Work Outs, Work Outs Everywhere, But Not A One For Me??

"Accentuate the positive, 

Eliminated the negative,

Latch on to the affirmative.

Don't mess with mister in between!" 

 

The Commandments of Stupidity Health

From the tender age of 8, I have truly seen it all when it comes to weight loss and flawed logic. Fat camp does not work. At least when you are not taught the math behind weight loss/gain, or anything about portions sizes. Oh yes, you hear all the lessons:

1. Love yourself. Be confidant of who you are. (Don't allow others to make you feel bad)
2. Bully yourself about the number on the scale or that size. (Let others and yourself judge that number or shape)
3. Constantly think about not over eating food, or eating when bored, or food in general. (Worry about calories with no true idea about how portion sizes work.)
4. Stay Active, always! (Run, jump, dance, walk, play sports, do aerobics or yoga. but never ever get lazy - even when tired, sick, or in pain)

 Please God, Get Me Out of This Talk Circle And I Will Do More For The Earth!

But how are these helpful? Most of my memories about fat camp are grim when I look on them now. Not the over all experience, of course. Kids can make any situation a nightmare or a heaven, and I did love those woods. I was a dreamer kind of kid, one who thought awful things about myself, but never about my talents or my confidence. All of my bitterness was about being fat, and the idea that people treated me horridly for that mere fact. At that age, it didn't matter how active I was. Exercise was a solitary activity in my house. My mom would make me wake up at 5am to go to the gym before school five days a week and signed me up for sports too. No one in my house wanted to go for walks or bike rides with me for enjoyment. Always a punishment, never a joy. A popular punishment for rule breaking at fat camp was to run up a hill we nicknamed 'heart-attack hill', or to go for an early morning run before the long day of working out. But all the camp fire circle therapy sessions singing songs about confidence will never actually do anything. Yes, confidence is important. To want health is key to achieving that goal. But to a kid who knows very little about how the human body gets fat other than "oops I ate too many cookies", knowledge is vastly more important!

Think about it!

If you cannot loose or gain weight like others, would it not be helpful to find out why? Hell fucking yes. People are different. Some have food allergies, food sensitivities, or a chemical issue. It may not be the amount of food they ingest, but the types of foods. I can honestly say that after almost 20 years dealing with weight issues, not one person has shown or taught me how to measure food properly. Oh, I have been told to measure my intake, I have seen the funny visuals of 5lbs of fat versus 5lbs of lean muscle, and the food pyramid. Never how many calories are in a serving of fruits or veggies. Many diets, foods that come per-packaged or powdered, many nutritionists pushing for those or who want to write out a meal plan for me without explaining anything about it to me. Any one else realize this?

Math & Cake Are Lies!!

You can be told the same thing over and over, but never actually get shown what the meanings are to that math equation? And yes, it is all MATH! This is why we are taught math guys, so we could calculate money, time, and calories!

The Greedy & The Ill Informed

I was totally fed up with asking for help from people who mostly wanted me to look unrealistic within weeks, or just wanted my money and cared nothing for the human aspect of lifestyle changing. Sadly, most personal trainers I have worked with (and please remember that I have done extensive personal research since "Got Milk" Ads were still collectables!) were not very knowledgeable about much. They know the basics of course; the machines in the gyms, some sports drills, and perhaps enough knowledge about protein powders to try and make you buy them. But God forbid you ask for anything more personally oriented, like how can I achieve this goal result with this particular obstacle? That is nothing compared to those membership pushers, those non-P.T.'s who are trying to sign you up from that day pass or week pass to a full time contract that you will never get out of without many lawyers and maybe a paintball gun. One woman I used to take a spin class with was accosted by a front man personal trainer who had recently lost some clientele. He knew she had purchased a few monthly passes, but never anything longer than that. This was due to her job, she traveled more times that year than most people travel in lifetimes, and she was not shy about sharing that. He didn't seem to understand that however, and hovered around every station she visited throughout her gym time that day. He used every sale tack tic in the book. That is, until he began to not only disrespect her but became physically threatening. Not only did she stop buying her monthly pass, she calmly and quietly called him a penis, spit on him, walked out after 20 minutes into an hour workout.

The Death of Everyday Trust

Seriously, who can you trust these days about getting healthy and stronger? Your doctor? Nah, he/she costs too much money for advise you can research on Google or medicines that may do more harm than good. Your health teacher? Sorry, they know mostly 'keep active' notions and about sex stuff. Maybe a Personal Trainer who you don't see regularly? Nope. You know what I want? Do you know what I truly believe we all deserve?

 

Somebody who knows what the hell they are talking about! Someone who has not only the knowledge of all that food and portion control info, but can also teach it to me! So that it will stick in my head, or at least I can print off a cheat sheet of info! So fuck it.

I have decided that no one knows what is best for me, other than me! I am not gonna seek help from people who are not willing and adequitly able. I will do it all on my own, with the help of my Pinterest health board, the 12 Week Workout, and my food diary. With you all behind me, I know I cannot fail. However, it is still up to me...

 

Bye For Now X

It Ain't Easy Feeling Green

“Health is the natural condition. When sickness occurs, it is a sign that Nature has gone off course because of a physical or mental imbalance. The road to health for everyone is through moderation, harmony, and a 'sound mind in a sound body'.”
― Jostein Gaarder, Sophie's World

Being sick is nothing short of hell. 

Your head aches from swollen sinuses and mucus. Your bed has become the Gravitron ride, never ceasing its infernal spinning. Your stomach feels too full and wont stop jitter bugging. There is no control over body temperature or the room's air supply! There is no dam to ebb the flow of your fever sweat. Every stitch of fabric is trying to snuff your life out, but it is better than being outside the protection of it in the harsh 'cold' room. Sneezing hurts, and no amount of soft tissues will sooth the burn that's encasing your nostrils! Your lungs are having a tea party outside in the garden every time you cough, and your throat cough light up Amsterdam its so red! You're achy all over and just want to sleep. No matter how tired you are, sleep eludes you.

However, none of that is worse than missing something you have been waiting weeks for due to illness or injury. I have had to miss three fun days out due to awfulness! I was so tired and busy, I have not even checked the blog. Sorry y'all. Needed some rest desperately! I missed a goofy party, a live game show, and the Pride parade! Thank god for fantastic friends, or my theatre tickets would have gone to a total waste too! 

Is it just me, or do people judge others severely when they are ill or injured?

I always feel guilty when I cannot attend something or do something because I am under the weather or my foot has decided to become troublesome again. It makes me self-conscious. People will think less of me or look at me in a different light because of it. At least, that is what the little voice in my head says. That's the reason I usually push myself to go further, to do more, when I am feeling lousy of in a bit of pain. I once broke my ankle and performed in a walking cast that same day. A few weeks later, in another show, I was doing cartwheels in that same walking cast. All so I could show how dedicated I was, to prove I was reliable and could pull through. An ankle is no foot though. And an injury is not illness.

Honestly though, what blows more than missing out on fun due to . . . well, blowing chunks? Sorry for the visual, and the tacky puns, but a party girl is loosing out on fun due to tummy troubles. Whatever was bugging me has finally been resolved! The relief is undeniable and unending! I think the only truly good thing about being sick . . . possibly the way you can kinda let go and accept doing nothing. I can watch cartoons, eat matzo ball soup, listen to an audio book. Nothing really that physically or mental active. Just enough that I can distract myself from feeling icky. 

Was Getting Sick Better When We Were Small? Do I Remember That Wrong?

When we were kids, our parents had ways they would take care of us (or not, if you had a different sort of childhood/parenting situation going on). My mom always makes chicken noodle soup with broken angle hair pasta, extra celery, and would bring me lime juice. My dad would make very un-amusing jokes about me being sick, or tell me stories about how he was sick back in the day. I cannot tell you the amount of times I've heard the story of how he got drunk, ruined his mother's brand new carpets, and was told he'd get to sleep in the backyard if he was not better house trained. The punch line of this tale from my father's childhood? He got to sleep outside the second time he pulled that. Sometimes the five of us would just sit together. Other times I was kinda left in my room so no one else would get sick, and mom would check on me. She'd come bearing gifts (of soup, water bottles, a towel, a magazine, a thermometer, medicines) and then be off. When you live in a house with three kids, and only one of them is sick, you are desperately trying to keep everyone as healthy as possible.

 

Wish I had thought about the oven mitts!

I could miss school, I could stay in bed all day to paint, relax, do my homework that was due the next day. Being a kid and being sick was the best, unless it was serious sick. Like the chicken pox! That was a hell of a bad time! I remember throwing up right before my mom saw the first dot, in front of my entire first grade class. Not smart was I. She taught me what to do instead of scratch, slap the spots or put on calamine lotion. Any and every itch was met with the same love as a mosquito on the back of your neck.

What do you do when you are sick?

But now, my audience, we are but humble 20 somethings who have just flown the nest. We are just starting out on our own, living in our own spaces, working mind numbing or fun filled jobs. How do we handle getting sick? Do ya journey on, pretending you're healthy until it's true? Do you 'keep a stiff upper lip' and pop some medicine to get through the day? How do any of us cope with illness and injury, now that we are not only responsible for ourselves, but for our jobs too? Someone, anyone, please tell me.  

Bye For Now XX

How To Deal With: Introverted VS Extroverted Time

Being and extrovert in a relationship with an introvert is truly strange. 

I can be in a room filled with people, 7 days a week, working by butt off throughout that week, and only maybe needing a bit of along time. My boyfriend/fiance is the complete opposite. He can work hard for a solid day or go out somewhere new with me, but will desperately need a few hours each day to decompress and be alone. We have lovingly called this time "Introverted Time": Time where we can do whatever we need to feel grounded and happy. Whether that means being in one's own space, or out doing things. 

People have asked, "how can you deal with those kinds of fundamental differences in the relationship?" Honestly, and trust me I know how much of fool I sound for saying this but here goes, because we really do love and respect each other. Yes, we have different approaches, but we are actually excited by the same things and enjoy trying new things. You can only push someone so far, and as long as you respect that, then there is very little friction. Every now and again I'll want to go out, do something, and he would rather stay in. So? Who really cares? If it is not absolutely important to the other person that we go, we can just talk about it. I have friends I can go out with if he really needs the time to recharge, and he can go out with his when I need space too. These should help you, because the truly do help the opposite to understand.

VS

How would I spend introverted time, seeing as how I am the opposite? 

I'd rather spend my Me time doing something. I don't know, maybe it is the Disney princess in me, but give me a task to do! I absolutely hate down time and having nothing to do. I love being busy! I crave somewhere to go each day, dancing all night meeting strangers and having spontaneous adventures with my friends! When I am stressed, worried, or upset, the desperation for distractions is dire. I will clean like a fiend; every room, every surface, every item will be spotless and organized. One time I reorganized every drawer and cabinet in my flat, washed all the tiled floors by hand, and vacuumed so much that our home looked like a hotel. Sadly I always forget to document those moments in photographs to prove to my mother I know how to clean. 

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Other times, for instance after the rooms are clean but I have not expelled my emotional funkiness, I will head out the door to do something in the world. I'll head to the gym and kick my ass that way. I go for long walks, in no particular direction, and explore the city where I live. Back in New York I would head to the canals or the beach so I could watch the water. Anything at all really, so long as I am active. And then there are those rare occasion, those scant instances, where I pamper myself.
I'll get all girly and break out the tools. I'll set up a nails station, run a bath, get my hair cutting scissors, put on some relaxing music or an audio book I've listened to a million times before and relax. I'll read magazines - the tabloids, the intellectuals, and the Cosmos I've been neglecting due to preoccupation - I'll drink detox water (3 pints of cool water, 3 table sppons of cranberry juice, mint leaves, 2 lemons sliced, and 3 slices of cucumber), the works. I call them the girly spa days, where nothing on earth will make me feel happier than to stop the world and feel all clean and groomed. I save these days out of true need. And today I need it. I have been feeling icky lately, mostly my stomach. I have a super big audition tomorrow, and that means that I have to be feeling great, looking pretty and be confidant. Prepared as always! The outfit is set aside, the bag packed, the directions to the place written down, all alarms set for tomorrow morning, and packing a lunch later on today! The first half of the spa day, the setting up, is underway! I'm cleaning the flat as much as possible, before heading off to the gym for at least an hour. Then, after a final cleaning sweep, will my pampering truly begin. Nails, brows, hair, facial, and my absolute favorite bath salts in a warm bubble bath!

Yeah...She wishes she could go home with this bath...

But how would you cope without introverted time?

I'm a complete and utter extrovert, but even I need some time alone. Reading for me is an escape into another world, a conversation with new people and new topics. Revisiting old books is like reconnecting with old friends, but I'm not alone when I read. What do introverts, who are not video-gamers, like to do for their introverted time? What do other extroverts do for that matter? I am completely curious but not many people have answered this question.

Well, for now that might be all. Cause it is time for my Me time!

Bye For Now X