- THANK YOU to everyone who commented on "A Tale of Two Pieces!" Wow!!! I'm feeling humble and grateful at all of the wonderful feedback. It's been a powerful and amazing experience to go through and read so many "Exposed" posts. I felt like it helped me feel stronger, seeing so many people sharing what they've struggled with, what they're still struggling with, and what they love and appreciate about themselves and their bodies.
- Had my every-6-months checkup with the doctor. Normal a1c from the lab test (not sure of the number; my husband took the message), good blood pressure reading (110/74), stable weight. I got a referral to see a podiatrist to check out my shoes and feet, and see if adjustments are needed to make sure half marathon training doesn't exacerbate the ankle. (Which is doing much better, actually. I did a treadmill jog on it, after a long walking warmup and followed with a long walking cooldown, and while it doesn't seem fully back to normal, it's better.) And she told me those beautiful words, that I knew anyway, but which are still nice to hear from a pro: "You take good care of yourself."
- And I walked the Pumpkin 5K! This race has a ton of walkers in the 5K (almost all runners in the 10K, though), so it is very walking friendly. My goal was to finish in 45 minutes or sooner (4 mph being the point at which I assume the "race walk waddle" on the treadmill), and I finished in 44:09. Woot! I have a humble respect for race walking now: I was sore for a couple of days afterward! It's definitely a different gait than a regular, brisk walk and a jog, and it hit some muscles that I wasn't using.
- Flying blind: Other than the doctor's scale, our old scale died and I'm rolling without one until our new one arrives. I can feel that my weight is up a little, because I've been eating way too many nuts lately.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Thanks + Quick Update
Life is speeding along! I wanted to post a race report this week, but looks like I won't have time at the moment. But I just wanted to mention a few things today:
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
A Tale of Two Pieces
Today, the anniversary of the "Exposed" movement, seemed like a good day to run this post. I've had it sitting in the queue for awhile now.
Two reasons in particular made it seem especially appropriate: Mrs. Fatass' "Exposed" post on MizFitOnline last year really moved me, and she plays a big role in this tale. And today I was especially "light-bulbed" by the retrospective by Mary of "A Merry Life": "Exposed, Take 2: Still Awesome". She wrote about why she felt people view the Exposed movement as "brave": "We were/are all brave for not being ashamed. We are brave for doing this because technically in our society we are supposed to be ashamed....The message seems pretty clear after hearing it my whole life: 'if your body isn’t perfect you should be ashamed of it.'" I highly recommend reading her whole post.
What struck me also is that, even people who seem to me to have perfect, lovely bodies often don't see it in themselves. Of all the people I pass in the gym, for example, which are content? How many feel awkward in their bra and shorts, or get anxious if they can't keep up the work it takes to not feel awkward? Think of what we could focus on and do if we weren't, as a culture, so obsessed with appearance and consumption.
Okay, that's enough "ado." On with the post!
Last month, Thing 2 started asking me interesting questions:
Then one day, I stumbled across a post by Sue Ann (aka the fabulous Mrs. Fatass) on her blog "Did I Just Eat That Out Loud?", titled "The Bikini Promise." Her resolve to not wait, to rock that bikini THIS year as promised, reminded me a lot of some of the crazy stunts I decided to do before I felt like I "looked" the part.
One part of her post seemed written just for me. It's not the line people quoted most often in the comments, but it's one that sure clicked with me, given the recent questions from Thing 2: "Parenting 101 tells us that our daughters don’t hear the compliments we bestow on them nearly as loudly as they hear our critical comments to ourselves."
And then it clicked: my actions were speaking louder than even my lack of self-critical words to myself! My beautiful daughter had unknowingly zeroed in on my last vestige of body shame. I know, not everyone chooses a one piece over a bikini from body shame: a one-piece suit just feels right for them. I had thought that was the case for me, that a one piece was more "appropriate" for me, but this really removed the blinders. What a powerful gift I could give to her, I thought, if I were to wear a bikini - boldly, joyfully - just like her! Presuming, of course, I could find a bikini that I could feel comfortable wearing, especially to avoid the, er, "my cup runeth over" effect, which makes it a little harder to rock the bikini look as boldly as a 6-year-old.
So I emailed Sue Ann, on the chance that her bikini supplier might also have something that would fit me, and she directed me to the Athleta web site (and gave the invaluable pointer to check the sale page). So many gorgeous bikinis on sale! Alas, it was nearly impossible to find a set that had both tops and bottoms in my size. So I took a chance and ordered a top there, then I went to Lands End and ordered bottoms.
The packages arrived. Gulp. The moment of truth. I put on the bikini. I fussed with the top a bit. (One of the "girls" is a little larger than the other, and I wondered if it looked too lopsided.) I dared to ask Mr. Handsome-and-Handy some questions; he dared to answer, brave man!
And there I was! Just another mom at the pool, cavorting with the kids. It felt great!
So that's how I stopped worrying and learned to love my bikini...and more importantly, the body that's in it.
(Thanks, Sue Ann!!!)
Two reasons in particular made it seem especially appropriate: Mrs. Fatass' "Exposed" post on MizFitOnline last year really moved me, and she plays a big role in this tale. And today I was especially "light-bulbed" by the retrospective by Mary of "A Merry Life": "Exposed, Take 2: Still Awesome". She wrote about why she felt people view the Exposed movement as "brave": "We were/are all brave for not being ashamed. We are brave for doing this because technically in our society we are supposed to be ashamed....The message seems pretty clear after hearing it my whole life: 'if your body isn’t perfect you should be ashamed of it.'" I highly recommend reading her whole post.
What struck me also is that, even people who seem to me to have perfect, lovely bodies often don't see it in themselves. Of all the people I pass in the gym, for example, which are content? How many feel awkward in their bra and shorts, or get anxious if they can't keep up the work it takes to not feel awkward? Think of what we could focus on and do if we weren't, as a culture, so obsessed with appearance and consumption.
Okay, that's enough "ado." On with the post!
Last month, Thing 2 started asking me interesting questions:
"What if you wanted your hair to be straight, and not curly?"
"What if you didn't want to wear glasses?"
"What if you wanted to wear a bikini?"I was mystified...she has straight hair, does not wear glasses, and enjoys wearing the little bikini bathing suit she got for her 6th birthday. She was not using this as a roundabout way to discuss changing things about herself...she's only 6. I realized she talking about me. Did I want these things about me to be different.
"Well, no, I love my hair just like it is. I don't mind wearing glasses, but sure, it would be easier if I didn't need to do so. And I like my one-piece bathing suit."(Well, my favorite is a tankini, but you get the idea!) I finally asked her why she asked me those questions.
Thing 2: "Because sometimes, on TV, they try to make you want those things."
Pubsgal [catching balance after reeling from the internal "whoa!"]: "They sure do, don't they? But we're too smart to fall for that, right?"
Thing 2: "Yes!"But even so, I couldn't help but think there was something else under the question.
Then one day, I stumbled across a post by Sue Ann (aka the fabulous Mrs. Fatass) on her blog "Did I Just Eat That Out Loud?", titled "The Bikini Promise." Her resolve to not wait, to rock that bikini THIS year as promised, reminded me a lot of some of the crazy stunts I decided to do before I felt like I "looked" the part.
One part of her post seemed written just for me. It's not the line people quoted most often in the comments, but it's one that sure clicked with me, given the recent questions from Thing 2: "Parenting 101 tells us that our daughters don’t hear the compliments we bestow on them nearly as loudly as they hear our critical comments to ourselves."
And then it clicked: my actions were speaking louder than even my lack of self-critical words to myself! My beautiful daughter had unknowingly zeroed in on my last vestige of body shame. I know, not everyone chooses a one piece over a bikini from body shame: a one-piece suit just feels right for them. I had thought that was the case for me, that a one piece was more "appropriate" for me, but this really removed the blinders. What a powerful gift I could give to her, I thought, if I were to wear a bikini - boldly, joyfully - just like her! Presuming, of course, I could find a bikini that I could feel comfortable wearing, especially to avoid the, er, "my cup runeth over" effect, which makes it a little harder to rock the bikini look as boldly as a 6-year-old.
So I emailed Sue Ann, on the chance that her bikini supplier might also have something that would fit me, and she directed me to the Athleta web site (and gave the invaluable pointer to check the sale page). So many gorgeous bikinis on sale! Alas, it was nearly impossible to find a set that had both tops and bottoms in my size. So I took a chance and ordered a top there, then I went to Lands End and ordered bottoms.
The packages arrived. Gulp. The moment of truth. I put on the bikini. I fussed with the top a bit. (One of the "girls" is a little larger than the other, and I wondered if it looked too lopsided.) I dared to ask Mr. Handsome-and-Handy some questions; he dared to answer, brave man!
Him: "Hey, a bikini! Congratulations!"
Me: Um, yep. Does it look okay?"
Him: "Yes."
Me: "Are you sure?"
Him: "Yes."
Me [gulp, it's kind of...revealing...I'd better get this over with and ask the most important question]: "Would you be embarrassed about me wearing it?"
Him: "No."
Me: "Okay then."Enter Thing 2.
Me: "Look! Mommy's got a bikini! What do you think?"
Thing 2 [scrutinizing]: "It's not right."
Me: "Huh?"
Thing 2: "You need to show your belly button."
[Thing 2 scootched the front of the waistband down a little, showing off my navel.]
Me: [light bulb moment of the fashion clueless] "Ooooohhhh....So, does it work now?"
Thing 2: "You look beautiful!"Well, success, even if I did get the bottoms wrong. I first wore it during our Lompoc trip. The bottoms came in handy for my tri, because I went 2-piece for the swim, with my fortress-like sports bra on top. (Which meant I didn't have 4 pounds of wet tankini top dragging me down, too; yeay!) Sure, I have not felt comfortable wearing a bikini in nearly 30 years, for various reasons. Losing a bunch of body fat left some loose skin here & there; I have a tummy with stretch marks and a couple of tiny lapriscope scars, and "Summer of Core" didn't completely transform the surface. (And one piece or two, the loose thigh skin is gonna show, that's just how it is.) But darned if knowing THIS body just carried me to the finish line of a triathlon that very morning didn't give me that extra bit of confidence during the bikini debut later in the afternoon at the pool.
And there I was! Just another mom at the pool, cavorting with the kids. It felt great!
So that's how I stopped worrying and learned to love my bikini...and more importantly, the body that's in it.
(Thanks, Sue Ann!!!)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Do the Bloggers You Love, Love You Back?
Some blogs I've been following have been talking about cliquishness in the healthy living blogosphere.
Here are some thoughts I shared in comments on MizFitOnline.com's "Blogger Cliques" discussion:
Here's my question to you: What makes you feel included in the blog world? How can I improve this here on my blog? If you don't know how to leave a comment, or would prefer to contact me privately, here's how to email me: click the "View My Complete Profile" link on the side bar of this page. From the About Me page, click the Email link on the lower left side of the page.
If you feel the need for a laugh after such deep thoughts, check this out. There's a whole site of etiquette short films hosted by "Proper Ollie," and this one on social networking cracked me up. http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/proper-ollie/social-network-etiquette?autoplay=true
Here are some thoughts I shared in comments on MizFitOnline.com's "Blogger Cliques" discussion:
Wow, this has been the hot topic lately!But this made me think. Are my blogging practices cliquish? If so, it's not intentional, and I apologize to anyone who may have perceived that from me. I know I tend to talk about bloggers whom I feel are my friends, whom I see regularly in my comments or may have even met in person; if you're a regular here, chances are I'm reading your blog regularly and commenting when I can. But I have no idea who's just dropping by for a visit. I have kept myself purposefully in the "un-know" about page hits and site traffic. This blog is my hobby, my journal of how I'm working to continually improve my health and wellness, my open letter to the healthy living blogosphere tribe, and hopefully a way of forming a meaningful connection with others.
Sure, any large group of people are going to have some sub-groups. Are they necessarily cliques? Maybe I don't get around the healthy living blogosphere as widely as I should, but I have a feeling that most perceived cliquishness is accidental; for example, maybe the blogger you love (and whom you want to love you back) has trouble keeping up with everyone? Sometimes it's hard to read all the blogs I want to read, and comment on my regular commenters' blogs meaningfully...I have no idea how folks with a following like Miz's manage the outreach that they do. Especially Miz - she's one of the first bloggers that gave me that "Wow! Thanks for noticing me!" moment.
Also, this Tribe is quite varied. Like in real life, different people are going to resonate with different blogs. For example, I tend to be drawn to blogs where the people have dealt with similar health and wellness issues, or are in a place in their journey where I want to be, or where I really like the blogger's writing style, or that not mind my posting big ol' rambling comments. (*sheepish grin*) Sure, sometimes I venture outside my chosen sub-group or off-Tribe, and I usually learn a lot when I do so. It's probably something that I should do more often.
Then there are the various forms of social media. I tend to hang back more on Twitter and Facebook than I do in the blogosphere. Blogging and commenting gives me time to think about a response....whereas with Twitter, I end up feeling like I'm hours too late to the party, or that I shouldn't tweet unless I have something really compelling to say...and then never get around to it. I also might be using it wrong - I don't automatically follow everyone who follows me, I kind of follow the Facebook "friending" convention there, and maybe that's not the purpose of following on Twitter?
Here's my question to you: What makes you feel included in the blog world? How can I improve this here on my blog? If you don't know how to leave a comment, or would prefer to contact me privately, here's how to email me: click the "View My Complete Profile" link on the side bar of this page. From the About Me page, click the Email link on the lower left side of the page.
If you feel the need for a laugh after such deep thoughts, check this out. There's a whole site of etiquette short films hosted by "Proper Ollie," and this one on social networking cracked me up. http://www.onnetworks.com/videos/proper-ollie/social-network-etiquette?autoplay=true
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Weekly Update, 9/29/10
I am...
Happy that it's Fall! It's been beautiful so far. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy and The Things did their now annual "First Day of Fall" trip to the pumpkin patch. They were Farmer John's first customers this year; they brought home 3 large pumpkins (orange, green and white), several tiny ones for teachers and for me to take to work, and a cooking pumpkin that Mr. H&H grilled with dinner the other night. Yum!
Happy for My Blog Buddies Doing Awesome Stuff!
So naturally, I'm feeling really discouraged and frustrated. I was going to run the Pumpkin Run 10K this year, and it's only 2.5 weeks away. I think that's out, although I might walk the 5K if I can. I'm still planning to go to Vegas, but I'm wondering if I'll be able to do the half-marathon now...it's only 9 weeks away, and I was only up to about 4.5 miles in my gradual build-up of mileage.
But even though I'm kind of in that "what if this never goes away?" funk, I'm also determined to do what I can to heal it and work around it the best I can. Based on what I've read, here's what I can do and plan for the next few weeks. (Any suggestions or advice would be very welcome!)
Knitting. "Project Chloe Grace" is going pretty well. I'm knitting a test square with the main yarn, and it's working well. Once I finish it and verify that the rows and number of stitches are matching the measurements for the pattern, I can start the actual sweater.
Grateful for Mr. H&H and his mad cooking skills! I may have mentioned this before, but Mr. H&H is our family's chef. When his mom went back to school (around the time he started middle school), all 6 of the kids had to take on extra chores. He selected cooking dinner as one, and he learned that skill well. Before Mr. H&H came into my life, sure, I could whip up a batch of cookies, but I rarely cooked. I ate more dinners of bag of salad with chopped lunch meat, bag of microwave popcorn, and Diet Coke than I care to admit. And I only ate bacon when dining out, because it was so intimidating to cook.
Well, all that sure changed! Sure, he lured me in with grilled salmon dinners and fresh fruit and veggie beach picnics, but pretty soon we were whipping up homemade pizza and such Michigan favorites as pasties.
So anyhow, last time I mentioned him cooking up a special dish, it was the boneless stuffed chicken. But last week, he made one of our comfort food dishes. Debby tried it and liked it, so I figured I'd share it with you all.
What is it? (Other than something that could really use better lighting and a cilantro garnish?) This dish is our attempt to recreate a favorite dish at La Fiesta restaurant in Mountain View. The dish is called "Grandma's Especial," and it's chicken in a creamy sauce flavored with chiles. The flavor is unique and so delicious! From research I've done, I believe they use a different chile than is commonly used in canned enchilada sauce, and they probably use more authentic dairy products. But the dish seems to me sort of like a Mexican version of the Indian Chicken Makhani dish, or the Eastern European Chicken Paprikash. We have what we consider to be a reasonable approximation at home, with easily available ingredients. I don't have an exact recipe, but if you want to try it, here's how we make it:
I had leftovers in my lunch, and I added leftover green beans and potatoes to it, and that worked really well, too. There are so many variations you could do - I could see this working really well as an all-veggie stew, or adapted to a crock pot recipe, or maybe even made with leftover turkey. (I have done the crockpot variation - I left the chicken breasts whole, putting them on top of the onions, peppers, and spices, which I browned in a pan before adding to the pot. I then added the can of enchilada sauce. The dairy items are incorporated just before serving.)
Doing good with the numbers. Up .8 pound. Blood glucose was 107 for 7-day average and 97 for 7-day fasting average.
I want to...
Be injury free. I want to be able to run again. I also want to come up with a 20-minute strength routine I can learn and get comfortable with at the gym.
Keep the numbers good.
More knitting!
Try a new recipe.
Happy that it's Fall! It's been beautiful so far. Mr. Handsome-and-Handy and The Things did their now annual "First Day of Fall" trip to the pumpkin patch. They were Farmer John's first customers this year; they brought home 3 large pumpkins (orange, green and white), several tiny ones for teachers and for me to take to work, and a cooking pumpkin that Mr. H&H grilled with dinner the other night. Yum!
Happy for My Blog Buddies Doing Awesome Stuff!
- Brooke of "Smart + Strong = Sexy" had a great first triathlon experience in the Anchor Splash Triathlon! Read about it here!
- Josie of "At the Starting Line" (formerly "35 and Shrinking") did her longest race yet: the Miracle Miles 15K! (The proceeds of this race benefited the Winnie Palmer NICU unit in Orlando.) Her inspiring race report is here, at her newly renamed blog! (P.S. - Happy Birthday, Josie!)
- And Biz made it to round 2 of the "Project Food Blog" contest! Here's a link to her entry for the next round.
So naturally, I'm feeling really discouraged and frustrated. I was going to run the Pumpkin Run 10K this year, and it's only 2.5 weeks away. I think that's out, although I might walk the 5K if I can. I'm still planning to go to Vegas, but I'm wondering if I'll be able to do the half-marathon now...it's only 9 weeks away, and I was only up to about 4.5 miles in my gradual build-up of mileage.
But even though I'm kind of in that "what if this never goes away?" funk, I'm also determined to do what I can to heal it and work around it the best I can. Based on what I've read, here's what I can do and plan for the next few weeks. (Any suggestions or advice would be very welcome!)
- Ice, Compression, Elevation. (The last one is kind of tricky, but I do put my foot up at work.)
- Calf stretching and Achilles tendon stretching.
- New insoles and arch support in my athletic shoes. (Done!)
- See the doctor if I'm still limping in another day or so.
- For fitness, I'll be focusing on moderate stationary cycling and swimming for cardio, and upper body strength exercises. This is actually a great opportunity to get some more strength exercises into my week. I'm still planning to do my CardioSculpt class; I went today and told the instructor what was going on, and so I felt comfortable modifying or doing other things when the class was doing lunges. (Squats without additional weight, for example, felt fine.)
Knitting. "Project Chloe Grace" is going pretty well. I'm knitting a test square with the main yarn, and it's working well. Once I finish it and verify that the rows and number of stitches are matching the measurements for the pattern, I can start the actual sweater.
Grateful for Mr. H&H and his mad cooking skills! I may have mentioned this before, but Mr. H&H is our family's chef. When his mom went back to school (around the time he started middle school), all 6 of the kids had to take on extra chores. He selected cooking dinner as one, and he learned that skill well. Before Mr. H&H came into my life, sure, I could whip up a batch of cookies, but I rarely cooked. I ate more dinners of bag of salad with chopped lunch meat, bag of microwave popcorn, and Diet Coke than I care to admit. And I only ate bacon when dining out, because it was so intimidating to cook.
Well, all that sure changed! Sure, he lured me in with grilled salmon dinners and fresh fruit and veggie beach picnics, but pretty soon we were whipping up homemade pizza and such Michigan favorites as pasties.
So anyhow, last time I mentioned him cooking up a special dish, it was the boneless stuffed chicken. But last week, he made one of our comfort food dishes. Debby tried it and liked it, so I figured I'd share it with you all.
What is it? (Other than something that could really use better lighting and a cilantro garnish?) This dish is our attempt to recreate a favorite dish at La Fiesta restaurant in Mountain View. The dish is called "Grandma's Especial," and it's chicken in a creamy sauce flavored with chiles. The flavor is unique and so delicious! From research I've done, I believe they use a different chile than is commonly used in canned enchilada sauce, and they probably use more authentic dairy products. But the dish seems to me sort of like a Mexican version of the Indian Chicken Makhani dish, or the Eastern European Chicken Paprikash. We have what we consider to be a reasonable approximation at home, with easily available ingredients. I don't have an exact recipe, but if you want to try it, here's how we make it:
- We cut chicken breast into large cubes. (The restaurant makes this with the whole breast, bone in.) You could use any cut of chicken, really, but be sure to remove the skin. The more chicken you use, the more like a stew it will be; use less chicken, it's more like a soup.
- Sauté the chicken with chopped onions (about 1 onion) and a can of chopped green chiles. Season with garlic, cumin, and oregano to taste. (Fajita seasoning also works well.)
- Add a can of enchilada sauce and simmer; 30 minutes seems to work well.
- Before serving, add sour cream, cream cheese, and a splash of lime juice (go easy on the lime juice!). To incorporate the cream cheese, sometimes it works best to pull a little sauce from the pan, mix it up with the cream cheese so it's more sauce than big lump of cheese, then add it back in. I think we use about 1/4 cup cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sour cream. I'm sure it would be just as good with plain Greek-style yogurt instead of the sour cream. We've used non-fat and low-fat for the dairy stuff, and either works really well.
I had leftovers in my lunch, and I added leftover green beans and potatoes to it, and that worked really well, too. There are so many variations you could do - I could see this working really well as an all-veggie stew, or adapted to a crock pot recipe, or maybe even made with leftover turkey. (I have done the crockpot variation - I left the chicken breasts whole, putting them on top of the onions, peppers, and spices, which I browned in a pan before adding to the pot. I then added the can of enchilada sauce. The dairy items are incorporated just before serving.)
Doing good with the numbers. Up .8 pound. Blood glucose was 107 for 7-day average and 97 for 7-day fasting average.
I want to...
Be injury free. I want to be able to run again. I also want to come up with a 20-minute strength routine I can learn and get comfortable with at the gym.
Keep the numbers good.
More knitting!
Try a new recipe.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Go, SuperBoo, Go!
*clang*! *clang*! *clang*! *clang*!
Why, what's that sound I hear...?
Could it be...?
The clarion call of cow bells....?
(Because heaven knows, you can never have enough cow bell.)
It's the sound of me ringing my virtual cow bell. (because I really did price cow bells at the local feed store - yes, we have one in semi-rural coastal San Francisco Bay Area - and those puppies were expensive!).
For whom does the cow bell clang?
Why, for SuperBoo (aka Brooke of Smart + Strong = Sexy), who is racing in her first triathlon this weekend!!! She isn't just any tri newbie - she is racing after having to cancel her originally scheduled tri debut, overcoming extreme adversity, healing, training, and coming back to DO this thing!
Please pop over to her blog and wish her the best of luck!
(Ooo, I'm getting teary and excited for her, just thinking about it! Good luck, SuperBoo!!!)
Why, what's that sound I hear...?
Could it be...?
The clarion call of cow bells....?
(Because heaven knows, you can never have enough cow bell.)
It's the sound of me ringing my virtual cow bell. (because I really did price cow bells at the local feed store - yes, we have one in semi-rural coastal San Francisco Bay Area - and those puppies were expensive!).
For whom does the cow bell clang?
Why, for SuperBoo (aka Brooke of Smart + Strong = Sexy), who is racing in her first triathlon this weekend!!! She isn't just any tri newbie - she is racing after having to cancel her originally scheduled tri debut, overcoming extreme adversity, healing, training, and coming back to DO this thing!
Please pop over to her blog and wish her the best of luck!
(Ooo, I'm getting teary and excited for her, just thinking about it! Good luck, SuperBoo!!!)
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Weekly Update, 9/22/10
I am...
Surprised and delighted to try a pair of compression tights from Zensah! I have MizFit and Suzanne, the rep from Zensah, to thank for this. In case you missed it, Zensah sponsored a sports bra giveaway on MizFit's blog, and the price of entry was feedback on your greatest sports bra lament.
Well, I felt moved to verse, mainly to make Miz laugh. But also because heaven knows I've given plenty of thought to what makes the ideal sports bra *for me*, and I'm not shy about sharing. (Although they are not mentioned in the poem, it is also sort of a lament, because Glamorise no longer makes my favorite sports bra, nor do they seem to have one just like it anymore.) In case you missed it, here's the poem:
Oh yeah. I guess this needs an FTC disclaimer...um...what needs to be in those?
Excited for Sagan! Her blog, "Living Healthy in the Real World," was nominated for a "has been nominated in the "Health Resource – Social Media category" for the 2010 Canadian Natural Health Awards! I'm just bummed that I can't vote for her blog - but if you live in Canada, YOU can! Check out the orange banner on the left side of her blog's page.
But I can vote for Biz! She's entered Foodbuzz’s "Project Food Blog" contest. If you want to vote, too, go to Biz's contestant page, and then click the little "Vote" tag in the "My Challenges" widget. Good luck, Biz! (And wheee-whooo, check out that apron!)
Having a great workout week!
Staying healthy! Aside from a donut-y detour (154!) saved by a quick pedal on my stationary bike (back to 122 after 10 minutes at moderate intensity), the numbers are good: 7-day fasting of 99 and 7-day average of 104. Weight is down .2 pound. Try not to be overwhelmed by this.
Using too many exclamation points! But I can't seem to help myself!!!!!
I want to...
Keep trusting the training
Keep knitting
Keep the health numbers good
Surprised and delighted to try a pair of compression tights from Zensah! I have MizFit and Suzanne, the rep from Zensah, to thank for this. In case you missed it, Zensah sponsored a sports bra giveaway on MizFit's blog, and the price of entry was feedback on your greatest sports bra lament.
Well, I felt moved to verse, mainly to make Miz laugh. But also because heaven knows I've given plenty of thought to what makes the ideal sports bra *for me*, and I'm not shy about sharing. (Although they are not mentioned in the poem, it is also sort of a lament, because Glamorise no longer makes my favorite sports bra, nor do they seem to have one just like it anymore.) In case you missed it, here's the poem:
Zensah sports bras? Alas!Wouldn't ya know, Miz forwarded this to Suzanne, who kindly offered to let me try some of their tights! I got them this week, ripped open the package, and wore them all evening on Monday. Com-fy! I also wore them during one of my training runs on Tuesday, and they felt fantastic. I think there is some more rhyming in my future, after I've given them a wash and tried them out again. I think the real test will be wearing them to CardioSculpt class, because my legs are usually sore for days after that one. (Compression is supposed to help with that sort of thing.)
They don’t have my size.
Their Seamless Tights, though,
Look just right for my thighs.
But what qualities in a sports bra
Does this zaftig tri-girl seek?
Must support like a fortress
And of the nipples, no peek.
I like one front-hooking,
With a racer back sturdy.
Uniboob is okay;
I’m not trying to be flirty.
The straps must not slip
Off the shoulders or chafe.
Wickability’s a must!
And size? Opposite-of-waif.
(I’ll pass on an entry;
But thanks, MizFit and Zensah!
Hope those wonderful giveaways
Make some others sigh, “Ahhh!”)
Oh yeah. I guess this needs an FTC disclaimer...um...what needs to be in those?
Zensah sent me tights.
Freely, I wear and review.
(Did I do this right?)Getting geared up to start knitting a doggie sweater! Stay tuned for some photos from Project Chloe Grace! I bought some yarn, and analyzed the pattern, and the next step is to knit up a gauge swatch. I just started testing out the novelty yarn that I was thinking of using for the collar. It's interesting, that's for sure, if a little awkward, but I think it will work. I hope it turns out looking as cute in real life as it does in my head!
Excited for Sagan! Her blog, "Living Healthy in the Real World," was nominated for a "has been nominated in the "Health Resource – Social Media category" for the 2010 Canadian Natural Health Awards! I'm just bummed that I can't vote for her blog - but if you live in Canada, YOU can! Check out the orange banner on the left side of her blog's page.
But I can vote for Biz! She's entered Foodbuzz’s "Project Food Blog" contest. If you want to vote, too, go to Biz's contestant page, and then click the little "Vote" tag in the "My Challenges" widget. Good luck, Biz! (And wheee-whooo, check out that apron!)
Having a great workout week!
Staying healthy! Aside from a donut-y detour (154!) saved by a quick pedal on my stationary bike (back to 122 after 10 minutes at moderate intensity), the numbers are good: 7-day fasting of 99 and 7-day average of 104. Weight is down .2 pound. Try not to be overwhelmed by this.
Using too many exclamation points! But I can't seem to help myself!!!!!
I want to...
Keep trusting the training
Keep knitting
Keep the health numbers good
Thursday, September 16, 2010
An Embarrassment of Riches
Forward: Sometimes my life seems best summarized by the idiom, "an embarrassment of riches," both tangible and intangible, great and small. Today's post is about some of the greater ones lately....
I am....
Relieved that I can finally write about the "Pay It Forward" gift I received from Debby!!!
Oh, whew! (*mopping brow*)
Debby delivered my gift in person at breakfast, and I thought I was going to burst into tears. It is some kind of gorgeousness!!! I cherish it, and am wondering how to best display it. But I was even more moved to read Debby's account ("Pay It Forward Challenge") of how she created it and personalized each segment that she made for Juice, Jill, and me. I love that our quilts have a connection; it's really reflective of the blog community! (*sniff*...I'm getting a little teary again...)
Debby's account has the better pictures, but I wanted to talk about some of the details I've noticed so far, and love. It's an intricate quilt, and I have a feeling that the more I look at it, the more I'm going to see and appreciate.
Training: Well, I was all happy after the big run on Sunday, and then I noticed my ankle got achy after my stationary bike ride on Monday morning. Bother! So I swam on Tuesday instead of running. It felt good, though it took an effort to get over the ugh-have-to-drive-there-and-get-wet-and-reshower inertia.
I think my mantra has to be "Trust the Training." I ran today (Thursday, day after CardioSculpt class) and my legs weren't 100%, and I felt really sluggish. My ankle feels fine though. I have to remember that if I do this *consistently*, the results will follow. I'm working to build distance, but a little more pep in my step would be welcome. Rest day tomorrow, then a 4-mile run on Saturday.
Knitting: Yeay, I finished another baby hat! No, not for me, but for Christie O's baby shower for the parents of premature babies at her local hospitals. She and a mom's group in her area do this every year, so I'll be sending her along some hats as part of my "Pay it Forward" project.
I was a little worried about this hat. I was short on blue, so I switched to cream; I was knitting a pattern that you knit on straight needles in the round instead and saw some flaws in the details. I agonized whether to start over, but I kept going. And you know what? When I finished it, it looked fine, and it's so soft. I think there's an analogy here.
Healthy: So grateful that the numbers are good. My 7-day fasting blood glucose average was 106 and my overall 7-day average was 107. My weigh-in day weight has remained unchanged since the beginning of the month. I'm happy that this is so, even though I'm not weighing daily. (Trust the training!)
I want to...
Keep doing the good stuff.
Publish some of the draft posts I've started.
Start that sweater for the adorable Chloe!
I am....
Relieved that I can finally write about the "Pay It Forward" gift I received from Debby!!!
Oh, whew! (*mopping brow*)
Debby delivered my gift in person at breakfast, and I thought I was going to burst into tears. It is some kind of gorgeousness!!! I cherish it, and am wondering how to best display it. But I was even more moved to read Debby's account ("Pay It Forward Challenge") of how she created it and personalized each segment that she made for Juice, Jill, and me. I love that our quilts have a connection; it's really reflective of the blog community! (*sniff*...I'm getting a little teary again...)
Debby's account has the better pictures, but I wanted to talk about some of the details I've noticed so far, and love. It's an intricate quilt, and I have a feeling that the more I look at it, the more I'm going to see and appreciate.
I love the butterflies!
I love the buttons, and the position of the heart-shaped button by the dedication.
I also love how the stitching goes around the flower blocks to create petals,
and then extends down to create the stems and leaves.
I also love the richness of the metallic gold in some of the fabrics;
you can't see it too well in the photo, but the brown fabric in the upper flower has it,
and it adds to the richness without overwhelming.
Isn't the spiral and star stitching on this flower cool?
More of the lovely stitching and embroidered details...I love how she combined these.
More embroidered detail to compliment the center of this flower.
Here's a view of the full treasure!
Thank you, dear friend!!!
Training: Well, I was all happy after the big run on Sunday, and then I noticed my ankle got achy after my stationary bike ride on Monday morning. Bother! So I swam on Tuesday instead of running. It felt good, though it took an effort to get over the ugh-have-to-drive-there-and-get-wet-and-reshower inertia.
I think my mantra has to be "Trust the Training." I ran today (Thursday, day after CardioSculpt class) and my legs weren't 100%, and I felt really sluggish. My ankle feels fine though. I have to remember that if I do this *consistently*, the results will follow. I'm working to build distance, but a little more pep in my step would be welcome. Rest day tomorrow, then a 4-mile run on Saturday.
Knitting: Yeay, I finished another baby hat! No, not for me, but for Christie O's baby shower for the parents of premature babies at her local hospitals. She and a mom's group in her area do this every year, so I'll be sending her along some hats as part of my "Pay it Forward" project.
I was a little worried about this hat. I was short on blue, so I switched to cream; I was knitting a pattern that you knit on straight needles in the round instead and saw some flaws in the details. I agonized whether to start over, but I kept going. And you know what? When I finished it, it looked fine, and it's so soft. I think there's an analogy here.
Yes, I finished this one in the car.
Don't worry, I'm parked.
It seems to be one of the few places I can bind off, undisturbed.
(Oh, and no, it's not a toilet paper cozy. :-)
(Oh, and no, it's not a toilet paper cozy. :-)
Healthy: So grateful that the numbers are good. My 7-day fasting blood glucose average was 106 and my overall 7-day average was 107. My weigh-in day weight has remained unchanged since the beginning of the month. I'm happy that this is so, even though I'm not weighing daily. (Trust the training!)
I want to...
Keep doing the good stuff.
Publish some of the draft posts I've started.
Start that sweater for the adorable Chloe!
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