Sarah’s Blog

The thing everyone agrees on, is how to do this or that, such as avoiding temptation by not having crap in the house and not even approaching the crap-isles at the store. I’ve stayed away from those for years, it’s not an issue, I even make sure to tell Lewis when we go shopping together that there’s no point going down that isle, there’s nothing edible in there anyway (in the vain hope that someone will hear me and stop to think – likely story).

However, when others give you huge amounts of chocolate candy for Christmas/ wedding/ birthday/ New Year … the crap is in the house! It’s not your choice, you did not want it, you did not bring it in, but it’s there! "They"  brought it and expect to have a taste, so you have to open it.

Not opened, you could easily  throw the whole thing in the garbage, but open, in front of your eyes and nose … not so easy. One lot is over half devoured before you find the strength to leave it on top of the recycling bin for the collector to take if he wants it. One happy guy. The other didn’t get as eaten, mainly because you didn’t really like them that well, and those you’ll give  to the regular trash collectors.

Note to self: if anyone ever brings this sort of crap into your house again, throw the opened package into the trash with lots of stinky scraps etc, as soon as the offending guest is out the front door!!

More a year-end rant than anything, but I get fed up. Everyone we know are aware of the fact that we run a fitness web site, they know we have the gym in the house rather than having to bravce the elements to get to a commercial gym and then stand in line waiting for the weights, they know we eat clean; yet they bring this sort of  gifts!  You may be in much the same situation, minus the web site. It just irks me, because we are only human and this crap is tempting to us as well. Only we have made a conscious choice to leave it all at the stores, and do not need saboteurs to bring us these mines!

Because that is what they are, mines, time bombs, bombs of fat and sugar! You don’t need them, I don’t need them, we save huge amounts of money per year by not buying them – compared to those who buy at least one candy-bar per day, plus the donuts, the flavoured coffees, and other "comfort" "foods" -  

Who would bring a good bottle of wine or whisky to a recovering alcoholic? No one. 

Who would bring chocolates to a diabetic on insulin shots? No one.

Who would bring a meat casserole to a vegetarian? No one.

Who would bring chocolates and cakes and alcohol to a fitness minded person?  Everyone!!

And we all put up with it, not to hurt the givers’ feelings. There is no real reason that we do this, except that we were brought up to be thankful for gifts, that it’s the intention that counts, etc. and it’s true, it is. The thing is, thankful for a bright green glass bowl with gold/brass paint trim … you don’t have to keep it, and it won’t hurt you while it’s on the gift-table (except your eyesight); the drab greenish-brown jacket made from sagging material you can use as a liner for the dogs’ bed, no harm done to your style. But the chocolates, the cakes, the good bottles … it’s not the same somehow.

We’ve all been told not waste, to think of the starving kids in Aftica, Bangladesh, India, depending on our generation. That brainwashing idea is still in our minds. But think about it: those kids will have no more food to eat because you polish off your plate after you’re already full. And worse, they will not be any better off if you consume the crap foods/drinks because there is no nutritional value in that stuff anyway. It’s not food people! We can throw it away without feeling bad about having done it! It’s as useless and worthless as that horrendous glass bowl and boring, shapeless jacket. We can throw the three away together with a big smile J

I know, gift-time is over for this year. However, I would like to make a pledge and hope you will join me in it – no more accepting junk gifts of any kind without promising self to place in the garbage pail as soon as gift giver is out of sight. Whether birthday, Easter, wedding, next year-end, whatever occasion, Ino more keeping gifts that are offensive to our lifestyle. Oh, and on the same note … do not give offensive gifts either. When in doubt, bring plant (bamboo arrangements are nice).

As you contemplate your plans to lose weight and get in shape for the New Year, before you add another diet to your resume and spend your valuable time, energy and money on the latest diet, Holly Rigsby, author of Fit Yummy Mummy tinyurl.com/2p75gz advises you to think twice about your decision.

The only thing growing faster than the $65 billion diet industry is the American waistline. If your Resolution for the New Year is to GO on a Diet, the only place I guarantee you will go….is up in weight.

It’s a Fact – Diets will only make you fatter.

When it comes to the latest in Diet fads, we are quite gullible and easily tempted by a Diet’s empty promised. Reason being….the diet industry KNOWS we are in search of the "quick fix" and will only play with our emotions – our desperation for the quickest way to relieve looking and feeling fat.

Diets are nothing more than Temporary Solutions with many lingering, negative side effects.

Here are the Top 10 Reasons Why you should NOT "go" on a Diet

1. Diets do NOT work. Diets have a 99% Failure Rate. Have you noticed a pattern yet? Lose weight….quickly regain it? Over time, studies show if you diet you are more likely to be overweight than people who eat normally and make small gradual changes to their lifestyle. No, the Law of Averages does not apply to this faulty system.

2. Dieting can be Dangerous. Any time you severely restrict the amount or types of foods you eat you put your health and life at risk. Dieting has been related to injuries and sudden deaths from electrolyte imbalance, malnutrition, and heart arrhythmia’s. Weight cycling, or yo-yo-ing weight, is associated with higher death rates

- especially if some type of pills are being used. At no point should you ever place weight loss above your health.

3. Dieting Destroys your Metabolism. Diets will cause your weight to quickly cycle up and down. Sure, you may lose weight quickly because you are simply not eating enough. In the initial stages, the first seven to nine pounds lost are water, presenting a real danger of dehydration and mineral deficiencies. Even more terrifying ins the break down of lean muscle due to inefficient nutrients and calories. If you are losing more than 3-4 pounds a week, you can be sure this is what is happening – very little fat is lost this state.

Now, any muscle loss will cause your metabolism slow to a crawl.

The cumulative effect takes place for you cannot survive very long on very low calories (1200 or less) and you will eventually eat more – on top of a slower metabolism. All those excess calories will be stored as fat – causing rapid weight gain.

4. Dieting is Exhausting. Diets are just reduced calorie Fads disguised by a clever gimmick. "Lose weight while you sleep" "Eat all you want and still lose weight"

Not eating enough or cutting out certain food groups means your body may not be getting the energy it needs, or may lack certain nutrients. You will feel exhausted, light headed and experience some not-so-fun mood swings.

5. Dieting is Disruptive. Dieting negatively affects your normal eating patterns. Diets can lead to binge eating, overeating and chaotic eating. When you diet, it is common to override your internal signals telling you to eat. You end up trying to use willpower or resist hunger signals and may even go as far as taking appetite suppressants. This results in being unable to know when you really are hungry or wore….when you’re full.

6. Dieting can lead to eating disorders. Experts state that the high rates of eating disorders in the U.S. are due in part to people dieting, losing weight, rebounding, and becoming chronic dieters.

7. Dieting Causes Food Obsessions. If you spend a large amount of time and energy depriving yourself of food or certain types of food

- you will spend more time thinking about food and become obsessed attempts to control your weight by what you choose to eat or not eat. How long do you want to live like this?

8. Dieting Diminishes Women. There is way too much attention focused on our appearance and an arbitrary number on the scale. In the midst of this focus – we end up avoiding what really matters to us – our dreams and ambitions. Even worse, it erodes our confidence and self-respect.

9. Dieting Intensifies Negativity. If you diet, you are more judgmental and critical of yourself and others. Once again, wasted time and energy.

10. Diets Put Your Life on Hold. Does this sound familiar…."I’ll be happy when I weigh ______" Guess what, the issues in your life are not related to your weight. Take responsibility and take back control of your life. Decide to be happy now and do what it takes to live a lifestyle that reflects your priorities.

So this New Year resolve to NOT go on a Diet – Set Yourself Free from this miserable, guaranteed to fail weight loss cycle. Do NOT let the diet industry make money by taking advantage of you. It is time to stand up for yourself and take control.

Rest assure that your complete, permanent fat loss solution is found in the Fit Yummy Mummy Lifestyle System tinyurl.com/2p75gz - no more guessing what or when you need to eat – no more long hours or boring cardio or complicated workouts – just simple, to the point nutrition and short burst exercise plans that take you step by step to help you effectively burn the baby fat and get your body back. Reclaim your Body and Sign Up Today!

tinyurl.com/2p75gz

"I wish that I would have found Holly Rigsby’s Fit Yummy Mummy Program years ago as it would have saved me over 10k a year on my Personal Trainer! Holly has a clear understanding of how to get strong yet lean and gives you step by step advise. I highly recommend the Fit Yummy Mummy Program to everyone as I have implemented her workouts into my routine and have seen great results." ~ Posh Mama Founder of Posh Mama Online Magazine and Social Network

"I could not ever imagine trying another "diet" to lose weight. I now have a permanent solution, instead of a temporary one. Overall Fit Yummy Mummy will create a new "you". Thank you Holly for your time and dedicated support to creating a new "me". ~ Bridget McKinley

Holly Rigsby, CPT, MAT America’s #1 Fat Loss Expert for Busy Moms and the author of FitYummyMummy tinyurl.com/2p75gz

She has helped hundreds of Moms lose the stubborn baby fat and get their pre-baby body back. Don’t miss her Free Report: Top 5 Busy Mom Metabolism Boosters.

… of 2007

What will I do with those days?  Well for one thing, I’ll have to shovel snow off the drive way, since the people we had hired weren’t interested in working and kept giving us stupid explanations, excuses and outright lies. Pretending that their guy had cleared all the snow, because they’d asked him and he said he had – I was sitting here looking at a huge pile of snow blocking half of a parking space – and later saying he’d been by and there was nothing to do – so why did I spoend an hour on my wedding day shovelling the snow they said they had removed, so that the guests could park there? Of course, I do have pictures proving this, and do not mind telling you that the company in question is Syljack (Montreal, QC) Not exactly what I was most needing to do on a joyous day like my wedding day, and not with my hair freshly done either, but after a week of battling with them on the phone, I was less stressed actually doing the job myslef and sending them packing, than trying one more telephone call (already had 4 per day for 4 days, with no result at all!).

That done, the wedding was quiet and discreet, just the two of us and our witnesses both for the ceremony and the restaurant afterwards.

Christmas celebrations were a little hay-wire this year, with the main meal and gift distribution being moved to the 23rd. This was not a real issue however, because the meal was not my traditional meal anyway, and I was therefore able to have that on the "correct" day (24th) anyway. Besides which, we had a really nice evening on the 23rd and everyone enjoyed the meal and the gifts.

I’m avoiding all malls and department stores like the plague this week. Most people seem to be wanting to run to the stores and grab the bargains, but … not for me. Shopping was never a de-stresser for me, quite the contrary, and shopping during sales … a nightmare! People pushing, shovving, being rude, blocking me so I can’t even see if there is something of interest to buy, people smelling of cold cigarett-smoke and/or stale perspiration, stepping on my toes, pushing at the cash-line, banging into the car on the parking lot even when I park as far away from the entrance as I can … how is that relaxing and/or stress releaving? On top of that, they insist on bringing screaming, tired and impatient kids along … help.

So I am just going to get a few basic groceries, like fruit, eggs, potatoes, toothpaste … you know, basics. Nothing major, but enough to get me stuck in a major line-up at the cash register anyway. Oh well … I’ll also go to the health food store and get some freshly ground peanut butter! And while I’m there, some fish oil capsules because I just ran out this morning.

We are continuing the EODD nutrition plan, and will do a new Detox week starting on January 1st ‘08. At the same time I will also start looking into a "new" training program which looks interesting. I still like the Optimum Anabolics program and will use that until I have mentally grasped the new program.

Of course, updates will follow, but I was really just popping in to let you know that there will be new things in 2008, and that this Holiday Season we’re supposed to "survive" like we would a virus epidemic, has been very nicely survived, thank you.

Have a Happy New Year !! See you in 2008 !!

Yes, it’s Christmas Eve today.

We actually had our Christmas dinner last night, because of ski-plans today.

Turkey

Stuffing made from lean ground veal, chopped dried apricots, raisins and pine nuts

Oven roasted potatoes

Oven roasted veggies

Grilled sweet potatoes

Creamy broccoli dish

A large, green salad

Drippings as "gravy"

Cranberry jelly – only bought item!

Desert was a home made peaches and cream cake

Coffee and a few cookies with the gifts

And today, I was in the gym training shoulders. Tonight I am making MY Christmas dinner, with the pork roast, sweet/sour karvi cabbage, potatoes, gravy (drippings and whole wheat flour), cranberry jelly and as for the desert, some frozen vanilla yogurt will do.

Period. No more splurging now until New Year’s Eve and even then it’s not much, just a glass of "bubbly" – maybe!

All week I’m keeping up the weights program, tomorrow being arms and abs, then legs on Wednesday, back on Thursday, and Friday chest and abs again.

Jan 1st 2008 will see me weighing pretty much what I weighed on the 20th (of December) and with the same overall bodyfat percentage.

One month later … next goal date and next goal to aim for!

Have a great Christmas and I’ll see you in January 2008 

Isn’t it sad, when you get a contract with someone and pay them for the agreed work, and they don’t follow up and give you the service you’ve paid for? In this case, our snow removal. Since the first snowfall this winter, they have come as planned twice, the first two times. Then they forgot us and came the next day because I called. The following snow fall, no one came so I called again and was told that according to contract, they don’t come for less than 5 centimeters – we had 9½, I went out and measured!! And yesterday, with the 45-50 cm we got, no one came until 7 pm and then they did such a messy job it was no help at all. Returning this morning, they cleaned ¾ of the place nicely (although the parking is narrowing towards the street) but left a huge amount in front of the steps … how can anyone go from their car to the stairs or in the opposite direction, without getting their boots filled with snow? It’s impossible. So I called, again! It was normal, they did a quick pass so we could get out and would be back later to finish … ???

No way. The guy considered himself finished when he left here, it was obvious. And as for letting us get out, the car had already left, after we dug it out ourselves since they hadn’t come before 6 am as promised, besides … letting us out? Why then leave the huge amount of snow in front of the accesses to the house? Cop-out answer from the office woman who had no idea what was going on here and didn’t care much either. As for "coming back later" at 3:30 pm there was still no sign of the blower-guy and the steps are still blocked! No, I am not shovelling that by hand, not after paying good money for someone to do it mechanically!

Next year? We get a temporaty shelter for the car, forget about the other half of the parking, and shovel the rest ourselves, at least we know it’ll get done when it needs to be.

Sorry, I just had to get that rant off! I feel ripped off, cheated, and on top of it I get treated on the phone as if I’m being unreasonable when I just ask that they do what we’ve paid them to do. It’s infuriating! I’d love to go to the Better Business Bureau and report them, frankly! Maybe I’ll keep a record of their continued "service" here this winter and send the bureau a report once the spring arrives! Heheh (evil grin)

~ * ~

But OK, back to the business at hand. Fitness. Winter cardio training. Fat loss. Clean eating.

Winter cardio can be a lot of things.

Toboganing is one. Sure, you have to walk back up that hill, right? That’s the intense part of it. Then you get your heart rate back a bit when you slide down. Up again, down, up, down … and you’re having fun at the same time, get lots of fresh air and even sunshine with some luck. All good for you.

Then there is skiing. Cross country will get you a better over all and constant effort body training, but down hill and slalom are good too.

You have ice skating, more sliding fun. Ski-joring if you can find a horse, but your dog will do.

And you have the snow clearing, shovelling it all away by the sweat of your brow.  If I had skis, I think I would try ski-joring with the dogs. One dog, I’m not reckless to the point of doing it with two at a time (too much power and speed). I have no skis (phew, great excuse not to try). So I shovel. The front steps, the lower steps to the gym. The passage along the side of the house to access the fuel line so we get more heat. The entire deck so that 1) we can access the barbeque and still have grilled steaks on New Year’s Eve 2) the dogs don’t drag all the snow in with them when they’ve been outside, and 3) so that there will be less snow that has to melt in the spring – that way we get to enjoy the deck sooner!

Or you decide that no, outside is too cold. Or you have no snow, it’s just cold and grey. Then  you think gym. Or you may have some equipment at home, even something as simple as a jump rope. Plan on 30-50 minutes a day, in one go or two, doesn’t really matter. You just want to move, keep moving, use that body.

And on a not-so-cold-and-miserable day, take a hike! I mean, go for a brisk walk outside. A bike ride will be too cold, unless you’re in a warmer area like Florida, California, or further south. Forget that it’s Christmas Holidays time and you’re "supposed to" put on 10 pounds because "everyone" statistically do. You don’t have to be part of that statistic.

Weights? I’ll get to that tomorrow. Food too. For now, bye J

I have a surprise for you today

Fitness, yes, but check this out …

A neat, 33-page hard-cover book on how to care for 10 house plants and not kill them, unless you try really hard!

It’s easy to read, easy to understand, and the graphics are fun and adds to the easy understanding of what to do and when to do it.

I have never managed to keep a plant for more than one to two months before they died on me. And yet, with a history of "planticide" like mine, I haven’t had one casualty in over a year! Since I received this little gem from Lewis’ father, not only are my plants not dead, they are thriving! And a lot of the tips can also be transposed to a few other plants once you get the hang of these ones.

And not only is this book great, both for yourself and as a gift for someone you appreciate, you even get it signed by the author, how neat is that!? This makes it a totally unique gift, or a treasured book for your own indoor plants. 9,99$ for a perfect extra-gift to put under the tree at Christmas, or to offer with one of these plants any time during the year when you are invited somewhere, instead of a bouquet of cut-offs that will die within a week regardless of what is done to them.

What does this have to do with fitness? Well, think about it, your plants will be healthy and fit, they will look better in your environment, add oxygen to your house, and just think of all the compliments you’ll get when visitors see your lucious plants! A pretty environment also makes you feel better and more cheerful.

And honestly, at $ 9.99 (US) what a great deal!

Merry Christmas!

… sorry I’ve been so long without posting! There are a few reasons, the main one being my combined Chanukah-Wedding-Christmas present. A cute, tiny kitten, sold as being 2-2½ months old, but who is no more than 6 weeks judging by his behavior and size. He started out being a fun little thing for two days, then decided not to eat anymore! I was bottle feeding him for three days! Then he was back to being a fun kitten again, but two days ago he caught a cold – or rather, whatever he’d picked up from the SPCA just hit him. All congested, fever, runny eyes … poor little thing.

I let him sleep on a folded towel on my desk, with an amber pendant inside it; and the fever subsided. He’s still got a stuffy nose and sneezes, but he’s fine.

But what did that do to me? I obviously didn’t train with him so sick. However I did spend two days clearing snow for 1½ hours on one day and 45 minutes the next, so I haven’t been idle. I’ve also kept the EODD Lifestyle Plan going and the weight is …

After the last restaurant visit, I did struggle through the week. This weekend we didn’t go out for dinner. Instead we went out for breakfast, which are smaller portions, no entrees and no desert; as well as all day to work it off. Result: no weightloss but no gain either, so it was positive in that sense. Going to friends’ on Sunday, we didn’t have anything unhealthy and were down further on Monday.

Today I’m even lower, and heading towards my new, totally ambitious goal. The "craziest" ever, but I don’t care. I know I can reach it, fairly effortlessly, and I’m well on my way to doing just that.

I’ll have a better update for you later this week, just popped in to say I haven’t forgotten, just haven’thad the time!

Even when I’m "good" they sabbotage me! I mean, what is wrong with escargots in garlic-water (yes, no butter!) followed by a chickenbreast with pod-peas, carrots and a small potato – with just a thumb of pink pepper sauce, and one treat to finish, a creme brulee. ??? No wine, no coffee.

Then at friends’ for a night-cap which for me was a cup of green tea, and max 10 of the nuts that were served with the "actual" drinks. I passed on the cheesecake, having already had my desert for the week.

Result? >:( UP 2,2 lbs from yesterday morning !!!

I’ll repeat my question: what the &@## is in restaurant food ?!? How can an innocent-looking meal like that add 2 pounds of weight (water? can’t be fat!) when the same meal, home made, would not have done that? What do the restaurants add?

I had 3-4 glasses of water with the meal, and the mug of green tea afterwards; yet I woke up feeling dehydrated. Does that make sense? NO.

From now on, any celebration, no matter for what, I feel like just cooking myself and boycot the restaurants, no matter which ones! At least I know I won’t wake up 2-3 pounds heavier the next day

Restaurants? Honestly, to me, they’d better shape up! If people who are health, fitness and weight conscious can’t even enjoy one meal a week without seeing that entire week’s efforts obliterated, there’s something wrong with the way they operate.

It could also full well be part of the reason why there are so many obese people these days. This restaurant last night was anything but a fast-food joint. The menu was as close to what I would have made at home as I could get it. Yet the result was far, far from home-cooked results.

Home cooking. That’s the solution to the obesety problem. In part anyway, but a large part IMO.

Yes I’m pi$$d!! I had dropped 11 lbs since starting the Detox 3 weeks ago. Even if I know I’ll get rid of those 2.2 lbs relatively fast and drop a little more as well this week, they are still slowing my progress, and that really ticks me off!

It’s getting to where I’ll get in a bad mood just seeing the inside of a restaurant, no matter which one it is. Maybe I’ll try just a salad next time I have to go and eat real food when I get home (or have my unpollluted meal before I go). Talk about wanting to go bankrupt! If more people begin to monitor how their weight shoots up from one stupid no-dishes-to-clean meal, maybe more people would stay away from those obesety-traps!