HooYah Master Chief!

Tomorrow is "B" Day (Boot Camp begins). In an effort to get my mind right, I watched one of my all time favorite movies last night -- G.I. Jane.

One of my favorite scenes of the movie is the first day of training when Master Chief John James Urgayle (played by Viggo Mortenson - arguably one of the sexiest men on the planet) addresses his troops with a poem.

Self Pity 
“I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A [small] bird will drop frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself.” - D.H. Lawrence

Whenever I find myself feeling low I recite this poem in my head. It comes in handy. We all fail. It's what we do after we fail that really counts. But, that's another post for another day. I'm channeling my inner warrior here because tomorrow I am going to battle -- with myself.

Another of my favorite scenes in the movie includes this quote by the Master Chief when he is taunting O'Neil (Demi Moore - arguably one of the sexiest women on the planet. Definitely the hottest woman over 40)

He says, "Pain is your friend.... Your ally.... It will keep you awake in times of emergency... it will tell you when you are seriously injured... it will keep you angry and remind you to finish the job and get the hell home.

But you know the best thing about pain?

Oneill "Noooo.... Sir!"

Master Chief: "It let's you know you're not dead yet!"





I feel that I'm going to need to remember this interaction the most because when I took the "trial boot camp class" a couple of weeks ago, it was three days before I could walk right again. I don't have three days to recover because I have to do this all over again on Wednesday and Friday.

My friend Laurie says that I'm going to hate her for at least a week. But, then I'm going to love her. So, in case she's right, I feel compelled to tell that I think Laurie is a great. And, I appreciate that she never gives up on me. She's been trying to con... I mean convince me to try this class for a year. Now... if you here me calling her the devil or worse after tomorrow, remember I said these nice things.

I am a little apprehensive about the class, but I am most afraid of my inability to sleep. I've been battling insomnia since we had the accident. I've already taken some Advil PM tonight in hopes of getting in bed by 9 and to be asleep by 10. I have to be up and out of the house by 4:30 in order to make my 5:15 am class.

Those of you who have witnessed my morning demeanor know how hard this is going to be for me. If it was easy, everyone would do it right?  One last thing. If you see me sprawled out on the floor or doubled over in pain this week, don't just snicker and walk on by, I'd appreciate it if you'd please help me up.

Ok... I gotta bounce. True Blood it coming on and I have to go to bed early. :)

Cheers!
Margaret

A Thousand Diets and So Little Time

Just for kicks tonight, I googled the word "diet". It yielded 89 pages of results. Estimate 10 results per page and one could safely say that organic search results yield roughly 890 websites . EIGHT HUNDRED AND NINETY.

So, I guess it is true that there are a thousand different ways to lose weight that range from the Ridiculous to the Righteous and from the easy to follow to the I need a PhD to understand this crap. Ultimately, it's a change in lifestyle that brings long term success. But, let's face it, some of us need a program to follow. We don't want to have to "think that hard" about losing weight. Don't we really just want it handed to us on a silver platter?

Alas, if only it was that easy. Most diets that are rooted in sound nutritional science are very similar. It's all in the packaging. The USDA has even gotten on the bandwagon and recently released ChooseMyPlate.gov. So, what does the government have to say about nutrition?

BALANCING CALORIES

- Enjoy your food, but eat less. (DUH)
- Avoid over sized portions

FOODS TO INCREASE
- Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
- Make at least half of your grains whole grains.
- Switch to fat free or Low fat (1%) Milk
 
FOODS TO REDUCE
- Compare foods and then choose those with lower sodium counts.
- Drink water instead of sugary drinks

Still confused? Take a deep breath and hear what all of these gurus, governments and fat whisperers are saying... WE MUST EAT LESS and MOVE MORE! Easy to say and hard as hell to do.

The hubs is following Weight Watchers Points Plus program. He's doing well and after almost three weeks, I've been sticking to a balanced 40/30/30 diet. I've lost 4lbs. He has lost 5 I think. I'm having to calculate the points of everything I cook for him so I might as well just count points right along with him.

Tonight's dinner which included Oven "fried" chicken drumsticks (skinless of course) and Tomato, Mozzarella and Balsmic Salad was a delicious 10 points.

Tomorrow, I'm making a Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie which is 4 points per serving. I'll let you know how it works out. 

Cheers!
Margaret

Exercising that Gratitude Muscle

Eight days ago, I announced my return to the blogosphere and my intent to get my head back into the healthy game. Since then, I've signed up for and paid for a Boot Camp class that begins on Monday and I narrowly escaped death.

Adversity
 

 Last Wednesday night, the hubs and I were on our way to West Virginia for a long weekend of camping with friends. Our plan was to drive halfway and spend the night in Lexington, KY.

About 45 minutes after stopping for dinner, we were heading up the Bluegrass Parkway going about 60 mph when we "think" we blew a tire on our camper. Despite his heroic efforts, T could not get us under control. To make a long story short, the force of the sway flipped the camper and then our truck on its side. We were fortunate enough to literally WALK away from this accident.

Acceptance
It would be easy to succumb to the anger of a totaled camper and a heavily damaged truck. It would be easy to let the aftermath of insurance red tape, the inconvenience of a rental car, and trying to get our camper replaced to get us down. It would be easy to ask "why us?. But, the first step to overcoming adversity is accepting your circumstances and moving forward from there.

While I know this phrase gets a lot of play and is often considered trite, I think it fits here... "it is what it is."
The hardest part of this accident was missing out on a trip that we had been planning for over a year. But, we can't go back in time and change any of it. It was a freak accident and no one was at fault. Instead of reading a blog post written by me, you could be reading an In Memoriam written by someone I left behind. The anecdote of Anger is Gratitude. And, I am grateful to God for a number of things:

• If not for the sheer force of will that my husband used to wrangle our vehicle, we could have flipped at 60 mph instead of 30 mph. Thank God for him and his quick thinking. 
• Thank God for Ford Trucks with side impact airbags. Without them, my right side would be crushed. 
• Thank God for seat belts. Without them, we would have been a grease spot on the interstate. 
• Thank God there weren't many people on the highway at 10 pm and that the 18 Wheeler behind us was able to stop. We merely inconvenienced a few people by closing down the Bluegrass Parkway for a couple of hours instead of injuring or killing someone else who might have crashed into us.
• Thank God for the all Volunteer Fire and EMS Department of Elizabethtown, KY. Their kindness and helpfulness will never be forgotten 
• Most of all Thank God for our friends and family who have helped us recover in ways that we will never be able to fully convey.

The Point
It must be said that we have the best friends on the planet. So many people offered to come and get us while we were stuck in Kentucky. Our neighbors brought us food when we finally got home. And yet another one of our peeps came to help us unload the Uhaul we had to rent to cart the stuff we salvaged from the camper.

We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful extended family. I mean seriously, how many people can say they have friends that would make "flat" versions of you and send pictures all weekend to make sure you still felt included in the trip you were missing.

My heart is full knowing these people are, and will always be, a huge part of our lives. Please note that the adults didn't create the flat versions of the Angells. It was their kids.

I am sick about missing out on this fun filled weekend. But, I know there will be others. This week, we are regrouping and trying to get things back to normal as much as possible. Each day things get a little better than the day before. We've both been pretty sore. But, come Monday at 5:15 am I will be bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to get my ass kicked at Boot Camp. Well... bright eyed and bushy tailed is probably a lie. But, I WILL be there prepared to get my ass kicked. Why? Because I can and because it's what I need.

I choose to be grateful for the gifts that have been bestowed upon me and I choose to be the best "me" I can possibly be.

Cheers!
Margar

BREAKING NEWS - The Angry Princess is Back in Action

I'll spare you the recap of the excuses, as well as the pity party spiral I've been on for the past couple of months and simply say, The Angry Princess is Back -- with a vengeance.

The hubs and I are embarking on a weight loss journey together. 

His method: Weight Watchers - He tracks his food intake on their website

My Method: A balanced diet of 40%Carbs; 30%Fat; 30% protein and 1900 calories per day - I track mine on Fatsecret.com, which is Free!

Note: Interestingly enough, our programs are remarkably similar.

Our first goal is to drop 10% of our body weight. Last week was our first week. He dropped 2.2 lbs and I dropped 2 lbs.

I will admit that I've put back on all but 10 pounds of the original weight that I lost last year. I've spent a lot of time, too much time, being pissed off about this. This is why I'm not going to rehash it here. It's done. In the past. I can't change it. Nuff said.

At the end of the day, It simply comes down to the fact that both the hubs and I are sick of being fat. I guess the difference is that this time, we're in this together. I'll say this. I don't think the hubs is fat. He wants to lose about 40lbs and shape up. He's already well on his way, since he's been exercising for a few months now. You all know my ultimate goal of 100 lbs by now. But, for the sake of manageable goals that I can achieve, I'm focusing on an initial loss of 25lbs.

I am about to embark on a month long, 3 days a week Boot Camp adventure that starts at 5:15 am (yes, you read that right). It's expensive and it's not convenient at all. BUT, it does come with the bonus of a friend being in the class with me, who has lost a remarkable amount of weight in the last year. She looks fantastic and she credits this class and it's trainer for helping her reach her goals. (she's sporting a size 4 these days!!!) 

I need a kick in the pants and real results don't lie so I'm going to give it a try. Also, considering the financial investment, I'm pretty sure that my hubs will be kicking my butt out of bed promptly at 4:30 Monday, Wednesday and Friday because, while he doesn't mind the investment, he will mind if I just waste the money. Accountability people... That's what it's all about.

I don't expect to go from an 18 to a 4 in one month. But, I do expect to see some real results. I tried a "free" class on Saturday and it was great. I loved it... until yesterday... when the mere act of brushing my hair seemed like an impossibility. My friend did warn me that I would hate her at first, but then I would love her. On Saturday when I was flush from my success, I thought she was the greatest thing ever. Yesterday there was no part of me that didn't hate her. Today, I'm teetering somewhere between love and mild disdain. 

So, why take a Boot Camp class across town at 5:15 in the morning that costs at least an arm and part of a leg? 

1. I have seen the results live and in person. Not pictures of someone who claims to have transformed their body as a result of this class. But, a real person who I knew before and after. That's powerful stuff.
2. I'm meeting with the personal trainer conducting the class this afternoon. He wants to know my goals before he will let me join, which I consider the mark of a true professional. 
3. He also made a point of providing me with modifications on Saturday for any of the exercises that I was not "fit or flexible enough" to do. Also, the mark of a true professional. 

Assuming I get past this afternoon's Q&A with Trainer Reggie, I'll begin Boot Camp on June 27th. In the meantime, the hubs and I are circuit training at the YMCA tonight. Stay tuned as our adventure continues.

Cheers!

Margaret