The Tippy Toe Diet

Makeover Monday Redux: Handbag Re-do

2009-11-02T06:26:00.003-06:00

Greetings from New Mexico (again)! I've made the turn east and am headed for home, where I will probably land on Tuesday or Wednesday. Photos have been updated through San Francisco. (linked)

This week's Makeover Monday post is once again revisiting a topic from last year. This revisit is inspired by the sore shoulder I've acquired from carrying around a purse/tote bag crammed with...stuff. I've done so well on keeping an organized handbag, until this trip. Now, it's all a jumble of papers, maps, brochures, and...stuff. Time for a re-do, for sure.

If your handbag (wallet, gym bag, briefcase, etc.) could use a makeover, check out this post (linked) for some handy tips!

I've missed you all so much! My reader is at 623 unread posts, so I know what I'll be doing while I'm catching up laundry. :)

Be well...and have an awesome week!

Makeover Monday Redux: Pucker Up!

2009-10-26T04:11:00.003-05:00

Greetings from the giddy traveler! And profuse apologies for not updating more frequently. This has been a whirlwind couple of weeks with lots of miles and even more smiles. So far I've visited Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. I am living in a state of bliss. Fatigued bliss, but bliss nonetheless.

Some of you may remember one of my earliest posts on this blog on the reasons why I wanted to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle. I'm happy to report that I can check another one off the list:

To travel to San Francisco and ride a bike uphill with my friend

On Saturday, my friend Morgan and I, along with two other dear friends, bicycled across the Golden Gate Bridge and into Sausalito, CA. There aren't enough words to describe how awesome I felt being able to complete that ride. It wasn't always elegant, but I made it!

Morgan has also taken me on bike rides to the Castro District and the Haight-Ashbury area. While she's been careful to avoid the truly horrific hills, there have been some tough spots for this Delta-dwelling gal. I've truly been thankful for all the squats and lunges I did this past summer. :)

As you might expect, I've also been doing LOTS of walking. Six hours one day in Venice, CA, five hours my first day here in San Franciso, and two hours today before our bike ride. I'm so grateful for being fit enough to do it and even more importantly, to enjoy it.

One negative of all this outdoor activity has been some serious chapped lips. First there were the desert winds, and then the beach winds in LA. The strong winds and cool temps on the Golden Gate Bridge certainly didn't help. That's why this Monday's re-visit is a January 2009 post with tips on treating chapped lips (linked). Hope you enjoy it.

I don't know when things will be back to normal here. Thank you for hanging in with me while I indulge myself in this joyous journey!

P.S.
I've updated photos through L.A. I'll update with San Francisco when my computer starts behaving properly.

Makeover Monday Redux: On Sleeping

2009-10-19T03:22:00.006-05:00

Greetings from Las Vegas, where I have just spent five laugh-filled days with a fun and lively group of friends. The calories have been empty,the exercise mostly of the laugh-until-you-pee variety, and the sleep non-existent--pretty much the opposite of my normal life. But as they say, what goes on in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas. Our gathering is officially over, and I'm looking forward to getting back to normal.

As I did last week, I'm "recirculating" a previous Makeover Monday post. To Sleep, Perchance to be Fit focused on the importance of establishing a sleep routine to benefit your sleep routine . Given that I've had 20 hours sleep in 5 days, it seems especially topical. :)

As posted on June 18, 2008:

By now, most of are aware of the studies that show a correlation between getting proper sleep and successful weight loss. I don't know about you, but I took to my bed for a week after I first read about it. Nothing happened. Apparently it works best in conjunction with proper diet and exercise. (There's always #$@&$ fine print, isn't there?)

When I first started reading about this notion of sleep as a weight loss aid (and if you haven't read up on it, click on the link in the previous paragraph—it's interesting!), I decided to add improved sleep habits to my fitness repertoire, at least on weekdays. No more getting started on some writing project at 10:00 p.m., no laundry at 11:00 p.m., no midnight chats with friends—oh wait, I still do that on occasion. (West coast friends, you know…)

It's not as easy as setting an alarm to go to sleep. I can't just stop in the middle of an email, get in bed, and fall asleep within minutes. Unless, of course, I haven't been getting proper amounts of sleep for the previous days, and then I've been known to fall asleep on the way TO the bed.

No, for me it's a transitional thing. My mind and body need time to adjust to the new event. First, we were up and moving around for 16-17 hours, now we're going to be still and horizontal for 7 or 8 hours. I have to go through the routine of shutting down all my systems, so to speak, and getting ready for bed. A bedtime routine does that for me.

I've sought out various tips and tricks over the past months, and I'll share some of them here, just in case they may be helpful to anyone else who needs to improve their sleep habits.

- Take a warm bath just before bedtime. The drop in body temperature may send a message to your brain that sleep is needed. Using aromatherapy products (I like lavender anything!) via bath oils or scented candles will improve the effects. This is also a good time to brush your teeth, moisturize, wonder if you have any clean clothes for the next day, etc. All signals to your mind and body that bedtime is imminent.

- Complete some gentle stretches, breathing exercises, or meditation to calm your mind and body. My favorite is to breathe slowly, counting backward from 60, inhaling on the even numbers and exhaling on the odd numbers. (I 'm usually asleep before I reach 30. *g*)

- Going against some popular weight loss advice, I find that a light snack close to bedtime helps me sleep better. A couple of slices of cold pizza and a short beer
will usually have me snoozing—gotcha! I'm kidding, of course. I usually have a small piece of low-fat cheese or a container of Dannon Light n' Fit yogurt (vanilla, if you were wondering). I think the reason I've made a habit of dairy or soy products as a bedtime snack is that they contain tryptophan which can make you feel quite sleepy. (Think about the glass of warm milk concept.) I don't drink hot tea, but I have it on good authority that a pre-bedtime cuppa is also a wonder worker.

- Avoid activities that stimulate the brain or body just before bedtime: email, computer games, physical exercise, caffeine, horror or action movies, spicy foods, etc. (You'll note the absence of sex on the list of stimulants to avoid. It is, of course, an exception. So go forth and stimulate with glee.)

- Go to bed at the same time every night. This is easier for those of us who don't have kids, I think. And don't care if there are dirty dishes in the sink and/or a load of laundry still to be done.

- If you've done all of these things and sleep still doesn't happen, it's best to get up and go into another room until you're ready to try again. Reading a book or listening to soft music might just help! (I would suggest reading my past blog entries as a sleep inducer, but getting on the computer isn't advisable as a pre-bedtime activity.*g*)

Establishing a bedtime routine that promotes deep, restful sleep isn't accomplished with a snap of the fingers. It takes a little practice. But it's well worth the effort! We'll be more mentally and physically alert, and better able to withstand the temptation to choose the wrong foods or tank the exercise in favor of the sofa.

How do you ensure you're getting proper rest? Do you have a bedtime ritual? Feel free to share….

And back to the present...I've taken few photos of Las Vegas, but I hope to get a few tomorrow. On Tuesday, it's on to Marina Del Rey, CA and then San Francisco later in the week. Photos will follow in the days ahead.

Needless to say, my RSS feeds are a teensy bit backed up. I apologize. I hope you're all doing well, and I'm very much looking forward to catching up with your worlds!
(photo by striatic)
~

Western Tour: The First Four Days

2009-10-14T07:57:00.003-05:00

Four days, 1700 miles, 4 bananas, 4 yogurt parfaits, 3 apples, and 1 chocolate-dipped pretzel later....

You know, I've always been sympathetic to the Native American community, but until now, I never really understood the whole "sacredness of the land" thing. I get it now. The southwestern U.S. is truly a magical, amazing area.

My favorite place so far was Albuquerque's Old Town area. Lots of shops and restaurants, but also a large plaza to sit and people-watch. (It's also the locale of the choco-pretzel mentioned earlier.)

This is another favorite place and also a favorite memory. I actually rode up in this tram, which is something I never would've done before weight loss, for fear that other passengers might get off the car when they saw my size or the tram operators would've said I was too much of a risk. (The things we worry about!) Getting on the tram wasn't easy after weight loss, given the height and the slenderness of the cables holding the thing up, but I was determined to give it a whirl.
The view of Albuquerque was worth it. The sense of accomplishment was, as they say, priceless.

Eating has been in check, but well, let's just say it's also been luxurious. :) Very little "official" exercise, but hours of walking and stair climbing. I did try yesterday, but the tiny hotel fitness center was packed. As I post this, I'm heading to today's hotel fitness center (I have to, it's next to the breakfast area), and then more walking today at Hoover Dam and Las Vegas!

I have a few photos posted here.

Hope you're all having a spectacular week!

Makeover Monday Redux: Heads, We Win!

2009-10-12T10:03:00.003-05:00

Just like the Hollywood set when they take a vacation, I'm airing a re-run this week. I was prompted to do it when my stylist suggested I increase my scalp massage to improve the blood flow to my scalp and improve the hair regrowth necessary after my bout of alopecia. I remembered posting about scalp massage before and figured there's no time like the present to share the info again.

From June 8, 2008: Heads, We Win!

A few weeks ago, our Monday Makeover focused on feet. This week we'll move all the way up to the tippy tops of our heads and pay a little special attention to our scalps.

I don't know about you folks, but my scalp hasn't seen so much sunshine and sweat in years and years. Working up said sweat six days a week means that I'm shampooing and conditioning more than ever. Plus, having lost a significant amount of weight, my hair has "thinned" (my stylist's term), which is not unexpected and not irreversible. Between the exercise and the weight loss, my scalp must be very confused. It deserves a good pampering.

Massage is a good place to start with the scalp TLC. It stimulates blood flow which will help feed the hair follicles. This will help to prevent and fight thinning such as I've experienced and reestablish the natural development of healthy hair. Not to mention that it's very calming and relaxing.

Scalp massage is easy AND you can do it yourself, even while shampooing if you wish:

1. Starting on your forehead, move the pads of your fingers in a
circular motion all along the arteries in the front, side, and back of the head.
2. Take a moment to continue those circular movements along the tendons on
the back of the neck. Ahhhhh.
3. Work your circles back up toward the top of the head.
4. Continue the pattern for about five minutes.

To be most effective, scalp massage should be done twice daily, morning and evening. (Oh goodie, a new habit to build!)

More kindnesses for your scalp:
Avoid using blow dryers too close to your scalp and hair. Too much heat isn't good for either one.

Avoid getting hair products (conditioners, styling gels and sprays) directly on the scalp as this can clog your hair follicles.

As with your skin, avoid over-exposing your hair and scalp to the wind and sun.

After swimming, shampoo your hair as soon as possible to remove any chlorine residue. Chlorine is extremely damaging to the hair and scalp.

Avoid tight hats and caps as they contribute to poor circulation, depriving the hair of proper nutrition.

Speaking of nutrition, avoid "crash and fad" diets. (As if I needed to tell you all that.) Proper nutrition is a key factor for healthy hair and skin.

~

And that's that! Not a lot of work but a pretty nice payoff. Your scalp and your hair will thank you for it.

I hope you all have a healthy, happy week!

~

The Tippy Toe Tour: The Western Edition

2009-10-07T16:29:00.005-05:00

I apologize for my absence here and on your blogs. I'm frantically clicking away on a travel to-do list as I plan my next great adventure: a 30 day road trip out west. I've never had the opportunity to do anything like this before, and I probably shouldn't be doing it now. But I'm doing it anyway.

Here are the definite destinations:
Albuquerque, NM
Santa Fe, NM
Las Vegas, NV
Marina Del Ray, CA
San Francisco, CA

Most of those are sight-seeing stops, but I'll be visiting friends in Las Vegas and San Francisco. Much fun (and chocolate) will be had!

I still haven't finalized the return trip. Probable destinations:
Palm Springs, CA
Tucson, AZ
Las Cruces, NM
Fredericksburg, TX
Austin, TX (Miz, I'll let you know)
and then home.

Should I win a big jackpot in Vegas, any/all plans may change. Given that I have about $30 in my gambling fun, I'm not counting on it.

As you might expect, I'm slightly-to-moderately worried about weight gain. Since I know Las Vegas will be a food-centric experience (two buffets, an Italian restaurant, and homemade toffee on the agenda and those are just the events I know about), my plan is to avoid too much splurging on the trip out and to make sure I get in at least 30 minutes of good exercise every day. That won't be a problem in Santa Fe, Marina Del Rey, and San Francisco, but I'll have to be mindful in the other cities.

I'm going to violate one of my vacation rules, I think, and carry my exercise/food logging notebook with me. Usually, I don't bother logging when I'm on vacation, but with this one covering such a long period of time, I'm going to start out with the log. I do NOT plan to be obsessive about it, though. I'd rather gain 5 pounds--heck, 20 pounds!--than miss fun and meaningful experiences because I was in the room doing push-ups!

If nothing else, this will be a good experiment in moderation and balance. Unless, of course, it descends into some sort of adventure in gluttony and sloth. But I kind of doubt that will happen.

The adventure begins on Saturday! I'll be checking in as time allows and will hopefully have photos to share. (I heard the collective groan.) Consider yourselves warned! :)

Makeover Monday: Use This, Not That

2009-10-05T04:23:00.001-05:00

While my interest in cooking remains in the not to mildly range, I've been collecting tips on how to make home-cooked dishes healthier and to reduce the calories involved, where possible. Most of the general guidelines I've learned are probably common knowledge among you cooking types, and I'll hope you'll share the results of your experiences with us in the comments. I share my notes here, primarily to get them recorded in one central place for my own future experimentation.

Sugar - Many recipes can tolerate a sugar reduction of 1/3 to 1/2. As I understand it, for cookies and cakes and such, you can replace the sugar you're omitting with nonfat dry milk to preserve the richness. Not only would that reduce calories, it would add protein, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, and other vitamins and minerals. Or you could double the amount of vanilla to increase the sweet taste without adding calories. Dried fruits (raisins, dates, or apricots) are also good choices to replace the omitted sugar.

Flour - You can add fiber to recipes by replacing 1/4 to 1/2 of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, oat bran, or ground oatmeal.

Fat - Apparently, many recipes are still quite tasty even if 1/3 of the fat is eliminated. For substitution, an equal amount of applesauce or plain, non-fat yogurt can be used. This will create extra moisture, so any liquids called for may need to be reduced. For flavorful fat substitutions , try substituting pureed prunes, pureed pumpkin, or grated zucchini for the omitted fat. You can also substitute 2 egg whites for 1 whole egg to reduce saturated fat.

Salt - While some recipes (yeast breads, rolls) need salt for texture and taste, other recipes can have the salt omitted or reduced substantially, and replaced with herbs and spices.

Obviously, these are just a few of the basics, and I'm sure there's sometimes a trade-off in taste or consistency. I'm sure there's also a lot of "tinkering" that goes on to find the right combination. I hear this is fun. :)

In cooking, as in life, there are all sorts of exchanges and trades that can be made. Cook's Thesaurus has an impressive list of substitutions. Fabulous Foods has some great suggestions for reducing fat content of recipes. HeartHealthyLiving magazine has an online slide show with good substitutions for common ingredients. And perhaps the most ambitious of all, VegetarianTimes has an awesome list of substitutions for meat ingredients.

With that, I'll pass the microphones to you all. Have you tried any of the substitutions described here? Do you have any other substitutions to share? Altered recipes you think the rest of us need to know about?

I'm looking forward to trying new, healthier recipes this winter. I'll never make "foodie" status, but it should be fun playing around with favorite older recipes. It will be my mission in life to come up with a healthier version of Rotel Cheese Dip. Holiday parties just aren't the same without it. :)

WINNERS - DVD & Book Giveaway

2009-10-02T07:52:00.003-05:00

Network woes this a.m., but with luck this will get through...

The random number generator has spoken and we have our two winners:

For the Just My Size Yoga DVD*, the winner is Nartzit,

For Megan Garcia's book, MegaYoga*, the winner is Hanlie!

Thank you both for entering, and if you'll email me (cammysaid[at]gmail[dot]com) with your shipping particulars, I'll get your packages out ASAP.

Thanks to all who played!

In the Beginning (Giveaway Post)

2009-09-30T17:50:00.007-05:00

(Disclosure: Contains a couple of my shiny new Amazon Associate links. Yeppers, I'm an Amazonian now. I figured I linked there all the time anyway, I might as well try to earn a couple of dollars a year. But no pressure on you guys. I've read your blogs and know that most of you are as broke as I am. I'm just hoping some millionaire on a shopping spree stops by here. Okay, enough yammering--on to the post!)

I'm in a nostalgic mood today. Maybe it's because of this week's Makeover Monday topic (for those of you who skipped a day or are perhaps having a senior moment, it was about taking the first step), or maybe it's because I'm approaching the one-year mark at goal weight. Or maybe I'm just bored.

Anyway, I was remembering back to my first steps at getting on the exercise bandwagon. These were definitely tippy-toe steps. I started by walking on the treadmill 20-30 minutes (and quite slowly, I might add) several times per week. And that was it.

I did that for a while, and then I stopped. Started again and stopped. And then again. The clue bus finally stopped in front of me, and I realized I was bored. I needed something extra.

Enter yoga. A dear friend had completely transformed her life (body, mind, and career) with yoga and was living proof that it did indeed improve flexibility, increase strength, and reduce stress. I decided to give it a try and ordered a couple of DVDs via Netflix.

FAIL. Falle. Versagen Sie. 失敗します échouer.

No matter which language you use, it wasn't good. (Although it doesn't seem so bad in Japanese.)

The problem was that the DVD instructors kept telling me to do things my body just couldn't do. It wasn't a matter of flexibility; the problem was my size. A girl with 100 extra pounds mostly around her midsection doesn't go easily into child's pose.

Frustrated, I gave up on yoga. Soon after, I quit walking too. Woe, woe is me.

I'm not sure where I heard about Megan Garcia and the Just My Size Yoga DVD*, but I'll forever be grateful for finding it. This DVD is made for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. The moves have been modified to allow room for our extra bits. And if the moves are still troublesome, there's a whole segment devoted to even more alternate methods.

But it's not just the modified poses that made this DVD so precious to me. The fact that the teacher is the aforementioned Megan Garcia, a plus-sized model who is completely, serenely, comfortable in her body, made me want to practice for the right reasons. Not to "be skinny", but to feel truly good about myself and what I was doing. I was on my way!

Later, I found MegaYoga*, Megan Garcia's book, which presents many more yoga poses with modifications for "curvy women." This is my yoga bible. The pictures and text combine to make the moves easily understandable and executable. Well, most of them. There's this pose called Eagle that I'm about to wave the white flag on. For now, anyway.

To commemorate and celebrate my first steps toward fitness (over two years ago now!), we have two giveaway opportunities: a copy of the DVD or a copy of the book. You may enter for one or the other, or both. Just let know in the comments if you're interested. Sharing any yoga tips you might have will gain you extra appreciation, but will not increase your chances of winning.

Anyone on the planet may enter, as long as you have a shipping address. I'll mention that the DVD is region 1 format, which is normally US or Canada. If you have a region free DVD player and live somewhere other than the US or Canada, feel free to throw your name into the hat for the DVD as well.

Drawings will be Friday, October 2, at 6 a.m. (central U.S.)

*I've included my spiffy new Amazon associate links here, but the DVD price appears to have doubled since I bought this one several months ago. I suppose that's because they're in such short supply. Netflix and Blockbuster both have copies for rent. Your local library might also be a good resource. If you asked me nicely, I might even loan you my copy. :)

Makeover Monday: The Longest Stride

2009-09-28T08:17:00.000-05:00

I'm in a strange-but-neat place these days. Having lost my excess weight and my job in such a relatively short time span has left me wide open for chasing new adventures. I'm feeling bold and confident and excited...and scared "spit-less", as we say in polite company. I'm learning new things every day, about myself and the world around me. Now, poised for flight, I'm faced with a simple and inescapable truth: Beginnings are hard. So hard that it sometimes seems preferable to stick right where you are. Taking the first step toward any goal or dream is exciting, but it can also cause feelings of fear, uncertainty, and/or dread, among others. Or maybe it's just me.

"The first step you take is the longest stride."
Nickelback, If Today Was Your Last Day

So how do we get ourselves to the point of taking that first step, not with a sense of doom or dread, but with a sense of excitement and anticipation?

1. Identify clearly the goal/dream you are pursuing. Although he gets on my last nerve much of the time, Dr. Phil got it right when he advised, "You have to name it to claim it." (Life Strategies, 1999) Know exactly what it is you want, this object of your desire. Visualize it. Write it down. Be as specific as possible.

2. Breathe it. Quality management guru Peter F. Drucker said, "Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans." If we don't fully commit ourselves to a thing, we'll do it when it's convenient or easy or the third Tuesday of every other month.

3. Define small steps. C'mon, you knew I was going to work this in here somewhere, especially when it fits so beautifully! Many of us know that we're more likely to get to the top of the mountain via a series of small stepping stones, as opposed to trying to climb over a boulder.

4. Expect difficulties. Be prepared for roadblocks and obstacles, many of which you will create for yourself. Knowing how to harness your strengths and overcome your weaknesses will help see you through the rough spots.

5. Take the first step. You're ready for it!

It doesn't matter whether your goal is to become more fit, write a book, start a business, remodel your house (these all sound very familiar to me), or {insert your goal here}, taking some time to define the goal, commit to it, identify stepping stones to achieve it, and anticipate the roadblocks before you take the first step, will help you get off to a strong start!

As always, your thoughts, comments, and ideas are welcome!

Eat at Cammy's

2009-09-25T15:49:00.003-05:00

photo credit kevygee

If I keep up this cooking thing, someday I'm going to have my own neon sign.

Having now perfected my barbecued chicken marinade, I have moved on to coleslaw. Here's my current (and favorite) recipe:
3 c colelsaw mix (or make your own with shredded cabbage and a carrot--I go the easy route)
2 tbsp Miracle Whip Light
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 packet Splenda (a matter of taste--you can omit or use another sweetener)
black pepper, to taste

It's a highly efficient dump-and-stir recipe, as you can see. Basically, you mix the non-vegetable ingredients together, pour that over the coleslaw mix, and stir. I usually let it "rest" for a 20-30 minutes so that all the flavors have a chance to meld together.

The entire recipe has about 120 calories, which means a 1-cup serving is about 40 calories. Good fiber, good calcium, great vitamin C (a little over 40% of the recommended daily amount)!

Pair this coleslaw with barbecued chicken and fresh sliced tomatoes for a yummy and light supper.

I'll be trying this dressing with broccoli slaw soon. I'm also going to try it with fresh apple chopped into it. Sounds yummy!

Ammunition for the Weekend

So many of us struggle with weekend eating, and one slip can sometimes send us into full-out FAIL mode. This quote reminds me that it doesn't have to be that way:

"You don't drown by falling into water. You only drown if you stay there."
(Zig Ziglar)

I don't know about you, but when I'm facing temptations this weekend (and they're always out there!), I'm going to swim for all I'm worth! I may take on a little water, but as long as I keep my eyes on the shoreline, I'll eventually reach dry land.

Happy Weekend to all!

Pond's Gift Pack Winner

2009-09-25T07:50:00.003-05:00

And the winner of the Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes gift pack giveaway is:

Wishing on a Star!!!

Congratulations, you got your wish! :) Just email me (see my sidebar for the address) your shipping info and I'll forward it to the kind folks at Pond's.

Thanks to everyone for playing! Come back next week for TWO chances to win! :)

Fun and Frugality (A Giveaway Post)

2009-09-22T21:45:00.005-05:00

(Disclosures: No affiliation$ with any products or vendors linked within this post)

In addition to being on a time budget these days, I'm watching my wallet a little more closely, too. Who isn't? And will you adopt me?

One of the fun ways I've found to save money is entering contests and sweepstakes. I rarely win anything, but I do have fun trying. Here are a couple of contests for your consideration:

We're not traveling far for the first one. It's right here! You may remember a post from last week in which I mentioned trying out the Pond's Wet Cleansing Towelettes and pointed you to a $1.50 coupon. Well, the Pond's folks thought that was nice and have offered to gift one lucky U.S. or Canadian reader a pretty little gift pack consisting of a Nantucket Cosmetic Bag, water bottle, and a gym towel, as well as a package of Pond’s Towelettes to try. (I confess to being the teensiest, tiniest bit jealous over this giveaway.) Contest details are at the bottom of this post!

MyLifetime let me know that they're giving away Leslie Sansone's "Walk at Home" DVD sets to 20 of their lucky readers. The two-DVD set includes "The Big Burn: 2 Miles of Intervals" and "Walk Your Belly Flat: 3 Mile Walk" and normally retails for $30. All you have to do to enter is follow the "Walk at Home" link above and leave a comment on their post.

Want to hunt down your own contests? Two sites you might want to check out are Prizey (very Mom-centered) and Sweepstakes Advantage.

Another potentially fun path I'm considering in my frugality quest is joining eCoupons.com Grocery Coupon Trading Club. Apparently all you have to do is register, then send in your unused (but not expired) grocery coupons for credits, which you then use to "shop" for coupons you can actually use. I love using coupons, but since I started eating healthier and using fewer commercial cleaning products, there aren't that many coupons that are useful to me. eCoupons has several coupons currently available that would save me $7.00 on products I already use! All for the cost of two stamps and a few minutes clipping coupons to trade in!

Please do jump in to share any fun money-saving sites you're using!

Pond's Gift Pack Giveaway Details:
Just let me know in the comments if you'd like to enter! Contest is open until Thursday (Sept 24, midnight, central U.S.) I'll do the usual name draw for a lucky winner. Unfortunately, this one is limited to U.S. and Canadian residents. (Next week for the wide open giveaway, I promise!)

Makeover Monday: Back Away from the Computer

2009-09-21T10:30:00.003-05:00

I've been spending less time online these days. That has both a downside and an upside. Down, in that I don't get to read as many blogs as I'd like or participate in some of my writers' discussion groups, but the upside is that I'm getting lots of other things done, some that are long overdue and others that are new explorations.

Consciously deciding to spend less time online isn't a simple matter of Just Do It. Or Just Don't Do It, in this case. Face it, blogging and tweeting and surfing are fun! I have no intentions of eliminating the blogging interaction. That would be like giving up cake! And probably more difficult. I love interacting in my various communities and exploring new ones. I get most of my daily news from online sources and enjoy researching the most interesting stories. And don't get me started on how much I enjoy online window shopping. :) Still, while I enjoy all of those things immensely, I can't put LIFE on hold while I play or procrastinate.

Okay, so getting from there to here is still a work in progress, but I'll share what's working so far. Just in case you might be concerned about the amount of time you spend online! :)

Tippy Toe Tools for Managing Online Time

1. Plan how much time you will spend online each day based on the items on your To-Do list that need to get done. (I use the MIT method, as described and credited in an earlier Makeover Monday post.) For example: Keeping up with email is important to me, so I allot 30 minutes each day for it in three 10-minute segments spread throughout the day. Most days, that's enough to handle the critical items. Some days I even have time for checking out some of the fun stuff, too. :)
2. Make a separate list of the things you want to do online each day and prioritize it. As tasks are crossed off the MIT list, reward yourself with a few minutes spent on the first item on the "want" list. For me, that's almost always reading other people's blogs.
3. Use a stopwatch or timer to monitor the amount of time you're spending online. I use the timer on my iPhone, which has an audible alarm when time runs out. A kitchen timer works just as well. Tip: leave the alarm across the room to avoid the shut-off-alarm-and-keep-right-on-surfing risk. I lied to myself one too many times with the "just two more minutes" promise.
4. Use physical deterrents to avoid plopping down at the computer "for just a second or two" as you pass it. (Big problem for yours truly.) If I'm working around the house, I shut the office door as a reminder that I have other things to do right then. If I'm working on the computer in Word or Excel, I shut down my Firefox connection. When I come across something that requires a quick look-up or verification, I mark it as "Look-up later" and keep right on going with the project at hand.
5. Reward yourself for your successes. Set aside a block of time for unlimited surfing and playing. Grant yourself credits for "free" iTunes downloads. Go for some TCBY peanut butter frozen yogurt. I'm sure you'll think of something. :)

I'm super envious of those who can take care of all their to-do's AND still have time for blogging, Tweeting, and general surfing pleasures. I tried, but I've come to the conclusion that that's a talent I just don't have. The good news is that I am perfectly okay that way. :)

Am I the only one with online time management problems? No? Yes? Any tips or tricks you have for managing your online time will be appreciated.

For now, my break time is over, and I'm off to test paint the bathroom vanity. I'll be reading your blogs while I wait for the paint to dry. :)

Winner: 101 Things to Do Before You Diet

2009-09-19T05:32:00.002-05:00

The winner of 101 Things to Do Before You Diet, available through Amazon (or Amazon.ca or Amazon.uk):

Wendy! from Wendy's 23 Things on a Stick! Woo-hoo, Wendy! Just send me your mailing info (my email is ttdinbox[at]gmail[dot]com), and I'll forward it to the Rodale Books contact.

Thanks to all for playing, and stay tuned for another giveaway next Tuesday. That's the day after the much more important and influential Makeover Monday. :)

Have a great weekend!

Book Review: 101 Things to Do Before You Diet by Mimi Spencer

2009-09-16T22:15:00.005-05:00

(Disclosures: I received no compensation for this post, other than a copy of the book for review. Also, while I'm including links to the book on Amazon, I am not an Amazon affiliate. That may change in the near future, but I'll be sure to let you know if/when it does.)

I'm not much for "diet" books, so when Rodale Books offered me the opportunity to review 101 Things to Do Before You Diet by Mimi Spencer, I almost politely declined. It was the subtitle that intrigued me: Because Looking Great Isn't Just About Losing Weight. Ain't that the truth!

As it turns out, this isn't a "diet" book at all. Author Mimi Spencer, a U.K.-based fashion & beauty journalist, offers a collection of small changes {pause for TippyToe Tingle!} the reader can make to feel better about herself at her current weight. These include not only suggested changes to menu and movement, but also tips and tricks for dressing to flatter the body, no matter it's shape or size. To round things out, there are also several tips on changing mindset and outlook. (Tip #4: "Stop Worshipping Thin and Love the Skin You're In"--one of my favorites.)

Many of the tips are things most of us already know. It's just that we sometimes don't do them very well and need reminding. Ms. Spencer's writing style lends itself to that. She's not a medical professional nor a psychologist, and she doesn't pretend to be. Her voice is much more Auntie Mame than Dr. Oz, if you know what I mean.

I did find a few quibbles here and there (with 101 things, I was bound to), but overall I enjoyed the book, so much so that I'll forgive the careless "muscle weighs more than fat" advice and tip #68: "Wear Heels. Always" (these tippy toes don't do heels, not for more than an hour).

With a nutritional focus on eating mostly fresh, whole foods in proper portions and an internal focus on loving who we are as we are, there's more than enough to keep me happy and returning for reference.

101 Things to Do Before You Diet is available through Amazon (or Amazon.ca or Amazon.uk).

One of you won't have to bother with Amazon at all, because Rodale has offered to ship one of you your very own copy of the book! Just let me know in the comments if you're interested. Yes, lurkers, that includes you!

I'll draw for the winner at midnight Friday, Sept. 18th (or early, early Saturday if I fall asleep.) Times are US Central. Unfortunately this is a USA/Canada only opportunity, but don't worry, international peeps, I've got you covered in a different giveaway week after next!

~

And Now, A Word from Our Sponsors

2009-09-15T21:52:00.003-05:00

Okay, so they're not really sponsors, but these companies did send me some samples to try. I just thought having "sponsors" sounded kind of lofty. Rest assured, no $$$ exchanged hands. Not even an offer of $$$ (not even $).

Going in order of receipt...

Pond's Towelettes - PR-rep Katie sent me a package of Pond's Wet Cleaning Towelettes (Original Clean formula), specifically recommending them as a post-workout cleanser. (Katie is smart that way. That, or she's seen me after a workout!) Well, not only did I find these towelettes to be good cleansers, they're also soothing to my over-heated, post-workout skin. They even remove the sweatyraccoon-eye traces of my so-called waterproof mascara! (Yes, I wear mascara to the gym. Get over it! I also wear deodorant, but I don't hear anyone snickering over that!)

Follow the Pond's link above for more info...and a coupon for $1.50 off! (I couldn't get the coupon to print, but you may have better luck.)

SunButter Sunflower Seed Spread - The SunButter team sent me a sample of their tasty sunflower seed spread, which I found to be quite tasty and a nice occasional alternative for my beloved peanut butter. I've only had it on its own, so far, but I'll be doing the true test--sunbutter and banana sandwich--soon! Click on the SunButter link above to learn more about this product.

When Danielle at True North Snacks offered to send me some snacks to try, I jumped at the opportunity. (Read: camped out at mailbox for a week, waiting for them to arrive.) I'd seen the products in the store, but since I don't usually buy any packaged snacks, I hadn't taken the plunge. Danielle surprised me by NOT sending sample sizes, but three regular-size snack bags! (I'm still not sure whether to be grateful or upset. :)) Specifically I received the new flavors Apple Cinnamon Nut Clusters, Citrus Burst Nut Clusters, and Almond Cranberry Crisps.

Folks, these are good. Dangerously good. So good I had to hide them from myself in the appliance pantry (second shelf, behind the airpopper) to avoid going overboard. I even rationed out the tasting process over a period of a couple of weeks. (I deserve a freaking medal for that alone.)

This is processed food, but the ingredients are real food, with almonds listed first on the products I tried. One ingredient earning a caution: sugar. I can definitely taste the sweetness, but it doesn't send that lovely little zing! rushing through my body like a Little Debbie Swiss Roll. :) According to the label there are 5g or 6g of sugar per serving, depending on the product. By comparison, a Little Debbie Swiss Roll has 25+g of sugar per serving. That's enough of a difference that if I'm longing for a sweet-n-crunchy splurge snack, this is definitely a product I'll consider in the future...in small quantities. If sugary or sweet foods are negative triggers that send you off the nutritional deep end, you might think twice before purchasing.

If you're interested in trying these snacks, click on the True North link above to go to their product page, where you will find a $1 off coupon.

With that, I think I'm caught up on product samples. (Quick reminder to the Smart Car people that I'm up for reviewing your cute little auto on my cross-country trip next month! Or any other auto with new brakes I didn't have to pay for!)

Tomorrow I'll be back with a review of a fun new book and a giveaway of said fun new book. You'll have to come back if you want the nitty gritty.

Hope you're all having as wonderful a week as I am!

~

Makeover Monday: Fear-fightin' Tool Kit

2009-09-14T11:42:00.000-05:00

Fear has had too strong a role in my life for far too long. The fears change as life changes, but it seems there's always something out there causing me to be feel some degree of fear. I'm working on it, day by day, and in the past couple of years, I've made pretty good progress.

One thing I'm not afraid of is...being afraid. Fear isn't always a bad thing. It can keep us out of trouble and maybe even save our lives. The trick is to distinguish those fears that are reality-based from those that exist mostly in our imaginations. For example, my fear of jumping out of an airplane with (or without) a parachute is probably a good kind of fear to have. This kind of fear would dictate that I spend a bit of time learning how to safely jump out of a plane, and then even more time carefully inspecting the parachute.

Being afraid to join a gym for fear that I might look silly is not particularly useful or reality-based. It exists in my imagination only. In a risk-benefit equation, the benefit is clear, and the risks can be overcome. Here are a few pieces of ammunition:

Fear-fightin' Tool Kit
1) Acknowledge your fear. Admitting you're afraid is nothing to be ashamed of; in fact, the opposite is true. Examining your thoughts and actions (or lack thereof) and identifying those that are fear-driven is a very brave thing to do. You should feel proud!

2) Talk about it. Giving voice to your fear is a great first step to exerting control over it. Talk it out with a friend or family member, or seek out the assistance of someone you know has overcome your particular fear.

3) Write it down. Whether it's on paper or in a blog post, sometimes it helps to see something in print. We notice patterns in thought that we hadn't seen before. Or even better, the act of writing unleashes some lurking thought we didn't know was there.

4) Take small steps. Y'all know I'm all about the small steps! They ease us through difficult transitions and help us build a platform of successes.

5) Get creative. There's no textbook plan for overcoming fear. That's good news, because it leaves the solutions entirely up to us. We can set our own schedules and determine our own timetables. And we can adjust as necessary. We can build our own plans, or adopt someone else's. One of the fear-fighting tips I've found most useful is one recommended by the illustrious Martha Beck, who asks clients to name their fears (their "inner lizards", she calls them, referring to the reptilian basis of our fears) and to even go so far as to get a physical object representing the lizard. (I think the theory is that it always helps to put a face with a name.) Anyway, I loved the idea, and it is with great pleasure that I introduce you to Lulu, my lizard, from her perch on my computer monitor:

Whatever you do, do NOT tell her she's not really a lizard or that's she's not particularly frightening. The fact is that she was in a dollar bin at Target, and she looked kind of cute. I also liked the fact that she's a dinosaur, because I want to send some of the fears that hold me back into extinction. (But not Lulu. She's with me for the long haul.)

6) Accept imperfection. We don't have to get it 100% right 100% of the time. Good thing, too, because that's impossible. We are not perfect beings. In fact, the beauty of any transformation is in the process--learning from mistakes, building on successes, experiencing the joy of self-discovery. One of my favorite quotes (source unknown) advises,

"Never be afraid to try something new. Remember: amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic."

Whatever you do, don't let a fear of failure stop you from following your dreams. These people didn't:

Using one or more of these tools to fight your fears may be just the boost you need to move forward. It's my greatest wish for you...and for me!

Happy Monday to all!

Cooking Up a Storm with Cammy

2009-09-11T09:29:00.003-05:00

We've been having daily thunderstorms lately, and I've decided it might be my fault. I cooked twice this week, which may have confused the Universe.

My all new favorite chicken marinade is a combination of frozen pineapple orange juice concentrate and barbecue sauce. I scoop a couple tablespoons of the concentrate into a bowl and let it thaw. Then I stir in an equal barbecue sauce. (I'm using commercial sauce, since I have it on hand, but there are loads of recipes out there for DIY.) I marinate the chicken in the fridge for a short time and then toss it in the slow cooker overnight. Voila! Dinner for the next two days is ready before I even have my breakfast.

Tonight I'm pairing my chicken with Tomato-Cucumber Salad (I'll be adding black olives) using these tomatoes:

Guess where I got them? From my backyard, that's where! Yep, I grew these with my very own well-manicured hands.

Tomorrow night I'm trying Wild Rice Salad with Orange Vinaigrette. A Minnesota friend gifted me with local-to-her wild rice, and I'm eager to try it. Why do I have visions of me picking rice off my ceiling?

My new favorite snack/mini-meal on workout days is homemade pizza, using Orowheat/Arnold Sandwich Thins (no affiliation), tomato sauce, mozzarella, black olives, and turkey pepperoni. I can get a little over 15g of protein from this "snack", which is paying off energy-wise.

As you can see, I don't do complicated cooking. I'll save that for you masters of cookery. For me, this is enough.

And that's enough from me this week! I'm off for my walk and then to get flu shot #1. After that, who knows what I'll get up to. I've already finished my to-do list for today, so I might go exploring.

Any special plans for you this weekend?

I'm Shining, Are YOU Shining?

2009-09-09T09:24:00.007-05:00

It will come as no surprise to anyone that I don't know many Bible verses. I'm not opposed to the Bible; I just haven't committed much of it to memory.

I do know a few verses, though, and one in particular came to mind recently:

A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:14

I remember this one because I first read it around the time a co-worker began discussing her newfound religious fervor. "D" willingness to share her joyous conversion with us knew no bounds. In fact, the only time she wasn't talking about it (and trying to convert the heathen among us) was when she was dishing gossip about someone else or sneaking off to shop on company time. When I saw first saw the verse above, I remember thinking, D, if you'd just hush and let your self-described light shine from within, you'd make your conversion much more attractive and desirable.

In losing 100 pounds, I'm afraid I may have gone the "D" way. Erasing old habits and replacing them with better ones has been exciting, especially since many of the changes were made with a little tweak here and tiny shift there. I was eager to share my joy with everyone I knew!

Maybe a tad too eager. Someone recently told me she didn't want to go to lunch with me because she didn't want me to see what she ate for lunch. (Ouch!) I assured her that I couldn't care less what she ate, but that I did care that she enjoyed it. And then to bridge the awkward gap, I told her I wouldn't go to lunch with her if she was the last person on Earth. She laughed, I laughed, and we're meeting for lunch next week.

I can't recall criticizing anybody's food choices or lack of exercise, and if I did I'm truly sorry. I'm the last person on the planet with any right to be judgmental about these topics. I never meant to come across like a religious extremist or an Amway salesman.

But maybe that's not the case. I honestly don't think I've been proselytizing too much. I dunno, maybe I'm conveniently forgetting a few dozen conversations. Something I've definitely noticed is that people volunteer what they've been eating or how they've been exercising. I never even bring it up. I ran into a co-worker last week and the first thing she said to me after hello was, "I'm still climbing the stairs!" (See this link for relevance.)

See? She brought it up! (And I'm glad she did and thrilled she's still climbing! She was reluctant to try it.)

So I'm used to friends and such offering their successes. I was bumfuzzled for a few seconds yesterday, though, when the young clerk at Office Max blurted out, with great enthusiasm, "I biked this morning!"

At first I wasn't sure he was talking to me, but there was no one else around. "Oh yeah? Where did you ride?" Brilliant conversationalist, me.

He went on to tell me the route in his neighborhood and how he chose to go up some "bad ass hills." I noticed as he talked, his eyes drifted to my chest a couple of times. Losing 100 pounds has resulted in that area not getting much attention these days, so I glanced down to make sure nothing was showing that shouldn't be.

Turns out I was wearing my "What Have You Done Today?" t-shirt, which has a bunch of forms of exercise printed on it. Biking was one of the choices. Duh. Still, he was proud and I was proud for his accomplishment. We talked about biking a few minutes more and I left.

Later yesterday, after I had walked to the gym (twice, which is a story for another day), I walked over to Subway for my post-workout snack. As I was leaving, a man said, "Great workout today!" I recognized him vaguely as having been at the gym while I was there. (I had one of those "being where my butt is" days and was totally focused on my workout.) He went on to compliment my push-ups and my attitude during my workout. I was deliciously embarrassed but thrilled, as you can imagine. We talked about workouts for a few minutes, and I walked home.

So, you see, even people I never met bring up this healthier living thing without my asking. It can't just be me over-talking it. Not all the time, anyway.

It makes me think that there might be something to this city on a hill thing. Maybe if you do the things you need to be doing and you do them with the right attitude, the satisfaction and the pleasure will shine from within you and serve as their own form of attraction.

Oooh, that reminds me of that old Sunday School song (since I got away with the Bible verse already): This little light of mine, I'm going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Okay, so maybe the writer intended something else, but it works here as well. Our efforts and our attitudes will make people want what we have, and maybe--just maybe--that will inspire them to find their own light!

Now all we need are some pamphlets to put under people's windshields at the supermarket and we'll be set! :)

Thus endeth today's sermon. I can't find the collection plate, but we will resume passing it next week.

Go in peace. And good health.

~

Makeover Monday: Don't Believe Everything You Think

2009-09-07T02:19:00.005-05:00

One of the greatest compliments I receive isn't related to my new weight or size at all. It has more to do with my attitude, which is largely positive and hopeful these days. Not that it's always been that way, nor is it always that way now. But I've come a long way in learning how to manage my thoughts in a positive way.

The first problem with thoughts is that it's so easy to have them. In fact, it's damn near impossible NOT to have them. Have you ever tried that? NOT thinking? I can't do it, even with meditation. Or even medication. But I digress.

The second problem with thoughts is that we frequently accept them as gospel and then let them become our reality. That old self-fulfilling prophecy at work, which is too bad because many times our thoughts are simply automatic reactions in the face of fear or challenge or change--any situation to which we're conditioned to shy away from. In and of themselves, these thoughts aren't much of a problem, other than a waste of time, but if we accept them as truth and let them direct our future, then our thoughts are controlling us and prescribing our destiny. And that's not what we want, is it?

In in his book Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD, author Daniel G. Amen, MD describes some of the reasons we can't always believe what we think. He calls these thoughts ANTS, Automatic Negative Thoughts, and likens them to ants on a picnic. One isn't a problem, two is merely an irritant, but many more than that and your picnic is ruined.

I'm listing Dr. Amen's ANTS below, with his words in bold (red text reflects the dreaded red ants, the worst ants of all!) My weight-centric comments are in regular old ordinary font, as befits my non-MD, non-author status. As a disclaimer, I will go ahead and confess to you now that I am currently or have been in the past guilty of ALL of these behaviors.

9 Ways Our Thoughts Lie to Us
1. "All or nothing" - We tend to see ourselves as 100% successful or total failures. It's all good or all bad. I've done it, and I've seen some of you do it, too. A person has a good week with exercise and nutrition, but because they ate a donut on Saturday, the week was a complete flop. Not even close to the truth.

2. "Always" thinking - I always mess up. I always give in. Ever had those thoughts? I go so far as to include "Never" thinking in here as well. I never stick with it. We need to challenge those thoughts, because they simply aren't true. Even if the successes were short-lived, they still happened. I'm not the only one who can now testify that history doesn't have to repeat itself, especially if it's revisionist history to begin with.

3. Focusing on the negative - Some of us have a tendency to see only the bad and forget (even if temporarily) the good. In giving up some of my favorite foods to become healthier, I sometimes had to fight off the "It's not fair (bad) that I have to do this" thinking. I did it by arguing back to myself, "No, it's not fair, but I'll benefit more by doing it this way." I trumped a bad with a good.

4. Fortune-telling - Trying to predict the worst possible outcome to a situation used to be one of my worst habits. I've seen other folks doing this as well. We have a social gathering to attend, and we automatically "know" we're going to go way off our eating plans. We make it a fact before it ever occurs. A good way around it is to visualize yourself being successful. As Dr. Amen wrote, "If you're going to try to predict the future, why not predict the best?"

5. Mind Reading - In addition to fortune telling, we're also capable of mind reading. Or think we are. We never really know what other people are thinking, so it's futile to base our behaviors on what WE think others are thinking about us.

6. Thinking with your feelings - Feelings can lie to us, too. We should look for evidence to support a feeling before letting it take hold in our thoughts and become our reality.

7. Guilt beatings - Should. Must. Have to. Words guaranteed to make us want to run the other direction, which often leads to feelings of failure. One way to combat guilt is to change our language. For example, I must exercise today becomes I want to exercise today. I have to eat tuna again today might be more tolerable as Eating tuna again will give me the protein boost I need. Silly? Possibly. Effective? Definitely.

8. Labeling - If you're reading (or writing) this blog, chances are slim you haven't labeled yourself negatively in some way. Fat. Lazy. Stupid. Those are just a few that come to mind. As a success strategy, it's not really very effective.

9. Blaming - Dr. Amen refers to blaming as "the most poisonous red ant of all" and I agree. I've blamed family members for nutritional sabotage, even though I was the one holding the fork. I've blamed finances for a lack of exercise, even though walking around the block was F-R-E-E. Blaming other people takes our power to change anything.

I still have my moments (hours/days) when I struggle to fight off one or more ANTS. I'll continue to have these times in the future. You know, with me being human and all. But by recognizing ANTS for what they are and fighting past them, I'm able to remove unreasonable obstacles in my path. You can, too, and here are a few pieces of ammunition:
- teach yourself to recognize your ANT demons
- write them down
- talk back to them
- argue them into a corner
- squash them like the bugs they are

As I wrote earlier, I am or have been guilty of all of these at one time or another. What are the ANTS you have to deal with? How do you do it? What, if anything, will you change in the future?

Smoothie Success

2009-09-03T21:12:00.002-05:00

The fact that my old crappy blender will successfully make a green smoothie if I load the ingredients in a different order is both good and bad news. The good news is that I'm enjoying both green and non-green smoothies; the bad news is that I have no pressing need to go buy the shiny new (and much-desired) Vitamix. I would normally do it in a heartbeat, of course, but Frugal!Cammy refuses. Since she's the one in charge of keeping us from bankruptcy, she wins.

At least for now.

Tonight I tried a green carrot cake smoothie. I didn't exactly have all the right ingredients (had to sub orange-pineapple juice concentrate for the crushed pineapple and plain yogurt for vanilla yogurt) and it tasted an itsy bit off while I was drinking it. The aftertaste, however, is decidedly carrot cake-ish. There are other carrot cake smoothie recipes out there (one that uses baby food carrots!), and I may try another one soon.

The green smoothie option is nice to have for now. I'm a little over done on salads at the moment, so this is a good way to get some green in my daily diet. I've tried (and tried) to like spinach--on its own and in other dishes--but nothing has clicked. The smoothie route works because I can't taste the spinach at all. Honest! I tried my simple chocolate whey protein and soy milk smoothie with and without the green stuff, and there was no discernable difference to my spinach-wary taste buds.

For some absolutely awesome smoothie recipes, follow the link to one of my previous posts. You'll quickly see that the awesome-ness isn't in my post; it's in the comments. I asked and I received--in yummy abundance! {pauses for another moment of gratitude}

That's it for me today...and probably for the week. My reader is filling up, and I'd like to spend some time catching up on reading other people's blogs. :)

Wishing U.S. folks a happy and safe holiday weekend. And to the international folks, a happy and safe plain old ordinary weekend.

How Corporate America Helped Me Lose Weight

2009-09-02T09:03:00.007-05:00

I'm going to lunch today with some of my former co-workers. I've met with a couple of them a few times since I left the company, but I'll be seeing some of them for the first time since April 30th. While I certainly don't miss the corporate life, I do miss many of the people I worked with for so long. I'm looking forward to it.

I learned a lot about business from my company. As so often happens with lessons learned, they were useful in many other areas of life as well. I wrote about a few of them on my very first blog, four years ago (!), and I thought now might be a good time to re-visit them, from a health/fitness approach. (I'll do anything to get out of housework.)

You don't get better at something by not doing it.
Richard, one of my favorite managers ever, said that to me when I tried to get out of giving a speech. He was right. The only way to get better at public presentations is to do them, and do them A LOT.

So often when we try to change our approach to healthier eating and exercise (and for me, emphasis on the exercise), we become discouraged at the limitations of our size or the absence of a meaningful skill set. It's difficult to go to a gym full of people who are running and lifting and squatting and lunging, and we're able to manage (barely!) 20 minutes on the treadmill at low speed.

When I first started building my exercise habit two years and 100 pounds ago, I walked on the treadmill for 20 minutes at 1.8 miles per hour. I stayed at the speed until I had worked up to 45 minutes ( a couple of weeks, if I remember correctly) Then I started working on pace. I have a notation in my exercise journal of the date I made it to 2.0 mph. It has an exclamation point, indicating my joy in the accomplishment. It seems silly now, but I remember feeling so proud. I was exercising regularly and I was getting better at it.

Today, I don't walk on the treadmill so much, opting instead for outdoor walking or biking. When weather forces me indoors, I head for the elliptical or the stair climber. Going by time and distance calculations, I now walk at a pace of 4.0-4.5 mph.

We get better at something by doing it.

The only people not making mistakes are those not doing anything.
I learned this bit of wisdom from Jim, the manager of the systems development staff responsible for putting back together a system I blew sky-high. The documentation said, in effect, "Run Step A, then Step B, then Step C." Easy enough, right? Why, then, did I run step A and then Step C? Oh yeah, I thought I'd found a shortcut. Wrong.

It wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't happened during Game 4 of the NBA playoffs--one of those Lakers-Celtics years, no less. The lead computer operator stood outside my door during the entire debacle and glared at me. I cried.

But then Jim stopped by, gave me the pep talk, and in the ensuing repair work, the programmer was able to make some improvements that made future recoveries as easy as the click of a button.

It's the same with converting to a healthier way of living. We of the overweight persuasion tend to compare ourselves to others and then to judge ourselves harshly when we fall short. We screw up...and give up. (Or maybe that was just me?) We frequently don't see that the very people we think are living the optimal lifestyle are out there making their own mistakes. Our commonality is not success, but the mistakes we all make in working toward our goals.

None of us is perfect, and by acknowledging our screw-ups as simple human frailties and reminding ourselves that the only way to avoid messing up is to not try at all, we'll move much closer much faster to our goals.

The trick is to keep trying.

Don't let best get in the way of better.
Our society rewards excellence and there's nothing at all wrong with that. Excellence should be recognized and rewarded. But sometimes it seems we're so focused on Being The Best that we miss the opportunities for small victories and accomplishments along the way. Or worse, we refuse to accept these stair-step improvements as evidence of our progress simply because they're not The Best.

My former company's CEO is fond of saying this: "It's better to reach 80% of a stretch objective than to achieve 100% of an objective that wasn't particularly challenging."

I agree. Eliminating bad habits and creating a healthier version of ourselves requires tremendous effort that sometimes seems overwhelming. We need to take pride in the accomplishments we do achieve, even when we aren't 100% successful every single minute of every single day.

And that's what I learned about losing weight and gaining fitness from Corporate America.

As always, your thoughts and stories are welcome. I learn from you as well. Which is another whole blog post of its own. :)

Makeover Monday: To Insure Proper Service

2009-08-31T10:29:00.003-05:00

Makeover Monday topics cover a wide field and are generally not related to exercise or weight loss. I believe that many of us can benefit from focusing on the non-physical “big picture,” whether that’s related to emotional health, financial stability, intellectual curiosity, or even personal care. One area I don’t focus on nearly enough is the topic of making ourselves feel better by making others feel better about themselves or their contributions to the planet. Today’s post is my small attempt to remedy that.

I went to dinner with a large group recently and saw something that made my jaw drop. We were a group of 22 people with 22 checks (every restaurant’s dream group) and we had amazing service. Seriously amazing. It was a locally-owned, casual-type place, and when we received our checks, several of us commented that the restaurant had NOT included the normal “large party” automatic gratuity. We made sure that everyone else noticed that too.

Imagine my surprise when one of the women left a $1 tip on a $15-20 check. Apparently one of her table neighbors mentioned that the check didn’t have the gratuity included, and the $1 lady responded, “Oh, I know. I never tip more than $1. I’d never be able to eat out if I tipped more than that.”

My response (silent, of course, since I was a guest of the group) was that she shouldn’t eat meals out then. My physical response (and that of a couple of people seated near me) was to add a little extra to our tips to compensate.

Tips aren’t a requirement for any profession, but quite a few jobs have pay structures that factor in tips as part of income. This can result in an hourly pay rate well below minimum wage in some job. For example, according to payscale.com, wait staff depend on tips for up to two-thirds of their incomes, and bartenders aren’t far behind at 60% tip-dependent incomes. The pizza delivery guy is counting on 40% of his income from tips. Your hairstylist earns 26% of her income in tips. And we can rest assured that none of these incomes are likely to land these folks anywhere near a Forbes Top-Whatever List.

With all that in mind, I figured it couldn’t hurt to post a listing of commonly used services and the suggested tipping guidelines for each. These are, of course, based on US customs. Check out tipping.org for a comprehensive listing of US and international guidelines by country. CCRA Travel Solutions provides another good resource. And of course there’s always Emily Post.

Generally Accepted Tipping Guidelines

Dining out:
Wait staff (full service) - 15-20% pre-tax
Wait service (buffet) - 5-10% of bill. At least $1 per person.
Sommelier – 15-20% of total cost of wine
Bartender $1 per drink or 15-20% or tab
Tip jars - No obligation, but you might want to tip occasionally if you are a regular or if the person went above normal service. (I don’t generally do this, but for a few of my regular haunts, I’ll drop in my change.)
Restroom Attendant $0.50-$3, depending on service
Valet $2-$5 (in addition to any valet fee)
Coat check attendant- $1

Dining in:
Take Out - No obligation, but up to 10% if the person went above normal service
Delivery drivers - 10-15% (delivery charges usually go to the restaurant/business)

On the road:
Skycap - $2 first bag, $1 per additional bag
Doorman - $1-$2 for carrying luggage, $1-$2 for hailing cab, $1-$4 beyond the call of duty
Bellhop - $2 first bag, $1 per additional bag
Housekeeper - $2-$5 per day, left daily (I’m soooo guilty of not having small bills and rather than going downstairs and getting it, I leave the tip on the next day.)
Room Service - 15-20% of total bill
Concierge - $5 for tickets or reservations, $10 if hard to get; no need to tip for answering questions
Taxi driver - 15% plus an extra $1-$2 if helped with bags
Tour guides - $5-10 for ½ day

Vanity tipping:
Hair Dresser - 15-20%, ask to be split among those who served you
Manicurist - 15-20%
Facial, waxing, massage - 15-20%
Shoe shine- $2
Tattoo or piercing artist - 10-20 percent

A few others:
Barista - $1
Car detailer - 15 percent
Car washer - $2-3 for a car; $3-5 for an SUV or truck
Emergency locksmith - $5
Flowers - $1 to $10, depending on the size of the arrangement.
Furniture or appliance delivery person - $5-10
Pet groomer - 15 percent
Pet sitter - 15 percent
Tire changer - $4 - $5
Tow truck driver - $5

For other services, it is more customary to tip annually. An amount equal to a week’s pay for those you employ (baby sitter or regular cleaning service) is a good amount, and $15 to $25 is usually a good amount to offer those whose services you use without compensation (mail carrier, newspaper deliveries. )

Side story #1: I don't remember where I first heard this tip on tipping, but I thought it was a good idea then and now. Given that service staff probably need their incomes just for survival, consider double-tipping between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It could add a lot to their holiday experience, not to mention a real boost for those with kids. Plus, it just feels so darned good!

Side story #2:
Many years ago while on assignment in New York, I attended a Mets game at Shea Stadium. When we showed the usher our tickets, he escorted us to our seats and wiped them down with a chamois cloth (even though they didn’t need it), before stepping to the side. I noticed he kept standing there while we got settled, but being the sometimes-clueless hillbilly that I am, I didn’t think much about it. He eventually stomped off.

A few minutes later, he went through the same routine with another group of guests and I saw the gratuity passed along. Ah, I understood then. So the next time he came by, I stopped him and gave him a couple of dollars, explaining that I didn’t realize tipping was customary for ushers. In my defense, in Memphis in those days, ushers generally looked at your ticket and pointed in the general direction of your seats. They only went to the actual seat if there was a discrepancy.

I share that not just to show my ignorant ways, but to point out that it's always a good idea to pay attention to the happenings around us for clues and cues on tipping customs. :)

I've always been a pretty good tipper, but perhaps being "on my own" has made me more acutely aware that many people (and their families) are living on very little income and that in some of those cases, such as those described above, I truly can make a big difference even if it's just a dollar here and there.

As always, I turn it over to you guys. Any tipping tips from you? Or an embarrassing tipping story to rival mine? Please share in the comments.

Weekly Wrap-up

2009-08-28T19:52:00.004-05:00

I set goals early this week to take care of some non-blogging projects, but I hadn't meant to completely avoid the internet. That's just the way the priority ball bounces sometimes, I guess.

I was looking forward to catching up tonight, but after a delightful (and exhausting) workout with my sister in synchronicty, Mary from A Merry Life, my mind has now turned to mush. A clear sign of a truly great workout. :)

So I'll leave you to the weekend with apologies for my absence, along with a peace offering of these interesting links that arrived in my reader this week:

From Dumb Little Man:
Increase Your Happiness with These Six Scientifically Proven Strategies
(#1--Set the Intent to be Happier--will be my focus for the weekend! Followed closely by #2--Count Your Blessings)

Top 10 Tips for Maintaining a Positive Attitude
(Again, the first one is on my agenda for the next couple of days)

For the Twitter-phobic, an article from Wisebread:
What Everybody Ought to Know about Twitter
(Nice and concise, but did nothing to add hours to my busy days. I don't know how other folks find the time for so much tweeting! Clearly, I must be doing something wrong.)

And then again from Dumb Little Man:
5 Things to Do When Twitter Goes Down

From Unclutterer, a post for the ink-lovers amongst ye:
To-Do Tattoos
(Now this is a tattoo I would consider getting! Or maybe I'll just keep using my Sharpie marker.)

And finally, for you Skechers lovers out there, The Bargainist hooks you up with a $10 off coupon. I'm resisting, opting to save my $$$ for a Vitamix 5200. You know, just in case the Vitamix people don't randomly decide to send me one for free. :)

Oh, and speaking of $$$ and free stuff, now is a good time for my usual (and unfortunate) disclaimer that I have no financial affiliations with any commercial products listed here. My role is simply to drool over them.

Wishing you all a most marvelous weekend!