Leap Year Challenge- Turn "I Can't" into "I Did" in 2012!

Once upon a time, my life was ruled by the phrase "I can't."  I weighed 240 pounds and used every excuse in the book to avoid eating right and exercising - most of which began with those two awful words...

I can't live without my Pepsi.  I can't cook healthy meals.  I can't walk a flight of stairs.  I can't afford to buy healthy food/a gym membership/a workout program.  I can't track my foods. It's too hard. It's too much work. I just can't.

So how did I get from 240 pounds to 140 pounds? Did I suddenly kick "I can't" to the curb. Nope. I started out my weight loss journey simply to help out my sister- who herself was employing "I can't" in a big way- she wanted to go on the Atkins diet and claimed "I can't stay on it unless you do it too."  At the time, we were sharing a townhome and it would have been incredibly difficult for her to be on such a restrictive diet if I were there guzzling on my Pepsi or enjoying a cinnamon roll or whatever form of cheap, sugary, carb-laden crap that had helped make me severely obese in the first place.  So, in the spirit of helping a sister out, I shelved the "I can't" in place of "I'll try."  I didn't set a goal. I wasn't aiming to reach a certain weight or look like a certain celebrity.

And try I did, my spirits raised by the eight pounds I lost in the first week of ignoring the cries of "I can't" in my head and sticking to the plan.  The weeks went by, the pounds kept coming off and that big old "I can't" that had kept me from even trying before gathered a big old pile of dust on it.  Encouraged, I started to set mini-goals.  Weeks turned into months and when I saw the weight on our scale start with a 1 rather than a 2 for the first time, I laughed and cried and danced crazily around our tiny bathroom.  The mythical Onederland that folks on the low-carber message boards I frequented spoke of so often and with such reverence- I was THERE.

Even throughout the seven years of maintaining a ninety pound weight loss, I'd allow that "I can't" off the shelf far too often.  I can't run in a 5K.  I can't do a push-up on my toes.  I can't run a half-marathon. I can't run a full marathon.  I can't lift anything other than Barbie weights.  I can't get myself squarely in the healthy weight range.  I've proven myself wrong each time.  Yes, there are some things in life we cannot do- no matter how hard we try.  But far more often than not, I can't is just a bad cover- it's what we use to excuse ourselves from taking on certain challenges.

If I had clung on that "I can't," I wouldn't be who I am today. I wouldn't be a healthier, fitter and happier woman.  I'd still be that 240 pound woman who struggled breathless to climb up even the shortest flight of stairs, who struggled to keep up with her son as he wanted to run and play with her, headed towards a lifetime of discrimination and ill  health. 

So my words of wisdom to you for the day is to take that "I can't" and put it on a shelf. If you're unable to replace it with "I will," then an "I'll try" will suffice.  Just forget about Can't.  Can't is the most vicious lie we can tell ourselves. 

An Open Letter to Paula Deen

Dear Paula Deen,

You seem like a nice, sweet lady.  Although I've never bought any of your cookbooks or fixed any of your meals or desserts in my home, I'm sure I may have enjoyed a taste or two of your culinary creations while celebrating a holiday with my family- several of whom are huge fans of yours. I'm sorry to hear of your diabetes diagnosis- I truly am.  As you're probably now well aware after taking three years to educate yourself on this disease, it is no laughing matter.  Some of the more sobering facts about diabetes:

• Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, nontraumatic lower-limb amputations, and new cases of blindness among adults in the United States.
• Diabetes is a major cause of heart disease and stroke.
• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. 

Perhaps the most disturbing stat about diabetes is the fact that nearly 2 million people ages 20 years or older were newly diagnosed with diabetes in 2010 in the United States.  Almost two million people in one single year!

In your three year quest to educate yourself, I'm sure you also learned that diabetes can be entirely preventable with certain lifestyle changes.  You probably even learned that studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes and in some cases return their blood glucose levels to normal.

When asked about the length of time it took you to go public with your diagnosis on the Today Show, you explained that "I wanted to bring something to the table when I came forward."  What you brought to the table - the Novo Nordisk "Diabetes in a New Light" campaign- saddens me more than your diagnosis.  You are now the new face of Victoza- a drug that may improve blood sugar when used in conjunction with diet and exercise.  A drug that has caused thyroid tumors in animal studies.  A drug that costs $499.98 for a 3 pen supply that should last its users approximately 3 months.  And you do so all the while taking pains to note that despite your diagnosis, you're going to keep on cooking the same way you always have...you're just going to cut back on the sweet tea and continue preaching "all in moderation."

Oh, Paula.  When I think about all the fans out there of yours, the ones who frequently fix your infamous donut burger, your fat-laden fried butter balls, the ones who will sit and watch you cooking all your signature fried dishes on Food Network and think of you as their own personal idol, I then can't help but wonder how many of them out there received a pre-diabetes diagnosis from their doctor as the past three years ticked away.  I wonder how many could have possibly prevented a full-blown diabetes diagnosis if their beloved idol, you Ms. Paula Deen, had not only shared her diagnosis with them but also advised that if they made certain lifestyle changes (such as cutting out the afore-mentioned donut burgers and butter balls and beginning to incorporate physical exercise into their daily routine), they could avoid suffering the same fate...and having to shell out $175 a month for the diabetes medication you're now pimping out.   I'm sure they could use the extra money in their budget.  As you said to a reporter in the New York Post in response to an Anthony Bourdain criticism of your cooking, "[n]ot everybody can afford to pay $58 for prime rib or $650 for a bottle of wine. My friends and I cook for regular families who worry about feeding their kids and paying the bills."

I guess these regular folks shouldn't complain about having to drop a big wad of cash on their diabetes medications.  After all, their food budget stretches far seeing how it's being spent on cheap butter, sugar, flour and the least expensive fattiest cuts of meat in line with the recipes in your cookbooks so they should have enough extra money to spend on pharmaceuticals.  Who needs prime rib or fancy schmancy wine when you can treat yourself to a daily shot of Victoza?

Sincerely,
Coach P.

My Before and After Pic and 5 Weight Loss Tips in 5 minutes

Since I am now officially down 100 pounds and have figured out how to use picnik to do a side-by-side picture, here is my official before and after shot (drumroll please).....

Surreal!  I also went ahead and made a video of my 5 big weight loss tips to share on YouTube.   5 Tips in 5 minutes- it can be done even when you have diarrhea of the mouth!

Capped off a productive day by tackling a 3 miler with my speed demon stepdaughter.  Phew! Mama needs to kick back and relax...

Painful Confessions of a Former Fat Girl or How a Mechanical Bull, Colby Donaldson and a Radio DJ Made Me Cry in a Bathroom Stall

Once upon a time, I was what some would politely call a "big girl," others would not so delicately call a "fat chick" and still others would use terms I'd rather not repeat just because they are far too cruel.  As a big girl, I developed the tried-and-true strongest possible form of armor in a world that judges you largely based on appearance - the great personality!  I was the funny girl, the super friend always armed with a smile, a good joke, a non-threatening demeanor and, of course, a self-deprecating sense of humor which often came in quite handy.   Reminders of this past life came vividly flooding back while listening to Bob & the Showgram (a popular morning show here in NC) this morning as its host joked about how every wedding party features a fat girl.  Yep, I've been there- the fat bridesmaid in a wedding party. Har, har. Isn't that a hoot?

And then a gem of a memory came to mind featuring this same DJ that took place years and years ago at a popular bar in Raleigh.  At the time, Survivor: Australia was all the rage and one of the cast members, Colby Donaldson was set to appear courtesy of the radio station at said bar.  Back then, I was in my mid-twenties, single and had a raging girl-crush on Colby.  So, of course, I was SO there!  When it was announced that one lucky gal present could walk Colby out on the stage, I (along with several hundred other ladies with raging girl crushes on Colby) began jumping up and down with excitement.  The winner of this honor would have to earn her spot by staying on the bar's mechanical bull for the longest amount of time- and, of course, they could only take a few contestants to try for the honor.

Being in a heightened state of fever-pitch excitement and already poorly proficient at math, I failed to realize the mathematical probability of humiliation and so immediately raised my hand and started screaming, "ME! ME! ME!"  Why the mathematical probability of humilation? Let's see- the mechanical bull was about ten feet tall and would undoubtedly require a huge boost from the staff member manning the bull.  I probably outweighed him by at least 110 pounds.   Surprisingly, the person responsible for picking contestants apparently had the same crappy math skills as I and picked me as one of the 3 girls competing. Do you see what's coming???

I tried my darndest to climb aboard that bull myself, as I was afraid of hurting the poor schlep who was responsible for the mechanical bull.  I finally asked for his help after half a dozen attempts.  It was incredibly awkward having him gamely try to boost me up several times- to no avail.  I could see Bob Dumas, the DJ from the  Showgram, looking frustrated out of the corner of my eye and I could swear he gave the director's sign for cut.   So, I was quickly eliminated from the competition and non-ceremoniously told to scoot to make room for the slender brunette waiting in the wings for her turn.

Walking back to my group of friends, I could see a few women in the crowd snickering or trying not to make eye contact with me.  I was completely and utterly humiliated, on the verge of tears even but being that great super-happy-galpal, I forced them back and put on a smile.  I think I may have even made some joke about it and then made a funny little pout before I announced I had to go to the restroom.  So I waited until I was safely in a bathroom stall and then let the tears flow freely- doing my best to stay as silent as I could.

I'm a noisy crier, so this was difficult and involved a lot of lip biting on my part. There were two reasons I tended not to seek comfort from others when really, really upset:  (1) I am an ugly crier.  My face gets so red, blotchy and distorted, it's downright scary! Who wants to subject anyone to that? and (2) I didn't want to wreck the carefully crafted "hey, I'm super funny and nothing really bothers me" persona.  It was bad enough being the "fat friend."  I didn't want to appear as the depressed, socially anxious "fat friend" because, hey, before you know it,  I could become the "fat chick who stays home with her cats and eats ice cream all day who has no friends."

The second reason, I now know, is ridiculous for when you have true friends, they will actually want to comfort you- to bring you out of that funk.  Not because they need you to entertain them, but because they genuinely care about you.  I wish I could go back in time and tell that to myself, for it would have saved me a lot of time crying alone over such stupid things as snickers from strangers. 

Hold your head up high ladies and gents- even when being denied the chance to ride a giant mechanical bull to win your chance at escorting a celebrity to the stage at a dive bar.   And never be afraid to seek shelter from life's storms with your family and friends.  Even if you're the funny fat girl.  Big girls do cry and they need a shoulder to cry on.  Take that Frankie Valley and Bob Dumas.

Holy Crap- I Lost 100 Pounds!!!

In all the hustle and bustle of family life, I completely did not recognize the significance of the number on the scale Tuesday morning when I weighed in.  It was 140.6.  When I began my weight loss journey many moons ago, I was 240 pounds.  How in the world did it not immediately occur to me that I had lost a total of 100 pounds????

It didn't hit me until late afternoon that day.  Suddenly, the 100 popped into my head and I heard angels singing and saw sparks flying.  100 POUNDS!  That's a baby hippo! That's an Olsen Twin! That's a Victoria's Secret Model!

Cleansing in the New Year

If you've seen my video on YouTube, you already know that I love me some Shakeology.  And if you had spent any time with me over the holidays, you would have borne witness to me engaging in all sorts of naughty food & drink indulgences, capped off by a champagne & Stoli cocktail-infused New Year's Eve leaving me feeling bloated and all-around, well for want of a better word, icky.  So I decided to give the Shakeology Cleanse a try in my effort to detox and kickstart my way back to clean eating on January 1st.  Even though I'm a Shakeology lover, I still had my reservations on the whole cleanse concept stemming from a disastrous previous attempt at Cleansing...

A year or so ago I tried the Master Cleanse - a plan allegedly endorsed by Beyonce.  After spending a pretty penny on laxative tea, organic lemons, genuine maple syrup and cayenne pepper in the hopes of doing the Master Cleanse for a week, I waved the white flag of surrender after just five hours on the Cleanse.  After trying two of the Master Cleanse drinks, I marvelled over how on earth anyone in the world could stomach them for several days.  Blech!  Not to mention, I felt pretty hungry and fatigued midway through the day.  I already knew I loved Shakeology, but would I love it as much when it was blended with water and would it fuel me through the day?

After finishing a 2 day Cleanse, I can answer affirmatively to both. It still tasted delicious blended with water and I felt properly fueled right up through the end of Day 2 last night.  I was going to shoot for a full 3 Day Cleanse, but opted against it when I realized how fatigued I was feeling by the end of the night...well, that and the fact that I started going all Looney Tunes cartoon character and envisioning my loved ones as rotisserie chicken dinners.  Let's face it, Coach Petrina loves her food!  Even though I didn't do a full-on 3 Day Cleanse, I am very pleased with my results- I feel leaner, better and well, cleaner.  My skin is looking great after drinking loads of water and I feel jump-started in a sense and ready to get back on track with clean eating. Oh, and I lost 4.2 pounds over the course of two days bringing me just on the brink of the never before seen in my adulthood realm of the 130s on the scale.   The 130s!

So how does one do a Shakeology Cleanse?  Here's the dilly-o...

Essentials

• 3 Shakeology shakes per day
• 2 cups of green tea per day
• 1 or 2 pieces of fruit per day (optional)
• 1 salad for dinner-can include fish or poultry
• No dairy or extra sugars (this includes almond and soy milk)
• Drink 2 to 4 liters of water every day
• Only use low-fat dressings, and go easy on the salt and/or pepper to taste
• 2 snacks before/after any of the major meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
• Fruit is optional, and it is discouraged (however, some of you will need the calories while others may not)
• Power-workout participants (those who are already super conditioned) are recommended the higher numbers of calories
• For maximum results, do NOT use additives
• Dinner salad may include WHITE GRILLED PROTEIN-poultry or fish only
• Daily Regimen: 1 cup of green tea to start the day

Breakfast:

• 1 scoop Shakeology (140 calories)
• 1/2 cup of fruit (60 to 90 calories)-optional
• Ice to taste
• 8 to10 oz. of water

Snack 1 (85 calories): 1 piece of fruit (apple, pear, orange, banana mango, etc.)
Lunch: 1 scoop Shakeology (140 calories) Ice to taste 8 to 10 oz. of water 1 cup of green tea or a detox tea
Snack 2: (you can have the second snack before or after dinner) 1 scoop Shakeology (140 calories) Ice to taste 8 to10 oz. of water
Dinner:

• Salad with grilled white fish or poultry (roughly 340 calories)
• Greens-3 servings of vegetables, plus 4 oz. of grilled white meat (fish or poultry)
• 2 tablespoons of dressing

Average Weight loss from Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse is 3 – 5 lbs

Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse FAQ

How many calories per day?
800 to 1,100 calories per day

How often can I do the Shakeology 3-Day Cleanse?

• Ideally, you should do it once per quarter (every 3 months)
• As the seasons change
• When you start a new workout program
• When you feel you need help breaking through a plateau

Should/Can I still do my workouts during the Cleanse?

• Depends on the individual
• You’ll have less energy, so consider doing it during your recovery week
• Don’t do it in the middle of P90X or Insanity

Can I do a 1-day or a 2-day cleanse instead of a 3-day?

• Yes, some people will see results in one or two days!
• It is not recommended to do the cleanse for longer than 3 days.

Should/Can I take other Beachbody® supplements during the Cleanse?

• No Beachbody Recovery Drink as it as too much sugar.
• All other Beachbody supplements are not necessary but won’t hurt.

If you want to learn more or would like a Shakeology 3 Day Cleanse Supply, email me at coachpetrina@yahoo.com.

Happy New Year!

Attack of the Resolutionaries!!!!

It’s that time of year again.  As 2011 draws to a close, people begin to make their own penultimate to-do list- the New Year’s Resolution List.  For the past several years, I have come to dread this time of year – not because I didn’t want to make my own set of resolutions but rather because of the impact others’ resolutions would make on my time at the gym.  I feared the inevitable Attack of the Resolutionaries -throngs of people with the best of intentions who would descend upon our gym, hogging up machines and overcrowding the most fun group classes up until late February or early March. 

Terrible, I know, for someone who is so passionate about health & fitness, to feel so utterly resentful of others who were just trying to improve their own health & fitness.  But have I mentioned how much I hate crowded spaces?  And how much time I’d have to spend waiting around for someone to get off a piece of cardio equipment so I could get my sweat on or how sad I’d become when I’d realize there was absolutely no space left in one of my favorite group classes?  I believe a great deal of my resentment for these gym newbies was that I knew their presence was only temporary.  They weren’t truly making a lifestyle change. 

The sudden increase of gym memberships each year in January stems from the fact that 65% of those making their New Year’s Resolutions include weight loss on their list.  That’s a lot of New Year’s Resolutionaries!  The sad fact is the majority of these folks are bound to failure.  Why is it that most who resolve to lose weight and/or become more fit in the New Year ultimately fail?  Chances are, they’ve made one or more of the following mistakes:

1.  They’ve made their Resolution under pressure from others or in the hopes of making someone else happy.  True resolve and true grit can only be found from within- and you’ll need both to successfully lose weight and maintain it (believe me, I know from experience).

2.  They make a list of several different resolutions.  Trying to focus on several different goals means you’ll likely shortchange yourself on one or all of them.  If weight-loss is your primary goal, FOCUS your efforts on this ONE resolution. 

3.  They set unrealistic and/or vague goals.  Vowing to lose 10 pounds in a week is an unrealistic goal.  Yes, they’ve done it on Biggest Loser but real life is not like the Biggest Loser campus.  Just saying your goal is to “lose weight” is not going to cut it- this is not a specific goal.  An example of a realistic & specific goal would be “I’m going to lose 10 pounds in 90 days.”  Realistic weight loss goals would typically be 1-2 pounds per week. 

4.  They’ve made broad, sweeping changes to their daily life from Day 1 in the New year.  They revamp their entire kitchens and fill their calendar with daily exhausting workouts when before their diet consisted mainly of processed foods and they led a sedentary lifestyle.  When you make HUGE, sudden changes in your life, you are less likely to stick with these changes.  Small steps eventually lead to big, lasting changes.  Whereas giant steps often lead to nowhere as those taking them will likely feel overwhelmed and will then wave the white flag of surrender. 

5.  They go it alone.  Having an accountability buddy, someone that you can report to and support you in your endeavors, is CRUCIAL.   This person can be someone you live with or even someone miles and miles away (as is often the case with my Challenge Group members). 

6.  They don’t have a concrete plan of action in place to help them achieve their goals.  Simply planning on eating better or starting to exercise?  Plan out exactly how you’re going to do these things. Get a meal plan together, buy the groceries you need, create a workout calendar.  One of the biggest frustrations for me in seeing gym newbies each January was watching them aimlessly walking around the gym- I could tell they didn’t really have a plan of what to do when they arrived, nor, in some cases, did they even know how to use the machines.  One of the things I love the most about Beachbody programs is that they give you both tools – you get a sound nutrition plan with suggested meals AND a set workout calendar. 

My New Year’s wish for all of you out there seeking to improve their fitness is that you not suffer the same fate as the majority of those Resolutionaries filling up gyms or charging up exercise equipment each January. If you join a gym, I don’t want you disappearing from that gym after a few weeks or a month or two. If you invest in exercise equipment, I don’t want that treadmill to wind up as a place you throw clothing on towels on or something that collects dust in your closet or you try to sell on E-Bay or Craigslist.  If you buy a pricey pair of sneakers intending to run every few days, I don't want those sneakers just sitting on your bedroom floor.

Whether you choose to achieve your goals by working out at home or in a gym, by using a sidewalk or push-up bar or whichever way you choose with whichever tools you choose, I want you to approach this battle as a REVOLUTIONARY, not a Resolutionary.  I want these changes you make in your life to be far-reaching- to last far beyond February and March.  I want you to change your life, improve your health, lower your cholesterol, allow you to be active with your kids and grandkids.

If you need help in setting your goals or just someone to cheer you on, gently encourage or nag you, I’m here!  Email me at coachpetrina@yahoo.com, buddy me on Team Beachbody or give me a shout on Facebook. 

As for me, I’m happy to say I won’t be suffering the same frustrations of years past as we hit 2012. I will be happily tackling Les Mills PUMP program in the comfort of my living room.  I won’t need to fight for space or equipment, but I may need to pause for occasional hugs and high-fives from our three year old.  Now that I can deal with!

Here’s to a happy and healthy 2012 to all of you!

 Cheers,
Coach P