I can spend 1 of them exercising.

(And if I haven’t been doing it at 6 am when its pitch black and the mythical rapist is the only one out at the track – well, during The View or Oprah on my garage sale eliptical is still an hour of exercise. And if I ate 4 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies last week, oh well – I still got all those exercise endorphans to my brain!)

Post from: Blisstree

One Hour a Day

If the saw my post Mood Shaper, they should know its a pretty risky marketing move to send me a girdle for review. Every time I read Adam Glassman, from O Magazine talk about how wonderful Spanx and body shapers are I want to tie him down and force him wear a full body girdle for 12 hours and see how “comfortable” he really thinks it is.

The commercial on EatDrinkAndBeYummy.com is super catchy and oh.so.very.hip. Except, it’s also cynical and I’m just feeling too optimistic and excited about the future to buy into the idea that I should eat my fear away and then wear a girdle to hide it.

It’s also January and I’m dedicated to losing 35 pounds so I won’t be visiting the oh so delicious recipe, dessert and cocktail Indulgences section.

Contrary to my belief that girdles suck.

I love the idea of a tank top that holds you in just a touch. In fact, I wear a nice long stretchy black tank top quite frequently. I think the tank is sexy under a button up shirt and adds an extra dimension and yes, it does smooth out and hold in my tummy. Since the damn mid-rise pants let the tummy hang out, I’ve been using the tight tank for quite some time.

Overall, I liked this Yummy Tummy tank top.

The style of Yummy Tummy could not be more right on to what I really love to wear. These long tight tanks do make me feel sexy but not over-exposed. I still like to show a little cleavage , and less stomach.

Maybe it looks like I lost 5 pounds as the company advertises, but no one said, Oh my gosh have you lost weight?

It features a middle panel which is double layered slick, smooth exercise material. The bust was in t-shirt material and had a shelf bra that wasn’t half bad. I even wore it without my regular bra one day and it did an okay job. If I were 20 it would have been enough bra.

You can order the Yummy Tummy tank top in “long.” Which I did. Because I reserve the right to use my arms and recent past fashion history has left me with short shirt anxiety.

Yet, I wish I hadn’t ordered the extra 3-4 inches on the bottom of this particular shirt because 1) the shirt was plenty long to begin with and 2) it was back to the regular t-shirt material which felt incongruous to me. The two different materials bothered me. I see the logic, I just didn’t feel the two fabrics went well together.

Also, I found the Yummy Tummy sizing chart to be “off.” They had me wearing a 1X based on my bust, waist, and hip dimensions. Do not expect me to love a company who wants me to order a size 1X. That’s why we love Old Navy and Lucky Jeans isn’t it? Because they are kind to us in the sizing. It’s not rocket science. I’m ordering a girdle, don’t make me feel 3 sizes larger than I actually am and expect me to feel good will toward your company.

Of course, I revolted. On the chart it had regular sizes as well and the size of clothes I really wear is 10. So I followed that number on the chart and ordered a Large instead of the 1X. This is likely why the mid-section of the Yummy Tummy Tank Top did roll up on me quite a bit – I ordered the size too small. But, never fear, I’m exercising a lot and counting calories so I can fit into this new generation of shapewear. How’s that for irony?

See, Oprah and Heidi Clum love Yummy Tummy. Cause you know Heidi likes to hold her extra stomach in. But, let’s not kid ourselves no Yummy Tummy Body Shaper is going to make 35 pounds vanish.

I have a friend who isn’t at all overweight. I think she would absolutely adore this tank top because she’s got extra skin going on in the tummy area post-kid. I can see some definite use for that.

The really great part about this Yummy Tummy tank top is that it did not feel too much like a girdle. It was not so restrictive that I couldn’t breath or move.

I’d like to try this: Gives new meaning to “slip” and “full body girdle” doesn’t it? Maybe when I lose the 35 pounds this will be my treat to myself.

Post from: Blisstree

Yummy Tummy

The way to keep a resolution or change a habit – any resolution or habit – is to discover what belief or lies you’re telling yourself that’s keeping you in a bad habit.

Then change that thought. Change your belief

If you can change your thinking about something you can DO anything.

Yesterday, we talked about my belief that organization was a waste of time and money. Changing that belief equated to my willingness to spend the time and money on the tools to become more organized.

Two years ago I held a belief that exercise was too much effort and it was somehow a treat or a luxury to lay on the couch eating a bag of Cheetos.

Only facing a scale that said my 5′4″ self was in danger of crossing the threshold of 200 pounds was enough to make me challenge that belief.

My lifestyle habits (I smoked too) were the epitome of self-destruction not self-love. I only believed wrongly that I was acting lovingly.

I had to change my belief to “I am worth the effort of exercise and exercise is an act of self-love.”

But, I had my limits. No running and no counting calories.

And so I got down to 166 and stayed there for one year. Until Christmas and then I gained 1.8 pounds. I continued to exercise, but not religiously because I let “life” interfere with my plans and was too willing to be happy about excuses.

Look, I don’t want to be “moderately overweight.” I want to get to a “normal healthy weight” and I want to get low enough that if I gain 5 pounds during the holidays or during an especially stressful time in my life I want to still be in the “normal healthy weight” category.

Now, I know myself. I know that the belief that “running is too hard and counting calories is too anal retentive” is holding me back.

But, the more I learn about nutrition – the more I realize how just plain ignorant I am about what I put in my mouth.

Counting calories for one week will teach you more about what your eating habits ACTUALLY are, than pretending you are eating healthy foods and not knowing what the heck is in them.

I’ll say this without getting into self-loathing about my moderate eating habits. We’ve discovered more than 4 basic food groups comprise healthy eating, which is what they were teaching in 1978 when I was in school.

I do not have a clear idea about what measure of calories are in food. I know this because I started my New Year’s Resolutions on Christmas Day. I wanted to know I wasn’t going to fail before I committed. Besides, there is no time but NOW in which to act.

I needed a baseline from which to objectively look at my habits. So, I logged onto the time-consuming About.com Calorie Counter and started logging what foods cross my lips.

You can’t imagine my shock that one small piece of my mother’s peanut brittle is over 450 calories! Dude, I was just absentmindedly snacking on those. Knowing that made me want that brittle so much less. Who knew that a cup of basmati rice has 320 calories? Who knew coconut milk gets an F nutritionally?

In 2009 I won’t be going on a “diet.” Diets don’t work right? But, I will be getting honest about what goes in my mouth. I will count calories to educate myself about foods and to make a conscious choice about what I want to eat.

A few weeks ago I wrote about wanting to start running. I mean really running. Like fast and hard. Vigorous exercise. The moderate exercise I’ve been doing is enough to maintain weight – but, I want to lose weight. Then maintain it.

The truth about my exercise habits is that I need to do exercise at the same time every day. I changed my thinking to “I exercise.” When I was losing weight I had access to a gym with childcare and I went every morning. Well, here there is no daytime childcare. So, my habits have been random and inconsistent.

My belief was that “I can’t get up at 6 am and go running before everyone else is out of bed. It’s too hard.”

I’m changing that thought, that belief, to “thousands of moms – including me – get up before the family and go running.

I started the running on Christmas Day. I’m tired, sore and wore out. I love it. It’s exhilarating. It makes me feel like I can do anything I set my mind to. I got the ipod and I’m listening to empowering soulful books and making it my meditation time. The more productive I am the more productive I am.

Besides, my husband took up running and he’s totally lapping my weight loss and fitness level. I hate to be competitive – but, I definitely don’t want to be “the fat slow one” either. I want to run as fast as he and be able to go as far. He whipped it out in 2 months flat! He ran 9 miles full throttle yesterday.

When you break it down my weighty resolution is this: I’m going to be 135 pounds and have run a 5k by 2010. Watch me.

Wanna come?

Post from: Blisstree

The Secret to Weighty Resolutions

My friend Jen from Jlogged had this totally awesome and inspired idea.

“Let’s trade clothes!” her evite says.

If you’re keeping it, but it doesn’t fit you right – give it to someone who is likely to love it.

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So I go through my closet and drawers with this running dialogue in my head.

Love these shoes – never wear ‘em.

This jacket is great – it’s too big now.

These slacks are one size too small. Every time I look at them they make me feel I’m making no progress. It’s been a year. I’ll buy new pants when I actually get there.

I never wear these shoes.

I wore these shorts all year, they never fit me right, they make me look like I’m carrying a load in my crotch and if I don’t ditch them now I’ll wear them for a whole other year, maybe 2.

These shirts are too short waisted for me.

I paid real money for these two Gap shirts, but I don’t like them anymore.

And thus, half my wardrobe – the half I don’t wear and don’t like – ended up in a black plastic bag.

Post from: Blisstree

Inspired Clothing Exchange

Its evidence of God and Santa if any was ever needed.

Bratz will no longer be on the shelves after Christmas, the courts ordered the molds broken! The name can no longer be used.

More info over at Empowering Girls: So Sioux Me

Image source: Empowering Girls: So Sioux Me

Post from: Blisstree

Barbie Killed The Bratz

Treat people how you want to be treated.

There is enough evidence to suggest that this may not really be effective. Certainly, I’ve found it lacking when attempting to change another person’s behavior toward me or expecting like-behavior.

But, I have noticed this lately:
People treat others in the same way they treat themselves.

If you see someone harshly judging others, screaming at them, emotionally browbeating them, withholding support, bad-mouthing them, invalidating them.

Its safe to assume they are doing far worse to themselves.
Could this be why the Bible tells us to “Love others – as we love ourselves?” It then follows that if there is no self-respect or self-love it can not flow toward others.

We must love ourselves first.

Otherwise, self-deprecation and self-loathing and whatever other internal tortures we put ourselves through will spill out of us into the world.

Post from: Blisstree

Love Others As Yourself

Post from: Blisstree

Such a Pretty Fat

Mainly because I tried that Instead Cup in the 90s and it was not a pretty sight. “Use this Instead of cleanliness and hygiene.” B.J. Morris, an Amazon review had an experience with Instead that mirrored my own, I do believe it’s possible to use the Instead cup without making a mess, I never achieved it. I had to take a washcloth with me to the bathroom to avoid looking like I’d just violently murdered someone. . . So, I did a bit of research and discovered Diva cups. And, WOW! Since they’re shaped differently than the Instead, they are easier to use, plus I can remove mine without reenacting the Boston Massacre.

I didn’t see how the new Diva Cup could be that much better.

But, I keep thinking about it.

I would not have to buy tampons ever again because Diva Cups are reusable.

Yeah, that’s right. Ever.

You just dump it out, wash it and put it back in.

I already abandoned my deodorant this year in favor of a rock crystal and I’m loving that. What could be bad about a lifetime expenditure of $5? Nothing.

I read the reviews on Amazon and they are all pretty positive.

I’ll be menopausal in 10-20 years – could it be possible not to ever have to buy another tampon or pad?

Really?

OK Jennifer, of Tree Hugging Family. I’m sorry. I’m going to try the Diva Cup.

Post from: Blisstree

The Diva Cup

Watch this – it’s hilarious.

Check out Jessica’s blog at Bern This.

Post from: Blisstree

If Hitler Gave Me A Wax Job

Remember PIG = Pretty Intelligent Girl?

I’m not the only one who thought we needed the new millennium equivalent of the 1970s comeback from being called a pig.

Betty Hoeffner, president of HeyUgly.org did too and she made one.

U.G.L.Y. = Unique Gifted Lovable You

This fantastic shirt says, UGLY, it’s the new beautiful .

Whether you want to thank Ugly Betty for the new take on ugly or Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty for the new take on beauty or you want to accept that we were beautiful all along I’m digging the message.
Hey Ugly is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering teens with self-esteem and help them resist self esteem issues like bullying, eating disorders, suicide, dropping out, drugs, etc.

The organization offers an eM-POWERment Day presentation in schools to discuss bullying and help kids deal with their feelings.

HeyUGLY also has a Choose to Change radio show which features songs that nurture positive self-esteem and promote diversity, perseverance, peace and a healthy planet.

My favorite is the Acronym contest where they as tweens and teens to come up with positive acronyms for negative words like DORK, HATE, RACISM, STUPID or LOSER.

So, that’s why I say “I’m a PIg and You’re soooo UGLY!”

Congratulations to Jessi A for winning this shirt in the I’m a PIG contest.

Post from: Blisstree

I’m A PIG? You’re UGLY!