My Life Lately...

Things are going very well for me... not perfect but pretty good. So I thought I would update on some of it.

Fit and Healthy...
I am really focused on getting myself healthier. Yes, this means losing weight but it's so much more than that. In fact, the scale is moving rather slowly right now although from 5/1 to 5/31 I dropped 4 pounds... not bad. And I lost 4.5 inches that month... well, actually more because I didn't exercise very much at the beginning of the month and acutally increased in my waist but then lost it again. The biggest losses came in my bust and my thighs - woo hoo! Most of you know that I am really involved with Sparkpeople and I have been busy trying to read the articles and just learn from others what works and what doesn't. There are some fanatics on there however, but that is not me. I enjoy food way too much... I am not ready to become a vegitarian nor do all my shopping at Whole Foods. And there is no way I am giving up my Starbucks visits! But I am trying to make cut backs where I can. I use low fat or no fat wherever I can... my milk is skim, my cottage cheese is 1%. I switched to Splenda for sweetening my teas, grapefruits, etc. I use sugar-free wherever I can... my latest SF purchase was syrup for my nutri-grain waffles... K1 asked if sugar free syrup was even possible. But honestly... it's not that bad. So I am still traveling this road...fighting all the time to succeed at it. J comments on my body changes all the time.... how my tummy is becoming less (used to be right out there under the bust, not anymore. The kids comment on it ("Mom, I think you did your stair workout long enough." - this was at the 40 minute mark.) I can feel the difference in my clothes. So I know the changes are happening... I just need to learn to be patient and not give up if the scale stops moving. I am learning that there is more to focus on than just weight.

The New Job...
The job is going well. I am slowly picking up more knowledge on the health insurance business but there is so much to learn. Somedays I feel rather stupid. "Didn't she just tell me that?" However, Cheryl who sits next to me and is lucky enough to answer most of my questions, is really wonderful and patient. I don't know if I would be if the roles were reversed. I really need to learn to trust myself more. But all my life I have hated dealing with our health insurance and have always left it to J... now the jokes on me, as I have to learn it all anyway. But I will say this... damn... you smokers out there... I thought smoking was expensive just with the purchase of cigarettes... now when I work up quotes for smokers vs non-smokers... whoo-ee, I think I would quit just to save the money. Ouch! I never knew that the difference in insurance was that much.

Also with the new job comes the use of the fitness room in our lower level. Technically, I do not get a lunch but I have been going in 1/2 hour earlier in order to take a lunch with some of the ladies from the office. For the most part I do the stationary bike for 15-20 minutes and once in awhile I will jump on the elliptical. But it feels good to get some physical activity during the day. That was one of my worries with switching from a very physical job to a desk job but if I keep going down to the health room, I shouldn't have any problem.

The Kids...
School is almost done for the year... June 12th. I can't wait... thinking that it has to be better than what it's like right now. But then there's that problem of thinking the grass is always greener. Right now, however, I am getting up at 5:15 to get K2 up and going, then K1 gets up at 5:45. They leave at 6:40 and then K3 gets up. I have been trying to do exercises during that time but I swear... my oldest two need more help in the a.m. than the youngest one. K1 is the worst... he has things in the a.m. that he HAS to do (shower, brush teeth and acne control). He will not leave the house unless those 3 things are done. IF that means skipping breakfast or not making a lunch, so be it... he doesn't care. I can't stand seeing him go to school with no breakfast so I usually end up making him something (usually a smoothie or oatmeal). K2 isn't quite as bad but there are certain things for breakfast that she doesn't like making and will usually call on me to help. The littlest, K3, completely gets her clothes out, showers, makes her lunch and usually her own breakfast. I try to help her where I can, usually because I feel so damn guilty. But this is also the time when I get the most exercise in... because there are less interruptions.

Although, one day last week, I was driving K3 to school (I had to be at work earlier) and she said to me, "I am really glad you took this job." I was a little surprised because I didn't think that much had changed for her... she is still doing most of her prep work on her own. But she said that I was awake now in the morning, I never slept on the couch and I was happier in the a.m. too. It made me feel great that she was happy with all of this.

Anyway, I am hoping that with school done next week that the kids will sleep in and let me have my peaceful mornings. I still plan to wake up earlier (just not 5a.m. early) and try to get my exercise in. The kids don't know it yet but they will have a list of jobs to do during the week while I am at work. That's going to go over well... *snickers* But right now, I am exhausted by 10 p.m. and usually in bed not much later. We will see if that changes once school is done.

Reading...
Yes, I know I haven't done a Reading Update for April nor May. I did read in April... maybe I will post the titles. But honestly, in May I barely read. I had two books going, The Sunday List of Dreams (which was actually not bad still haven't finished it) but I kept losing it (one time for 2 weeks!) and The Grapes of Wrath. I picked Grapes because it was a recommendation from a Classics Book Club that I joined at SP. I have not read many (ANY?) classic books and thought this would give me an opportunity to try some. However, that one was just not working for me. I am not sure though if it was the book itself or if I was just so tired by the end of the day that I couldn't concentrate on the deep topic. I finally gave up on it last week. I missed reading! I had to find some books that I could just read for enjoyment. I have two going right now... a YA book called A Certain Slant of Light... a ghost story. And Dates from Hell, an anthology of paranormal romance stories. The last is definitely a mindless, easy, fun read. It moves fast and is perfect for my bedtime reading. The other one I am sticking to during the day when I am more awake (and quite honestly when thinking about ghosts won't freak the hell outta me!).

My Family...
I received a call on my answering machine form my sister telling me how much my phone call meant to my mom ("Who is this?" - Remember that one?). I told her I doubted it and told her about the phone call. She didn't know that's what my mom had said to me. So what my mom is saying to me and telling my sister... who knows... I will try to call my mom once a month. But that's about the best I can promise... I just find it hard dealing with her negativity.

But on a positve note... I have my sister back in my life. Well, not physically anyway seeing as how she now lives in NC. BUT we have talked on the phone 3X since Mother's Day ... and I think that might be 3X more than we talked all last year. She sounds good... she sounds stronger than I have heard her sound in maybe a decade. She isn't preachy to me but suggests or encourages. Not sure if she is still sure that she is right about everything when it comes to her health, we haven't broached that subject. BUT it feels so good to talk to her now... I am hoping that this is something that will continue.

So that's about it... my life lately. I wil try to do better about posting. It just seems like there is never enough hours in the day!

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!!!

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.

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