newlyfe’s BodyBlog

Why don’t people listen.  The clerk at the store was asking about my food choices and how things taste and stating she needed to lose weight.  I’m giving her information on things to start and she had blinders on. "I can’t eat breakfast. I eat once a day at about 1 in the afternoon."  You can forget the thought of exercise.  People make blanket statements, like "I need to lose weight."  It’s one thing to say it among the rest of the out of shape people but when ideas are offered, why can’t they hear? The lady next to her was bigger and was eating from a bag of Fritos. (no offense Frito Lay people, that is my favorite chip if I still ate them).  She said she needed to lose weight too.  You think. Maybe I have become a fitness snob. ;0)

Now let me say, I’ve done the rollercoaster on the scale.  But what ever moment I said I need to lose, I absorbed information.  (The down times, I guess I forgot the information.;0()

I now weigh what I did both at 15 and at 34, 168lbs.  At 15, I thought I was fat. (I wasn’t.)  I lost weight down to 135lbs. (5′10", large frame), At 34, I thought I was hot, cardio strong  but just curvy.  Now, I am a new improved 168. I’m getting that upper body V shape, strong arms and shoulders, slimming waist.  I still need work, admittedly.  But I say all this to say I have a very different mindset.  Talk about a lifestyle change.

My beautiful dog, Ciera, is large, 75 lbs, and strong.  She will walk you the first couple of blocks and then stop, frequently, and sniff, not allowing you to go further.  Yeah, we did the puppy training thing 3 years ago when she was a pup.  She was so cute, she was distracted by the passer-bys that wanted to pet her.  As I was much heavier and she grew stronger, it was very difficult to walk her without hurting my legs or throwing a shoulder when she tried to bolt.  Thank goodness, soon after I got her, I bought my home with a very large backyard.  She got her run time in out there and came back in the house.  It’s been 3 years now and I have made attempts to walk her around the block but it was really painful and I quickly give up.

Had to be honest and put the morning’s weight, which is up, on the graph.  What ever we do, we need to be honest with ourselves.  The cool thing is I measure my bicep in the flex and I am up an inch.  Yea!!  And finally moved down a half inch on the waist. One half more inch and I’d have lost 10 inchs on my waist.  So that is my new goal for next month, that half inch.  I have been doing the ab workout but I need to step up my game.     

I was blessed to be able to visit my family, meet new babies, spend time with my mother and sister this holiday season.  I ran 3 of the 4 days there up and down the hills of North Carolina.  I ate a little of everything that was not nailed down and gained 2 pounds.  Back home, so off to the gym I go.  Gotta a gift card for the bookstore, so have to get something from the fitness/nutrition section today while there’s a sale going.  I’m not waiting until the first of the year to hit the grind.  Starting this moment, starting with this first 2 pounds.  I feel good though, little sluggish, but it was a 12 hour drive back.

If you have not made your committment and are waiting for ‘09, start with me today. What about New Years Eve celebration?……Start now.  try new low fat recipes.  We are doing fish for the first time New Years. Start a new tradition.  What the saying?  "How you start the year is how you spend the year."  Clean your home, prep food for the week and put in fridge, and celebrate with a low fat, healthy dinner with an activity that is not food related. Walk, play a sport, discuss goals for the year with your family.  Resolutions were made to be broken.  Set goals and how you are going to get to them.  I’m doing it.

Hey check it out.  I don’t to the "psychic reading" thing.  My sister had some Goddess cards so we played with them.  Playing!  I asked about getting into competition shape this year as I shuffled them.  I was amazed that 2 of the 3 cards I pulled read "purification" for present and "transformation"  for the future.  Purification encouraged clean eating and clearing the body of toxins.   Of course, Transformation speaks to body and spirit change.  For me at 47 years old to change my body so much from what it has been over my adult life encompasses a change in thinking, spirit and body.  It is a life style change and a life committment.  Those older can dig where I am coming from.  Younger folks think it’s just exercise.   I am really making a life change.      

I went to visit the family for Christmas in North Carolina.  My mom had not seen me since ’05, I think. First thing she said was, "My God, you have lost weight!"  I kept up my cardio and training since I’ve been here and for the most part my food is right except Christmas dinner and desserts.  Yes, I said dessert’s’, plural. I’ll keep the training up and on the horizen is that cut diet, starting next week, in fact.  I am enjoying the holiday with every intent of starting ‘09 like a bulldog and dogging the nutritian and diet.  I have family that want to see me compete.  Regardless to the fact that I did not start at an early age, I am proud to start my competing as a Master.  I turned 47 yesterday and I run 2 miles, today, I ran to the gym, worked upper body and ran home.  I have never felt better.  I feel slim, I feel healthy and I shared knowledge with my family.  A whole new year awaits me.  Peace and Merry Christmas to you all.

Traci         

I sew and quilt. Hey, not everyone just works out all day; I’m well rounded ;0).  Anyway, I am noticing that even my hands are thinner.  I know my rings are slipping and I’ve already removed 4 links from my watch and now it’s loose again.  Some things you just don’t even think about when your headed to the gym.  I need to down size my bras a second time.  That ain’t always a god thing  when the boobs deflate but it does mean I’m losing back fat.  By the way my back workouts have been crazy.  I power through them with the trainer.

So let’s talk about yesterday’s leg/butte workout.  Did 4 sets of leg presses, 2 were at 320 lbs,  lunges across the room with 30 lbs.  I love the thing you lean over, lock your feet in and bend over and up tightening the butt. Then a couple other things.  I have strong legs but here is where most of the problem lies….in the thighs.  So many dimples…..so little time.          

I know you’ve had them, one of those days where one too many cheats slip into your life.  It’s been one of those weekends for me.  Oh. I start out good each day, workout, oatmeal or shredded wheat, egg whites. But by lunch it’s hotdog on wheat bun (at least it’s wheat).  Dinner, shells with garlic toast.  Where’s the discipline here?  I ended today by baking high protein and fiber banana nut muffins (apple sauce instead of oil, egg white instead of whole egg).  Whatever….. I ate 2 while they were hot.  They were good though.  Is here enough hours this week to work this garbage off…….      

Got the green light to up my carbs to 4 a day for the rest of the year.  Timing is perfect since Christmas time is here.  Of course, I was cautioned to make them good carbs…..I will…..I’m being set up for depletlon or restrictive diet starting January.  I’m ready, I think.  Better be ready, hah?  Nothing but to do it.

Had our annual working Christmas dinner.  Actually aside from the stuffed mushrooms and Apple something-or-other, I did well with small portions of chicken, shrimp, salmon and a salad.   Thought I’d go over board but I really as not feeling it.

I did take the opportunity, when asked, to share with my peers my intention of competing this Sept 09.  Most of them have no clue what a figure competition is.  So my competing will bring something new on scene for them that they have not experienced.  It’s new to my family as well.  It really helps, when in you are sincere in your intentions to share a bit of what’s going on.  It makes you accountable when someone else has knowledge.  They are looking at you for progress and some are looking for you to share and help them as well.  This is nothing but a positive experience.

Had a back and chest work out yesterday.  I was a beast on the back sets.  I was a cub on the chest though.;0(  Gotta knock’em out.  Find the strength. 

Oh by the way….Christmas time is special to me because I’ll be 47 on the 24th.  This year on my birthday, I am in the best shape I’ve been in since I was 20 and in the military.   Albeit, my boobs and butte were higher at 20, but my biceps are bigger now.

I actually had someone approach me last night and say I’m losing too much weight.  One, he does not know me that well, and two, if he likes big girls, that’s his business but I ain’t one of them.  Funny how you start to make the transformation and every body has an opinion. I guess the fat opinions they kept to themselves when I was a big girl.  ;0).

Well, stated Thermo X yesterday.  It’s a fat burner by Synergenics.  Been walking and working out but my hips are just a smaller version of what they were.  I needed help to drop some of the butte fat.  Bout to hit a second cardio for today and give myself every opportunity.  This morning after work was back/chest and 20 minute eliptical.  This walk in the afternoon, granted is a needed cardio but walking just gets my mind right for the evening ahead.