I guess sometimes you just need a break… September 15th, 2009

Today was my first day back on the workout tip in a week and a half!!  My vacation to San Diego stretched into a busy work week, and I just hadn’t been able to sleep well at night, to get up and start my day with Jillian and Denise (love those hard-ass women!).  As all of you can relate to, we are insanely busy at work, and now I’ve started my Mary Kay business, which means that my evenings are full of research, and soon, make-overs and facials!  This means that if I DON’T get my butt moving in the morning, I may lose out on any chance of a work out that day.  I am aware that this is my CHOICE though.  I am prioritizing work over working out at the moment, and that’s ok.  I KNOW this, and so I am entirely responsible.  I hear so many people just say ‘I’m so busy, there’s no time to work out’ and that’s a crock of excuses.  I love you all, but it is.  There is time, you just may not sleep to get it.  HA HA.  NOT saying to do that, I’m just saying that we prioritize what is most important, and if working out was at the top of that list, we’d MAKE time.  (See ALL LAST MONTH!)  For now, I’m planning to make time in the morning, and be happy with that.  All I’m trying to say people, is that you always have a choice.  It’s empowering once you realize that!

Now that I’m off my soap box… LOL 

So here I am, a week and a half after some of the hardest working out and best eating of my life, and I’m FULLY expecting to have gained weight and lost some ground on the battle of the inches.  I haven’t gone crazy eating crap, but once you stop actually logging calories, it’s just so easy to go so far over your allotment and not even realize it.  I figure I should go ahead and weigh and measure myself since I usually do that on Tuesdays (except last Tuesday during my vacation).  I also figure seeing the numbers might really spur me on and help me get back on track with the waking up early side of things. 

So Jillian kicks my ASS (and I mean it- if I could JUST GET THROUGH a whole set of her V Chair sits, I’d feel like I could do anything!!), and then Denise kicks my ABS, and I’m so red and tired.  I burned 499 calories in just under an hour!!After a good workout, who doesn’t want to depress themselves, right?  HA HA!  So I step on the scale.  And do a double take.  I’ve lost another half pound!  HA HA!  NO WAY!!  What the…  I’m figuring I’ve lost muscle or something in that week and a half, and now I KNOW I’m going to gain inches instead of lose them because that would explain the weight-loss.  So off I go to take my measurements.  And I just laugh at this point.  Since my last measurement two weeks ago, I’ve lost another 2.25 inches!!  That is a total of 17.75 inches people!!   HOLY AWESOMENESS!!  Maybe this balance thing has something to it… Maybe my body was beat tired and needed the break… Maybe I better not get too cocky or I’ll find myself doing the hippity hop dance trying to get my butt back in my jeans.  Who knows.  LOTS of maybes, but I’m so happy with my results, and motivated in so many directions, and just really inspired to see what I can actually accomplish if I continue to take my life in my own hands, make my own choices, and hold myself accountable! 

I’d love to hear your stories of choice and triumph.  I know you have them.  Of taking control of what you can, and releasing the rest to the universe.  Please share them.  Here, or email me at s0mmersmiles@hotmail.com (ZERO, not o in sommer- I can’t get the font to let me type it like that!). 

What’s next folks?? 
Sommersmiles

The birth of Operation Sexy Bitch- the real truth.

I’ve certainly hinted to everyone as to WHY OSB came about.  I needed to get out of the party scene, start focusing on my health, and save money.  I really had zero choice in the matter though, and that’s what you haven’t heard.  This horrid economy has been terrible to all of us, I know.  My family is no different.  And just over a month ago I came home to more bad news.  Not only has my mother been laid off for two years, with no luck in finding a job, but now my father has had to take a pay cut as well, and the small amount of help I was needing to give had moved to a level I couldn’t maintain and still go out and hang with my friends.  I had to find something positive in that, because the negative crap was threatening to drag me down, wear me out, start my emotional eating, and a spiral of depression.  I’m not sure if anyone has been lucky enough to get a glimpse of the dark side before it hits you, but I was.  And I wasn’t going to choose to go there of my own free will.  I was spinning in thoughts that at 31 years old, I wasn’t ever going to be able to move out of my PARENTS house (assuming they didn’t lose it to the damn mortgage company).  I had been dating, but no one special, and was now going to have to stop doing that because I refuse to go on a date assuming someone else is paying.  It’s wonderful when they do, and I know that normally it happens, but I’m not good at dating, or used to someone paying, and so if I do something, I need to be able to pay for it.  In my head I had decided that I would be alone forever because who is ever going to want to date a thirtysomething living at home- with no chance of getting out any time soon- and who has a big wall up because I know I can’t afford to go out and live my life.  I mean, come on.  He’d have to be my Prince Charming and just a little stupid to try walking into that situation.  HA HA! 

I spent a full day living in those thoughts.  It was a shitty shitty day.  I tried to figure out where I could work a second job in my current work schedule, and nothing seemed to fit.  I was so upset and mad and frustrated, and I remembered that during a time of stress a few years back, I discovered a love of spin class as a way to wear myself out so much I couldn’t dwell or even barely think of the crap.  The bonus was the endorphins and the pride that came from working so hard.  And so Operation Sexy Bitch was born.  It didn’t have it’s cute name- that was a friend Jodie’s idea- but I knew that if I could just pull myself out of this for awhile, life could change.  Options could arise.  Mom could get a job.  I could get a raise.  You know, anything could happen.  I just needed to focus on something else for awhile and see what God had in store for me and my family.

My trip to San Diego was paid for in frequent flyer miles, and was an AMAZING way to take a vacation from my life, and take a break from OSB and just remember who I am…  Thanks San Diego people for dealing with me last weekend!  HA HA  Bloggers, you would not BELIEVE how little tolerance I had after just a month of not drinking and working out like crazy.  It was bad.  LOL  I think I’ve said goodbye to vodka because of this weekend!  HA HA HA!  Which is ok… 

I’m back now, and the situation hasn’t changed much.  I haven’t been able to get up and workout in the morning yet (old habits die hard!!), but we are only talking about 4 days here, and I’m really set on starting fresh Monday.  I took this week to really focus on what I can do to take the pressure off my family and myself and to create options for the future, and as good for me as OSB is, it’s not going to pay the bills.  A friend has been talking to me about working with Mary Kay with her, and I spent some time during OSB thinking about the opportunity (you may have seen this coming back on OSB day 3-) and this past week, I decided it was time to just try.  I had nothing to lose but time and $100.  LOL 

I’m officially part of the Mary Kay family now- Day 2!  HA HA!  I am learning the details of the products- using them only teaches you what you like- and trying to figure out the party procedures.  I’ve got a website (HOW COOL!) to let people order directly without having a party, AND you can even book a party online and get your own party PAGE on the website.  WHAT IS THAT??   I think that is TOO COOL!   Heck, you can even have an ONLINE PARTY, where you just have all your friends go to the site on a certain day, and get their colors done virtually, and whatever is bought is credited to the hostess for that day!   While this isn’t as fun to ME, because I like the idea of playing in the make up and seeing my friends, I still think it’s a cool way to do it for people who are far away and can’t host a party in person.  MAN- all I can say is Mary Kay has come a LONG WAY from the days when my mom had her pink suitcase. 

This month, if you sign up to host a party (virtual or online) and sign up for it online (and if you let me know you want to, I’ll call you and we’ll walk through it together- I need to learn too!!!) , you are registered to enter a weekly prize of $500 in Mary Kay products, and a Grand Prize of $1000 in MK products and a $5000 CHECK FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT!!  And in this economy, I’m all about that!!  Even if the party isn’t held in September, you are entered as long as you book in September!  I can ASSURE YOU that I’m getting my mom to sign up for a party this month!!  We need the 5k!!  LOL  If you are interested, the website is www.marykay.com/sommer_white

So thank you all for supporting me in this time.  You may have THOUGHT it was just a workout for me, but really, it was a lifeline.  A time in my life when I would have drowned without this, and without you guys, I may have quit altogether.  I’ll still be updating on this, and trying to balance a new career with working out, and hopefully soon, back to a social life.  I’ll take you all along with me, as long as you are interested.    And if you aren’t, I guess I won’t know since I don’t know who reads this unless you tell me!  HA HA HA

I hope you are finding some strength in my journey too.  I’d hate this to be one-sided!  We may not all know each other, and sometimes it’s hard to remember, but we are all in this together. 

Thanks again for being there….  Updates to come!
Sommersmiles

Operation Sexy Bitch – Month End Results!! Photos and WHAT’S NEXT!

Hello ALL!! 

So the official 30 day challenge is over!  I’ll be extending Operation Sexy Bitch, but I think I’ll keep my blogging to something specific I want to share, and then a once a week catch up.  I’ll also post the best and worst day I had over the last week!  That way you aren’t bombarded with posts, but I’m still staying accountable to you and myself on this interesting mission I’m on.

Let’s get it GOING!

This week I lost ANOTHER 2 INCHES!!  My OSB MONTH LONG GRAND TOTAL is 15.5 inches!!!  WOOHOO!!!  Most of it is in my abs and hips, which is right where I wanted to lose it, so I’m ok with that!!   Total weight loss is 3.5 pounds, which I’m also ok with considering the difference I’m seeing in my body! 

Workout total for the month is 2,329 minutes of workout time for a total calorie burn of…  holy crap!  17,558!!!

This has been an interesting journey, and I’m learning to balance some of my nutrition more completely thanks to the Sparkpeople page (and friend suggestions), as well as get the workouts in as early as I can to fit my lifestyle, moods, and energy levels.  I’ve seen such a tremendous change in my body, and in such a short time, that I not only am motivated to continue this, but I’m now realizing my body has been BEGGING me to do it!  It’s WANTED to change, and push itself, and test it’s limits.  I’ve had knee issues, time issues, social issues… This whole experiment is like taking a slice of my life, working on finding the balance in it, and watching the other pieces fall into place.  They haven’t all clicked yet, but I see the wheels turning, and I”m excited for this new ride!! 

A friend suggested I take before and after photos- even if I didn’t share them- but I think I will (Thanks Phil!).  The green shorts is on day 2 or something, and the red shorts is day 30!

 

It’s not like I worked any miracles, and it may sound like that from the numbers.  So I want you to see the realistic side.  I can feel how much tighter my abs are, and I can see so much more definition that I had a hard time capturing on film, but who cares!  I know it’s there!  You can tell how much ‘softer’ I was before.  Remember where I came from though, please.  This time last year I couldn’t SEE my belly button….  Well hell, I might as well add those pictures as well.

Ok, I better wrap this up pretty quickly before I lose my nerve! (OMG OMG!)

Thank you all for helping me on this first part of my latest journey!  So very many of you helped me through my previous journeys and I can’t NOT stop and thank you SO MUCH for that support as well!!!  I’m taking a hiatus for a week to head to San Diego, but I’ll be in full swing again next Tuesday!  I expect a short blog or two from some sort of beach with a nice frosty adult beverage in my hand between now and then, but most likely I won’t be logging a lot of my food since this is my vacation! 

I’m so glad to know so many of you are ‘Shredding Across the Nation’ with me- HA HA!  And I know a few of you have joined Sparkpeople as well.  It’s an amazing tool, and maybe we can all support each other in this journey for the perfect balance and healthy life!!

Now on to PHASE TWO of Operation Sexy Bitch! 
Sommersmiles