tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63351410717304185582024-03-05T03:56:06.594-08:00A Moondog's JourneyI highly recommend changing your zoom setting to 200% and being kind to your eyes. :)Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-58810575523203724032012-10-22T18:56:00.000-07:002012-10-22T18:56:23.258-07:00Milky Ways, Squash, and IG Farben.<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There's this funny feeling I keep having. No, not clown-funny. Just a weird, deep-down sense that there is unease, unrest, an unsettling in the universe. I could compare it to seeing the lightning and counting the seconds til the velvet rumble in the distance.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I hear that on Dec. 21, 2012, not only will the planets align (like they do every year apparently), but we will be able to see all the way to the other side of the Milky Way.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">I predict more nougat and caramel.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I wonder if that has anything to do with, well, anything (the galaxy, not the chocolate bar). I imagine that since so many people are craving change and evolution (or so I've heard) that *something* is bound to happen. Nuclear attack from Iran to start WWIII? Hey, why not?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">War is super-profitable... And we are on the verge of economic collapse.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Just ask this guy. ^</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">If you don't know who that is and you listen to Justin Beiber, you are not only part of the problem, you ARE the problem. Yeesh, don't look in his eyes too long. You'll catch the evil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">By the way, the Standard Oil Company (who shared a bed with IG Farben) supplied Nazi aircraft with an oil supplement, without which the planes were incapable of flight. But, wait... I thought we were the good guys? That's weird! Maybe you should <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I.G._Farben#IG_Farben_Trial" target="_blank">look</a> into it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Despite all this metaphysical, inner wiggling of my wolfy senses, I feel a general sense of calm. Cuz you know what? <strong>It's gonna be okay.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Even though I know it's gonna be okay, I still encourage people to train for war. If for nothing else than you'll look and feel AMAZING.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Which brings me to my NEXT point....</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Cuz rawr.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My weight has been consistent, even with the addition of a few cheaty grain items that caused me to fluctuate. I have decided (again) to rededicate myself to my nutrition and taking my body back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Today's weigh-in: <span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>170.0</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">After cutting out grains once more, I lost about four pounds in just a few days. No, I was never starving - I ate what I wanted when I wanted as much as I wanted. Only thing was, my diet now consists mostly of boiled eggs, bell peppers, steak, and other various sundry Primal-lifestyle foods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Low-carb, moderate-protein, and high-fat eating for the win.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I feel better than I have in days (I began feeling tired and sluggish, mentally less acute). I can't get over what gluten does to my body. It literally wreaks havoc. And I know I complain about it all the time, but it's like I just have to make <em>sure</em> that this piece of cake really will hurt me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It always does.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Always.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here's what I'm doing to fix it:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> made spaghetti squash with sirloin meat sauce tonight that was pretty darned good (if I do say so myself). This unique squash has a "stringy" meat that, once you cook it, can be pulled apart with a fork and resembles spaghetti. Plus it is far superior in nutrition, contains only 38 calories per serving (without sauce), and makes you sound all well-versed in unusual food stuffs. I mean, who REALLY eats spaghetti squash?</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">Always alone.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My honey liked it. :) Then again, he likes everything except liver...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Tomorrow, I'm gonna do some more yoga, eat some more meats, veggies and fruit, take some more walks with my dog... I'm gonna do some more of a lot of things that make me feel good, healthy, and like I'm doing positive things with my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And just remember, everybeast... It's gonna be okay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span></div>
Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-37203640411213713092012-10-16T14:39:00.002-07:002012-10-16T14:39:26.601-07:00I miss you. All of you.<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's been a while.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">brb.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A victory, though... I have held my weight within a pound or three since I stopped working out. That means, my eating is pretty tight, now if I added more cardio and less Bacardio, we'd be rocking (okay, so it's wine - whatever).</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Expectation versus Reality. Yikes.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've missed y'all. I really have. I mean, I may not *know* you personally, but we've shared something here. Baring my soul for all of the teeth of the Internet to chew me to pieces. "None of us are as cruel as all of us." I heard that somewhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Anyway. I think the thing that has sucked my life most is the new puppy. Oh, yes. We came back from Tennessee with a puppy. Originally, we struck out for Moonshine and a good time (both of which were had).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But the puppy.</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Ouch, that's cute.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Behold. The puppy. And I am a tired Mama.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">(While I was writing this, I had to step away at this point to rescue my boiled eggs, which are now extra-done. Right.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">While I've recently come to the realization that I just got a little lazy (he <em>does</em> sleep after all), I also lost the motivation to write. Writer's block? Probably. But I'm back at it... Because the only way you get over the Block is to WRITE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This has been quite a learning experience for me. The cat was awesome, because he would just wander off and sleep. This one has made me realize that I can still love something, even when he's chewing shoes, eating the fringe off the carpet, and wiggling in between my feet as I'm trying to walk.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But I am such a proud Mama. He is so smart and just wants to snuggle the pants off you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The plan is to put him in training to be a therapy dog for children's hospitals, patients with Alzheimer's, and anybody who needs a pretty good hug. He is such a lover. :)</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">"Mom, can I eat it?"</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Besides, if the puppy becomes a dog with a job, my nice leather couches, floor rugs, and shoes might just survive all this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I miss CrossFit, too... But I kept hearing people talking about what an amazing family they had at their box, and I can totally see that, but this is a family I get to choose. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A different box in the opposite direction may very well be in my list of places to visit soon. And it's so full of irony... I'll save that for later.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">CrossFit. What was your excuse again?</span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">No, srsly. Wat was it?</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Moondog Yoga. :) What you put into the universe comes back. Every. Time. Namaste.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Be the awesomest version of you that you can be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span></div>
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Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-81341475661492815992012-05-23T07:46:00.003-07:002012-10-16T14:40:53.382-07:00Transform FatBritney into Katniss! PROFIT!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I sorta fell off the wagon for about three days recently. Wowzers, did I eat a lot of crap food.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">While part of me feels kinda bad about it</span>, I wasn't too concerned <strong>BECAUSE</strong>!<br />
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<em>"Oh, hey! Yeah, I'll be there to </em><em>kill you presently.</em></div>
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<em>Just lemme load mah bow. *twang*"</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The horn for the <strong>CrossFit Cypress Hunger Games Challenge</strong> blew Monday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">You're on a team. You go through four different WOD trials (overhead squat, farmer's carry, etc) each week. After nine weeks, they measure improvement. The team with the most improvement overall wins the nice, sparkly pot of Entry Fees (it's $100 cash per person).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Quite an incentive if I do say so myself (Capricorn = highly motivated by money).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Knowing this was coming up, lemme tell you what I ate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Friday night, I had two open-face sandwiches with white bread, mayo, butter, shrimp, and avacado. It was Norway Day, and since one of our very dear friends is a master chef, we had to go over and help her honor her husband (holy h'alliteration!) by eating her fine cookery. Let me tell you, friends. It was no strain to kill that meal. Oh, and I had wine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Oh, yeah... And two massive pieces of homemade marzipan cake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In my defense, I knew that night was coming and endeavored to only eat vegetables all day until then.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I woke up the next day feeling no less ill. But! Hair of the dog, as they say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Saturday I spent the better part of the day crying and baking a cake; crying, because I was sad and baking because I wanted to make my friend happy!</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.cookiemadness.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/chocolate-bundt-cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" qba="true" src="http://www.cookiemadness.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/chocolate-bundt-cake.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>So I made a bundt cake that looked exactly like THIS</em></div>
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<em>and decided to stop crying - batter was getting salty.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then proceeded to have a hamburger with cheese with ketchup, mayo and one tomato on it. Cuz that's what I wanted. And I think I had a martini. Or three. It gets fuzzy around that part.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And two bites of my honey's piece of cake, after declaring proudly that I refused to have a whole one. He's so nice. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Sunday for breakfast, I had burger left overs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">For dinner, we had dove poppers (jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese, dove breast, wrapped in bacon and grilled). Surprisingly, the only "bad" thing there is the cream cheese.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Remember the rule! PLANT or ANIMAL only! Nom nom!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">For dessert, I did something really stupid. I had a bowl of Special K red berry cereal. The clincher is this: Since I only had 1% milk (and I do hate water-milk), I had to balance it out with cream. Really, I mean, the science only makes sense.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia;">An aside:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia;">Cereal is really, really, really bad for you. There are three things that humans should not ingest for any reason: <strong>Grains, dairy and sugar</strong>. I'll let <a href="http://www.marksdailyapple.com/top-8-most-common-reactions-to-your-grain-free-diet-and-how-to-respond/#axzz1vhdrMyMn" target="_blank">Mark's Daily Apple</a> explain it. I use words like "bacon" and "cake." He uses words like "pectin" and "insulin resistance," so you should probably listen to him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I slept hard Sunday night. And all the while I was steadily gaining weight from water retention, gastrointestinal inflammation and fat gain because I have no idea what my calorie intake for that weekend was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Needless to say, the number on the scale went up. I knew why and didn't allow myself to collapse in a fit of self-loathing and disgust when I looked at myself in the mirror... Unlike SOMEONE I know.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjUK4OhePSSvwI-Q7yj8Rm_epdCEYoYL8hHNy-KMKreMK8Gf-9WdoAkbFN_q_4RlTws3xQPQVGC4WBU0eigiuhKACWRqn1DHgRnT7EZahYiPT_cYUw3uaUV4JUFNf4cSGs-nMItHovZEt/s1600/bloated-britney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" qba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjUK4OhePSSvwI-Q7yj8Rm_epdCEYoYL8hHNy-KMKreMK8Gf-9WdoAkbFN_q_4RlTws3xQPQVGC4WBU0eigiuhKACWRqn1DHgRnT7EZahYiPT_cYUw3uaUV4JUFNf4cSGs-nMItHovZEt/s320/bloated-britney.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>*Cough* FatBritney *Cough*</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Monday, I didn't wake up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I mean, I <em>did</em>, eventually... I was in some kind of gluten coma or something. My poor honey got out of bed, got ready, made his own breakfast and smooched me g'bye before he left.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I remember part of that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Grains literally take me down a few notches. When I finally got out of bed, I was plagued by a sense of being too full in all the *wrong* ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Like I said earlier, though, the <strong>CrossFit Cypress Hunger Games Challenge</strong> started Monday, so I (literally) ROLLED to the box for the evening class.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I felt pretty danged good after that.</span></div>
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<em>Ta DA!</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Still a long way to go before I look in a mirror and love what I see. I like it now... But I want to love it.</span></div>
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<a href="http://fitnessmodelprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/fitness-model.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" qba="true" src="http://fitnessmodelprograms.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/fitness-model.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<em>I'm gonna set up a fan in my bathroom for this.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I know how to lose weight. I've done it (twice) before. My struggle is keeping the weight off and putting the stupid fork down. I do enjoy food so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Okay, so a goal is a dream with a plan behind it, so here's my goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>1. FatBritney mode</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>2. Eat clean, train dirty</strong></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia;">3.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia;"> ????</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>4. PROFIT</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Doesn't get much more solid than that, folks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span></div>
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Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-25448965844856233122012-05-07T10:21:00.001-07:002012-05-07T10:21:31.892-07:00WIP: The Cave<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am beyond honored today. Let me tell you why.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I get to go to Cross Fit with Meghan McAuliffe who is a dear, from-childhood friend that I've lost touch with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And I mean... After all...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-small;"><em>Don't mind if I do...</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The consequences of getting healthy are <strong>staggering</strong>... and HOT. I'm maintaining my weight at 179 and have been since I stopped working out three times a week regularly ("Red meat, wine and no working out?? RECIPE FOR DISASTER!" - Terible Terence the Trainer.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It's gonna be okay, though. Thanks to whatever higher power likes me, Meghan said, "Let's go!" so I said, "OKAY."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm standing down wind from <strong><u><em>change</em></u></strong>, and I like that scent.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.mediaite.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/sad-obama-is-sad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" mea="true" src="http://www.mediaite.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/sad-obama-is-sad.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Sorry, Sad Obama. Not that kind of change.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>That kind smells like farts.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The true purpose of this blog, however, is to reveal something I've been writing on a for a few days. If you've ever studied philosophy, you'll be familiar with the concept.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm putting a little twist in there to delight your frontal lobe. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Today is the big day. The curtains and pulled back, all is revealed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">1) Moondog Yoga of Texas, LLC is official.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">2) The first Yoga Chat is 7 p.m. TONIGHT.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I've got, like, nine people registered so far, and I am twitterpated with the notion of getting this going.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But anyway, stay tuned for the next installment, which will hopefully maybe have the completed work I've been writing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Stay present, everybeast. <3</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span></div>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-30218583384921138762012-04-25T19:58:00.001-07:002012-05-07T10:24:23.519-07:00A Confession. Don't Judge Me!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong><u>156,456% better than last post. It's science.</u></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Oh. Hey.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Nice to see you again.</span></div>
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<a href="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2683/4194388988_7d47028442_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2683/4194388988_7d47028442_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>*whine*</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Caught me at kind of a bad moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">You see. I have some news...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Bad news.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here it is. You ready?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia;"><strong>I ate waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much fruit over the weekend.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This fact has set my weight loss back (I fluctuated up). I dunno. I was <em>craving</em>... stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Any way. I only told you cuz Terible Terence the Trainer made me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I made up for it by drinking lots and lots of <span style="color: cyan;"><strong>water</strong></span>!</span></div>
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<a href="http://api.ning.com/files/kX*LFPvx4SFMMQMYsrSDIAYo8LYm-kfSSQfMh2w2kYQPOgupyqH2z19KNwPclicam8JamHJLNl4ixdp*ZIaKr5Dz*c7OD-k-/wharrgarbl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://api.ning.com/files/kX*LFPvx4SFMMQMYsrSDIAYo8LYm-kfSSQfMh2w2kYQPOgupyqH2z19KNwPclicam8JamHJLNl4ixdp*ZIaKr5Dz*c7OD-k-/wharrgarbl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>Stunt double!</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In the meantime, here some updates about other stuff! :D</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Moondog Yoga of Texas is official and real. I mailed the LLC paperwork to Austin to make it all legit and stuff.</span></div>
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<a href="http://images.stuffofawesome.com/seems-legit--1328497205-9117.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images.stuffofawesome.com/seems-legit--1328497205-9117.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
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<em>Yoga-ish. Mostly "ish."</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've finalized my schedule and will post it on Friday. Things are moving right along, I must say. I hope my mom will come take my classes. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I'm a little anxious about it, I must admit. This is beginning of a new stage in my life. It's, like, I can put a DATE to it, ya know?</span></div>
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<span style="color: orange; font-family: Georgia; font-size: x-large;">April 20, 2012.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The day will live in my mind forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">What were you doing April 20, 2012?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">In closing, some pictures of Hugh Jackman making funny faces on the beach. Enjoy.</span></div>
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<a href="http://ethansays.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf8ea53ef010535f6f79b970c-600wi" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" mea="true" src="http://ethansays.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8341bf8ea53ef010535f6f79b970c-600wi" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have a lovely evening, everyone.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Gil</span><br />
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</div>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-19399150396251164362012-04-17T18:21:00.001-07:002012-04-17T18:21:32.972-07:00Hello, Alaska.<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Yoga.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>8 days.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Non-stop.</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That's what's up. Yoga certification, for the win. I guess you could say I'm leveling up?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Rock. On.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Today was Day 4.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I walked into my class this morning and proceeded to get ready. Something about the drive in, maybe it was just the day, but <em>something</em> was mentally playing ping pong with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It's wonderful how "traffic" rhymes with "quiet time to sit and breathe," which is really not what happened. It was mostly my mind wandering.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>Did you know you're breathing perfectly wrong?</em> No? Have headaches often? Maybe panic attacks? Notice your breath. Where is it? If it's in your chest, I highly recommend a re-breathing lesson.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong><span style="color: red;">Monkey mind</span><span style="color: red;">.</span></strong> During the whole meditation. Twitching, flinching... Little quiet came to me today.</span><br />
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<a href="http://jsauergallery.com/sagemoon/images/default_images/mb_monkey_mind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://jsauergallery.com/sagemoon/images/default_images/mb_monkey_mind.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-small;">"'Sup, bro?"</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My weight is still being maintained. It's very hard to eat properly during this, because we take two minute breaks (long enough to run - not walk - and piddle) and one 1.5 hour lunch. I love the long lunch, but my paleo eating makes it super challenging to eat out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I had steamed sweet potatoes at a Thai/Vietnamese restaurant. They were DELICIOUS.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;">A moment of your time please.</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia;">I'd like to introcude <strong><span style="color: magenta;">Brandon Chadbourne</span></strong>. He is a fantastic man who I think will be recognized as a great thinker of our generation. I fully endorse his magic! (Hi, Brandon!)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiR1Eed7iNn1kMZe2hNsMadmCoKwPcJtRhRjr_Y-ysv7ZDM-imjwivWHFDWnXUW6QC62fxWpvZIwOM0QapBO4VXTYeI6Hs9lmHTutS_AT1Vy3ZQG4pgPXa_wgZQIEid8fYsDc3zNcOX4QS/s1600/blogbrandon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiR1Eed7iNn1kMZe2hNsMadmCoKwPcJtRhRjr_Y-ysv7ZDM-imjwivWHFDWnXUW6QC62fxWpvZIwOM0QapBO4VXTYeI6Hs9lmHTutS_AT1Vy3ZQG4pgPXa_wgZQIEid8fYsDc3zNcOX4QS/s320/blogbrandon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>"'Sup, bro?"</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Broccoli is my friend right now. I take a big steamed thing of it and munch on a few trees during the breaks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This class is mind-blowing. I am roiling with ideas and new goals and missions and life purposes and holy yoga!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I will be posting a class schedule very soon, I hope.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Will work for your presence. :)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Gil</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">PS - Here's a picture of Terence the Terible Trainer, so that he can feel the love, too (now with double-barrel action)...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOEh93J0dOj-2zOe_Nbc6lEZGtnQp1uNcEadO7ec_r6d-W5C8O1wV0uqXF5h72tHShw_96wE0Vr6j1C_sHmYdYSsMImZiJv5QNiF30d0dmZW43t27xW3q2AWjkVc4PG2B0XBaojPqXyRe/s1600/blogterence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVOEh93J0dOj-2zOe_Nbc6lEZGtnQp1uNcEadO7ec_r6d-W5C8O1wV0uqXF5h72tHShw_96wE0Vr6j1C_sHmYdYSsMImZiJv5QNiF30d0dmZW43t27xW3q2AWjkVc4PG2B0XBaojPqXyRe/s320/blogterence.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<em>"'Sup, bro?"</em></div>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-21346783088678529472012-04-14T16:35:00.004-07:002012-04-14T16:35:36.310-07:00Charlton Heston Hates McDonald's.<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today is always a great day for a new beginning, you know.</span><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;">Yoga Certification.</span></strong><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Georgia;">Oooooh, yeeeeaaaah. :D</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It happened. Today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Day one was awesome. Consisting of an overview, About the Teacher, About the Center, the 300-page syllabus, and the near-guarantee for me to do a headstand by the end of the course, it lasted about three hours or so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I met some amazing people: Sarah, Kasi, Brandon, Ann Marie, Mary, and Teresa (apologies for a misspelling of anybeast's name as I've never them written).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">We have to write a Vision statement for our personalized version of our practice. I believe mine will go something like:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><em>My Vision is to create a choreography of yoga that</em></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia; font-size: large;"><em>brings about a shift in paradigm and spirituality.</em></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oKMWsOgA0DE/TSf_cqN9IRI/AAAAAAAAMe8/UjkZSxRrFLE/doga-doga-seven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oKMWsOgA0DE/TSf_cqN9IRI/AAAAAAAAMe8/UjkZSxRrFLE/doga-doga-seven.jpg" width="231" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dog, stop doing yoga. You are a dog.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">You'll get the mat all hairy.</span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That's all I've got so far... Expect a few edits.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Following the epic weight-loss journey, there is <strong>progress</strong> being made!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Yesterday was my dad's big, ol' birthday, which means a strawberry cake that I think he loves more than any of his children.</span></div>
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<a href="http://zenlizzie.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/funny-pictures-cat-wants-his-birthday-cake.jpg?w=584" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://zenlizzie.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/funny-pictures-cat-wants-his-birthday-cake.jpg?w=584" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My goodness there are a lot of animals in this post.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">177.0 lbs.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">^ What I weigh now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">After facing the temptation of flour tortillas, cheese, sour cream, queso, I relegated my dining experience to a modified chicken and beef fajita salad with a little guacamole and even less queso (a dab'll do ya!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It was great. I even had a piece of cake (should have split it with my Honey... next time) but experienced a little upset stomach later in the evening.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I've noticed that as I've been eating cleaner, any trash that hits my system (grains, sugar, or dairy) causes discomfort ranging from "My tummy! *lip quiver*" to "Yes, I am terribly interested in what you're saying, but if I stand here a moment longer, we'll both regret it... Don't judge me."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">The journey continues. This yoga class will be a boon to my weight loss. We are listening to lecture or practicing yoga and meditation, which gives little time for casual snacking... And to maximize the benefit of the mind-body connection, well...</span></div>
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<a href="http://nintemanfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/WhatYouEat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="http://nintemanfitness.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/WhatYouEat1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em><span style="background-color: yellow; color: red; font-family: Georgia;"><strong><span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #38761d;">You</span> are <span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #38761d;">what</span> you <span style="background-color: #d9ead3; color: #38761d;">eat.</span></strong></span></em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyu6NyKkSFP3QZsuJKoAtYMLoH_CrBvbBy8V7EFQq15xpSdZodfFa6jHVaUQ3-Chqwovoqf-dGIhqwQaQTSLSqLWTNkZ5iGJD72k8yVnj7vv9hgyj0aPJTK_KoNynUZ4sMLIl9wVzjjAA/s1600/Soylent+Green+is+People.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyu6NyKkSFP3QZsuJKoAtYMLoH_CrBvbBy8V7EFQq15xpSdZodfFa6jHVaUQ3-Chqwovoqf-dGIhqwQaQTSLSqLWTNkZ5iGJD72k8yVnj7vv9hgyj0aPJTK_KoNynUZ4sMLIl9wVzjjAA/s320/Soylent+Green+is+People.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It's people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span><br />
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<br /></div>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-55474285551613653932012-04-11T19:44:00.000-07:002012-04-11T19:44:21.505-07:00Top Secret: The Fat Pictures<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Back in the day, I hated taking pictures. In fact, I think I put out a memo that it simply wasn't allowed. Did you get it? I bet you did.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But there are two pictures of me from that era. Two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And for the sake of full disclosure, so to speak, here they are.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwwTd4diNbs1_aBSTLA2ff65lv4Ye7YdQcuKiLofKkxp4cQKNZoBVm1MUZMscA9qMMz7tAtq1u77XUk_o4fv8zOf91YECz2gOtKdT4DFeRaM8fhRRJG_F4a7mPRH3t0J5Bv64YJ1oyp2j/s1600/bearclaws.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNwwTd4diNbs1_aBSTLA2ff65lv4Ye7YdQcuKiLofKkxp4cQKNZoBVm1MUZMscA9qMMz7tAtq1u77XUk_o4fv8zOf91YECz2gOtKdT4DFeRaM8fhRRJG_F4a7mPRH3t0J5Bv64YJ1oyp2j/s1600/bearclaws.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">See what I was talking about? Those bear slippers are AWESOME.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Included in this very stately, artistic pose is my poor mother who, no doubt, suffered the most during my fat phase. She naturally brought it up a lot, which I didn't want to hear. Of COURSE I know I'm overweight. Of COURSE I know I could look a lot better and be more comfortable in my clothes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">But I'm not a size four. I'm a size 14, and I'm miserable. So I'm going to plug my ears and "La la la la la laaaa!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">So check THIS out (yes, it's a different picture)! At a very svelt <strong>220 lbs</strong>...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0ec1tZ0_HJtPRXAtdTHWZI3Yd-JNhpeoPPEHvVooAwiUumOzFcyF5nnUOahMQQxFLfZPWf2l5-XNceWqrbkkaiphbPrBwEZ-yOUUBGDjNI6yFmU4xiDD11ukvrAViiVlhXJyjmMZEWU1/s1600/fatty1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0ec1tZ0_HJtPRXAtdTHWZI3Yd-JNhpeoPPEHvVooAwiUumOzFcyF5nnUOahMQQxFLfZPWf2l5-XNceWqrbkkaiphbPrBwEZ-yOUUBGDjNI6yFmU4xiDD11ukvrAViiVlhXJyjmMZEWU1/s320/fatty1.jpg" width="184" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2o7fHFVty6lDt92XOrhpaNJVifO7rh4e5Ph2sdBVTy7hlRJMRHjemMciH0uwlEe9zWcSrHfcHEDJ8xBLQ_2P4K5rXe9GKo0Qt0d1pc-W5soy2a2kpNStyrnOkYwbdEEUrcNgTn6f4LK0u/s1600/fatty2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2o7fHFVty6lDt92XOrhpaNJVifO7rh4e5Ph2sdBVTy7hlRJMRHjemMciH0uwlEe9zWcSrHfcHEDJ8xBLQ_2P4K5rXe9GKo0Qt0d1pc-W5soy2a2kpNStyrnOkYwbdEEUrcNgTn6f4LK0u/s320/fatty2.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNPYj2Zsk_o7vxg2WbWpwLk7jCcfKMHiFLRNuPPMui652sp3ie5EPJ4H9MBMl9qZdDcELomMMXFiSbE-Govx21U4wPQ3LwRt18Tn32HVbMSnMd5dWkMIUSbh6GF2vXfCf9LpijFahkt9u/s1600/fatty3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNPYj2Zsk_o7vxg2WbWpwLk7jCcfKMHiFLRNuPPMui652sp3ie5EPJ4H9MBMl9qZdDcELomMMXFiSbE-Govx21U4wPQ3LwRt18Tn32HVbMSnMd5dWkMIUSbh6GF2vXfCf9LpijFahkt9u/s1600/fatty3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrD0dOdfKgJkOb-9kly7Jq6LpvQNOb9uOJ9f8HeT5dU_a4ZOyyufubMN9rNh0RDl5Bmy2iRLP8mrS_qMQO_a7RBlhbRhGY6z_wQqXoG0Yjg27wBM3E9bV5WdWNfxCBc4zgIEJvuBW5Y0Q8/s1600/fatty4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrD0dOdfKgJkOb-9kly7Jq6LpvQNOb9uOJ9f8HeT5dU_a4ZOyyufubMN9rNh0RDl5Bmy2iRLP8mrS_qMQO_a7RBlhbRhGY6z_wQqXoG0Yjg27wBM3E9bV5WdWNfxCBc4zgIEJvuBW5Y0Q8/s1600/fatty4.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdaeZ6YwPR4nJR2IwJuOZ5Uq9kTSn8hmMx-2J2sxcDi2tXrqaAcmAZX0GfL__tPxpvNkOwGf4xfjjoVCuUSMQjg_-8PSL1eidMRONFM1quPdzPF1rF0lKCbnv6iVJ3X2QDKs5v7lSOIhO/s1600/fatty5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdaeZ6YwPR4nJR2IwJuOZ5Uq9kTSn8hmMx-2J2sxcDi2tXrqaAcmAZX0GfL__tPxpvNkOwGf4xfjjoVCuUSMQjg_-8PSL1eidMRONFM1quPdzPF1rF0lKCbnv6iVJ3X2QDKs5v7lSOIhO/s1600/fatty5.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I just want to make sure you really SEE the problem here. Is that a double chin? Why yes! Yes, it is. I see no discernable shape to my face.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Even my friggin' eyelids were fat.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This is when reality started to sink in. Holy moly, I had a double chin (and fatty eyelids). Jaw line? What jaw line??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This won't be a long drawn out thing, but I want you to see where I came from. Even the progress I've made so far is incredible to me. It's probably the most difficult thing I've done.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">I mean, do you have ANY idea how incredible Blue Bell ice cream is??</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Just to keep in perspective, here are a couple more recent pictures (that you can also find on my Facebook).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ03aApBG05mCwzeA8eXdBY8-wFBB8oIYHAU5cRYt7tnfi4DnUxYiLsYquV3JB67p3hzV9YlcTtQQkrmq2fOaFNI1RzfVNi9zJsDOzEoAz0NkPOJkep_GxIJi-YLHksE4-_yMVlGJg1QD/s1600/whiskey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaQ03aApBG05mCwzeA8eXdBY8-wFBB8oIYHAU5cRYt7tnfi4DnUxYiLsYquV3JB67p3hzV9YlcTtQQkrmq2fOaFNI1RzfVNi9zJsDOzEoAz0NkPOJkep_GxIJi-YLHksE4-_yMVlGJg1QD/s320/whiskey.jpg" width="228" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Squeeeee!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A little fitter, a little happier. :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Still a long way to go, though. I've got a jaw line, too!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Here's to zucchini and sweet potatoes!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span></div>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-65240578553932895842012-04-10T10:00:00.001-07:002012-04-10T10:00:33.013-07:0010,000% of Your Daily Awesome.I achieved my first goal today - I'm in the 170s!<br />
<br />
Stepped on the scale this morning to see 179.6 staring me in the face. I could not be more excited.<br />
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My next goal, you ask?<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">175 lbs.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nutribuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/baby-steps-to-big-dreams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.nutribuff.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/baby-steps-to-big-dreams.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>*****************************</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>My diet consists of:</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Many, varied veggies</strong> (raw broccoli, zucchini, squash, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, carrots, celery, etc.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Sweet potatoes</strong> (they get their own category, because I love them and they have a bunch of good stuff and make you feel good about yourself when you eat them - true story)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Fruit </strong>(in moderation!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Meat</strong> (chicken, turkey, and the occasional red meat)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">And I am munching ALL day. That is a beauty and glory of the Paleo lifestyle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>*****************************</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><em>My work out consists of:</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A trainer<strong> three times a week</strong> to pretty much destroy me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Yoga</strong> whenever I get a moment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>Meditation</strong> to bring it all to center.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">A <strong>speedy walk</strong> outside as often as weather allows.</span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia;">*****************************</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">One of the more surprising things is how sustainable this feels to me. When I get hungry , I drink a bunch of water and eat some chicken and a whole zucchini or something. Tell me in what "diet" they <em>encourage</em> you to eat a whole *anything*?? It's always about portion control and only have "one bite" if you can't help yourself. (One bite. Pifft. Right.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Story: Preparing our dove poppers (dove breast, jalapeno, cream cheese, and bacon), I found myself compelled out of habit to lick my fingers after messing with the cream cheese. It was funny to me. I brought my thumb up, laid it on my tongue, tasted the creamy-creamy-cream cheese and FROZE.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I don't WANT to eat this!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Immediately, I went to the sink and rinsed my fingers off. With nothing there, I had no desire to lick my fingers. <em>HOW INTERESTING.</em> I prepared the rest of the dove poppers, rinsing my fingers off after almost every single one, so I would have no reason to lick them in the downtime. /proudmoment</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It doesn't seem to be the food so much as the habit-breaking challenge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">My yoga teaching certification starts in four days. I'm going to attend the Yoga Institute of Houston and receive instruction from Lex Gillam, one of the best practitioners in the biz. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">It's a beautiful day outside. I'm going to stock up on vitamin D and revel in the confidence I feel to keep going.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">179.6! It's a been a while since I've seen a number like that. I feel the need for fireworks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Stay present in yourself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Namaste, everybeast. <3</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Gil</span>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6335141071730418558.post-76267204171541601412012-04-09T08:01:00.001-07:002012-04-09T08:01:39.187-07:00In the Beginning, there was Fat.<span style="color: black;">To follow is a recommended pre-story. It's eleventy billion words long. Enjoy.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><strong>I reckon I better find an outlet for all this.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've converted. I'd like to begin by saying that. I believe in the Paleolithic lifestyle. More on this later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">From a girl that would eat mayonnaise sammiches and play PlayStation 2 (Kingdom Hearts. Yeah, yeah). The girl that would eat pints of Blue Bell and be stationary for months at a time. Who would never call her best friend (Mom!) or return her calls - I'm proud to say I'm finding a much more awesome me.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>During my binges, I hated myself.</strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hated hating myself. It was time for change.</span><br />
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<u>Background:</u><br />
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I am 5'11.5" (6' on a really good day). I started playing golf when I was two. I began playing softball when I was five. I started pitching when I was nine. I decided to try out for volleyball my freshman year (I played in 7th and 8th, but barely knew how to keep score - Gil jump, Gil smash!) and made JV - I later joined Varsity when they went to the Texas 5-A State Championship. I pitched Varsity softball as a fish, too, and I had my letter jacket before anybeast. I graduated high school at 168 lbs, and I'm was NOT terribly unfortunate-looking.<br />
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<u>Backstory:</u><br />
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For whatever reason, I decided to play volleyball (which I played for five years prior) in college, instead of softball (which I had played since kindergarten and near-perfected the art of pitching). Lord knows why, but we all make really stupid, life-changing decisions sometimes, right?<br />
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So off I go to San Marcos, TX - a sleepy little town where college kids spent their time getting obliterated or hanging out at the Meat Market. The riverbank of the Texas State campus cannot be denied its due when it comes to boys that look like they swallowed the sun.<br />
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I was pale, had put on weight since high school (a piddly 10 lbs.) and a fine layer of fluff obscured my once-toned abdominals. Nothing to worry too much about. Oh, and my hamstrings were tight. Remember that point.<br />
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The pre-season began.<br />
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Let me tell you that the third hardest thing to do in the world is play sports at the collegiate level. I boldly proclaim nothing short of military boot camp prepares you for what you are about to go through - mentally, physically, and emotionally.<br />
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I was the <span style="color: #bf9000;">sick chicken</span>. Everyone else pretty much got in better shape. I got <strong>fat</strong>. Straight up, no-shame-about-it fat.<br />
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By the time the first games started, I'm fairly sure I packed on about 20 lbs. All I know is, halfway through the season, I weighed 186... Which I carried well, but I was way too thick to play volleyball effectively.<br />
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For a year, I was heckled, shunned, ignored, mocked, and humiliated by about 13 other girls. I will never forget Leslie Bowers telling me it would be necessary to "roll me into the gym" if I hesitated to drop my milkshake immediately (while she's sitting there, a size 2, eating Jack in the Box in the same car with me). Skinny bitch (which is, oddly enough, a compliment in some circles).<br />
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Misery loves company, though, and I was never more miserable than when I was eating. Pasta slathered in ranch, pizza with ranch, drowned-ranch-salad. I would eat two or three bowls of Corn Pops in a sitting. I never felt full.<br />
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Metaphorically, I suppose you could say there was an emptiness inside of me. Away from the safe parameters of my sheltered childhood where I was protected, encouraged and loved, I am now facing the exact opposite, and a part of me struggled to cope with the anxiety I felt in daily life.<br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>The only thing that made me feel any type of "good" was food.</strong></span><br />
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I ate myself silly. Literally, GORGE myself. Which made me feel bad. Welcome to the paradox. And it's your existence.<br />
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Then I would wake up the next day, have a massive cinnamon roll and a hot chocolate for breakfast and waddle my growing girth to class.<br />
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Guys, let me tell you some science: It is <strong>*HORRIBLE*</strong> to be "the chubby one."<br />
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The phrase, "You have such a pretty face!" is crushing. I mean, because what about the rest of me?<br />
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In practice by 2 p.m sharp. You're running, you're lifting weights, you're doing interval cardio, throwing yourself on the floor, landing on your knees, destroying your rotator cuff. Needless to say, I sustained a career-ending injury (hello, weather knee).<br />
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During this time, I managed to get all the way up to 220 lbs, and you could consider me unhealthy to the extreme. I was 55 lbs overweight. I was disgusted by my reflection. Self-esteem was a laughable subject with me. What jawline lol?<br />
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For three semesters (I think?) I hid in my room. I dodged my parents. I only came out for Taco Bell or to buy toilet paper. It was not a proud moment when I realized <u>I lost myself</u>.<br />
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I moved back home to an alarmed mother and a confused father. Both my parents handled my weight gain poorly. They had Blue Bell in the house, my father still bought Oreo's. And I still ate them.<br />
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My weight did decreased, however. When I moved home, I became gainfully employed at SRO and scored a cocktail waitress gig. After a steady decline in pant size (due mainly to my mother's efforts), I dropped another ten pounds from all the walking suddenly introduced into my life. I was 174 when I stopped working at SRO.<br />
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Then, serendipitously, I began work at the Front Desk at Life Time Fitness. The company promoted a "macro healthy way of life" that I still believe in today, regardless of my employment. I got to work out at this <em>incredible </em>fitness center that closely resembled a stationary cruise ship to some degree.<br />
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I started dropping pounds as a result of near-daily work outs. It progressed to the point where boredom was replaced with late-night cardio sessions at the gym. I was obsessed. Not only with that, but with Ender.<br />
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Yeah, I admit it. It was fantastic (read: "<span id="hotword"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;"><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">a</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">wild</span><span style="color: black;"> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">lack</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">of</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">restraint,</span> <span id="hotword" name="hotword">a</span> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">fancifulness</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">so</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">extreme</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">as</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">to</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">lose</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">touch</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #333333; cursor: default;">with</span><span style="color: black;"> </span><span id="hotword" name="hotword" style="color: #0055bb; cursor: pointer;"><strong>reality</strong></span></span><span id="hotword" name="hotword">"). Long story short, we Internetted from 2001ish (I was 15) to nearly 2011ish. A decade of talking. I always joked that we've "just talked" longer than most people stay married.</span></span><br />
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<span name="hotword">He went to the Marines. We stayed in touch. I went to college. Had boyfriends, made stupid choices, got most of it out of my system. I got involved in a hugely bad situation (= werewolves), and I cannot describe the pain I felt as I watched his name flash up on my phone and was unable answer.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">Moved on from hugely bad situation, time passes, and he opines that he might just come meet me when he gets out of the Marines. I was convinced that my fantasy (which had built up over 10 years).</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">Man, talk about some rose-colored glasses. Ha! I was on top of the world. The sky was more blue, traffic was way less annoying, and I went to the gym like a fiend.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">My eating also changed drastically. I became aware of "calories in, calories out" in a painfully meticulous way. After all, I was to meet my alleged soulmate at the end of the summer. I committed myself to being the absolute best person I could be, because I felt like I wanted to for him. Because I thought he deserved the best.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">This went on for about three or four months, then, one day, silence.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">He stopped calling, he stopped texting, he stopped IMing - all forms of communication that we previously utilized on a regular basis were cut off.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">I tried not to worry about it too much, but I was sick. I was up till all hours, worked out like an idiot, also ate like a moron. I remember my friends telling me to "eat something." Truth is, I <em>was</em> eating something AND keeping it down. Never (well, almost never) have I induced vomiting - especially never, ever for weight loss. It's like cheating, and it's super bad for you. My guilt was never enough to make me want to revisit a bad decision that soon, but I thought about it pretty loud.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">Then came the time he did pick up. "This isn't what I want." I remember saying something so ludicrously stupid that it still haunts me today. Ugh. I didn't cry until we got off the phone, though.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">In almost a feat of super-human patheticness, I gained 35 lbs. in two weeks. Let's do the math, kids.</span><br />
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<span name="hotword">35 lbs. = 122,500 calories = (35 (1 lbs*3,500cal)) as a lb. equals 3,500 calories.</span></div>
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<span name="hotword">Over the course of two weeks (14 days) = 8,750 calories per day.</span></div>
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<span name="hotword"><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: x-large;">8,750 calories. Per day.</span></span></div>
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Yes. Really. Doctors recommend about 1,500 calories per day.</div>
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Not to mention that I despised myself again. For doing this to myself. <em>Again</em>.</div>
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I really only had me to be mad at, though, and slowly began reigning in my eating habits.</div>
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It's impossible to say where I really began, but I attempted at least to go to the gym sometimes, but my heart wasn't in it anymore.</div>
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Then Frank happened! A more exceptional personal trainer, in my humble opinion, there simply is not. (And he has cute dimples, which is always a plus, but y'know, professional relationship.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPmxhitqAL5JV2sDubHeFAynvBzmG3gs6i3tILWqb1lpygi0wosz_zICBmJ7Ta3hHKe7KEALABQYf9wT9yg9msvZIUJTD3L0XpYr6D9iwdqmzYxlpYWcwRKmCFaqsyBNUx6OLKEgko0oc/s1600/blogfrank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPmxhitqAL5JV2sDubHeFAynvBzmG3gs6i3tILWqb1lpygi0wosz_zICBmJ7Ta3hHKe7KEALABQYf9wT9yg9msvZIUJTD3L0XpYr6D9iwdqmzYxlpYWcwRKmCFaqsyBNUx6OLKEgko0oc/s320/blogfrank.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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See? Cute, even in a skirt.</div>
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He is an amazing trainer because he listens. And through all of Anthony, he listened and subtly called me an idiot. I knew I was. But thanks for always reminding me, Frank. No, really. Thanks. Even though I was <em>always</em> 10 minutes late. :)</div>
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With his help and persistent, optimistic attitude toward, well, everything, I was able to get down to a stately 162 (with muscles this time). I was so grateful, I gave him horrible, terrible photos of me taken at night when I was wearing dude's gym shorts, a massively baggy shirt, my bear claw slippers (which are awesome, so hush), my hair all pulled back, no make up... I see that picture of me, and it causes me physical upset. But he said I could be his personal training advertisement. That requires 'Before' and 'After.'</div>
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I went to a Halloween party at a club and had a girl squeal to take a picture with me because I was "so pretty." I had previously ingested the legendary Red Headed Sloot (thanks, random guy at the bar) so what the heck, right?</div>
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*smileflash* Moving on.</div>
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Frank was there with his gorgeous girlfriend, Jessica, who I always thought couldn't stand me for some reason. I must admit, though, I wish I could see her when she gets her braces off as I have no doubt that she will be even MORE gorgeous than she was before. If that's even possible.</div>
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So my roommate and I are piddling around this dance floor with music that sounds like a cheese grater on my last auditory nerve. If you ever need to know anything about me, dear friends, it is this.</div>
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<strong><span style="color: #38761d;">I. Hate. Crowds.</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: black;">If you ever *really* read anything about wolves, you will learn why (well, that... and zombies).</span></div>
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Contingency plans and I get along very well. Anyway.</div>
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So we're in this club, strutting, we find friends, someone's hand trails along my hindquarters which rubbed my fur the wrong way, and we end up on stage, dancing in front of this crowd of what seemed to be people multiplying and splitting into each other. It's hard to describe.</div>
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Then I went home.</div>
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After that, I just... lost interest. I had killed myself at the gym again and slowly began to put on a pound here, a pound there. My insane dieting was absolutely not sustainable. Yo-yo dieting is maybe the third worst eating disorder/psychological "cry for help."</div>
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You are at risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and all manner of thyroid, insulin imbalance, things that shouldn't go wrong with your body but do, because this is reality. This information is coming to you from my brain after reading hundreds of articles. I'll let you do your own research and let the sources speak for themselves. :)</div>
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I stayed around 184 and settled with myself that my body just wanted to weigh that. I certainly wasn't eating fast food nor was I doing any kind of crazy drinking. I first began to realize that my caloric intake was obviously at what it should be, as I am staying the same weight.<br />
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But I want to weight less. But I LOVE chocolate cake and cookies and ice cream and maybe the occasional slice of pizza for the week. I also love Indian food, Italian food, Japanese food... Food, pretty much. It just has to be <em>delicious.</em><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then I got another wild hare and started working out again, eating better-ish and doing yoga.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">BINGO.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Instantly, inside myself, I found myself.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">That silver, furry part of me with green eyes and teeth and "Don't mind the wolf behind the curtain."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The part that said, "You're killing me."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I knew I had to turn my eating around or forever be locked in a downward spiral of gain, lose, gain, lose. And I apparently lose that game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I cleaned up a bit. No carbonated, syrup beverages. No high-fructose corn syrup. No partially-hydrogenated anything. If I wanted to eat it, I'd bake it myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Baking, as it turns out, is not recommended for anyone trying to lose weight. Temptation to eat just that <em>last</em> spoon of cookie dough is ridiculous. And I caved. Every. Time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">But still, the weight sat around. How irritating.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">After some research, I discovered gluten intolerance and celiac disease. I have yet to be diagnosed, but if what I read it true, there's a strong indication I have it... And believe me, the results of eating a slice of bread are gastronomically painful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">So I cut bread out of my life. Sort of. The occasional pizza still made its way into the kitchen, or we'd* just boil some pasta, or have white rice with sushi.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">*At this juncture, I'd like to point out that I am otherwise preoccupied with a wonderful man who also enjoys the gym and found his passion in lifting heavy things. He's like my chance to do it right this time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">As a Valentine's present, he paid for a trainer, and I'm on my second month. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I have a dear friend who is always encouraging me to do yoga and talking about retreats to beautiful islands where all you do is yoga, and oh! How great that sounds to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">One day, I get up some gumption. I decide that I want to teach yoga. This newfound drive made me get a book called <em>The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga</em> and devour every word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">It talks about each law and how practicing different poses channels the energy to bring about ultimate success and pure potentiality. I vow to live a life based in good karma, good vibrations, and good energy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Shortly after that, I cleaned up my eating and even shed a few pounds. It's amazing, really, what happens when you truly understand that everything you put in your mouth has an energy and vibrates with or against the universe. But I digress. Just for the simple fact that it's full of vitamins, minerals and clean.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Soon after, I signed up for an intense, one-week yoga cert.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">In my excitement, I all but cut bread out of my diet. Problem was... all but.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Let's back up briefly. Earlier this year, a friend of ours decided he wanted to do the Tough Mudder.</span></div>
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<a href="http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/themes/mym-shell/images/tm_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="http://toughmudder.com/wp-content/themes/mym-shell/images/tm_logo.png" width="320" /></a></div>
This is an 11 mile long mud trail through fields, creeks, lakes, pits, and ditches, littered with a litany of extraordinarily challenging (well, I thought so) obstacles requiring such physical feats as leaping, getting shocked with electricity, submerging yourself completely in a vat of ice water, swim-crawl through big plastic tubes, etc.<br />
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We completed the Tough Mudder on March 31, 2012.<br />
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I cannot tell you what happened during that 11 mile journey. All I know is that I completed it and crossed the finish line.<br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">And I was somehow different.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I came out with a passion for life that I have never experienced before. I wanted more and tougher.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">When I lay in the yard, I hear birds telling jokes. I wiggle my toes in the grass and dirt and revel in the beauty of a blue sky. I smile because there is every reason in the world to do so. The universe came together by a series of interactions that wonderously led to my existence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">We are all made of star dust. No, really. Law of Conservation of Mass. There's only so much mass in the universe, and since I am part of the universe, I must be made of some of that mass. It's science!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">"I think I turned <span style="color: red;">primal</span>," I tell people.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">We ate Jack in the Box the day before, and I felt physically wounded the next day. Even as I was eating my favorite thing from this awful eatery, I could FEEL the chemicals making meat taste smoked and the plastic texture of the cheese clogging my system.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">I went in to Tough Mudder weighing 184.6. I came out at a stately 183. Somewhere in that 1.6 lbs. I changed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">And now, voila. Here we are today.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;">Gil</span>Gileneahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00134804212405539005noreply@blogger.com1