Day 8! Still rolling ...

Despite my not as consistent posts, my eating is definitely a lot better. Although, I am eager to have a little treat come Wednesday. It's the last three days of National Novel Writing Month, and I have 19,000 words to hit my 50,000 word goal. The good news is that my chronic infection is practically gone, and it is very likely I'll be in the gym come Dec. 1st. Everything is coming together. I would have liked to have started like gang busters on Day One like this, but as long as I'm headed where I need to be, I'll take it!

Can it be Day 6?

Yikes! This is not a good start regarding my blogging for this mission, but oddly just being on "the mission" has kept my eating in check. I had planned to make Wednesdays my "free days," I was thinking I would wait until the second week of the mission to start that. UM! My brain heard Wednesday is the free day, and I had some treats and by treats I mean a Snickers Bar and two extra slices of whole wheat toast with sugar free blueberry jam on it. Not too bad with the toast, but the Snickers is well... a BIG treat.

However, I'm relieved that the free day didn't turn into free TWO days or "to heck with this new mission" despite the fact that I'm not blogging as much. It was my Mom's birthday yesterday, and we went to dinner, and I made sure she had a slice of cake, but I just had my decaf nonfat latte. VICTORY! However, I think my next treat on Wednesday WILL be a slice of that Black Forest Cake from the San Rival cakes. LOL

The cough is still here, but I'm hoping by the weekend it will fade. I've stepped on the scale, and it looks like I've lost a pound or two already. (We just have one of those old dial scales, not digital scales.) It's probably water weight from my period, but I'm happy to see that my free day didn't push the scale over.

I've GOT to work out this picture situation, but I wanted to blog before I fell off the earth. I'm way behind on the National Novel Writing Month, so I better get to work.

Day 2: Five Year Anniversary Mission

I have to admit I am a bit ill-prepared for this mission. I'm having outfit issues. I only have sweat pants to work out in, but I'm sure I have a least a pair of shorts around here somewhere to take a photo. But, I will say that starting this mission has already made a difference in my diet. I've been watching my glycemic index and consumption of simple carbs as instructed to by my doctor. I got through all of yesterday without ANY sugar. Well except the natural sugars found in a banana. Woo-hoo. I took my stats today (not yesterday), but as the motto on my blog says that is enough. My cough is still in full swing, so I'm not cleared for the gym yet, but I'm assured it will be soon. I DID, however, check out the local gym here in the Philippines and bought the prerequisite new sneakers (they do not allow any shoes that have been worn on the street to be worn in the gym)to wear once I start.

Here are my measurements. Since they're about the same on right and left, I'm just going to type in the right:

Bust: 43"
Waist: 37 3/4"*
Hips: 45 1/2

Right arm: 14"
Right thigh 34 1/2"

Weight: 188**

*Increased abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension and CVD. Women with waist measurements over 35 are considered a high risk. Plus my PCOS, also makes me a candidate for type 2 diabetes. Luckily, I was recently screened and don't have it yet. There's hope!

**Using my height (5'6") and weight measurements and an online BMI calculator, my BMI is 30.3, which is considered obese. Anything over 30 is obese.

We're Back!!! New 90 Day Mission with Suzette!

Original shredder, SUZETTE, wrote to me on Facebook to let me know that it was a five years since our first "shredder mission." She came up with the great idea of doing a five-year anniversary shred. It's crazy. So much has happened in five years, and yet, here I am in the Philippines typing from the exact same room that I was in on the first mission. It's like it was meant to be!

I'll take a picture later, tonight. I don't even have a swimsuit that fits anymore. Since my first mission over five years ago, I've managed to remain back injury free, and started a whole new business BUT ...

I've GAINED all the weight back plus about six more pounds. I just recently was diagnosed with PCOS, which helped explain my insulin resistance issues (I thought I was shaking and sweating because I was anxious turns out it my blood sugar was out of whack) and my weight struggle. Armed with new dietary knowledge (gotta watch the glycemic index of my food) and advice from doctor, I'm back in the Philippines and ready to go full steam ahead into good health.

I'm not discouraged about my weight gain as much any more. Before it really bummed me out, but now I'm feeling happy and motivated. It really helps that I finally figured out what was going on with me health wise. It took a bunch of time just to be able to get health insurance to get go to the doctor, then, I was misdiagnosed for a while and then FINALLY we figured it out.

I'm also finishing the NanoWrimo (You write a 50,000 word novel in a month), so these first few weeks will be action packed.

Later today, I'll update this post with a photo and my starting stats and find something to wear so I can post a photo. Bye for now.

Day 11: Back on track

I'm back on track with my back and core building exercises and eating. My thank you notes site has been having 6,000 visitors a day lately, and I'm partnering with a company that will allow people to send out thank you notes from their computers. It's pretty neat, but time-consuming. Plus, I just signed up for NaMoWriMo, the write a novel in a month challenge. So my time is a bit limited. I hope everyone is doing great. Have a great Day 11.

Day 10: Finish Strong

Things have been hectic and exciting, but I'm gonna focus hard and finish strong. Internet problems last night so this is up late. Hope everybody is doing great. I've gotta get around to all the blogs when I get home. I ate all my points last night. I think I'm negative -5 on the Flex points. Gotta catch up on putting everything into my web tracker. But my internet is so darn slow.

Day 9: History! Change! Hope! Celebration!

Those speeches were amazing tonight. I am so proud, happy, and hopeful about the future. I totally partied my ass off! Had an awesome time. History was made, and I am alive and part of it AND totally out of flex points. Looks like I'm eating a lot of spinach and mushrooms this week. SO worth it!

Day 8: HUNGRY

OMG! I am so unbelievably hungry, and I totally went wild on the free snacks at the USO. I'll log it into my WW program when I'm home and see the damage. Yikes!

Day 7: Woo-hoo Congrats Everybody

One week down! Congratulations everybody for doing such a great job.

I'm so excited I stayed on plan this week despite things getting pretty busy. I ate 25.5 points today, and I wrapped up the week with 14 flex points to spare. So glad that the movie theater popcorn didn't set me back. The trick was no butter, and after the previews are over, I stop eating and just drink water. I get so involved in the movie anyway, I never even miss it. My sister digs it, because she gets most of the popcorn. A win-win.

Day 6: Almost No Sleep

A very quicky post today. Did great on WW, but did have some movie theater popcorn. Haven't had a second to do the tally, but will add first thing in the morning. I've got to get to bed. Happy Day 6. It's almost been a week already. Wow!

Day 5: Halloween Candy-Free Zone

I have lots of work to do tonight, because tomorrow is my weekly 3 Percenters Meeting. We all make goals every week (one spiritual, one health, one charity, and then other life goals) and we commit to completing it by the next week. We bring proof and brainstorm how to help us each reach our full potential and bring in a motivational reading. The people in the group that don't reach their goals have to buy completers coffee. :)

It's fun. My health goal this week was to log all my food 5/7 days. Thanks to the group shred I'm 7 for 7. I've got some business to finish so I don't have to buy coffee. It can get kind of pricey, because a lot of time nearly everybody completes their goals. :)

Rest day for my back exercise today. I did get in my wall push-ups and my stretching. I've got to keep working on my range of motion to avoid re-injury.

WW points today: I ate 23 points. I have 28.5 Flex points still available. Yay! I'm going out to dinner tomorrow night so I'll need to use some. They reset after Sunday, so everything is going according to plan.

The great thing about being single: NO HALLOWEEN CANDY. I live near Universal Studios on the area of Ventura Blvd. that is full of shops in a tucked away building between a cafe and public storage. So I knew there would be no trick or treaters so no reason to buy candy. I'm saving money and calories. I love this apartment.

Day 4: Feeling Skinny

You ever just feel skinny?

It's like those days where I feel fat and nothing fits right and I feel icky but the EXACT opposite. Even though I may weigh just a fraction of a pound lighter than I did last week, I felt skinny today. When I'm eating right and taking care of myself I spend a few extra seconds on my makeup. I walk a little bouncier. I smile even more. Overall, I feel happy. Days like today it's easy to make the right choices. I just love em when they come around. I'm sure the Group Shred is the reason. (There are those OTHER days, but who needs to think about that right now.)

I did some cardio, and I'm getting ready to do my core and back exercises and stayed on my WW Plan. I'm falling a little behind on hitting everybody's blogs, but I'll just keep going down the list and doing my best.

Today I used 21.5 points and have 26 Flex point remaining. Happy Day 4 everybody.


PS You were right Lynda SoCal = Southern California.

Day 3: On the go, but still on plan

Busy day today. I'm exhausted so I'm going to take a little nap, and then hit the blogs. I think I've got it down to hitting half the list one day and the other half the next. So if I missed you yesterday, I'll be checking in on you today.

The greatest thing about SoCal is there's always something healthy on the menu to order. So far today I've eaten 19.5 points, I have 1.5 more to eat and still have 29 points flex points left for the week, which is cool, because there's a yogurt in the fridge that I'm saving for dessert.

I had to eat one of those frozen dinners because I was in a hurry, but what I love to do is when it has sauce (like this had tomato sauce, because it was ravioli), I add extra vegetables to the dish. It makes it feel like more, and I get another fruit & veggie serving in, because I try to hit 5 or 6 of those a day.

HAPPY DAY 3!

Day 2: The Group Shred Continues

Happy Day 2 Everyone!

I've been working on my back and core exercises from my physical therapist, wall push-ups and walking. Plus, for those of you familiar with Weight Watchers, I'm staying within my points. Yesterday I used 22 points. Today I've used 26 points. My remaining flex points for the week is 29.

I haven't been able to find my swimsuit and my extra contact lenses since I came back from the Philippines. They've got to be somewhere. Yesterday, I weight myself 162.5 and 37% body fat on my Tanita scale. I don't know how accurate that scale is, but it will be relative to itself. I don't have a tape measure, but I may pick one up tomorrow and just compare for the rest of the shred. The most important part is to focus on eating clean and shredding hard.

For anyone in the Los Angeles area or will be I'm co-producing and hosting a weekly stand-up comedy show in Beverly Hills at the Roxubury Cafe beginning January 8th. Naturally I'll plug it when it's sooner.

What a difference a year makes! Happy Day One of 14!

Last year my goal was to ditch my walker and get my own coffee and now I walk around pain free for days and days. Everything is possible with a lot of grace, gratitude, and support. I'm dedicated to eating clean and shredding hard these next fourteen days. I'm kick-starting an 18 week life plan that includes my business. But I am not sure with my hectic life how much daily accountability I can handle after these 14 days. But the slogan "One day at a time" (a slogan that has saved and turned around my entire life) comes to mind.

Happy Day One EVERBODY!!!

My goal is to visit four blogs a day and provide support. I will get around to wish everyone well before the end of the 14 days is up. (and update my blogroll)

No hoodie! Boo. Group Shred YAY!

The photo shoot was on a white backdrop so they said the white RTP hoodie wouldn't work. It was fun anyway. I'll tell everyone when it's out.

It's GROUP SHRED TIME.

I can't believe it's been a year. So many things have changed. I can feel that old excitement. :)

Attn: Kroger's Grocery Stores Shoppers

A pick of me and might be featured in the New Year's Resolutions of the Krogers supplements. It quickly mentions how I lost 25lbs this year and made my New Year's Resolution to lose weight, but want to lose 30 next year. (or sooner)

The photographer may come by as soon as Thursday, I'm going to try to take it wearing my RTP hoodie if they'll let me. :)

Quick Post

I wrote this short film. We just submitted it to Slamdance. Also, the back of my head is in it and I say "Hey."

I was on TV for a show I did. I want to be on tv again.

Hey guys! I've been really busy, but still shredding hard. I was on CNN and Fox News and a few other news shows for a comedy show I did in LA. It later became a challenge segment on Last Comic Standing (I was edited out :( of that episode) and even parodied on Mad TV.

I'm on a show biz mission to sell the show to tv and go on tour with show and visit your town!

Here's what I'm working on:

Origin of Three Percenters

Marty, one of the founding three percenters, told us a story he'd read in a book about a group of graduates. The top 3 percent who set goals for their careers turned out to be more successful than the other 97% combined or something like that. Hence the name.

Had a great workout and walked 1.5 miles. I was ravenously HUNGRY today. I think it's because I've been working out hard with the weights. I'm actually doing 3 sets of 12 like the book says. Some of the exercises I still have to modify and some are still abbreviated sets, but I'm getting stronger! My body fat % is pretty high, because of all my immobility and inactivity over the last three years. I'm not saying that to get down on me, it's just how it is. The cool thing is that I've lost weight over the three years even while being unable to be a physically active as I would like. That means I can progress even better. Now, if I can only find where I packed that swimsuit. I haven't see it since I left the Philippines. I've gained weight since then (greater mobility, greater access to food, lol). But I'm not sweating it. The extra pounds are already falling off without too much thinking about it. Plus SOME (but not all of the 11 lbs I've gained) has to be muscle. I'm sure like a pound of it is.

It's only up from here.