Mamavation Monday: A Change in Habits

Another couple of weeks have gone by and I haven't stopped in to say hi. I could have. I should have. I have no excuse. Last week I sat here staring at the screen and I had no idea what to say. Something happened in my life that stopped me in my tracks. I won't go into detail here simply because posting about it publicly gives someone power who doesn't deserve it. They have no power over me. Their words are just that. They're words and I am stronger than that. So, I sat quiet and I grew stronger and I came through the other side and now I'm here again. 

I've had this graphic  for a while now and from time to time, I pull it out to remind me that no matter what anyone has ever said about me, I am the one who is the creator of me. Nobody gets to make me into anything. Not anymore. I am stronger than that. My weight seems to have become an issue for folks lately. I can count at least three times within the past two weeks where someone has mentioned it. The first time was to be cruel. The second was as a character description in a story and the most recent was to use me as a comparison to someone else. In the past, this would have crushed me. I'm stronger than that though. My weight can change. It can change but I have to make the changes. Nobody can do them for me. This is my body and my life and I can do this. 

I am lucky enough to know that I'm not alone out there in making these changes. Through Mamavation and other avenues in my life, I have met people who have lost huge amounts of weight, people who are trying to lose weight and people who are all over their paths to weight loss and healthier lives. 

One of those people, I met via my "day job" as a comic book reviewer. Sometimes you find people in what feels like the most unlikely of places and you become friends. I'm lucky enough that I get to call Keith Thomas a friend. I'm also lucky enough that he's allowing me to share this excerpt from his upcoming book. When I read it, I grinned because this is just so him. I also related to this post (does that make me a lesbian, Keith? or at least bi?) and knew that so many of you would as well. Remember though, you are in charge of your life and your choices. Wendy is a big girl (no pun intended) and can take care of herself. It's your job to take care of yourself.

Dear Wendy, 

We have known each other for many years but it has recently come to my attention in light of my recent pursuit of a better me, that our relationship has never truly been mutually beneficial. I have tried to fill the emptiness of my life with your tasty charms and chocolaty frosty wiles. In the end, all you've really done is taken my money and left me with potential heart aches such 

as cholesterol and weight.

My dependency upon you has spilled over and beyond, for in times that you were not near me, I satisfied myself by visiting the King, the Colonel and sometimes even that Clown down the street. This has brought my attention to the fact that you are not a love, dear Wendy, but an addiction. One that must be let go of and cast aside. You will tempt me no more with your delicious juiciness nor your cheesy smile you little harlot. Even though you encompass the three defining traits I love most in women, you are always available, cheap and easy, we are through.

Don't cry little girl, it's not you, it's me. I know that sounds cliche and maybe even childish but it's true. At first you may miss me, but with a population obesity rate of about 70%, you will find another like me soon.

Your former slave,
Keith

(A small excerpt from my forthcoming book about how I've changed my life, The Vanishing Elephant. There is no ETA at this time for the book's completion as it is a work in progress.)

If you're friends with Keith, you've seen some pretty humorous back and forth retorts between Wendy and Keith. I think that the poor girl really is going to miss him. Just remember though..that when it comes to your diet the slogan Have It Your Way doesn't mean you have to hit a drive through on your way home. Your way can be whatever you want for it to be.

Mamavation Monday : Eek!

Eek! I'm a day late posting this. I wish that I had some brilliant reason...actually, I do have a reason. The police. Yep. The police are why I didn't have this up yesterday. What happened you ask? Well, let me tell you.

On Saturday night, after Roger's last football game, I was driving home with Ben. We decided to stop at the gas station to get a drink. I pulled in, up against the giant dumpster, turned off the van, look in the rear view mirror and I'm pinned in by a big 'ol police suv with all of its lights a flashin'. I waited. Nobody got out. Finally, I got out and went to the sidewalk. The policeman asked if I knew my headlight was out. Umm..nope, sure didn't but I appreciate knowing. Hand him my information. Crud. My insurance card expired on my birthday. One warning and one ticket later...yep, I spent yesterday getting the headlight repaired ($14.87), new ink for my printer ($15) and then coming home and printing out my proof of insurance. Really, I'm lucky. This oops cost me $30 and this afternoon, the ticket will be thrown out. Dramatic, no?

So here I am on Tuesday and still posting. I don't really have anything brilliant for you, other than that comic up there. I was looking for something to do with walking and found that. It cracks me up and hopefully it does you too. Plus, since I'm just getting over bronchitis it felt appropriate.

Ok...so none of this has a lick to do with weight loss or even really any sort of genius post, but you know what? That's just fine and dandy. It's just a bit of me talking to all of you and saying hi and how are ya and I hope things are swell. I kind of have to go now though. I'm going to Austin this weekend and I still have laundry to do, posts to write, a ticket to get thrown out...oooh..and here we go, weight loss related... a pedometer to get a new battery in! That's right. I'm curious how much walking I actually do at a con. My feet say miles. I'll fill you in next week once I'm home again. I warn you though..I'm not flying back until Monday so it will probably be another Tuesday posting.

Have fantastical magical supernominal weeks and get those steps in!

Mamavation Monday: Exciting Life

My thanks to savagechickens.com for this comic!

Life has been never ending busy around here and for the most part, I haven't minded it. I'm still very much a creature of habit and so having the youngest start football has thrown me completely off, but for the most part, we're managing and we're getting things done.

It got me to thinking though. I've had people, who have heard excerpts of my life say to me, "Wow, your life sounds like it's so much fun and so exciting." It always throws me for a loop because I don't really think my life is all that exciting. It's just...well...my life.

So, I started thinking. Why would people, who don't know me, find my life so exciting? Then it hit me. Editing. Those people only heard small pieces of my life. Quite often, the discussion was revolving around some trip I had just taken or some comic related event I was just returning from. To them, I was shoulder to shoulder with comic book genius and I was flying off to all of these events, quite often with a media badge. I was some sort of celebrity myself.

While this makes me feel pretty dang good, the reality is that I'm just like anybody else. Due to "editing", they didn't hear about how it takes me weeks or sometimes months to prepare to attend one of these events. They didn't hear about the anxious insecurity involved in applying for one of those shiny badges. They didn't hear about the nights alone in the hotel rooms while others are off having fun because I'm attending alone.

Folks, just because something looks glamorous from the outside that doesn't mean that it always is. In the same fashion, just because someone's life looks perfect from the outside that doesn't mean it is. There are a lot of people on this planet who are very good at editing. I've had people say to me, when did depression become an issue for you? I've never seen it. Again, my answer is editing. When you mostly deal with people via online or text based forms of communication, editing is easy. It's the real world that's harder.

So, just remember. When someone looks like they have it all, maybe they do..or maybe, they're just really good at editing. Love the life you're in and not someone else's. After all, maybe they're looking at you in the same way that you're looking at them.

New Workout

As one of the Mamavation #Homework Gurus, I'm a major advocate of using homework as a workout. Not sure what homework is, well maybe this new workout this will help you. I personally think it looks like a lot of fun!

What do y'all think?

Mamavation Monday - Holding Steady When Life Is a'Rockin!

Hello, my lovelies! Ok, why is my font so small? That's just weird...hang on....There. That's better. No wait, now it looks huge. Does it look huge to all of you? hang on again...How about this? Somewhere in the middle. No? Yes? Well, let's go with it for now. 


So, it's Monday and I'm home. Home is good. Honestly, the whole situation with my family had me going insane, not to mention getting physically ill from inhaling cigarette smoke. I sadly had to draw a line and just say I can't come back for a while. It was having a negative psychological effect on my kids and that's just not cool. Those guys have to come first and I'd be a rather poor mama if I didn't put them first.


Of course, this means, I came home and cleaned more in my own house. I'll admit that I wasn't all drill sergeant this past week. We still worked some every day and we're nearly caught up on laundry which is a blessed miracle in itself around here. Once that's done, we'll finish up my bedroom and get a start on the downstairs. I'm so excited about this! Why? Well, because I work and thrive more in an organized environment plus..drumroll please...I've decided to host the next round of Kzoocation at my house! 


But what is Kzoocation, I hear you all asking..Ok, it could be the voices in my head, but let's just play along, ok? It is only the most awesome thing ever! It started out when Laura (@LoCiaravino), Rachel (@RachHabs) and I realized that we'd all be in the same area at the same time. It ended this afternoon when I came home. It wasn't anything full of swag or expensive things. It was simply 3 totally awesome girls (if I say so myself and I totally do so don't argue!) who went out for dinner together, scared a guy at 7-11 together and had a million laughs together. We went in not all knowing each other..Ok, they knew each other and I was the newbie (at my age how often does that happen?) but they were totally awesome and we totally rocked it! We've already agreed that we have to do this again and I want to host the next round. It will probably move around and sometimes the people might change, but good support is something you just cannot have enough of and weekends like this are ...well, I'm making them mandatory.


Keep your eyes open because I'm adding them to this community. Since they both have weight loss blogs, they're going to be listed under the Friends of section. I totally expect all of you to love them as much as I do and to leave them lots of comment love. No excuses. Just do it. Now, I'm off to link this up and to think about my plan of attack for the week. 


Average Daily Water Intake: 40oz
Workouts: None
Weight Change: (current weight: 277.2)
Overall Weight Change: -14.6 pounds

How to Burn Calories During "Homework"

A few weeks ago, Leah (@Bookieboo) challenged all of the Mamavation sistas to do some homework on Valentine's Day. If you look at the picture over there to the left, I bet you can figure out what that homework was. Now, since I'm not lucky enough to have someone on hand to "study" with, I decided to put this post together for those of you out there who are.

This, my loves, is the best way to burn calories during sex. I'll include the calories burned so that you can decide if you want to leave any out. However, I highly encourage you to do as much of these as possible. Consider this your homework workout. No cheating!


Do your homework as if it were an emergency. (Calories Burned: 911)
During foreplay use an industrial sized vibrator. (Calories Burned: 114)
Insertion w/ the male not fully aroused. (Calories Burned: 108)
Use the weightlifter position during sex. (Calories Burned: 100 (man), 45 (woman), 13 (spotter))
Use a hammock. (Calories Burned: 155)

Option 1: Do your homework in the gym! (Calories Burned: 141)
Option 2: Try it on the monkey bars! (Calories Burned: 85)
Option 3: Do it at Cal Tech! (Calories Burned: 101101)
Option 4: Try it on the Lincoln Memorial ( Calories Burned: 54)
Option 5: How about during Lift Off? (Calories Burned: 54321)
Option 6: While using the Trampoline! (Calories Burned: 42) (Combine with 2 for extra calories!)

Throw in some hot fudge! (Oops! Calories Gained: 144!)
Using Leather Restraints: (Calories Burned: 44)
Do your homework before a big meal! (Calories Burned: 74)
Turn on some Motown! (Calories Burned: 45789)
Add in some Hallucinogens. (Calories Burned: ooooOOOOoooo)
Add in some cartwheels & somersaults! (Calories Burned: 58)
Nobody likes a quiet partner! Throw in some howling at the moon! (Calories Burned: 13)
Girls, go for the appalling orgasm! (Calories Burned: 107)
Granted, if you go for the feigned orgasm....(Calories Burned: 134)

Afterwards, go shout it from the rooftops (includes hiking up 3 flights of stairs!)(Calories Burned: 83)
If your homework leaves you feeling disoriented...(Calories Burned: 20)
If his pre-mature ejaculation leaves him begging for another chance (Calories Burned: 51)
If your pre-mature ejaculation leaves you packing up to leave... (Calories Burned: 45)

Bonus Calories: Sex during the July 4th Fireworks! (Calories Burned: 1776)
Optional forms of sex: Oral sex before oral finals (Calories Burned: 119)
Optional forms of sex: Masturbation wearing boxing gloves (Calories Burned: 156)
Optional forms of sex: Avoiding it in a 40 man holding cell on a Saturday night (Calories Burned: 2,161)

Wow! Who needs The Biggest Loser DVDs when you can just do Leah's homework with a bit of fun added in?!?

(Information found at: CalorieLab)

Mamavation Monday - I was hoping for more

Oh folks, if only this was true. I would start clicking now...Of course, it might actually be true. I mean clicking that many times would eventually start to burn calories.  Ok, it's just not realistic. Yes, I considered it there for a moment...

So, before I tell you about my week, I want to share with you 5 random thoughts I've had about exercise and weight loss over the past 24 hours:

1. (had while stretching before workout) Man, you really need to sweep this floor. You're going add a pound of lint and such instead of losing weight.

2. You really need to remember to put a bra on before doing mountain climbers. With boobs this size, you could knock yourself out with them flopping about.

3. If Angela can workout with Leah, you can certainly do this 15 minute EA Sports Active 2 workout.

4. You know you actually worked out when your leg muscles still hurt the next day...yes, mine really do hurt today.

5. I'm not giving up. I'm not. It sucks, it hurts and emotionally, it's really hard not to see giant progress when you see others making giant progress, but I am not giving up.

That last one was a hard thing to come to. On Saturday, I was ready to give up. I was terrified that I'd step on the scale today and it wouldn't have moved or it would have gone up. I've been sick all week but I still worked out 3x and drank a ton of water and thought I'd done ok with eating, but somehow I just felt that it wasn't going to be enough and maybe I should just quit before I had to look at that number.

Then, I sat back and watched all the Mamavation ladies talking on Twitter and I couldn't do it. I couldn't quit. I have all these incredible women backing me (even if nobody told me I shouldn't make that chocolate cake the other night...) and I'd be letting myself and all of them down if I gave up now. I told myself that it's hard to lose weight and short of me getting strep again, it's not going to magically fall off overnight. This is going to take me years. There, I said it. Years. Not weeks or even months. Years. Every pound is a victory. Every single pound.

Yes, I wanted to lose 30 pounds before the Mamavation Meetup (aka Mamavation Fitcation 2011) just in case I really do get to go. The reality is that I probably won't. The reality is that these women won't judge me for my size. I know, deep down, there's a voice saying I shouldn't go because they're all so much smaller than I am. I'm ignoring that voice. I am. So what if none of them are as big as I am? We have all been at a point where we needed to lose weight and we were/are unhappy with our bodies. We're all making the changes. It might not be ok to be this weight, but it is ok to be me. That's what they're going to judge me on. They're going to judge me on me and you know what, most of the time I think I'm pretty dang good at being me.

So here we go...my week in review....

Water Intake: Average 84oz daily
Workout: 3x (2x dvd & 1x EA)
Weight Change: -1

Should This Really Be Happening? Really?

Whew! My body was certainly shaking a few minutes ago. I'm so glad that nobody is here to watch me do this! I forgot just how uncoordinated I am sometimes. I'm working out but it certainly isn't graceful! It doesn't matter though because I am up and I am moving! Today was the first day that I did my dvd since back on Friday and wow, I certainly felt it. I made it through but it was closer to day 1 than day 2 on it. I think that could be because I've been feeling a bit rough the past couple of days and my body was thinking, 'Ugh! Really Katrina, Really?" Yep, really.

So now, some random thoughts I've been having over the course of the past few days as I reflect back over my first week as a Mamavation Sista and drinking tons of water.

1. It is far more complicated to workout when you have a kitten rubbing up against your legs wanting to be picked up.

2. It is even more difficult to workout when the same said kitten changes his mind and decides to run around playing with his catnip mouse.

3. Drinking 6 glasses of water = waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more time spent in the bathroom.

4. While you're grateful for a good samaritan, it actually is frustrating when you lose your fitness plan of shoveling out your driveway.

5. You know, the winter heating bill might be lower this year because the more I move around, the less cold I seem to be. No wonder the boys are never as cold as I am.

If you have any funny or random thoughts, please feel free to leave a comment. Also, starting on Monday (Feb 14th), I will be picking my boys up from school every day so I'm looking for some healthy after school snack ideas. If you have any, please leave me a comment. I'm not against cooking, so if it's homemade granola bars or anything of that nature, leave me a comment with a link or heck, drop the recipe in here and then I'll post it to the blog.

Thanks all! I'm off to inhale a gallon or so of water! Dang sweating!

~katie~

PS Remember, if you have time to strip your cupboards, you have time to fit in a quick workout.