I Am A Wise Owl...and a Legend in My Own Mind

There are somedays when I think I know everything. These days are fleeting, but alas...sometimes I succumb to my alter OVERego. You can't fight it. You just can't.

So, because I am so smart, I would like to share some thoughts with you. I should preface this with the fact that although I know everything, I am really just a girl from Kansas. I have no medical degree or letters behind my name (except S.A.S.S.Y). What I offer you on this little blog of mind is mostly opinion, or facts as I SEE THEM.

If you choose to listen to me...you are clearly a genius.

If you like me but think I am nuts...no worries...I will still brush your hair at our upcoming slumber parties.

The Working Out Weight Stall

I see some of you, DonutButt and myself included, getting frustrated after we start an increased workout schedule and do not see a reward on the scale. But I must keep reminding myself...and you...that sometimes it takes a little while to see the results. Of course, over the years, I have shared several reasons with you. But I will briefly do so again. Because its genius day in Amytown.

1. Do you remember when Catherine started bootcamp? Like serious, drill sargent, wall climbing bootcamp? The women didnt see the scale move for 6 weeks. And then it started to move. Keep this in mind.
2. I find that when I am lifting and or doing things that make my body sore, that I do not show a move on the scale until I take a few days off. This may be due to DOMS, torn little muscles and water retention.
3. And while this may not apply to all of you, there is SOME truth to the fact that IF you are really replacing your fat with muscle, muscle does take up (I believe the number is 18%) more room than the same amount of fat. That's why they say muscle weighs more.
4. And sometimes...even if you are working out more...if you don't change your diet...the working out can only do so much.

I do so wish that you could all come and workout with Heather and I. I know there are personal trainers that have so many different angles. Some believe in this, some believe in that. Heather's beliefs are very basic. Basic may be the wrong word...but we don't do anything fancy or crazy. Circuit is dumbells and using your body. And what's so amazing...is that it really works! But damn...you do have to stick with it. But it turns out you don't need crazy machines or gimmicky fads...

You just need commitment. And it's hard to find that. And I am lucky in the sense that I do have someone who expects me to be active and to show up. But you know what I have found lately? That just like the band, at some point...we start to adapt and our lives and what we eat or do for exercise actually becomes PART OF US. It's pretty awesome. This morning at 4:45 am...it was me nudging Heather to get out of bed so we could get to the gym to do cardio.

Who would have thought?

OH. And while we are on this subject, I want to tell you...that working out can give you things. Like an ass. Or tighten up places you never thought would tighten. I have "The Workman Ass". It did have shelf, and was always very wide, but there was no bubble to it. But as I increase my lower body strength training...my ass is actually starting to bump out a little.

Perhaps someday I shall be akin to J-Lo or Kim Kardashin.

Food Journaling

Jen and Donut Butt were both talking about some of the struggles related to journaling your food. Jen talked about what are you supposed to do when you only eat 1/16th of your lean cuisine bc it gets stuck. Well...you journal it. Do some math (I need a calculator) and right it down. I had to do this last night as a matter of fact.

One of the other issues with journaling is when you go somewhere that you don't know that calories. This is probably going to happen in real life. But, it shouldn't happen much. Here is my thought process on this topic. If you find yourself regularly going to places that do not share the nutritional information on their food...then you regularly do not know how many calories you are putting into your body. And that might be a problem. But, if you can't avoid it...then you should be choosing things off the menu that you have a pretty good estimate of the calories so you can journal. For example, you should know approximately how many calories are in 4 ounces of grilled chicken breast, a cup of steamed veggies...etc. When I started journaling for this weight loss challenge at work, I decided that I would need to focus on eating only things that I KNEW or could find out the calories. It's tough. But do-able for a little while.

And finally, it was weigh in day for the end of our 2 month of the Biggest Loser challenge. This month I lost 8 pounds. I had to fight for those damn pounds...so I will take everyone of them. We have one more month left, and I hope to lose at least another 7. I think I can do it.

So party on Wayne (party on Garth). I hope this weekend finds you healthy, wealthy, and wise.