Adrenal Fatigue

After over a year of absence from aerial due to an injury, I am ready to get back to it.  Before I get back in the air, however, I need to rebuild my upper body strength.  I want to be confident in my ability to complete weight-bearing exercises.

Since the muscle I injured was a support muscle, I need to be sure I'm not going to injure myself further.  The only way to do that is to start from square one and make sure I pay attention to what my body is telling me.

That said, I've worked out every day from Sunday through Thursday.  I've been pushing myself too hard.  The last couple of days, I've been exhausted in the morning after a vigorous workout the previous evening.  I decided to do some research into post-workout exhaustion, and found some articles about adrenal fatigue.

The adrenal gland is responsible for cortisol production.  Cortisol is released in times of stress, be it mental or physical.  While exercise strengthens the adrenal gland, over-exercising will deplete your cortisol levels.  This is more likely when you are not taking rest days to let your body recover.

In my case, this is what I've been doing.  I push myself hard all week, but then I crash on Friday and Saturday.  I'm really going to have to take rest days during the week instead of taking my rest days on the weekend.  My body isn't prepared for the demands of every day training.

I'm going to take Friday and Saturday to rest and recoup, and I'm going to build a new weekly menu for myself, including morning omelets and smoothies.  I'm going to continue drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of rest, and then I'm going to plan out my workouts for the next four weeks with a rest day every two days.  I may even move my workouts to the morning since I'm getting home so late in the evening.  That way, I can eat dinner before 8pm.

http://www.adrenalfatigue.org/what-is-adrenal-fatigue

https://experiencelife.com/article/fending-off-adrenal-fatigue/

http://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/

http://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/adrenal-fatigue-diet/

Long time no post...

So...I haven't posted in a while, but that doesn't mean I have been slacking off!  I've actually been keeping with my workouts and staying motivated.

Since I've started this process, I've lost 2" in my bum, thighs and hips.  I've got some stubborn belly fat that doesn't seem to want to get with the program.  Granted, I'm not being as diligent about what I eat as I was, so I'm sure that's part of the problem.

Surprisingly, the cellulite in my thighs and butt is getting the hint and slowly vacating the premises.  Woot!  All in all, I'm pleased with the progress I'm making.  My arms look great, and I don't hate my legs.  I've got some impressive little biceps and quads forming!

I'm still lifting, and loving it.  I'm up to 27.5lbs on my barbell, and I'm planning to increase another 5lbs next week.  Since I've incorporated the barbell and started doing deadlifts, My hamstrings have become more flexible.  There is a lengthening of all the muscles in my legs, and I'm finding them more aesthetically pleasing.  They're by no means perfect, but I don't hate them.

We haven't had aerial class since the end of June, so my upper body strength is decreasing.  I'm going to try to increase the number of pull-ups I'm doing in an effort to keep my strength up.  For when class starts in September.    

Challenging myself...

Fitocracy has motivated me to try exercises I've never done before.  I like it because it gives me variety in my workouts.  There are also groups that do monthly challenges, like the 30 Day Squat Challenge group.  

I know it says April, but I started at the beginning of June and plan to follow it through.  I usually do a few sets of body weight squats and move on to barbell squats.  I just upped my weight on the barbell squats and thought I would be feeling it today, but I have no delayed onset muscle soreness at all.  So weird.  

I'm also doing the 30 Day Abs Challenge.  I've altered the time for the planks, because the 10 seconds was way too easy for me.  I had no idea sit-ups could be this challenging, however.  Getting through 40 in one set is a chore, but I managed it yesterday.  I have a few days to catch up on, because I strained a muscle in my hand and wrist during Midsummer rehearsals and took two days off training all together, so I didn't injure myself further.

Then, there is the 30 Day Glute Challenge.  Obviously, this one is good for building a better booty.  I've seen so many women saying it's building their glutes, but my bum is actually decreasing in size!   This wasn't exactly the result I was looking for.  I simply wanted to tone the fabulous booty I already have.  I know the exercises are doing what they're supposed to do and turning fat to muscle, and once that part of the process is complete, the glute muscles will continue to develop, and my butt will...bounce back...HA!

One thing I've noticed since I've begun participating in these monthly challenges is that I'm losing weight instead of gaining.  I assumed that once I started lifting, I would be gaining rather than losing.  I'm not going to complain, though, because it's pushing me over the plateau I was on.  I was having trouble losing the last 9lbs of my weight gain, but now I'm down to only an extra 6!  And those 3lbs have come off in just the last week.

I'm not exactly sure where I'm losing this weight, other than losing 1" in my bum and legs. Even with that 1", there is a lot of dimpling and cellulite.  The boobs I was granted with my 30lb weight gain are still there.  My waist measurement is staying the same - my belly is trimmer, but it's still a bit fluffy.  So...I don't know where I'm losing the weight.  

But whatever!  I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.  I look better than I have in the last five years, and I feel great.  I have lots of energy, and my blood pressure has calmed down.  I won't trade any of those things to go back to being the depressed, volatile, emotional mess I was.  I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and be the best me I can be.

Oops! Long time, no blog!

It occurred to me this morning that I have not posted in a while.  To be fair, I've been a busy little pixie.  

Festival is finally over, and I am almost recovered.  Almost.  However, I've been full-tilt going to rehearsals for Midsummer every night.  Then, there's aerial class.  AND after Midsummer ends this weekend, I am hoping to start taking more classes with Portico and eventually become a company member.  I really miss dancing, and the more I watch them, the more I want to fully be a part of what they do.    

I'm still struggling with losing the last 8lbs I have left.  However, the muscle tone I'm gaining from my workouts more than makes up for it!

I broke down and bought a barbell.  The barbell was 12.5lbs, and carrying it to the checkout station was a challenge, so I decided I would start with that and purchase weights as needed.  I increased my weight for the first time last week for a total of 17.5lbs.  I think I'll need to go up 5lbs more by Saturday!  

I'm really enjoying lifting.  I love deadlifts (Romanian and stiff legged) and the Pendaly Row.  It's challenging, and something I thought I would never be able to do.  But I can!  And I am stronger for it.  Bentover Barbell Row and I are having some issues, though.  You never really know how weak your back muscles truly are until you've done that move for the first time.  Oy.

Oh!  Oh!  Also, I'm up to 4 pull-ups in one set!  Um.  Yes!  I AM MIGHTY!!!!  AND I can do 5 full pushups in one set!  Crazy talk!  

I love the energy that working out on a regular basis has given me.  I'm not tired all the time,  AND I'm not a raging bitch 3/4 of the time.   I'm also loving the way I look in the mirror.  I still have some cellulite around the booty and thighs to get rid of, but I don't jiggle when I walk anymore.  

I'm still over the moon for Fitocracy.  I'm stunned by how supportive the community is.  And there are so many inspiring stories!  If you're a fitness enthusiast and you haven't checked it out, please do!  I'm LibasaurusRex, and I'll follow back :)

Mountain Climbers made easy?!

I've been trolling backonpointe.tumblr.com (as usual) and came across a core strengthening article.   In this article, there is what appears to be an amazing (to me) invention.  It's the Valslide.  I know it sounds ridiculous, and it sounds even more ridiculous when you know what it is, but I've seen how easy it makes Mountain Climbers (my fitness nemesis)!  And I want it!!!

Any person who has tried Mountain Climbers knows how difficult they are.  It is one of the most awkward fitness moves I've ever seen, and they are physically exhausting.  Humans just aren't meant to move that way!...Says the girl who spends a good deal of time upside down these days.

Seriously, folks.  Check out Coach Dos's video demonstrating a Mountain Climber variation using the Valslide pads:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBdCXMSaZEw.

Pull-ups: A Pixie's Perspective

Pull-ups.  Oy.  Just the thought of me trying to do a pull-up makes me laugh hysterically.  I've tried.  There's no way.  I just wriggle about like a fish on a  hook.  

I made a Facebook post about not being able to do a pull-up, and my aerial instructor responded that it took her a year to be able to do her first pull-up.  o.O  A year!  This actually makes sense, because most women find their strength in their legs - especially dancers.  I knew immediately that aerial would be a challenge, because most of the climbs (except for the Taco Climb...gotta love the Taco Climb!) depend on your upper body to do most of the work for you; and I had little to no upper body strength when I started.

My instructor did, in her infinite wisdom, impart to me that starting by jumping up and lowering myself as slowly as possible would utilize the same muscles thus making those muscles stronger.  Good to know!

So, I tried it.  I'm glad I was alone in the house when I did, because I'm sure I looked ridiculous.  I'm 4'10", so I couldn't exactly jump up and reach the pull-up bar.  I had to use a chair.  So, I got in the chair, pulled myself up into the top of a pull-up and slowly lowered myself to the ground, climbed back into the chair and did it all over again.  I was only able to do 8 reps before the muscles in my forearms screamed at me to stop.    

I'm convinced I need to be doing more of these, because my trapezius, deltoids and scapular muscles were sore the next morning.  In fact, they're still sore two days latern (despite my foray into active recovery techniques), which could be a problem since I have aerial class tonight.  My plan is to incorporate these bastardized pull-ups into my routine three days a week so I can get to work building those muscles that will most certainly help with my foray into the aerial arts.

I hope this helps someone out there who is just as hopeless at pull-ups as I am.

What is "Active Recovery"?

Aerial class is working a completely new set of muscles for me.  In the past, my strength has been in my legs.  So, naturally, my aerial classes have left me a bit (read, extremely) sore the next day and even more stiff and sore 48 hours after.

In researching how to prevent this soreness, I kept seeing the term "active recovery".  The first question I had was "What is active recovery?"  Active recovery refers to a low-intensity method of exercise done either immediately after or the day after an intense intense workout.

Unfortunately, I don't have time after my aerial class to do any low-intensity cardio, because I'm getting in my truck right after class and sitting for 10 minutes on the drive home.  At that point, a low-intensity workout becomes pointless as my muscles are no longer warm.  

So, it looks like I'm stuck with option number two, which will be a low-intensity cardio routine the day after aerial (or any of my other conditioning sessions).  It's not ideal, but perhaps it will help with the lingering soreness on day 2 after a workout.  It's certainly worth a try.
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/activerecovery.htm

The following article mentions Self -Myofascial release (SMR), which is a method of self massage using foam rollers or tennis balls.  I use tennis balls and have found that massaging my forearms after an aerial class helps release the muscles.  I have been doing this for the last two weeks, and as a result, my forearms haven't been sore at all.
http://www.builtlean.com/2013/01/21/active-recovery-workout-ideas/   

I hope this helps those of you who may be experiencing the same problems I am.

Back On Pointe

If you're looking for well thought out and challenging fitness routines, Back On Pointe is a good place to start.  She has well-rounded general workouts and several different workouts if you're targeting muscle tone in specific areas of the body.

Upper body strength is of the utmost importance in aerial dance, and I have been on the search for upper body and arm routines that I can supplement my training with.  Everything I've read says your body gets used to doing the same sets of exercises over and over again.  So, I want to constantly be doing something different.

Her routines are great, because you don't have to go to a gym to do them.  Most of the exercises use things commonly found in your house.  Some of them occasionally require free weights, but they are inexpensive and can be found at Wal-Mart or Target.  

The only thing I don't like about her routines is that she's fond of the Mountain Climber move.  I hate that move.  I want it to do die in a fire.

It's too soon yet to make any sort of judgement on the effectiveness of the routines, but I will you posted.

Post-Workout Smoothie

Smoothies can be a great way to start the day,but they can also be They're also great recovery drinks pre- and post-workout.

My current post-workout smoothie is a Chocolate Banana smoothie:

1c goat milk
1T cacao powder
1 banana
1t honey
 
I once read an article that chocolate milk was the best recovery drink after working out.  The article suggested that drinking an 8oz glass before your workout gives you the carbs and protein needed to power through your workout.  It goes on to say that drinking an 8oz glass after your workout provides the rest of the protein needed to repair your muscles.  The article said that you would feel less sore if you followed this method.  And you know what?  It was right.  After trying this method, I went from being so sore I could move after a workout to being barely sore, if at all, the day after.

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/chocolate-milk-diet

http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/superfoods/chocolate-milk-after-workout/

Becoming a stronger me...

Aerial class is rocking my face off!  I have phenomenal instructor, and I love my classmates.  There are all kinds of people in the Beginner class from all different walks of life.  Some stay, some take one class and decide it's not for them, but whether they stay or not, we're all very supportive of each other.  

The best part about it is that I can tell I'm getting stronger.  Our instructor has us do conditioning exercises that target the muscles in the upper body.  (I spend half the class upside down in handstands, cartwheels, or doing bridges.)  

Before I started aerial I had very little to no upper body strength.  I've danced for more than half my life, which has led to having very powerful legs.  Arms?  HA!  There was a major difference from last week to this week; though, to be fair, I didn't go to the two classes before last week, and since then, I have added two additional workout days to my schedule.  But it makes a huge difference!  I'm at the point where if I'm having a difficult time with a wrap that I can usually hang in the air long enough to get into the position I need to be in.  It feels great to be making progress, however slow it might be.   

   

Still hanging in there

I'm still on The Plan.  I'm just horrible at blogging.

I've lost the 20lbs I had gained, and my skin is clearing up.  Woot!

I'm going to stick with The Plan, simply because I feel better and have more energy than when I'm eating the foods that make me miserable.

I've added two more days of exercise per week, since Lyn-Genet suggests exercising no more than 4 days per week for no more than 45 minutes per day.  Honestly, I've been exercising 3 days per week for 1 hour, but I'm keeping it simple with basic strength exercises and my aerial class.  I'm not going nuts with the over-exercising.  1.)  In my experience, while exercising regularly is supposed to make you feel happy and when I over-exercise I just feel miserable.  2.)  Over-exercising can cause your body to go into famine mode and have the opposite of the desired effect you are looking for.

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2012/12/28/7-hidden-signs-of-overtraining.aspx

http://www.eatingdisordersonline.com/explain/anorathletica.php

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2010/11/05/10-signs-youre-exercising-too-much

Learning to Fly

Those of you know me, might know that I was a ballet dancer for 16 years, and was in a modern dance company for a year.  Since then the closest I've been to a dance class is Zumba for Xbox Kinect.

It's been a dream of mine for 15 years to learn the art of Aerial dance.  The first time I saw an aerial routine was in a performance of Cirque du Soliel.  I was mesmerized.  The flow of the silks, the execution of the moves, everything was perfection, and it spoke to the dancer in me.

I'm finally living my dream.  I took my first aerial class last night, and let me tell, it is nothing to scoff at.  On some level I knew that it would be a lot of work, and there would be intense training involved.  However, I think a part of me assumed that since I was a dancer, it wouldn't be as difficult.  Wrong!

One thing my first lesson taught me was how seriously out of shape I am.  o.O  I do realize that I'm using a completely different set of muscles than I am accustomed to using, but geez!  I'm sore from the waist up.

I'm aware that it will get easier eventually, but in the mean time I have the circuit training exercises to do every other day to build my upper body strength.

Wish me luck, kids.  It's going to be one hellaciously fun ride!

Zumba Fever!

My roommate has jumped on the Zumba bandwagon!  I was going to say that I couldn't express in words how excited I am, but I am one of the most verbose people I know, so that would be a lie.  My glee stems from the fact that I finally have a fitness partner.  I'm one of those people who needs outside motivation, and having a person spazzing and flailing beside me makes the experience so much more enjoyable.

He's been such a trooper!  He's been doing Zumba for all of four days, but he is right there beside me during my mid-length class (11 songs).  And for someone who doesn't have my background in dance, he is holding his own!  

So, why all the fuss about Zumba?  For me, it's fun.  The sets are dynamic enough to keep me interested.  While I may swear at various instructors because they do complicated moves unavailable in tutorial mode, I can hold my own quite well.  If an activity can't keep me engaged, I'm not going to do it.  With Zumba: Rush for Xbox Kinect, you don't really have any idea what songs are in the classes you pick, because there is no set list.      

Zumba articles:

http://www.zumba.com/about/
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/zumba-fun-is-secret-ingredient-of-latin-dance-workout
http://burrridge.patch.com/articles/zumba-fitness-bringing-sexy-back-to-exercise
http://voices.yahoo.com/10-reasons-cant-live-without-zumba-fitness-4102825.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/05/healthy-eating-and-zumba-classes-helped-natasha-lose-125-pounds_n_947365.html - This is a great testimonial!

Zumba: Rush

Even though I had major issues with Zumba: Fitness I decided to download the demo of Zumba: Rush for Xbox Kinect.  I surprised myself by not hating it!  It seems like Majesco Entertainment really took what people had to say about Zumba: Fitness to heart and fixed some of the major issues with the interface.

What I Liked:

In Zumba: Fitness, I couldn't distinguish my instructor's body parts. This made it extremely difficult and supremely frustrating while I was try to learn the dances.  When the character was doing a more intricate move, I was not able to tell precisely what the legs were doing, because it was one big, orange blob.  In Zumba: Rush, they took a page from the Dance Central game book and went with instructors that look like real people.

I get a calorie scorching workout!  I can tell my heart rate is up, because I'm sweating like...something that sweats a lot.  When I work out, I'm hard pressed to break a sweat, even in the dead of summer.  It's just nice to know that they $50 I spent on a silly fitness game was actually money well spent.

Repetition.  Many of the dances incorporate some of the same moves.  They may not be in the same combinations, but at least you can identify a move and say, "Oh, hey!  I've done that one before!"

It's fun!  Even if I'm not doing so well on a dance, I'm still having fun.  I laugh at myself all the time, because I know how ridiculous I must look flinging my arms and legs about like a flailing thing.

What I don't like:

I only have two problems with Zumba: Rush.  The first is that the tutorial is lacking.  It has a set of four tutorials, each with four basic moves.  If you have ever done Zumba, you know that there is no Zumba dance in existence that contains only four moves.  The four moves they give you are very basic, so when you get to a full song, you are completely unprepared for some of the off the wall moves they throw at you.  If I did not have 16+ years of dance training, it would have been daunting.  That's not say that the tutorial has not improved at all from Zumba: Fitness.  In Fitness, even with my dance background, I wanted to throw my sneaker at the television.  I knew very well that I was not performing the moves the way the AI was, but she kept telling me what a great job I was doing.  It drove me batty.  At least in Rush, they give you a rating of Nice, Hot! or ZUMBA depending on how well you are performing the moves.

The second problem is that there is no preparation before they launch you right into a song.  During the song, a graphic pops up to notify you when they are changing from one combination of moves to the next.  It would be very helpful if there was a graphic at the very beginning to tell you which move you were starting with.  It gives the feeling that you are always fighting to catch up.

All in all, Zumba: Rush is a huge improvement over its predecessor.  I am in love with it, and I burn far more calories in a 20 - 30 minute session than I would with Dance Central.  Don't get me wrong, I still love Dance Central, but where it is a dance game, Zumba: Rush is a fitness program disguised as a dance game.  I don't think I've sweat so much at one time.  Ever.  And that tells me that I'm getting a decent workout.  

   

Dance Central Rocks My Bod...

I know my last few post have been on the negative side, so I am going to post something positive:  I LOVE DANCE CENTRAL 2!!!

The best part is that I'm having so much fun dancing that I'm not even aware of the intensity of the workout I'm getting.  And it is intense!  I've been playing for almost three weeks, and I have already seen a change in my body.  My abs are beginning to resurface and I'm losing mass in my lower body, while maintaining my weight.  My calf muscles are gorgeous and for the first time in my life, I might end up with slender ankles!  In just three weeks, the cellulite on my thighs and bum has decreased drastically.  These are things I've struggled with since I stopped dancing for two hours a day when I went off to college.  It feels good to be able to look at myself in the mirror and see and almost dimple free butt!  I'm accomplishing the sculpting and toning I set out to do at a much faster pace than what I expected; and I am stoked!  

Now, the trick is to keep pushing through even when I reach the inevitable plateau that I reach.  Eventually, my body is going to get used to my current level of activity.  Now, I just have to figure out a way to vary my workout with something I will be able to stick with.  I know I need to add strength training into my routine, but I don't have access to anyone with knowledge of the proper techniques who can keep me motivated.  I don't do well when left to my own devices.  I really need a partner who will keep me motivated and hold me accountable.  Any takers?

Your Shape: Fitness De-evolved

Aaaaannnnnd I'm officially done with Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012.  I simply do not like the way it picks and chooses how it wants to read my body movements.  It is beyond frustrating when I am doing exactly what my "coach" is doing, but I'm still making no progress.

I was correct in my original assumption that there are no tutorials.   I thought, "Surely, surely there is a tutorial hidden away somewhere, and I'm just not looking in the right spot."  Nope.  I looked up several reviews of the game today and that seemed to be a common complaint.  Why, why, why if you have a game that is dependent on the accuracy of a person's movement and completion of specific exercises would you not have a tutorial section for each workout?!  Not every person out there is going to just be able to see a move the couple of times the "coach" does it during the three second countdown and be able to perform the moves effectively.  Some of these exercises could really hurt you if you're not executing them properly.  

Another thing that bothers me is this:  If half of the content has you facing away from the screen to perform the exercises, perhaps you need to have a graphic at the top of the screen that shows what the move is supposed to look like, but keep the person facing the screen.  Or, oh, I don't know...SHOW THE PERSON WHAT THE HECK THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING BEFORE YOU THROW THEM TO THE WOLVES!!!!

And what is with the attitude I get when I walk away to get a glass of water?  I kid you not, the chick says, "Hey!  Where do you think you're going?"  When I've just completed a portion of a workout that I was under-graded for because your system's interface can't  read my body effectively, the last thing I want is sass from some snarky AI.

This could be a really great game once they get the interface figured out, but until then, I'm not going to bother with it anymore.  Unfortunately, it will be going back to GameStop this weekend.

Lesson learned:  Read reviews before investing in a game that might make you want to put a hand weight through your TV.

Your Shape 2012: Out of Shape...

I hate going to the gym.  I feel awkward working on an eliptical machine next to another person and not talking to them.  Working out from home is also preferable, because when I screw up, no one is around to snicker and point.  This is one of the reasons I adore JARVIS (my Kinect).  The Kinect fitness games have the ability to read your body's movements and tell you what you are doing wrong vs a video where you could be doing the entire routine incorrectly and you would never know because you can't see yourself performing the moves.

In my quest for the perfect at home fitness routine, I exchanged Zumba Fitness for Your Shape: Fitness Evolved 2012, hoping it would be a better fit.  It was.  The first night was a challenge, because I had to figure out how everything worked.  The Roommate got a kick out of it and has already threatened to record one of my workouts for YouTube.  Why?  Because I have taken to bickering and arguing with my "personal trainer" while huffing and puffing through my strength training interval workouts..  I'm sorry but when you say, "Let's do such and such,"  I am automatically going to hate you a little bit because you aren't doing a darned thing.  I'm the one doing all the work, so you can cut that "we" crap right out.

As much as I bellyache about the trainer, it is nice to have her there coaching me on.  She tells me when my arms aren't doing what they're supposed to and when my legs should be closer or further apart.  She also tells me when I've gone out of rhythm with my "coach."

Things I have discovered about myself while playing Your Shape:  1.)  I am more out of shape than I previously thought  2.)  My "personal trainer" is trying to kill me.  3.)  I hate interval workouts!  Don't get me wrong.  I will keep doing them, but I feel myself die a little more with every circuit. 4.)  Push ups and fast mountain climb are the devil.  I can do 12 once, but when I'm doing an interval workout and get to the second set, I need a break in the middle.  I'm sure I've made more discoveries as I've gone along, but those are the ones that stand out the most. 

As much as I pretend to hate the Your Shape, there are really only two problems I've found with it so far:  1.) There doesn't seem to be a tutorial where you can get the moves down before you have to perform them in an actual workout.  2.) The game isn't geared towards midget people who want to get in shape.  One of the warm up activities is called "Wall Breaker."  I love this!  It's exactly what it sounds like.  You break blocks to burn calories and earn points.  On the medium setting, however, it want you to break the lower blocks by raising your knee across your body at a 45 degree angle.  At 4'10", the game doesn't read my knee raises.  This is easily corrected by just kicking out with my foot much like an Oompa Loompa or a member of the Lollipop Guild, but I feel I am missing out on what could be a decent workout for my oblique muscles.  That is somewhat disappointing, but all of the other features make up for it.

My schedule has been insane this week, so I haven't been able to explore Your Fitness nearly as much as I would have liked, but that is the plan for this weekend.  I'm looking forward to spending some quality time with JARVIS. 

Intro

My name is Libbie, and this is my "Not a Weight Loss" blog.  I had only two New Year's Resolutions this year (as opposed to none in previous years):  1.) Create a financially stable platform by taking care of my outstanding debts and 2.)  Develop a healthier lifestyle.  


This looks pretty on paper, but will take far more effort than anything else I've ever had to do in my life.  I have to eliminate bad spending and eating habits - habits that I've spent years building - and create new ones in their place.  I am horrible about not following through with things I start, so this is my effort to hold myself accountable.

  

I come from a family of tiny women who love food.  We are excellent bakers and frankly, culinary geniuses.  It is this love of food leads to us resembling tiny, perfectly round beach balls in our later years.  I have seen into my future, and I will damned if I let myself get that way.

I would like to make it clear that this is NOT an attempt to lose weight.  Most women would kill to weigh what I weigh (a number which I will not divulge).  However, I have lost a great deal of muscle mass, which has made me a little flabby, while keeping me at a steady weight.  Just because I am trying to be healthier and in better shape does not mean that I perceive myself as being fat or overweight.  Are we clear?  Good.  

Here, you will find a collection of articles and reviews from anything from fitness to psychology.  My goal is to build an all-around healthy lifestyle - financially, physically and psychologically - and this is my toolbox.