Going Places

Mood: Strong

Today is Thursday, September 29, 2010. For the ways-to-workout-for-free ideas, scroll down to the bottom. For progress update on my health commitments, continue reading…

It’s 4:44 am, and I’m not sleeping because I’m too excited. Well, ok, if I’m being completely honest I’m pretty sleepy, but the past few nights I’ve had wicked insomnia. My sleep schedule, plus a day off for fun at a Giants game, has put me slightly past the point of mini meltdown. I’m not particularly stressed out, but I have hit a bump in the road.

The past month (or two), I’ve been slacking majorly on the exercise portion of my routine. Actually, I let “being busy” become an excuse for not even establishing a routine. The first 6 weeks of my journey was hard in one aspect – getting up at 5:30 every morning, busting my butt at boot camp sessions, counting calories, prepping meals, spending a lot of time thinking about food & my body, but easy in another aspect – slept better, didn’t feel guilty or unsure about what I was eating, had more energy, didn’t stress over small things as much.

The only thing that hasn’t suffered from this gradual slide off the wagon is my work.

I’ve managed to be very productive at work, which feels good. But I’ve also forgotten to take care of myself… some days I’m even so focused on a particular task that I forget to take a lunch break, or am so involved in proving myself to my boss that I stay late even when I don’t have to, leaving me feeling a little extra tired when I get home. That’s not to say that it hasn’t been nice just hanging out, relaxing with my BFF over a glass of wine, enjoying the nice summer weather.

I do, however, need to mix it up again.

Luckily, there’s always reality TV. WTF? Did she just say reality TV motivated her to get out of a lazy funk & start exercising again?! Yes. She totally did. :)

I’ve been watching The Biggest Loser for years. I think since the third season. My mom and I have sobbed during several touching episodes. We’ve laughed at how ridiculous some of the strategy players have been. We’ve seen ourselves in the guilt-ridden, unhappy faces on the screen that talk about how they long to feel good about themselves as much on the outside as on the inside. Because the ugly truth is that for some people, losing some of life’s little victories can get a person down. For some it’s a loss of a loved one, for some it’s the loss of willpower when driving by the tantalizing smell of McD’s (c'mon, you cannot tell me those fries don’t smell good sometimes), and for ones like me, it’s the loss of self-esteem from finding out you’re not quite the person you thought you would be at this point in your life.

My good friend played a song for me the other day that really struck a chord in me. It was something along the lines of how disappointing it can be to not be the person you imagined you would be when you were younger. I remember being a little girl & thinking I would be a news reporter, or a writer for a teen magazine, or even a teacher. I had so many options & dreams & goals. And I made none of them come true. On good days, I’m really proud of what I have accomplished so far. So, I didn’t become a news reporter. I don’t have a house and two kids. But I had a lot of fun learning about broadcasting. I met a lot of great people while working in radio. I even made some lifelong friends who have given me some really amazing memories. I’m very proud of that. And I’m proud I enjoyed those moments.

On not so good days, I look back at the past and wonder what I could have become had I studied a little harder, dug a little deeper, or taken more chances on opportunities that came my way. Looking back on the past is one thing, but beating myself up about it is another. I realize now that part of the reason I’m overweight is because instead of the voice that pushes me to study harder, give more, dig deeper, in its place is a voice telling me I can’t, I’m not the smartest, the prettiest, or even the most charming. That voice has been telling me that I’m mediocre, when it should be telling me I’m bound for excellence.

The big turning point for me when I started this whole process is that finally, somewhere deep within me, that voice started speaking up. The little girl from my past kicked in again and said, “Hey! I’m gonna be healthy when I grow up! I’m gonna get my life together, I’m going to make better decisions, take bigger risks, and feel better about myself. And it totally worked. Only two months into it, I got a promotion at work. Nearly four months has passed now, and I’ve dropped 22 pounds.

It’s time to listen to the big, enthusiastic, hopeful little girl voice again & treat it like the strong woman it’s becoming.

I can make a difference, not only in my own health, but in passing on what I’m learning to my parents/family, in being a source of motivation for my friends on similar journeys of self-discovery (remember, my failures are just as important as my successes because they lead me closer to finding the way that works for me), and by putting myself in the best possible position to live a fulfilled, meaningful life.

Ramon, on The Biggest Loser, said it best on this week’s episode:
"I don’t need to do this to look good, or to be the guy that gets all the chicks… I need to do this to live.” To really live. That’s all I want too. To enjoy as many moments as possible for as many days & years as I possibly can.

So, now that my tear-jerker, self-motivational speech is out of the way, how’s about I clue you in on the title of this post. In my attempts to pull an all-nighter (which are working, by the way) I fired up Hulu.com & watched the most recent episode of The Biggest Loser. It fired me up seeing those determined & hard-working people in the gym, giving everything they’ve got, to prove that they are committed to changing their unhealthy habits.

Coincidentally, on Sunday I just so happened to pick up a FREE copy of The Biggest Loser’s Yoga for Weight Loss DVD at my local library. At the risk of sounding like a commercial, I will say it’s one of the most awesome things I’ve discovered yet. Not the DVD itself (even though it was a great workout!), but the idea of renting workout videos from the library. Did I mention it’s FREE? All you need is a (free) library card! No expensive boot camps. No stinky gym locker rooms. It’s one more way I can add variety to all the different methods of staying active & still be mindful of my limited budget.

Other workouts that are free or super cheap:
- Bike rides. If you have a bike, it’s free. If not, you can find a decent one at a garage sale for fairly cheap. You get the awesome feeling of wind on your skin, a great lower-body workout, and a lot of core strength training as well. You can go at any pace, over any terrain, & as far as you want. My favorite time of day to go bike riding is about an hour before sunset. Right after work, before dinner. After the game on Sunday morning, before the game on Sunday night (for all you football fans!). Fun alone or with friends, with your honey or even with the kids. It’s not just a good workout, it can also be really fun. An instant mood-booster in my book.

- Dancing. These days, you don’t have to spend mucho dinero on cocktails at a club to work up a sweat while getting your groove on. As long as you have a radio & some floor space, you can have a good old-fashioned dance party for zero dollars. There are tons of free services on the web that allow you to create playlists (the “mix CD” of the new generation). We (my boyfriendguy and I) like Spotify, but there’s also iTunes, 8tracks, blip.fm, and a myriad others. It can be as low-key as swaying to some slow & steady reggae beats, or as invigorating as shaking around to some high-intensity salsa. Just fit the music to your mood & get moving! Also, if you look really hard, you can find some free Zumba classes in your city. If you want to skip the uncomfortable heels (ladies), crowded dance floors, expensive mixed drinks (not to mention the extra calories), & the trouble finding a parking spot in the big city, you can still be the star of your own dance floor, in your PJs even, right at home with your favorite vinyl/CD/playlist. Tell me if that doesn’t help you sleep with a smile on your face!

- Doing chores. A good soundtrack helps on this one too. The free versions of Last.fm & Spotify are also great for streaming hours of music based on a tag/keyword, artist, or genre. My suggestion is to put on whatever music gives you the most energy. For me, it’s oldies. Old rock & motown are my favorite genres for feeling energetic yet focused. I listen to it while I’m washing dishes, or folding laundry, or swiffering my tiny kitchen. Bonus points if you scrub your shower/tub. I live like a hippie half the time & put off housework for as long as I can, but eventually it’s nice to see that gleaming area of cleanliness & know that for every sparkle on the bathroom sink, you shed a few calories while singing along to “Love Shack”.

A few other free or low-cost workout ideas: walking the dog (dog needs it, you need it, end of story), swimming at a friend’s pool (if you don’t have one, get one now), doing the humpty dumpty (giggity), hiking up a hill (another one of my favorites & self-explanatory), taking the stairs, playing catch (tennis balls are fairly cheap, as are baseballs), yardwork, running (I sometimes do laps on the track at a local high school), cleaning out the garage, hand-washing your car, and much more!

If you can think of any ideas I didn’t list, please share them below in the comments section!

It’s almost 6:15. The gym opens in 30 minutes. I think I better sneak in a workout before work. Otherwise I might just fall asleep & not wake up until noon! I hope I can stay awake at work! :)

Thanks, as always, for your support & encouragement. <3

Hunger Challenge Recap

The Hunger Challenge is all about experiencing first-hand what it’s like to shop and eat on a limited budget, then sharing those impressions with others, which is why I’m mentioning it here. It’s not just about eating cheaply, or being creative enough to survive cheaply, it’s about acknowledging that proper nutrition & access to healthy foods isn’t cheap at all.
I typically spend about $150 every month on groceries. That equates to a little less than $40 per week, or $6 per day. At first, the thought of cutting that number down to $28 per week / $4 per day didn’t sound like much of a challenge, more like an adjustment. Then I realized I also spend anywhere from $50-100 per month on meals purchased from restaurants or eateries. This brings my estimated average weekly food budget to right around $60. The challenge became more evident. I’d have to cut my budget in half!
My first idea was to prepare meals from home for the week, but that soon became out of the question when I realized how busy my schedule was going to be. The first few days, I brought leftovers from home, keeping my total spending at $0.
The middle of the week, when work got more hectic than usual, I found myself craving things like coffee & restaurant foods. I managed to stick to home-brought foods & snacks until Thursday, when I broke down & spent money on lunch at a local restaurant. Boudin Bakery… the place that serves their steamy, delicious soup in a big bread bowl. I skipped the bread bowl & just ordered a cup of clam chowder. Total: $4.89.

One item of food, no drink, not even what many would consider an entire meal, and already my daily budget was spent.
The next day, feeling more tired than usual due to the busy week, I bought a mocha from a local cafe. Total: $3.50. Not even enough left over to afford one can of soup for lunch or dinner.
People who rely on a very small fixed income for a basic necessity like food do not have the luxury of going back to their grande mochas or fancy bread bowl lunches after a week. They are forced to make choices of survival, rather than making choices that will benefit their health. If I had gone to any fast food joint with my $4, I could have had a much bigger meal from the various value menus than I did with my measly bowl of soup, but I’d be paying the price with my health.
I believe that the goal is not as simple as making healthy food cheaper and unhealthy food more expensive, but to put them on equal playing fields so that everyone, not just those who can afford it, can make decisions based on nutrition & quality rather than on cost & quantity.
I learned a lot about myself by taking this challenge. I learned that I’m lucky to have a flexible budget with which to nourish my body. I learned that I have more willpower than I used to when it comes to eating in restaurants. I learned that I’m far too lazy when it comes to attempting to make well-balanced meals using grocery-store ingredients which would not only be healthier, but would save a lot of money in the long run.

It also showed me that some people, myself included, are more gluttonous than they would like to admit. I’m not saying that spending money on a nice meal once in a while is unreasonable if that’s the lifestyle you can afford to enjoy, but why wait until money is tight to cut back? Why wait until you need a handout to step inside a food bank? Why not pick up a few cans of veggies next time you’re shopping for groceries & donate them to your local food bank? You could be helping a single parent feed his/her child for the day. You could be helping a senior citizen feed him/herself for the week. What is $4 to you? And how grateful would you be if someone offered to buy your next meal if you couldn’t afford to buy it for yourself?
If you missed the hunger challenge, you can always try it on your own. Designate one week to attempt a $4-per-day budget, and share your experience on your own Facebook/Twitter/personal blog. It could teach you a thing or two about your own spending/eating habits, and it will definitely remind to be grateful for the many options available to you while others’ options continue to be based upon help from others.
Please share this post with your friends if you would like to help spread the awareness & education of hunger problems in your own community. Thanks!