10 Days to a Better Me

I want...no...I NEED to get in better shape. After a few years of not taking care of myself like I should, I’m unhappy with what I’ve become. And it’s not just about appearance. It’s about how I feel. I just feel logey, you know? And I don’t want to feel that way anymore.

So here’s the plan: Starting today, I’m following a strict meal plan and exercise routine for the next ten days. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Only ten days? That sounds like a fad diet and they never work.” I couldn’t agree more. I have no faith in fad or crash diets because they DON’T work, at least, not permanently. But this isn’t about dieting. It’s a meal plan designed to cleanse my system of all the junk and impurities, to boost my metabolism, and to kick-start a permanent change of habits.

The meal plan details every meal and snack for the next ten days. As for beverages, it’s water, water, and more water. Coffee and tea are okay, but only a small amount of skim milk may be added to them; no sugar or sugar substitutes, no cream. Absolutely no Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks. (Harsh, I know.) Also, no soda, juice, sports drinks or alcohol.

There’s one special element to the plan: A high-protein shake, which will help build lean muscle. The recommendation was a whey protein powder for preparing these shakes, but since I don’t have a blender available to me at work, I researched other options and (surprisingly) found the Slim-Fast high-protein shakes to be a good substitute.

And don’t forget the exercise! I’m moderately active, but not like I should be. So I’m scheduling a minimum of 45 minutes of high-intensity cardio every day, with strength-training every other day. As I’ve promised myself, the exercise non-negotiable. Period.

So I made my grocery list yesterday, went shopping last night, and now my kitchen is stocked with everything I need for the next ten days. (Interesting side note: While at the grocery store last night, I realized that the processed stuff – canned, boxed and bagged foods – is in the aisles, while the raw, natural stuff – produce, dairy, meats – surrounds the aisles. So if you want to eat healthy, stick with the outer rim of the grocery store.)

Stay tuned for updates on my progress throughout the ten days....

DAY ONE

The first day was a piece of cake. Well, maybe not cake. It was a piece of broccoli. I missed my usual one or two cups of coffee, but I survived. Surprisingly, I wasn't even hungry when snack time rolled around in the afternoon, but the meal plan requires you to eat five times a day (breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner), so I did. The only time I felt any nagging hunger was right before bed, but it wasn't unbearable, at least not until the pizza commercials came on.

I found I had plenty of energy when it was time for exercise. I did start to poop out toward the end, but only because it's an intense workout and I'm not used to it yet.

Ernie's benefiting as well. Besides our usual short morning and evening walks, and the longer 1+ mile walk after work, I'm throwing in another brisk 1+ mile walk right before bed. Then, I slept like a baby.

DAY TWO

A little tougher than the first day, but still going strong. I swear I heard the coffee pot at work calling my name, but I just turned up the volume on my iPod and let Ella Fitzgerald drown it out.
Before starting this, I never would have guessed that a lack of sweets would be so difficult to endure. But being limited to only the sweetness of fruit, I find myself really missing other sweet things. A little mint chocolate chip ice cream would be heavenly right now, but I’ll manage without it and look forward to that first bite, eight days from now.

DAY THREE

Smooth sailing today. The meal plan offered some tasty choices: an egg white omelet for breakfast, raw almonds and dried cranberries for a snack, half a turkey sammich for lunch, and a burrito with grilled chicken, brown rice and black beans for dinner. I had to go through the Arby’s drive-thru with KB to pick up her dinner (roast beef and curly fries…Mmmm), but I rolled down the car window to escape the delicious greasy scent coming from the bag and made it home without maiming her for a fry.

I may have over-done the exercise a bit. KB and I played racquetball for an hour, then did almost an hour of intense strength training. My knees are feeling a bit like Jell-O, so let’s hope I can get out of bed tomorrow.

DAY FOUR

I wasn’t sore from the extreme workout yesterday, but I started to crash about halfway through the day. By the evening, I had absolutely no energy. I wasn’t tired, but it took a lot of effort, mentally and physically, to get anything done. I hope this is a fluke. If not, the next six days will be torture.

DAYS FIVE, SIX & SEVEN

Things got a little hairy there for a few days. I had no energy and felt like absolute crap most of the time. I think it may have been some kind of withdrawal, perhaps from the limited carbs allowed in the meal plan. (When you’re used to consuming bread, pasta or potatoes at most meals, it’s quite a shock to your system when those things are almost completely gone.) Besides having no energy, I was getting the shakes between meals and had trouble concentrating.

A work luncheon was scheduled at a Thai restaurant on Friday. I was planning to skip it, so I wouldn’t be tempted to deviate from the plan, but all of my co-workers, including my supervisor, were going. My absence would have looked bad, and considering how lousy I was feeling, I thought a “real” meal might be just what the doctor ordered. So, I joined my co-workers, ordered a dish that was similar to what the plan prescribed, and had a lovely time. Sure enough, I was rejuvenated by that afternoon and have been fine ever since.

I’m noticing some surprising and pleasing results already. After just five days, a pair of jeans that were tight last weekend now fit perfectly. I weighed myself and took my measurements before starting, so I’m anxious to see the results at the conclusion.

DAYS EIGHT, NINE & TEN

After some ups and downs, I finally figured out how to read what my body is telling me. Once I did that, things started going much more smoothly. I feel good, I’m sleeping well, and I’m enjoying the food and the exercise.

80's Flashback

I got one of those e-mails “You know you grew up in the 80’s if…” They always have the same stuff, like “You know what ‘NKOTB’ stands for,” and “You owned a pair of jelly shoes.” But this list had two things I haven't thought of in years that made me laugh out loud. The first was:

You ever got seriously injured on a Slip ‘n Slide.

We didn’t have a Slip ‘n Slide when I was a kid, but I was certain I could make one myself. So, I got a few of Dad’s black Hefty trash bags from the garage, cut them down each side, laid them end-to-end in the backyard, and rested the hose at the top with a constant, trickling stream.

I stood back and surveyed my work; it was perfect. The yard even had a downhill slope. I positioned myself a good twenty feet from the slide (I needed room to build up some speed), then I took off running, full force, and dove head first, Pete Rose style.

Sadly, but maybe not surprisingly, my creation didn’t function quite like a Slip ‘n Slide. It was more like a Skid n’ Bleed.

The other thing on the e-mail list that made me laugh was:

You played the game "MASH"(Mansion, Apartment, Shack, House).

Remember this game? As soon as I read that sentence, I was back in Mr. Hunter’s fifth grade class, playing with Anne Worley and Michelle Atherton. Here’s how my game board would have looked back then:

BOYS (You have to include two “real” boys from school.)
Corey Feldman
Sean Astin (Yes, I was a HUGE Goonies fan.)
Dave Hoffman (My fourth grade “boyfriend” who moved at the end of the year and broke my heart.)
Rick Neville (The super-smart nerd that everyone made fun of in fifth grade; we became friends in high school.)

CAREERS
Artist
Doctor
Architect
Garbage Collector (The ultimate bad job to a fifth grader.)

CITY
New York
London
Paris
Denver, PA (Living in the same town you grew up in? How shameful!)

CARS
Fiero
Corvette
Mercedes
Station wagon with wood paneling (“The Woody” as KB would call it.)

I played the game and according to the results, I should be married to Sean Astin, living in a shack in New York, working as an architect, and driving a station wagon with wood paneling.

Have HBO and TiVo or a VCR? Then HELP!

I really want to see this HBO documentary on Barry Goldwater, but I don’t have HBO. If there are any readers out there who subscribe to HBO, I promise I'll love you forever if you record it for me. Here’s when it’s on. If my undying love is not enough to persuade you, I'll even throw in a batch of my famous chocolate peanut butter chip cookies.

Pretty please?

Ahoy, mateys!

Today be Talk Like a Pirate Day. All ye land lubbers, avast! Scrape off yer barnacles, swab the poopdeck, and weigh anchor! Aarrr!!

Congrats!

To Jonathan, my friend and ex-roommate, who just landed a job in Fort Collins, CO. He starts work October 2nd, so he has to find an apartment and move from Ohio to Colorado in the next two weeks. Yikes!

Best of luck to you, JD! Can’t wait to visit!

Vacation 2006: SPI

Welcome to South Padre Island:

The sign below was on both sides of the bridge that connects the island to the mainland. We learned from one of the locals that pelicans fish near the bridge and as they are circling the water, they're often hit by passing cars. Sure enough, the next time we crossed the bridge, a few pelicans flew right by our car:

The view from our balcony:

Question: Two girls are traveling 1,700 miles to spend five days swimming, shopping and relaxing. How many pairs of shoes should they bring? Answer: 13.

Today, the role of “Bad-Ass Biker Chick” will be played by KB:

KB and I as Rastafarians:

Shopping in Matamoros, Mexico:

Biggest straw hat EVER. (Obviously, we think taking pictures of us in ridiculous hats is funny.)

The lighthouse at Port Isabel:

We couldn't have asked for better weather. There was the chance of a thunderstorm every day, but it never happened. It sprinkled a bit the first day, but that gave us a chance to drive around and explore the area. From then on out, it was beautiful -- and I have the sunburn to prove it.

Since it was after Labor Day and still too early for the snowbirds, the island was empty. The only time this was disappointing was when we went out in the evenings. Listening to a live band isn't quite as fun when there are only ten people in the audience. But the emptiness was great otherwise. We pretty much had the beach to ourselves, never had to wait for a table at a restaurant, and found great deals on end-of-season merchandise.

The beach was absolutely beautiful with soft sand and clean water. I hate seaweed (who doesn't?) and after stepping on a jellyfish as a child, I'm always on the lookout for sea creatures. But these weren't issues at SPI and every minute on the beach and in the water was bliss.

Our day trip to Mexico was a lot of fun. We enjoyed a delicious authentic Mexican lunch, followed by shopping and, of course, bartering. I bought a beautiful, unique sterling silver bracelet and a hand-printed ornament for my Christmas tree. KB found a colorful hand-woven blanket and a sterling silver pendant. As enjoyable as the day was, we were very relieved to cross back into the U.S.

It was a great vacation, no question. And I certainly wouldn’t mind returning to SPI one day.

Feeling Good

Well, I'm back from vacation and MAN, do I feel great! I knew I was burned out at work and feeling a bit run down in general, but I had no idea how much so until I was sitting on the beach, just enjoying the sounds and smells of the Gulf, while watching a guy play with his Great Dane in the surf. At that moment, for the first time in...I don't even know how long...I was completely relaxed and carefree. And it was bliss.

So now I'm home, I'm rejuvenated, and as the song goes:

It's a new dawn
It's a new day
It's a new life
For me
And I'm feeling good.

2,996

Have you heard about this?

2,996 is a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

On September 11, 2006, 2,996 volunteer bloggers will join together for a tribute to the victims of 9/11.

Each person will pay tribute to a single victim.

We will honor them by remembering their lives, and not by remembering their murderers.

I wish I'd heard about this in time to volunteer, but I'm glad that the blogging community reponded to the idea so quickly that the victim's names were assigned to willing bloggers in just 90 days.

Here's the list of blogs that will honor the victims of 9/11. I bookmarked the page and each time I get online to check e-mail, chat, blog, or whatever, I'll read a tribute or two. Join me?

New Blog Feature

I've added a new feature to the blog, which you may have already noticed in the sidebar: the weekly poll. (I can hear the ooooo-ing and aaahh-ing already.) If you have recommendations or requests for a poll question, be sure to e-mail it to me. Otherwise, vote away!

Labor Day Weekend Recap

Friday evening, I did some baking (chocolate peanut butter chip cookies and pecan pie muffins) for my visit to my folks’ house, cleaned up the apartment a bit, and read. KB and Chloe came up for dinner on Saturday, followed by some last-minute shopping for vacation and the monthly routine of doing her blonde highlights.

Sunday, Ernie and I went to my folks’ house. Mom made a delicious dinner and apple pie, then we spent the evening laughing, mostly at Dad (while telling a story, instead of saying “turn of the century,” he accidentally said, “turd of the century – you can deny it all you want, Dad, but we all heard it!), and watching a crappy movie.

I saw my chiropractor yesterday for a much-needed adjustment, then I took my folks to lunch before returning home to Frederick. Ernie knew I would be leaving without him at some point, so he spent the afternoon strategically positioning himself between me and my car. It was tough to leave him there, especially considering the sad puppy eyes and drooping tail he offered as I drove away. But I know he’ll have a blast at Camp Grammy & Grampy while I'm vacationing.

Tonight, I have an audition for The Choral Arts Society of Washington. They have some good music on their concert schedule this year: Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Poulenc’s Stabat Mater, Mozart’s Mass in C Major. The audition consists of a test of the singer’s range, sight singing (yuck), tonal memory, and a prepared song (I’m doing Schubert’s Der Tot und das Mädchen). It’s not quite a like landing a leading role at the Met, but I really, REALLY miss performing, but this will have to do...for now.