered, black clouds are lightening, not quite blue skies but the sun is starting to peek thru the gray skies. The FLEET has responded to my distress call and assistance has been provided. No need for a tow at this point, I am moving under my own power once again... FULL SPEED AHEAD and DAMNING THE TORPEDOES, SIR!

And may I just add, Thank you, sir!

BodyRev Sitrep Reports - Week of 12 FEB

Here is Alden's Rev Report request from 2/12/07...


REVPORT!
REVmates - here's the deal, this week is particularly busy for me with the filming of our new REV 8/10 gym instructor videos so I'll be asking for you questions tonight/tomorrow and I'll be responding on Wednesday.

Three things to discuss:

1. Report on the food/mood logging - I want to know who's noticed the difference - who's really tried it, and what's the difference - what do you actually feel - please share, this is so important for all your teammates.

2. Tell me about accountability - how are you keeping yourself accountable? Do you have your own motivation? If so, will you share it - or do you have a swim buddy or are you looking for one??

3. Would appreciate your thoughts on the book idea - specifically, for those who've been reading/responding to my posts - what would you find most compelling about a book written by me...I'm well aware there are a million books on losing weight out on the market - what should my book bring that others don't already have...and incidentally, it's quite alright if you respond with - "nothing" - just let me know your feelings.

Stay REVved UP, and CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

And my response to it...

Revving & Logging underway...

Abs -5X
Arms - 3X
Legs - 3X
Cardio - 4X

3 - 1 HR walks

I started my food/mood logging the day after you recommended it. I have to say that the logging of what I eat makes me think twice about what goes in my mouth. I am not perfect BUT when I think what could be going in and isn't... that's a plus. In order to keep myself honest and motivated to continue, I have been posting my mood/food logs to my blog. There my friends are able to see it ( and comment on it, if they wish) but more importantly I am continuing to do it. I think if I was just doing it here at home with just myself to view it, I don't know how current I would stay with it plus, I don't think I would make all the same decisions that I have made. It is the fact that others are going to see what I ate that helps in making those decisons the most. I have also been invited to participate in a log round robin but I will let that organizer of that share the details if she chooses.

I haven't been able to see the connection between food and mood...yet. My biggest challenge this week has been the situational forces that have affected my mood greatly the last couple of days. I honestly don't think food or exercise had any affect in bringing me out of it. The problems themselves need to be taken care of first. However, I did stay fairly true to my workout routine and there was a time when I desperately wanted to bury myself in some delicously fattening...sickenly sweet food... I didn't care what... I was hearing "Eat it... you'll feel better." But my mind seemed to override those feelings... I knew what I was looking for was a quick fix to feeling better but in the long run would be even more upset over the damate done.

As for the book, what I really like most about the posts are all the EXTRAS you give us... The idea of keeping the food/mood log... the first post where you told us to journal or jot down why we wanted to be fit and pick the 3 most important... It is these and more like them that I think would make your book that much different from what's out there.

And finally, Alden's response to us later in the week...with some deletions that don't pertain to me...

SITREP 15FEB07

REVmates – HOOYAH on your feedback!!! It kept me up most of the night, hence my delayed response – not to worry, I dropped down and gave you 50 for my tardiness.

Before I get take the CON (that is the Conning Tower – or bridge of the ship to discuss the “orders” for the week), I want to commend a few mates with a BRAVO ZULU – they are, and in no particular order:

BZ Cindy – I’m Fired UP to have you post to the Team – WELCOME ABOARD!!!

I have the CON (this is what the Officer of the Deck says when he takes control of the Bridge): Last week we went to the next level – we’re now starting to explore the connection between your brain and your body – we’re fine tuning our ship to improve our experiences on our voyage. When we started, the first principle we learned was that your body obeys your brain – that your body is actually a brain housing group – it’s designed to support your brain. Your brain is in charge – in it’s most basic form your brain tells your body what to do all day long – eat or don’t eat – REV or don’t REV – watch TV or walk outside – each and every decision is made by you and your brain first, then your body executes your brain’s decision…hence our analogy of your brain (you) as the Captain and your body as your ship.

Now that you understand the basics of getting your ship underway, we need to learn how to improve limits of our ship’s functions – of it’s ability to go faster, journey longer, move more easily through all conditions (currents – your daily food intake, winds – those word both negative and positive that come at you daily to either hammer you down or boost you up, and waves – your daily fluctuations in weight (it’s NORMAL!))…and most importantly, the ability of your ship’s crew (your body, brain, and soul) to continually set new destinations (new goals), new journeys to explore and accomplish (this is Level 3 – we’ll get there, but not yet). For now, we’re going to focus on improving the teamwork between your Captain and the ship. You see, your Captain’s ability to make decisions is directly connected to the overall health and function of your ship. (You had the courage to trust me to get your ship underway – which the most challenging obstacle to overcome – now trust me, that it only gets better as you learn to improve your ship’s performance.)

Food/mood logging is more important than food logging now – because now, you’re understanding what fuel gives your ship better gas mileage with less downtime. Think about it – use crappy fuel = get crappy mileage and lots of engine trouble…but unlike a machine there’s a bigger problem, your fuel directly effects your mood, and your mood directly effects your decision-making abilities, and thus can begin a snowball effect of either good or bad habits….BREAK….food for thought – Charles Reade (a novelist) once wrote:

Sow an act, and you reap a habit
Sow a habit, and you reap a character
Sow a character, and you reap a destiny

I love this quotation because it represents the three basic levels of taking control of your life. We are currently on line two – think level two – you’ve created a habit – REVving, exercising in some form, watching what you eat, thinking positively, setting goals and getting your ship underway….now, we’re linking your habits to your character – building a better you – your way – your new you – and we’re doing it by using the building blocks of what makes you run at your optimal level – get it???!…I digress, more on this overtime – it’s important that you understand the whole mission, and how each tactic is connected to the building blocks: food – mood – movement – motivation = YOU UNSTOPPABLE.

Many of you already are learning the connection – some of you have noticed the food/mood partnership overnight – some of you it will take longer to notice, because you need to first flush your pipes of the bad fuel in your ship’s pipes so your engine can feel the difference – but TRUST ME IT WILL COME, and when it does understand the energy to positive thinking connection – that top of the world feeling of “it’s great to be alive, and I can’t wait to use every minute of the day to make something terrific happen”. Others have noticed that their engines rev-up very quickly but then run out of gas and get clogged when they add excessive of amounts of sugar or alcohol into their systems – thank you Cindy for your comments – you’re dead-on! Everyone’s system is slightly differently – just ask Beki – but everyone’s system is essentially the same = your system will run better with lesser amounts of better fuel – e.g. several of you have posted that you’ve noticed you don’t need as much food to actually have more energy and feel better…keep the food/mood logging going – this is a paramount to accomplishing Level Two – we will not get to Level Three until you master this connection – CHARLIE MIKE REVMATES!

To your questions and comments:

· Eating and Traveling – whether you’re traveling or working – fueling your ship remains the same – set a timer if you too or remember the last time you added fuel to your system – make little zip-loc baggies of snacks: nuts, dried fruit, jerky, or snacks for the BR meal plan – but pre-plan your fuel if you now you’re going to be crunched for time.
· Breathing – Anne Elizabeth is dead-on about the connection to breathing and your overall well being – practice deep breaths throughout the day – try for starters: 3 seconds inhale – 3 seconds hold your breath – 4 seconds exhale – place the tip of your tongue behind the back of your front teeth and close your eyes – do this five times while sitting (with good posture) or lying down – let me know how you feel.
· Erika – PLEASE SEE A DOCTOR – then report back.
· Morning workouts – Mary Jo – don’t beat yourself up – so you’re not a morning person – big deal – just get your REVving/exercise in consistently during the sametime everyday.
· Thank you, thank you for all your book feedback – I’ll be commenting on it shortly – you’ve given me much to think about – THANK YOU.

Maintain course and speed on your food/mood logging and exercise (hint – next week, we’re going to work on movement/mood logging so if you want to think about extra credit – start to notice how you feel after different kinds of exercise (and it’s duration)).

It’s only going to get better – CHARLIE MIKE - ALDEN

BodyRev Sitrep Reports

Every week Alden (the creator of the BodyRev) comes onto the BB to get a report from those who are actively exercising... eating better... general health improvement. For awhile I would post some weeks but not others. Usually the bad weeks were the ones that I avoided posting on. But after my lackluster peformance in January and my dismal output for December, I decided one way of holding myself accountable (to no one other than myself, might I add) is to post every week... good or bad... hopefully, with more good and less bad.

But the BB is a scrolling BB and I always write them directly to the post (not on Word and then copy and paste). I think that I will add them here to my blog so I will have a copy of them readily available for my review. I could keep them in a folder on my computer but honestly I have save so much stuff to folders and then forgotten that they were there. I think this might be easier...more visible. So for those of you on the BB who may have already seen them on the BB, feel free to skip over these.

Here was the Alden's Report request from FEB 5, 2007...

REEEEPORT!

REV Teammats - it's that time of week again - time to report on your journey.

as I have mentioned briefly in the past, and you'll hear more about it in the future - BODYREV benefits (from a physiological point of view) are what I call the three Bs - Burn, Build and Boost - that is Burn fat, build muscle, and Boost energy.

This week - please comment on the three Bs - tell me what you're feeling and how's it working for you - include (especially for our new shipmates) how you experience the three Bs during different stages of your journey - for instance, you may have experienced a Boost in energy after the first workout, but didn't notice the "burn" for a few weeks...shed light on your experiences for others.

Stay REVved UP!

ALDEN

And here was my Report in response...


Burn, Build and Boost...

Hey, Alden...

I finally feel for the first time in a month or two that I had an excellent week and ended the month of January so much better than how I started it.

Legs - 4X (2wts)
Abs - 5X (2wts)
Arms - 3X (2wts)
Cardio - 3X (1 wt) *** big HOO YAH to myself (if you don't mind)... this is the first week that I put in 3 cardios EVER!!! Feelin' froggy!!

1 Hr Walks - 3

*does trying to stay warm in subzero temps count as calorie burning??? High was -2 today! **

Here are my three B's...

BOOST ... I have been feeling very sluggish in January...it's that less light, cold temps...my body wants to hibernate. So for a few weeks it was easy to talk myself out of exercising evryday... I knew that I would have to work on that... So I forced myself to work out even if it was only 15 minutes (which I knew if I did 15...then I would end up doing more)... I just needed to start the first. After I am done, my energy levels fully BOOSTED and charged! I work overnight and I try to get my workouts in before I go in...helps to get me moving. Also, under this category is the BOOST my self-confidence is given. I can see results, I feel better about myself and just knowing that I am sticking to a program makes me feel great about myself.

BUILD... I can feel Building of muscles taking place but most notably in my arms. I have never had any muscle definition there at all. I still have a long ways to go but there is evidence that it is happening. Also, under BUILD is the legacy that I am BUILDING for my kids. They now see their mom getting fit and exercising. They are learning that in order to have results you have to work at it. They have noticed not only the change in my body but also in my emotional and mental self as well. Plus, they are all on the fitness kick as well. None of my kids are what I would call overweight but they understand (or at least are learning) that you can still be thin but not fit. Plus, it is fun to watch my son and daughter in the living room together working out...or one of my dd's working out with me. I don't feel like I am alone in this while we all BUILD our future together.

BURN... I am doing well during the programs, even CARDIO! I feel capable and competent, tired and exhausted sometimes but none of the Essentials programs over-exert me anymore. However, it is during the ARMS segment where I feel the most BURN still. During those first revving segments and especially when we go backwards... MY UPPER ARMS ARE ON FIRE!! I so badly want to stop short on those but I push myself thru knowing that it will only get better...right? ;) But also, on the BURN without going into the TMI area... is the added BURN that all the exercise has added to my extra curricular nighttime activities. I feel more energized, more confident in my body and myself... and the compliments from the husband, don't hurt either. Even just during cuddling, he will comment on how good it feels to hold me. Don't get me wrong...he was never a husband who commented on my weight or was turned off by it but his ways of noticing my improvements feel great.

So there you have it, Alden... probably more than you wanted to know but you did ask... :)

And that miserable Alden had to up the ante for us this week's homework, adding the keeping of a food/mood log, see below (with editing of the parts that reply back to individual questions that didn't really pertain to me)...


SITREP 07FEB07

REVmates – great posting turnout!

It’s time to discuss another important wellness/fitness principle that is paramount to getting most out of your journey – think of this in SEAL training terms as Phase 2 of BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training has three phases of training). When we began, I told you that one of the very first things you learn in SEAL training is the concept that your body obeys your brain, and it couldn’t be more true. You are in charge of your body – you tell it what to do and it will respond…within your body’s trained capabilities (i.e. telling your body to run a four minute mile when you haven’t ran in 20 years isn’t going to happen, but it could if you trained to it). As the captain of your ship, you give the orders, but how quickly they are followed depends on a few things – such as the morale of the crew, the maintenance of your ship, and the quality of the fuel your engines are burning. Getting underway is the first step toward taking control – you’ve motoring your way out of the harbor, you’re starting to feel confident – you’re gaining your sea-legs so-to-speak, now it’s time to fine tune the ship.

The next principle I want you to understand which builds off of the body obeys the brain, is that your body and your brain have symbiotic relationship – they are swim buddies and strive to live together in harmony. As you grow stronger and more confident – as many of you are – it’s time to strengthen the body and the brain relationship. Let me give you some examples – if you inject caffeine (coffee, coke, etc) and/or nicotine (smoking/tobacco) into your system, your body and your brain will go through euphoric highs and then daunting doldrums – your mood swings will be directly correlated with the amount of caffeine and nicotine consumed. Your brain tries to keep your ship on an even keel by ordering the creation of anti-depressant hormones to calm the crew down, but the brain doesn’t know how much more caffeine/nicotine is coming so it over produces the hormone, your body then responds to this anti-depressant hormone by going into reactionary mode and a roller coaster of cravings, energy levels and mood swings result…and worse still – a habit is formed that it’s addictive…(before I go further, I’m not telling you to stop consuming caffeine, one/two cups (8 ozs) of coffee or tea/day has proven to be beneficial – but 12 cups is NOT. Tobacco is a whole other story…). Okay, here’s the good news – your brain and your body are linked – huh? (he just told me that!) – what’s good for the goose is good for the gander – you see it can go both ways - this is good news because with just a little more training you can create addictions that help you take your brain and body to the next level. Here’s an easy one – the food you consume directly impacts the speed and efficiency of your ship. Eat too many flour based carbohydrates (like pasta or bread) and you’ll become tired, lose concentration, dehydrated – essentially your brain goes into hibernation as your body goes into storage mode…your ship is starting to change shape – literally – it’s learning how to cut through the waves faster, blow by the winds and navigate the currents – you’re now ready to fine tune your ship to go even faster…start to really monitor how your body responds to foods – everyone’s body responds differently so PLEASE keep a log for one week tracking your foods and your moods. Try this – trust me – the sooner you learn your brain/body relationship the sooner you can take advantage of it…find the foods and the portions that don’t make you crash 30 minutes later. Remember, “white” carbos are sugar – an they will spike your insulin levels – it’s the same roller coaster as drinking caffeine – it’s like putting gasoline on a fire without enough wood – you’ll just burnout. Protein takes longer to digest, but requires water – DRINK WATER. And you NEED Fat in order to operate at the optimal level – get it from nuts and olive oil – take it easy on dairy products….essentially – follow the BR plan to the letter for a week, but track your mood swings.

I can (and will over time) talk about this relationship for days, but one more quick point about your brain/body relationship – exercise literally triggers a hormone that many folks have copied and sell on the black market as an illegal drug – it’s called heroin, but you can get it for free (and it won’t hurt you!) if you’ve created a strong enough relationship between your brain/body. For the natural “high” your body’s systems need to be properly fueled – if there’s all kinds of caffeine/nicotine/sugars and low levels of water in your engine, your turbo jet systems (your hormone factories) won’t kick-in, they be clogged by dealing with the emergency orders from the brain to produce hormones to counter-balance the effects of caffeine/nicotine/sugar…I’ve rambled – we’ll fine tune this together over the next few weeks, but trust me, as you learn the finer points of captaining your ship, you’re going to enjoy the journey that much more – be excited, be very very excited that you’re progressing!

– feeling hungry at 3pm – same here, try a piece of fruit, some nuts and water – it’s okay to have a snack, and that snack will give you more energy for your workout…love your reward system!

- PPU Integration – while you wait for us to complete the editing of the BR ABS/ARMS video featuring Doug conducting the exercises – try this – when following Essential Abs, after you’ve complete three abs exercises – press pause, roll over and do a two-minute PPU drill – then skip the lower back routine on the ABS video and get back into it – repeat and repeat until you’ve completed all three 2 minute PPU drills! HOOYAH!

REV Burn – many of you fell the REV”burn” in the beginning, but not in the end – a couple of reason – one, your body figures out easier methods to absorb the load (make sure you force your body to be honest – is smarter than you think) and two, those muscles don’t normally get used like this, so in the beginning it’s a wake-up call – like running or swimming – in the beginning you’re out of breath, then you get your “pace” and into a rhythm.

Workouts remain the same – now start fine tuning your ship – get that food/mood log going this week – that’s a DIRECT ORDER!

CHARLIE MIKE

ALDEN

Need to Get Back on Track

This whole fitness thing drives me crazy! One week I have a good week; the next it's very minimal. I need to find a routine but that just doesn't seem to work for me with my work schedule. Well, at least I can say I got my cardio in for today... 1.5 hours of shoveling snow should count. Especially since the snow was 3 days old and had been driven over numerous times! I had to get the ice scraper out and pry it off the driveway first. I'm not sure how much of a workout my legs got but lord knows that my arms, shoulders and abs are feeling it.

As far as my BodyRev, I love doing the legs, abs and arms routines from the Essentials DVD but I absolutely detest the cardio portion. I always feel like a bull in a china shop doing it. And while the Christmas tree was up... forget it! There was no way I could do it...lack of space and terrified that the tree was going to come falling down on me. Well, now the tree is gone (still need to put ornaments away) so I have lost that excuse! I don't know what I can do to motivate myself to do it. I have the BR Bootcamp DVD but I heard that one is an hour long. I have a hard enough time doing cardio for 15 min... I think I'd die if I had to do it for an hour. I really need to sit down and evaluate what my goal is, how I am going to acheive it, and what do I really need to do to get it done.

My friend, Janet, made a great post on the BB today about water. Another area where I am sorely lacking. Alden says that we should be drinking 10 - 10oz cups of water. I am lucky if I am doing half of that!!! I am not sure how to put more water inside of me. Today I drank a 10 oz glass before my two meals and downed a 16 oz bottle of Propel and another glass of water with dinner. But so far that is only 46 oz and I feel like I am floating. I still have tonight and work to get thru so another 40 oz will probably be consumed. But trying to do that much on days when I don't work... not sure how I am going to manage it.

One thing that I have been putting off and have finally done is took my measurements. I really should've done this when I started the whole thing 3 months ago but I let fear stop me. At least that is done and I will eventually be able to monitor my progress that way as well. I think that up to this point the pounds have literally been melting away and it's been easy so far. But after losing 30 lbs and I would assume in another 10-20 lbs the weight isn't going to change as drastically as it has been. So I am worried about how I will react when that time comes. I really need to set up a routine and start better habits (ie, water drinking) to help get me through when that happens.

My family, the DH and the kids, have all been extremely supportive of me. Last night as we curled up in bed together, J said that he had forgotten how much weight I had lost. He could "feel" the difference as he held me. That is nice to hear. I know I am in a smaller size pair of jeans but sometimes I forget and it's nice to be reminded. I know I can do this... I have to do this... but I just don't want to give up when it gets harder. Hence, the need for a "plan of action".