DD:6 Sweat! (and 1Password Love)

Bridget Jones’s Update of Day 6: BMI: 25. 25.3(+/- 0) Ok, no change. Fine Activity Level: Sweat! Used the EA Sports Active burning 200+ calories. I really like the inline skating though I think I stink at it. Meditation: Does lying in bed count?Brief Observations: Things are fitting better. I also got rid of a rash under my wedding & engagement rings that has been plaguing me for a while. It was there, and now it’s gone. Also I would think by now I would be … um… eliminating more (total TMI, but I said I’d be honest.) Not less. Next stop: Castor Oil.

I finally worked in a good 1/2 hour of sweat. 200 calories gone. BAM!

Using EA Sports Active, I went through various exercises with my trainer Joy (I had to name her something, and she’s so damn perky!) I joined the 30-day workout challenge. So Day 1: Kickbacks, running, inline skating(which is basically squat/jumps,) tricep curls, etc.) It went by fast and I was sweating so Mission Accomplished!  Now this was the weekend, and my husband was running interference with the little ones. The big test will be this during the work-week. No time. Either early AM or late PM. Ugh. Tomorrow: EA Sports Active and Power Yoga. Wish me luck, the last time I did Yoga was 10+ years ago, in LA while I was doing Pilates and had the ass of death.

Now I’d like to talk about something different — a delightful piece of technology I’ve just encountered. It has made my life so much easier and my personal & financial information so much safer I had to share.  No, it’s not Lifelock. Seriously, if Courtney Love is your products main unpaid spokesperson, Dear-God, you’ve got a problem. Plus it’s reactive, not proactive. And I say, if you can stop a problem before it IS a problem– do it. Plus again, it’s really easy to use.

So, here is my completely unsolicited plug for 1Password.  I live by the Code. Passcode that is. I’m a Tech-Babe. I live, breath, shop, invest, read, blog, work on the Web. I also need codes &  passwords. The hubby, a CTO (aka super-tech God,) started using 1Password and, a few days later, installed it on my Mac. After really brief tutorial by him, I was using it. What 1Password does is generates, keeps your passwords, as well as any secure information you have (passport numbers, lockbox codes, secret Swiss and Bahamian bank accounts.) All you need to remember is one password for 1Password. Simple. Easy. Works for me.

Now, the concept of a secure password vault is nothing new, but what 1Password does BETTER than anyone is, while you’re shopping online, is convenience.  You go to the sites you want, and with one-button convenience, 1Password logs you in or adds new logins when you access new sites. So If you’re shopping, say at Amazon, you hit “1P” button on your browser tool bar and select “Login with Amazon” and you’re done and in. If you’re signing up for a new site, you can select the “Strong Password Generator,” and it will come up with, fill and store your new very secure password. It works for online investment houses, insurance companies, anything you may need a password for. It also has an iPhone App which is really handy if you need to buy  online or need your personal codes/info for anything.

Look, most of us have a few semi-clever passwords for everything. What 1Password does is generate extrememly secure 8-15 letter/digit nonsensical passwords (for example: falefjdsifjaoeihte) for your Hanna Anderson site. And a different one for Netflix. And Fidelity. Etc. Etc. Etc. Now I only need to remember one very clever password. Sweet.

Links to Items Featured on TheLiquidBetsy:

1Password

caption id=”attachment_1353″ align=”alignnone” width=”147″ caption=”1Password”] [/caption]

DD:5 And the Fat Avatar

Bridget Jones’s Update of Day 5: BMI: 25. 25.3(-0.2) back to Day 4 BMI! Activity Level: 17F here in Boston. Housebound chores, and very brief errands.  Meditation: Still not in yet. Oy. Brief Observations: Felt warm most of the day and totally sacked out at 9pm. Possible snoring, but Husband will not confirm. Taking Male Fifth. Sigh.

Knowing I was undertaking the Clean Detox for the birthday I was gifted with a Wii Fit Plus and the EA Sports Active. As I’ve blogged before part of the Detox is to sweat. Sweat out toxins, and if I can lose a few lbs. I’ll be A-OK with that.

I plan review the Wii Fit Plus and the EA Sports Active for y’all in another installation of TheLiquidBetsy.

Today I want to talk avatar.

Fat Avatars more specifically.

An Avatar, for those without children, don’t “do” computers, never wandered into a gaming convention or been living under the proverbial rock (folks, there’s even a movie,) is a representation of person in a virtual space. These can be fancifal or realistic.

Both Wii Fit Plus and EA Sports Active allow you to create your avatar. Both are very customizable, you can do skin & hair, height, clothes, glasses or no glasses, and so on. And you can do “size,” e.g. are you a skinny bitch or zaftig nation?

For the Wii, now mind you this was right after my birthday, it does the size automatically, based on your height and weight.

And I was the fat avatar.

Not really fat, fat, but more the chunky butt-type variety sub-species. Now, studies prove that women then to think of themselves as bigger than they are. I, on the other hand, have been deluding myself into thinking I’m still the size 4, 24 year old. This was, ( how do they say in France?) un brutal réveil.

I had let myself go.

EA Sports Active lets you pick the size. So I’m glad I had done the Wii Fit Plus first, otherwise I’d still pick Miss Skinnybitch. The funny thing is I had my son pick it this time. I almost got the “healthy but not super skinny” but he picked the larger (not the biggest thank gawd ) because Mom “you’re bigger right here (nudge, nudge) you know, in the hip.” The husband almost snorted what-ever-the-hell he was drinking at the time. I couldn’t and wasn’t upset. He’s six. ) out of the mouths of babes.

So the brutal honest truth was there, on the TV: The Fat Avatar.

Fat Avatar you’re going down, and tell Skinnybitch she’s next.

DD:4 (or how I’m Stressing Disney-style)

Bridget Jones’s Update of Day 4: BMI: 25.5(+0.3) which kinda sucks. But I had a salty lunch (another post) perhaps this played a part. Activity Level: Super Slug, nothing but errands.  Meditation: Still not in yet. Oy. Brief Observations: Amazing sleep but still freakin’ t-i-r-e-d.

Something tells me Dr. Alejandro Junger ( Clean Detox ) would not approve of Disney. Not one little bit.

What is more artificial, manufactured than the House of the Mouse? From rides to food (with the exception of walking that’s probably pretty good) the Magic Kingdom is the HoHos of Clean experiences.

And it starts off with the planning.

I’ve never been so stressed. Well actually I have, and that’s when I was planning my wedding. On an island. In a different state. While getting my M.B.A. And doing a fellowship.

But I digress.

It started off so innocently. The Hubby has a conference coming up at Disney World– and perhaps the family could come for a few days of fun? Room rates decent. Kids totally primed (we’ve been holding off going until they were old enough.) Sure let’s try.

So long-story short our Disney World trip 2-3 days has turned into a 5 day odyssey for more money than one would guess. Perhaps we can finance the experience using our smallest child (he’s really cute) as collateral? I jest. (And it wouldn’t work anyway.)

And so we, my well-meaning husband and I, stayed up late working out flights (that work with his conference), accommodations, Princess breakfasts (holy crap, who knew you would pay $60 for eggs– not on Clean — and be happy to do it!) It really became an exercise of excess and cost analysis. You stay 3 days, cost-wise you might as well stay 5– you’re going to spend about the same. And if you’re spending THAT much you better stay longer. Oh and don’t forget the kids would love to do this… and that oh and that too! (Kaching! Kaching!)

And that is how I went to sleep. Thinking- “Disney: Where Dreams Come True*”

* Applies to Kids Only. Nightmares and/or Stress Dreams are Specially Reserved For Parents.

Mom 2.0- Defining a Moment

The Hub sent this to me, it was posted on Guy Kawasaki’s Holy Kaw site.

It does a beautiful job on a beautful (and beautifully hard) job.

Motherhood.

Clean Detox Day 3: Being Mr. Sluggo

The Bridget Jones’s Update of Day 3:  BMI: 25.2 (- 0.2) and I’ll totally take that.  Activity Level: Walked pushing Baby Lug briskly for  at least 1/2 (very mild), but totally not enough for the “sweat” desired.  Meditation: No. Need to incorporate. Brief Observations: Still the very mild carsickness feel.  And Man, am I tired!

So part of the Clean Detox , on top of what you eat, is what you DO.

The fine Dr. Alejandro Junger who developed the program wants me to also:

1. Sweat

2. Sleep

3. Meditate.

He practices functional medicine, which basically means he approaches patient care from both Western and Eastern medicinal philosophies. Rather than just writing a prescription, he’s first apt to look at what you eat, what you do and your mental state of being. I rather like this. Because stress can trigger a lot of illnesses just as smoking or eating unhealthy or not wearing sunscreen.  He likes to say “You Eat What Your Are.” If your stressed, you eat stressed: convenience food most likely, comfort food (hello Mexican!) or perhaps you don’t eat at all. You probably don’t sleep and most likely don’t work out. It all adds up to one unhealthy person.

So back to moi. I’ve been eating great. But the sweat, sleep, and meditate aspects I haven’t successfully incorporated in my day to day.

I spent last night up working on a backlog of To-do’s until 11pm. Which means I didn’t workout, went to bed late at 11:30p. When I did sleep I woke up every 1-2 hours. And finally I was woken up at 6:30am by the kids. So no early morning mediation. Not unless herding a bunch of Star Wars theme-lovin’, Ba-ba throwin’ and backpack forgetting kids is meditation. Didn’t think so.

So I am freakin’ tired. Supposedly I should be tired (detox takes a lot of energy!) but late bedtime, and waking up periodically really has turned me into MR. SLUGGO. I am slug, hear me slime.

Now I tried fitting it in my 9-5 gig, where my day is spent as the cruise director for an almost 3 year old. Who, while I was working out on the Wii (a review coming up in a later TheLiquidBetsy) politely asked me “Mamma, pweeeese cuddle and play – I no like you workout!” Ahh. I guess there’s no goofing off around the boss if you get my drift.

Ideally, I like to workout at night, get up earlier and meditate and somewhere squeeeeeeeze in 8 hours. Short of having Hermione  Granger’s time turner necklace I don’t think this is going to be an easy fit.

But I keep working at it. And when I find the secret I’ll let you know.

Sluggo signing off.

Day Two: More Adventures in Clean Detox

Bridget Jones’s Update of Day Two: BMI: 25.4 (- 1) Yay!, Activity Level: Ice skating 1 hour (mild), Brief Observations: Mild headache/nausea more like slight carsickness. Clearer mind.

Day One of the Clean Detox is ov-aahhh. (slappin’ a little Boston accent for my Cali readers.)

Got my first compliment. My skin looks better. Sweet. (thanks Laurie Schhhhh. and Elizabeth Feen-ster) More Importantly, I feel better and my mind is clearer. Due to my 2 weeks off of caffeine? Perhaps. I’ve also been doing the Clean in trial for the past 2 -3 weeks. I may have had a jump-start.

So the headache, nausea is interesting. Supposedly this is normal for the first 2-4 days. I’ve been trying to keep up on what to expect on the Clean Detox support site. Also normal is horrendeous nightmares. Like terrifyling snakes the size of subways as one fellow Clean Detox-er had happen. Look forward to it. Especially if I get to say (in the dream of course) Samuel Jackson style “Mother Fucking HUGE Snakes on a Plane/Train/Boat/Bus!” — which, of course, I’ve always wanted to do. Just as long as it’s not the I’m being chased and I can’t move. I really hate that one.

Adios for now.

Day 1: “Clean Detox”

Oy.

I feel like there is still so much I could have done prior to starting this odyssey. But isn’t that the way with everything?

So Day One of the Clean Detox is almost done. And it went ok.

The full cleanse is 21 days, but my friend Flames made a good point. Try 7 days then if you’re doing ok, try 14… and if that works go for the full 21. Good suggestion- but then it’s Flames and she chock full of goodness. So, I’ll take a page from the “Friends of Bill” and just take this Clean Detox One Day At A Time.  That sounds pretty reasonable. I like reasonable.

Going forward I thought I’d organize my Detox entries after one of the best diary keepers around… Miss Bridget Jones of Bridget Jones’s Diary. Her entries always started with the heads up on her status: weight, “alcohol units,” cigarettes, calories. A nice way to start off an entry- gets you up to date.

So beginning next entry I’ll have deets on: BMI +/-, Activity Level, Brief Observations. I’m sure I could add a few more but, I’d like to keep it short and sweet.

So as the evening ends on Day 1, I say:

Day 2: Bring it on babe.. bring it on.

Dawn of the Roast Chicken

Courtesy of Sunset Magazine

Quick note- I was planning to do an all day trial run of the Clean Detox. The program created by

Alejandro Junger and described in his book Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself)

(Left is a Nifty Pix/link if you want to find out more…)

I was doing GREAT until 8pm. I had the one morning smoothie, a light lunch, my dinner smoothie and a few handfuls of almonds/sunflower seeds for snacks.

Then along came the chicken.

Roast chicken. In the fridge. From the family dinner.

Oh God, do I love roast chicken.

But I love roast chicken more when it’s paired with organic black beans, garlic, cheese, all wrapped up snug in a whole wheat tortilla. Oy Vey. Face it, I’m California to the bone and comfort food for us is Mexican. Viva frijoles!

And I love them so much I had two. I was ravenous, but not so much hungry, but more as in a creepy “oh my god I have to have that chicken…in a tortilla NOW!” horror-movie type hunger.

It was not one of my finest moments.

In whole, it’s not so bad really, all the items were pretty healthy stuff. Not so during Detox. The rules are hard and fast my friends. No food after your evening smoothie. Cheese and any wheat is off limits, due to allergies, and most of the food should be fresh, not out of a can, like the black beans.

But I decided to review the whole dreaded affair, I mean this is why I am doing a dry run: I get to make mistakes and figure out ways to work around them. I promised myself that if I am doing this I am going to do it right. Practice makes perfect. So here’s where I went wrong:

First off, I ate dinner (that would be my dinner smoothie I drank) at 4:30p.  TOO EARLY. I need to hold off to the last possible moment, which I think is around 6-7p.

Second, I snack at night. WORK A STRATEGY.  Good news, is I live for strategy!  I tend to get antsy for a snack around 8:00-8:30p. I know this is just a habit, so I am going to have to probably work through this. Maybe go to bed early, which really isn’t such a bad idea anyway. Or have water with lemon. Perhaps herbal tea? Dr. Junger would also prescribes a tablespoon of Olive Oil in the evening to help digestion. This, from what I heard, is not so great, in fact, it’s supposed to be pretty nasty tasting- but it may go to kill any cravings.

As I said I’d keep it honest and real.

Feel free to pass on any suggestions to nip the after 7p snack attacks.

The Mighty B

Catalysts and Coaches

What jump-starts you?

In past, when I played sports, it was fantastically tough (and some say even sadistic) coaches. They could motivate me like nothing else. Double practices? Bring on triple! I mean seriously, why run 6 suicides drills when I can run 10? I live to sprint and vomit at the same time.

I’ve also come to find that catalysts also come in different forms: a good friend, a professional like a doctor or even by seeing someone’s health compromised by something like cancer.

I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what made me rethink my present course of health, it’s probably amalgamation of a bunch of factors: seeing good friends and loved ones touched by cancer, a friend’s positive experiences (hellooooo Flames,) my turning 4-0  to name just a few. In the end it really doesn’t much matter. You find yourself on the journey toward a larger-than-life goal. Or as another good friend pointed out, “Once you’re on the path Bets, you are on the path.” I’ve been meandering along my present path to a better being for over a year. Mostly researching, exploring, trying new things out.

In the next week or two I am going to be putting a lot of what I’ve read and learned into serious practice. Oy vey.

I thought I’d list some of my catalysts which, going forward, really become my coaches/resources/touchstones in improving both my health and well being.

Alejandro Junger (Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself), Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia), Dr. Wayne W. Dyer (Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao, The Power of Intention, Excuses Begone!: How to Change Lifelong, Self-Defeating Thinking Habits to name only a few), Harley Pasternak (The 5-Factor Diet), Timothy Ferris ( The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich)

I’ll be writing and referencing them in upcoming blogs. But just incase you want to learn more just click through the image to Amazon.

For full disclosure,  I get a some Amazon credit should you buy anything once you click through — which all goes to feed my insatiable book habit.

I’d like to hear what are your catalysts and coaches- please post your recommendations. I’ll check them out!

Cheers

Betsy

Delectable Monkeys on My Back

Caffeine, sugar, chocolate and fat.  These are my deadly four. But what if you’re denying yourself dairy and wheat. Well I can tell you from the front line that that pre-packaged (albeit organic) cheese and crackers start to look pretty damn good. Damn Good. Doesn’t help that I cater to most of the whims of an almost 3 year old who loves, loves, loves The Deadly Four and cheese & crackers. As far as TheBetsy’s health turnaround prep: so far so good. The Birthday is next week so I don’t get down and dirty really until then but I’ve taken the week or two before to ease into it. No sense ripping the band-aid off. All I need is to be in the midst of health overhaul with the caffeine DT’s. Not pretty. Next blogs will outline my experts, my dirty deets (BMI, measurements, hellaish crap like that) and my game plan. Until then, please Gawd no one offer a mocha chocolate butter creme frosted cupcake. I probably not be held responsible for my actions after. Over and out.