Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

For the second time in a row, a woman has won The Biggest Loser.

Michelle, who was actually tempted to just leave the campus when things got really tough, stuck it out and ended up being 2008’s Biggest Loser. Here is her when she made it to the Final Three:

Here is a horrible quality video of her win:

Both she and last year’s winner, Alli, were coached by Jillian. She has her own website where you can get a daily email and other great information:

• Jillian Michaels: Lose Weight Fast with Diet and Exercise Plans

I have a love/hate relationship with The Biggest Loser. The contest aspect of the show really pushes the contestants to lose weight quickly. Some of the people keep the weight off, but there are many contestants that we never hear from again, who just DON’T maintain their losses. Additionally, watching the show can be inspiring because you see these people working so hard, but it’s also de-motivating because when I compare my weekly weight loss with theirs, I am suddenly unhappy with my “measly” one pound a week.

As far as reality television goes, The Biggest Loser is the only one I can stand to watch. As far as REALITY goes, however, The Biggest Loser leaves a lot to be desired.

It’s the middle of December. If you’re reading this, you are trying your darndest to stay on your program during the holidays. Right now, you’re tempted to just give up for a couple of weeks so you can enjoy the holidays. Of course, that implies that it’s impossible to enjoy the holidays and eat healthy, and logically you know that’s not true, but you’re still tempted.

You’re tempted to put your weight loss dreams off until “someday.” Zen Habits has the answer for you. They have a great article about how to cure Someday Syndrome.

• 11 Ways to Cure Someday Syndrome | Zen Habits

Here’s how their cures can help you have a Healthy Christmas:

1. Be you: Firstly, you have to make sure that the goal you’ve set for yourself really works for you. BMI might be the end all for health insurance companies, but instinctively you know if you are at a healthy weight. Is where you are now where you want to be?
2. Clear out the junk: We have a lot of junk in our lives: negative thoughts, cluttered homes, and junk food. Clearing them all out gives you space to have positive thoughts, room to workout and a cupboard full of healthy food.
3. Know what you want: I know this sounds kind of silly, but WHY do you want to lose weight, eat healthy and get strong? That sounds like such an easy answer, but if the answer was easy, DOING it would be easy. WRITE DOWN WHY you want to stay on your program. Draw pictures or talk to yourself.
4. Make a grand plan: Look at your BIG goal. Make a plan to get there in the next year or so. You would be doing this on January First, so get a two week head start on yourself. Plan out where you want to be in a year.
5. Take one step at a time: Next, plan what you need to do over the next two weeks to get through the holidays. Every party, every office treat, every neighbor gift, ALL OF IT. Plan out what you’re going to do and what you’re going to say so you can keep on program.
6. Ignore the rest: This is their best suggestion. After planning for the big picture, ignore it. FOCUS on what you have to do TODAY.
7. Get help: This is HARD. If it were easy, everyone would look like a supermodel. Get help from somewhere. It doesn’t really matter where. I always recommend Weight Watchers because they worked for me, but others have had success with Overeaters Anonymous, Jenny Craig, and even simple community programs at their local schools. Friends and family are another resource that you can ask for help.
8. Don’t compare: This one is particularly bad if you attend a weight loss meeting of some sort. It’s very easy to compare ourselves to others. That can be good because we might aspire to being better, but it can also be very discouraging. Our bodies are different and they are going to react differently.
9. Be uncomfortable: It’s okay if this is hard. When you start a new eating program, you’re going to be eating different foods that might affect your digestion. Stick with them. When you start a new exercise program, your muscles are going to ache a little. That’s a sign that you’re stretching. If you’re completely comfortable, you’re doing it wrong.
10. Celebrate the process as well as the end: Never underestimate the power of shiny stickers. Every day that you’re able to follow your program perfectly should be rewarded. Print out a calendar for the rest of the month and give yourself a sticker for every day you follow your program.
11. Don’t stop at the easy point: Most lists have ten items, but this one has eleven. It’s a reminder to push yourself. When you’re working out, remember to go a little further. When you’re choosing your food, remember to go with the healthy and filling foods rather than the decadent treats. Just a little extra push every day over the next two weeks will get you further than a huge push on January First.

The difference between the people who succeed and the people who don’t are these next two weeks. If you can stay on your program during these two weeks, you have a jump on yourself. You fall into the category of those who succeed and it’s just one step at a time until you reach your goal.

Before Andy Warhol became a famous Pop Artist, he was just an ordinary graphic artist. One of his lesser known creations: Be A Somebody With A Body is one of those works:

Just like the Charles Atlas ads that graced the back of comic books for years, this little piece of art was meant to sell something.

It does give a glimpse into the mind of Andy Warhol, though: You’re not somebody unless you have THAT body.

Is it true? Are only the perfect men and women worth any notice? Evolutionarily, that’s how it has gone, but with the advent of the technological age, shouldn’t the intelligent and witty be the new alpha males? Sadly, no, if you are basing things on first impressions. Sure, the funny guys can win over a girl eventually, but a physically fit guy with a great personality will beat just funny every time.

Of course, it is possible to go too far with this idea. Physically fit is NOT the same as bulked up. In fact, I’ve never seen a physically fit male on the cover of any body builder magazine. They are all mutants.

Am I a somebody if I don’t have a perfect body? Yeah, sure I am, but physical fitness makes me even MORE so. Working toward a perfect body is a worthwhile goal and it’s not all about vanity.

If you are one of the many people who have bought a Starling Fitness Yearly Journal, then you know that the quote of the month is about doing our best. You can see the quote here:

It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

When I made the yearly journal, I didn’t notice that I had two months in a row with Winston Churchill quotes. I find him to be particularly inspiring, so it’s no surprise that I chose him during the hardest two months of the year.

This particular quote has helped me through the most difficult times. Whenever I tell myself that I’m doing my best, I remember this quote. Sometimes I have to just eat those veggies and stay away from that chocolate not because it’s something that I want to do, or even feel like I can do. I do it because it is what is required. Next time you are feeling like throwing all your hard work away, remember this quote and hold one for one more day.

If you would like to order your own Starling Fitness Yearly Journal, you can do so here:

• Starling Fitness » Order Your Starling Fitness Yearly Journal

It is compatible with the Momentum plan. If you order it now, you can choose the month you want it to start and it will last you a year from that date. You won’t have to throw away any unused days from the first of the year. You can start fresh now.

I love this video of a little girl playing Wii Fit.

Wii-fit ! Woo-hoo ! from Capucha on Vimeo.

I only played Wii Fit with adults, so seeing her try over and over to get the ski jump right is surprising. It was totally different with grown-ups. They would try a couple of times, do some trouble shooting and if they couldn’t get it, just give up. Even me. I gave up on the tightrope game. I’ve made it across ONCE to say I did it, but I never worked harder to get a good time. The ski jump game was MUCH easier for me than it was for this little girl, but she just kept saying over and over, “I’ll start again.”

Next time you’re feeling discouraged about eating healthy, exercising or anything else, remember the words, “I’ll start again.” Make them your mantra and you will succeed FAR more than you ever thought you could!

Via: Capucine Plays Wii Fit Video | cute, video, wii fit | geeksugar – Technology, Gadgets, & How Tos.

Zen Habits has a great article about what he learned about life from training for a triathlon. You can see the whole entry here:

• Six Life Lessons Learned from Triathlon Training | Zen Habits

Here is his list:

• Get started – If you are thinking about making a life change; a new job, a trip around the world, or launching a small business…don’t wait. Get started today!

• You have to do the miles (yourself) – If you are studying at university or trying to run 3 miles for the first time it’s not always easy or pleasant, but being persistent and doing homework or running when you don’t feel like it WILL payoff in the long term

• Some days it’s going to rain – actually, it might not only rain but you might get two flat tires at the same time, too. Pursuing personal goals is not always “flowery” and perfect. In fact, some days are going to downright suck.

• Take a break – If you’ve been working hard, don’t be afraid to take a break and give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back or to reflect on your goals.

• When you reach a hill put your head down and take it one step at a time – Even though it is not always the solution sometimes you just have to put your head down, take what comes, and plow ahead one-step at a time.

• Find sources of inspiration – Whatever your goals, there are people out there who have overcome and triumphed in the face of adversity and have done what you would like to be doing. Seek them out when you are feeling overwhelmed.

All of these are great ideas for life, especially “You have to do the miles yourself.” You can’t sucker anyone else to do this for you and if you don’t do it, it won’t get done. Having a workout buddy, a dieting partner or a helpful spouse is great, but they can’t stop you from eating and they can’t run for you. Only you can do it.

This is HARD. I’m at one of those points where I want to eat all the time. I don’t want to exercise. Heck, I don’t even want to get out of bed every day, but I really don’t have a choice in that matter. Eating healthy has become a chore.

It’s not always like this. Sometimes it’s EASY. I can’t remember how many times I’ve written in my personal journal the following phrase:

I ate healthy again today. It was totally easy and I didn’t even have to think about it. I wish it were always like this. I wish I could bottle up this feeling so I could use it on the days when it’s hard. I need to remember days like today when I get discouraged.

The last two weeks have been hard times. Ironically, going back and reading those happy journal entries when it was easy actually made it WORSE. Sometimes I get inspired by how excited I was, but mostly, it makes me angry that it’s hard right now.

How do I get past this?

When it’s hard, it only lasts for a few days (worst case lasts a couple of weeks), so I just need to hold on until I can get past these hard times. What do I do? Here are some of the techniques for holding on that work for me.

• Eat Low Carb: Firstly, I need to get my cravings under control and the easiest way to do that is to switch to a low carb diet. Still working within the framework of Weight Watchers, I choose to eat meat, cheese and vegetables. This has been the ABSOLUTE best way to kill the urge to binge.

• Visualize My Goal: I spend some time every day thinking about what I will look like and what my life will be like when I’m at my goal weight. This is incredibly hard to do when I’m not motivated, that’s why I set an appointment with myself every morning to do this when I’m feeling down in the dumps.

• Write In My Journal: Even though my journal entries sound like pathetic moaning, I write in my journal every day. It helps me muscle past the hard times.

• Make A New Commitment: It doesn’t matter what kind of commitment I make as long as I make one that I have to keep. I usually set up one day a week to workout with a friend. It gives me something to look forward to and it keeps me accountable to exercise. You could ask someone to review your food journal at the end of every day.

• Try Something New: I think most of my bad times are caused by BOREDOM. I have been eating the same thing for a few weeks. Sure it tastes good and it is perfect for losing weight, but I get sick of it and think that I can’t follow my program. Trying some new food that is healthy is a great way to break past that boredom. The same can be said for exercise. If the thought of working out sounds horrible to you, it might be that you’re sick of your workout routine. Try something new when you are exercising and you just might find that you can hold on for another day.

Let’s just be honest. THIS IS HARD! If it were easy, everyone would look like a supermodel. What you’re doing is difficult, but there are ways to muscle through the hard times. All you have to do is hold on for a few days and it will get easier again. These things come and go in waves, so you need to ride the dips and swells the best you can.

If you are one of the many people who have bought a Starling Fitness Yearly Journal, then you know that the quote of the month is about success. You can see the quote here:

Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)

I find this time of the year to be particularly hard to stay on my weight loss program. I love this quote from Winston Churchill because it reminds me that no matter how many days in a row I fail to stay on program, all I need to do is get right back on program to head down the path of success again.

If you would like to order your own Starling Fitness Yearly Journal, you can do so here:

• Starling Fitness » Order Your Starling Fitness Yearly Journal

If you order it now, you can choose the month you want it to start and it will last you a year from that date. You won’t have to throw away any unused days from the first of the year. You can start fresh now.

I went on a magazine binge and this is one of the advertisements I pulled out:

It was inspiring to me, so I thought I would share it with you. Apparently, its an advertisement for Calvin Klein exercise clothes like these:

• Calvin Klein Performance Women Bermuda Short

• Calvin Klein Performance Women Cuff Sleeve Top

• Calvin Klein Performance Women Basic Capri With Accent Colors

I’m not really the target market for these clothes because I can’t see spending fifty bucks on one pair of gym shorts. I enjoy the inspiration, though…

If Otis the Cat can figure out an elliptical trainer within three minutes, then you can certainly learn how to exercise on it. Next time you’re intimidated by a piece of gym equipment (or even the idea of walking into the gym), remember Otis. Considering your brain is larger than a golf ball, you should be able to conquer even the scariest of cardio equipment.

Via: Two Arms! : Complete Running Network