All y'all know about the Subway diet. But did you know there is such-a-thing as the Chipotle diet? There is now a new (to me) food-franchise-dieter to rival Subway's Jared. His name is Eric. So far he has lost 100 lbs on the Chipotle diet. I've joked (hoped) about how I wish a doctor would one day tell me that I need to start a taco-nacho-burrito-chocolate-diet or my days would be numbered. Is my wish coming true? Is there such-a-thing as a Chipotle diet that will allow me to lose weight? Because I know of the one that will effectively allow me to gain! It is called eat a chipotle burrito and gain approximately a pound of fat on my belly.
Usually my favorite Chipotle burrito (with chips and guacamole of course) clocks me at 1800 calories. Unless I'm sweating on the StairMill for two hours, that meal is more than what I should eat in one day! So, I'm super skeptical of Eric's diet. Though he may have better portion control than me. He may not start itching and sweating when he walks up to the Chipotle door like I do. If only I could picture a plate full of brussel sprouts and wax beans, then I could truly control my taco, nacho, burrito, chocolate habit. But if you have better self control than me and need an alternative to your Subway/Points/Carb-less/Calorie-lull diet then check out Eric's success.
You make my lips hard just like cherry pits And you can make me hit em high notes like mariah carey hits em' We can share our pie and chips, check out my diet tips, You don't need to eat that burger so lets just rub it round your lips We can food fight cause i'm in the mood tonight. -lyrics from Food Play, Jigsaw
Is this Goodie Mob talking about two of my favorite things: food and loving? Or is it Goodie's Cee-Lo Green (recently affiliated with Gnarls Barkley) or is it some other Dirty South Dungeon Family artist or even George Clinton. No it is the self-proclaimed "Biggest Midget" Lady Sovereign.Like so many good things, I came across Lady Sovereign late and but by way of NPR. And I've added her to my playlist indefinitely.
In finding out more about her, I was a bit confused to hear Lady compared to "Eminem." Why? Because she is white and has talent and can freestyle? Naw. Hell naw. This Lady reminds me of all types of good music. "Lets Be Mates" reminds of Basement Jaxx's Rudy and don't get me on her "Pennies" track. Fire! Spitting hot fire! The track is so accomplished. The beats, the pace, the lyrics has the attitude, the swagger and the artform that makes me want to move! And that is what I need on a playlist that includes 10 minutes on a Versaclimber and 45 minutes on a Stairmill.
On the surface my life is going down the toilet—bills and debt galore, high BMI, gut-lap, emotional eater, apartment-renter, single-nester. Most of it is owed to the fact that I need to get back into the order of things: follow the rules, listen more, be patient, look beyond the obvious.
In kowtowing to the Zen of life, I've begun to do the "right thing" even with my daily diet and exercise routine. Studies prove that weighing yourself consistently and journaling food intake will increase weightloss success. I've been entering in my meals and exercise on Lose It!. I even journal my weekend meals, something I was adamantly and stubbornly against. But for the last three weeks I have seen how much it makes a difference. Recording everything I eat makes me AWARE of what I am putting into my body. I do eat more on the weekends and loaf around the house. But it all balances out since I workout during the work week and usually eat very sensibly. Journaling my weekend meals at least keeps me in check from going hog wild and eating ALL the tacos. So that has been good. Zen good. Following the rules good. But I'm still not down with weighing myself every day or even every week. But definitely not every day.
The scale totally wrecks my morale. And I'm not sure how much I should believe in it. Last Wednesday I got on the scale and I was sure I was down a few pounds. I could feel it. I could see it. But the scale showed no change. My suspicious eyebrow twitched. I got on and off a few times. The numbers went up and down. Then I grabbed an iron and stepped on the scale. All of a sudden I was DOWN 2 lbs? Obviously I need to get a new scale. But if I was not sure about myself and my weightloss I would have felt disappointed by all the work I'd been doing to see no results by the scale. So I can see the value in weighing myself every week or every other week, but I don't think the scale tells the whole truth. The scale is no mirror mirror on the wall.
Do the right thing. Eat right, pay your bills, live according to your means, follow the rules. But most importantly believe in your self. Because everything depends on your perspective. I KNEW I had lost 5 pounds. And I claimed it. Wrote it down in my journal. And guess what? I found a calibrated scale and it showed I lost 5 lbs. Believe it! Claim it! Do it!
My friend told me about a fellow gym member who'd come to their sweaty and cramped gym in Manhattan for the sole purpose of taking a stinky dump and then standing in the middle of the weight room gaze at the tv's. He never actually worked out. Well then again maybe that was his workout. Defecating and watching the latest top news stories. I was reminded of my friend's tale today as I noticed a few odd things going on in my gym.
A few weeks back I wrote about the flappy arm bicycler at my gym. He is still there and his arms still mesmerize me. But the goofballs and oddball sightings have expanded. There is the middle-aged woman who talks on the cell phone for her entire workout routine.
The early 20s-something who wears her Prada sunglasses while cycling on the elliptical. I thought that maybe she was a celebrity. Nope. She just likes wearing expensive shades while sweating.
The spandex leotard man who grunts loudly and suggestively every time he lifts anything, from a 50 lb dumbbell to his towel. It all demands a carnal grunt.
There is me who likes to yell out "Let's have a good workout ladies! Come on! Whew!" every time I enter the ladies locker room, startling the naked soccer moms and angering the flat-iron-haired power execs. It's only a matter of time they get me in the shower and pummel me with bars of soap. Ok, so I really do not do this. But I really want to.
I'm on the hunt for the bizarre, for more of my kind. My gym is huge with three levels and I am sure there will be more strangeness to find. And I'll be glad to document it.
Goodness, my little sister from Cleveland just called. She is in town with her students on a Smithsonian tour. On their way out of town they are stopping off at Golden Corral for dinner. I do not see my sister often. And on my way to see her. But boy am I afraid. Rows of buckets filled with fried, smothered, dipped, greased, breaded, saturated, nuked, hydrogenated, sugared foods vs me, the always-hungry-girl, on my dinner hour. Do I have self-control? Is it too early in my training to be confronted by this assault? I have to see my sister's face and give her a hug. But how long can I stay before I break down and stuff a few 200-calorie-rolls in my mouth or a few pieces of fried chicken. Will I be able to hold out until I drive home for a sensible and calorie controlled meal? Or will I be driving home with a greasy mouth, glazed eyes and guilt in my stomach?
To be continued.....
Update: Saw my sister's beautiful face, got plenty of hugs and kisses and did not eat a thing from GC. Thanking God it was not taco night.
Grownups would tell me that once I became an adult that my childhood and my childish things would be left behind. But with the popularity of Marvel Comic blockbusters and the Spike Jonze movie of Where The Wild Things AreI have been enjoying an extended childhood into my 30s. And though these are not the toys I thought I'd be buying in my 30s, I've found puerile joy at the Kidrobot store. Funny, smart and completely full of imagination, I've been spending my "allowance" on all types of adult-unnecessary collectibles. Check out graffiti writer & DJ Kid Acne's Rollin Stock minis of WTWTA characters. About Kidrobot: "Kidrobot is the world’s premier designer and retailer of limited edition art toys and apparel. Kidrobot merges urban street trends, fashion, and pop art to produce limited edition, collectible toys and apparel. Kidrobot products feature unique collaborations with top international artists with backgrounds as diverse as graffiti, fine art, fashion, industrial design, graphic design, illustration, and music."
I love fat. I do. That's right I said it. I love fat and I'm trying to lose weight. A contradiction right? Not for me. I do know you can eat fat and lose weight. And Infact good fat can help you lose weight. In my search and discovery of good fats, I've become a carnivore for avocados. No not guacamole (which I will eat to no end if you put a bag of chips anywhere near my mouth). But pure naked, green-in-green avocado. I wish society could love women like I love avocados. With it's cellulite dimply skin, plump pear shaped body with a big red heart, I do adore this fruit. Avocados are hefty in calories. Around 350 for a medium size avocado. So I limit my gluttony to the weekends. I take brown rice, sliced almonds, a small bit of toasted sesame oil, spinach and green peas and toss it into a hot wok. I slice open an avocado. Pluck out the seed. Sprinkle bits of shaved, chunky sea salt on top of the open avocado slices. Put it on the side of my brown rice stir fry. My toes curl and I am so happy to be a child of Eve.
I am a creature of routine, but am always eyeballing new ideas. I was happy to see the New York Times ode to the Avocado in it's Health and Fitness section. And there is an elegant Tuna Ceviche or Tartare With Avocado recipe by Martha Rose Schulman. Since I do not exercise on the weekends, I have been debating deleting heavy carbs like rice and breads out of my weekend diet. Schulman's recipe has made up my mind. It's full of protein, fat-bottom avocados and summer greens. Reminiscent of summer and perfect for a lower-calorie meal.
After sweating buckets on the VersaClimber, StairMill and the Row Machine I'm wondering where is my cookie, reward, parade, crown. But really wondering why I have not lost like 1000 lbs. This is ridiculous frame of mind. I know it is unreal to think I will get to my goal after only a few weeks. I am enjoying my workouts and the atmosphere and the feeling of zen and accomplishment after each workout session. Only large amounts of chocolate or a kiss from my crush Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson could compare to the feeling of ease and balance I get from a 90 minute workout. I am, however, plauged with impatience and anxiety from time-to-time. And sometimes it is the trivial things, like this wonderful Karen Millen dress from ASOS, that calms me down and makes me keep on with the workout. I imagine being able to fit wonderfully into this dress conspicuously beautiful for all to admire. Though without an event to attend I'd be parading around the house for only my cats to see. Still, it would be a lovely parade. And this vision keeps me climbing, stepping and rowing.
A couple of weekends ago I went to the theater to see Disney's Earth. It was awesome. Great storytelling and though the reality was softened for the Disney audience, the story was still honest in showing the beauty and brutality of nature. One thing that struck me in the narrative was it's insinuation that humans have escaped natures effects. The struggles to survive, produce, eat and escape predators. I took issue with this. I am far from being an outdoors person and could not survive the wilderness. But let's not forget the concrete jungles, the corporate office cess pools, the economic droughts, and the sinister prevalent selfishness of human nature. It's real out here. Nature prevails on all of us that breath, whether a blade of grass or a bird or a man. We all have to survive the wilderness.
As the audience cringed when the cheetah took down the gazelle, I felt triumph for the predator. I've never had to hunt for food, but I know if I had to I would and I hope I'd be as graceful, exact and deadly as the cheetah.
Next to me in the theater a woman held her head in her hands in most of the chase and kill scenes. I wondered what made her look away. Did she watch the news this way? Hands covering her eyes? For all of Disney's editing and blurring of the realities of life and death, I was most aware of people starving, people fighting, people fleeing, people dying. Watching the lions take down the elephant brought back the verse by Mos Def's "Got": "There's hunger in the street that is hard to defeat Many steal for sport, but more steal to eat Cat's heavy at the weigh-in, and he's playin' for keeps Don't sleep, they'll roll up in your passengers seat There is universal law, whether rich or poor Some say life's a game, to more, life is war So put them egos to the side and get off them head-trips 'Fore some cats pull out them heaters and make you head-less..." - "Got", Mos Def, Black on Both Sides
Found this flickr album via Coudal. And it's full of startling truisms and images. Reminds me of the Jenny Holzer project I had to to do at Portfolio Center.Wonderful if Melissa Kumperminc is still teaching that class...
My pal Be Moore and the AlumniRoundup crew is putting on the RoundUp Rendezvous, South Beach Miami this June 09. In the spirit of hedonism and health Moore is documenting the guys getting fit for the beach. Oh my, oh my... I'm sure Be Moore's YouTube channel if for instruction and motivation but I cannot stop the coveting and drooling. Hot tamales! Reaching for my prayer beads and asking for forgiveness. For those with stronger morals and a real desire to get fit (at any age), stay fit, live longer, eat right and do right check out AlumniRoundUp's Health channel. I applaud ARU for inspiring a diabetes- and obese- prone demographic to eat right and exercise.
I don't know about you, but after watching that Youtube clip I'm about to do some squats and push-ups. And I hate squats and loathe push-ups. But at least I'll have somebody to think about (the guy in the cutoff orange shirt) while feeling the pain. Thank you Be Moore (Wolverine) and the ARU crew! Stay tuned.
HairMyStory was kind enough to post and respond to my hair dilemma and though she did not really answer my question, she did provide some insight. One was about the types of ingredients I should be looking for in hair care products. Now that is some info I can use!
I'm lost in a hair care aisle. Looking at the ingredients and I feel like I'm back in 11th grade chemistry class. Crib notes anybody?! I don't have a clue of what the ingredients mean. And I don't know what matters and what doesn't.
Give me a food nutrition label and I have an idea of what to look for and stay away from: high sodium, hyrdrogenated oils, enriched wheat, etc. But what actually should and should not be in my hair care? Is there such-a-thing as hair junk food? Glycerine, panthenols, corn oil, mineral oils, soybean oil, Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicapratea — a salad of mad-science compounds and vegetable oils, are listed in hair care products, how do I know what is good for my hair. Sometimes I think all the hair care products are pretty bottles filled with all the same clear or white goop.
After 34 years my hair and haircare is still a mystery to me. What denotes a good hair product?
MyHairStory sheds some light: "Good conditioners should have an even amount of protein/vitamins to moisture, in the first two lines of its ingredients list.
Biotin: Thickens strands
Silk Amino Acids: Softens hair gently
Whey/Wheat/Soy Protein: Strengthens
Panthenol: Coats the strands and make them silky and shiny
Keratin: naturally occurring protein in human hair
Sulfur/MSM: Stimulates growth
Good conditioners:
Elucence Moisture Balance
Bumble and Bumble Leave-in (Rinse Out)
Infusium 23
Mane N' Tail Conditioner
Distilled Water and Amla/Coconut/Jojoba Oil
Africa's Best Organics Protein and Vitamin Fortified Scalp Remedy
Cantu Shea Butter Leave-In Conditioner Repair
Giovanni direct Leave-In
QhemetBiologics Olive Cream Conditioner and Detangler or Olive and Honey Hydrating balm"
Its been three weeks since I officially joined a bona-fide health club. And I've discovered two things: I need to figure out what to do with my hair. I sweat so much it looks like I've been swimming the English Channel. The cause of this sweat is about 75 minutes on the StairMill, Row Machine and the Techno Gym Cardio Wave. I've even added in a few minutes of the VersaClimber which is all I can handle (more on that later). Well after about an hour of cardio I'm soaked to the gills. My hair is a flop. And I'm resistant to join the other gym ladies in the daily routine of blow drying and flat ironing. But I cant keep going to work looking like a hot mess. I've asked the LeeAnne over at MyHairStory.com for suggestions.
I need good and new music. I've been enjoying finding new music to exercise to. I love to exercise. Endorphins blasting away, on a natural high, stress relieved and perspective aligned. But exercising in a gym can get monotonous and boring. And what I'm really exercising is my mind. Part of my brain says "Stop, sleep, eat, enjoy yourself. Stop the sweating!" So motivation is the key. And music definitely motivates me. I'm a big house/electronic/dance fan. I've found some new music and always on the lookout for more. Got to keep the iTunes playlist fresh. Here is what I've found so far. Enjoy. And if you have any music exercise ideas to share please do!
Mr. V
Jus Dance ( a nice warm up)
Da Bump
Put Your Drink Down
Kudu (how did I not know this group!?)
Playing House
Playing House (Armand Van Helden remix)
Red Light, Green Light
Hot Lava
Etienne de Crécy:
Someone Like You (and all it's subsequent remixes)
First off, I cannot stand Medea plays, movies, and if my family and friends did not fall in this category then I'd also say I cannot stand Medea fans. On my quest to find a solution for soaked post-workout hair do, I came upon this website "Diary of a mad fat girl." Not only does she have tips for your hair she too is on a weight loss journey.
Been looking for an aerobic/cardio exercise that would work my upper body. Though I spend a lot of time on my lower body, burning calories and working up a sweat, my arm flab and back rolls dont budge. Don't take me wrong. I love having arms and a back and I appreciate that I can feed myself. My back rolls and arm fat prove it! But there has to be balance in not only what I eat but how I exercise. So I need to work out this top half. I started using the row machine today. Which is awesome and fun. But I been eyeballing this thing called the Upper Body Ergometer. It's like a bike, but for your arms instead of your legs. I've read that you dont necessarily or as easily break into a sweat as you would a lower-body machine. But with practice you will burn calories and seriously condition your arms. Hmph. Well we shall see. I'll try it tomorrow!
After a hiatus into self-delusion (and no movement on the scale and realizing I'm starting to resemble a line backer), I joined a gym officially. I immediately took advantage of the StairMill (the gauntlet, the stairs of death, the climb of torture) which will unequivocally give a serious workout and change your body for the better. But I also came upon this thing-a-ma-jig called the TechnoGym Cardio Wave. It's this cardio machine that somewhat simulates skating. It seems rather simple, but it works your thighs and booty like no elliptical, and hits parts of your core and leg muscles that the StairMill does not. Cardio Wave also burns serious calories. But you have to work it. Not just lollygag on it. As my legs are going side to side, I speed up, drop down, take my hands off the rails, use my core as a squat down. What I realized is this machine somewhat simulates my most dreaded exercise. The squat!
The day after working out on the Cardio Wave, I immediately felt the soreness that I get (and avoid) from doing squats. I hate squats. They demand too much of my attention: balance, strength, sweat, endurance, interest. Though squats will give you results. So I am hoping Cardio Wave will give me those same results. Though I know I will ultimately still have to result to sets of squats. Hopefully the Cardio Wave will make me better prepared.
"The Republican National Committee elected Michael Steele as its first African American chairman today in Washington, a decision that came after an excruciating series of ballots that displayed a level of drama rarely seen in national politics." - WashingtonPost
Well, well, well... They are going to play THAT game. Though it did take them mugs 6x before they could do the deed. I'm sure my beloved dearly departed Jesse Helmes is going bonkers.
Sidenote: Is the RNC trying to do a one-up on Blagojevich? Michael Steele man flunked out of Hopkins, failed the Maryland bar exam. Doesn't pay back family loans. And made some suspect arrangements with the RNC during his bid to run for lieutenant governor. Shucks most of that could be me. I'm sure I'd fail the bar (without even trying) and I know owe my little sister and grandma some money. A creditor would not come near me with 60-foot pole. But apparently the RNC would? Oh wait, I'm a girl. They are not ready for that!
The The National Bureau of Economic Research announced today that we are now, officially in a recession. They are absolutely positively sure. Nevermind the thousands out of work, the daily announcements of massive layoffs. No the economists have thrown the bones, smelled the chicken turds, slaughtered the yak. The economists have given us permission to enunciate the word without doubt or fear of censure. Uh-huh.
"We don't need no stinkin' numbers. This time next year the numbers will say that we've been in a depression since December 2008. " -Dogvane (blogger)
This week the US Postal Service announced that it was seriously thinking of ceasing Saturday deliveries. This announcement was followed by Starbuck acquiescing it's pimp-hand grip on the corner coffee shop, closing 300 stores.
With my own re-structuring and hopes for the future (along with the ever genteel bill man calling or writing me to remind me of our on-going relationship), I'm increasingly aware that I have to get close to the ground with how I live, how I save and what I sacrifice. My hunt for a part-time job continues in earnest this weekend. I'm not excited about working on my days off, but I am determined to finance my own shoe, wii, plasma tv, mac laptop and bill bail-out.
Plus now that the postman wont be bringing my netflix on saturdays what else will I have to do?
I got stuck y'all. Naw not the kind of stuck because I hit some kind of calorie weight plateu and I'm not losing anymore. Thought that may be the case. The stuck I was in was being stuck in my bullshit.
I wrote this long-winded post about being disappointed in my failures and my fears of failing again...blah, blah, blah. And I was turned off by the "woe is me" purge. I mean those fears are real and all. But we've all heard it before. BORING! I'm not adding anything new to the game. So yeah I'm fat. It's tough. I've got a lot worries. So what. I got fat arms and legs. But damn I got arms and I got legs! And they work!
I spend all day on the net finding new stuff (mostly stuff other folks have found already) and enjoying my friends and posting links and sharing ideas and that is what I need to be doing here.
I will still kvetch about my weight-loss ups and downs. But that is not all there is to this happyfatskinnygirl!
Look out for recipes, links, fashion-hopes, side-job ideas and more. I'm on a mission!
Sweet canéle in my belly. Picas and pixels gathering by my feet.
Memories from under my bed
Quotes and Dreams
"a bit too old for games. too young to have a spouse. I like to try new things. I just like playing house. although it’s make believe I know what love’s about. don’t need no diamond ring I just like playing house" -kudu, "playing house" "If you want me for your girl, all you have to do is see that your not the boy for me." -blue states, "your girl" Last night my dreams were chased by deviled eggs running on shiny red-painted chicken feet, singing Kanye's "Love Lockdown." I hate deviled eggs. -Friday, January 30
All y'all know about the Subway diet. But did you know there is such-a-thing as the Chipotle diet? There is now a new (to me) food-franchise-dieter to rival Subway's Jared. His name is Eric. So far he has lost 100 lbs on the Chipotle diet.
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